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Dylan Scott Mystery #3
Silent Witness
After his ex-wife bled to death in a bathtub covered in his fingerprints, the case against Aleksander Kaminski seemed open and shut. Though sentenced to life in prison, he swears he's innocent, a claim supported by his current wife.
Private investigator Dylan Scott finds himself drawn back to dreary Lancashire in a search for justice. The evidence against Kaminski is damning, but having been unjustly jailed himself, Dylan is compelled to pursue the case; if there's even a small chance the man is innocent, he has to help. The other obvious suspect—the victim's second husband—has a watertight alibi. But Dylan has a strong hunch that as usual, there's more going on than meets the eye in Dawson's Clough.
The deeper Dylan digs, the more secrets he unearths. The question remains: If Kaminski didn't murder his childhood sweetheart, who did?
87,000 words
Private investigator Dylan Scott finds himself drawn back to dreary Lancashire in a search for justice. The evidence against Kaminski is damning, but having been unjustly jailed himself, Dylan is compelled to pursue the case; if there's even a small chance the man is innocent, he has to help. The other obvious suspect—the victim's second husband—has a watertight alibi. But Dylan has a strong hunch that as usual, there's more going on than meets the eye in Dawson's Clough.
The deeper Dylan digs, the more secrets he unearths. The question remains: If Kaminski didn't murder his childhood sweetheart, who did?
87,000 words
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
7 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 3, 2012
OK, I have to be really honest with the reader of this review. I read the author's first book in this series, Presumed Dead, for the publisher through Netgalley. I wasn't impressed.
When I requested this one and was approved, it dawned on me that this was the same author of that book and I almost sent an email back to the publisher apologizing for taking their time, reminding them of my review on the first book and that I didn't put two and two together and that I would decline to review this book.
I am so happy I didn't and that I gave this author another shot. This book was wonderful in regards to its' character development, the mystery with a nice twist that I didn't see coming and the quirkiness of the storyline! I was almost reminded of the British tv series Midsomer Murders. This book ended up flowing so well that I ended up reading it in a couple of hours and even staying up close to midnight to get it finished.
Now, this is def. a series I will continue with and probably even go back and read the first again.
When I requested this one and was approved, it dawned on me that this was the same author of that book and I almost sent an email back to the publisher apologizing for taking their time, reminding them of my review on the first book and that I didn't put two and two together and that I would decline to review this book.
I am so happy I didn't and that I gave this author another shot. This book was wonderful in regards to its' character development, the mystery with a nice twist that I didn't see coming and the quirkiness of the storyline! I was almost reminded of the British tv series Midsomer Murders. This book ended up flowing so well that I ended up reading it in a couple of hours and even staying up close to midnight to get it finished.
Now, this is def. a series I will continue with and probably even go back and read the first again.
December 30, 2018
This book is a English murder mystery set in modern times. There is an animal rescue involved in this story so I got my animal fix while following the detective from clue to clue.
April 27, 2012
My Rating: 4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Dylan Scott, ex-police officer and current private investigator, is looking into the murder of Carly Walsingham. Currently, her ex-husband, Alek Kaminski is serving time for her death, but he claims innocence. Alek’s parents (along with current wife, Sue) have hired Dylan to discover the truth and get Alek out of jail. Among the list of suspects: Carly’s second husband: Dr. Neil Walsingham, Jamie Tinsley: a vet at Sue’s animal shelter, Neil’s current mistress: Megan Cole and Neil’s former mistress: Sonia Trueman. Although all evidence points to Alek’s guilt, Dylan Scott is compelled to take the case.
This is my second Dylan Scott Mystery and once again, I am captivated! Ms. Wells has a knack for story-telling that keeps me on my toes and fully engaged until the very end! One of the best things about this story (and series) is that it is told from multiple points of view. This not only gives the reader insight into Dylan’s sleuthing, but paints a different portrait of the victim and events depending on who’s doing the thinking. I never really knew who was guilty until the very end. It is a very effective and suspenseful way to present the story.
Second, I adore Dylan Scott. He is a reluctant "hero," who is human and flawed, but a good man. I enjoy going through his thought processes and watching him interact with suspects. He is still bitter because of his dismissal from the police force (and subsequent incarceration for being too rough with a convict), and it impacts his interactions with everyone. Yet, I think it drives him to be a better detective. He has a way of putting me at ease.
Another wonderful thing about this book is Dylan’s relationship with his family. His interactions with his wife, Bev, are touching and real. There is just enough of his personal life to give the story a compassionate touch, but not overrun the central plot. In addition, we are treated to sections of the story told by Bev. She has a newborn baby and is clearly suffering from postpartum depression. As a mom of two, I understand those feelings and fears, and it is these sections that make Silent Witness something special.
I really don’t have anything negative to say about this book. I am a bit baffled as to why the victim (Carly) had a bruise and what was up with the heightened anxiety Alek experienced. It was the one loose end not wrapped up. Everything else found its place by the end of the tale, and I look forward to more Dylan Scott stories!
Silent Witness is and exciting and at times suspenseful murder mystery. I was left guessing whodunit until close to the end. It's funny that my first inclination was correct. I enjoy how Ms. Wells builds the case and gives her story a human touch.
Dylan Scott, ex-police officer and current private investigator, is looking into the murder of Carly Walsingham. Currently, her ex-husband, Alek Kaminski is serving time for her death, but he claims innocence. Alek’s parents (along with current wife, Sue) have hired Dylan to discover the truth and get Alek out of jail. Among the list of suspects: Carly’s second husband: Dr. Neil Walsingham, Jamie Tinsley: a vet at Sue’s animal shelter, Neil’s current mistress: Megan Cole and Neil’s former mistress: Sonia Trueman. Although all evidence points to Alek’s guilt, Dylan Scott is compelled to take the case.
This is my second Dylan Scott Mystery and once again, I am captivated! Ms. Wells has a knack for story-telling that keeps me on my toes and fully engaged until the very end! One of the best things about this story (and series) is that it is told from multiple points of view. This not only gives the reader insight into Dylan’s sleuthing, but paints a different portrait of the victim and events depending on who’s doing the thinking. I never really knew who was guilty until the very end. It is a very effective and suspenseful way to present the story.
Second, I adore Dylan Scott. He is a reluctant "hero," who is human and flawed, but a good man. I enjoy going through his thought processes and watching him interact with suspects. He is still bitter because of his dismissal from the police force (and subsequent incarceration for being too rough with a convict), and it impacts his interactions with everyone. Yet, I think it drives him to be a better detective. He has a way of putting me at ease.
Another wonderful thing about this book is Dylan’s relationship with his family. His interactions with his wife, Bev, are touching and real. There is just enough of his personal life to give the story a compassionate touch, but not overrun the central plot. In addition, we are treated to sections of the story told by Bev. She has a newborn baby and is clearly suffering from postpartum depression. As a mom of two, I understand those feelings and fears, and it is these sections that make Silent Witness something special.
I really don’t have anything negative to say about this book. I am a bit baffled as to why the victim (Carly) had a bruise and what was up with the heightened anxiety Alek experienced. It was the one loose end not wrapped up. Everything else found its place by the end of the tale, and I look forward to more Dylan Scott stories!
Silent Witness is and exciting and at times suspenseful murder mystery. I was left guessing whodunit until close to the end. It's funny that my first inclination was correct. I enjoy how Ms. Wells builds the case and gives her story a human touch.
February 2, 2013
Private Investigator Dylan Scott’s strong-willed mother asks him to take on the case of Aleksander Kaminski, the son of one of her friends. Kaminski has been found guilty of murdering his ex-wife Carly and is now in jail, resigned to his fate. It seems to have been an open and shut case and only Kaminski’s parents and his current wife, Sue, are convinced of his innocence. Dylan does a little digging and there are things about the case against Kaminski that don’t add up. Dylan finds it hard to refuse his mother and he can also use the money since he has a newborn baby to support. Although Dylan decides to investigate, he isn’t sure himself if he is doing it to prove his client’s innocence or to prove the incompetence of the policemen who originally made the case against Kaminski.
I enjoy British mysteries and even though this is the first I have read by author Shirley Wells, it won’t be the last! I really enjoyed this complex, engrossing mystery. Dylan Scott is no longer a police detective and is faced with adjusting to a new career as a private investigator at the same time he is dealing with a newborn baby and a wife who may be experiencing post-partum depression. Avid readers will appreciate the scene when Dylan finally accepts something is wrong with his wife Bev when she said she couldn’t find anything in her large collection of books that she felt like reading.
In addition to the interesting characters, the mystery itself as to who killed the beautiful and passionate Carly kept my interest. There is a good balance in the book between the investigation and Dylan’s personal life, and I enjoyed the blend of the two. The solution to the murder was hinted at, but came as a surprise to me and I liked that the ending wasn’t predictable. The excellent book could have been even better if some of the most dramatic events in the book, such as the disappearance of a character and Bev’s apparent depression, hadn’t been solved so abruptly. I don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll just say after a slow build to some of the events throughout the book, I would have liked to experience more of the occurrences at the end of the story in more detail instead of the way everything was quickly wrapped up.
Even though the ending seemed a bit rushed, I am glad all loose ends in the story were tied up. After getting to know the characters in this book, Silent Witness, it left me eager to read more by this author. Fans of British procedurals with complex, likable characters, like those of Deborah Crombie or Cynthia Harrod-Eagles will enjoy this exceptional book.
This review was originally written for The Season EZine. The book was provided to me in exchange for a fair review. (4.5 stars)
I enjoy British mysteries and even though this is the first I have read by author Shirley Wells, it won’t be the last! I really enjoyed this complex, engrossing mystery. Dylan Scott is no longer a police detective and is faced with adjusting to a new career as a private investigator at the same time he is dealing with a newborn baby and a wife who may be experiencing post-partum depression. Avid readers will appreciate the scene when Dylan finally accepts something is wrong with his wife Bev when she said she couldn’t find anything in her large collection of books that she felt like reading.
In addition to the interesting characters, the mystery itself as to who killed the beautiful and passionate Carly kept my interest. There is a good balance in the book between the investigation and Dylan’s personal life, and I enjoyed the blend of the two. The solution to the murder was hinted at, but came as a surprise to me and I liked that the ending wasn’t predictable. The excellent book could have been even better if some of the most dramatic events in the book, such as the disappearance of a character and Bev’s apparent depression, hadn’t been solved so abruptly. I don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll just say after a slow build to some of the events throughout the book, I would have liked to experience more of the occurrences at the end of the story in more detail instead of the way everything was quickly wrapped up.
Even though the ending seemed a bit rushed, I am glad all loose ends in the story were tied up. After getting to know the characters in this book, Silent Witness, it left me eager to read more by this author. Fans of British procedurals with complex, likable characters, like those of Deborah Crombie or Cynthia Harrod-Eagles will enjoy this exceptional book.
This review was originally written for The Season EZine. The book was provided to me in exchange for a fair review. (4.5 stars)
March 2, 2012
I have greatly enjoyed the Dylan Scott series by Shirley Wells from Carina Press. I think that the third novel in the series, Silent Witness, is the best so far. Having had success in his first two cases as a private investigator, Dylan hasn’t had much work lately and with a brand new baby in the family, he is worried. His aging hippie mother, Vicky, asks him to take on the case of the son of old neighbors of hers. Alexsander Kiminski is in prison for the murder of his ex-wife and protests his innocence. The ex-wife was found in her bath with a slit throat and Aleksander’s fingerprints are all over the tub. After meeting Aleksander in prison, Dylan is not very hopeful but pursues the case before making up his mind. Dylan himself spent time in prison on a bogus charge and is sympathetic.
Shirley Wells has written a very well plotted mystery peopled with some very memorable characters. I was fooled completely by the killer, one that would have been my very last choice. Dylan himself is very appealing, dogged in his pursuit of justice, but clueless about what is going on in his own family. I particularly like the way Wells weaves the accounts of his family into the mystery itself. Silent Witness is somewhat darker than the previous novels, but I liked it very much. Silent Witness is highly recommended for fans of British mystery.
Thanks to Carina Press and netgalley.com for an advance readers copy of Silent Witness.
Shirley Wells has written a very well plotted mystery peopled with some very memorable characters. I was fooled completely by the killer, one that would have been my very last choice. Dylan himself is very appealing, dogged in his pursuit of justice, but clueless about what is going on in his own family. I particularly like the way Wells weaves the accounts of his family into the mystery itself. Silent Witness is somewhat darker than the previous novels, but I liked it very much. Silent Witness is highly recommended for fans of British mystery.
Thanks to Carina Press and netgalley.com for an advance readers copy of Silent Witness.
September 6, 2012
There are four books in this series and I have read them all. Why? I love this series!
This is book three in the series and in this book, Dylan is getting to the bottom of a murder. Aleksander Kaminski's parents hire Dylan to help their son who they believe is wrongly convicted of his ex-wife's death.
The more Dylan digs, the more suspects come out of the woodwork.
One reason I love the series is what happens in Dylan's at home life. His wife has had a baby and I felt the feelings she was going through were so real. I can understand why he doesn't always want to be at home and I can understand her frustration with Dylan--who takes off at all hours and for days--and with the new baby so late in life.
I'm so happy I found this author.
This is book three in the series and in this book, Dylan is getting to the bottom of a murder. Aleksander Kaminski's parents hire Dylan to help their son who they believe is wrongly convicted of his ex-wife's death.
The more Dylan digs, the more suspects come out of the woodwork.
One reason I love the series is what happens in Dylan's at home life. His wife has had a baby and I felt the feelings she was going through were so real. I can understand why he doesn't always want to be at home and I can understand her frustration with Dylan--who takes off at all hours and for days--and with the new baby so late in life.
I'm so happy I found this author.
September 30, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/mini-rev...
Dylan Scott is one of my favorite private investigators, and Lancashire is a great background setting for the investigator to do his work. The mystery has a great plot, interesting to the last minute, and the writing is solid as well. Ideal for mystery fans, and I certainly enjoyed it.
Dylan Scott is one of my favorite private investigators, and Lancashire is a great background setting for the investigator to do his work. The mystery has a great plot, interesting to the last minute, and the writing is solid as well. Ideal for mystery fans, and I certainly enjoyed it.
March 6, 2012
Appealing protagonists, a tight plot and an engaging writing style keep the story moving at a brisk pace. Silent Witness is a top-notch murder mystery that I highly recommend. To read my review in its entirety, please visit http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy....
Want to read
January 17, 2013I got this book at the 2nd hand store by mom. 3 books for $2, got 6 books. Eh, not too bad. Haven't been there in awhile. I have soooo many books to read; I really hope to read more this year, than did the last 1/2 of last year!!
May 13, 2015
I thought that this was a good book. I thought that I had the real killer figured out right away but boy was I wrong. The author always adds a twist here and there and I enjoy that. I enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to others. Can't wait to read the next book.
Read
June 8, 2017Miniseries: A Dylan Scott Mystery
Category: Mystery
Category: Mystery
September 9, 2012
Good book. Love the character Dylan
September 20, 2012
Very clever who done it. I didn't figure out the killer until the author shared it with me. Enjoyed all the characters.
November 19, 2014
A really good book which I thoroughly enjoyed
February 6, 2015
Really enjoying this series. On to the next asap
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews