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Dani Lancing #2
Summer of Ghosts
It begins with a father calling his daughter, but whoever answers is not Pia but his daughter’s killer. He must listen, horrified, to the sounds of his only child being murdered, powerless to intervene as the killer utters two chilling words.
‘Beautiful skin…’
Most men’s thoughts would turn to vengeance but Pia’s father is far more resourceful than most. And he is not the reserved businessman his daughter always believed him to be, but Franco, a notorious London drug lord who will call in all his debts to find his daughter’s killer. Including the one owed to him by DI Tom Bevans.
‘Beautiful skin…’
Most men’s thoughts would turn to vengeance but Pia’s father is far more resourceful than most. And he is not the reserved businessman his daughter always believed him to be, but Franco, a notorious London drug lord who will call in all his debts to find his daughter’s killer. Including the one owed to him by DI Tom Bevans.
- GenresParanormal Mystery
400 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2014
About the author
P.D. Viner
10 books52 followersI am killing again.
I live in Brighton, UK, with my wife, academic, blogger and author Lynneguist, and our teenage daughter.
I have made films, written theatre and created the audio ranges SmartPass and Shakespeare Appreciated.
Now I'm back and murdering with The Call and more to come. I love writing. I'm so happy and so lucky to have Hera Canelo publishing me.
I live in Brighton, UK, with my wife, academic, blogger and author Lynneguist, and our teenage daughter.
I have made films, written theatre and created the audio ranges SmartPass and Shakespeare Appreciated.
Now I'm back and murdering with The Call and more to come. I love writing. I'm so happy and so lucky to have Hera Canelo publishing me.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 7, 2015
"...he can see why Detective Superintendent Tom Bevans has that nick name - he looks as if he is filled to the brim with life's pain, like the figure in Edvard Munch's painting The Scream. His hair is white, his skin looks like shattered porcelain that has been painstakingly glued back together, but it is his eyes that make the biggest impression, they appear to burn in some unfathomable way; mineshafts to some inner hell that has corroded him, etched pain into his physical being"
The Summer of Ghosts is the second novel in the Dani Lancing series by British author, P.D.Viner. After a six-month leave of absence, The Sad Man, Detective Superintendent Tom Bevans is back on the job. The ghosts of three murdered girls plague his dreams: a cold case abandoned four and a half years ago when the pathologist on the case was disgraced and Tom's team temporarily suspended. His boss denies him the chance to reopen the case, but Tom is tenacious, and recruits help from a surprising quarter.
After twenty years of daily conversations, Jim Lancing no longer has his daughter, Dani's ghost keeping him company, and, even though his wife, Patty and his psychiatrist insist that believing in her is crazy, he misses her. But is she gone forever? There is another murder, a girl viciously attacked in the same way, and notorious London drug lord Franco believes the victim is his daughter, Pia. He calls in a debt from Tom, a debt owed for a very long time.
This Dani Lancing novel adds another layer of complexity to the story and the (already multi-dimensional) characters who populate the first novel and the novellas. It could possibly be read as a stand alone, but would certainly be enhanced by reading The Last Winter of Dani Lancing and the novellas, The Ugly Man and The Sad Man. Certainly, it should not be read before TLWODL, as there are spoilers for that novel in this one.
This is murder mystery with twsts and surprises and a heart-thumping climax (or two). As well as having the reader think about the ultimate destination for the proceeds of crime, Viner touches on the concept of tailored drugs for hedonism, on torture/snuff films and the ubiquitous presence of violence, on friendship and loyalty, on love and betrayal, and on revenge. He manages to include tubes of super glue, machine guns, a research lab and focus groups, a land-mine, a secret passage, hallucinogenic drugs and a You Tube clip that goes viral.
Viner also treats the reader to some lovely descriptive prose: "......a Native American tribe (who) had been deathly afraid of the trains that came to their country as they believed the human soul could only travel at the speed of an animal. Anything that sped faster than a horse, disengaged the soul from the body and left it behind, like a giant streamer flailing behind. When the body stopped moving the soul was reeled in at the speed of the horse, but for those hours or even days that the body and soul were cleaved apart, the man or woman is left amoral. With no centre and no control, they are free to do whatever evil they want" and "Grief dries and hollows you out..." are examples.
Succinct observations also abound: "Sometimes it is just impossible to match a dead face to a photograph. So much of who we are is our vitality, the twinkle in the eye and the smile on the lips. Drain the life away and she could be any one of a hundred blond teenagers". Some editions also include as a bonus the 100 page Dani Lancing novella, The Sad Man. Readers who enjoyed The Last Winter of Dani Lancing will not be disappointed in this excellent offering from P.D. Viner.
The Summer of Ghosts is the second novel in the Dani Lancing series by British author, P.D.Viner. After a six-month leave of absence, The Sad Man, Detective Superintendent Tom Bevans is back on the job. The ghosts of three murdered girls plague his dreams: a cold case abandoned four and a half years ago when the pathologist on the case was disgraced and Tom's team temporarily suspended. His boss denies him the chance to reopen the case, but Tom is tenacious, and recruits help from a surprising quarter.
After twenty years of daily conversations, Jim Lancing no longer has his daughter, Dani's ghost keeping him company, and, even though his wife, Patty and his psychiatrist insist that believing in her is crazy, he misses her. But is she gone forever? There is another murder, a girl viciously attacked in the same way, and notorious London drug lord Franco believes the victim is his daughter, Pia. He calls in a debt from Tom, a debt owed for a very long time.
This Dani Lancing novel adds another layer of complexity to the story and the (already multi-dimensional) characters who populate the first novel and the novellas. It could possibly be read as a stand alone, but would certainly be enhanced by reading The Last Winter of Dani Lancing and the novellas, The Ugly Man and The Sad Man. Certainly, it should not be read before TLWODL, as there are spoilers for that novel in this one.
This is murder mystery with twsts and surprises and a heart-thumping climax (or two). As well as having the reader think about the ultimate destination for the proceeds of crime, Viner touches on the concept of tailored drugs for hedonism, on torture/snuff films and the ubiquitous presence of violence, on friendship and loyalty, on love and betrayal, and on revenge. He manages to include tubes of super glue, machine guns, a research lab and focus groups, a land-mine, a secret passage, hallucinogenic drugs and a You Tube clip that goes viral.
Viner also treats the reader to some lovely descriptive prose: "......a Native American tribe (who) had been deathly afraid of the trains that came to their country as they believed the human soul could only travel at the speed of an animal. Anything that sped faster than a horse, disengaged the soul from the body and left it behind, like a giant streamer flailing behind. When the body stopped moving the soul was reeled in at the speed of the horse, but for those hours or even days that the body and soul were cleaved apart, the man or woman is left amoral. With no centre and no control, they are free to do whatever evil they want" and "Grief dries and hollows you out..." are examples.
Succinct observations also abound: "Sometimes it is just impossible to match a dead face to a photograph. So much of who we are is our vitality, the twinkle in the eye and the smile on the lips. Drain the life away and she could be any one of a hundred blond teenagers". Some editions also include as a bonus the 100 page Dani Lancing novella, The Sad Man. Readers who enjoyed The Last Winter of Dani Lancing will not be disappointed in this excellent offering from P.D. Viner.
October 11, 2014
This is the sequel to The Last Winter of Dani Lancing and I wouldn’t recommend reading this one until you have read the first because the background to DI Tom Bevans, who loved and was desperate to catch the killer of his love Dani Lancing. Dani’s parents Jim and Patty feature in both novels too and as readers you see the consequences following the events in the explosive first book. Even the title is linked to the first book where Jim is comforted by Dani’s ghost and she’s still haunting him in this book.
The book starts with Tom Bevan opening a cold case where three young girls were killed in a horrific manner. Since Tom is told he isn’t to spend time on the case he enlists the help of the Lancings who look through the files for clues, visit still grieving parents, siblings and friends trying to find the person responsible.
As well as the previously met characters one of the key protagonists in this tale is Franco, a drugs lord form Zimbabwe with a compelling back story. Franco is the man who hears the news of his daughter’s murder over the telephone, although this event actually occurs some way into the novel. I liked Franco’s character who wasn’t your typical crime baron, being much more complex than the normal stereotype but I’m afraid I’m not a big fan of reading about gangs, and the number of henchmen and rivals all got more than a little confusing in places. Despite that I thought this part of the story was well-plotted and added some depth to the overall story. Unfortunately the two halves of the book didn’t always connect as well as they could have and although the plotting behind the serial killer was fantastic, the conclusion seemed to be rushed and this part not given the attention it deserved as it was almost swamped by Franco’s story.
Neither of the two stories were for the faint-hearted, there is a lot of violence, blood and worse. I found the ghost aspect more annoying in this book than the last, and unfortunately despite being well-written the combination of gangs and ghosts meant that I didn’t enjoy the sequel quite as much as I did the first in the series, and yes I believe from ending there will be another outing for Tom Bevan.
I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in return for this honest review.
The book starts with Tom Bevan opening a cold case where three young girls were killed in a horrific manner. Since Tom is told he isn’t to spend time on the case he enlists the help of the Lancings who look through the files for clues, visit still grieving parents, siblings and friends trying to find the person responsible.
As well as the previously met characters one of the key protagonists in this tale is Franco, a drugs lord form Zimbabwe with a compelling back story. Franco is the man who hears the news of his daughter’s murder over the telephone, although this event actually occurs some way into the novel. I liked Franco’s character who wasn’t your typical crime baron, being much more complex than the normal stereotype but I’m afraid I’m not a big fan of reading about gangs, and the number of henchmen and rivals all got more than a little confusing in places. Despite that I thought this part of the story was well-plotted and added some depth to the overall story. Unfortunately the two halves of the book didn’t always connect as well as they could have and although the plotting behind the serial killer was fantastic, the conclusion seemed to be rushed and this part not given the attention it deserved as it was almost swamped by Franco’s story.
Neither of the two stories were for the faint-hearted, there is a lot of violence, blood and worse. I found the ghost aspect more annoying in this book than the last, and unfortunately despite being well-written the combination of gangs and ghosts meant that I didn’t enjoy the sequel quite as much as I did the first in the series, and yes I believe from ending there will be another outing for Tom Bevan.
I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine in return for this honest review.
February 5, 2021
I read this not knowing I should have read one prior to this. I still enjoyed it and it kept me interested the whole way but I think to get a better picture of the characters you need to have read the first one.
Still, overall a very enjoyable read.
Still, overall a very enjoyable read.
January 27, 2015
My View:
“Human beings can feel haunted by their actions, or their inactions.” (p.28)
A brilliant follow on from The Last Winter of Dani Lancing – one of my favourite books. I love the characters in this series – particularly Tom Bevans - The Sad Man – who shows us a few more sides to his character than previously explored and Franco – a criminal you end up liking. I like that the character Franco allows the reader to consider the many sides to a person; Franco is not just a drug lord. Ultimately it is his role as Pia’s father that allows us to see the human side of Franco, to see that he is more the the sum of his numerous sins, more than the horrible experiences he faced as a child. Viner allows us to think about how we measure a person’s worth and how quick we are to judge, life really isn’t black and white, Viner allows us to see the grey.
The half a dozen or so major characters in this book are all haunted…by their actions or their inactions: BRILLIANT.
This is an engaging story, with plenty of plot twists and miss-directions to keep you enthralled in this fast paced adventure that weaves a few contemporary social and political issues into the mix for good measure. The ending will astound you…sorry no spoilers here. The question I want answered – is there a next book Phil?
“Human beings can feel haunted by their actions, or their inactions.” (p.28)
A brilliant follow on from The Last Winter of Dani Lancing – one of my favourite books. I love the characters in this series – particularly Tom Bevans - The Sad Man – who shows us a few more sides to his character than previously explored and Franco – a criminal you end up liking. I like that the character Franco allows the reader to consider the many sides to a person; Franco is not just a drug lord. Ultimately it is his role as Pia’s father that allows us to see the human side of Franco, to see that he is more the the sum of his numerous sins, more than the horrible experiences he faced as a child. Viner allows us to think about how we measure a person’s worth and how quick we are to judge, life really isn’t black and white, Viner allows us to see the grey.
The half a dozen or so major characters in this book are all haunted…by their actions or their inactions: BRILLIANT.
This is an engaging story, with plenty of plot twists and miss-directions to keep you enthralled in this fast paced adventure that weaves a few contemporary social and political issues into the mix for good measure. The ending will astound you…sorry no spoilers here. The question I want answered – is there a next book Phil?
March 11, 2024
Very gripping & fast paced thriller!
August 4, 2014
a brillant folow up to "The Last Winter of Dani Lancing"
I have to admit that my recall of the events of the previous story were pretty hazy... a quick stroll through the internet and pick up browse of the paperback helped bring me up to date.
so this picks up form the epilogue of the previous book. three people had been brutally murdered and then the case goes cold. four years alter after the events of the first book. tom bevans, the messed up cop who was infatuated with dani and covered up her death is back on the case. tormented with flashback dremas. also a twenty-year old favour he owes drug lord franco is called in when he receives a phone call who is claiming his daughter as the fourth victim. tom calls on the ever vengeful and somehow sprightly parkinsons sufferer Patty (dani's mum)to help out she goes off all mental again desperate to seek vengeance as she cannot do the same for the death of her daughter... well until franco shares some info with her later in the story and then we're all geared up for book 3 :)
vast improvement on the first book and a great crime read
I have to admit that my recall of the events of the previous story were pretty hazy... a quick stroll through the internet and pick up browse of the paperback helped bring me up to date.
so this picks up form the epilogue of the previous book. three people had been brutally murdered and then the case goes cold. four years alter after the events of the first book. tom bevans, the messed up cop who was infatuated with dani and covered up her death is back on the case. tormented with flashback dremas. also a twenty-year old favour he owes drug lord franco is called in when he receives a phone call who is claiming his daughter as the fourth victim. tom calls on the ever vengeful and somehow sprightly parkinsons sufferer Patty (dani's mum)to help out she goes off all mental again desperate to seek vengeance as she cannot do the same for the death of her daughter... well until franco shares some info with her later in the story and then we're all geared up for book 3 :)
vast improvement on the first book and a great crime read
June 6, 2016
I expected this book to be sensational, what with the glowing recommendation from crime supernova Sophie Hannah. It was good, there were two plots which jostled uneasily at times but the book delivered with a gripping conclusion.
I feel I would have enjoyed the book more if I had read the preceding title: The Last Winter of Dani Lancing. That book set up this one, and though many things were clear there were allusions from the author and guesses from me as the reader. Mainly, why is 'The Sad Man' Detective Tom Bevans so marked by the loss of Dani? Without knowing the answers to these questions I found Bevans idolatry of his dead unrequited love Dani somewhat overblown. It actually gave me the eye rolls because I sensed a Madonna/ Whore trope at play here and that is one dull and damaging trope.
I read to the end and was suitably entertained but annoyed. The Banquo's ghost that was Dani Lancing was an irritant. That'll teach me to read books in the wrong order.
I feel I would have enjoyed the book more if I had read the preceding title: The Last Winter of Dani Lancing. That book set up this one, and though many things were clear there were allusions from the author and guesses from me as the reader. Mainly, why is 'The Sad Man' Detective Tom Bevans so marked by the loss of Dani? Without knowing the answers to these questions I found Bevans idolatry of his dead unrequited love Dani somewhat overblown. It actually gave me the eye rolls because I sensed a Madonna/ Whore trope at play here and that is one dull and damaging trope.
I read to the end and was suitably entertained but annoyed. The Banquo's ghost that was Dani Lancing was an irritant. That'll teach me to read books in the wrong order.
December 19, 2023
his was one of our book club books for the year. I was immediately hooked and it went right into the action. I thought this is definitely going to be up my street.
And it was, kinda. It wasn’t until a good chunk through I realised this was the second in the series and it would have definitely been better if I had read that first and made some links to a lot of references being made and the past of the characters and their stories.
I loved the suspense and tension and the action but there was a very strange paranormal vibe that I wasn’t really keen on that happened in a very small part of the book.
Our book club discussion was great on this one, very varying opinions, some potential plot holes or unanswered questions came up. It was a thinker… but is that just because we hadn’t read the first one?!
Who knows! But I enjoyed my time reading this, would just probably recommend starting with book 1.
3.5/5
And it was, kinda. It wasn’t until a good chunk through I realised this was the second in the series and it would have definitely been better if I had read that first and made some links to a lot of references being made and the past of the characters and their stories.
I loved the suspense and tension and the action but there was a very strange paranormal vibe that I wasn’t really keen on that happened in a very small part of the book.
Our book club discussion was great on this one, very varying opinions, some potential plot holes or unanswered questions came up. It was a thinker… but is that just because we hadn’t read the first one?!
Who knows! But I enjoyed my time reading this, would just probably recommend starting with book 1.
3.5/5
December 30, 2015
I didn't read the first book The Last Winter Of Dani Lancing, so it was genuinely at first hard to work out what had happened to Dani.
Dani died twenty-years ago. Tom a policeman had known Dani since he was a child and they started school together, then went to the same secondary school and Tom had fallen in love with Dani.
Tom is haunted by grief over Dani's death and sees her ghost everywhere, maybe he was going a bit crazy as he talks to Dani all the time.
With the three killing of young women Tom leads the police operation Ares which the three cases seems fizzle out without finding the killer .
It makes your heart burn with such a waste of life and such a vile act that someone is killing young women.
Dani died twenty-years ago. Tom a policeman had known Dani since he was a child and they started school together, then went to the same secondary school and Tom had fallen in love with Dani.
Tom is haunted by grief over Dani's death and sees her ghost everywhere, maybe he was going a bit crazy as he talks to Dani all the time.
With the three killing of young women Tom leads the police operation Ares which the three cases seems fizzle out without finding the killer .
It makes your heart burn with such a waste of life and such a vile act that someone is killing young women.
February 12, 2016
A little slow to get going but really pulls you in as the story progresses.
This is the first PD Viner novel that I've read and hence the first with The Sad Man (Tom Bevans) character. I think reading The Last Winter of Dani Lancing (the preceding book) would help to better understand the background to Summer of Ghosts. There are certainly some moments between Tom, Patti & Jim that would be more meaningful with that extra layer of comprehension.
The book is somewhat gruesome and/or graphic in places, however it fits the story and is not gratuitous.
I was a little surprised with the ending, however it seems it is set up for the next novel in the series.
I'd definitely be interested in reading more in this series and would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys crime novels.
This is the first PD Viner novel that I've read and hence the first with The Sad Man (Tom Bevans) character. I think reading The Last Winter of Dani Lancing (the preceding book) would help to better understand the background to Summer of Ghosts. There are certainly some moments between Tom, Patti & Jim that would be more meaningful with that extra layer of comprehension.
The book is somewhat gruesome and/or graphic in places, however it fits the story and is not gratuitous.
I was a little surprised with the ending, however it seems it is set up for the next novel in the series.
I'd definitely be interested in reading more in this series and would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys crime novels.
March 14, 2016
I quite enjoyed this, albeit with one or two misgivings. I liked that the author took time to let us get to know the two protagonists a bit better before they came together ( Rebus and Big Ger, anyone?) I thought the characters were well drawn, but but but...
I didn't like the ghost of Dani, it didn't fit in the rest of the book, I think she was only there to justify the title
I didn't like the re-appearance of Papi, totally unbelievable
I didn't like the dead 'baddies' airbrushed out without any consequences for who killed them and how
I didn't like the happy endings for people who had done very bad things
However, the back story concerning the beautiful skin killings was well plotted and revealed
Maybe I should have read the first book, too, to understand the characters a bit more
I didn't like the ghost of Dani, it didn't fit in the rest of the book, I think she was only there to justify the title
I didn't like the re-appearance of Papi, totally unbelievable
I didn't like the dead 'baddies' airbrushed out without any consequences for who killed them and how
I didn't like the happy endings for people who had done very bad things
However, the back story concerning the beautiful skin killings was well plotted and revealed
Maybe I should have read the first book, too, to understand the characters a bit more
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2014
After reading the fabulous novel "The Last Winter of Dani Lancing" I couldn't help but wonder if P D Viner's "Summer of Ghosts" could match it but he certainly did this novel was also fabulous I loved this story and it kept me on the edge of my seat and bringing in Kingpin drug lord Franco was a added plus after he calls in Tom who owes him a favour from 20 years ago Franco needs all the help he can get to find his missing daughter Pia who most likely be dead. They're are some pretty savage characters in this story and I loved it from beginning to end
September 5, 2015
I made a school girl error with this one having not realized there was a book prior to this one, although nonetheless I still enjoyed the book. But gruesome in places but that just made you feel the darkness of it all. Would definitely recommend the first book is read first though as this book does refer back to that storyline a lot
August 9, 2015
Very slow..... good story behind but always hate one that flits.
Hard to get into and want to pick up. Didnt grip me enough to keep going, but wanted to finish it. great ending though, edge of seat stuff in last chapter.
Hard to get into and want to pick up. Didnt grip me enough to keep going, but wanted to finish it. great ending though, edge of seat stuff in last chapter.
June 8, 2016
Good read with lots of layers but a strong stomach needed...
April 13, 2017
Good story with some nice twists to keep you interested.
I think this would have been more enjoyable if I had read the previous book https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... prior to this one.
I think this would have been more enjoyable if I had read the previous book https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... prior to this one.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews