Another excellent story, with a shocking twist and a few red herrings here and there.

It was good to see Ridpath happy and having a more settled home life but this never detracted from the rather gruesome murder story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an arc of this book and the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

This is the third outing for DI Ridpath, and I have enjoyed reading them all.

Ridpath has been recovering from Cancer and is now in remission, people who have read the previous books, will know he was separated from his wife, but they are now back living together. He is still seconded to the coroner's office, so as before his loyalty is always being questioned, both by his new boss, the coroner, and his old one at Greater Manchester MIT.

Ridpath is asked to attend a fire at a flat where the body of a man has been found sitting in a chair, in front of a TV which has also burned, it is assumed to be an accident but why were words painted on the walls??

When more burnt bodies are found, Ridpath is convinced there is a serial killer at large, but no one will listen.

Highly recommended read, be prepared for some in depth post mortem description!

This is the third book in the series of DI Ridpath by MJ Lee and again it is excellent, after the conclusion of book two and DI Ridpath's pneumonia I didn't know where the author was going to go but I'm glad to see DI Ridpath back and fighting crime even if it's still from the Coroners Office. This case begins wth the death of a man in a flat in Greater Manchester from fire, the police initially record it as an accident but then Ridpath notices some graffiti on the wall in orange paint which says 'Play the game'. Ridpath is already suspicious when another death to a homeless man occurs at a building site, when post mortems are performed it is discovered that both men were dead before the fires started. Ridpath tries to convince the Major Investigation Team that they have a serial killer on the loose which falls on deaf ears until more deaths are linked through HOLMES.

This is turning out to be a great series from MJ Lee, set in Manchester and featuring DI Thomas Ridpath. This is a wonderful addition as Ridpath's personal circumstances improve for the better with him now living with his wife and daughter. Healthwise, his cancer remains in remission. He is still based at the coroner's office, investigating whilst relations with MIT remain difficult and challenging with the likes of Detective Superintendent Claire Trent. He finds himself at the scene of a deadly fire in a flat, where the dead burnt body of a man is discovered seated in his armchair facing the TV. It all appears to be a tragic accident, but there are ominous signs, such as the graffiti on the wall, the words 'play the game' painted in orange paint.

Ridpath begins to make connections with other victims, their burnt bodies with their signs of a similar MO, including one victim in Derbyshire. It is all beginning to look as if there is a serial killer on the loose and what does a photograph of a football team have to do with it all? Ridpath's superiors, however, are reluctant to believe him. This does not stop Ridpath from pursuing the truth, as he trusts his gut instincts. Lee provides a great sense of location with his descriptions of Manchester in this well written and plotted novel, whilst at the same time demonstrating his research skills with the depth of technical details he provides. He has done a wonderful job in establishing Ridpath, his characterisation and character development which snags and keeps the attention of the reader. A great addition to a great series, with its current contemporary themes, it is entertaining, fast paced, intense and suspenseful. Looking forward to the next in the series. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.

Where the Silence Calls is the third book in this brilliant series with D.I.
Ridpath, these books just get better and better and are a joy to read.
Ridpath is still attached to the coroners office, his cancer in remission and wife and daughter back home with him, so life is good. The characters in this book are well rounded, most are likeable others not so much but so true to what we deal with in real life particularly in the public sector.
Ridpath is involved with the death of a person who has been set on fire in his home, he soon discovers a pattern with other similar deaths but has a hard time convincing his superiors they are linked and there could be a serial killer on the loose. With the support of the coroner he continues to investigate with little support off his senior female police colleagues.
This story is fast paced and an absolutely cracking read, a superb ending and another sure fire winner.
My thanks to net galley and publisher Canelo for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Again, Lee has a written a winning novel - full of fast paced narrative, quick dialogue that speeds along the story. Much like the king of vigilante narratives, Lee Child, Lee uses the landscape as a main character to his advantage. Whereas Reacher though is not restricted by his homeland, visiting different geo-political locations from novel to novel; Ridpath is restricted by the M6 ring road but as Lee has shown - there is a lot going on within that motorway with ventures out to Derbyshire and the Pennines available.

The author uses contemporary cultural touchstones to mark as this as a time capsule piece; this is brave as the writer is not afraid to age his work by naming such things as South Korean pop band BTS for instance, as the object of affection for Ridpath's daughter. By putting the story in the here and now, you give the story a great sense of current, this is utilised further by having a vital piece of evidence being linked to child abuse within youth football teams in the 1980s and 90s, something Manchester has had to deal with starkly following the arrest and imprisonment of Barry Bennell.

When the charred remains of a man are found at his flat, it is initially thought that it is a case of accidental death. As other burnt bodies are found, each with a cryptic message sprayed nearby in orange paint, Coroner’s Officer, DI Ridpath, begins to fear that there is a serial killer on the streets of Manchester. The detective soon finds himself taken back to the city’s dark past and knows he must close the case before more bodies are discovered.

This is the third in the series and after the ending of the previous book, I was eager to discover what had happened to Ridpath. Fans of previous books will already know that the detective has been fighting a battle with a serious illness and there is always the threat that it will return. I was pleased to read that all seems to be well (despite an incident nearly putting him back in hospital!) and that things are definitely improving in his personal life.

The nature of Ridpath’s job, seconded to the coroner’s office, means that he is often caught in the middle of his two superiors. As a result, his theories are often overlooked and he finds it difficult to convince people that there is a serial killer operating. It was good to see him working more closely with the coroner, who we find has a personal connection to one aspect of the case. We have got to know Ridpath really well over the three books, but it was good to find out a bit more about the coroner and see a more emotional side of her.

There are several emotive subjects dealt with in When the Silence Calls, namely historic child abuse and homelessness, all of which was dealt with sensitively. I was surprised to find that some of the subject matter was, coincidentally, the same as my previous read (The Quiet Ones by Theresa Talbot), but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the plot in any way.

The mystery is a good one and I was pleased that the killer was revealed as someone in my shortlist of two! If you haven’t read any of the previous books, then this can be read as a standalone, but it is such a good series with a likeable, tenacious protagonist that you will be missing out if you haven’t! Ridpath continues to be one of the detectives that I most enjoy reading about.

This is a great crime thriller.
It’s the third book in this series, and I feel like we’re getting to know Ridpath more now.
Ridpath is in remission from cancer but when he came back to the Police they put him in the coroner’s office.
Of course he’s still called to crime scenes so when he’s called to two incidents where the people have been burned to death, Ridpath thinks the cases are linked but can’t get his old team to back him up.
More evidence comes to light but he still has a fight on his hands to get listened to.
This is a gripping crime thriller that had me hooked right up until the final chapter.
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC in return for an nubiased review. This is the third in the Ridpath series and they just keep getting better and better.
The characters continue to be developed and I really enjoy the fact that this is different from your standard police investigation type book in that the main character works for the Coroners Office.
Five stars again, keep them coming.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

ridpath is back....

back with this family, back working in the coroners court and investigation a string of arsonist/murders but his old boss wont start in investigation off based on his gut and his workings...

a string of fires with victims, can of orange spray paint, accelerants and a photo of a football team with each of the victims from that photo being in the fires..but why

ridpath has his work cut out for him as he battles through old resentments and then his old friend charlie goes missing....

a gripping book with old favourites...i love this series, cant wait for the next one

Where The Silence Calls M.J Lee

DI Ridpath is not your usual cop-character. Recovering from cancer he had been living a single life when his wife and daughter moved out in frustration of his lack of self-care.

Now they are back at home, Ridpath is in remission, and he’s back at work, but on restricted duties. In short life is good.

Working as a DI in the roll of Coroners Officer Ridpath is out of the day-to-day life of a Police Officer, it’s not his job to investigate crimes, it’s his job to gather evidence for the Coroner, to help identify bodies, to pass on the unwelcome news to relatives, but he does miss being at the coal front of an investigation

So when two men are found dead, in a short space of time, in different Police districts, their bodies badly burned, Ridpath’s detective antenna starts to nag at him.

Both Police departments are running at their limits due to cut backs, and when Ridpath tries to show that they may have linked cases, neither are interested. Why would they be, there is no post mortem results yet, and both look like accidental fires, except for one thing, and that’s what gets Ridpath hooked.

As Ridpath struggles to get the Police to take him serious he runs the risk of upsetting the Coroner, and with both Police and the Coroner, looking to cut manpower he could be backing himself into a sticky corner.

Then another burnt body is found.

This is another cracking novel in a great series.

M.J Lee uses the metropolis of Manchester as a great canvas to paint his crime stories. In Ridpath he has given us a character that is different enough from the usual troubled cop to engage in. Ridpath’s personal circumstances run through the series like a vein taking blood to all the important parts. In short Lee went out on a limb with this character, but its paid off, boy has it paid off.

Pages: 351
Publisher: Canelo
Publishing date: 23rd September 2019

Really good!
Well written crime thriller, captivating, good pace. I loved it!
It was dark. Well developed storyline, detailed police procedurals, interestinng characters. I could feel for them. Ridpath being cancer free and getting back to work... I haven't read the previous books and didn't feel like I was lacking information.

I was into it from the start and loved every page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for this arc.

While I've read the previous two books of this series, it may not be necessary to have them under your belt before reading this 3rd in the series to enjoy it. I found this to be a fast paced easy read. Ridpath is still between a rock and a hard spot in this book -- the Coroner's Office and MIT. And he still seems to be a little tone-deaf as to where to place his loyalty. He finds what appears to be a serial killer working in his neighborhood and has to convince both the Coroner and his bosses back in MIT that there's actually a killer at work who's not finished yet.
He manages to make at least one new friend while irritating some old ones. His home life seems to be improving.

I found most of the characters all to be fully developed and the story logical and compelling.

4.5 stars rounded up

I loved this book and I just love this series, DI Ridpath is my favourite police character from all the police procedurals that I read which includes quite a wide list. All of MJ Lee's Ridpath books feels not like a work of fiction but a sort of a biography. It feels like DI Ridpath is a real person and we're following his life day by day. He is extremely efficient but extremely stubborn as well. But al least in this book he didn't take any unnecessary chances with his health which was really glad to see. And overall this book was wonderfully written and brilliantly crafted. MJ Lee doesn't create a book that's always running at a breakneck speed, but he takes time to create and carve out a story just like an artist. This is by far one of my favourite series and I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series. And I won't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who loves a wonderfully created mystery thriller. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down. And a big thank you to NetGalley and a bigger thank you to Canelo for giving me this ARC in exchange of my honest review.

DI Thomas Ridpath returns for a third investigation whilst still working on secondment for the Coroner's Office. This case sees a fire break out in a block of flats, but the only victim is a man whose body is found in a chair, seemingly watching TV at the time of the fire. An accelerant and cryptic message found at the scene point to either suicide or murder.

This third book was another very good read. The story line was well thought out, with some good twists and turns, before reaching a surprising conclusion. I still like the fact that Ridpath is not a stereotype, however, I didn't like how the two senior women in MIT (Trent and Caruso) were depicted. Their dislike and dismissal of Ridpath's theory of the case seemed over the top to me. That is my only issue though as the rest of it was great. Definitely recommend this series to any crime fiction fans.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher, Canelo, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I really enjoy the Ridpath books. A nice change from police procedurals, seeing how the Coroner's office work. Plenty of police work too as Ridpath is a Detective Inspector linking the two.

Just keep getting better with each installment.


I read a free advance review copy supplied by Netgalley. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Solid. A solid entry in a solid series. Excellent twist. I can't decide whether I love Ridpath or Mrs challoner more. It's refreshing to have a second series where the main detective isn't some dark twisted torn tortured caricature. Reminds me of Cara Hunters DI Fawley series.

What an exceptional and thrilling book
This is book three in the series and what a series it is
The main character is likeable and the author has described him so well.
A brilliant book with a very topical subject matter

Rid path is rapidly becoming one of my favourite characters and MJ Lee one of my favourite authors. I always love the law enforcement officer that continues to fight for justice even when he is told not to by those above. I love it even more when they get it right and get to stick it up to all of those above. I really look forward to the next novel. A great read!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Where the Silence Calls, the third novel to feature DI Thomas Ridpath, a detective seconded to the East Manchester Coroner’s Office from MIT.

Ridpath is called out to a house fire where a body has been found. Sensing there’s more to it than a simple accident he organises a post-mortem which confirms murder. This not the first or last burning body and that means they are hunting a serial killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed Where the Silence Calls which is an engrossing procedural with some good twists, notably the final one which I certainly didn’t see coming. The novel is mostly told in the third person from Ridpath’s point of view with the occasional foray into the unnamed killer’s thoughts and M.O.. I’m not the biggest fan of venturing into fictional murderers’ minds as it interrupts the flow of the investigation and there is little space for nuance so they all end up much the same. Mr Lee manages it well within these constraints, concentrating on motive and how he does it but not making it overly intrusive into the investigation. I found myself trying to guess throughout the novel but never got close as the author is sparing in what he chooses reveal, giving only scraps to the reader. It does, however, make the novel compulsive as the curiosity is aroused.

I like Ridpath, as he prefers to be known as he is a smart and instinctual detective. He is also dedicated but is trying to take a step back now that his wife and child are living with him again.

Where the Silence Calls is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.