My rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Goodreads rating: 4.54 with 399 ratings (as of 5/5/2021)

A string of suicides. A community in terror. And a chilling conspiracy only DI Amy Winter can crack.

A wave of apparent suicides hits a string of seaside resorts, but when a police officer is named as the latest to die, DI Amy Winter suspects there may be more than mere coincidence to these tragic deaths. But what dark motive could cause someone to throw themselves into the cold depths of the North Sea?

Someone in the community knows more than they are letting on, but Amy’s questions are met with resistance. A group of mysterious teenagers might hold the key, but why are they so afraid to talk? Meanwhile, after the release from prison of her serial killer mother, Amy is fighting her own demons.

In her toughest investigation yet, Amy must confront her dark past if she is to put an end to the carnage. What secret is so terrible that it’s worth killing a police officer for? Amy needs to find the answer, before the sea washes up any more bodies. …Synopsis from Goodreads

200 Word Review

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

Not until reading the 4th book in Caroline Mitchell’s DI Amy Winter series that I figured out how to read the series without losing sleep. I started reading it first thing in the morning. Her novels are brilliantly written police procedurals, full of exciting characters and backstories, that are hard to put down.

As with the prior three installments, Flesh and Blood, focuses on Amy Winter’s professional life and personal life. This time her team is tasked with investigating a wave of apparent suicides at several seaside resorts. The main reason her team travels to Clacton is it is Winter’s boss’s, DCI Donovan, a prior partner who is the latest apparent suicide victim.

After the team’s last case and ensuing news coverage, their profile has gone up, and they are under the microscope by the press, public, and their higherups. ​Their presence and help are not welcomed in Clacton, but Amy, as usual, plows on and is determined to find the truth…no matter where or who they need to investigate.

Mitchell has established a well-formed world around DI WInter’s childhood, biological and adoptive parents, work, and personal life. It would be remiss to not read the series from the beginning.

This review was published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 5/5/21. When available, the review will be published on Scribd.com and, using Overdrive, will be rated in 9 libraries.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Police procedural
Print Length: 330 pages
ISBN: 9781542023412
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication Date: April 22, 2021

Purchase at Amazon *** Barnes and Noble