Where the Truth Lies
by M J Lee
Canelo
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 22 Oct 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Where The Truth Lies through Canelo and netgalley:

They thought the case was closed until people started dying.

DI Thomas Ridpath was on his way up in the Manchester CID. He was a promising young detective whose first case involved capturing a notorious serial killer. Ten years later he is recovering from s serious illness and about to be forced off the force. Then people started dying in a way that was far to similar to Ridpath’s first case.


The investigation intensifies, old bodies go missing, records can’t be found and the murder count grows they are caught in a turf war between the Police Force and Coroners office as they dig up skeletons most would rather forget. Ridpath is caught in a race against his career, his marriage and his lives.


After a detective goes missing everything is on the line! Can Ridpath save his colleague before it becomes to late?


I give Where The Truth Lies four out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I quite enjoyed reading this book. Nice characters that were easy to understand and a storyline that progressed nicely with a few good twists and turns.

I hope this will be the first book of many featuring DI Thomas Ridpath. He is returning towork after having treatment for cancer for nine months. He is not best pleased when he is offered a three month ‘settling in’ post in the Coroner’s office but he has no choice but to take it. Ten years ago he helped convict a man, James Dalbey, for murdering Alice Seagram. When some young girls bodies
are found it looks like the work of Dalbey but he is still in prison serving his sentence. Dalbey has always protested his innocence and Ridpath begins to believe this, but then he has to find out who the new killer is.
This is a great first book in a new series. I loved the character of Ridpath and the links between the police and the coroner’s office. I eagerly await the next book in the series. Thank to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I read this book over two days while finishing a holiday in Tenerife.

Described as unputdownable, I would agree as the story is compelling! The characterization of DI Ridpath is full of human frailty, and the supporting cast brilliantly composed. The threads of the story also gave an excellent insight into the role of the coroner's officer, which I had never read before, as well as the underlying purpose of the role of the coroner.

Moving several themes at a pace is a brilliant art of writing and M J Lee carries it off with aplomb!

I look forward to the next in the series and I highly recommend this first episode!

The first in a new series of DI Ridpath novels. After a serious illness, RIdpath is assigned to the Coroner’s Office, and becomes embroiled in a supposedly historic case of a serial killer., It becomes a dramatic race against time to find the truth about why the murders are still happening. This is very well written and builds to an exciting finale. However, I found some of the descriptions of the torture of women quite unpalatable,. I would certainly look for any further books in the series as I found the character of Ridpath quite intriguing and would like to see what happens to him next.

This was an interesting story told from a different point of view. I enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy reading this genre.

An absolutely unputdownable gripping read, hopefully the first in a long series of books to come, featuring the very likeable and currently fairly jaded DI Ridpath from the Manchester Police! Thank you netgalley/Canelo for letting me read an ARC in return for my honest review.

Detective Thomas Ridpath returns to work after receiving treatment for cancer only to find there's a copycat killer on the loose who is emulating a killer who was put away ten years ago, can Ridpath solve the case before the body count rises? MJ Lee does a great job of creating a detective who is on the edge, risking being turfed out of the force and trying to hang on to his marriage. A well-paced thriller that will have you guessing right until the very end with it's carefully woven plotting and solid characters.

Tense. Original. Interesting.
I can’t revomm this enough. An old murderer starts up again. A detective goes missing. Don’t. be fooled that this is another detective story. It’s so different. I’ve read in 2 sittings!

Excellent twist on the police procedural with Ridpath forced into the coroner's office and out of his murder investigation team after illness. Lots of strong characters, a solid storyline and all the ingredients of an excellent series.

What a great detective thriller! I was up throughout the night finishing it off. It had pace, intrigue, the human story, good characters and some very grisly murders. All wrapped up in a riveting story. I would however question the storage regime of the research facility called TRACE. Surely, they would have a clear out of their freezer after a defined time? Does a human look like a pig? Why freeze things at all? If they explore the decomposition of animals then using a frozen subject would give false results and letting the frozen item thaw would give false results too. Why? Something frozen thaws (warms) from the outside in. A body cools from the outside in, quite the reverse process.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I have not been enjoying this genre recently as I have come to find crime fiction to be repetitive.

I found Where the Truth Lies to be refreshing. The highlight of the book was that it is based in Manchester England, my home city. I also enjoyed the mention of current UK hot topics such as hate crime, austerity and BTS as well as the British cultural references. There were elements of humour which was really well done considering the genre.

Overall, great read and I'm looking forward to more from this author.

I haven’t read anything by this author and was interested in this police procedural, murder mystery set in Manchester. It’s hopefully the first of a series featuring DI Ridpath, a likeable and plausible police officer who returns to work following illness. His duties take him to Coroner’s Officer work which links to a former investigation.

The police procedural is well researched and the plotting is full of twists and turns, so it’s an engrossing read which kept me intrigued. I enjoyed the Manchester area setting; it felt real, although I’m not familiar with the area. All in all, I enjoyed this and will look out for more. My thanks for a review copy via Netgalley.

M. J. Lee's debut novel "Where the truth lies" was an awesome read. The plot was interesting and the characters really likeable, particularly the main character, Ridpath. There's nothing better than a good old police detective mystery. I look forward to the next instalment.

DI Ridpath has been off work for 9 months since being diagnosed with cancer, he has now been given the all clear to return to work, not to his usual role but to a post in the coroner's office

While he is there an old case of his is reopened, Ridpath starts a new investigation and the more he digs the more he realises that maybe James Dalbey is innocent of the crimes.

A slow start but picked up pace and was a good read.

Recommended

I downloaded this book mainly because it is set in Didsbury where I have lived on and off for over sixty years.
I recognised every area and street described.
Good characters and plot. I am normally a slow reader but I raced through the book in no time at all.
Excellent.

Thank you Net Galley. i enjoyed this book very much. I had read some of Mr. Lee's Danilov series and had high expectations for this one too. He does not disappoint. A wonderful, complex and layered read which leaves one wanting more.

A young policeman involved in arresting a killer who looked all too convincing is struck down with cancer. On his return months later, that guy is in jail and questions are raised. Working in coroners office he meets impressive director, a woman who gives him leeway .. in a case with twists and turns, we are left with unresolved postings, pointing to another book. Leslie.

I have not come across books by M J Lee before but I will certainly be looking out for more and I really hope that there will be more books about D I Ridpath. It had me gripped from the beginning and gave insights into how politics affect life in the police and the effects that this has on family life.

It was interesting to learn more about how the Coroners office works and to learn more about the inter relationships between the police, the Coroner , pathologists and forensic medicine.

The book seemed to be well researched and I hope that this is the beginning of a series about D.I. Ridpath.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for this arc.

This was a fast and compelling read for me. The plot was fast paced (in spite of the Coroner's Office) and twisty... just the way I like them. Oh sure there were a few loose hairs, but aren't there always. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other. Some of them were overly ambitious and driven policemen / women at the cost of their personal lives and some were just there with conflicting agendas. It's only a few hours since I finished the book that all the implausibility and plot contrivances are banging on my brain. It is fiction after all. As far a police procedurals go, I can't really be sure that it was "real" Most of the characters felt underdeveloped on reflection (but this is apparently the opener of a series). Overall, I found it an enjoyable read while it lasted.