Long Time Dead is a good solid read that kept me interested from beginning to end. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC.

Ooooh this was a real page turner I literally couldn't read it fast enough.

Outside a supermarket a police officer had been gunned down and killed, along side her a lady was also shot although she survived with severe brain damage. The suspect, John Lively was never found.

A few years later remains of the suspect were found in amongst a grave in a cemetery. So DI Sheridan Holler and her team have to find the murderer of John and try and find what the connection is.

There are so many twist and turns in this book I loved it. I especially enjoyed trying to get speech from the brain damaged victim who just might hold the key to the puzzle.

I found it to be believable, I liked the characters, especially the humour but i also enjoyed the dark side of this murder mystery it kept me guessing til the end.

I recently read Long Time Dead, a captivating police procedural that follows Detective Inspector Sheridan as they investigate a cold case that has remained unsolved for years. The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, bringing the story to life with vivid descriptions that make the reader feel like they are right there. The plot is well-crafted and the pacing keeps the reader engaged throughout. Overall, this is an excellent read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys police procedurals, mysteries, and thrillers.

I liked this debut novel and also a good start to a series. While reading I was invested in trying to put the pieces together and find out what happened. The story flow was good, and the characters were all well-built and unique, I also have to say that the scenes and descriptions are pretty vivid and made an impression. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of the series.

A good police procedural with a strong female lead (DI Sheridan Holler) and an intriguing storyline. There are a lot of characters which made it quite hard to keep track in the early stages, especially with short chapters. But it's still a really enjoyable read consisting of new crime and cold cases intertwined. Some other good characters; Joni was very well written, Anna Markinson whose backstory will hopefully be expanded on in future books, and obviously, Maud (the cat) who I hope makes another appearance. It had the right mix of seriousness and humour for me, as did the acknowledgements which gave a super insight into this author.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the eARC.

First time I have read this author. Brilliant, loved all of it, grabbed your attention straight away. If you like British police drama, then this is for you. Kept you guessing all the way through. Can wait for the next one.

Great debut with a well rounded cast of interesting characters, a multilevel plot, and a satisfying resolution.

DI Sheridan Holler became a police officer to try to solve the murder of her brother, but decades on she is no near to finding the truth. A cold case investigation was opened and found nothing new, but she refuses to give up.

The new case she is assigned to, of a body found buried inside someone else's grave, has links to the murder of a police officer. But the evidence they discover raises more questions than it answers.

Looking forward to the next installment in what promises to be a great series.

When DCI Sheridan Holler is assigned two cold cases, she has to follow the evidence until justice is served.

I thought this was a solid start to a new series. The book was a little too long. Solving two cold cases made it confusing. I had to remind myself who was who and what happened when. But overall, I'm looking forward to book 2.

Long Time Dead is the first, in what I hope will be a long running series, by debut author TM Payne.

A body is discovered buried in a cemetery. On the surface, this seems unsurprising; but this did surprise the grave digger who was making space for Brian Walters to join his wife Heather.
DI Sheridan Holler and the team, hope the discovery of John Lively’s shallow buried body, will finally close the cold case of a police officer who was fatally shot 7 years earlier. Suddenly having two cold cases to work, just days before Christmas is far from ideal.

There are certain ingredients that a favourite, long running police procedural series need in my opinion. (TM Payne nailed these)
1. An eclectic and interesting ensemble cast, with touches of humour.
2. A central character you root for.
3. An adorable cat/dog, with a personality and great name.
4. Tantalising snippets of what lay ahead for the characters.

Sheridan and Anna both have really interesting backstories, which I look forward to learning more of as the series progresses; and I really hope we haven’t seen the last of Maud either. I live with a cantankerous and strong minded cat too, who never ceases to amaze or entertain us either.

Sometimes it’s the tiny details in books that make me feel really imbedded in a story. Reading that a character refuses to dye her grey hair on principle, or knowing I could get served in The Black Cat, as long as Red served me. These details tell me all I need to know about a character.

I loved the epilogue, giving a thorough wrapping up to the characters’ stories. The acknowledgements were great fun too, I always make sure to read them. Cookie Dude sounded like the best cat, and I definitely have an affinity with the author, as I can’t abide beetroot.

I think Long Time Dead is a great debut. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast moving, engaging storyline. Fans of JD Kirk and SJ Richards will love this book, with it’s rich characterisation and strong back story. I’m already looking forward to the author’s second book in the series, This Ends Now, which is being published in October. If you’re looking to start a new police procedural series, you won’t be disappointed by choosing this one.

This was a cracker of a story.

Detective Sheridan Holler has personal demons of her own. At thirteen, her younger brother was murdered and the killer was never found. This was the reason she joined the police. Now a decayed corpse found in a cemetery goes back to a cop killer and the case is opened up once again.

The twists and turns of the enquiry are unimaginable. Every person linked to the case has history and secrets, hidden agendas and much more. You couldn’t put this book down until it was done. Even at the end when suspects were sentenced, and where one felt one had been taken aback enough, a final surprise was revealed from the most innocuous of characters.

I don’t to spoil the surprise factor here but if one does like mystery murders, and police detective stories this is a must.

Seven years ago two women were gunned down outside a Liverpool supermarket, the suspect was believed to be drug dealer John Lively but he was never caught and the case remained unsolved, that is until now, when a body discovered in a cemetery is identified as the missing suspect. DI Sheridan Holler and her team now need to figure out when and why he died but, when new evidence comes to light about the murder weapon, it throws both cases into turmoil. Alongside all this Sheridan is desperate to find out who murdered her brother when he was a child and she won't rest until she does, but these cases must be dealt with first before anyone else is killed.

Long Time Dead is the first in this detective series, it's a multi layered plot with plenty going on and the author throws in a few twists along the way just to keep us readers on our toes. I felt, at first, that it was a bit too descriptive but as the story went on that seemed to settle down, picking up a good pace and I was hooked for the rest of the book. This was more than just a crime novel though, the author injects a certain level of comedy into her writing too, which shone through in the chapters involving Maud, the cat. There are some great characters in this novel, I particularly liked Sheridan and look forward to getting to know her, and the rest of the team, better in the next book. A great read from a new to me author and I can't wait for book two!

I'd like to thank Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

WOW this book Long Time Dead was amazing and I'm so glad I read it as now I have another great author to add to my must read list, its hard to fathom that this is a debut novel as it feels like T. M. Payne has been writing for ages, I could not put it down. All the characters are great and there is plenty of scope to add more to their own stories within future novels and I have to give a shoutout to Maud, although she only has a small part, she totally steals the show for me. Brilliant and roll on the next one.

I loved this book!!! I thought it might be a typical mystery, where I would be able to predict where the author was going with this…NOPE. Easily readable book, flowed really nicely. Seemed choppy at first but then it makes perfect sense later why the book was set up like that.

I LOVED Sheridan. So down to earth, yet brilliant in what she does. Her friendship with Anna was sweet.

Ellie’s character, along with her relationship with Joni, really made me look forward to hearing about them again. It was a very beautiful relationship, one of advocacy and compassion - never giving up despite others’ many failed attempts. Also, I never would’ve guessed where Ellie played into the story…awesome job!

John & Jeff’s characters tho…not what I thought!!! Same with Tom. And geesh, Carly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love love love this book!!!

A Long Time Dead is a fascinating crime thriller that kept me hooked until the very end. The story has a perfect blend of mystery and suspense, and I found myself empathizing with the characters as the plot unfolded. DI Sheridan Holler’s unwavering pursuit of justice, despite numerous roadblocks, is impressive and draws readers into a tangled web of an unforgettable cold case full of dangerous secrets. The book is well-paced, and the author has done an excellent job of creating a full cast of characters. I was left on the edge of my seat unable to put it down, and I am excited to dive into more of this thrilling series.

This book is being voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and T.M. Payne.

Let me just say WOW! You know that feeling when you have just finished a book and you want to read everything the author has ever written? That is me at this moment; I just finished Long Time Dead, the first book in the DI Sheridan Holler Thriller series written by T. M. Payne. I so thoroughly enjoyed it that I hated to stop reading to sleep. DI Sheridan Holler is a single, feisty, respected detective of the Liverpool Police Department. Her life and her parents lives were devastated by the unsloved murder of her her 12 year old brother almost 30 years ago. That tragedy was the driving force in Sheridan's decision to join the force and her commitment to solving his murder has never wavered.
The story begins in December, 1997 when two women entering the supermarket are shot by a runaway driver on a motorcycle. One woman, Kate Armitage, a policewoman died. The other woman, Elle Sands, a local newspaper editor, suffered severe head injuries. After a long hospitalization Ellie was transferred to
a long term nursing home.
Fast forward seven years, and a gravedigger discovers the remains of a body burried on top of a woman who died seven years ago. When Kate and her team begin investigating unsolved missing persons the name John Lively comes up. He had been a local drug user and often appeared on the police radar, especially that of Kate Armitage. Could the body be John Lively? Oh there is so much more to share, but I don't want to give anything away. Suffice to say Long Time Dead is a terrific thriller that will captivate your interest from the first page to the last. It is a fast-paced novel; the sub- plots and characters intriguing- its just a wonderful read. Oh and be sure and read the acknowledgements- they are a hoot. Long Time Dead is the first T.M. Payne work I have read; it will not be my last. Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The book. My review is voluntary and reflects my honest opinion. 5 stars.

In this debut novel, the author does a clever thing- they put you in the middle of a detective already policing and in the middle of a crime spree. So that when the deaths occurs the cemetery, the police are already aware of who the victim is and you get to hear some of the backstory. By contrasting that with the detective search for where the killer of her brother, you get to see a cold case versus a new case. It's clever and that it keeps you reading for a very long time hoping that she's going to solve both cases. Or at least get closer to solving the cold case. This is one you'll be reading long into the night and it's a great new series, don't miss this one!

This is such a great story! A cold case that turns out to be the hottest case in town and nothing is as it seemed to be! Sheridan, a fierceless Detective Inspector, who leads a very close-knit team, is leading the investigation of who is the male found buried in somebody else's grave and discovers that he was accused of killing a Police Officer and injuring a journalist seven years prior. This will unravel a deep conspiracy to cover up theft and murder. Long Time Dead is well-written, with likeable and credible characters, and full of action. Highly recommended!
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
I found this book a little bit slow to start with but once the separate threads started to knit together this Liverpool based crime drama started to gain a faqir old bit of momentum with a number of unseen twists along the way.
Extremely likeable main characters and note that this is hopefully the first of many publications featuring the main character.
Already looking forward to the next one in the series.

The first book I have read from this author. A solid four star read. Great premise. Well written. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. I wouldI definitely would read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

DI Sheridan Holler is called to a crime scene in a cemetery where a body has been uncovered by the grave digger. Who is the murder victim? How did they end up here? How were they killed? This book is updownable and the only reason I stopped was I needed sleep and to recharge the Kindle, lol!! The story is told over several time periods. DI Sheridan Holler, when she was a child, her brother Matthew was killed. Fast forward to the present day, she wants to find the killer. It is a plot full of twists and turns!! It is well written and very descriptive and I could see the locations used in my mind! The characters are well written and I enjoyed their interactions with each other. All the threads from the sub plots were all tied together with a dramatic ending! I highly recommend this book.