Book Review: The Quiet Dead by NJ Mackay

 Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Hera Books, via #netgalley, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis:

Fifteen years ago, he confessed to the murder of his wife and children.

As a teenager, Hayley DaSilva walked into a nightmare; discovering the bodies of her mother, twin brother, and friend all brutally slaughtered in her home… and her nine-year-old brother missing. Her father, Leonard DaSilva, confessed to the murders, but Ethan was never seen again.

He lied. But why?

Now, Hayley has fled her dreadful past in Thamespark - until the call from Detective Sebastian Locke. Little bones uncovered in a shallow grave belong to Ethan… and the investigation reveals holes in the case that prove Leonard’s confession was false. He didn’t kill his family. So why did he say he did?

As DI Locke and the squad realise that a killer has been hiding in plain sight in the sleepy commuter town of Thamespark, the previously cold case becomes an urgent investigation. But as the squad gets closer to the truth of who really murdered the DaSilvas, it becomes clear that the culprit won’t hesitate to spill blood to keep their shocking secrets hidden…

Review:

I always love the first book in a new police procedural series- it's like getting Christmas morning as a kid all over again- you have no idea what is in the package- will you like/love the lead character, will the other characters be as good, will the place/concepts work...Locke is definitely a keeper- he reminds me of televisions Sherlock- he sees what others aren't seeing for the bigger picture- the nuances that are wrong. The reader may guess quickly why Da Silva confessed all those years ago, but the question is, who REALLY is the killer, and as the story progresses, the reader isn't sure until the roller coaster ending. Can't wait for book 2 in this series!

FYI, the book is available on pre-order on Amazon/Kindle for only $3.99 right now!

About the Author:

Niki Mackay studied Performing Arts at the BRIT School, and it turned out she wasn’t very good at acting but quite liked writing scripts. She holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Drama, and won a full scholarship for her MA in Journalism.