An enjoyable book that tells the story of a miscarriage of justice investigated by 2x private detectives. This is my first time to read a book from this series and while it didn’t take away from the plot, I’d be interested to read previous books in the series to understand the main characters better. Thanks to the author & publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Question of Guilt by Sally Rigby is a recommended procedural/cozy mystery and the seventh book in the Sebastian Clifford series. In this outing private investigators Sebastian (Seb) Clifford and Lucinda 'Birdie' Bird take on investigating a cold case. It can be read as a stand alone novel.

Thirty-six years ago Daryl Brackstone's mother Helen was murdered. Her father, who was convicted for the crime, recently died while still in prison. Daryl never believed her father was guilty. When a true crime podcaster contacted her about her mother's murder, Daryl decided to hire a private investigator to look into the case, which brought her in contact with Seb and Birdie.

The duo decide to take on the case and discover that the police didn't look at anyone but her father and her mother Helen was part of a secretive activist group investigating high-level corruption. Soon the investigators are being targeted which clearly indicates someone has something to hide.

This an even-paced investigative mystery. Clues and information are logically followed as more facts are uncovered in their inquiry, leading the two to further areas to examine. Admittedly, the plot is also very predictable this time. When the opening scene shows the reader that the father was not involved in the murder, it removed the question of guilt and thus some of the tension from the investigation. It might have been a better choice to not start with that scene.

It was entertaining to follow Seb and Birdie looking into the case and see their partnership develop further. Seb's college-aged daughter makes an appearance and is great at assisting with research. The inclusion of Birdie going on a date was a pointless addition to the story and felt like pandering. Personally, I have enjoyed Rigby's other mysteries more. Thanks to Storm for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This was my first Sally Rigby book and so the first book of the series I've read, and what a great introduction it was. Question of Guilt can easily be read as a standalone book as Rigby sets the book up so well.

The book takes us through the private investigation of a murder from 36 years ago that it seems maybe a wrongful conviction. The characters of 'Birdie' and Seb are interesting, individual, and invested in their quest to discover the truth of the case and I look forward to reading more about them.

The flow and pace of the book is great, with just the right balance and drama and emotion. The twists and turns kept me guessing throughout and turning the pages. The reason it wasn't a 5 star review was that I didn't feel gripped, and although the ending wrapped the story up well, it just lacked a certain something.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Sally Rigby for access to the ARC of this great book.

Another great book. This series is great I love characters and each story is great. Thankyou netgalley

Daryl Brackstone’s father died in prison after being incarcerated for several years for the brutal murder of her mother, Helen, a murder she is convinced he did not commit. Desperate to find out the truth, she sought the help of private investigators Sebastian Clifford and Lucinda Bird, aka Birdie, hoping they could uncover the truth surrounding the murder and clear his name.
Soon after they began their investigation, they began to receive threatening messages. It became apparent that Helen was a part of a group investigating local government corruption, and it appeared that she uncovered the names of the people responsible, resulting in her murder.
It soon became apparent that Daryl’s father was innocent. There was a larger force at hand trying to prevent Sebastian and Birdie from finding out the truth, and fearful for their own lives, they had to move full speed ahead to find the killer before they too became the next victims.

This is the latest in the Detective Sebastian Clifford series but can easily be read as a standalone.

Seb and his private investigator partner, Birdie, are contacted by Daryl who wants the historic case of her mother’s murder reopened. Daryl’s father, Wes, was found guilty of the crime and died in prison, but Daryl is convinced that he wasn’t guilty.

As they start investigating, Seb and Birdie find out that Daryl’s mum, Helen, was an activist in a group that was trying to uncover business and council corruption. Then they start receiving threats.

A brilliant and gripping read, the latest instalment in a highly recommended series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Thanks to the Storm and Netgalley for this eARC.

Although I am a huge fan of this publisher and I typically enjoy this author's books, in this case this one was a DNF (did not finish) for me. To many OBVIOUS odd things pointed out "just because he grew flowers, that didn't mean he was corrupt" and "just because the ex police chief wasn't caught for corruption, that didn't mean he hadn't been corrupt". It was like the "See Jane Run" version of a remedial police procedural, I couldn't make it past the 2nd chapter. Definitely not up to the author's typical standards.

4* Probably best if you've read the previous books in this series, but enjoyable even if you've not.

This is a decent tale with 2 sort-of-mismatched colleagues who've left the police force and are now private investigators. The tale is set in the UK, making it more believable for all the (thankfully) lack of gloss.

The cold case they're investigating is well orchestrated and has some pretty sad bits, as well as vindication. Unfortunately the male lead's title and wealth felt a bit token, as did the goes-nowhere bisexuality of the female lead (cosy-mystery style, so a sort of nearly-start of a possible relationship, that consists of a public date, so no sex). Still, neither aspect would stop me reading more of the series. The male lead's daughter, part of the investigative team, was possibly the most interesting character of all, and I'd definitely be up for reading more about her.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my reading pleasure.

I requested this book because I enjoy detective fiction and hadn’t heard of the author before. The characters are interesting and believable and likeable, love the inclusion of Labrador Elsa too. The story was well written and although at times I struggled to remember who was who that was more about me than the quality of writing 😉. Not a particularly long story which suited me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve already bought the rest of this series.

I had not read any in this series but I do enjoy all of the author's Cornwall Murder Mysteries series.
A daughter hires the team to reopen the case of her mother's death in which her father was convicted and died after many years in prison. Daughter is positive that he was innocent and that the police investigation was tainted. I was pleased with author's management of the contrast between Sebastian's fantastic ability to sight memorize and Birdie's police colleague Twiggy's incipient dementia which does not yet compromise his abilities to be effective. Very interesting characters, plot, and twists I never saw coming.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Pub Date Jun 12, 2025
#QuestionofGuilt by @sally.rigby.author #DetectiveSebastianCliffordBk7 @stormbooks_co #crimefiction #Englishmidlands #privateinvestigator #murderinvestigation #localLEOs #coldcase #corruption #excop #greed #bookbub #goodreads #librarything #thriller #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk

An exciting mystery that gripped me from start to finish!

I don’t usually write reviews, but I just had to for this one. This was my very first cold case investigation, and oh my goodness, what a way to start! Sebastian and Birdie are an absolutely brilliant duo — clever, determined, and full of heart. They pulled me right into a decades-old murder mystery from the 1980s that had more twists than a country backroad.

The case itself was gripping: a man accused of murdering his wife, and finding out the secrets of what happened took great investigating.. Watching Sebastian and Birdie unravel the threads of this chilling case was nothing short of mesmerizing. I couldn’t put the book down — I stayed up way too late just to see how it all turned out!

The 1980s setting added a fascinating layer to the story, from the old video cassette tapes to dusty files and diaries and the way the way they pieced it all together — I felt like I was right there beside them, uncovering the truth one clue at a time.

If you’ve never read a cold case mystery before, this is the one to start with. I’m hooked now and will definitely be on the lookout for more investigations from this duo. I give this five stars without hesitation due to Author Sally Rigby — it’s a page-turner with brains, heart, and a hauntingly good mystery!

This was a gripping cold-case thriller that had strong character development. It is party of Sally Rigby's Detective Sebastian Clifford series. It followers private investigators and former detectives taking on an ice cold case. I recommend.

Sebastian Clifford and Lucinda ‘Birdie’ Bird are tasked with finding out why a lady’s mother (Helen) was murdered approximately 30 years ago. She never believed her father killed her mother and want them to find out the truth.

As they dig into this very cold case, they discover Helen was involved in an activist group investigating high-level corruption and this could possibly be the reason she was killed. As their case progresses, they are threatened and so they know they are on the right track. Not only do they discover corruption involving public officials, but also in the police force.

I liked the storyline of this one and it had a great start, which really drew me into the story. What a way to die! Helen was so innocent in her thinking and that is what makes it even more horrible that she died. Birdie is finally maturing in this book and not as late as she always was in the previous books. Plus, she doesn’t seem to tease Seb about his background as much. I am curious as to why Seb doesn’t date and thought he might start something with the podcaster, but nope. I’m still on the fence about how I feel about his daughter, but she doesn’t really affect the stories much as she doesn’t play a significant role in them. She is good in assisting in research for them.

After receiving this ARC, I immediately read the previous six stories and enjoyed each one of them. I like how the relationship between Seb and Birdie has grown and the other characters that come in and out of each story, namely Birdie’s previous police partner, Twiggy. I hope there are more books in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although these characters have appeared in earlier books, there is enough information for it to work as a standalone. Seb and Birdie investigate a murder that happened 26 years ago. Through good sleuthing and research, they manage to solve the case and convict the perpetrator. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two characters, as well as the other people. The way they approach different people who might know something is really well done. I hope there is more to come as I found this book a wonderful read and cleverly put together. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a copy to read and review this book.

Daryl Brackstone enlists the expertise of private investigators Sebastian Clifford and Lucinda ‘Birdie’ Bird to unravel the circumstances surrounding her mother's murder, a case that has remained unresolved for over three decades. Daryl's father, wrongfully convicted of the crime, passed away in prison, yet she maintains his innocence. As Seb and Birdie probe into the case, they uncover that Helen Brackstone, Daryl's mother, was affiliated with a clandestine activist group investigating high-level corruption, further complicating their inquiry.

This novel had engaging characters with a dynamic partnership between Seb and Birdie, who effectively balance professionalism with relatable personas. The investigation is supported by a well-paced plot that maintains suspense. Although part of a series, the novel functions effectively as a standalone work, enabling a new reader to connect with the characters and their histories seamlessly. I found the novel to be
compelling and emotionally impactful. It has suspense, good character development and would be a good read for anyone that loves a good mystery.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars

I studiously follow the Cornwall mystery of this author. Knowing its potential, I decided to read 'Question of Guilt', a completely different series. Well, I found it to be a good comfortable read.

A 35 year old cold case comes up for the pair Seb and Birdie and as they dig in, they unearth a grave of corruption and intimidation. I found both characters quite pleasing and the interactions were fun. Although the case was quite basic, I liked that its simplicity was well written keeping the intrigue of the plot. Maybe the ease with which it was solved made it a bit unbelievable.

Overall this was pleasant vacation read. I give this book 3.5 stars. I thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoy this authors writing and have read some of her previous novels.
I did not know this book was part of a series, and I hadn't read any others in the series but this definitely worked as a standalone.

Sebastian Clifford and his partner Lucinda 'Birdie" Bird run a private investigation company. They are hired by a woman to investigate a crime that took place 36 yrs ago. The woman's mother was murdered and her father was charged with the crime and imprisoned for life. Her father passed away in prison. The woman believes that her father is innocent and wants Sebastian and Birdie to expose the corruption that took place during the investigation all those years ago.

Question of Guilt kept me turning the pages with its emotional tale of a daughter desperate to clear her father’s name and uncover the truth behind her mother’s decades-old murder. I found myself fully invested. And I love the name "Birdie" :) .

Thank you to @Netgalley @Stormpublishing & Sally Rigby for the opportunity to read and give my honest opinion.
Pub Date: June 12, 2025

Another case for private investigators Sebastian Clifford and ‘Birdie’ Bird. Decades ago Daryl Brackstone’s father was convicted of murdering her mother, but has now died in prison. She is convinced that he was innocent and asks that Sebastian and Birdie investigate the evidence. As they dig deeper they discover that the police had not been as thorough as they should have been in their investigation and that Helen Brackstone had been involved in a secret activist group.
It’s another excellent book in the series, lots of twists and turns and it kept me guessing until the end.

This was an really good read. It is book number 7 in a series. I had no previously read the other books and was able to read this as a stand alone book with no issues.

In this book Sebastian Clifford and his partner Lucinda 'Birdie" Bird run a private investigation company. They are hired by a woman to investigate an old crime that took place thirty-six years ago. The woman's mother was murdered and her father was charged with the crime and imprisoned for life. He had died prior to this. The woman believes that her father is innocent and wants Sebastian and Birdie to expose the corruption that took place during the investigation. This was a great read and really kept my attention.

I have not read this series before, but will be looking out for more. Well defined and memorable characters and a great plot n