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DS Coupland #3
One Bad Turn
A serial killer is stalking the streets of Salford...
No sooner has Detective Sergeant Kevin Coupland stepped off the plane from a family holiday than he gets the call that a woman’s body has been found on a path beside a recreation park in a smart suburb in Manchester. Account Manager Sharon Mathers suffered a brutal blow to the head following a night out with friends from work.
Teamed with DC Ashcroft who has transferred from the Met under a cloud, Coupland struggles to find a motive for the killing when two days later another body is found, this time at the bottom of a footbridge at Salford Station. Could the same person be responsible? While still trying to work out the answer to this Coupland’s personal life spirals into freefall when his daughter Amy introduces him to her new boyfriend - a thug he’d put away for GBH two years before. The relationship puts a strain on the detective’s home life and impacts his judgement at work - putting him under the microscope with the powers that be.
When a third body is found DC Ashcroft makes a startling discovery - the killings are linked to a murder in ’92. Coupland was a probationer back in the nineties - could he be linked in some way to the killer?
No sooner has Detective Sergeant Kevin Coupland stepped off the plane from a family holiday than he gets the call that a woman’s body has been found on a path beside a recreation park in a smart suburb in Manchester. Account Manager Sharon Mathers suffered a brutal blow to the head following a night out with friends from work.
Teamed with DC Ashcroft who has transferred from the Met under a cloud, Coupland struggles to find a motive for the killing when two days later another body is found, this time at the bottom of a footbridge at Salford Station. Could the same person be responsible? While still trying to work out the answer to this Coupland’s personal life spirals into freefall when his daughter Amy introduces him to her new boyfriend - a thug he’d put away for GBH two years before. The relationship puts a strain on the detective’s home life and impacts his judgement at work - putting him under the microscope with the powers that be.
When a third body is found DC Ashcroft makes a startling discovery - the killings are linked to a murder in ’92. Coupland was a probationer back in the nineties - could he be linked in some way to the killer?
- GenresCrime
239 pages, ebook
Published June 29, 2016
106 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Emma Salisbury
28 books77 followersJoffe Books Prize 2024 Finalist. I write gritty, crime fiction that focuses on the 'why'dunnit as well as the 'who'. I worked for a housing association supporting socially excluded men and ex-offenders, which provided me with a lot of inspiration. Fans of BBC series Happy Valley should try both my Coupland and Ashcroft detective series for their unflinching realism and pace.
ONE GOOD REASON, the first in my DS Ashcroft series, published by Bloodhound Books is out now!
Born and brought up in Manchester, I moved to Scotland 25 years ago. My inspiration initially came from working for a housing association supporting ex offenders into work.
Most evenings I can be found walking the family dogs on the beach near our home in East Lothian, Scotland. You can find out more on my website www.emmasalisbury.com and I can be found on Linktr.ee/Emma Salisbury
ONE GOOD REASON, the first in my DS Ashcroft series, published by Bloodhound Books is out now!
Born and brought up in Manchester, I moved to Scotland 25 years ago. My inspiration initially came from working for a housing association supporting ex offenders into work.
Most evenings I can be found walking the family dogs on the beach near our home in East Lothian, Scotland. You can find out more on my website www.emmasalisbury.com and I can be found on Linktr.ee/Emma Salisbury
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 8, 2016
This is the third book in the DS Coupland series (although the book could be read as a standalone).
DS Kevin Coupland has just returned from a relaxing family holiday. A woman's body has been found who had suffered a fatal blow to the head. With his partner Alex away on maternity leave Coupland is paired up with DC Ashcroft. Two days later another woman's body is found.
Meanwhile his beloved daughter Amy introduces him to her new boyfriend, an ex-con who he put away for GBH two years before which in turn causes tension at home. A third body is found and the team discover links to a murder in 1992. A brilliant fast paced read which I couldn't put down and I can't wait for the next in the series!
Huge thanks to Emma for a copy of the book.
DS Kevin Coupland has just returned from a relaxing family holiday. A woman's body has been found who had suffered a fatal blow to the head. With his partner Alex away on maternity leave Coupland is paired up with DC Ashcroft. Two days later another woman's body is found.
Meanwhile his beloved daughter Amy introduces him to her new boyfriend, an ex-con who he put away for GBH two years before which in turn causes tension at home. A third body is found and the team discover links to a murder in 1992. A brilliant fast paced read which I couldn't put down and I can't wait for the next in the series!
Huge thanks to Emma for a copy of the book.
June 9, 2016
I was offered this by the author in exchange for an honest review. I hadn't read the first two in the series but was assured it could be read as a standalone, which on reflection is true.
DS Coupland is still at the airport on his way home from a family holiday when his phone rings and he is called to the murder of a woman. When another murder happens soon after it is difficult to identify a link between the two women and Coupland and his team are thrown into an investigation requiring full commitment and cooperation with the another force. Meanwhile, things are proving difficult at home as his daughter has begun a relationship with a man who Coupland arrested for violent crimes.
This is such a well written story. The attention to detail is excellent. The depth of characters is good and it avoids the stereotypes of detectives having to be alcoholics/completely messed up with their marriages. Without doubt I am going to return to book 1 to find out what came before but I hope it won't be long until book 4 is out as I'd really like to know what is going to happen next. I would highly recommend it to everyone who likes well written crime novels that keep you guessing throughout.
DS Coupland is still at the airport on his way home from a family holiday when his phone rings and he is called to the murder of a woman. When another murder happens soon after it is difficult to identify a link between the two women and Coupland and his team are thrown into an investigation requiring full commitment and cooperation with the another force. Meanwhile, things are proving difficult at home as his daughter has begun a relationship with a man who Coupland arrested for violent crimes.
This is such a well written story. The attention to detail is excellent. The depth of characters is good and it avoids the stereotypes of detectives having to be alcoholics/completely messed up with their marriages. Without doubt I am going to return to book 1 to find out what came before but I hope it won't be long until book 4 is out as I'd really like to know what is going to happen next. I would highly recommend it to everyone who likes well written crime novels that keep you guessing throughout.
July 6, 2017
Don't know why more people don't read this author. Maybe they're like me which is almost never leave reviews. I did read all three in this series
Book. I like the stories and they're definitely thrillers . Some are complex but explained really well sorry I understood what was going on ..... Which isn't always the case . I like the protagonist in this book . Not your usual type. I liked the other main characters . And all the peripheral characters too. Like back stories to . Especially continuation of their lives outside of work and their family lives. Also I live in the US and like the little bit of different says when reading a book that said in the UK.
Can't get used to all that tea drinking though!!! Love the CCTV .
Book. I like the stories and they're definitely thrillers . Some are complex but explained really well sorry I understood what was going on ..... Which isn't always the case . I like the protagonist in this book . Not your usual type. I liked the other main characters . And all the peripheral characters too. Like back stories to . Especially continuation of their lives outside of work and their family lives. Also I live in the US and like the little bit of different says when reading a book that said in the UK.
Can't get used to all that tea drinking though!!! Love the CCTV .
July 7, 2017
This was the best in the series so far!
The p!ot was riveting. The series gets better with each new book. On to the next! I am looking forward to another good read.
The p!ot was riveting. The series gets better with each new book. On to the next! I am looking forward to another good read.
November 15, 2018
This is my third time with this series and each book gets better IMO. I love the characters- these cops really come to life for me; as do the secondary characters and the settings. I picture this being a really great Neflix series, where each book is a feature film-length episode. The plot was really intriguing, the writing is so clever and entertaining. It has a great flow. Although the author didn't 'trick' me, I was surprised to learn the identify of the killer ; there was an inferred misdirect that I am happy to say didn't pan out. I thought she revealed the killer in a skillful way, disclosing the motive, then exposing the whom. Can't wait for the next one!
July 10, 2016
Although this is the third book in the series to feature DS Kevin Coupland, it is the first I have read and the first Emma Salisbury book I've read. There were a couple of references to previous storylines within the book but it is easily read as a standalone, although I probably will want to read more about Coupland as he is a great character.
Kevin Coupland has literally just got off the plane from a family holiday when he is called into the police station to help with a murder enquiry, holiday clothes and all! I have to say that I think his wife deserves a medal and the title long-suffering. Before long two more bodies are found and the race is on to find the killer before they strike again. With few clues to go on, Coupland and his team are struggling to find a link and feeling very frustrated. At home he is also frustrated with his daughter, whose latest boyfriend is someone he put away for GBH.
For me the strength of this novel was in the characters, particularly Coupland. I liked that he was just a normal guy, a dedicated policeman not struggling with alcohol addiction and with a normal stable home-life. His daughter made me smile a lot with her annoyance at what she saw as her dad's interference in her love life and her frequent yelling matches or deliberate silences towards him. Again, his wife was earning her long-suffering medal here with her patience and negotiation between the two.
The crime story was well plotted and well paced. The final few chapters where the link between the cases was discovered and Coupland realised that his daughter may be in danger were real page-turners. Emma Salisbury has written a gripping crime novel with realistic characters.The story ended perfectly set up for book 4 and I'm looking forward to seeing how Coupland deals with what happens next.
Kevin Coupland has literally just got off the plane from a family holiday when he is called into the police station to help with a murder enquiry, holiday clothes and all! I have to say that I think his wife deserves a medal and the title long-suffering. Before long two more bodies are found and the race is on to find the killer before they strike again. With few clues to go on, Coupland and his team are struggling to find a link and feeling very frustrated. At home he is also frustrated with his daughter, whose latest boyfriend is someone he put away for GBH.
For me the strength of this novel was in the characters, particularly Coupland. I liked that he was just a normal guy, a dedicated policeman not struggling with alcohol addiction and with a normal stable home-life. His daughter made me smile a lot with her annoyance at what she saw as her dad's interference in her love life and her frequent yelling matches or deliberate silences towards him. Again, his wife was earning her long-suffering medal here with her patience and negotiation between the two.
The crime story was well plotted and well paced. The final few chapters where the link between the cases was discovered and Coupland realised that his daughter may be in danger were real page-turners. Emma Salisbury has written a gripping crime novel with realistic characters.The story ended perfectly set up for book 4 and I'm looking forward to seeing how Coupland deals with what happens next.
December 29, 2016
A good read.
A good straight forward detective novel. Humorous .Fairly predictable.The ending was no surprise .I did enjoy it and so recommend it.
A good straight forward detective novel. Humorous .Fairly predictable.The ending was no surprise .I did enjoy it and so recommend it.
June 8, 2017
Excellent!!!! Can't wait for the next instalment.....
December 3, 2018
I had been looking forward to reading book 3 in the DS Coupland series, and I wasn't disappointed. Kevin Coupland arrives home from his holiday to his first day back at work in Salford. One dead body soon turns into more, a serial killer with a score to settle. I dare not say anymore without spoiling. When you read this series, you will know why crime novels are described using the word 'gripping'
May 7, 2019
Another great read a great series well worth a read if you like who done it and two or more stories going on and characters well presented on to 4 in the series not sure if it's the last or if there will be more hopefully !!
April 19, 2020
Enjoying this series a lot, I picture DSI Coupland as Philip Glenister in Life on Mars 🙂
October 11, 2020
Fantastic third one I have read in series and it really keeps you on edge. Cannot wait for number 4
September 1, 2025
The fear
was a good tale of revenge, fear and protection. full of little 'hold your breath' moments.... especially near the end! looking forward to next in series.
was a good tale of revenge, fear and protection. full of little 'hold your breath' moments.... especially near the end! looking forward to next in series.
August 25, 2022
DC Coupland is back the detective solving murders in Salford with his own personal problems
DC Coupland returns from holiday to start investigating a murder in Salford this story tells of the murder which turn into murders his home life & the colleagues he works with
I read this in paperback
DC Coupland returns from holiday to start investigating a murder in Salford this story tells of the murder which turn into murders his home life & the colleagues he works with
I read this in paperback
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews