Cover Image: Open Grave

Open Grave

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A great start to a new to me mystery series!

I plan to read more from this series for sure!

DCI Jack is a solid main character. The crime was well plotted and the journey to solving the case was really well done.

Was this review helpful?

Great thriller, could no put it down through all the twists and turns. Would highly recommend to fans of this genre.

Was this review helpful?

An interesting debut of a new crime series set in the North East (I love a good northern setting). Complex characters, well written.

Was this review helpful?

A good read. Great plot and likeable characters. Had me gripped from the first page and continued til the last page. Definately will look out for more drom this author

Was this review helpful?

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

Was this review helpful?

A great start to a series that I definitely plan to read more of in the future! Really liked Jack's backstory and complicated relationship with Rosie. Hope that is explored more in future books too. The crimes being investigated are very intriguing ... pairs of bodies (one male, one female) with no apparent links to each other being discovered in open graves and a race against time to find out where it's ultimately heading. Couldn't put it down and read it in less than a day one weekend. Looking forward to getting stuck into the next installment of Jack and his team!

Was this review helpful?

DCI Jack Lambert is no stranger to inner demons, having struggled with his own since the admission about his sexuality.

When two bodies are discovered in an open grave, Lambert must put his personal worries aside and work the case. But when the body of a local thug shows up on the banks of the River Tyne, the DCI’s criminal past comes back to haunt him.

Meanwhile, a local celebrity singer claims that she is being stalked. Could there be a link to the killings?

As the bodies start to pile up, Lambert realises the motive lies in the past and that the killer is taunting them.

The clock is ticking. Can he catch the murderer, or will one of their own end up in an open grave?

This debut novel from A.M. Peacock is well assured and confident. He's managed to write a page-turning crime novel, but also go against the genre tropes by having a gay detective. Although Lambert's sexuality isn't dwelled on, the fact that this character has risen to the ranks of DCI, receives jibes from his co-workers and has to think about how his lifestyle impacts on his wife and child; ok so there's the genre trope of 'complicated homelife' after all. Seriously though, Peacock has crafted a great police procedural and what promises to be a great new series for Bloodhound Books.

Was this review helpful?

I would like to thank Bloodhound Books and the Netgalley website for this partnership.

There is Jack Lambert investigating the discovery of two bodies in an open grave. He must put aside his personal troubles and do everything possible to solve this case. Until the day a thug's body was found on the banks of Tyne and a celebrity was harassed. Except that time is running out and all his crimes could be linked.

A book read in one go, I immediately hooked on the story so captivating, addictive and full of suspense and twists and turns and with endearing characters. Looking forward to continuing this series.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and the author,A M Peacock, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Open Grave in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought this book offered a good read. The storyline was well written with engaging characters. Will be reading more from this author. 3.5 stars.

Was this review helpful?

DCI Jack Lambert is investigating the case of two bodies that have been discovered in an open grave, Additionally, the body of a local thug shows up on the banks of the River Tyne, the DCI’s past comes back to haunt him.
Meanwhile, a local celebrity singer is being stalked and has her house trashed. The bodies start to pile up with another set of bodies being found and no links between the victims are forthcoming. Its a race against time. Can Lambert catch the murderer before they strike again?

Whilst the premise of the story is okay, but its feels like the majority of detective novels, nothing new and the cover of book is like so many others too - silhouette. At times the description is flat, along with some of the characters. Its set in Newcastle but you don't really get that sense; no mention of the iconic bridges or the Angel of the North that I remember, just run down estates and quayside places. The stalking ends up with a disappointing ending and the profiler, whilst having personal issues, didn't help one little bit. Lamberts sexuality is touched on a number of times and his links to a criminal in his past.

There are a few issues with the layout as sometimes it jumps from one scene to the next but there is no paragraph break. One character is named inconsistency.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Dies ist ein sehr gelungener Einstand zur neuen Serie rund um Jack Lambert. Spannend, glaubwürdig und fesselnd vom ersten Satz an. Runde Story, in sich abgeschlossen und ein ausgewogene Balance zur Entwicklung der Charaktere.

Was this review helpful?

This was a good start to what looks like is going to be a strong police procedural series.... whenever you start a new series it is a double edged sword.... if it’s good now you have another series commitment, and if it’s not... well no need to discuss that because this was good and I am really looking forward to see how the series develops....

DCI Jack Lambert is a bit different than a lot of characters that take the lead in the series... he is not an evil genius, he is more an average Joe.... he is also openly gay.... this has had a negative impact on his relationship with his wife and child, for obvious reasons, and this was somewhat discussed in the book... The diversity was nice and it wasn’t overplayed... his colleagues were a bit crude and sexist but they seemed to accept Jack completely.... it is an interesting opportunity to discuss some timely issues, curious to see where that goes? So Jack and his cohorts bumble their way through this investigation that involves two bodies in an open grave and a actress being stalked....

SO what do these two dead bodies with no known association and a stalker have in common? Or do they? And will Jack and crew figure it out before the body count goes up?The procedural part of this book was well plotted and I loved plane amateur detective along side Jack.... there is a lot of room for character growth in Jack as well as his cronies.... I am really looking forward to see where Jack and this series take us...

Absolutely recommend to fans of crime thrillers and police procedurals🚨

*** A huge thank you to Bloodhound Books for my copy of this book ***

Was this review helpful?

Two bodies found in a deep grave and DCI Lambert wondered why the grave had been dug up and opened for all to see? The male and Female buried there had been there at least a week or two so this seemed very unusual. They have some considerable difficulty trying to identify the couple and their relationship to each other and all is not as it seems. coupled with an investigation into the stalking of a reality star he certainly has his work cut out for him. Not everyone in the station is a fan of Jacks as he seems to 'do his own thing' which resulted in near fatal consequences in his last case and since admitting his sexuality he put a strain on his relationship with Rosie the pathologist as he was dating her at the time. I loved the team and Jack himself and even though there was quite a few characters introduced I kept up well with them, asthis is a debut novel It looks very promising for the rest of the series and it's one I will be looking forward to.
Thank you NetGalley for the copy of the book.

Was this review helpful?

AI found this a really absorbing debut novel featuring DCI Jack Lambert and set in the north east of England. Jack appears to be a hard working Detective, coming to terms with his sexuality and I hope to get to know him better, fingers crossed, if there are more books in the series. He is faced with a double murder, the bodies of a man and woman embracing, are discovered in an open grave. As Jack and his team are investigating this another pair of bodies are found. Jack is also faced with a local celebrity being stalked. Jack has to solve these cases, trying to find a link between them both, whilst suffering from crippling headaches. This is a really fast paced thriller, with great characters and is a book that you can’t put down, hoping for more to follow.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style for this book. It made the story addictive and I thought the flow very excellent. As soon as I had started reading I was completely immersed in the story and I found it very hard to put down.

I thought that the characters worked together very well and I am really looking forward to seeing how their relationships change and strengthen as the series progresses.

I thought that the storyline was great, plenty to keep me fully engaged and entertained and I loved the setting for the book.

Four stars from me for this one, it is a great start to a new series that I am very much looking forward too!!

Was this review helpful?

What a fantastic read! The book is fast paced, full of detail and great characters. The story flows so well, you are hooked, just want to keep reading.

I will be looking for more from this author as I enjoyed it so much!

Was this review helpful?

Open Grave by A.M. Peacock is the first book in the new DCI Jack Lambert series and it is set in Newcastle UK.
I did enjoy this new series and took awhile for me to get into this book. A shame though as I love new authors.

Thank you Netgalley and Bloodhound books for the eARC.

Was this review helpful?

A great start to a brand new series, introduces the team perfectly and DCI Lambert. Well written and easy to read. I did feel that the case just went on and on as there was no leads until the final few chapters but the story was kept interesting for the reader with another case on the go and plenty to keep the reader hooked… Some scenes can be quite dark and brutal.

A brilliant ending and overall case, even if it did that them forever to figure it out! I enjoyed reading this one. I awarded a well deserved four stars. A great start to an upcoming series I am looking forward too… Bring on book two.

Was this review helpful?

Good police procedural with not too many shocks along the way in the hunt for a serial killer. Good descriptions of various nefarious characters with a fair bit of graphic violence thrown in,the victim usually being our hero! The bodies keep piling up with other cases seemingly thrown into the plotline but all is neatly tied up in the end with a teaser right at the end to tempt one for the next episode.

Was this review helpful?

i do love a good police procedural book and this one delivers.

The main character DCI Jack Lambert is not your stereotypical hero. He is openly gay, much to the dismay of his ex-wife, and he is growing a bit of paunch in his days but he is fascinating.

I will put my hands up I did struggle at times with the writing as there were quite a few characters in the team introduced at once and I lost track of who was who sometimes and had to re-read some passages. *Remember this is my opinion, and it will not be the same for everyone. It might just be my age lol.* Although this is the first book in the series, I felt that it could have been a second book with the backstory of a previous case of the Newcastle Knifer mentioned throughout and I felt that I was missing something, especially as this affects Jack directly.

However, I loved Jack! I loved his team! I love that this is a new series for me to get my teeth into and I look forward to seeing where the author goes with the series. I love the investigation that takes place and the two seemingly separate storylines of the stalker and the murders.

It was a compelling read with lots of twists and turns, and a good debut from the author. It does grab your attention and keep you turning the pages. And did I mention I love police procedural books. I love getting into the thick of the investigation, and ignoring the rules! Seeing if I pick up clues before them, not like I could do anything if I did!

Was this review helpful?