Her aunt has been fostering the girl and they can tell that she is intelligent. Something bad happened to this girl though and she is still scared a year later of whatever it was. Clifford and Birdie will team up to find out who the girl is so that they can help her move forward, but as they get deeper into the case – they realize that she’s not the only one in danger. I Also enjoy watching the development of the characters and reading about their lives, loves, concerns and work related dynamics. Another murder in the (fictitious) town of Lenchester is offered us by prolific writer Sally Rigby (5 novels in a year and that without losing anything in quality or thrill-level!) A rich older woman is found dead in her bed, strangled with a pink chiffon scarf. A MO that resembles that of the never caught Lenchester strangler who was active in the 1980ies when he killed 6 women. There was a suspect but when he murdered his own wife and was put in jail for that, the investigations were suspended and the murders stopped. DCI Walker tries to get in touch with her old boss who was SIO on that case but he’s in Egypt. It’s unlikely that the original suspect has anything to do with this murder as the man is in his 80ies and suffering from dementia (but maybe less than he lets on?) It doesn’t take long before 2 other murders on rich elder ladies occur. What do the victims have in common; gardening, art, volunteer work, clubs, …?

There is a lot of resistance mainly coming from Whitney. She eventually makes a somewhat hasty arrest and she gives a press conference only for it to blow up in her face when another murder happens. This was my first read from author Sally Rigby, did like Deadly Games, liked both of the main characters and can't wait to see them grow with each new book. This is the beginning of an exciting new series featuring DCI Whitney Walker and Forensic Psychologist, Dr. Georgina Cavendish. It all begins when George (Georgina) finds the body of a college student who has been murdered. George is a teacher and researcher and wants nothing more to help the police find this killer. This version isn't without errors but this time they were expected and I was pre-warned as it was an advance copy Sally sent me over. Therefore I've passed on mistakes I spotted straight across to her.

The Cavendish & Walker Series in Order (12 Books)

Ah, another great story starring DCI Whitney Walker and Dr Georgina (George) Cavendish. If I haven't mentioned it before you would do well to start your journey with Sally Rigby's books about this pair of crime busters with book 1 "Deadly Games".

And that is it for the positives, I'm afraid. The writing is amateurish, all tell and no show, and the dialogue is wooden and unnatural. While the relationship between George and Whitney worked, every other relationship feels awkward and psychologically unbelievable. The solution to the mystery is obvious, but at the same time, pretty unbelievable. The several dead women are treated by the narrative as disposable, and the tone felt exploitative.

Publication Order of Detective Sebastian Clifford Books

I enjoyed the first book and am happy to say I enjoyed this one even more. The plot was tight and the writing style drew me straight in. I'm enjoying the character development, not just of Whitney and George but of the police team and even Whitney's unpredictable and unlikable superior, Jamieson. Forensic psychologist, Dr Georgina Cavendish, has spent her life inside the university walls, but when one of her students is murdered and she’s the one to find the body, she resolves to step out from behind her text books and put her skills to the test. Sebastian Clifford, an ex-cop turned reluctant private investigator, was never one to plan for a career shift. However, following a controversy that leads to the disintegration of his specialized squad in London, he finds himself jobless. Things take a turn when his cousin pleads for his help to scrutinize her husband's widely-publicized death, and prove it was far from suicide. Despite initial hesitations, Clifford can't ignore the growing body of evidence he unearths. After reading the previous book 0, This is book 1. This book sees the then DS Whitney Walker from book 0, fast forwarded 10 years and she is now a DCI. Once again DCI Whitney Walker and Forensic Psychologist Georgina Cavendish are re-united in the search for a serial killer.