It seems to be very well written, and is quite dark which is the sort of thing I’m into! But sadly DNF as it is very tightly coupled with the first book which I sadly haven’t read

DNF 40%
I have read other books by this author and really enjoyed his dark and descriptive style so I was looking forward to reading this.
There was still a great style of writing and description but I feel that I needed to read the first book before reading this as it felt very disconnected, as if the author was putting his dreams and nightmares down on paper but without the reader knowing the full background.
Generally these days books in a series can be read out of order, maybe this just needed an introductory chapter explaining what had happened in book 1.
I will not be sharing my review on social media but thank you for the opportunity to attempt the book

This book, featuring Traffic Cop Sal Delaney follows on from the shenanigans that ensued during her first outing in When the Bough Breaks so you do need to read that one first to really understand all the ins and outs of what in the heck is going on in this book. To say that the main players and their connections to each other are complex would be a gross understatement and, even though the min case is self-contained, I do feel you would struggle and get a bit confuddled by it all if you don't have the full backstory.
So... we catch up with Sal as she is trying to single parent her ex-step-daughters whilst their father, her ex-boyfriend is recuperating. It's a bit of a complex arrangement being as he there her out of the family home not long ago, but - well - here we are... She does have help though, mostly from Wulf but, as we soon find out, DCI Magda Quinn is, well, has her own personal agenda to make Sal's life more hellish...
But when Sal is assigned to Quinn to investigate a crash between wealthy landowner Sycamore Le Gros and, well, what he describes as a zombie, things get even weirder. And with Quinn demanding more than just crash info from Sal, her world is about to get even more complex, if that's even possible.
Meanwhile, Wulf is trying to help Theo who was wrongly imprisoned for something he had absolutely nothing to do with, mainly because he got some duff advice from his solicitor.
Quite how this all comes together I will leave for you to discover as the author intended. Suffice to say that it is a complex plot, played out my a massive cast and you might need to make notes along the way. I did! Oh and I nearly forgot, it's also rather dark and brutal and pulls no punches. But you'll probably be expecting that as you will have already read book one!
On the whole I did enjoy this book. I did initially struggle with the vast cast of characters, the majority of whom are as complex as Sal, Wulf and Quinn, but armed with my list, I was soon able to get them all straight, and once I did, it all started to come together nicely.
It's intense, it's brutal, and it's definitely not for the faint-hearted. And it's also quite vivid in description. But, that said, it never went too dark. There are lighter moments to be found. Just hold on to them when you come across them and you'll be just fine!
And when it did all come together, as we raced to the finish line, I breathed a sigh of relief that it was all over. And then I sat back and mourned the fact that I was having to leave the characters once again. Which is a shame as I really do like Sal, warts and all. And I really can't wait to see what the author has in store for her next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Cumbria traffic cop Salome 'Sal' Delaney has a startling back-story, which you can speed-read by checking my review of the previous novel, When The Bough Breaks. Now, we have a mysterious prologue which seems to describe a man being buried alive, but then Sal is called out on a bleak and rainy night to discover why a 4x4 has swerved into an unforgiving dry stone walk out in the middle of nowhere. The past hangs over this narrative like a pall, forcing the reader to be very careful about distinguishing between then and now.

Former drama student Theo Myers has spent an age in prison for a murder he did not commit. Now, finally, he is free of his prison walls, but shackled to a life of uncompensated poverty and a society that views him with suspicion. He reconnects with someone from his past, former policeman Wulf Hagman, who has also spent long years in jail.

Sal's road accident takes a bizarre turn. The driver of the 4x4 swears he swerved into the wall to avoid what he calls a 'zombie'. 4x4 man Sycamore Le Gros is stone cold sober but, hearing unearthly noises in a thicket beside the road, Sal discovers a stricken creature, whose state justifies the description Le Gros has given.

We are reunited with Detective Superintendent Magdalena Quinn, a police officer nicknamed The Succubus by male colleagues. She is certainly the embodiment of evil, devious, beautiful, manipulative and corrupt. If you are a Thomas Hardy aficionado, think Eustacia Vye, but with the moral compass of Lucretia Borgia.

The ragged, undead thing with horror in his eyes that Sal discovered in the undergrowth now has a name - Mahee Gamage, a solicitor of Sri Lanka origin, last known to be living in a village near Middlesbrough. The case takes an even more sinister turn when Sal learns that Gamage was the duty solicitor on the fateful night that Theo was arrested, and it looks probable that the advice he gave the young man was fatally flawed.

David Mark, like a cat with a mouse, enjoys playing games with his readers. As Mahee Gamage hovers between life and death in his intensive care bed, it seems clear that he was captured, imprisoned and brutalised because of his incompetence in representing Theo Myers. Was the culprit Theo himself, his obsessive mother Tara, or maybe her second husband Alec, the campaigner with his hatred of the British establishment? Perhaps it was joint enterprise? Or is Gamage's torturer someone completely from Left Field? Further evidence, if any were needed, that the ambience of this novel is not sun dappled Cotswold limestone, thatched cottages and Inspector Barnaby, comes by way of an examination of the contents of Mahee Gamage's stomach where the investigators find clear evidence of partially digested human flesh. Like Aector McAvoy, David Mark's other memorable character, Sal Delaney frequently has to face a world of almost unfathomable moral blackness, and it is only her own spiritual integrity which enables her to survive. Don't Say A Word is compulsive, dark - and sometimes extremely graphic.

David Mark’s Don’t Say a Word is a haunting and deeply unsettling psychological thriller that ventures into the darkest corners of human experience. At its core, the novel is a study in trauma and resilience, following a protagonist whose emotional burden is as compelling as the mystery she’s determined to unravel.

The story is unapologetically dark, laced with elements of psychological torment and moral ambiguity. Mark’s writing crafts a chilling atmosphere that never quite lets the reader breathe easy. What sets this novel apart is not just its intricate and twisted plot, but the emotional weight carried by the main character—a woman forced into a role of protector for children who are not her own, all while confronting horrors that test the limits of her endurance.

Her inner turmoil is rendered with nuance and authenticity, drawing the reader into a narrative that is as emotionally gripping as it is disturbing. As the mystery unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that nothing is as it seems, and Mark does an excellent job of keeping the suspense taut throughout.

Don’t Say a Word is not a light read—it’s intense, often brutal, and lingers long after the final page. For readers who are prepared for a deeply twisted and emotionally charged story, this novel offers a unique and unforgettable journey into the shadows of the human psyche.

The second book to feature Sal ( Solome ) Delaney, a Traffic Collision police officer in the Cumbria police. Set in and around Carlisle.
Sal's relationship with Lewis Beecher a detective police inspector had ended badly for her. However when Lewis sustained life changing injuries, Sal was awarded custody of Beecher's two children.
Sal's uncle Wulf Hagaman is out of prison and trying to live quietly. Theo Myers was jailed for murdering a homeless man. However following a campaign by his mother Tara, he has been exonerated and released.
Retired Chief superintendent Callum Whitehead is still pulling strings. He uses disgraced D. I. Magda Quinn to do his bidding. Quinn a one time lover of Beecher, hates Sal and tries to give her jobs to do to upset her and provoke her mental welfare.
The ghost of the murderer Social Worker Dagmara still haunts Sal.
When the duty solicitor who wrongly advised Theo is found near death - who is guilty? At turns depressing and somewhat confusing, but a prolific writer who can tell a good story, with the successful McAvoy series behind him.
If you enjoy the author's style, you will like this one.

I did not realise that this was a second book in a series. Far too descriptive and dark for my taste. I really think you would need to read the first book to make head or tail of what was going on as I got lost a lot of the time. Sorry just not for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

David creates a world where you feel like you are being fed an image and video based on each relevant scene. his writing gives me such vivid pictures that i do feel like i could picture it. the walls, the buildings, the roads and characters. i feel like i get to know them all in the precise detail i have come in just a short time to expect from this author. and its fantastic. the flow too of this book just adds to the feeling you are given alongside the plot.
this book is full of characters that have a work and life and then a hell of a home life. especially our main character. and this felt true. it didnt just feel like an excuse to make a once again down and out of sorts cop. it felt like no, this is real, this is a human who like many of us has way too much going on at home never mind what they still have to then deal with at work. i cant imagine then having to go into a work place and deal with some of the worst or saddest of humanity. and David brings that to the fore so much. but all the characters in this book balance between each other. non over take the other and nor does the plot overtake the learning of the characters or vice versa.
its a heavy plot. and its a mystery thriller for sure. but im quickly coming to really like the way we are being brought our lead and the other characters who come to appear in these brilliant books.

This is a well written dark read, full of suspense, drama and tension. The characters just leap off the page and get right into your head and I failed to like any of them! That aside the book draws you in to an evil web of secrets, lies and conspiracy. If you like dark, scary thrillers, this is one for you. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

3.5 Stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC. I was grateful to receive an early digital copy of "Don't Think Twice," the latest thriller by David Mark. He has become a favourite author for his dark crime stories, at latest count, I have read and enjoyed more than a dozen of his books. This is the second installment in the Sal Delaney mystery series, following 'When the Bough Breaks'. The new book is barely a standalone, as events in the previous book have emotionally and physically damaged some characters. I highly recommend this book, with the caveat that prospective readers may find it easier to follow if they first read the earlier book. The publication date for 'Don't Say a Word' is June 3, 2025.

The author creates memorable, flawed, and damaged leading characters, deranged villains, and infuses a multi-layered storyline with a bleak, creepy descriptive vibe. His exceptional writing skills cannot be denied, even when he describes dark, gruesome, and gory deeds in a visceral manner.

The story features Sal Delaney, a Collision investigator with the police department. Her superior officer, Magda Quinn, has personal reasons to hate Sal, adding to the tension at work. Past memories haunt Sal and is trying to keep her mind on her assignments. She has custody of her late partner's children, who is now in an extended coma. Wulf Hagman, who spent years in prison, is now trusted to look after the children while Sal works. He also acts as a counsellor to a young man, Theo. Theo is haunted by being incarcerated for years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He was exonerated with no financial compensation and denied his long-term goal as a member of the police force, now working at basic labour jobs. His present aim is to become an actor.

Sal, barely able to keep her mind together, is called to an automobile collision. The driver, a wealthy landowner, claims he swerved to avoid hitting a zombie. His incredible excuse is interrupted by a shriek that breaks the silence. Sal is surprised and shocked by its source.

The human drama is increased by tension, suspense, and violence. If this wasn't disturbing enough, the story is connected to a medieval torture chamber and Bloodworm, the historic executioner for King William. This is a complex story with multiple threads, all of which come together by the end. I will definitely read the next Sal Delaney book, but this one ended on a cliffhanger, and it may not work as a standalone.

Still reeling from the events of the first book in the series, When the Bough Breaks, Salome 'Sal' Delaney finds herself responsible for her ex's daughters and with a new case to solve when she stumbles upon a half dead body in a field belonging to local landowner Sycamore Le Gros. Yes, David Mark does seem to like his unusually named characters! Badly mutilated, the victim has clearly been tortured in some way and has links to the earlier book. I found this a hard one to read, due to a lack of reading time, and the heavy ties to the first book in the series, a combination that made the narrative hard to follow at times. However, I did still get the strong sense of location that I've come to expect from David Mark's fiction. He has a real eye for location, if not always for character.

Thanks to NetGalley, Severn House and the author for an advance copy.

Sal Delaney is already struggling to cope with her life when she is drawn into a nightmare of a case.
DCI Magda Quinn asks for Sal to be assigned to work with her. Sal knows Quinn is being vindictive and will make her life hell but she has no choice.
As Sal digs into a case of abduction and torture she uncovers things she wishes she hadn’t, things that hit far too close to home. Has Sal pushed herself too far this time?
This should really be read as part of the series, if you have read the others, you will enjoy this one. I struggled with it because I haven’t.

I sat down to start the 2nd book in the series but was a little disappointed as I read on but it seemed to be relating a lot to book 1. Perseverance is the thing and I kept reading and did enjoy it but found it a little hard in places . Looking forward to the next instalment.
My thanks as always to Netgalley and to the publisher Severn House for the early read

I absolutely loved this book. It thrilled me, scared the pants off me and moved me in equal measure.
I hadn't read book one in the series (that will be rectified pretty damn quickly) but that didn't impair my enjoyment of the story.
I loved Sal's vulnerability, her tenacity and resilience and I loved her network of support.
The ongoing conspiracy looks set to continue and it really gripped me. Excellent story with vividly visceral descriptions that made me feel very present in the horror and fear of the darker scenes. Looking forward to the next

Despite a few superficial similarities, David Mark's Sal Delaney series is a very different beast from his DS McAvoy series. Sure, both are police detectives and both have very close relationships with their families and are very protective of them. Above all both series usually involve some pretty gruesome killings. Hey, it's David Mark, what do you expect? Any similarities end there however, or at least if there are similarities they are explored from different angles. McAvoy deals with crime that comes from unexpected places, threats from new areas and corrupt dealings in a changing world. As far as the Sal Delaney series goes - which is not a series as such as much as a three-parter, I believe - she's a Collision Investigation Officer in a rural Cumbrian backwater and the focus is more on how families and individuals are affected in the present by the crimes and injustices of the past.

Which means there are lots of dark family and community secrets that continue to resonate and eventually resurface in shocking ways. Certainly as far as Sal’s family life goes "it's complicated" doesn't quite cut it. Shakespearean is maybe closer to the mark. Her life has taken a number of unexpected turns following the revelations and events of the first book, When the Bough Breaks. No spoilers, but it has left Sal temporarily with responsibilities for the two step children of her ex-partner, and it has seen her twin brother Jarod leave home to possibly sort himself out. And then there’s Uncle Wulf, currently helping young Theo Myers restart his life after a wrongful conviction, despite the ongoing concerted efforts of some of Sal's police officer superiors to put Wulf back behind bars. That brings a strange mix of joy and pain, and it's not as if Sal has been coping well herself lately.

Considerably better though than the victim she encounters however on the latest collision call-out, a rotting living corpse who has just managed to dig himself out of a grave like a zombie only to be almost run over by a local landowner, Sycamore Le Gros. That much, along with the nature of a dangerous killer and a hint of supernatural linked to local folklore is also classic Mark, and that’s going to keep the reader intrigued and horrified. The complicated relationships and the impact of the events in the last book will however be harder to grasp for a reader who hasn't read When the Bough Breaks, but they are very much a part of the whole character and feel of how the Sal Delaney series is shaping up. And it's shaping up very nicely indeed in Don't Say a Word.

Mark finds a tasty bit of local history and lore for the horror side of the work in Blindworm, who legend has it was Edward I's torturer and executioner. Theo is researching the character as part of a job application as a guide to Redburn Castle, but it looks like someone else is literally donning Blindworm's mantle. As effective as that is, it's not half as scary as the way Mark can write characters that can get under your skin. There are kind and good ones who often feel inadequate, and there are bad ones like Sal's superior officer Magda Quinn, whose every word and action on the page makes your blood boil. I shouldn't mention boiling blood in a review of a David Mark book, as it might give him ideas, or it would have only for the fact that he has of course already indicated that this was one of Blindworm's terrifyingly creative torture techniques. That and quite a bit more.

There is indeed a lot to take in here and I don't think you would get the best out of Don't Say A Word if you haven't read the first Sal Delaney book, When the Bough Breaks. That said, this one is a treat for anyone who is following the series, and both books wrap up their storylines thrillingly well while leaving further gaps and avenues to be explored in the next book. That seems too long a wait but it will at least give my blood enough time to cool down after this one. That's the David Mark effect, and it's abundantly in evidence here.

I love David Mark's Aector McAvoy series. This was #2 in his new Sal Delaney series and I was at a huge disadvantage since I did not read #1 first. I have to admit that I was quite lost for a good portion of the book as it seemed to reference events from book #1 constantly. I'll give marks for the dark, brooding atmosphere that is the author's trademark but overall the book fell a little short for me. Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

I found Don’t Say a Word to be an intriguing but somewhat frustrating read. Salome Delaney’s character is relatable, struggling with her personal and professional life, but the writing style didn’t quite work for me. The narrative felt a bit disjointed at times, and it took me a while to really get into the flow of things. The pacing was uneven, and at points, the transitions between scenes felt jarring, especially with the heavy themes surrounding Sal's mentor and the dark case she’s drawn into.

The tension with Detective Magda Quinn added a layer of drama, but it almost felt a bit too forced, which detracted from the overall mystery. I've visited Cumbria, and the North of England setting was a nice touch, but I felt it could have been used more effectively to add atmosphere. Still, the plot kept me going, and the darker twists definitely held my attention towards the end.

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Written by David Mark and published by Severn House in 2025, this is an eerie fantasy/detective novel set in the North of the U.K in the modern day. Perhaps it is meant to be a murder mystery. As I have gotten older, I have found it difficult to keep up with stories that contain a lot of characters. This is one of them.

In addition, the novel is written in a very unusual style. All of the body-text in the story is taken from the present-tense, first-person perspective of each of the characters. The primary protagonist is named Salome or Sal, and she apparently is a working detective at a police department in Northumberland, U.K. Sal’s last name is Delaney. Her husband has been in a coma for a number of years. There might be some indication that Sal is responsible for the wound that led to her husband’s coma. She has a superior in the police department named Magda who hates her. Magda is the former mistress of Sal’s husband. The tension between them adds to the tension in the story.

Central to the story is a medieval torture/murder device known as the oubliette. It was invented in France but was widely used by King William the Conqueror in England and Scotland. At least one of these devices has survived the past and has been found and used in the ruins of one of King William’s old castles. (In the present day.)

Other characters in the story include Theo, a young man who was falsely accused of murder and served time in prison for a murder he did not commit. His court-appointed counsel gave him bad advice, telling him to answer, “No comment!” to all questions put to him by police and the courts. That lawyer becomes one of the victims of the oubliette later in the story, after Theo has been released from prison and works to become an actor. He makes a costume based on the favorite executioner of King Willian: A man known as The Bloodworm. His costume includes a leather mask like the one that was the signature of the original Bloodworm.

Then there is Wulf Hagman (I think that is right.) He actually served a deserved long prison sentence for murdering a man a number of years earlier. He is friends with Sal, her children and with Theo. He often looks after Sal’s children. Magda thinks he is the current murderer.

There are a number of other characters that flesh out the story, but this review would be way too long if I mentioned all of them.

I have no doubt that the author is a talented writer. However, I do not like this style of writing and imagine that you might not like it, either. It certainly is not common. Reading it was a lot of work for me, and so was not very enjoyable. The style of writing confused me a great deal when I read the book. I almost quit reading after the first few pages, and I am not too certain of just exactly what all I read. I will not recommend this novel, but if you want to try something new, give it a look. I award only two of the available five stars, and do not plan to read any more of this author’s works.

This is my first book by David Mark. I am sorry to say that I just could not get into the book. Described as being dark & fantastical, it certainly is and is just not me.