The Dying Squad opens with Detective Inspector Joe Lazarus in a ditch in the Lincolnshire countryside staking out a not so abandoned farmhouse. When Daisy-May walks up to Joe and says she’s here to help, she shows him that everything he knows has changed and he’s not as corporeal as he believes.

An unconventional crime story where the victim has to investigate his own murder in order to move on. There is the most incredible twist that I really didn't see coming and changed the way you view the story. Clever and inventive with a dark sense of humour, Adam Simcox has written not just a supernatural crime story, but a novel take on what happens when you die.

My thanks to NetGalley and Gollancz for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I love a police procedural, but they can be a bit same-y every now and then. This one is definitely different and as soon as I read the blurb, I was intrigued!

Joe Lazurus is on a stakeout when a pale, pink-haired teenager appears. Worried she has blown his cover, he goes into the building, only to find his own dead body. So begins his introduction to The Dying Squad, a spectral investigation team who try and solve what happened to the people currently in purgatory, AKA The Pen, in the hope that they can help them to move on.

I loved the idea of this book and think a series about this team of afterlife crime solvers is an exciting prospect. I wasn't a fan of the excess of confusing 'Pen' politics, but understand that the nuts and bolts of the story needed to be set.
Possibly my favourite things in this book are the characters of Joe and Daisy-May and their blossoming relationship. What starts of as a bit of a 'buddy-cop' partnership, during their investigation and the uncovering of some tragic back stories, their relationship grows and I am looking forward to seeing what happens to them next.

Thank you #netgalley and #orionbooks for my eARC of #thedyingsquad in return for my honest review.

Well, this book is definitely different. Part supernatural, which is not my normal genre. Still, a cracking read. Recommended.

3.5 Stars

We all know by know I love a police procedural with fantastical elements! Give me an investigation and magic and I am reading that book! This was a little different, but still a big yes from me – a detective inspector finds his own body at a crime scene and is tasked by the powers at be in Purgatory to investigate his own murder.

This is really inventive. It reads like a dark and gritty cop show with splashes of whimsy, some really cool world building and some great dark humour. The investigation is great, I loved the concept of the Dying squad. A group of not quite passed on souls that investigate the deaths of other souls so that they can pass on from purgatory to paradise and finally rest. We read across a few point of views, DI Joe Lazarus is a fresh face in the dying squad, tasked with solving his own Murder to the benefit of more than just himself. I really enjoyed his narration. Putting on the air of surly cop you could tell he was really dedicated to his job and the revelations of this case driving him on while battling with failing memories of his life before he passed on. This really allowed us the reader to follow along with him as he came to grips with being dead but still functioning in the afterlife.

Daisy-May is his plucky teenage spirit guide. Think "Its a Wonderful life" with sass. She is a fantastic character. She ends up taking on a much more central role than I expected her too in the beginning and we learn so much about her as she helps Lazarus with his investigation. I found myself really warming to her and feeling sorry for her as the events of both her life and her afterlife take a turn for the worst.

We also get the perspective of the Duchess. Raised to be in charge of purgatory her story really sets up the lore of the afterlife and is where we get a lot of the world building. I really enjoyed the bureaucracy of Purgatory. I love a good bit of fantasy red tape and with a threat of a coup looming over her department. These sections were a little muddier than the rest of the book. I did find that they could get a little confusing epically when titles were dropped etc. It seemed a little too many names to remember whom was who. If I am honest I wanted a bit more physical description too. Purgatory came off as rather black void but there was also talk of buildings etc that just didn’t have physical descriptions so became rather nebulous which was a little disappointing as the concepts behind this version of the afterlife were really fun.

This book is jam packed with twists. The various investigations, timelines and memories really build for some great reveals that are well paced thorough out the book. I especially like the way the memory loss trope works within this world, it adds some more tension and complication to the investigation. The writing really shines as there is a real darkness to the investigation that builds as more is revealed yet it is punctuated with moments of humour, light and friendship that make it and enjoyable read.

This book was everything I hoped it would be, and more, and honestly I just want to shout very loudly 'Go Buy This Book!'

The notion of a detective, on a murky stakeout, investigating county lines drug runners, who finds his own dead body, had me hooked. That his name is Joe Lazarus (arisen from the dead, to be beyond the living dead) tickled me a great deal, his guide is a pink haired young girl named Daisy-May and she pulls him through this world, to the Pen, (where the Dispossessed, souls who are unavenged and , well, displaced, reside). The Pen is kept under check by the Duchess, who has her own unique and individual back story, reveals that Lazarus will be freed, if and only if, he can solve his own murder.

A dedicated copper, married to his lifelong best friend,Claire, his other best friend is his partner, Pete, and he is the son of a vicar, and upstanding community member so there are quite a few suspects who would like to see him taken down. Not least the members of the drug peddling community who are using the young people of the Lincolnshire Badlands to peddle their wares.

But when you have no physical body, your memories are being erased by the minute, and you are dealing with the trauma of having been murdered, where do you begin?

And who is the white haired girl who seems to be mobilising the dispossessed to tackle the Pen, and could potentially bring down the fragile link between the soil side, and purgatory?

And let's not even talk about one of the most terrifying creations I have read this year, the Xylophone Man!

Drawing on real life research into county lines drug runners, the story has this dual narrative where the exploitation of the vulnerable by those who should, and could choose to, do better, is so very relevant and well realised. The Dispossessed and the teens affected by lack of opportunity in rural areas , leading them into crime, are so multi faceted that those in higher social classes ascribe characteristics to them that could be ripped off any red top headline.

Exploitation of those with a lack of social mobility due to poverty, life chances, economic instability and lack of social capital, all of these are seen through a fractured lens which allows you to understand how they fall into these traps of addiction, need and ruthless behaviours. The laws of social control, victimisation and 'knowing your place' are what these criminals rely on, and, the investigation into who is behind it, is initially driven by personal redemption and , over the course of the plot, expands to become something so much bigger and far-reaching than just one man's soul.

The imagery is so very striking, and what I admire the most about this novel is not just the fully rounded characters of Lazarus, Daisy-May, sisters Rachel, Mabel and Hanna (perhaps representing the three fates?) and the Xylophone Man , it's the subtle colouring of their moral codes, their motivations and complex personal histories. On top of this, you have the creation of a wholly, different, highly addictive story line of redemption, love and loss played against a background of a totally believable heaven/purgatory/hellscape which at once fees entirely new and yet, as old as time. You simply care about these people, and finish the novel wanting to know more.

How he created this entire mythology and made it entirely natural, as if it had always been this way, and yet invites the reader into it without overly expositional passages, is pure genius. I genuinely felt like I was along for the ride and I can see this becoming a series that is, as my kids taught me this week, 'an instabuy'.

Truly one of my top 10 books of this year, it is so rare that a writer can create an environment in which you are so immersed and delivers a truly satisfying end and makes you keen to read book 2. I hope there is a book 2. And, if it's not too much to ask, a further 3 at least and a 6 part tv show based on 'The Dying Squad'. 

In the great tradition of Stephen Volk, Phil Rickman and Mark Morris, I am predicting big things for Adam Simcox...

So...do you consider yourself a "good" person? Or do you have a teeny devil inside who occasionally whispers in your ear. Well, there's good news & bad news. According to this story, the good news is your life doesn't end when you die. The bad news is you'll be one of the Dispossessed.

First, a bit about the world(s) you're about to enter. The story is based on the concept of where you end up after you die. If you're one of those rare souls who are 100% good or bad, it's fairly straightforward. Upon drawing your last, you'll be whooshed away in one direction or the other.....heaven or hell. But for those of us who did the best we could (most of the time 😈), next stop is The Pen....this author's take on Purgatory. Vast, grey & featureless, it's a type of holding area for those labelled the Dispossessed. These poor souls shuffle around in aimless herds, waiting to learn if /when they'll move on & in which direction.

Back in the land of the living, DI Joe Lazarus has no idea any of this exists. Until he stumbles over his own dead body. That's when he meets tall, skinny pink-haired Daisy-May Braithwaite. He doesn't know it yet but she will be his guide & colleague as he comes to terms with the fact he's dead. It's a lot to take in. One moment he was working a case, the next he finds himself in the Pen. There he meets the Duchess, a no-nonsense woman in charge of the Dispossessed. And she's got a job offer for him.

Turns out even the afterlife needs a police force. Its official name is the Soul Extraction Agency but everyone calls it the Dying Squad. There are crimes to be solved & if he signs up, the first case will be his own murder.
Poor Joe...he has no clue what's waiting for him.

Suffice to say this is NOT your garden variety police procedural. Oh there are plenty of clues, red herrings, suspense & bad guys....all that good stuff that keeps you turning the pages. What makes this unique are the mysteries encountered by our MC's are they travel between two parallel worlds.

Joe is a strong character as he is, in effect, every reader who shares his initial WTF reaction & subsequent grudging acceptance of his new reality. We get to watch as his cranky disbelief & dismissive attitude toward Daisy gradually morphs into resignation & a growing appreciation of just how much he needs her. And while Daisy may have a firmer grip on their situation, even she is in for a few surprises as it becomes clear the Duchess has plans for her fledgling police force.

A mysterious sibling, a creepy bad guy called the Xylophone Man & the perils of the Goop...these are just some of the challenges waiting for Joe & Daisy as they unravel the facts behind Joe's earthly demise. Trust me, there are some shockers lurking in the final pages that will have both characters re-evaluating what they thought they knew about themselves. The alternate world created is clever & inventive, making this gritty procedural/fantasy an original & entertaining addition to the crime genre.

Without doubt one of my favourite reads of the year, this supernatural thriller from Adam Simcox is a superb. innovative, fresh, funny , charming read, that’s full of the best twists I’ve read in a long while, Simcox has a nailed and this is just such a treat.

Usually a straight crime fan, with the exception of John Connolly and James Oswald, this is a little different for me but I couldn’t have liked it any more!

A dead detective solving his own murder, purgatory, ghosts, drug gangs, and bad guys, it’s all here and at times it’s also laugh out loud funny.

With larger than life characters such as the lovable rogue in Daisy May, The Duchess, Joe and of course the brilliantly created Xylophone Man, Simcox has created a stunning world, an after world that pops and sizzles, it’s just that good.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 get this. I love it! 2021 Top 5

Well this is definitely different!
Joe Lazarus is watching a drug house, ready to call in the heavy mob when he is approached by a pink haired girl. She goes with him into the house where he finds his dead body. This is his introduction to the Dying Squad. He is taken to see the Duchess who is the warden of the pen and she tells him that he can return to earth to find out who killed him and he will be allowed to the next place. He is accompanied by Daisy May, the pink haired girl and a supply of gum that stops them developing amnesia. Along the way he finds out that it's not as straightforward as he thought and things start to get messy. Back in the pen, things are changing and the Duchess has to call in help to ensure the future of the pen.
I wasn't sure about this to begin with, but it did grow on me and I read the last two thirds in one sitting.

It's one of the most original debut I read in 2021. It's a mix of different genres: thriller, noir, metaphysical fantasy (don't know if exists but it's a good description).
I loved Joe and Daisy-May: they are two interesting characters, well thought and likeable. Their relationship grows slowly and I liked the loyalty and how they were ready to sacrifice themselves for the other.
The world building is great: the description of the Pen and the world beyond the grave are well done and there's plenty I would like to know as they are a new take on something that is usually described according to the Middle Age books (Dante's Commedia above all).
The plot is full of twists and turns, sometimes it drags a bit but it kept me hooked.
This book talks about betrayal, fear, despair but also about redemption and hope.
It you expect a sort of metaphysical Dresden File story this is not the book for you but if you want to read something original go and buy it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

What a different story to read ! Crime ,supernatural, a dead Detective all linked together in one book .Really enjoyed this read completely different from other books I have read. Full of twists and turns I loved the characters of Joe and Daisy May. This book was a little creepy ,a little violent ,funny at times and I enjoyed the satisfying ending .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

Fantastic concept let down a little by the execution I’m afraid. The idea of a squad of purgatory-based detectives investigating deaths is cracking - combining horror, fantasy and crime in a genuinely original idea way.
But… the internal politics of The Pit and Hell is really draining in terms of the dynamics of the novel and caring who anyone is, and the barrage of twists are at first surprising and then somewhat predictable.
It’s interesting enough in the end that I’d probably give the inevitable follow up a crack, but that’s in the hope that plot and character can override internal politics!

I think the author has a great imagination, and has created a very interesting after life, I liked the two main characters, but the book just didn't hold my interest. I thought it started out well but I didn't enjoy it after that. I guessed who the bad guy was going to be so wasn't surprised when he was revealed, and I just lost interest. generally. Sorry I wanted to like this more.

Detective Inspector Joe Lazarus storms into the farmhouse to bring down a drug gang. Instead, he finds his own dead body. What the fuck? A spirit guide, the foul-mouthed and snarky Daisy - May, breaks the situation to him and recruits him into the Dying Squad. Joe must solve his murder before the killer strikes again.

The problem? More than one, starting with the fact that ghosts lose the memory of their former selves (unless they use “gum”) and of the time before they died. Danger lurks everywhere, on both sides of the astral plane.

I love the idea of an experienced investigator investigating his own murder. I love thrillers and supernatural elements, and The Dying Squad offers both. It even throws some purgatorial politics into the mix.

The story follows the investigation until about halfway through the book, then the focus (and tone) changes. As the story unfolds, the reader discovers how the characters’ pasts intertwine. The story gets darker and genuinely surprising. The second half of the book deals with a possible uprising in Purgatory that could turn all the creation upside down.

The relationship between Joe and Daisy May is the highlight of the story, just not in the way you initially expect. We get quality banter and laugh-out-loud moments from these two, but they’re not exactly Sherlock and Watson of the astral plane. Suffice to say, they’ve dealt with drug abuse, child exploitation, and corruption, and their story is more tragic than lighthearted.

I liked the timing and quality of the flashbacks to the events leading up to the deaths of Joe and Daisy-May, they added to the tension and sense of approaching tragedy. By alternating perspectives between characters, Simcox brings them to life as characters whose welfare readers can easily become invested in even if they don’t necessarily deserve it. The easy-flowing narrative kept me immersed in characters’ inner conflicts as they tried to find a way out of one precarious situation after another.

What doesn't work as well is how the author writes bad guys - they feel rather flat and one-dimensional. The story doesn’t resolve many of the questions it raises, especially concerning the afterlife and its logistics and the nature of certain substances. Fortunately, it's the first book of the series and I’ll be looking forward to it to see whether it succeeds in delivering a full resolution in the sequels. Important note: it works as a standalone, it offers closure to the main arcs, it just doesn't answer all the questions you may have about the world.

The Dying Squad is a darkly captivating tale with just the right mix of humor, suspense, and mystery. Despite darker moments, it’s not a depressing read; It contains hope and innocence, strength and determination. I look forward to reading more from Simcox.

Loved the premise of this book - grabbed me straight away, sort of an edgy Randall and Hopkirk for grown ups.

The main characters, although dead, were credible and well observed.

The story didn't disappoint, kept me hooked to the end.

A cracking first installment of what I hope will be a series,

Highly recommend

This is a supernatural crime mystery set in purgatory. The blurb sounded fantastic and the sort of thing that I usually devour with a passion. But sadly I didn't ;love this book as much as I hoped to. There are some very decent ideas and world building, and some interesting characters. I also understand that this is the first in a series so fingers crossed for bigger and better things in the future. 3.5 stars

Sadly DNF.

I really wanted to like this one. It started well, and as a resident of Nottingham and as someone born in Lincolnshire, I felt that I could relate to the settings. However as the book went on I found I didn't like the characters, and by the middle I was struggling to keep reading. The twists in the tale were disappointingly obvious to me.

So: good effort, but not for me, I'm afraid!

Inspector Joe Lazarus storms a farmhouse, expecting to bring down a drug gang. Instead, he finds his own dead body...

Joe Lazarus is in a ditch in the Lincolnshire countryside, on a stakeout of a nearby farmhouse which is a drugs den. When he enters the property, he finds lots of dead bodies including his own. He wonders what going on and thinks someone is impersonating him until he meets a ghost called Daisy May with pink hair that looks quite familiar to them and escorts him to purgatory. He doesn’t understand has he is a good bloke why hasn’t he gone straight up to heaven? When he learns that the only way, he passes on is to solve his own murder. This turns out to have some surprising findings of what happened when he died.
I thank NetGalley and Orion for a copy The dying Squad. I requested this because of the blurb, and I thought that it had a original supernatural feel to a detective story. I did follow Joe journey avidly though his life story before and at his demise. I like the character of Daisy May she was a quite a cool character. The only problem I got lost in the middle of the book when it continually talked about Purgatory and The Dispossessed, I lost interest a bit. 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you #netgalley and #orionbooks for my eARC of #thedyingsquad in return for my honest review…

After reading the blurb for this book, I just had to read it. It was the plot that sold it to me. A detective, crime, the supernatural, I needed to know how these genres were going to link.

I really wanted to enjoy this novel by a new author.
The plot was intriguing and I found the start of this book to be very good. Starting at a crime scene with the lead detective to then realise that he’s dead and the crime scene he is in is in fact one of his own murder. Exciting, yes however unfortunately I didn’t find that this excitement continued. I found that as soon as the supernatural world became involved I was actually becoming some what bored and because of this I feel that I am only able to rate this one two out of five stars as unfortunately I was disappointed with the book I was expecting so much more from it. But not bad for a debut and think this author can only get better.

I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley for a review. A detective tries to find his killer in this novel. A good book with good character's and plenty of twists to make your head spin.