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B.C. Blues Crime #6
Five Ways to Disappear
A dangerous undercover assignment nearly puts Dion in his grave.
North Vancouver RCMP officers Leith and Dion have a gruesome new mystery lying at their feet. Up in the breezy heights of Paradise Road, a craftsman has been spiked to his lawn by his own artwork. Was it an aesthetics-fuelled feud with the neighbours? An enemy from the past? Or the most challenging of crimes to a random attack?
Drawn into an offside mystery of his own, Dion befriends a young magician, who then seems to make herself disappear. But with the team closing in on the Paradise Road killer, he must put aside his personal dilemmas to take on the lead role in setting a trap for their volatile suspect. It’s a foolproof setup, but even the best laid plans can go awry, and this one leads him straight into a fight for his life.
North Vancouver RCMP officers Leith and Dion have a gruesome new mystery lying at their feet. Up in the breezy heights of Paradise Road, a craftsman has been spiked to his lawn by his own artwork. Was it an aesthetics-fuelled feud with the neighbours? An enemy from the past? Or the most challenging of crimes to a random attack?
Drawn into an offside mystery of his own, Dion befriends a young magician, who then seems to make herself disappear. But with the team closing in on the Paradise Road killer, he must put aside his personal dilemmas to take on the lead role in setting a trap for their volatile suspect. It’s a foolproof setup, but even the best laid plans can go awry, and this one leads him straight into a fight for his life.
384 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2021
1 person is currently reading
1549 people want to read
About the author
R.M. Greenaway
12 books84 followersRM GREENAWAY has worked in nightclubs, darkrooms, and courthouses. She writes the B.C. BLUES crime series, featuring RCMP detectives Leith and Dion. Her first novel COLD GIRL, winner of the 2014 Arthur Ellis Unhanged award, will be released 26 March 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 21, 2021
This is book 6 in the B.C. Blues Crime series. I have read books 1-5 and suggest that you read them in order, as there is a continuing plot concerning RCMP constable Cal Dion. In this book we learn who the killer is at the beginning and it is more of a thriller than a mystery, as the reader follows the RCMP team trying to identify the killer. There is a side plot concerning Cal, who is a lonely haunted man. He is having nightmares because of something in his past.
David Leith, Mike Bosko and J. D. Temple are the other main characters on the RCMP team. I like the characters who have become almost like old friends in this series. They are well written human beings with flaws. The plot moves along well, as the police slowly put together the pieces of who did what to whom.
4 stars for another pleasant book in this series. Thanks to Dundurn Press and the author for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. #BCBlues #NetGalley
David Leith, Mike Bosko and J. D. Temple are the other main characters on the RCMP team. I like the characters who have become almost like old friends in this series. They are well written human beings with flaws. The plot moves along well, as the police slowly put together the pieces of who did what to whom.
4 stars for another pleasant book in this series. Thanks to Dundurn Press and the author for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. #BCBlues #NetGalley
April 26, 2021
Well, that’s a new one. When it comes to murder weapons, for some reason I never considered a Porky the Pig whirligig. Who knew…and much more efficient than I would’ve guessed 😱
(short recess while you visualize the above)
Done? Good. This is how we meet Beau Garrett, a cranky OAP of the get-off-my-lawn variety who lives in North Vancouver. About all Beau has left in this world is a drafty cottage, bad memories & a quick temper. Unfortunately, all three will be tested when a stream of uninvited visitors begin to pop by.
Among them are RCMP detectives Cal Dion, JD Temple & Dave Leith. They’re in the area due to the whirligig incident but soon have another body on their hands (one word: unicycle). Various threads lead them to a travelling magic show at a nearby park where Cal meets a flighty young woman named Bianca. And their subsequent friendship just might be the death of him….literally.
There are mysteries to solve, killers to catch & cases to close. But what struck me most was a common theme among the characters. Each is pretending to be someone they’re not. They have different reasons for wearing a facade….fear, boredom, guilt or just the need to escape reality.
In Cal’s case, it’s self preservation. Faithful readers will be familiar with the “event” in his past & how it’s been slowly eroding his mental health. Here we see just how heavy that burden has become & the effect on his relationships with colleagues. Ever since book #1, I’ve been wondering how this would play out but I was still surprised by the final lines on the last page.
This is book #6 in the series & although each contains a stand-alone investigation, I’d recommend reading them in order because of the history between the main characters. That’s especially true with this instalment as it feels like several subplots have reached the boiling point. I’ve grown fond of these characters so despite the fact I’m more than a little nervous about where the author takes them next, I’ll be awaitin’ on #7.
(short recess while you visualize the above)
Done? Good. This is how we meet Beau Garrett, a cranky OAP of the get-off-my-lawn variety who lives in North Vancouver. About all Beau has left in this world is a drafty cottage, bad memories & a quick temper. Unfortunately, all three will be tested when a stream of uninvited visitors begin to pop by.
Among them are RCMP detectives Cal Dion, JD Temple & Dave Leith. They’re in the area due to the whirligig incident but soon have another body on their hands (one word: unicycle). Various threads lead them to a travelling magic show at a nearby park where Cal meets a flighty young woman named Bianca. And their subsequent friendship just might be the death of him….literally.
There are mysteries to solve, killers to catch & cases to close. But what struck me most was a common theme among the characters. Each is pretending to be someone they’re not. They have different reasons for wearing a facade….fear, boredom, guilt or just the need to escape reality.
In Cal’s case, it’s self preservation. Faithful readers will be familiar with the “event” in his past & how it’s been slowly eroding his mental health. Here we see just how heavy that burden has become & the effect on his relationships with colleagues. Ever since book #1, I’ve been wondering how this would play out but I was still surprised by the final lines on the last page.
This is book #6 in the series & although each contains a stand-alone investigation, I’d recommend reading them in order because of the history between the main characters. That’s especially true with this instalment as it feels like several subplots have reached the boiling point. I’ve grown fond of these characters so despite the fact I’m more than a little nervous about where the author takes them next, I’ll be awaitin’ on #7.
April 13, 2021
REVIEW TO BE POSTED 5/1/21
Merged review:
RCMP Constables Leith and Dion have their hands full. Spring flowers are growing, as well as the crime stats.
A man is found dead .. skewed through his throat into the ground. No witnesses, but neighbors say that one neighbor is not so neighborly and if anyone did it ... he did. When they question this neighbor, they find him elderly, barely able to walk without help, in pain from arthritis, and heart palpitations. No way could he have killed anyone in his condition.
The circus is in town and a costumed man riding a unicycle has an issue with an old man walking along with a young boy. The unicycle unexpectedly goes flying when a cane is caught in the spokes, killing its rider.
A female magician has caught the eye of Dion and she's a mystery unto herself. She has somehow made herself disappear.
A body is found in the trunk of a car ......
And Dion goes undercover to get some answers with disastrous results.
Well written with captivating crimes, the twists and turns rival a good old fashioned roller coaster ride. The characters are solid, relating to each other in multiple ways. The constables all have secrets they don't want to share ... and some might be life-altering. Although 6th in the series, this can easily be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading in order to gather all those little gems that make this a terrific series.
Many thanks to the author / Dundurn Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
February 6, 2021
B.C. Blues Crime Series book # 6
This series has grown on me through the years of course being Canadian and reading a story colourfully penned by a Canadian author is one great pleasure I like to experience, especially when the drama is set in the very scenic British Colombia.
“Five Ways to Disappear” brings us up in the breezy heights of North Vancouver, in a drama that will bring RCMP officers Leith and Dion on a gruesome murder committed on Paradise Road: a craftsman has been spiked to his lawn by his own art work. While the two officers are deep into their investigation we are slowly lead into a secondary plot that has Dion befriends a young woman leading him straight into trouble.
This latest brings two haunted tales that like the previous novels dilly-dallies a lot but saying this is a positive we are slowly drawn into both mysteries as they are played out in alternate chapters. The intricately, tightly woven plots are well-written to give us drop by drop some suspense to keep us intrigue and guessing till the secrets are revealed... The two main characters have definitely won my heart, they are larger than life and so down to earth you may think they are real people with their many faults and qualities. The author knows how to make us love them while they go about their daily routine.
This book is smooth ready: style simple and nicely said. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
My thanks to Dundurn Press and Netgalley for this ARC these are my thoughts
This series has grown on me through the years of course being Canadian and reading a story colourfully penned by a Canadian author is one great pleasure I like to experience, especially when the drama is set in the very scenic British Colombia.
“Five Ways to Disappear” brings us up in the breezy heights of North Vancouver, in a drama that will bring RCMP officers Leith and Dion on a gruesome murder committed on Paradise Road: a craftsman has been spiked to his lawn by his own art work. While the two officers are deep into their investigation we are slowly lead into a secondary plot that has Dion befriends a young woman leading him straight into trouble.
This latest brings two haunted tales that like the previous novels dilly-dallies a lot but saying this is a positive we are slowly drawn into both mysteries as they are played out in alternate chapters. The intricately, tightly woven plots are well-written to give us drop by drop some suspense to keep us intrigue and guessing till the secrets are revealed... The two main characters have definitely won my heart, they are larger than life and so down to earth you may think they are real people with their many faults and qualities. The author knows how to make us love them while they go about their daily routine.
This book is smooth ready: style simple and nicely said. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
My thanks to Dundurn Press and Netgalley for this ARC these are my thoughts
January 14, 2021
How I love this series! And this outing is probably my favorite. It's good as a standalone, but read the series in order, it's so worth it.
A cranky old man commits a macabre murder and not long after another murder occurs. (A clown on a unicycle!)
Poor Dion is still depressed, single again, eaten up by guilt and suffering from debilitating nightmares.
While on the case, he meets a wild child, very pretty, but a bit odd, but she fascinates him. Officer JD is still not talking to him, which fills him with more dread. Is she aware of his secret?
I loved all the characters, even the killer had my
sympathy. I can't wait for the next book! Great series, great stories, great writing ... highly recommended!
A cranky old man commits a macabre murder and not long after another murder occurs. (A clown on a unicycle!)
Poor Dion is still depressed, single again, eaten up by guilt and suffering from debilitating nightmares.
While on the case, he meets a wild child, very pretty, but a bit odd, but she fascinates him. Officer JD is still not talking to him, which fills him with more dread. Is she aware of his secret?
I loved all the characters, even the killer had my
sympathy. I can't wait for the next book! Great series, great stories, great writing ... highly recommended!
April 15, 2021
I love this series, about two BC RCMP officers trying to solve murders in Vancouver. I have enjoyed it for years now and am always excited when the next book comes out.
This book was no exception to this enjoyment, hence the reason I read it through in two sittings (which ended at 2:46 AM this morning). As this book only came out on Tuesday on Kobo and the actual book isn't available for a few more days, I will not say anything more.
The reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is two fold.
1) this is book six in the series and the issue with Dion needs to be put to rest. There are hints at the end that this might happen in book seven and I hope it is. I get that it was to be the mystery that ties the books together, but it's getting old and the more minor characters that find out about it, the harder it is to believe Bosko and others aren't hearing rumour and investigating more.
2) It's time for a book to be about Leith, who is actually the main character I like more (but just a little). Dion is starting to just get himself into too many strange situations and spend a little too much time in the hospital recovering from wounds. It's time to see things from Leith's point of view, as he is just as good an investigator as Dion, but less flashy and inclined to get himself injured. (That is also a hint, given the cliff hanger about Leith at the end of book six, that he is going to be removed from the series, presumably to focus on Dion and J.D. Because that would be a big mistake. Those two couldn't carry a whole book and, to be consistent, would need to break up by no later than chapter 3).
This book was no exception to this enjoyment, hence the reason I read it through in two sittings (which ended at 2:46 AM this morning). As this book only came out on Tuesday on Kobo and the actual book isn't available for a few more days, I will not say anything more.
The reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is two fold.
1) this is book six in the series and the issue with Dion needs to be put to rest. There are hints at the end that this might happen in book seven and I hope it is. I get that it was to be the mystery that ties the books together, but it's getting old and the more minor characters that find out about it, the harder it is to believe Bosko and others aren't hearing rumour and investigating more.
2) It's time for a book to be about Leith, who is actually the main character I like more (but just a little). Dion is starting to just get himself into too many strange situations and spend a little too much time in the hospital recovering from wounds. It's time to see things from Leith's point of view, as he is just as good an investigator as Dion, but less flashy and inclined to get himself injured. (That is also a hint, given the cliff hanger about Leith at the end of book six, that he is going to be removed from the series, presumably to focus on Dion and J.D. Because that would be a big mistake. Those two couldn't carry a whole book and, to be consistent, would need to break up by no later than chapter 3).
August 1, 2022
This latest entry in the B.C. Blues Crime series is unusual, as, in a Columbo-type move, the perpetrator of the crime is known from the beginning. It's a refreshing approach that I very much appreciated. However, I did not care for the secondary storyline (Bianca's), which I found annoying and confusing.
The recurring characters remain the heart of the series and their overarching story has nicely progressed. Can't wait for Book 7!
The recurring characters remain the heart of the series and their overarching story has nicely progressed. Can't wait for Book 7!
June 1, 2021
Five Ways to Disappear by R.M. Greenaway is a character driven police procedural. Although this latest release is the sixth mystery in the B.C. Blues Crime series, it can be read as a standalone. But I highly recommend reading the mysteries in order for important backstory.
RCMP Constable Cal Dion is called to work a murder scene with his boss RCMP Corporal Dave Leith. The victim, Lawrence Follick, has rather brutally murdered in his own yard. The murder weapon is at the scene and might yield valuable evidence. Since the scene is somewhat isolated, Cal and Dave hope one of his neighbors might have witnessed somethin that will lead to the perpetrator.
Lawrence has also been volunteering his services for an upcoming magic show, so they have another avenue of inquiry to pursue. Cal is intrigued by one of the witnesses, Bianca, and an unexpected friendship springs up between them. When another death occurs in the area of the magic show, Cal, Dave and Constable JD Temple begin searching for a possible link in hopes of catching their killer.
Trying to recapture his former happiness, Cal is waiting to move into a new apartment. He is temporarily residing in a basement apartment and it is not helping his impending sense of doom. This is why he is so grateful to spend time with Bianca who is not forthcoming about herself. But briefly escaping his ominous dreams only lessens his anxiety for short periods of time. Cal is also trying to understand why JD is giving him the cold shoulder. Is there any way she knows his secret?
Dave is under stress as he prepares for an upcoming assignment. Working on Follick’s murder helps distract him from his concerns. Dave, Cal and JD are tracking down every lead, but they are growing frustrated by their lack of progress. They each look at the various clues differently but through their hard work, they are inching ever closer to the truth.
Five Ways to Disappear is an intriguing mystery with an eclectic cast of characters. The investigation is interesting to watch as Cal, Dave and JD try to make sense of scant evidence. Cal continues to wrestle with his conscience as his torment level increases. JD makes a surprising discovery about herself but it remains to be seen what she will do about it. Dave’s career is taking a possible dangerous turn as he is faced with his new assignment. R.M. Greenaway ends this newest mystery on the verge of a possibly pivotal moment that could bring big changes for one of the three members of the RCMP. Old and new fans will enjoy this newest addition to the B.C. Blues Crime series.
RCMP Constable Cal Dion is called to work a murder scene with his boss RCMP Corporal Dave Leith. The victim, Lawrence Follick, has rather brutally murdered in his own yard. The murder weapon is at the scene and might yield valuable evidence. Since the scene is somewhat isolated, Cal and Dave hope one of his neighbors might have witnessed somethin that will lead to the perpetrator.
Lawrence has also been volunteering his services for an upcoming magic show, so they have another avenue of inquiry to pursue. Cal is intrigued by one of the witnesses, Bianca, and an unexpected friendship springs up between them. When another death occurs in the area of the magic show, Cal, Dave and Constable JD Temple begin searching for a possible link in hopes of catching their killer.
Trying to recapture his former happiness, Cal is waiting to move into a new apartment. He is temporarily residing in a basement apartment and it is not helping his impending sense of doom. This is why he is so grateful to spend time with Bianca who is not forthcoming about herself. But briefly escaping his ominous dreams only lessens his anxiety for short periods of time. Cal is also trying to understand why JD is giving him the cold shoulder. Is there any way she knows his secret?
Dave is under stress as he prepares for an upcoming assignment. Working on Follick’s murder helps distract him from his concerns. Dave, Cal and JD are tracking down every lead, but they are growing frustrated by their lack of progress. They each look at the various clues differently but through their hard work, they are inching ever closer to the truth.
Five Ways to Disappear is an intriguing mystery with an eclectic cast of characters. The investigation is interesting to watch as Cal, Dave and JD try to make sense of scant evidence. Cal continues to wrestle with his conscience as his torment level increases. JD makes a surprising discovery about herself but it remains to be seen what she will do about it. Dave’s career is taking a possible dangerous turn as he is faced with his new assignment. R.M. Greenaway ends this newest mystery on the verge of a possibly pivotal moment that could bring big changes for one of the three members of the RCMP. Old and new fans will enjoy this newest addition to the B.C. Blues Crime series.
February 24, 2021
The first book I read in this series was the river of lies and I liked it. But this story feels disjointed with characters suddenly propping up and the police investigation is almost nonexistent. I could not get myself around the plot or what the author is trying to say. Sorry.
April 28, 2021
I didn't realize that this book was 5th in a series and I should have read the others first as it focused more on the characters than the crime.
May 11, 2021
This is the sixth in the B C Blues Crime series penned by R M Greenaway. This is another police procedural but this time it’s a Canadian series, not previously encountered. Whilst the murder begins the story, the real focus is the two protagonists as the crux of the adventure. Knowledge of the previous cases of the two Northern Vancouver Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers, Leith and Dion is not a disadvantage for first time readers. Overall, Five Ways to Disappear is an enjoyable read with a three-and-half-star rating. The earlier instalments will be required reading. With thanks to NetGalley and the author for a preview copy for review purposes. All opinions expressed herein are freely given and totally my own.
July 27, 2022
I picked this up at random and found it is the 6th in the series. This stands on its own but I would have rather read the others first just for the backstory on the main characters. Good police procedural with some humor and drama. My favorite character was Beau who starts off the story with a murder.
April 29, 2021
Another winner from RM Greenaway
These books are set in the best part of Canada, the characters are flawed but completely relatable. the crimes themselves are unique and unusual and totally believable.
More please!
These books are set in the best part of Canada, the characters are flawed but completely relatable. the crimes themselves are unique and unusual and totally believable.
More please!
November 28, 2021
Another good story by this author. The main mystery is quite good and shows the slow and sometimes accidental information which leads to the killer. The characters are quite well developed with all their inevitable flaws. I do hope that the situation with Dion gets rectified soon.
May 22, 2021
i have read all b the books in the series and you never let us down
July 26, 2021
Story about the murder of a craftsman in North Vancouver. RCMP officers Leith and Dion investigate the murder and Dion also meets a mysterious woman who disappears. I read this book quickly as the story moved along at a great pace and was hard to put down. I have read all the previous books in the series and enjoyed reading about the characters again. Dion continues to try to deal with his past actions and this book seems to indicate we’ll get some resolution on his story in the next book. Overall, I really enjoy the series, especially as I live in BC and recognize some of the places mentioned from trips to Vancouver. I recommend it to mystery fans and especially those that like police procedurals.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews