Body on the Estate by Diane M Dickson is the story of Detective Inspector Jordan Carr and Detective Sergeant Stella May are investigating a break in that becomes a murder that then becomes a multiple murder in Liverpool.

The victim, Julie Scott, lived alone on an estate where the neighbours are generally not well-disposed to helping with police inquiries. Needless to say DI Carr’s superior officer wants the case resolved quickly so that his superiors are happy. The case quickly becomes complex as Julie is found to have been an employee of a large financial firm and friends with a temp. secretary at the same firm. When they return from Spain, Julie finds her house has been broken into and trashed.

After the break-in becomes a murder investigation Carr and May find voodoo dolls in the house and their inquiries reveal that Julie has an ex-husband, a son who passed through the foster care system, and a missing laptop. And then the local computer repair person is attacked in his home.

The investigation pivots from suspect to suspect, but lacks evidence but in the end dogged police work solves the case.

The characters, police and public, are well-developed and they related well to each other, with a feeling of reality. The plot/police investigation ticks along with sufficient clues for the reader to reach at least a possible solution.

Highly recommended.   

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