Best Crime thriller and top 20 finisher in the Top 50 Best Indie Book of 2017 Awards.5th place winner in Best Mystery Novel category, The Preditors & Editors Readers Poll Awards 2017 DEATH ARRIVES ON THE MORNING TIDE.The aging cargo liner Alexandra Rose steams into the Mersey Estuary, enveloped in thick fog that delays her entry into the port of Liverpool. When one of the ship’s passengers is … into the Mersey Estuary, enveloped in thick fog that delays her entry into the port of Liverpool. When one of the ship’s passengers is found dead in his cabin, a chain of events is set in motion that leads to one of Detective Inspector Andy Ross’s most baffling and complicated cases to date.
The first death is soon followed by another, and Ross discovers that his case has its roots in the depths of the Amazonian Rainforest in Brazil. A billionaire entrepreneur, passengers who may not be exactly who or what they say they are, a team of medical researchers and a team of vicious mercenaries combine to confound and complicate what begins as a simple death aboard a nondescript and insignificant ship.
Ross and his team from the Merseyside Police Specialist Murder Investigation team need all their skills in order to solve the case of the ‘Mersey Mariner.’
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It is very rare that I will read a book in the middle of a series, but sometimes it isn’t easily avoidable – that’s what happened in the case of A Mersey Mariner written by Brian L. Porter and published in 2017. As the 4th book in the Mersey mystery series, it fell into my lap when I saw a free download opportunity last month on Amazon. I’d previously read a few things about the author and his work seemed quite appealing, but I was overloaded with books on my TBR and couldn’t go back to book number one. At the same time, the plot was very intriguing and I wanted to read it while on my trip to Italy last month, so I pushed myself to take a chance on a mid-series read. All I can say is I am both glad and sad because I really wish I’d started at the beginning. I like the series so much I do plan to read them all and would have loved to watch the growth and beauty with each successive book. Oh well, I can always read it again, right?
First things first… it’s a classic murder mystery containing British detectives with a bit of an ode or homage to an Agatha Christie novel – a joke is even cracked by one of the main characters, which made me laugh out loud for a few moments. In this edition, the detectives are summoned to a ship nearing port in England because they’ve stumbled upon a dead passenger. It’s no ordinary ship given it’s an old-style cargo liner, carrying a small group of passengers, and in this case, it’s quite eclectic when you start to unravel each person’s façade. Kudos to the author for creating such intricate characters, hidden identities and murky potential red herrings. It’s a true mystery fan’s ideal novel given all the plot twists, clever arcs and details… think of it as peeling away the skin on an onion only to find there are so many layers, it’s never quite what it seems. All in a challenging, precise and connective manner. Truly, Poirot would be a perfect confidante to these detectives for a quick call to get some advice on the suspects, but alas, it takes place in a bit of a more modern time, so that wouldn’t work.
You’ll travel from Britain to the Amazon jungle in this tale, covering industrial espionage, secret identities, money laundering, drugs, scary diseases with interesting cures, a bit of romance, witty banter between the detectives (male and female, which makes it all the more fun!), and curiously unusual actions that leave you thinking it’s a straight-forward case – no, wait, it’s totally complex and I’ll never figure it out! But the detectives do, and that’s what makes it quite an enjoyable read. As readers, you learn the clues just as the detectives do, stumbling and wading through lies, the truth and misleading statements. I’m never quite sure which people to trust, but I find myself tightly connected to the personalities wanting to solve this case. That makes for good drama and mystery, and it has a satisfying conclusion.
I learned so much about police procedures, shipping rules, international water policies and ship design – in a good way, quite interesting but never overwhelming. The scenery and descriptive components were vivid and painted a picture I felt like I was standing right next to. I’m very curious to read more of Porter’s novels and will be looking at his literary works later this year to plot out a few more reads both in this series and in some of his other books. See more on my blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com where I will be adding some additional content to this review about the author, his books and upcoming cover releases. What a great find! If you’re a mystery fan who enjoys a good British setting with some adventures across the globe, you’ll find yourself quite intrigued and enamored.
A crime drama set in the Liverpool area, this book is one of a series with characters with whom the readers can readily identify: they are like real people rather than super heroes. Using Liverpool’s long association with the sea, the hero takes the reader on a story that will leave her or him wondering how on earth the police can solve this case.
Having read the first three books in this series, I was keen to see how the author would develop his Liverpool characters & set them on the path of a new investigation. Well, I certainly wasn’t disappointed! The reader is treated to an intriguing plot, kicking off aboard a cargo liner & intertwined with a possible cancer cure in the Amazon. I don’t want to give too much away, but Andy Ross & Izzie Drake make a formidable team & they are cast in a thrilling plot that has been constructed down to the last detail. A very satisfying read & an addictive series.
After reading All Saints: A Mersey Murder Mystery and rating it highly I decided to read the first of the series to see where DCI Ross and his team began their crime solving in Liverpool.
Ross investigates the discovery of a man’s body found during the reclamation of part of Liverpool’s harbour. He’s been murdered but can the body be identified decades afterward? The author deftly interweaves the murder investigation with the story of a young musician and his girlfriend who disappear during the heady days of the Liverpool music scene in the sixties. Is the musician the victim? If so, who had a reason to kill him? And what happened to the girl?
A good read since the author invented a story with interesting characters for murder suspects and as a Liverpudlian was able to place them in the turbulent social scene of Liverpool of the early Beatles era.
Thoroughly enjoyable read. Ross & Drake have to investigate a murder committed in the early sixties, and uncover a tragic love story. Realistic characters, and a good mystery to solve.
I enjoyed the book as a whole. Having lived in England for many years,, it was nice to remember a city that I had only visited once. Most of the action does not take place in the city, but on the ship that is the story and its crew that involve the local police. I don’t think all of the characters were true to life. Enjoyed it.
Another good book to give the reader a different slant on law enforcement. Due to the different clues that keep cropping up, the reader is never sure how the story plot line will develop. Which adds to the reading pleasure. Story never lags as clues keep coming which adds to the story to keep the reader guessing how will play out, a good read!
This crime procedural is set in Liverpool. I initially got into the original murder mystery but it soon devolved into a compendium of almost every imaginable felony — industrial espionage, kidnapping, rape, extortion, smuggling, drug running, sex trafficking, as well as murder. The writing itself is very “talky”, characterized by stilted, unrealistic dialogue and overlong narratives which negatively affected pace. And it is full of typing / editing / proofreading errors, including incorrect words. Avoid this book.
I enjoy British subject investigation and crime solving subject books.
Great ordered more from this series. Loved it.
I really enjoyed this book
Good mystery. lots of twists and turns.
This book kept me wanting to read on and on.. The story itself was intriguing and suspenseful. Good action and a good plot.
I enjoyed this book. It had lots of twists and turns with some unpredictable sections that kept you reading to the end. Well written with good characters. Would read more by this author.
I thought it was long and drawn out, kept bringing in new characters, made it too long. I won’t be reading any more of the series.
I was surprised about this book. Once I started reading couldn’t put down. very surprising
I enjoyed this book. Can recomend it.
This novel was populated with interesting characters who faced challenges in solving the crimes. Keep reading to learn the last of the twists this author incorporates into the plot.
Interesting read.
I started this book, but never finished it–an outcome I’ve heard of but never thought I’d experience. Characters I never believed in, a plot so far-fetched I gave up on it, a writing style so wretched I never expected to come from an English writer.