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DI Mariner #6
Blood and Stone
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner's troubled past is about to catch up with him in this intriguing mystery
Grieving the death of his ex-lover, Detective Inspector Tom Mariner has taken two weeks' leave to recuperate, seeking peace and solitude in a remote corner of Wales. The last thing he imagined was to find himself caught up in a murder investigation - with himself as the prime suspect. But when his walking holiday is interrupted by the discovery of a dead body, Tom discovers that there are a number of disturbing secrets being kept behind the closed doors of the ancient stone farmhouses that populate the region.
Grieving the death of his ex-lover, Detective Inspector Tom Mariner has taken two weeks' leave to recuperate, seeking peace and solitude in a remote corner of Wales. The last thing he imagined was to find himself caught up in a murder investigation - with himself as the prime suspect. But when his walking holiday is interrupted by the discovery of a dead body, Tom discovers that there are a number of disturbing secrets being kept behind the closed doors of the ancient stone farmhouses that populate the region.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 4, 2019
This is the 6th book in the Detective Tom Mariner series by author Chris Collett. I got hooked on this series a while ago when I was intrigued by the write up on another book from the series and decided to give it a try. I really enjoy the characters who are in the main strong and very likeable as well as the well thought out plots. The books can be read out of order and would work as stand alone's but for maximum enjoyment better read in sequence. This book was originally published under the title 'Blood and Stone' and the series re released with the new titles all having 'Lies' in the name.
In this story, Tom Mariner is on a 2 week compassionate leave holiday following the murder of his ex lover. Looking for a quiet break in Wales to refocus his thoughts Mariners plans are turned into a bus mans holiday when he ends up in a murder investigation. The book is maybe a little slower paced than some of the previous books in the series but I enjoyed the character building and the suspense that increases chapter by chapter. The author keeps the mix of the lead character Tom Mariner's personal and professional life just right resulting in another excellent book.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Joffe Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In this story, Tom Mariner is on a 2 week compassionate leave holiday following the murder of his ex lover. Looking for a quiet break in Wales to refocus his thoughts Mariners plans are turned into a bus mans holiday when he ends up in a murder investigation. The book is maybe a little slower paced than some of the previous books in the series but I enjoyed the character building and the suspense that increases chapter by chapter. The author keeps the mix of the lead character Tom Mariner's personal and professional life just right resulting in another excellent book.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Joffe Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2018
DI Mariner #6
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner has taken two weeks leave as he is grieving the death of his ex-lover, Anna Barham.
Seeking solitude in a remote corner of Wales, the last thing he expected was to be caught up in a murder investigation. Someone is on the rampage with a gun. Tom comes across a runner who is frightened after having found a body. Glen McGinley, a junkie who has terminal liver cancer, had just been liberated from jail. He shoots several people and escapes in a stolen car. Though Tom is not investigating the crime, he does find himself in the middle of some inexplicable incidents.
The book is a bit of a slow burner to begin with. Then the thrill of the chase builds up its pace. There are several twists and just about as many dead bodies. I got quickly caught up in this storyline once the pace got a bit quicker. This book is a bit different to the rest in the series as it more about Tom rather that following his investigations. It made a nice change. Hopefully Tom will have gotten over his grief and maybe even found a new love in the next book in this series. This book can be read as a standalone but I do recommend that you read all the books in the series.
I would like to thank Joffe Books and the author Chris Collett for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner has taken two weeks leave as he is grieving the death of his ex-lover, Anna Barham.
Seeking solitude in a remote corner of Wales, the last thing he expected was to be caught up in a murder investigation. Someone is on the rampage with a gun. Tom comes across a runner who is frightened after having found a body. Glen McGinley, a junkie who has terminal liver cancer, had just been liberated from jail. He shoots several people and escapes in a stolen car. Though Tom is not investigating the crime, he does find himself in the middle of some inexplicable incidents.
The book is a bit of a slow burner to begin with. Then the thrill of the chase builds up its pace. There are several twists and just about as many dead bodies. I got quickly caught up in this storyline once the pace got a bit quicker. This book is a bit different to the rest in the series as it more about Tom rather that following his investigations. It made a nice change. Hopefully Tom will have gotten over his grief and maybe even found a new love in the next book in this series. This book can be read as a standalone but I do recommend that you read all the books in the series.
I would like to thank Joffe Books and the author Chris Collett for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2018
DI Tom Mariner is on a 2-week leave of absence following the death of a loved one. He's decided to go back where his memories are much happier ... a small corner of Wales. He's always liked to hike and it will give him the time to think and remember and grieve without a ton of people, no matter how well wishing they are, watching his every move.
What he doesn't expect is to be drawn into a murder case. And more surprising ... as the prime suspect.
This area of Wales is full of old, stone farmhouses ... and Mariner will have to ferret out the decades-old secrets that they hide.
Once again, this author has put together another exciting and suspenseful adventure of Tom Mariner. And once again, it was hard to put down for any length of time. It's a suspenseful mystery with some colorful characters. Mariner is well drawn and it's been interesting following his professional life, as well as his personal.
This is 6th in the series, and although this one does well as a stand alone, I recommend starting at the very beginning. It will keep you engaged for hours.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley / Books n All Promotions / Jill Burkinshaw for the digital copy of this crime fiction.
What he doesn't expect is to be drawn into a murder case. And more surprising ... as the prime suspect.
This area of Wales is full of old, stone farmhouses ... and Mariner will have to ferret out the decades-old secrets that they hide.
Once again, this author has put together another exciting and suspenseful adventure of Tom Mariner. And once again, it was hard to put down for any length of time. It's a suspenseful mystery with some colorful characters. Mariner is well drawn and it's been interesting following his professional life, as well as his personal.
This is 6th in the series, and although this one does well as a stand alone, I recommend starting at the very beginning. It will keep you engaged for hours.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley / Books n All Promotions / Jill Burkinshaw for the digital copy of this crime fiction.
September 10, 2018
This is the 6th book in the Detective Tom Mariner series by author Chris Collett. I got hooked on this series a while ago when I was intrigued by the write up on another book from the series and decided to give it a try. I really enjoy the characters who are in the main strong and very likeable as well as the well thought out plots. The books can be read out of order and would work as stand alone's but for maximum enjoyment better read in sequence. This book was originally published under the title 'Blood and Stone' and the series re released with the new titles all having 'Lies' in the name.
In this story, Tom Mariner is on a 2 week compassionate leave holiday following the murder of his ex lover. Looking for a quiet break in Wales to refocus his thoughts Mariners plans are turned into a bus mans holiday when he ends up in a murder investigation. The book is maybe a little slower paced than some of the previous books in the series but I enjoyed the character building and the suspense that increases chapter by chapter. The author keeps the mix of the lead character Tom Mariner's personal and professional life just right resulting in another excellent book.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Joffe Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In this story, Tom Mariner is on a 2 week compassionate leave holiday following the murder of his ex lover. Looking for a quiet break in Wales to refocus his thoughts Mariners plans are turned into a bus mans holiday when he ends up in a murder investigation. The book is maybe a little slower paced than some of the previous books in the series but I enjoyed the character building and the suspense that increases chapter by chapter. The author keeps the mix of the lead character Tom Mariner's personal and professional life just right resulting in another excellent book.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Joffe Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this arc.
Another good book in the Tom Mariner procedural series. This one had several story lines going at the same time.... kind of like trying to keep up with a juggler. Tom finds a mess of a situation while on bereavement leave and out of town. Knox finds another couple of messes close to home. Kat - Tom's previous housemate finds herself in another mess. Somehow most of these got cleaned up in the book, and the ones that didn't, well there's hope for further books!
I really enjoyed the juggling and the on-going relationships between all the various characters.
Another good book in the Tom Mariner procedural series. This one had several story lines going at the same time.... kind of like trying to keep up with a juggler. Tom finds a mess of a situation while on bereavement leave and out of town. Knox finds another couple of messes close to home. Kat - Tom's previous housemate finds herself in another mess. Somehow most of these got cleaned up in the book, and the ones that didn't, well there's hope for further books!
I really enjoyed the juggling and the on-going relationships between all the various characters.
September 22, 2018
This is book 6 in the brilliant DI Mariner series by Chris Collett
Tom Mariner is suffering the loss of the woman he loved and sets off walking in Wales to deal with his grief. However, despite being out in the wilderness that is Wales with no signal and even fewer people he is still unable to escape Police work as he becomes involved in the discovery of a body.
This is a very intriguing book with many different things going on in different places all at the same time which involves Knox travelling down to Wales to help Mariner and also helping in several other things that are going on.
It was interesting to read about the Welsh countryside and the remote byres and hostels and this offsets perfectly with the detective work going on in the background.
Intrigue and suspense intermingled with twists and turns and relationships all makes up a stunning story that keeps the reader guessing right to the end
Tom Mariner is suffering the loss of the woman he loved and sets off walking in Wales to deal with his grief. However, despite being out in the wilderness that is Wales with no signal and even fewer people he is still unable to escape Police work as he becomes involved in the discovery of a body.
This is a very intriguing book with many different things going on in different places all at the same time which involves Knox travelling down to Wales to help Mariner and also helping in several other things that are going on.
It was interesting to read about the Welsh countryside and the remote byres and hostels and this offsets perfectly with the detective work going on in the background.
Intrigue and suspense intermingled with twists and turns and relationships all makes up a stunning story that keeps the reader guessing right to the end
August 31, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Buried Lies, the sixth novel to feature DI Tom Mariner of the Birmingham police.
The murder of Mariner's ex-girlfriend, Anna Barham, has hit him hard so, after the funeral, he takes off on a solitary walking holiday in Wales but it turns out to be a busman's holiday as he gets embroiled in a murder investigation. In the meantime DS Tony Knox is investigating a crime close to home.
I thoroughly enjoyed Buried Lies which is a departure from the other books in the series, being more about Mariner and his problems than a procedural. The novel is a slow burner investigatively and rather inconclusive in its solution but I was glued to the pages. From the police point of view very little happens in the first third of the novel with Knox having peripheral involvement in a tragedy in his neighbourhood and Mariner wallowing in his sense of loss, so the action centres on the perpetrator, his heinous crimes and trying to work out his motive. It doesn't sound like much and I skim read much of the countryside/walking descriptions but I still found it a fascinating read as the author slowly builds momentum and pulls the pieces together. The solution is nothing like I expected at the beginning and comes as quite a surprise.
It is a quieter, more reflective Mariner that we meet in this novel. Always a loner, he seems more solitary and paradoxically more impulsive. It is this dichotomy in his character that makes the novel so compulsive. The reader never really knows what he's going to do next.
Buried Lies is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
The murder of Mariner's ex-girlfriend, Anna Barham, has hit him hard so, after the funeral, he takes off on a solitary walking holiday in Wales but it turns out to be a busman's holiday as he gets embroiled in a murder investigation. In the meantime DS Tony Knox is investigating a crime close to home.
I thoroughly enjoyed Buried Lies which is a departure from the other books in the series, being more about Mariner and his problems than a procedural. The novel is a slow burner investigatively and rather inconclusive in its solution but I was glued to the pages. From the police point of view very little happens in the first third of the novel with Knox having peripheral involvement in a tragedy in his neighbourhood and Mariner wallowing in his sense of loss, so the action centres on the perpetrator, his heinous crimes and trying to work out his motive. It doesn't sound like much and I skim read much of the countryside/walking descriptions but I still found it a fascinating read as the author slowly builds momentum and pulls the pieces together. The solution is nothing like I expected at the beginning and comes as quite a surprise.
It is a quieter, more reflective Mariner that we meet in this novel. Always a loner, he seems more solitary and paradoxically more impulsive. It is this dichotomy in his character that makes the novel so compulsive. The reader never really knows what he's going to do next.
Buried Lies is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
September 5, 2018
Buried Lies is a re-release of the 6th book in the D.I. Mariner police procedural series set in the UK. However, since I have not read books 1-5, it is completely new to me. I was jumping in blind but it was not too hard to catch up with Detective Mariner who was on a walking holiday around Wales after suffering a personal loss. The book had a lot of sub-plots going on with an introduction to a killer on the loose whose path may or may not intersect with Mariner, action at home in Birmingham with Mariner’s co-worker D.I. Knox and Mariner stumbling over body after body in the Welsh countryside. Mariner mourns the loss of a romantic partner and has romantic encounters with two or three women throughout his travels. I enjoyed the book but it did seem like that the author was trying to pack in as many subplots as possible like throwing darts at a dartboard and seeing what sticks. It was a lot going on but then some parts of the book moved very slowly while the ending was rushed. My interest is piqued enough to read more of the series though.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joffe Books, and author Chris Collett for the advanced reader’s copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joffe Books, and author Chris Collett for the advanced reader’s copy.
March 25, 2019
A stunning, stunning return to form for Chris Collett's Tom Mariner series. Riveting right from the very first page, we are treated to an in depth look at Mariner's past, his grief for Anna and how he uses hiking/walking to help him cope. Of course Mariner can't take a break from work without coming across a body or two.
I love how the author wove together the seemingly disparate threads to bring home a strong, surprising conclusion. Buried Lies has reinvigorated my love for this series and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a free ecopy of this novel directly from the author and the publisher, Joffe Books. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/ rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
I love how the author wove together the seemingly disparate threads to bring home a strong, surprising conclusion. Buried Lies has reinvigorated my love for this series and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a free ecopy of this novel directly from the author and the publisher, Joffe Books. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/ rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
September 16, 2018
(Rounded up from 3.5)
DI Tom Mariner wants a break from it all, after the death of his former lover Anna, so he journeys to the Welsh countryside, a place he visited in his youth. Far from finding peace and quiet, he finds the body of a young farm hand leads him to getting involved in the case.
Another body turns up this time, a fellow walker Tom befriended on his trip and he soon becomes a prime suspect. Can Tom clear his name and find a killer?
This is another series I’ve been dipping in and out of for a while. I will say this can be read as a standalone but I would probably recommend that you read a few of the previous books just so you don’t feel like you’re playing catch up with the different storylines and characters.
Buried Lies did start out as quite a slow burn but soon ratchets up the tension until I got so caught up in the story that time just flew by. Poor Tom has to deal with the deal of Anna, the woman who he was still in love with and to make matters worse, her killer is still out there. He journeys to the rugged wilderness of Wales but as usual trouble is not far behind.
The setting is slightly different in this book, instead of focusing on Birmingham, there guest appearance from Kirby (a suburb of Knowsley near Liverpool) and even Cheshire. But the main one is the rugged Welsh countryside was almost felt like another character in itself, giving the whole book a sort of moody and tense atmosphere.
There is a few subplots too, which are a little distracting, with Tony Knox (a member of Mariner's team), dealing with the overdose of a teen and a missing woman but I still very much enjoyed them.
Tom has also now been appointed guardian for Anna’s autistic brother Jaime and I’m looking forward to the next book to see how he deals with that complication.
Buried Lies is an atmospheric and complex police procedural that draws you in and won’t let you go.
DI Tom Mariner wants a break from it all, after the death of his former lover Anna, so he journeys to the Welsh countryside, a place he visited in his youth. Far from finding peace and quiet, he finds the body of a young farm hand leads him to getting involved in the case.
Another body turns up this time, a fellow walker Tom befriended on his trip and he soon becomes a prime suspect. Can Tom clear his name and find a killer?
This is another series I’ve been dipping in and out of for a while. I will say this can be read as a standalone but I would probably recommend that you read a few of the previous books just so you don’t feel like you’re playing catch up with the different storylines and characters.
Buried Lies did start out as quite a slow burn but soon ratchets up the tension until I got so caught up in the story that time just flew by. Poor Tom has to deal with the deal of Anna, the woman who he was still in love with and to make matters worse, her killer is still out there. He journeys to the rugged wilderness of Wales but as usual trouble is not far behind.
The setting is slightly different in this book, instead of focusing on Birmingham, there guest appearance from Kirby (a suburb of Knowsley near Liverpool) and even Cheshire. But the main one is the rugged Welsh countryside was almost felt like another character in itself, giving the whole book a sort of moody and tense atmosphere.
There is a few subplots too, which are a little distracting, with Tony Knox (a member of Mariner's team), dealing with the overdose of a teen and a missing woman but I still very much enjoyed them.
Tom has also now been appointed guardian for Anna’s autistic brother Jaime and I’m looking forward to the next book to see how he deals with that complication.
Buried Lies is an atmospheric and complex police procedural that draws you in and won’t let you go.
September 10, 2018
This is the 6th book in the Detective Inspector Mariner series and I have read most of them. I would imagine that it is perfectly possible to read this without having read the previous ones but there is more enjoyment to be got if you read them in order.
Tom Mariner's ex- girlfriend has been killed in a road rage incident and Mariner needs to get away from policing in order to work out what he needs to do and where. He takes himself to Wales to hike until he can put his thoughts in order but, of course, he is never far from murder and a body is found by a walker who meets Tom and passes the burden on to him. More bodies are found until Tom finds himself in the frame as a possible suspect.
We do hear about Tom's team back in Birmingham at the police headquarters but not as much as in the other books but that doesn't mean that the story is any less gripping than the previous ones. I found it a refreshing change and it left me with a huge appetite for the next one in the series which will be out soon. Personally, I cannot wait because I love Chris Collett's gripping dramas, even though I never manage to work out 'who dunnit'! i would recommend to all police procedural lovers.
Tom Mariner's ex- girlfriend has been killed in a road rage incident and Mariner needs to get away from policing in order to work out what he needs to do and where. He takes himself to Wales to hike until he can put his thoughts in order but, of course, he is never far from murder and a body is found by a walker who meets Tom and passes the burden on to him. More bodies are found until Tom finds himself in the frame as a possible suspect.
We do hear about Tom's team back in Birmingham at the police headquarters but not as much as in the other books but that doesn't mean that the story is any less gripping than the previous ones. I found it a refreshing change and it left me with a huge appetite for the next one in the series which will be out soon. Personally, I cannot wait because I love Chris Collett's gripping dramas, even though I never manage to work out 'who dunnit'! i would recommend to all police procedural lovers.
September 14, 2018
I have been a fan of Chris Collett for quite a while now and I just love the Tom Mariner series. As soon as each book comes out, I make sure that I get a copy as soon as I can and I dive in straight away. When I heard that she was due to release ‘Buried Lies’ I made sure that I cleared my reading diary (not as glamourous as it sounds) and read it as soon as I could. Well all I can say is blooming nora what a fantastic book this is. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
I have to admit that I have developed something of a soft spot for DI Tom Mariner. ‘Buried Lies’ finds my hero going through a tougher time than in previous books. He is grieving the loss of his one time partner but being a typical man, he has closed his emotions down and is maintaining the British ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality. His colleagues are understandably concerned about him and want to do what they can to help him, without crowding him too much. Although Mariner is one tough cookie and a bit of a hard nut, I so wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to give him a hug and stick up for him. Following the funeral, Mariner decides to go walking, which will give him a chance to work through his grief privately. Mariner is a private person and he doesn’t like being the centre of attention. Whilst he is on his walking holiday he comes across a body in the woods and Mariner soon becomes the chief suspect. Can Mariner clear his name? Who really is the killer and what is his motive? I so wanted to jump inside the page to lead the campaign to clear his name. As to whether or not he does manage to clear his name, well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Chris Collett has done it again. ‘Buried Lies’ is brilliantly written and I was gripped by the story from the moment I picked up the book to the moment I put it down having finished reading it. The story certainly starts with a bang and hits the ground running. It’s fair to say that it maintains the quick pace throughout the course of the book. I was hooked on ‘Buried Lies’ from the moment I read the synopsis, never mind from when I started to read. I managed to binge read this book in a few hours. I was ‘into’ the story that I just had to keep reading. I was so focussed on the book that I didn’t realise how quickly the pages were turning. Before I knew it, I had finished reading ‘Buried Lies’ which I had mixed feelings about. Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased to finish reading the book because at least I knew how this instalment of the Mariner series finished but I was disappointed to finish the book because I was enjoying the characters, the storyline and the author’s writing style so much that I just wanted the book to continue on and on. Reading ‘Buried Lies’ is much like being on a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride, with twists and turns aplenty. There were moments where I almost had to read through my hands because I feared what was going to happen next. It was almost as if I could sense what was going to happen but there was nothing I could do about it or to prevent it.
In short, I absolutely, totally, utterly and 100% loved ‘Buried Lies’. I would definitely recommend this author and her books to other readers. I can’t wait to read the next instalment of the DI Tom Mariner series. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*. I just wish I could have awarded it more stars because I enjoyed it so, so much.
I have to admit that I have developed something of a soft spot for DI Tom Mariner. ‘Buried Lies’ finds my hero going through a tougher time than in previous books. He is grieving the loss of his one time partner but being a typical man, he has closed his emotions down and is maintaining the British ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality. His colleagues are understandably concerned about him and want to do what they can to help him, without crowding him too much. Although Mariner is one tough cookie and a bit of a hard nut, I so wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to give him a hug and stick up for him. Following the funeral, Mariner decides to go walking, which will give him a chance to work through his grief privately. Mariner is a private person and he doesn’t like being the centre of attention. Whilst he is on his walking holiday he comes across a body in the woods and Mariner soon becomes the chief suspect. Can Mariner clear his name? Who really is the killer and what is his motive? I so wanted to jump inside the page to lead the campaign to clear his name. As to whether or not he does manage to clear his name, well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Chris Collett has done it again. ‘Buried Lies’ is brilliantly written and I was gripped by the story from the moment I picked up the book to the moment I put it down having finished reading it. The story certainly starts with a bang and hits the ground running. It’s fair to say that it maintains the quick pace throughout the course of the book. I was hooked on ‘Buried Lies’ from the moment I read the synopsis, never mind from when I started to read. I managed to binge read this book in a few hours. I was ‘into’ the story that I just had to keep reading. I was so focussed on the book that I didn’t realise how quickly the pages were turning. Before I knew it, I had finished reading ‘Buried Lies’ which I had mixed feelings about. Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased to finish reading the book because at least I knew how this instalment of the Mariner series finished but I was disappointed to finish the book because I was enjoying the characters, the storyline and the author’s writing style so much that I just wanted the book to continue on and on. Reading ‘Buried Lies’ is much like being on a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride, with twists and turns aplenty. There were moments where I almost had to read through my hands because I feared what was going to happen next. It was almost as if I could sense what was going to happen but there was nothing I could do about it or to prevent it.
In short, I absolutely, totally, utterly and 100% loved ‘Buried Lies’. I would definitely recommend this author and her books to other readers. I can’t wait to read the next instalment of the DI Tom Mariner series. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*. I just wish I could have awarded it more stars because I enjoyed it so, so much.
September 16, 2018
This is the sixth book in the series featuring DI Tom Mariner. It can be read as a standalone but is much more enjoyable when you are familiar with the characters and their past cases. Tom is on a walking holiday in Wales, recovering from the brutal murder of his ex girlfriend. But of course, he soon gets involved in a spate of murders and becomes a prime suspect in the death of a fellow walker. As usual there are sub plots to this book with Tony Knox, a member of Tom’s team in Birmingham, dealing with a case of a missing woman and the drug overdose of a young girl. Buried Lies leaves you eagerly anticipating book number seven in the series as there are quite a few unanswered questions at the end. I think it is the best book of the series and a series that is not to be missed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 1, 2018
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I was very disappointed with this, the sixth instalment of the Tom Mariner series. Having loved all the others, I only persevered with this book because I felt obliged to review it; otherwise I would have abandoned it. For the first quarter of the story, nothing really happens. An ex-convict goes round killing people he feels a grudge against, but as we have never encountered these people it was hard to feel much emotional involvement. Tom goes to Anna's funeral - I never liked her - and then sets off on a walking holiday. We hear about his travels in unnecessary detail. Tony's neighbour has not been walking his dog.
Once more people turn up murdered, the plot does pick up slightly, but again these are people the narrative has either not introduced us to while living at all, or only barely. I just couldn't bring myself to care too much about any of it.
Hopefully the seventh book is a return to form.
I was very disappointed with this, the sixth instalment of the Tom Mariner series. Having loved all the others, I only persevered with this book because I felt obliged to review it; otherwise I would have abandoned it. For the first quarter of the story, nothing really happens. An ex-convict goes round killing people he feels a grudge against, but as we have never encountered these people it was hard to feel much emotional involvement. Tom goes to Anna's funeral - I never liked her - and then sets off on a walking holiday. We hear about his travels in unnecessary detail. Tony's neighbour has not been walking his dog.
Once more people turn up murdered, the plot does pick up slightly, but again these are people the narrative has either not introduced us to while living at all, or only barely. I just couldn't bring myself to care too much about any of it.
Hopefully the seventh book is a return to form.
June 8, 2019
DI Tom Mariner is headed for Wales to do some walking and healing following the funeral of Anna Barham, his former lover. He also finds out that he has been named the guardian of Jamie Barham, her autistic brother, who in the end he takes home, because the facility where he was living was not adequate.
In the meantime he becomes suspect and then an assistant in solving the several murders in Wales where he lodges with a former friend Elena Hughes. A nearby farm supposedly is growing organics, though the environment is hostile most of the year, and Tom thinks something is hinky. It turns out that cannabis is being grown in underground caves and tunnels, with the collaboration of a Russian who has bought a nearby property. It is tied into the murders of multiple people by a man who is getting revenge, and who is also dying of cancer, Glenn McGinley. Back in Birmingham, his Sergeant is dealing with that murder and the deathh of a young girl at a party of his neighbor. It appears that all of the cases are connected either by place or by drugs. At the same time a breakin occurs at Mariner's home, and Katarina disappears. Her boyfriend has allowed a former friend to stay there and he is connected to drugs and the criminal element. A complicated story well-told.
In the meantime he becomes suspect and then an assistant in solving the several murders in Wales where he lodges with a former friend Elena Hughes. A nearby farm supposedly is growing organics, though the environment is hostile most of the year, and Tom thinks something is hinky. It turns out that cannabis is being grown in underground caves and tunnels, with the collaboration of a Russian who has bought a nearby property. It is tied into the murders of multiple people by a man who is getting revenge, and who is also dying of cancer, Glenn McGinley. Back in Birmingham, his Sergeant is dealing with that murder and the deathh of a young girl at a party of his neighbor. It appears that all of the cases are connected either by place or by drugs. At the same time a breakin occurs at Mariner's home, and Katarina disappears. Her boyfriend has allowed a former friend to stay there and he is connected to drugs and the criminal element. A complicated story well-told.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2018
No 6 in the DI Tom Mariner series and they just keep getting better.
We pick up Tom`s story just after his ex girlfriend Anna`s funeral, he has decided to spend his two weeks compassionate leave on a walking break in Wales.
Unfortunately it isn`t as peaceful as he had hoped as he becomes involved in a murder investigation when he discovers a body in the woods. When another hiker he has befriended turns up with his throat cut in the room they are sharing he even becomes a suspect.
As he sets about clearing his name and trying to avoid possibly becoming the killers next victim he calls on his team back in Birmingham to research into the backgrounds of possible suspects.
This book has a well planned plot and subplot, gradually the story unfolds. It held my interest all the way through, there is plenty of action with enough twists and turns to lead you to believe you`ve worked it all out only to discover um no you haven`t.
It could be read as a standalone however I`d encourage anyone to read the whole series as the cast of characters are well worth getting to know.
Thanks to Joffe books for the chance to read this as an ARC.
We pick up Tom`s story just after his ex girlfriend Anna`s funeral, he has decided to spend his two weeks compassionate leave on a walking break in Wales.
Unfortunately it isn`t as peaceful as he had hoped as he becomes involved in a murder investigation when he discovers a body in the woods. When another hiker he has befriended turns up with his throat cut in the room they are sharing he even becomes a suspect.
As he sets about clearing his name and trying to avoid possibly becoming the killers next victim he calls on his team back in Birmingham to research into the backgrounds of possible suspects.
This book has a well planned plot and subplot, gradually the story unfolds. It held my interest all the way through, there is plenty of action with enough twists and turns to lead you to believe you`ve worked it all out only to discover um no you haven`t.
It could be read as a standalone however I`d encourage anyone to read the whole series as the cast of characters are well worth getting to know.
Thanks to Joffe books for the chance to read this as an ARC.
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May 4, 2021This is the sixth book in the Tom Mariner series and follows on from events in the previous novel. Like any series, it’s always best to read from the first to get a better understanding of the characters and dynamics of the backstory.
On this occasion, Tom needs time to himself to come to terms with the death of a former lover. He hopes a walking holiday in the Welsh mountains for a couple of weeks will help him ‘find himself’. He revisits an area he once went to twenty years ago and finds a few familiar faces, including an old flame.
But being crime fiction, you know this isn’t going to be a peaceful holiday.
The story ambles along until the murder. The pace picks up and leads to a somewhat abrupt ending. It’s a pleasant enough read, but it lacks the tension and urgency of previous books.
On this occasion, Tom needs time to himself to come to terms with the death of a former lover. He hopes a walking holiday in the Welsh mountains for a couple of weeks will help him ‘find himself’. He revisits an area he once went to twenty years ago and finds a few familiar faces, including an old flame.
But being crime fiction, you know this isn’t going to be a peaceful holiday.
The story ambles along until the murder. The pace picks up and leads to a somewhat abrupt ending. It’s a pleasant enough read, but it lacks the tension and urgency of previous books.
July 25, 2019
"A mystery"
No doubt this was a well-written book, but some series need to be read from start to finish. They don't encourage a reader to grab a book within that series based on a title, a cover, or a plot line. That was how I stumbled on this one. There was plenty of past history to absorb without really being able to put it into context. As for the McGinley thread, this was the worst example. All the evidence we were given pointed to his being involved directly in the story. The tenuous link was revealed in the final pages but without reading the earlier books it meant nothing and left me scratching my head. This is probably one of those cases where fans of the writer will lap it up. If you want a standalone book to read I suggest you look elsewhere.
No doubt this was a well-written book, but some series need to be read from start to finish. They don't encourage a reader to grab a book within that series based on a title, a cover, or a plot line. That was how I stumbled on this one. There was plenty of past history to absorb without really being able to put it into context. As for the McGinley thread, this was the worst example. All the evidence we were given pointed to his being involved directly in the story. The tenuous link was revealed in the final pages but without reading the earlier books it meant nothing and left me scratching my head. This is probably one of those cases where fans of the writer will lap it up. If you want a standalone book to read I suggest you look elsewhere.
January 24, 2025
In big picture terms this book finished with the chapter I had expected the previous one to finish with, so that’s ok. Meanwhile DI Mariner has taken himself off for a walking holiday in dreary Wales to get over personal trauma. A mass murderer who has killed people in Liverpool and Chester is on the loose. Our hero quickly finds this isn’t much of a holiday and is assisting local police with their enquiries whilst back in Birmingham his house has been ransacked and Kat has gone missing. Is it all to do with drugs? Albanians? Or something else? Am hooked on this series now so will press on to completion
November 16, 2018
Mostly great
This book was slower reading than the previous ones. Lots of dialogue, descriptive memories and soul searching. Some random references to things that might be clues but what is seen isn't revealed. There's multiple mysterious story lines. All of it together it's made it challenging to follow the case and maybe figure out the whodunit. I'm mildly disappointed but still worth reading. I'm very attached to all the regularly appearing characters. When all the answers are.revealed it all comes out as it should.
This book was slower reading than the previous ones. Lots of dialogue, descriptive memories and soul searching. Some random references to things that might be clues but what is seen isn't revealed. There's multiple mysterious story lines. All of it together it's made it challenging to follow the case and maybe figure out the whodunit. I'm mildly disappointed but still worth reading. I'm very attached to all the regularly appearing characters. When all the answers are.revealed it all comes out as it should.
January 23, 2019
It was sometime since I had read the previous Tom Martin tale ,however I soon caught up with the characters and back stories.
This is a well written book even if the plot moved a tad slowly along. There was no swearing or excessive drinking by the policeman, which made for a change from many detective tales. Although there were several pmkillings there was no gratuitous descriptions of violence.
I really enjoyed this read ,but felt it ended with too many loose ends. Whatever happened to Amber, Elena or the Russian oligarch??. Perhaps the reader makes their own ending.i
This is a well written book even if the plot moved a tad slowly along. There was no swearing or excessive drinking by the policeman, which made for a change from many detective tales. Although there were several pmkillings there was no gratuitous descriptions of violence.
I really enjoyed this read ,but felt it ended with too many loose ends. Whatever happened to Amber, Elena or the Russian oligarch??. Perhaps the reader makes their own ending.i
May 8, 2019
I would have given this 4.5 stars if not for the fact that very little got solved. Don't really know who killed Theo or Bryce or how involved Elana was. What happened to Amber? A little closure on the side story involving Katrina/hugo would have been nice as well - I was expecting it to all wrap up together somehow. This book really feels more like part one of a two parter. Amazingly well written ( as always) and I loved it until I turn the page ready to read the last 3 or 4 chapters needed to tied everything together and all I got was a few pages of epilogue.
January 15, 2025
This is the 6th book of 7 I have read. I got them as a package, and what a great find they have been. Everyone has been excellent and this one no exception. Tom Mariner having buried his former fiancé Anna Barham brutally murdered by road rage on the M5 goes on a walking break in Wales to get some me time. He gets involved in 3 murders and becomes a suspect for a while. The plot thickens as more people are implicated in the murders. A pacy cannot put down book the plot shifts and turns, before the perpetrator is uncovered.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
November 10, 2018
Fast paced and well written
What a cracker of a read! This addition to the Tom Mariner series is so good. The pace was just right and the storyline had a few good twists and turns in it, kept it going until the last page. I do love this series and can't wait to for the next one. If you like your UK detectives I'd recommend starting from book 1, you won't be disappointed.
What a cracker of a read! This addition to the Tom Mariner series is so good. The pace was just right and the storyline had a few good twists and turns in it, kept it going until the last page. I do love this series and can't wait to for the next one. If you like your UK detectives I'd recommend starting from book 1, you won't be disappointed.
April 19, 2022
Another Great Mystery!
Tom Mariner, after Anna’s funeral, takes leave for an extended walking trip in Wales. He needs to deal with his grief. His walking tour is anything but peaceful. Murdered bodies keep showing up so Tom, after being cleared of wrongdoing, helps with the investigations.
Tom Mariner, after Anna’s funeral, takes leave for an extended walking trip in Wales. He needs to deal with his grief. His walking tour is anything but peaceful. Murdered bodies keep showing up so Tom, after being cleared of wrongdoing, helps with the investigations.
December 4, 2017
I absolutely loved this book,the 6th in the series & will be starting the 7th straight away. Tom is such a likeable character & I can’t wait to read what happens next-hopefully some happiness for him ☺️ I highly recommend this series of books & this author.
September 8, 2018
Excellent follow on in this exciting series although can be read as a stand alone book. Fantastic story that takes you on a roller coaster, hair raising ride keeping your interest from beginning to end. Look forward to the next one.
September 14, 2018
Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are a lot of twists and turns to the story that I was unable to put it down. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a really good mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are a lot of twists and turns to the story that I was unable to put it down. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a really good mystery.
September 15, 2018
Buried Lies
I have read all of the series about the adventures of Tom Mariner. I have enjoyed every book. The characters are interesting and well written and the plot is complex. A very good read!
I have read all of the series about the adventures of Tom Mariner. I have enjoyed every book. The characters are interesting and well written and the plot is complex. A very good read!
September 20, 2018
Another fun great read
Buried lies another great read from Chris Collette, lots of twist and turns so you are changing your mind about (whodunit, ) all the time, waiting for next book. 😎 Hurry please Chris....
Buried lies another great read from Chris Collette, lots of twist and turns so you are changing your mind about (whodunit, ) all the time, waiting for next book. 😎 Hurry please Chris....
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