Saturday 1 December 2018

Bury the Bodies by Keith Nixon

I was delighted to get an early review copy of this book, the fourth in the Solomon Gray series, having loved the previous three. Huge thanks to Keith for my copy.


The Blurb:

A missing son, a web of lies, a murder covered up.

Detective Inspector Solomon Gray is getting closer to finding his son, missing now for over a decade. He’s on the trail of a bent cop, Lewis Strang, who appears connected to the disappearance, all those years ago. But Strang is untouchable, a star of the Metropolitan police force. Once more, Gray must blur the line between right and wrong.

When the body of a young black man turns up on a Margate back street it seems to be yet another drug related crime. Margate is currently the focus of a special operation, codenamed Pivot, to take down local suppliers. But Gray discovers there’s more to the case than initially meets the eye.

And Gray has his own problems to deal with. First there’s the public investigation into the death of Gray’s ex-boss, DCI Jeff Carslake and then Gray’s estranged daughter, Hope, turns up on his doorstep – she’s pregnant and left the child’s father.

As Gray investigates he discovers the truth about Tom and who took him. A truth that is even more shocking than Gray ever expected…

Set in the once grand town of Margate in the south of England, the now broken and depressed seaside resort becomes its own character in this dark detective thriller, perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride, and Peter James.

Bury The Bodies is the fourth book in the series featuring Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray. Buy it now to discover if, in this, the final chapter, Gray will finally find out what happened to his long missing son.

Bury the Bodies was published by Gladius Press on 27th November, and You can buy it from Amazon UK and US.

My Review:

I'm a big fan of Solomon Gray as I'm always drawn to troubled men (if only this wasn't the truth)! Having followed Sol's adventures through the three previous books (click on the links to read my reviews) - Dig Two Graves, Burn The Evidence, and Beg For Mercy, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one! And happily, I wasn't disappointed.

Gray is still searching for his missing son, Tom. He's closer than he's ever been to knowing the truth, but it's still just out of reach. And then, like it does, life gets in the way - he's working on a new case, his daughter's pregnant and he has to testify at the inquest into the death of his late boss, and former friend. One good thing is that Sol has a new love interest. Well, maybe not love exactly, but certainly a lovely distraction!

The story is written mainly in the present, but with flashbacks to around the time Tom was abducted. The first chapter is full of OMG moments, and my heart was in my mouth! I was hooked immediately. And kept turning the pages until the end. And what an ending - I didn't know whether to smile or cry.

It was great to be back in Margate again. Having read several of Keith's books, although I've never been there, Margate feels like an old friend that I know well. It's almost a character in itself.

I can't really say much more without giving away spoilers. Yes, this is a crime story, and it's full of action, but ultimately this is a tale of a man searching for the truth. It's about betrayal. And it's about love. It's beautifully written, and for those of us who've followed Sol's journey, it answers some questions. And uncovers some nasty stuff. It's a brilliant, satisfying read, but I would suggest it's best enjoyed if you've read the previous books in the series which are also great). This could be the last we hear of Gray, but I have a feeling (and a hope) that it won't be!

The Author:


Keith Nixon has been writing since he was a child. In fact his wife and friends say he's never really grown up. He is currently gainfully employed in a senior sales role meaning he gets to use his one skill, talking too much. He also drinks beer and is a coffee snob.

Keith writes crime and historical fiction novels. Keith also reviews for Crime Fiction Lover and Big Al's Books & Pals.

You can find out more on his website.

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