A really great British police procedural and murder mystery. Lots of twists, amazing characters. I couldn't put this book down, it was always "just one more chapter". The discovery of one long dead body leading to an old murder case that had already been solved but actually wasn't! Good police work that gets the story straight in the end. Loved the 'come uppance' at the end. I hope there'll be more books about Sheridan and her team.

When a gravedigger digs up the skeletal remains of a male victim at a cemetery, DI Sheridan Holler and her colleague DS Anna Markinson with the Hale Street Police Station are called in to investigate.

The body was buried atop a coffin of a female who died several years earlier. The grave was reopened because her husband recently passed away and they were meant to be buried beside each other.

The victim is later identified as John Lively, a man who shot an off-duty police officer and another female in a supermarket seven years ago. Fortunately, the unknown female survived but the cop didn’t.

Soon after the shooting John Lively disappeared and is still wanted in connection with the shooting.

Apparently John Lively was shot to death and has been dead for seven years. Its now up to DI Sheridan Holler and her team to find out how John ended up buried in a cemetery.

Meanwhile DI Sheridan Holler’s still looking into a cold case involving her brother Andrew Holler who was murdered when he was fourteen years old.

Overall, this is an enjoyable detective story with engaging characters, an interesting plot, and terrific pacing. Would recommend


Thank you to T. M. Payne, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc of this book.

A good start to a new series featuring DI Sheridan Holler an her team. The Liverpool based detective works on a tricky case linked to the death of a police officer. The prime suspect was missing from the time of the incident - and then his body turns up. But the story turns out to be far more complex than first appears.

Long Tome Dead is well plotted with some good character development. Holler is a good lead, although the story of her brother's death in childhood feels a little cliched. And there's far too much about her girlfriend's cat.

The ending has surprises, with the original events replayed in flashback so the reader discovers exactly what happened. It's well done and draws the main story arc to a good conclusion.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 1st March 2024. Initially, it took me a while to get into this book but when I did wow what a book it was full of suspense and my favourite character was DI Holler. It was a great police procedural with loads poignant moments that made me think of it long after I finished the book. I can’t wait to see more from this author!

Seven years after a shooting that killed a police officer and left another woman severely disabled, the body of the man suspected to have shot them is found. Detective Sheridan Holler and her team investigate. I enjoyed this and look forward to more in this series. 4 stars.

A great read. An action packed police procedural with several twists along the way. I like the characters , the detectives are well rounded individuals . The plot is set in different timeperiods but does all come together (well mostly) . I liked the descriptions, the way that conversations are written. It all just reads so easily and although the crimes do provoke a feeling of sadness, they do seem realistic, as does the investigation into the crimes.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. I will definately look for more from this author

Long Time Dead a Detective Sheridan Holler by T. M. Payne is the first book in this new series.

A cold case that’s no longer cold. A suspect who’s been murdered. A silenced witness. Long Time Dead starts off intense and keeps you glued to the pages.

DI Sheridan Holler is used to solving crimes on Liverpool’s streets, but after a decayed corpse turns up in a cemetery, she finds herself reopening not one but two cold cases. Seven years earlier, two women were gunned down and the only suspect, small-time drug dealer John Lively, was never seen again. Case closed. Until the body in the cemetery is identified as his.

Can DI Holler put the puzzle together before anyone else dies?

There were some sad moments in the book. The epilogue was so good, as it really brought everything together and answered my questions.

I did fall in love with these characters, and the story allowed me to escape from daily life for a while.

I am looking forward to more in this series. I would recommend this book and this author.

#LongTimeDead #NetGalley @AmazonPub

This is a great read! Based in Liverpool, DI Sheridan Holler has to solve multiple random murders..... or are they ....?

Really clever, complex storyline. Can´t wait to read the next installment!

Highly recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Long Time Dead is book one in the Detective Sheridan Holler by T. M. Payne.
I’m so excited for this series. It’s going to be such a great one.
The story is pacy and well written. The characters were well developed.
The story telling and the descriptions were so vivid and compelling that I could see everything happening in my minds eye, it also kept me guessing right up to the end.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is the first book in a police series featuring D I Sheridan Holler set in Liverpool. The plot is excellent, I was gripped from the first page. So many strands to the story and some wonderful twists. The characters are well drawn and the good guys are very engaging.
My only gripe with the book (and it's a very petty one) is a geographical one. The book is "set" in Liverpool, but it's not the Liverpool I know. Street names are made up and the accuracy of some of the descriptions are a bit off. If I wasn't a local, this wouldn't be a problem as it doesn't impact on the story in any way. Having said that, I'm very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I have just read this wonderful book in an afternoon - so good I couldn’t put it down. It was marvellous to read a ‘British book’ and appreciate all the frames of reference and even more marvellous to read one with a great story, characters to care about and elements of humour. Police procedural, murder & crime at it’s best.

This book is a show stopper - one I would give to my friends. I would buy multiple copies of this book for people! After reading plenty of thrillers it takes a lot these days for me to not work out the ending but this one totally got me.

Another detective story which I really enjoyed. I loved the writing style, the storyline and all the suspense, twists and turns till the end when the mystery was solved. I loved it! My favourite type of book I love to read.

I really enjoyed this book. The body of the suspect in a shooting is found in a graveyard, and the case is reinvestigated by police officers Sheridan and Anna. They are assisted by Joni, a worker in a care home, and her friend and flatmate Sam. These characters are all great, and there is a lot of humour in the dialogue. The plot is good, with lots of twists and revelations along the way.
highly recommended.

DI Sheridan Holler hopes that she and her team will be able to enjoy a quiet Christmas season in Liverpool are dashed when a gravedigger finds a skeleton that definitely doesn’t belong in his cemetery. Assumptions about the case begin to fall apart under Sheridan’s investigation, and because of a care home worker who is trying to understand the so far incomprehensible words uttered by a gunshot victim. Sheridan has a great rapport with her team, and it’s a pleasure to read a police procedural where the officers respect and like their DCI because he supports them. The inclusion of Sheridan’s personal life and how it has shaped her career choice promise to be part of future books in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for introducing this new series to me with an ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed it.




to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for introducing this new series to me as an advance reading copy, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

this is a new author for me and this first book in series is amazing. the story pulls you in from page one. Detective Sheridan Holler. has never forgotten her brother who was murdered they never found the killer.so she joined the force. to help others. Garry Lee is getting a grave ready. And he finds a body on the top. and its John Lively who killed a police officer and a woman who survived. but in a nursing home Joni works at that nursing home and looks after that victim Ellie. Its Sheridan and her team that has to put everything together. there a lot of twists and turns a very gripping read so looking forward to book 2. so recommend

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.
Wow, I absolutely loved this book, wish I could give it more than 5 stars!
DI Sheridan Holler is one of a cast of very likeable characters. I enjoyed the relationships between the many 'good guys' and hated the few bad ones. And I laughed at Maud, the cat, sooo cute!
The story is terrific, as is the way it's presented. It's clever, surprising and absolutely absorbing. And it has a lot of heart. I just can't say enough about it, it's that good. Hopefully there are many more in this series, because this first one is awesome. Highly recommended!

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, bad cops, good cops, a fantastic who done it, great police work, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my Kindle! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!