A tragic accident?
When two bodies are found sprawled at the bottom of the Devil’s Kitchen in the mountains of Snowdonia, it’s believed the man found dead killed his wife and then committed a suicide. But something doesn’t feel right to DI Ian Drake and his gut instinct has never let him down before.
Or murder on a mountain?
Drake suspects at least one of the deaths could be suspicious, but … suspicious, but who would kill such an ordinary couple and why? This might be Drake’s first murder inquiry, but his years as a detective have taught him one thing – every murder has a motive, and every killer leaves a trace.
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This Ian Drake prequel is an excellent introduction to the Inspector and his quirks along with his investigative skills. While I had listened to the first three Ian Drake novels prior to listening to Devil’s Kitchen, I found this story to be very entertaining and quite revealing. While Devil’s Kitchen is a novella it is filled with just as many false leads and twists as Mr. Puleston’s full-length novel. Richard Elfyn’s narration is excellent as always and his ability to pronounce all the Welsh names/words makes the story even better.
This novella prequel is engaging and flows well. It makes me look forward to experiencing the growth of the characters and Inspector Drake’s settling into his new position in the department.There are layers of relationships with multiple issues that just get scratched in this book. The crime involved is a mystery laced with intriguing twists and a healthy dose of angst. I was impressed with Richard Elfyn’s ability to narrate this journey. The end of the book was not what I had surmised.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are mine.
This is a prequel to the Inspector Drake series – I have not read any of the books in this series. The writer very deftly established the well-round MC of Ian Drake and his partner – so I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything, not having read any of the prior books. However, now having read this one – I will look for further books in this series.
This is Ian Drakes first homicide as the senior investigator. From outward appearances, it is nothing more than a husband murdered his wife in a fit of jealousy and then committed suicide. But, this is Drake’s first case and nothing in his character will let him cave into the pressure of assuming there is nothing to investigate in a “clear” murder/suicide.
What a wonderful introduction to this series and this character. I loved how Drake struggled with balancing his all-consuming work life with his family life. There are plenty of clues for the astute reader to guess “who dunnit” but what was even better is how Drake put it all together using old-fashioned police work. While a very straight forward and completely believable story, there were some very clever twists to keep you on your toes.
I listened to this book – the narrator was fantastic. Through his narration, I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind’s eye. Absolutely perfect!
4 stars
Perhaps if I hadn’t read all of Stephen Puleston’s later novels, I would have liked this one better. It was a fine little story, but Drake’s ADHD and other personality quirks I already knew about. Perhaps it is something about going backwards.
A husband and wife fall (?) off a cliff. When DI Drake and his partner DS Caren get to the site, they see that the woman was stabbed. Was this a murder – suicide? Did someone kill them both?
The reader follows the investigation as Drake and Caren sort out who might want to stab the wife. They focus on her relationships and less so on the husband’s. The man didn’t leave a suicide note and he was known to have kept a journal, so why didn’t he write out a note if he committed suicide? This little fact bothers Drake – a lot.
Drake and Caren ferret out the truth behind the incident.
I am very much looking forward to the next DI Ian Drake novel.
Stephen has written a good crime and police procedure novella. He sets the scene in Wales ably with lots of description. Mr. Puleston’s characters are deftly drawn realistically. His plot mirrors police procedure genuinely.