4 stars

An elderly and very sick man is found murdered in his bed in a care home. When his daughter arrives to identify him, it is not her father. Who is the unknown man? And where is Francis Baslow? DCI Rachel King and her team have a mystery on their hands.

They finally learn that the dead man was Joseph Wignall, not the Baslow they thought he was. When another murder is committed, the police learn that the woman and Wignall were business partners in a shady enterprise. A third partner, Sam Graham, in their shady little partnership is missing and the police can't seem to locate him.

As the police continue to investigate, they make progress. A little scrap of paper gives them the vital clue they need to capture the perpetrator.

This is a well written and plotted novel as are all of Helen Durrant's books. It is easy to read and easy to follow. It has engaging characters that are well described. It was my first DCI King book. I liked the novel and will continue to read Ms. Durrant for as long as she chooses to write.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Another excellent book from Helen! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Detective Rachel King investigates the murder of a man with his ring finger removed and confetti spread over him. This book is unputdownable, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery murder thriller.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Wrong Victim, the third novel to feature DCI Rachel King of the Manchester Police.

When Francis Baslow is smothered in his care home Rachel and the team are puzzled about why someone would kill a dying man. They are even more puzzled when Baslow’s daughter says it isn’t him. The explanation takes a lot of investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed Wrong Victim which has a great premise, a good explanation and several twists along the way, all written in an easy style that is simple to follow and allows the reader to get absorbed. It is told from Rachel’s point of view almost exclusively so the reader gets to make the discoveries alongside her and live her stress as she battles to solve the case. The novel is well thought out with reveals and twists, like the missing Mr Baslow, throughout, so it never flags and holds the interest. I liked the solution and found it very satisfying.

I still haven’t taken to Rachel King after three novels. I find her too quick to jump to often erroneous conclusions, based more often than not on her feelings rather than fact or logic. I think this portrays female stereotyping and is out of place in the modern professional police force.

Wrong Victim is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Another great read in the Detective Rachel King series. Murders, people trafficking and drugs make for a fast-paced addictive read. The murder inquiries don't seem to be getting anywhere and Rachel learns why when she is told some very surprising news that she can hardly believe.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
This is the 3rd book in the Detective Rachel King series and another good one.
A sick old man is found dead in his care home, murdered, with one of his fingers cut off and strewn with confetti. Having only been visited by a clergyman, it's hard to figure how the killer got into the facility, which is password protected. When they discover, via his daughter, that this man is not who they thought he was, the police believe there's a connection with a people smuggling case. Rachel delves into the mystery with her usual doggedness, despite her boss's warnings to lay off...he'll take care of it, but she ignores him. Her partners Elwyn and Jonny are back as well; it's like meeting old friends. The ending had a surprise in store for us, a big change is coming in Rachel's personal life and I for one can't wait for the next book. Definitely recommended.