Cover Image: The Body in the Shadows

The Body in the Shadows

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Member Reviews

The Body in the Shadows is one of Nick Louth's best yet! I enjoyed his usual combination of police procedural, personal vignettes, and criminal pov. The book begins with a thrilling segment of Sam Gillard being mugged and almost killed in a mall while Christmas shopping, and this thread is woven into the main mystery. Reading this novel, I participated more than I usually do… I must admit when reading detective novels, I don't always try too hard to guess whodunnit, but the plot turned on the police trying to decipher intelligence alerting them about a supposed huge robbery in London to be staged on the Friday before Christmas. As they worked and the deadline approached, so did I. Intrigued, I didn't fully believe in the two scenarios they were working on and tried to picture what else it could be… but I, like the Flying Squad, was gobsmacked by what it was! I hope real criminals are not that wily. This is a solid entry into the Craig Gillard files with absorbing, disparate plot lines all tied up at the end, and a healthy respect for the reader's intelligence. Also, Sam had better have that baby at the beginning of the next book. That will add complications to Gillard's busy schedule putting criminals away! Finally, a bouquet to the cover designer - the covers are consistent and communicate clearly, yet each is unique. 
Thanks to the author, publisher and #netgalley for the chance to read this early and provide a review.

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As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot...

This is the 11th book in the DCI Craig Gillard series, but don't worry too much if you haven't read the previous books - there's enough background information about the characters from the earlier novels for this to work fine as a standalone read.

Having read all the previous novels in this series, I was delighted to receive an ARC of this latest book. I was not disappointed! The plot is quite complicated and has several strands and a large cast of shady characters. The book gets off to a really dramatic start that made me feel even warier next time I visited a shopping mall!

A great twist in the plot shows the importance of being able to "think outside the box" (apologies for the term!)

Recommended if you like twisty police procedurals with great characters. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

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Love this series and this is not disappointment. An excellent addition to the DCI Gillard series. A real page turner.

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Whoa, what an amazing plot was that? Absolutely brilliant, best in the series so far. Craig is a great character, he is down to earth, relatable and with no horrific back story. All the regular characters are also well written and their interactions with each other ring true. Loved it and can’t wait for the next one.

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News has reached DCI Craig Gillard of a huge job that is about to take place in London. When it becomes apparent that this is also on the radar of London’s Metropolitan police force, he shares his information, hoping he will be able to assist in some capacity. Soon, there is word of a potential raid worth £500m, a massive coup if it can be thwarted. But with no exact place or location, will Gillard be able to prevent it from happening? Meanwhile, Gillard has other things on his mind after his pregnant wife, Sam, is attacked while Christmas shopping, an incident which takes a sudden confusing turn when it would seem that there are links to the case he is currently working on.

This is the eleventh in the DCI Gillard series, a series that is showing no sign of losing its touch. For me, one of the main reasons for the success is Gillard himself. A likeable character who, despite his rank, does not shy away from actual police work, I don’t think he would ever be content with sitting behind a desk, delegating work to other officers! This does not mean that he is a lone wolf, however: he leads his team well and has the respect of those he works with.

The plot is a fascinating one, taking you back to a world of old-school gangsters but with a very modern twist. Without giving away any spoilers, I liked the contrast of the very modern crime to the more traditional methods of information gathering with the use of informants, undercover officers and bugs. The plot did not play out how I thought it would and I enjoyed how we were kept in the dark just as much as the police as they tried to work out exactly what the crime would be.

The subplot involving Gillard’s wife, Sam, was well-executed and formed a vital part of the jigsaw helping Craig solve the case.

This is another excellent addition to the series and I am already looking forward to the next!

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The Body in the Shadows is the eleventh book in the consistently clever DCI Craig Gillard police procedural series, about a hardworking middle-aged detective in Surrey, England. I’ve read all of these in order but they do stand alone as mysteries, although I do enjoy the recurring support characters in this series and the little updates into their lives. What I like best about this series is the diversity of the crimes that Gillard investigates, which means they are never formulaic - yes, there’s a murder, but it’s not the main mystery - and the reveal here’s a doozy!

Gillard’s wife Sam is doing some quiet Christmas shopping, when she spots a pickpocketer, and despite being six months pregnant, decides to intervene - with nearly disastrous consequences. The young man escapes, but a week later is found dead in a canal. Meanwhile the Met are investigating rumours of a huge heist planned for the week before Christmas - and one of Gillard’s old informants has some key information about it. The police teams know who the suspects are, but not what they’re up to - how can they prevent the crime of the century when they don’t know what it will be?

I’m running out of new ways to praise this excellent series! I finished this in less than a day, the pace and plotting were perfect, and I didn’t guess what was going on until the big reveal. Gillard does a lot of work that you might expect to be covered by a lower ranked detective, but this is explainable by the secrecy required by the magnitude of the suspected plot. There are lots of characters to keep up with but it never got confusing and all the loose threads were neatly unravelled by the end. Recommended to fans of intelligent British crime fiction which isn’t too gory or violent. 4.5 rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. The Body in the Shadows is published on January 19th.

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This was a good novel and suitable for anyone who loves a good mystery thriller, featuring DCI Craig Gillard.

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Another great episode in this series. Quite a complicated plot this time, but it was enjoyable to work put how the different strands were connected. I like Craig, the main detective . Others in the team were featured less in this book. The story is believable, interesting and the evidence well put together.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

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This is a compelling read in the DCI Gillard series but can easily be read as a stand alone. The characterisation is interesting and believable and the plotting is excellent. I was totally engrossed to the last page in this fast paced, suspenseful read. Gillard's wife Sam is pregnant and I look forward to the next installment in the series. Well plotted, well written, it had a nice flow with plenty action and a 5* recommendation from me. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

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The 11th book in this excellent series. This book involves the parallel investigation into a murder of a pickpocket and a suspected large scale robbery. As always, DCI Craig Gillard, supported by his team, deals efficiently and professionally with the investigation process. This is a fast-paced read with excellent characters. Highly recommended.

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An excellent instalment in the Craig Gillard series. Very clever plot line and authentic villains. I love the descriptive writing, the South London villains and locations are spot on. With plenty of red herrings it kept me guessing to the end.

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This is the eleventh book in the DCI Craig Gillard series by author Nick Louth. I came into this series at book five but was hooked and have read all the books since. I really should catch up on the first four books. They are good crime novels and would work as standalones. Interesting characters and well thought out plots written well make this series an excellent read for crime fiction lovers.

For DCI Gillard, sometimes old sins cast long shadows…

When the body of a young man is discovered under a motorway flyover DCI Craig Gillard is called in to investigate. The man had a few days earlier been involved in an skirmish DCI Craig Gillard’s pregnant partner Sam and now he’s dead. Meanwhile one of DCI Gillard’s informants has heard rumours that a major crime is about to happen with a value of half a million pounds.

DCI Gillard certainly has his hands full with an ongoing murder and a rumoured robbery to contend with. The problem is the robbery is just a rumour with no hints of what is to be stolen, where and by who.

Fast paced crime novel well plotted and plenty to keep the reader interested making it an enjoyable read.

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

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The Body in the Shadows by Nick Louth is the first book I've read by this author. It had a good storyline. I liked DCI Gillard and getting to know the characters.

The story is fairly fast-paced. It starts off with DCI Gillard's wife being attacked at the mall. Later, the man involved is found dead, but the young woman (working with the man) who threatened to kill Gillard's wife is missing and can't be located.

The story is well-written, the action entertaining, and the characters are believable and likable.

I would recommend this book and this author.

#TheBodyintheShadows #NetGalley

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Have enjoyed this Gillard series very much. Great characters and storyline. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. Not so keen on the subject matter in this one but this is just my personal view. Would definitely read his next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

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Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and great police work! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I will definitely recommend reading this book! It was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

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I love all Nick Louth's books, and this was another great read. As always, the characters are relatable, the plot is intriguing and moves quickly, and there is plenty of action.
PC Gillard gets caught up in a plot to steal millions of dollars. The trouble is that there are two dates for the crime, and no established location where it will take place. The police detectives have lots of suspects, and moving parts, but putting the pieces together is proving difficult. On top of all that, Gillard's wife, Sam, is attacked in a mall, and an old informant of his has been killed. The question of the hour is are these crimes all related?
This is a fast paced, captivating book that had me reading all night long. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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An assault in a mall gives this an explosive start. Things settle down somewhat as we become aware of a major heist being organised and soon to ‘Go-Down’ in Central London. Much investigation into what this could be and leads from ‘Grasses’. All interesting, but I never saw the actual crime coming at all. Once this became apparent, the book really took off for me. Gripping, page-turning and what a fascinating idea, could this really happen?
I’ve enjoyed Nick Louth’s last few books but this one heads right to the top of the pile.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

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Police procedural,part of a series. Detective Craig Gillard has a murder to solve and a mystery to unravel. A good read.

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As in Nick Louth's early books in this series, it is extremely readable and entertaining. Unlike the previous one, The Body in the Shadows had more of a concentration on Craig's wife Sam, but it was useful to advance the plot. It got a bit confusing as it switched from crime to crime, but I would definitely recommend to those interested in a readable mystery.

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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

Wow, I thought this was one absorbing and very riveting read! I was drawn into the story right from the first page which immediately took me into a very full on, action packed and thrilling read. DCI Gillard is told by an old informant that a big job is happening soon although where, when and the target are unknown. At the same time he and his team also investigate a suspicious death - is it murder? I loved the authors writing style, it is engaging and I thought the story flowed really well. There are so many story threads here along with quite a few characters so initially it took a while to become familiar with them all and to slot into place in my mind. I thought the plot line was well thought out and all to believable in todays world. Gillard finds himself assisting in two separate investigations which may be connected. The last part of the book was a thrilling, page turning read as all the threads begin to tie up nicely along with some very unexpected twists that floored me! Overall a very VERY good read and in my opinion this is the best book so far in series. If you like crime, solid procedurals you will definitely like this book, and I would recommend it. Looking forward to the next book.

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