Review: DEAD END, Leigh Russell

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00796E1W6
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ No Exit Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 26 May 2011
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 463 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781842433560
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1842434369
• Book 3 of 24 ‏ : ‎ DI Geraldine Steel   

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Headmistress Abigail Kirby is found dead with her tongue cut out.

A potential witness has been murdered.

And for DI Geraldine Steel, the stakes have been raised higher. Abigail's teenage daughter, Lucy, is missing, believed to have run away with a girl she met online.

With a serial killer on the loose and a shocking discovery, Geraldine's own life is in danger, could it be too late to save her?

My Take

Another good read. Headmistress Abigail Kirby was a good administrator, not particularly popular with students, and her daughter Lucy is bullied mercilessly, but who would hate Abigail enough to cut her tongue out.

I had "discovered" the killer by about half way through, but that didn't put me off finishing the book.  

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

• 4.4, CUT SHORT - #1
• 4.6, ROAD CLOSED - #2 
• 4.4, JOURNEY TO DEATH (Lucy Hall #1) 

Review: ROAD CLOSED, Leigh Russell

• 
  This title read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00796E9IM
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ No Exit Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 30 May 2010
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 355 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781842434260
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1842434260
• Book 2 of 24 ‏ : ‎ DI Geraldine Steel 

Synopsis (Amazon)

When a man dies in a gas explosion, the police suspect arson. The Murder Investigation Team are called in to investigate.

The case takes on a new and terrible twist when a local villain is viciously attacked.

As the police enquiries lead from the expensive Harchester Hill estate to the local brothel, a witness dies in a hit-and-run.

Was it coincidence - or cold-blooded murder?

My Take

What a good series to have discovered. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this, the second in the series, and look forward to the next. The plots are pleasingly complex, the characters well drawn, and the scenarios believable. 

My rating: 4.6 

I've also read 

4.4, CUT SHORT - #1

4.4, JOURNEY TO DEATH (Lucy Hall #1) 

Review: CUT SHORT, Leigh Russell

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00796E1IA
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ No Exit Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 23 May 2012
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 435 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1842435830
• Book 1 of 24 ‏ : ‎ DI Geraldine Steel  

 Synopsis  (AmazonAU)

When D.I. Geraldine Steel relocates to the quiet rural town of Woolsmarsh, she expects to find her new home to be somewhere where nothing much ever happens; a place where she can battle her demons in private.

But when she finds herself pitted against a twisted killer preying on local young women she quickly discovers how wrong she is...

My Take

We know who the murderer is from about half way through this story, but we spend a lot of time learning about Geraldine Steel, as is appropriate for the beginning of a series, and also about the team she is working in.

Geraldine is a very thorough detective, willing to go over the evidence countless times. There are clues within the story about the nature of the killer, and the reason why he is attacking young women. 

A series with promise. 

My rating: 4.4

About the author

Leigh Russell has sold over a million crime fiction novels. Her Geraldine Steel titles published by No Exit Press have appeared on many bestseller lists, and reached #1 on kindle. Leigh's work has been nominated for several major awards, including the CWA New Blood Dagger and CWA Dagger in the Library, and her books have been optioned by major television production company Avalon Television. She chairs the CWA Debut Dagger Award judges and is a Consultant Royal Literary Fellow.

Leigh has also written stand alone thrillers, a dystopian novel, and a historical novel for Bloodhound Books, and the Lucy Hall international mystery series published by Thomas and Mercer.

Find out more about Leigh on her website http://www.leighrussell.co.uk where news, reviews and interviews are posted, with a schedule of Leigh's appearances. You can contact Leigh via her website, where you can subscribe to her newsletter and follow her on Twitter and FaceBook.