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Dead Cold Mystery #18
Blood In Babylon
Detective John Stone of the NYPD heads up the 43rd’s cold case unit, in the Bronx. In a place like the Bronx you get a lot of cold cases. So Stone has one golden rule for investigating a case: it must have some remote chance of being solved. So what made him choose the Al’ Chester case, the sixty year-old schizophrenic murdered on his birthday, twelve years earlier, alone in his apartment - a case where there was zero forensic evidence?
The fact was, it should have been a slam-dunk. They had the time of death - ten thirty on the Friday night; cause of death - a single stab wound to the heart; motive - half a million bucks; prime suspect – a gang member seen on the night of the murder trying to break into the victim’s house...only one thing was missing.
Proof.
The complete absence of any forensic evidence meant that somebody would be getting away with murder, unless Stone and Dehan could uncover the truth. But in this apparently insoluble case, the truth might turn out to be a lot darker than they expected.
The fact was, it should have been a slam-dunk. They had the time of death - ten thirty on the Friday night; cause of death - a single stab wound to the heart; motive - half a million bucks; prime suspect – a gang member seen on the night of the murder trying to break into the victim’s house...only one thing was missing.
Proof.
The complete absence of any forensic evidence meant that somebody would be getting away with murder, unless Stone and Dehan could uncover the truth. But in this apparently insoluble case, the truth might turn out to be a lot darker than they expected.
175 pages, ebook
Published June 8, 2019
1723 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Blake Banner
151 books397 followersUSA TODAY and Amazon #1 bestselling author of the OMEGA and DEAD COLD MYSTERY series. Learn more about Blake Banner at his website: www.blakebanner.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 27, 2020
I am actually only up to book four in this series but when I accidentally came across this one I just had to read it.
It was reassuring to find that 14 books later Banner has resisted the urge so many authors succumb to and has not started to write 400 page books. This one comes in at under 200 pages and it is smart, snappy and to the point. No pages wasted in rambling about the character's feelings or describing in detail the furnishings and fittings of every room. Just the story and the wonderful dialogue between the two main characters.
The best thing about this series is the partnership of Stone and Dehan. This is great in the early books and I am happy to say it has only improved by book 18. This is an excellent series altogether and I am very pleased that I still have so many still to read.
28/11/20 Read for the second time because I am now progressing steadily through the series in the correct order! I still stand by all my comments above. My only problem now being that I am reading them faster than the author is writing them.
It was reassuring to find that 14 books later Banner has resisted the urge so many authors succumb to and has not started to write 400 page books. This one comes in at under 200 pages and it is smart, snappy and to the point. No pages wasted in rambling about the character's feelings or describing in detail the furnishings and fittings of every room. Just the story and the wonderful dialogue between the two main characters.
The best thing about this series is the partnership of Stone and Dehan. This is great in the early books and I am happy to say it has only improved by book 18. This is an excellent series altogether and I am very pleased that I still have so many still to read.
28/11/20 Read for the second time because I am now progressing steadily through the series in the correct order! I still stand by all my comments above. My only problem now being that I am reading them faster than the author is writing them.
October 13, 2021
Once again, excellent! This whole series has been great and I have enjoyed all. I was starting to be disappointed as I got towards the end and wasn't reading any twist. But, pop!, there it was. The most recent murder was solved, leaving the original cold case murder still in doubt. But John came through with the twist and told us who was responsible and why. Made sense. Always enjoy the dialog between Stone and Dehan, they are fun. I'm on to the next in the series.
February 4, 2023
LOVE this series!
This was one of my favorites of the entire series. I’ve read them all, back to back, and I’m starting to dread reading the last one. I hope this isn’t the end of the Dead Cold saga.
I agree with other reviewers about the sloppy editing and with some of the odd British language—is Stone from the UK?—but the books are so much fun I choose to look the other way. Lol! Detectives Stone and Dehan are terrific!
This was one of my favorites of the entire series. I’ve read them all, back to back, and I’m starting to dread reading the last one. I hope this isn’t the end of the Dead Cold saga.
I agree with other reviewers about the sloppy editing and with some of the odd British language—is Stone from the UK?—but the books are so much fun I choose to look the other way. Lol! Detectives Stone and Dehan are terrific!
November 24, 2022
I have to hand it to this author: he comes up with pretty inventive plots. This one was a bit too convoluted to be a good book, but it was passable. What I liked: Dr. Epstein and Joy; some of the creativity in the plot. What I didn’t like: how smug and know it all Stone was throughout the novel; how Stone shut out Dehan and minimized her involvement; the inanity of the Inspector; the end; I just didn’t buy into the tangled wrapping up of the story. Overall, it was just okay.
August 4, 2024
4.5 stars
Blood In Babylon is the eighteenth book in the Dead Cold Mystery series by Blake Banner.
Great series. Cold Cases. Crime and investigation. Mystery. Suspense. Detectives. Police procedural. Intrigue. Tension. Dramatic developments. Action. Engrossing.
Would make a superb TV series.
Full Review to come.
Blood In Babylon is the eighteenth book in the Dead Cold Mystery series by Blake Banner.
Great series. Cold Cases. Crime and investigation. Mystery. Suspense. Detectives. Police procedural. Intrigue. Tension. Dramatic developments. Action. Engrossing.
Would make a superb TV series.
Full Review to come.
August 16, 2020
I like the series but after several books the general approach of the 2 detectives, who are very likable, gets tiring. Stories are of cold cases which all differ. Again, a weaker, intellectually, female.
July 7, 2021
I think I need a break from this series. Nothing is surprising me anymore and the wit I enjoyed at the start has become arrogance and annoying. Again Dehan was basic sidelined while Stone smugly unraveled the 'insoluble' case.
June 18, 2020
Good read.
I enjoyed this book. I encourage all my friends to read this. I have read several of Blake Banner’s books.
I enjoyed this book. I encourage all my friends to read this. I have read several of Blake Banner’s books.
October 11, 2020
Great reading 😄
June 25, 2021
Love these stories...keep them coming at this we are going to tell you that you will have to write a book a week...love them.
October 8, 2021
Enjoy but for the life of me I cannot figure out why author thinks his readers care about directions to and from different areas or who cares what interstate he is getting on?
December 9, 2021
Blood in Baylon
Unsolvable case is not the truth when the modern day Holmes gets into the thick of it. Very confusing but when summarized, checked all the logical blocks.
Unsolvable case is not the truth when the modern day Holmes gets into the thick of it. Very confusing but when summarized, checked all the logical blocks.
April 7, 2022
Love this series. A must read.
October 7, 2022
One of the best!
Another fantastic book by this author. A strong plot to keep you intrigued throughout the book and find out who did it.
Another fantastic book by this author. A strong plot to keep you intrigued throughout the book and find out who did it.
October 11, 2022
Beautiful mystery.
An unsolvable cold mistery twelve years old. A new mystery a few hours displaced...
Oh dear !
Monica Beltrami. Montevideo, Uruguay.
An unsolvable cold mistery twelve years old. A new mystery a few hours displaced...
Oh dear !
Monica Beltrami. Montevideo, Uruguay.
October 16, 2022
Terrific plot
Kept me guessing until the end. Very believable. Interesting. Characters very quickly become real. Fast pace kept me attentive. Author very original.
Kept me guessing until the end. Very believable. Interesting. Characters very quickly become real. Fast pace kept me attentive. Author very original.
February 25, 2023
It was was pretty good. Not the best one n these series but still a goo read.
December 12, 2023
Back to the series standard -- good plot, annoying non-American dialogue.
May 1, 2024
This is such a great series! I've enjoyed every one of the Dead Cold Mystery books.
October 21, 2024
Another good entry in the series. I appreciate the continued character development of Stone and Dehan, our two lead characters.
January 21, 2025
My rating - 4-1/2 stars
June 9, 2025
we are back to normal and into the complex twists and turns
August 21, 2025
Blood in babylon
I could not figure out the killer and I loved that. It was a good book. John Stone is amazing and I love Dehan.
I could not figure out the killer and I loved that. It was a good book. John Stone is amazing and I love Dehan.
December 31, 2019
I am really enjoying these novels. so much so that i have read all 20 novels in this series. I'm now going to start reading the Omega series.
July 19, 2019
Blood in Babylon Blake Banner
A cold murder case. Detective Stone just can't seem to erase it from his memory. The handling detective couldn't nail down a suspect. He and his partner and wife Detective Dehan decide to take another look. This is the Sherlockian mystery from hell. A magnificent read!
A cold murder case. Detective Stone just can't seem to erase it from his memory. The handling detective couldn't nail down a suspect. He and his partner and wife Detective Dehan decide to take another look. This is the Sherlockian mystery from hell. A magnificent read!
August 13, 2019
At the risk of repeating myself I have to say this was another excellent read. I am thoroughly addicted to this series, can't get enough of them.
I guess from the previous paragraph you have realised I do recommend this book and happily give it five stars.
I guess from the previous paragraph you have realised I do recommend this book and happily give it five stars.
September 14, 2019
Very good book
Very engaging and sometimes frustrating because I could not figure it out. I, like many others, am not as smart as John Stone, so I did not solve the mystery before the end of the book.
Very engaging and sometimes frustrating because I could not figure it out. I, like many others, am not as smart as John Stone, so I did not solve the mystery before the end of the book.
November 5, 2019
Babylon Is a Delightful Mystery
Dont be fooled by the slow start of the plot, halfway through you cant turn pages fast enough. Really well written, and the plot like the murder seems insoluable.
Dont be fooled by the slow start of the plot, halfway through you cant turn pages fast enough. Really well written, and the plot like the murder seems insoluable.
July 11, 2019
Great reading
Good mystery. A real page Turner. Has you guessing all the way to the end of the book. A must read.
Good mystery. A real page Turner. Has you guessing all the way to the end of the book. A must read.
July 17, 2019
Blake Banner
Well, Blake Banner does it again! Very good book and, as usual, I did not figure it out. I highly recommend his work.
Well, Blake Banner does it again! Very good book and, as usual, I did not figure it out. I highly recommend his work.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews