Song of the Dead by Douglas Lindsay

Song of the Dead (DI Westphall)

by Douglas Lindsay

DI WESTPHALL.
No ordinary detective.
No ordinary investigations.

A twisting new crime series set in the Scottish Highlands. For fans of Stephen King, James Oswald and John Connolly.

Detective Ben Westphall has been given his latest case because of his background in MI6. But it's his ability to see every angle - even the impossible ones - that will help him in this investigation.

John Baden has come back from the dead. His parents and girlfriend identified his body twelve years ago. Yet he's just walked into a police station, very much alive. Baden's story sounds far-fetched - but it's all about to get much, much stranger.

Westphall travels from the Highlands to Estonia in order to delve into Baden's murky past. But when his suspects start dying, Westphall realises someone is killing to cover up the truth. He'll have to question everything he's been told, before there's no one left to ask.

'A darkly atmospheric thriller with a labyrinthine plot with more twists than a Grand Prix track' - Michael Wood, author of the DCI Matilda Darke series

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What readers are saying about SONG OF THE DEAD

'A brilliantly written, dark and twisting read . . . a step above the usual crime thrillers'

'Excellent book! Loved the characters and it was a great storyline'

'Completely wonderful . . . Really recommend, and I'll be looking for other titles by this author'

'Clever plotting which kept me turning the pages'

Reviewed by annieb123 on

5 of 5 stars

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Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Art of Dying is the third DI Westphall procedural by Douglas Lindsay. Due out 22nd Aug 2019 from Hachette on their Mulholland imprint, it's 416 pages and will be available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.

This is an incredibly well written, very dark and atmospheric Scottish procedural (tartan noir, indeed). The protagonist is haunted by the ghosts of people from his past as a spy and as a policeman. It's not entirely clear from the sort of unreliable 1st person narrator if he's disturbed or dreaming these interactions or synchronizing facts subconsciously. Whatever the reason, the writing is razor sharp and the way the author has written in these interludes adds a lot of tension and atmosphere to the whole.

DI Ben Westphall has to solve the case whilst dealing with Russian money laundering and spy involvement, multiple murders in a posh retirement home, sexual and relationship minefields with a female vicar friend and confidant, as well as office politics with his superiors all without causing an international incident.

There is a lot of graphic violence. There are several murders and they run the gamut from a sudden beating death after a football (soccer) match, to evisceration, beheading, intentional stifling (smothering), etc. There is also a fair amount of sexual tension and longing. The main protagonist is psychologically quite damaged and lonely, but also very intelligent and aware of his unhealthy mental state and unwilling to try to form a lasting relationship.

The language is rough, strongly R rated. It is used in context and not egregiously. I would say it's about average for a gritty police procedural. Despite being the third in the series, it works well enough as a standalone.

This book will definitely appeal to fans of modern police procedurals who don't need to have every single plot thread tied up in a neat bow by the end. One of the most fascinating things about this book for me was watching Westphall sort through and disentangle the relative truth from all the lies all of the witnesses he interview were telling him.

Five stars for fans of gritty procedurals. I can definitely see this one being made for TV (with David Tennant, please, thank you)!

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

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  • 19 August, 2019: Reviewed