This is the tenth book in the hugely popular Detective Calladine and Bayliss series, one which I would strongly suggest you read in order. There is a lot of ongoing character development over the series which continues in this story and also references are made to events in previous stories which could spoil your enjoyment of those books if not read first. The series is set in the fictional village of Leesdon on the outskirts of a northern English industrial city where there is much unemployment and crime, particularly on the Hobfield estate, still the bane of DI Tom Calladine's working life. Most of the main characters in Leesdon CID and the Duggen, which handles forensics and pathology, are still present and it is a bit like revisiting old friends who need little introduction. This time there are two new faces to meet, one at the Duggen assisting Prof Julian Batho and who seems to be a popular choice, and one in CID, definitely not so popular. Since Calladine refuses to take up the permanent post of DCI, fearing he will be chained to a desk, the job has been filled by Stephen Greco from Oldston and Calladine feels guilty that this man has been inflicted on a great team which still includes DC Alice Bolshaw and DC Simon "Rocco" Rockliffe from previous stories. Greco features in another series by this author and has a reputation for not being the easiest person to work with. Personal circumstances have forced his move, so together with Calladine having a clingy ex-girlfriend, also Batho's aunt, staying with him and DS Ruth Bayliss having marriage problems, none of them are having an easy time and things are a little tense to say the least. The story opens with the brutal slaying of a young man on his way home from the pub. He is found on waste land the next day badly beaten and with his tongue cut out. The victim is swiftly identified and it turns out his workplace has also just received a strange attack on it. A girl who works there and who was a friend of his gets scared and goes into hiding leaving her boyfriend to the mercy of a nasty criminal. In quick succession a local businesswoman falls prey to a cyber attack and it is not long before the brutal killer strikes again. The detectives will need to put their personal problems to one side and all pull together to solve these baffling crimes. There is a lot happening all at once and the detectives are not sure whether the cases are connected or not just because they have links to a certain place. But even when it all looks done and dusted Calladine is still not so sure and his gut is telling him they have it all wrong. The obvious suspect is a man Calladine put away years ago who is recently released from prison and who swore to get even with the detective, but just how can he be linked to all these current crimes? Or is the truth far more sinister? The pace is kept up throughout with plenty of action, clues and suspects in a clever and complex plot that does eventually all come together and make sense. It is a good solid police procedural in an excellent series with very likable characters which I can highly recommend. The book ends with a bit of uncertainty all round and I will be very interested to see how this all pans out in the next story. 5*

I received a free uncorrected proof of this from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This is book 10 in the DI Calladine and DS Bayliss series. This thriller involves ransomware, kidnapping, food tampering, drug dealers, torture, and murder. Definitely not for the faint of heart in places. The story opens with the murder of a young man on the way home from a night out at the pub. This gets DI Calladine involved and the case begins to move along swiftly. The plots connect through interactions of the characters and there are also well done subplots involving their personal lives. DI Calladine’s adult daughter is pregnant and her choice of donor has evoked rather complicated issues. Meanwhile, Ruth’s family is coming apart at the seams. A well done, fast paced thriller.

This is a series that vastly improved as it went on. I had read book 2 as part of the Kindle English Mystery Book Club on Goodreads and I didn’t continue with the series at the time, but now reading this I see a substantial growth in story development and writing and would read more now.

This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last. I really enjoyed it.
Yet again I’ve jumped into a series well underway but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment.
It’s a Tom Callandine and Ruth Bayliss book no 10 in the series.
I really like the easy going writing style that makes it an easy enjoyable read.
There’s a great relationship between Tom and Ruth with potential for a future romance.
I engaged well with the Characters of Tom and Ruth, and Greco gave me a smile with his OCD
The are violent crimes committed but the description is not graphic.
I guessed who the culprit was about 50% of the way in, but I like that you are given clues to pick up on.
I feel that the authors writing style is similar to Helen Field but less dark.
Thanks to netgalley and Joffe books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
#netgalley. #deadwicked.

A amazing book. I only just found this series lately and I read them all in a couple of weeks. It's amazing . This book had so many twists and turns. I love it would recommend this author to anyone who would listen

Another brilliant addition to the Calladine and Bayliss series by Helen Durrant.

Following the shocks of the previous book Calladine is acting DCI but it isn't for him he is an out and about detective and he soon realises that sitting behind a pile of paperwork is not what he signed up for so he withdraws his interest for the position. When the new DCI turns up they find it is none other than the infamous Greco, a disgraced detective from another division, one with many quirks and a cleanliness fetish but worse than that a man Calladine doesn't like. Can the pair put aside their differing personalities and work together as a team?

That isn't the only problem Calladine has to deal with there are many more, a pregnant daughter and all the issues that brings and in addition a man who threatened him when he put him away years ago is out on parole and seems to be bang smack in the middle of his case. But all is not what it seems and Calladine and his team have many leads to untangle before they find the way forward.

Another fabulously gripping page-turner from Helen Durrant as we learn more about the characters and their lives as they try to stop the evil that lives among us.

A well deserved 5 stars from me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Joffe Book for the arc of the 10th book in this fantastic series

A new DCI to contend with alongside a brutal murderer who leaves no forensic evidence behind is leaving the team frustrated to say the least , topped off with personal issues in their home life leave Detectives Calladine and Bayliss with more than they can handle

A welcome return to Tom Calladine and his side kick Ruth Bayliss. As usual a fascinating and intriguing storyline from Helen Durrant. Always a pleasure to read one of her books. Anyone who has not had the chance to read her books should do so asap.

I think I’m in the minority with my rating but sadly this book just wasn’t for me.

The writing style is fluid and well composed and the banter between the characters is enjoyable and realistic.

I think my issue was that I entered the series at such a late point. I felt like I was playing catch-up on a lot of back story and character relationships. When really I just wanted to be absorbed into the investigation and catching of the killer.

Im afraid this review is short due to me not really engaging with this book, but I suppose that’s just the way it goes sometimes! It’s not to say that this book isn’t good, it is. Maybe had I read others, or read at a different time my review might be more ‘raving’? Fans of this series will not be disappointed.

I’d certainly be interested in reading another of Durrant’s books but I think I would be better choosing an earlier book.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DI Tom Calladine and DS Ruth Bayliss face not only criminals new and old, they each are facing issues in their personal lives.

Calladine and Bayliss have a new boss ... someone they are very familiar with. Calladine blames himself as he turned down the promotion, preferring to working crimes rather than doing paperwork. Yes .. Stephen Greco back in this 10th story in this series.

A man is found with his tongue cut out and stuffed down his throat. He had been very badly beaten. Then another body is found in the same condition. There are no motives for either of these murders ... no witnesses ... no forensics.

On the personal side , Calladine's daughter is pregnant and trying to kindly fight off family members who insist on telling her how to be a parent. Tom is delighted in his new role as grandfather. His birth mother is having a problem with ransomware on her business computers. They are basically being held for ransom and she wants Calladine to fix the problem.

Bayliss is having domestic problems and her husband has packed his bags and gone to stay with his girlfriend. That leaves her devastated ...and how is she going to balance raising a very young son while working the hours she does?

Calladine receives word that a criminal he had put away years ago is out .. and living close by. This man automatically goes to the top of Tom's list of suspects. This man also threatened to kill Calladine and everyone that he loved.

As with all the other books in this series, this is well-written with a tightly woven plot involving characters that have become as familiar as friends and/or neighbors. I really enjoyed the author's use of a character from a different series. In an ending with a massive twist, the detectives find everything they believed is wrong. Lots of action keeps the reader engaged in this riveting crime fiction.

Although 10th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend reading the entire series in order ... would make a terrific marathon reading.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books 'n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely own.

Helen Durante always delivers a great read, I devoured this in one sitting. I love the Callendine and Bayliss series, the characters are like old friends. Great plot, except I guessed the guilty party. Unusual for me, so the clues are there. The relationship between the two main characters is so realistic, the banter covering the deep friendship they have. Great read.

Book 10 already! Wow. Usual series rules apply - and it also helps if you've read the author's other series as a familiar face from one of them pops up here again.
So, Calladine has been sort of promoted to acting DCI, a job he is growing to hate. He's not a fan of being desk bound, he wants to be out there, investigating at the coal face. After some soul searching he decides to step down from the position. Little knowing who is about to fill his shoes... A match made in hell... Anyway, the crime he left his desk for is a body found on waste ground. His tongue having been stuffed down his throat. Along with Bayliss and the rest of the team, they have only just started their investigations when another similar body is found.
Meanwhile someone is targetting businesses with ransomwear, things going south very quickly should they refuse to pay up. Things take a more personal turn in this side of things for Calladine and he is forced to hand over the reins to his new boss - DCI Stephen Greco... Oh MY!
And that's all I'm going to say as it is a bit interconnected and convoluted as the plot meanders around and about itself all the way through. We have blasts from the past to in terms of historic cases that appear to be solved but there are still questions. All sounds a bit busy really but this author is very skilled in multi-thread crime investigation books and even with its complexity there is never a point where it all gets too much and, as the end approaches, it all comes together well and completely to my satisfaction.
I am also very excited with the reunion of Calladine, Bayliss and Greco. They seem to be rubbing along quite nicely in this first outing back together but I can see it going either way in subsequent books. Personally I am looking forward to seeing a bit of fur flying!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is a very well written, typical British police procedural, as it involves an officer's personal situation, there is a problematic superior officer, and there may be a bad cop. This is not to say that it isn't good entertainment, because the plot is good and the pace is fast. There is no problem reading the book as a stand-alone.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Dead Wicked, the tenth novel to feature DI Tom Calladine and DS Ruth Bayliss, set in the fictional northern town of Leesworth.

Calladine is frustrated by his promotion to acting DCI, so when a mutilated body is found on waste ground he is ready to investigate and hand the paperwork over to his new boss DCI Stephen Greco, an old adversary. Unfortunately there are more bodies and ramifications in the case than he could have imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Wicked which has an absorbing plot with several twists and turns. It is told mostly from the investigative point of view, i.e. Calladine and Bayliss, after a scene setting prologue which really grabs the attention. After that I was hooked and read the novel in one sitting. I liked that the plot is multi stranded. I had no idea of what fitted where until all was explained at the end, although I had an inkling of the killer’s identity early on despite the why eluding me. As I said the plot is multi stranded with various threads and permutations, but it is never difficult to follow as the author has the knack of laying it out clearly, concisely and logically. There is always something to hold the attention with developments in every chapter.

After so many novels Calladine and Bayliss are like old friends, well known but still able to surprise. In this case it is Bayliss’s love life under the microscope while the fickle Calladine is, for once, without a partner although not trouble free. It is interesting to see Stephen Greco from another series make his permanent professional home In Leesworth. There may be fireworks ahead although this early introduction seems benign.

Dead Wicked is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Calladine & Bayliss #10

DI Tom Calladine had been acting DCI and he hated it. He turns down the full time post. DCI Stephen Greco gets the job nd Tom has ot really got along with him in the past. Tom and Ruth are investigating the murder of Kieran Ramsey who had been badly beaten and his tongue had been cut out and pushed down his throat. Another body is soon found murdered the same way. Theres also a child that been poisoned from a drink bought at the local shop. Gina, the shop assistant flees the scene.

There's a lot going on in this book but it's still easy to follow. Thenoace is fast with a few curve balls thrown in. With murders, drug dealing and lots of suspects, thisnstory will keep you guessing throughout. I love the authors writing style. I was hooked from the start. This series just gets better with each new book. This book could be read as a standalone but do yourself a favour, read this series from the beginning. You won't be disappointed.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Helen H. Durrant for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another decent instalment in this well established series. As another direct follow on it feels like Zoe has been pregnant forever.
I wish authors would stop writing family members of the police team into the plot as victims

I’d like to thank Joffe Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Dead Wicked’, the tenth in the Detectives Calladine and Bayliss series written by Helen H Durrant, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Kieron Ramsey has been drinking in the Pheasant and on his way home he’s pushed into a van, beaten, and has his tongue cut out and pushed into his throat. Moira Haigh’s hairdressing business is being targeted by ransomware and as she refuses to pay she’s grabbed from her garden and killed in a similar manner. Tom Calladine has refused to accept the post of DCI permanently so a new DCI is brought in to head the team, Stephen Greco, and as there’s no love lost between them they must get used to working together.

‘Dead Wicked’ is the latest thriller featuring DI Tom Calladine, DS Ruth Bayliss and the team, a welcome addition to the series which I’ve enjoyed reading. The story is well-written, it has an interesting plot, questionable suspects, there’s drama, suspense, twists and turns, and the tension builds up successfully to a surprising and unexpected conclusion. The storyline flows so nicely that it’s easy to read and I’ve finished it within twenty-four hours. The epilogue leaves us with something of a cliffhanger – I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

I've liked this series from the start so was looking forward to reading this one. I like that the books are relatively short and there's no unnecessary padding. The case definitely held my interest but I did think the perpetrator was quite easy to guess as it was hammered home the whole way through that Tom didn't like him. I would like to see a bit more emotion from the lead characters; Tom seemed completely unphased that his mum had been kidnapped and might be dead, and Ruth seemed to move on from her long term partner in less than a day. I was pleased to see the return of DCI Greco. Overall this was a good instalment in a really enjoyable series.

Another excellent book by Helen, having read all other books written by her. It features
detective Ruth Bayliss and Detective Tom Calladine looking for a serial killer after finding a victim murdered with his tongue cut out. Businesses are being targeted by ransomware. Could not put this book down and would recommend it to all. who are addicted to a good thriller.

This book brings together the old team of DI Tom Calladine and DS Ruth Bayliss along with SCI Stephen Greco who has his own series. A young man is found dead in some wasteland. He has been bashed and slashed and had his tongue cut out and shoved down his throat. I’ve wondered at times how you would actually do that, you’d have to get your fingers in there and - teeth! But I digress, the young man was well regarded and mild mannered, everyone spoke well of him so there is no apparent motive. Another body soon follows. This one has all the hallmarks of Clifford Machin, a man that Calladine had put away years ago, now out on licence.

Meanwhile there is a new drug ring in town and everyone is too scared to talk about it. Local businesses are also being targeted with ransomware attacks, freezing them out of their computer systems. The police are unsure which if any of these crimes (including the murders) are related. There are suspects aplenty but the puzzle pieces don’t quite fit. Finally, everything points in one direction but Calladine is not convinced. Things come to a head with an abduction that is too close to home and a suspect that, well, that’s the twist.

It was a good story that ended a little abruptly and, I’m sad to say, a little predictably. To me the bad guy was pretty obvious but maybe I read too many crime thrillers. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley, Joffe Books and Helen H. Durrant for providing this copy for me to review.

This is the 10th book in the excellent Calladine and Bayliss series by author Helen H Durrant. The books work great as a stand-alones but I would recommend reading the complete series to really get the most out of them.

A brutal murderer is on the loose and Detectives Calladine and Bayliss are on the case. Fo

The dead body of a man is found on waste ground with his tongue cut out and stuffed down his throat. This discovery is quickly followed by another dead body dumped in a lake, murdered using the same method operandi.

This is another fast paced novel in the same style of the others in the series, lots of murders and the growing friction when the new DCI is announced to be Stephen Greco, someone Calladine has never got on with.

A great addition to a very good series.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Joffe for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.