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Enjoyed this novel by Stephen Puleston, my first by this writer. Would recommend it to anyone who loves a good murder mystery.

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4* Policing at its finest, but also most selfish where Caren's child is concerned.

OK, so this book follows on immediately from book 1, with the reveal about Caren's late husband getting worse. I can't recall if there was mention in book 1 or this one, if she loved him, but she didn't seem too upset/broken/enraged at the discovery about the full extent of his indiscretion. I'd have been baying for blood! Even her lawyer didn't seem especially quick to action. But, there's going to be some nasty fallout if what she's being told is the truth.

That aside, there's a case to be investigated and that, and the storyline, are done well. But, Caren is a selfish daughter and absent mother, and takes advantage of her parents to be able to do her job. It feels like something is going to have to give at some point. It resonates with the Max Manning Kane and Granger tales in this respect, and there, somethings's definitely about to give. I'd still read more of this series, as it lacks the faux gloss of US detective tales, and keeps it real.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Joffe Books for my reading pleasure.

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My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
A well written Police procedural a clever intelligent mystery, the second book in this series but whilst there are some references to the first book this works as a standalone story. Comes across as an enjoyable old fashioned murder mystery as there is no gruesome description of the crimes. At times the Author is too descriptive for example explaining how our heroine places her used coffee cup between the seats of the car in the cup holder provided, which I did not mind but think some readers would think is over the top.
Recommended.

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Great characters, rich scenery and an author who knows how to paint a picture vividly - this makes for a strong police procedural which balances the pace needed for a good mystery with the depth of back story necessary when establishing a series.

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Death of a Star..
The second outing in the Detective Inspector Caren Waits series and the death of a star actor in a film set in the seaside town of Tenby ignites a series of intense events for the detective. Pacy police procedural with a strong female lead, a well imagined sense of place and an eclectic cast populating the plot. Atmospheric reading.

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A good read,second in this series. Interesting characters who are developing in this second book. Murder mystery with plenty of twists.

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This is the second book in this already great series and I enjoyed as much if not more than the first book. 'The sudden death of national treasure Noah Voce on a film set in Tenby shatters the calm of the seaside town'. And so Detective Inspector Caren Waits is back on the job to find the killer but this case is going to be harder than he expected.

I enjoy the police procedural feel of the book and story, the suspense and the flow of the book and of course I do like Caren Waits. This book is not just about the investigation but also about Caren, learning more about her and her past life which helps the reader to develop an understanding of her and how she works.

Another great book and read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Look forward to the next book in this series. Great writing, great story, intriguing, twisty, suspenseful.

Thank you Netgalley and Highgate Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

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This was almost a DNF for me; as it is, I raced through 50% of it just to get to the end. The book Is difficult to read. Every sentence is written in passive voice. Additionally, I found the plot uninteresting, the characters under-developed, and there was far too much unnecessary detail. I am giving it two stars instead of one because it is an early copy that perhaps will be edited before publication. Also, I hate to give an author only one star because it takes considerable time, effort and dedication to write a book.

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Will definitely go and read the first book after this. This was a refresehing police procedural as it leaned more into dialogue being realistic and less into profanity and "office tension". As with almost all police procedurals, the ending wasn't too unexpected, except for a cliffhanger, but that is what also contributed to it being refreshing.

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This is the second in the Inspector Caren Waits series but can easily be read as a standalone.

The body of Noah Voce, a well-known actor, is found on the set of a film which is being made in Tenby. It’s clearly a suspicious death so Caren and her team are called in to investigate. The problem is that Noah was greatly loved and popular, so why was he killed? While they’re trying to find the killer, another murder occurs.

A great police procedural, highly recommended.

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

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The 2nd book in a good cop series set in Wales. Caren is still trying to balance her new team as well as solve the murders of some actors that came to film in town. Enjoyed this one and now want to read the first one to get a deeper picture of the characters. Highly recommend this book and author.

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I enjoyed this first book in the series and I found this second one to be sharp, shadowy, and full of messy reckonings.

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This is an excellent follow up to the first in the Caren Waits series, set in south Wales. Her team are beginning to settle in and work well together as they investigate the death of a man filming a period drama. I really like the characters, even Alice, as we see their characters develop as the investigation proceeds. I liked the interesting plotting and the pacing was a bit more steady right to the end as the suspense built up. The ending left me wanting to find out what is next in store for Caren on the domestic front. I hope there is a lot more to come in this very promising series and one which I highly recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

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I love this new series by Stephen Puleston which takes one of the police characters from the Inspector Drake series and makes her the protagonist. Caren and her team are so believable, as is her home life, where she has the usual mum guilt of juggling job and child. A great mystery, very well told with a stunning reveal at the very end. Please don’t make me wait too long for the next one.

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This is another excellent addition to the Caren Waits series, and it is all the more enjoyable because I was lucky to have read the first book in the series, The Paxton Tower Murders, only last month.
Again an all engaging main plot, this time set in Tenby, a place I've not been to but now yearn to visit.
When the star of a period drama which is being filmed in the town is found dead in his trailer Caren and her team are met with a baffling cast of suspects all of whom seem to have the perfect alibi. As past secrets are uncovered the twists become more twisty and the turns more turny. The subplot is a delight too, with the characters developing as we learn more about them all and Caren’s past continues to intrigue as we are slowly drip fed the details. No mention of Inspector Drake this time but a cameo appearance of DI John Marco will bring a smile to the author’s fans. A series I admit I'm not familiar with but it's on my wish list
I'm so looking forward to the third book in the series The Swansea Marina Murders so I can catch up with Caren et al again soon.

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This is a new author for me and I enjoyed it. It was a bit slow to start with but it quickly picked up the pace and I was desperate to finish it. I couldn’t put it down yesterday.
I was totally way off in what I thought would happen. This was a good change, as usually I’m pretty good at guessing what was going to happen.
The book finishes on a cliff hanger, and I’m intrigued to see what will happen next.

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I loved the first in the series about Caren Waits and this new episode certainly did not disappoint. Very well written . Lots of backstory which is very much my cup of tea. Had me guessing the ultimate culprit until near end which is a plus. Plenty of suspense throughout. Look forward to the next offering.

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DI Caren Waits returns in The Tenby Harbour Murders, second in this excellent series. Her life has settled down after a dramatic introduction to her new team, her young son is happy in his new school, her husband’s estate is nearly settled except for one unsettling claim and there may be a new man in her life. Then nationally beloved actor Noah Voce is found stabbed to death in his trailer. He, his wife and fellow actors are in historic Tenby to film a period drama. Caren and her team must find a killer among a cast of talented actors and their acquaintances. all with perfect alibis. With intense pressure from her superiors and the press, Caren, Huw, Rhys and Alice work overtime to solve this complicated case. Then there is another murder.

The Tenby Harbour Murders combine a riveting police procedural with the emotional weight of Caren’s personal story. She is a complicated character, so well described that you feel her anxiety as she tries quickly solve a murder while arranging child care, dealing with grief and settling her husband’s will. Tenby, a seaside town on Carmarthen Bay is an atmospheric location. The well executed plot has a final twist that left me wanting more. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Highgate Publishing and Stephen Puleston for this ARC.

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This novel gets off to an interesting start. We are introduced to a Detective Inspector and a bit of her back story and personal circumstances. Her morning routine is immediately cut short by being summoned to a dead body. A celebrity actor is found dead in a trailer adjacent to a filming location in Tenby, South Wales. DI Caren Waits is the Senior officer in charge, aided by her Detective Sergeant and Detective Constables.

This is the second in a series involving Caren who is trying to make a life as normal as possible for her four-year old son despite a demanding job. There appears an overarching backstory to sustain the series in that she has not long been widowed. However, having not read the first I didn’t feel I had missed anything significant.

The dialogue is realistic which is a skill not all authors master. Police and other characters are developed well. Instead of the often-stock characters the characterisation in this story is of realistic people with relatable human feelings and actions. However, there were only 7 uses of the f*** word (one by a police officer!) which is probably less than one would hear in real life. This struck me particularly as some of the characters who seemed angered by the inconvenience of being questioned about the murder/murder victim and others who were uncooperative as far as their engagement with the police did not always curse about their predicament. There is little friction in the investigating team and senior officers are not pressuring the investigation like in other police procedural or dramas so the tension is about the investigation progressing rather than the cliche of police politics (this might not accord with real life police work). However, as a reader I found this refreshing.

I am new to NetGalley reviewing so my inexperience might well be conveyed in the more critical comments as I find my feet! I chose this book for its title as I know Tenby well. The story was delivered chronologically with skill and detail. There was a lot of realist everyday detail in the descriptions. But sometimes unnecessary elements e.g. the name of the road written 'in white paint' as the main character is driving in pursuit of a person of interest and e.g. 2 in her gathering up the rubbish from her car and placing it in the bin in the HQ reception area. This detail was also used in conveying the locational elements which then meant I personally did get distracted on occasion as I kept thinking about whether they were accurate or not!

The narrative flows through the day-by-day police investigation and evening domesticity with the main character's son and her supportive parents. The crimes are solved and their motives become apparent as expected of the traditional whodunnit crime genre. The book ends with a great cliffhanger hook indicating the series is to continue and therefore inviting the reader to stay along for the ride.

Readers of Simon McCleave and Michael Hambling might also enjoy the South Wales police procedural setting.

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The sudden death of national treasure Noah Voce on a film set in Tenby shatters the calm of the seaside town, but for Detective Inspector Caren Waits, it’s only the beginning of a nightmare. Loved by millions, Voce seemed untouchable… until someone silenced him. The cast and crew are tight-lipped while the relentless demands of the press and the looming shadow of PR lawyers keep Caren on a razor's edge. As she battles to keep control of the investigation, she has to deal with the fallout from discovering her late husband had been living a secret life! Good book! This book had suspense, mystery, murder, intrigue, action, great characters, and a few shocking twists and turns! The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! It wasn’t my top favorite but still a very good book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

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