Songbird

Kings Lake Investigation #1

by Peter Grainger

“He saw a bare arm first, the hand palm up with fingers curled inwards. Then he stopped and took a few breaths. He could hear the two constables making arrangements before they separated, one saying he’d bring the other some tape from the car, and then it was just the summer morning quiet again.”

Detective Sergeant Chris Waters got the call at 05.29 that July morning. This is it, said DCI Reeve, you’ll be first there, it’s all yours, you’re the crime scene manager. Suddenly, after months of waiting and wondering, Waters finds himself in at the deep end, and alone at the scene of a puzzling murder.

As the investigation proceeds, the detectives at Kings Lake Central find themselves visiting familiar places and talking to some familiar faces, while old enmities reappear in the incident room. Before this is over, Chris Waters will need to make a career-changing decision, and another member of the CID team will find herself facing an unexpected challenge. And Smith? Gone but not forgotten? Surely, he would say, you cannot write me off with a worn out cliché like that…

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Crime, Procedural, British Literature, Detective

491 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2019

About the author

A British author, the writer Peter Grainger is a well known novelist of mystery fiction, largely focused on detective lead investigations. This his been the prime focus for much of his career, as he takes much of his inspiration from that of other infamous British detectives, such as Inspector Morse. The influence is clearly evident here, as he brings his own detective, DC Smith, to life, along with other books as well. Setting his mysteries firmly within the world of British detective fiction it is clear where his tastes lie as an author of his increasingly popular stories, stories that only increase in popularity as time goes on.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good police procedural and this one fits that bill. Told from multiple perspectives, we get the viewpoint of everyone from DCI Reece down to the newly minted DS Waters, who’s been given his first job as crime scene manager, and further down to DC Serena Butler, just as smart as Waters but not yet promoted. It worked a charm for me. It’s very realistic, with just the slightest touch of humor (as when a marriage is described as Nasty Spice married to Mr. Bean).
A woman’s body is found along a walking trail in Norfolk, close to a caravan site.
I hadn’t realized that this was a new series following up on the author’s older, DC Smith series, sort of like how Lewis follows Morse. Characters bring up Smith, but it’s certainly not necessary to have read that series. When Smith does appear on the scenes, half way through the book, he’s retired and helping the family of the accused. I did get a kick out of his being a complete grammar nerd.
This is not a fast paced book. It’s an in depth study into how the police follow through on a murder investigation. We see the interactions of the team, how they do and don’t work together. The characters review the existing evidence multiple times, just as you would expect in real life. Once Cara Freeman takes over as DCI, the humor and speed both increase. She is a fascinating character. I would be like Waters, wondering what it would be like to always work for her.
This is a good book for those who don’t want extreme violence or gruesome scenes.
I felt pretty smart to have figured out how the one twist was going to play out very early on. But it’s always so fun to see if you’re going to be right.
Gildart Jackson narrates and has the appropriate gravitas for the story.

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am giving this a 5-star review for the genre. This is obviously not Paradise Lost or The Iliad, it is just a police procedural but I love this series so much and they keep getting better and better. I just find myself tickled that there is a modern author who is delightful and not disappointing to me in a light genre that I enjoy reading.

The audio for this is not out yet but the narrator on the audio books is superb. I will listen to anything Gildart Jackson reads. I read this on my Kindle. This title is from the beautiful Fleetwood Mac song Songbird which I own several covers of including one by Phil Keaggy.

[Kaye Stambaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another outstanding addition to the series

DC Smith has retired, but his old team is hard at work in King’s Lake. A young woman is murdered and Chris Waters is assigned to manage the crime scene. From there we see how Chris has stepped into Smith’s vacated Sergeant’s role.

The mystery is as good as the others in the series and yet I was missing Smith. To my delight, he shows up later in the story with a full update from where we left him in the last novel.

DCI Cora Freeman steps in for DCI Alison Reeve allowing us to get to know this interesting character better. I was excited that the ending signaled another book in the series. My only complaint is not being able to put the book down and staying up well past midnight just to read!

[Terence M [on a brief old bloke's hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-Stars for this excellent British Police Procedural
"I Really Liked It"!
Review to follow ASAP🤩.
In the meantime, some thoughts from my Listening Activity:
Commenced: July 22, 2025
July 22, 2025 @ 16%: "My mind is at peace :)). A proper English police procedural, written by a proper English crime writer and narrated in a proper English manner... what more can one want?
Following DC Smith's retirement, Det Chris Waters, now promoted to DS, is in charge of his first crime scene."
July 27, 2025 @ 87%: "At 16 hours length, this is quite a long audiobook, but also delightful listening🤩!"
July 28, 2025 @ 87%: "A satisfying and enjoyable police-procedural, as one expects from the inimitable writing of Peter Grainger and the aural delight of Gildart Jackson's narration!
Review and rating to come".

[LG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up the DC Smith series before starting the Kings Lake series. The DC Smith series builds up to the Kings Lake series and I can’t imagine jumping in with Songbird. It would be way too confusing, with too many characters and seemingly random plot tangents. Having read the series in order, I enjoy getting to understand the characters and the environment they work in.

I read a few reviews on Goodreads stating this series is no Harry Bosch. I enjoy a good Bosch book and have read 18 of the 22 main books in the series. Unfortunately, I did not read them in order. I regret that. When I read the most recent book in the Bosch series, Night Fire, I became frustrated with what I consider the growing weaknesses in the series, which I would summarize as the sensationalism of the cases, Bosch’s age (when is he going to retire) and style (constantly going it alone, even when he has a partner). However, I have wondered if I read the series in order, would it feel more like thoughtful world building rather than a sensational world of constant violence that only SuperBosch can resolve?

In comparison, the DC Smith series and Kings Lake series navigates the same themes in a way that I find more realistic and therefore engaging. Others seem to suggest that these same qualities makes the series dull and hard to follow. DC Smith actually retires. His struggle against police bureaucracy is noted, made him a target of awkward office politics and has consequences for those who worked for him. The crimes are not particularly sensational and often you can figure them out before the end of the book. Plots do not depend on crazy reversals or sensational escalations. I enjoy the series and hope to read more.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never mind the plot, it was just great to be reunited with the team from the DC Smith books. There was even a pivotal appearance by DC himself!

It made me very happy 😊

[James Q Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Peter Grainger as always goes beyond what is expected. Another well thought out and well executed novel in this series. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment. Mr. Grainger is best writer of modern British crime today.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever downloaded a book to your Kindle with the thought that you’d read it later— meaning at some undetermined time in the future? Then, with all those other downloads that you add to your device, said book gets pushed further and further down the page list, until you kind of forget about it. And one day, you decide you’re going to clean house and read the books you downloaded so long ago.

Well, such was the case with Songbird: A King’s Lake Investigation. Only, I forgot why exactly I thought this was a book I’d wish to read. British murder mystery, somehow reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel? Perhaps. Until I began reading it, and dispelled that fantasy.

I knew I was in trouble early on, as I failed to find anything that really held my attention. No characters stood out as particularly interesting, nor did the crime seem out of the ordinary. And soon the skimming started, and I discovered that little or nothing was missed when I did so. This was a book of near 500 pages which, frankly, could have easily been 200, and would have been the better for it. Really, I’ve seen paint dry faster than this plot played out!

Based on the many positive reviews posted, I’m clearly in the minority here. I do love a good mystery based in the UK, but this one was not my “cuppa.”

[Drka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Peter Grainger is a marvellous writer. I thought this was a little slow until around halfway, then DC reappears and it cranks up a gear and I couldn’t put it down. A book for those who love the nitty gritty of police procedure and crime investigation.

One of the many quotes from the book that I loved ...

“most of the bridges you try to cross before you come to them turn out to have been imaginary anyway.”

One caveat, I really think that optimum enjoyment of this series will be gained by reading them in order. That’s no penance, because they are all, in my opinion, well worth reading.

Bravo PG!

[S.W. Hubbard · Rating 3 out of 5]

British police procedurals are my favorite sub-genre of mysteries, so when I found a new-to-me series that was highly rated, I gave it a try. I think most of the 5-star reviews on this one came from people who have read the author's earlier series (this is book 1 of a spin-off series). This mystery was underwhelming to me. It's VERY long on police procedure. There are about 15 different police characters to keep straight and a lot of time spent discussing who's in charge of whom, and who will pay for forensic tests and how long they'll take to complete. Realistic, I suppose, but not terribly interesting. Meanwhile, there are only two suspects in the murder of a middle-aged vacationer. In the end, this is more of a how-dunnit and why-dunnit. No surprises, no twists.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Addition to the Series

I was almost nervous to pick up where we had left off. But my apprehension was completely unfounded. This was a masterful addition to the series and I eagerly await the next!

[Mrs Susan J Bociek · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to love a murder

When I woke today and remembered that I had finished this book last night, it was like missing a friend. The writing is so detailed, it draws you in and you are transported to wherever the writer is. Brilliant work, Peter Grainger. I fell for the characters and felt the frustrations of the team as they unravelled the stories and lies. An extra big five stars !

[Daniel Shindler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great transition in a great series

Peter Grainger has outdone himself.His character development and writing have always been superb.I will not regurgitate the plot nor will I reveal any spoilers.For those who have loved this series and were saddened by the conclusion of the last book: you will be intrigued by the twists in this new entry.

[Lela Tebbs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry to say I found this really disappointing.
The plot contained no twists and turns- it was blatantly obvious what had happened and I found myself wondering how all the characters could be so stupid!
I also felt there were too many characters; such that you didn’t really get to know who they were, and far too many themes attempting to tackle alongside the whodoneit.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good. I wish I'd read the Smith series first. There were so many characters and clearly backstories galore, but I eventually got the hang of the book. I am now all set to read the previous books and get entangled in another series. Hooray!

[Shawn Callon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed most of Peter Grainger's work; his portrayal of Detective Sergeant DC Smith as a cantankerous but very successful intuitive investigator was always delightful. In this novel Smith is retired but still permeates the story as Waters and others reminisce about how Smith would have handled the case or how he would have described a situation. Fortunately, Smith does appear in the flesh in several meetings with Waters as he tries subtly to get Smith's take on the investigation into a woman's violent end.
The author does a great job describing other main characters - the stiff, formal DI Terek who always wears a suit "he still had an air of grim sartorial determination" and of course DCI Cara Freeman who dominates most of the latter half with her casual demeanor yet incisive powers of analysis.
This novel is long on detail - police procedure and process. Grainger seems to have acquired considerable knowledge and is not afraid to share it. Some of the description adds little to the plot and character development, though.

A good read and I'd thoroughly recommend it.

This review was written by Shawn Callon, author of The Diplomatic Spy

[Joi Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful trip to Kings Lake Central. After #8 in the DC Smith series, I was left feeling a bit adrift. Not knowing the fate of DC and the rest of his team was hard - harder than I thought. I was cheered to hear that Peter Grainger was working on another book and cheered to know that it was at least a spin-off of the DC series. Boy was Songbird exactly what I needed. The focus on Waters as the new voice was perfect and the comfort of the rest of the team (minus John Murray) was wonderful. I loved the new nuances to Waters and Butler. And, the possibility that opened at the end is intriguing.

Again, I also have to speak to the brilliance that is Gildart Jackson. I cannot hear any of these stories in any other voice. He is fantastic. His voice plus Grainger's humor always have me laughing out loud. I'm ready fo the next one!

[Amir Gadhvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A murder investigation but has no suspense. It's a pretty boring police procedural, that's all - goes into too much details on the nuances of the police procedures, etc. The first 10 chapters alone are at the scene of the crime. By the few chapters later, you can guess who the culprit is and the rest of the book dwelves on silly details (the exact angle of someone taking a picture from a window, rules about taking pictures of a body at the scene of crime, etc.). Bored me but since I'd already invested my time, had to finish it. Not sure if this was written by Peter Grainger himself as it is certainly not a typical DC Smith series, Smith hardly features in this and seems like a setup/intro to some other characters likely to appear later.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most satisfying start to a series. This is a police procedural with great emphasis on procedural, and it works very well because not only is there plenty of mystery to carry all that procedure, this is even more a novel driven by a nice assortment of varied and multi-dimensional characters whose interactions can just about carry the book on their own.

[Lillian Johansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring

I could not find any red thread in this book, so chaotic to read. Jumping every which way, use of quirky language and odd dialogues. I did not finish this, I stopped three quarters into the book, I had had enough.

[Pat K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. New series in the Kings Lake police stories. Equally as good as the DC Smith series, love it.

I’ve just listened to this ahain 2.5 years later, and still listen ved it.

[Russell Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman is found murdered along a trail on the coast in England. Det. Sergeant Chris Waters is the lead character investigating, although the storyline is populated with dozens more. This is promoted as a police procedural, and it is that - too much of that in my view. It starts slow and doesn't unbog itself much after that. There is very little detecting going on and a whole lot of process and office politics. Perhaps as a Yank I expect something different, something more like Bosch. The first half of the book dawdled with issues like who stood where during the crime scene search, who reports to whom, which detective should do an interview - the more experienced one or the woman with the softer touch, and so on.

I found the obsession with hierarchy to be annoying and mystifying. Do the Brits really have five distinct ranks investigating every murder: Detective Constable, Detective Sergeant, Detective Inspector, Detective Chief Inspector, and Detective Chief Superintendent? And each one reports directly to the one rank above? To top that off, there are two different units competing for the same case, so double that. In the U.S. bigger local departments, it's one detective, probably assigned with a partner, and a lieutenant who runs a desk but doesn't do interviews, searches. In the FBI where I served every case agent is on his or her own except when help is needed and a supervisor will assign others for surveillance, tech work, etc. if the case agent can't rustle up volunteers.

The investigation gets off on a wrong track halfway through, but I thought it was obvious how and why that was wrong. The book mostly spent time fleshing out the relationships between the different detectives and setting up personalities for what was intended to be a new series, rather than following the logical leads. The book would have been twenty-five pages if the author had stuck to the plot. The culprit was equally obvious early on ... or early days as the Brits say.

Which brings me to what I liked about the book. It's so thoroughly British that it had lots of new stuff for me - names of cars and products and locations, zillions of police acronyms I'd never seen before, and the different legal rules in effect. I found that fascinating much of the time even though the underlying murder mystery was rather ho-hum. If you're looking for action, this isn't the book for you.

[Jean Pederson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Much More Than a Crime Story. (No spoilers.)

I have read all of the Kings Lake stories, and have loved all of them. (I don't say that about many writers: I am a fan of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, and of Tony Hillerman and his daughter Anne Hillerman.)
I wish I could write well enough to explain why, exactly. It must have something to do with the fact that this is more than a crime story / police procedural. It's the ongoing story of this team of characters and their interplay that makes the whole thing so addictive. ( N.B: it does help to read all the previous books first.). I love having characters that I can care about. Even when the people are not people I like, I still want to know what they're up to. Mr. Grainger writes with a vivid skill for depiction of scenery and wildlife, as well. The pace of the story can be almost tedious at first: don't let that put you off. There is a quite realistic day-to-day accumulation of details (like snowflakes) until at some point they become an avalanche. Be prepared to lose track of time, once you start this book!

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another very good offering from Peter Grainger, bumped up to 5 stars because of its realistic and sensitive portrayal of a major character (plot-wise) with Down syndrome. I always worry when I come across people with disabilities in fiction, because sometimes they are used superficially, but that is not the case here. Young Oliver Salmon is accused of a crime, and instead of the investigation becoming a horror show of preconceived ideas and prejudice about people with intellectual disabilities, it shows a team wanting to get it right, and in the creation of this character as a fully rounded contributor to the community and the world at large, the author shows his own character.

This is a bit more personal than I'd normally get in a book review, but this is important to me as a parent -- it's about how people see my own son's place in the world.

[Marcia Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, already know characters from DC Smith books - loved the humor
Particularly happy DC included in the story line (I panicked he may have come to a grizzly end....)
No gratuitous sex or gore just a good story line with tenacious detective work solving the case, with a pinch of luck of course. Peter Grainger is a fantastic crime writer and would highly recommend all his books.

[Linda Weatherbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Excellence Continues

I am a HUGE fan of the Kings Lake mysteries and Mr. Grainger's writing, and Songbird is a worthy addition to that series. It's like meeting up with old friends (and nemeses) and working on the case with them. This book is well worth your time as we're the others. Can't wait for the next installment!

[David Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norfolk Detective part of series

Excellent as usual. The characters were well drawn in earlier books and continue to grow in stature. This book contains some welcome news for afficianados and again we have fine insight into the “ copper’s “ mind. So glad the series is continuing as is the humour.

[Christine Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Next Chapter

As much as I was engrossed by “A Private Investigation” I was stunned and saddened at the end. And here I found I cried midway through this book. Such good writing. Mr Grainger sucked me to his characters, their lives and violent pursuit of evil.
Excellent writing and yes I like to see some happy endings.

[Mrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically Fabulous

I loved this book. Read all the titles in sequence if possible and luxuriate in the pleasure of great writing. I’ve got a place in my life for dear DC who is a wise fellow in many ways.
If you do one thing this summer then discover and read these books. Fabulous wonderful fiction.

[Susan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best

This is by far the best police procedural series in print. Having just finished Songbird I was praying there was another one in the series. But I guess I will just have to wait on Mr. Grainger. I love this series and all of the characters. They are real and believable. I cannot wait for the next chapter in this wonderful story!