Remain Silent

Given the recent news re immigrants this book rings true

Going back to work part time in a cold case department Manon Bradshaw is not quite prepared for what she is theown into after discovering a body hanging from a tree

Quite hard to get into at first but preserve and your in for a gripping read

I have loved both of the previous books in this series, and this did not disappoint one iota. An excellent who dun it, together with Mason Bradshaws uniqueness throughout

I just hope that Susie regains her health and is able to delight us with another instalment

Absolutely brilliant, the best book so far in this wonderful series! If you haven't discovered DI Manon Bradshaw, you are missing out!

Your world feels like it's is falling apart and new anxieties creep in hourly but work has to be prioritised, murders continue and life must go on. Manon is the ultimate characterisation of the middle aged working mother carying the weight of the world in her handbag and carrying on regardless. A fascinating and compelling story exploring very current people trafficking and societal change issues.

This book is magnificent. It should be thrust into the hands of anyone who ever says, ‘Ahh, it’s JUST genre fiction.’ On the bones of a very solid and satisfying police procedural is built an earthy and honest tragedy, laced with comedy and insight into the mess that is modern life, humanity, relationships and society. The novel highlights and brings to life the painful truths about people trafficking and everyday racism that lie behind the headlines and placards. By taking us into the heads of individuals living the daily reality, it avoids easy platitudes about good and bad, right and wrong, to show the full ugly mess of lives destroyed by prejudice and exploitation. The situation and every one of the characters is achingly real - and Manon is the most fabulously real of all. (I want her to be my best friend.) The writing is beautiful and clever, using just the right words to put you right there. Whilst shining a spotlight on so much that is crap about humanity and the world, it leaves you hopeful.

Great to be back in the cynical, black-humoured company of Manon Bradshaw. She tells it as is it, leaves no details unspoken and through the awfulness of modern society and criminal activity, still finds humour and compassion. There were passages of this book about modern-day slaves from Lithuania that were difficult to read and it all turned out quite differently from what I expected but the characterisation is excellent and the tale very relevant. The setting being my own patch makes it even interesting. Fingers crossed tightly that we get more in this series, thoughts and best wishes go to Susie Steiner.

I love the character of DI Manon Bradshaw. She’s normal. She makes mistakes, has rows and has a chaotic family life to deal with on top of her police work. Remain silent was a thrilling read as a crime novel, but also highlighted so much about relationships and how to cope with adversity. The descriptions of the appalling work and living conditions of the Lithuanians were harrowing and made the reader reflect on how such practices can take place. A great read which I’d thoroughly recommend.

This gripping and well written novel is the third in the brilliant DI Manon Bradshaw series. Shockingly, while out in a country park with her young son Teddy, Manon finds a man hanging from a tree. This proves to be Lukas Balsys, a Lithuanian migrant worker, whose gang master Edikas is brutal. Is it suicide or murder? Detective Chief Superintendent Glenda McBain(ofherlife) instructs Manon to find out. The ensuing investigation is a very challenging one as Manon struggles with some personal issues and demons.

First of all, Manon! I just love her and I’m contemplating remodelling myself and channeling her she actually says the things that on occasion I’d dearly love to!!😂. She’s funny, so funny, loyal, very good at her job though she doubting herself and is feeling somewhat bleak, she doesn’t tolerate fools, she’s loose lipped, wide hipped, a bit misanthropic, ambivalent, impatient and so darned entertaining and never, ever dull!!! As a lead character I think she’s one of the best and I love the banter with DS Davy Walker who is another terrific character. The rest of the team are excellently crafted even Glenda McDifferentAgenda, who is a brilliant foil for Manon. Mark, her partner, son Fly (divine) and son Teddy (utterly gorgeous) are fabulous too.

The setting of the East Anglian Fens is so appropriate for this relevant inquiry. The big moody, atmospheric skies of this fertile, flat landscape matches the tone of this investigation into this dreadfully exploited, abused Lithuanian gang of workers with their crazy long hours of backbreaking work with zero hour contracts and below minimum wage. Everyone who reads this should feel anger and shame. The writing is gritty and doesn’t hang back as it shouldn’t. There are twists and turns as the team alongside the Fenland Exploitation Team and the desperate situation they uncover is peppered with Manon humour. The Bradshaw School of Motoring Etiquette for instance, is hilarious and I think the humour is very cleverly used as when you read the awfulness they find it forces a sharp intake of breath.

Overall, another brilliant book from the amazing Susie Steiner and just like the previous two books, I could barely tear myself away from this one. Highly recommended.

With very big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the privilege of the ARC.

I remember thoroughly enjoying the 1st book in this series so I was delighted to find a 3rd had been written. Manon is still a wonderful character. The Lithuanian storyline is truly well written and it breaks my heart to think that this really goes on. I only wish Manon were real.

DI Manon Bradshaw is a brilliantly created character: middle-aged, carrying extra pounds, knackered and horribly self-critical. Readers of her generation will certainly relate to her daily niggles and concerns. However, with the aging process comes the confidence to speak out more at work, to highlight crazy bureaucracy and hypocrisies – and she’s very funny too! At home Manon’s going through another sort of mid-life crisis. Does she still love her partner, Mark; is this all there is til death us do part? And then the possibility of death arises and Manon has never felt more desperate to be with him.
Whilst Manon is very much at the centre of this novel, Susie Steiner’s latest police procedural deals with important topical issues. ‘Remain Silent’ exposes the dreadful living conditions of imported agricultural workers who are no more than slaves. The police are keen to arrest their gang masters but the latter are so ruthless that the labourers are terrified into silence. Set in the Fens, it is easy to imagine that the descriptions Steiner gives us are very close to reality. And the rise of nationalism, hand in hand with outright racism, produces some very ugly scenes on the streets of Wisbech. Steiner’s epigraph is a quotation from The Times of 1853 which hails the UK as ‘the asylum of nations and it will defend that asylum to the last ounce of its treasure and last drop of its blood.’ How very sad that not everyone thinks like this anymore.
This novel should appeal to a wide audience. Steiner’s assured plotting ensures that those keen to be hooked by a ‘whodunnit’ are led down a variety of paths before the final reveal. Those who enjoy strong, realistic female characters need look no further than Manon and anyone who has wondered who takes on all the back-breaking jobs that no one else wants, and at what cost, will learn much from this story. And then there’s the Acknowledgements. It’s unnerving to see that the theme of loss that runs through the novel continues into the author’s life. Rather like Manon, Steiner is currently in a position where the future looks uncertain. Heart-breaking.
My thanks to NetGalley and The Borough Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read other books by Susie and thoroughly enjoyed them. This had a layer of depth to it that most crime fiction doesn’t; an element of truth of the current unrest and political upheaval that affects the average persons life. The story itself was so bloody sad. Heartbreaking at times. I didn’t pick it. I’m looking forward to her next book, and wishing her a speedy recovery.

I have loved this series from the start, and was really excited to get the third book with DI Manon Bradshaw. Without a doubt this series just gets better and better.

Manon is out walking with her young son Teddy, in a country park, when she finds a man hanging from a tree. It is found the person hanging is from Lithuania, Lucas Balsys, he is a migrant worker, being used by the brutal gang master Edikas. Manon now has to find out if this was suicide or murder.

Manon finds this to be a tough investigation as she struggles with personal issues and some demons. I think from book one Manon has been a great character, it’s great to have seen her grow, I love her relationship with DS Davy Walker. The banter always flows. Manon knows how to be witty, she is brilliant at her job. I have just thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all the characters and hope this will continue. The story is told through various points of view, mostly Manon, but the other characters help to make the story work, and it works well.

This story hi lights the exploitation of Lithuanian workers, who are put on zero hour contracts, below minimum wage, for back breaking work, along with appalling living conditions. The story seems adequately relevant to the times we are living in.

I highly recommend this book just to read about Manon Bradshaw again, i absolutely love her humour. I loved the first two books and this one is another great one

I would like to thank #netgalley and #HarperCollinsPublishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

I love the Manon Bradshaw series she is such a real character sometimes funny and so normal .She is now married to Mark with a small child Ted and of course Fly who she has adopted .Manon is back at work on Cold Cases when she is out walking with Ted and finds a man hanging from a tree .She is put back in charge of the case with her old team .I had no idea that male migrant workers were treated so badly quite shocking really .This book is gripping and fast paced full of Manon's sarcasm and humour which I love .I really enjoyed this book but I was very sad to read in the Acknowledgements of the Authors ill health and I wish her well .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

Susie Steiner's latest addition to her superb DI Manon Bradshaw of Cambridgeshire police is pure gold. Steiner invests Manon with the emotional truths, realities, and ennui of a middle aged woman, the constant fatigue, the chaotic tensions of family life with a hyperactive two year old toddler, Teddy, with the joys and maturity of her adopted black teen son. Fly, doing his GCSEs, and trying to keep a relationship alive with partner, Mark, particularly with the stresses of his cancer diagnosis. Working a 3 day week focusing on cold cases, should, in theory, make a work life balance easier, but as we observe, it ain't necessarily so, particularly when she becomes SIO of a ambiguous investigation of a man she finds hanging in a tree on a walk with her son, Teddy, a strange note is left at the scene that suggests it could be murder rather than suicide.

The victim is a Lithuanian migrant trapped by the inhuman slavery operated by illegal gangmasters who refuse to pay and confiscate passports, providing accommodation unfit for humans, creating a climate of fear and threats that has made it impossible for a police operation to get victims to turn evidence on the likes of the sadistic and abusive Edikas Petrov. The misery of the working conditions the Lithuanians live under is harrowing, cruel and horrifying, working all hours, moving from job to job, their lives at risk, with their families back home under threat if they fail to comply with orders or consider escaping. If all that is not enough, their terrors are exacerbated further with the intense febrile atmosphere of racism, with local hostility whipped up by swivel-eyed maniacs compelled to spew out their hatred, knee jerk reactions, and ignorant opinions in a political climate that grant them a gravitas and respect that makes a mockery of any concept of decency, or rationality.

If it wasn't for Manon's wit, banter, humour and spot on snark, I would have found the horrors of the plight of the migrant workers just too unbearable, not to mention the despair I feel at the rise of anti-immigrant populism in the country. She is a joy to accompany through the darkest of narratives, having to handle the ambition, incompetencies and ego of her over promoted boss, the woefully incompetent and good for nothing Nigel, whilst her relationship with the able DS Davy Walker, under the stress of wedding preparations, illustrates the depth of their friendship and loyalty to each other. Particular Manon highlights for me were her confrontation with Peter at his office, he is planning to leave her best friend, Bryony, and their children and I had hysterics over Bradshaw's School of Motoring Etiquette. This is superior British crime fiction, and if you haven't read any of the series, you are seriously missing out. In a world gone mad, this book is the tonic you need. Do I really need to say I highly recommend this??? Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

Remain Silent by Susie Steiner begins with the discovery of the hanging body of Lithuanian migrant worker Lucas Balsys. Suspecting that it might be the work of of a serial killer D.I. Manon Bradshaw is given the case to investigate.. From there on it's a story or exploitation,prejudice and the effect of mass migration and racist rhetoric on a small town, in this case Wisbech but a similar tale could be set almost anywhere in Britain today. The loneliness, broken dreams and the grip on those sucked into modern slavery by evil gangsters is related with punches pulled as is Ms Steiner's obvious contempt for a certain very divisive politician who makes an appearance here thinly disguised under a different name.
Aside from the actual crime Manon Bradshaw's personal life,thoughts and opinions are a very big a part of this book as she struggles with age,family life and disillusionment with her job. Manon is no vera being an opinionated, sweary lady and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments,not least from the conversations between her and her friend Bryony .
Parts of the book deem seem exceptionally gloomy, Manon's partner is seriously ill and towards the end of the book it appears she's at the start of something possibly life-changing herself . I was wondering why then I finished the book and read the "Acknowledgements" and it appears Ms Steiner herself has been ,and possibly still is, affected by something really nasty herself so perhaps a touch of autobiographical influence..
I really enjoyed the book, it's dark at times,very funny at others and Manon is a fantastic character. Hopefully the book will make people think about the invisible people that work in the car washes, pick our fruit and work on our farms and realise that they're often victims of some seriously evil people and deserve compassion,not contempt and even hatred from some quarters.
A great read that sadly is probably the last Manon Bradshaw book.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK, Netgalley and above all Susie Steiner,who I wish a long life and best wishes with her medical problems, for the ARC in return for an honest review.

#RemainSilent #NetGalley
Crime Fiction at its best.
Lukas Balsys’s body is found hanging from a tree. No one knows whether its a suicide or murder. DI Manon is called to investigate the case but upon investigating the crime scene, she comes to know that she's dealing with not so simple case.
This is a crime fiction at its best with a heart wrenching plot and dialogues. Its characters were intriguing and funny sometimes. It covers many issues that occur in small areas and description of everything is great.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advance copy.

I'd read and enjoyed the first 2 books in the Manon Bradshaw series and really enjoyed them - so when I saw Marian Keyes mentioned on Twitter that a third was coming out in May, I immediately saw if it was available for request on NetGalley - and it was!
Here is the blurb.
"The body of a young migrant is found hanging from a tree.
No signs of struggle. No indication that it is anything other than a tragic suicide.
Except for a note, pinned to his trousers, that reads ‘The dead cannot speak’.
A murder investigation begins with DI Manon Bradshaw at the helm. But with the other migrants unwilling to speak, and protests on the streets, hatred is starting to drown out the facts.
Can Manon uncover the truth before it happens again?"
I think this might just be my favourite of all of the Manon Bradshaw books - it is great!
As usual it twists and turns with a police investigation - along with the private lives of the police too. Manon's homelife is also undergoing turmoil as her partner has a cancer diagnosis and she has a teenager and toddler to cope with too. I loved this side of it - and my favourite quote has to be 'I'd rather boil my head in oil than home school' - a statement with which I completely concur and is particularly relevant in the current climate! (It also reminds me of when I was taking our son to hospital in an ambulance when he was about 3 and had a nasty head injury, and the paramedic asked if I worked or was a stay at home Mum - and I replied 'I couldn't be a stay at home Mum, I'd kill one of them'. Whoops.)
Anyway - back to the book.
Essentially it's an investigation of a death which looks like a suicide - except for a note on the body which makes it look more like murder.
However, it's not just a murder investigation - it looks at the treatment of Eastern European migrants in Wisbech and their interaction with the 'locals' and how they are treated by their gangmasters. It feels worryingly relevant and there are definite similarities between some of the people in the book and famous people in the media (mentioning no names!) .
It is clever, and twists and turns - and I think is my favourite of the Manon books. I would thoroughly recommend it when it comes out in May.
I don't always read the acknowledgements at the end of the book - but I am so glad I did in this instance. Just after submitting the original manuscript for this book, Susie Steiner was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumour. Sadly I know more than I would like to about GBMs - as our friends' son died from one when he was just 11 years old - 17 months after diagnosis. The acknowledgements are really moving - and whilst it is clear Susie has a fabulous support network - her fear of the b*stard brain tumour is also evident. When she said that she didn't know if she'd still be here for the publication of the book it was just so very very sad. I was pleased that a quick Twitter search shows Susie is still here and normal life (ranting at TfL, toilet paper purchasing) is still ongoing. And the fight goes on to find a cure for this horrific disease that kills more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer - and yet has historically only received 1% of the national spend on cancer research.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


It has always surprised me that crime fiction is often treated as a poor relation of literature, literary fiction, or whatever genre is arbitrarily applied to the 'truly great novel'. If you have read any of Susie Steiner's previous novels you will know that this author writes truly great books, full stop. There is an authenticity and cerebral edge to Steiner's novels that is rarely seen in other novels, crime fiction or otherwise. Take 'Remain Silent' for example. It is many things: a police procedural, tick, a thriller, tick, and a story with violence and death at the heart of its perfectly executed plot.. All are apt descriptions of this compelling story, with the dark underbelly of racism in Brexit Britain as its central propelling force. It is the contemporary social realism, richly described and nuanced, that make Susie Steiner a true master of her craft. Almost anyone can write about gratuitous violence, but not everyone can write about a world we sadly recognise and throw in an engrossing 'fictionalised' mystery to boot. This is what you have with 'Remain Silent'. Though it revolves around the death of a young, Lithuanian migrant, the subsequent police investigation which follows, it is the richly evoked contemporary backdrop of the crime that makes this story throb with a certain sad realism. Only Steiner could pull this off with such aplomb, and yes, sensitivity. Thought provoking and compelling -I only wish I could give this novel more than 5 stars.

This is a gripping and well written novel. It’s the first I am reading from Susie Steiner but this is the third in the series DI Manon Bradshaw series. Despite this, I did not struggle to read it without having read the previous books.

DI Bradshaw is out in a park with her son when she finds a man hanging from a tree. He is identified as Lukas, a migrant worker involved in a gang. Now DI Bradshaw, with the help of her team, need to figure out if this was a suicide or a murder.

The investigation is dark and at times difficult to read but DI Bradshaw funny personality makes it far more manageable and turns it into such a better reading!
Her personality is fantastic and I truly enjoyed seeing her loyalty and her “no filter” attitude. Her relationship with DI Walker is fascinating!

The setting is really atmospheric and so appropriate for the book, that narrates a dark and upsetting story. The writing is raw and so to the point. There are twists and turns as the team uncovers the truth.

Overall, a really good book that I quite enjoyed! I’m looking forward to reading the previous books from this author.

I would like to end up by thanking Netgalley and Harper Collins Uk for the opportunity to read this fantastic book prior to its publishing date.

An interesting and enjoyable story that keeps you involved from the beginning right through until the final page. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this genre.

An utterly engrossing and poignant book made all the more sad by the Acknowledgments at the end.
I have loved both of Susie Steiner’s Manon Bradshaw books; they have made me laugh out loud on many occasions. This one feels darker and more complex somewhat. Manon is battling middle-age, overworked and struggling with her home life. A bombshell rocks her and Mark’s relationship and the way this is handled brilliantly.
This book works on so many levels. It is a great police procedural book, a gripping and realistic story about immigrants and racism and a wonderful character analysis of what it is to be a woman and human.
It felt like an ending of sort but I hope and pray that Manon and Susie come back to us soon.
Thanks to NetGalley and The Borough Press for letting me read it.

An enjoyable read and a topical subject. Well written and well thought out.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Having been a big fan of the previous two novels featuring DS Manon I was thrilled to see that a third was on the way. Remain Silent however has its focus on immigration, not my favourite subject for a crime thriller in part because of the very nature of the limited shades of grey that the bigots that inhabit the pages are made up of. But, here is an author that used this as a backdrop and had me absolutely transfixed. If anything this is my favourite of all three of Susie Steiner's books.

The house of multi occupancy with a brutal gang master in charge of the Lithuanians who have been tricked into believing they were heading for a better life, only to end up catching chickens from 4 am in the morning, is enlivened by the author's piercing eye for detail on life, love and loss. With such a clever turn of phrase and populated by characters that everyone will have met, this book (and series) delivers on a level that is so very satisfying.

In an unusual turn the acknowledgements are unlikely to undo every reader who like me marvels at the talent of Susie Steiner, with the sad news that shortly after submitting this draft to her publishers that she was diagnosed with an agressive brain tumour - thankfully she is still tweeting away but I for one feel such compassion and yet all I can do is to thank her for adding something special to my life with the stories of DS Manon.

This is the third novel in the DI Manon Bradshaw series but could also be read as a standalone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is bang up to date and is a very well written compelling read.

Highly recommended!

A third outing for Manon Bradshaw and her chaotic family life: this is definitely for readers who enjoy the soap opera of characters' personal lives, not just a police investigation. There have been a lot of crime novels featuring migrant workers and racism: it might be horribly contemporary but it's just a little tired as a plot. Still, Steiner's dry humour, wit and empathy raise the bar on much of the genre, and Manon's observations and one-liners are to die for!

This is the third book featuring D.S. Manon Bradshaw, following on from “Missing, Presumed,” and “Person Unknown.” I enjoyed both of those novels and this is, I am pleased to say, just as good.

One of the things I love most about this series are the characters, who are both realistic, and sympathetic, and you really care about their difficulties and problems. Manon is now happily settled with Mark, adopted son, Fly and her young toddler, Teddy. Life has had its ups and downs, but, like so many women, Manon is pulled between home and work. Fly is having issues at school, Teddy demands her attention and Mark is unwell. Meanwhile, she becomes involved in a new case when she stumbles across the body of a young, Lithuanian man, hanging in a tree, when she takes Teddy to the park.

This is a book dealing with some very difficult issues – the terrible conditions faced by many migrant workers, nationalism, populist politics, the threat of illness and more. However, Steiner has a deft touch and dark humour, which meant that I enjoyed every page of this book. Having read the author’s note at the end of this book, I can only say that I am sure all her readers send their best wishes. Steiner is only a very talented author, but a strong and resourceful woman – much like her central character, who I look forward to meeting again. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

I am always waiting impatiently for the next book from Susie Steiner. I loved her two previous books featuring police detective Manon . Her writing is so good and I just think her characters are so realistic and true to life. As we follow Manon and her side kick Davy investigating murders of East European workers, we also delve into their daily lives with all their ups and downs. This book moves at a good pace and you cannot help but engage with the lives of the characters. I think these books are so enjoyable because they show true to life characters which we can sympathise with. I am now waiting impatiently for the next book! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy this book.

This was my first encounter with Officer Manon Bradshaw and what an electric encounter it was! Tough, doesn’t suffer fools gladly and tells it like it is.
The story was pacy and a real page turner. A storyline that, in the times in which we live, is potentially all too possible. There was a real feeling of desperation for our characters in search of a new life that all too often, doesn’t live up to the reality.
I thought the thread running through the story of Manon’s and her colleagues personal lives, just made it all that more real. Life as it is.
Powerful and a compelling read.

A young migrant is found hanging from a tree with a note pinned to him saying: ‘The dead cannot speak.’ It’s up to DI Manon Bradshaw (honestly one of the best female detectives I have read) and her team to crack the case. But they’re living in a place where all around there are plenty wanting their say and those unwilling to speak out. Manon must negotiate family dramas, friend woes plus discover what’s really going on with the case. She dry sense of humour and wit carries her through, and you have to smile at some of the things she comes out with. A skilful handling of another case and I only wish there were more Manon Bradshaw books to read.

This is the third of Susie Steiner's books to feature Manon Bradshaw and it is an excellent read. Set in and around Wisbech, it is well written, the sense of place is strong and the main characters are memorable. It has a very contemporary feel to it, dealing as it does with modern day slavery and the exploitation of immigrant labour from Eastern Europe. The story is fascinating although at times I felt there was a lack of tension in the development of the story.

Susie's books aren't written from first person view which I'm rather used to. Otherwise a good one to read. Don't forget that this book is number 3 in the Detective Inspector Manon Bradshaw series. You can of course read stand alone but you may miss vital background information on some main characters.

This one seems to be wandering around their own family circumstances with a bit of policing but good policing all the same. Quite enjoyable to see it coming together with a few gory bits thrown in for good measure.

Wishing all the best and positive thinking to Susie Steiner.

I really enjoyed this story - I have not read either of the previous novels with Manon in but that wasn't a problem and it worked as a standalone novel. I loved the character of Manon - a real human police officer for once with many familiar faults - and I thoroughly enjoyed the story which was well written and an interesting angle of migrant workers. I will be searching out the previous Manon novels and hope that there will be more? Highly recommended.

Having read and enjoyed the previous books in the DI Manon Bradshaw series, I was looking forward to this new one. It certainly didn't disappoint! This time Manon and her team are investigating the death of a young Lithuanian immigrant who has been found hanging in a tree with a note saying 'the dead cannot speak'. This is a story of modern day slavery and anti immigration protests and is a very dark tale. It's very well written and will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

DI Manon Bradshaw has worked on cold cases since her little boy, Teddy, was born. That is until the two of them go to the park and to her horror she finds the body of a young Lithuanian male hanging from a tree. Assigned, with partner DC Davy Walker, to investigate what happened and why it soon becomes clear that secrets are being kept and fear is preventing those who knew the victim from coming forward.

While trying to solve her latest case Manon is also dealing with problems at home. Son, Fly, is studying for his GCSE's while partner, Mark, has difficulties of his own and she is concerned about them both. Add to that Teddy being Teddy and her life is full to overflowing.

This is a good book, extremely, well written with realistic characterisation and procedure. Although the storyline covers tragically relevant situations there are also laugh out loud moments which I don't usually find in mystery novels. I liked Manon, she is so not your atypical fictional detective but is passionate, hard-nosed and absolutely determined to get to the bottom of any case put in front of her.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who has read the previous books in this series or enjoys this genre but wants something a little different.

When we first meet Matis and Dimitri, Matis is in a bad way, vomiting and obviously traumatised. When he's able to speak he tells Dimitri that Lukas is dead. Lukas was in his late teens and he and Matis had come to Cambridgeshire from Klaipeda in Lithuania. They'd answered an advert offering good money and accommodation in return for their labour: they could have a decent life and send money home to their families. Sadly, it doesn't work out like that. When they arrive in the UK - on an old, uncomfortable bus, - they're dropped at a filthy house where several men have to share rooms and sleep on dirty mattresses on the floor. It's modern slavery, which isn't uncommon amongst agricultural workers.

DI Manon Bradshaw is 46, worried about her weight, frustrated by the state of her house and concerned about the state of health of her partner, Mark Talbot. Her toddler son, Teddy, calls her 'Defective Mummy' and she can't make up her mind whether he knows what he's saying or not. Probably the best thing about the family at the moment is her adopted son, Fly, who's about to do his GCSEs. He's marvellous with Teddy and a real treasure to have around.

Work should be simple: she's on cold cases and working part-time. She wanted Tuesday to Thursday but got Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then the Lukas Balsys murder is dropped on her toes by Detective Chief Superintendent Glenda McBain, who talks a good tale but doesn't always know what she's doing. Manon's working with DS Davy Walker: they get on well and make a good team. Davy's about to get married to Juliet, who doesn't really seem to understand the demands of his job: she'd like him to have regular hours. Somehow they both have to find out what happened to Lukas.

If you look at your chicken dinner and assume that the chicken had a good life, you might be upset by this story, but it's not just chickens. Slavery is rife in some areas of the agricultural industry and there's even a Fenland Exploitation Team (in real life - and not just in this story) and it's called Operation Pheasant. The people who work on the team are there to track down slavery. Susie Steiner does an excellent job of bringing across the horrors these people (it's not just men) have to endure.

I've met some of the Major Crimes Unit before, but Steiner handles a substantial cast of characters nimbly. I was particularly impressed by the people whose lives were impacted by the presence of the immigrants and those who campaigned against their presence. It's neatly done and you catch a glimpse of all shades of opinion.

The plot is good, if not excellent. I had an inkling about what had happened, mainly because I couldn't see what happened having happened any other way, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book. This is the third book in the series and it does seem to be getting better with each book. I'll definitely want to read the next in the series. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

A police detective book, visiting the brutal world of modern day slavery and the Immigrants out brigade. A book that is written so that you can almost smell the conditions in the house they stay in and the the greasy spoon cafe. A thought provoking book

Wonderful addition to the series. Gripping, well written and easy to read. I enjoyed this more than a few others writtten by this author.

Remain Silent by Susie Steiner is the third book in the DS Manon Bradshaw series. I was not aware of this and I have not read the previous books in the series. So, at first, I found it bit confusing to know what is going on. As I did not know the back story. If I had read the others it would have been 5 stars.
DS Manon is now working part time for Cambridgeshire Police force investigating cold cases Now married and has an adopted teenager named Fly. She is finding it hard juggling everything together. When on her day off she goes for a walk with her two-year-old son Teddy. and finds Lithuanian immigrant Lukas Balsys a migrant worker, hanging dead from a tree with a strange note pinned on him.
DS Manon helps with the investigation which delves into the exploitation of migrant workers, abuse, human trafficking and racism. She also must deal with her new boss that she does not get along with.
I thank Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy of Remain silent. This story was a slow burner but, I found it well written and researched especially around migrant workers, the racism against them their exploitation. But I did not much care of the characters in this story. 4 stars from me.

Another good book in the Manon Bradshaw series which had me turning the pages until late into the night. This time Manon is investigating the apparent suicide of a Lithuanian farm worker, an investigation which takes her into the world of workers forced to 'repay' their passage to the UK whilst living in slum conditions. This is pitted against a political movement that wants the workers gone. This is far more than a police procedural, with some satire and also social commentary thrown in. I really enjoyed it. And if you read it, please don't close the book at the end of the story, take the time to read the acknowledgments. My thoughts are with you, Susie.

Remain Silent by Susie Steiner
Having read Missing Presumed and Persons Unknown and enjoyed the detective Manon Bradshaw with all of her foibles and problems. She was a real breath of fresh air in this genre. In this new story we learn more about Manon who is now newly married and coping with life with a toddler and her adopted adolescent son. She is busy working part time on cold cases for the police force and this enables her to have a more predictable work life balance.
Then on her way home she discovers the body of a Lithuanian immigrant hanging from a tree. Attached to the body is a strange note and she is immediately aware that this discovery is going to bring about a dramatic change in her life. She returns to full time work and sets about unravelling the mystery of this challenging case. A gripping read and also an interesting investigation into the life of 40 something mother struggling to cope with the demands of family and work life. I would like to thank the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is the first of Susie Steiner's books that I've read - and it won't be the last.

I've spent a very enjoyable 24 hours with this story calling me back to it again and again until I finished. DI Manon Bradshaw is investigating the hanging of a young Lithuanian, over in the UK trying to forge himself a new life with better prospects. A note on the body indicates foul play, yet the physical location of the death contradicts this possibility. You'll be frustrated trying to work it out!

I appreciated Susie Steiner's acknowledgements at the end, where she indicates her research on modern day slavery and that many of the examples in the text are based on real life. A sad, sad situation for us to be in.

3.5*

Set in Wisbech, a Fenland town, this police procedural novel centres around the immigration and slavery of Eastern European communities. Apparently a BBC programme from 2012 noted that there were “growing tensions” in the town because one-third of the population was said to be made up of Eastern Europeans.

A dark mystery, this book is fairly unrelenting in putting those of Wisbech (old and new) under the microscope. The main character, DCI Manon Bradshaw, puts herself under inspection too and constantly finds fault with herself, her husband and their relationship. She’s as hard on herself as she is on others. Indeed, sometimes it seemed to me to get in the way of the primary plot.

I really enjoyed viewing events from different character perspectives and the way in which events converged. The novel is well-written and kept me turning the pages. I also had no idea this was the third book in a series and it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Susie Steiner and HarperCollins: The Borough Press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved it! Manon Bradshaw is just perfectly imperfect. Her brilliance is only outshone by her quick wit and sarcasm, her life teetering on the brink of collapse but still finds time to be all: crime-solver, wife, mother and friend. Highly recommend the whole series.

Such a great series, I love Manon Bradshaw., one of my very favourite detectives. Compulsive, exciting, unexpected. More please!

When i started reading this I thought it might not be my sort of book. But wow, I was wrong. Remain Silent is a brilliant, well plotted, excellently written book. I can't recommend it highly enough.

There are many people writing about the lives of women in their 40s and over: in newspaper columns and novels. These are the women juggling childcare and jobs, parents and children, marriages and old and new relationships, their appearance and clothes and fitness regimes, solidarity with their contemporaries with their own problems.

I recognize all this, and enjoy the teasing out of the issues, and particularly like it when writers are funny about these problems. I still wasn’t really expecting that the best description I’ve read of these times would come in a police procedural about a completely different subject…

This book is absolutely wonderful, but it is very strange: a book of two interleaved, and very different, halves.

The crime story it tells is horrendous: partly because it is not a crime novel staple – serial killers and revenge tragedies and killing sprees can be hard to read about, but they don’t happen very much in real life, you don't worry that they are happening outside your door. Susie Steiner’s subject is people-trafficking, and Eastern European immigrants brought into the UK (and of course elsewhere) and in effect working as slaves, doing dirty, unsafe jobs no-one else wants to do. They are entirely at the mercy of the gangmasters, living in squalid houses, their pitiful wages stolen from them. It is totally convincing, and absolutely horrible. I am often wary of real-life topics in novels: I spend my whole time saying ‘but is it true? Which bits are true? Is there novelistic licence, can I rely on the facts or are they exaggerated?’ But in Remain Silent I didn’t doubt for a second that Steiner had done her research and everything she wrote about these lives was true and authentic, and totally appalling. She also looks at the responses of some people who strongly object to immigration, and want to make their feelings known. The whole tricky question gets a good going over.




One of the immigrant workers has died, in strange circumstances, and DI Manon Bradshaw, our series heroine, comes to investigate. And this is where the other half kicks in: while conducting her engrossing careful investigation, we also follow her thoughts about her complicated life, her friends and children and relationships. And it is hilarious and absolutely spot on. One reviewer said there are ‘many underlying truths spoken lightly’, and that is exactly right.

There is a tour de force scene where Manon warns someone about what will happen if he breaks up his marriage: It’s not a major part of the plot, but her lecture is amazing – wince-making, totally ringing with truth, and laugh out loud funny. Similarly, she ponders elsewhere on appearances, feminism,
partnerships, with throwaway lines such as ‘the truth is, ill people are annoying. They don’t help much about the house.’

She is spit-out-your-coffee funny, like a superb standup, and all this is sewn into her very sad story. I could quote from her all day, but I wouldn't know where to stop.





I said this about a previous book, Persons Unknown
The book contains many features that sometimes concern me: multiple POVs, use of the present tense, and a lot of detail about personal lives and relationships of the series characters. But I loved the book, raced through it, enjoying every moment of the complex investigation, Manon’s sometimes foolish moves, and the fears and mysteries in her own home.
--you do have to keep an eye on the headings of the sections, to check which character we are following, and whether this is a flashback or not. But it was very much worth the effort.

I would have liked a little more detail about the ultimate fates of a couple of the characters, but what I really want is some hope for them...

Susie Steiner herself has been ill, and we can only hope that the deservedly-rapturous reception for this book has been some consolation after the year she has had.

Pictures of the Port of Klaipeda, the Lithuanian city where several of the main characters have come from, and where the investigation takes the police. Steiner herself explains at the end how she visited there herself in pursuit of her story.

This is the third Manon Bradshaw book and I'd say the best. The very serious background to the story - the way in which migrant short-term labourers are treated in the UK, plus the rise of right-wing nationalism - are wonderfully counterbalanced by Manon's take on middle age, career, marriage and raising children in a series of ongoing family and work crises.

Luke Balsys is a Lithuanian labourer persuaded, against his better judgment, into taking agricultural labourer jobs in the UK under a sadistic gangmaster. Being woken at 4am to get on a bus to a remote chicken warehouse for a 16 hour shift wasn't what he had in mind when looking for better wages and prospects. He is found hanging from a tree with a mysterious note in his pocket. Was it murder or suicide? Manon and side-kick Davey are tasked with finding out and it leads them into a murky, threatening and dangerous world.

Manon's personal life and attitudes had me laughing out loud ("Are you happy with Mark" asks her best friend. "Of course not! That's not a reason to leave though, is it!" replies Manon). "Is this your first body in a chest freezer? she cheerily asks the H&S inspector, who is about to throw up. And the classic - "I like cucumber, but I don't eat cheese" he says conversationally, while holding his willy - of a six year old boy at a birthday party. These are to be found all through the book and they are gold nuggets in what would otherwise be a depressing read about the awful lives the migrant labourers endure. Hovels unfit for human habitation, poor food, most of their money funnelled away as 'fees' and the threat that their families back home will suffer if they dare to complain or go to the authorities. On top of that there's the open prejudice of some elements of the local populace with their "Respect are country. Speak English" banners.

This book is a star, so much more that a police procedural because of the realistc characters, hard-hitting observtion and humour. I loved it!

We are again plunged into the world of DI Manon Bradshaw. She is now working part time on cold cases and enjoying that she can work around her childcare commitments. She is still fretting about her weight, her relationship with Mark and Fly, her adopted son. Whilst out for for a walk with her toddler, she discovers a body hanging from a tree. Her new boss asks her to be SIO on the investigation as it is not known if it is suicide or murder at this stage. THe investigation leads to a gang who run work gangs of exploited Lithuanians. Throw in "Wisbech FIrst" a group of anti immigrations and you have a volatile investigation which Manon and her sidekick, Davy have to investigate.
I enjoyed this as I didn't want to put it down and was disappointed when I finished it.

I was ‘t aware of the previous books in this series, so read this as a one off and it works brilliantly on its own. DI Manson Bradshaw is an appealing character and all too human, with the usual foibles, but these are not often evident in fictional detectives, so this was a refreshing read. The action springs from Manon discovering a body hanging from a tree while she is in the park with her young son. The case becomes hers to investigate, and in doing so she enters the dark and violent world of illegal immigration. This book is well researched and really brilliantly written, although it did take a little while to get going at the start. What I really enjoyed here was that along with the serious stuff there was real laugh out loud humour too - Manon is quite a character and it is difficult not to love her self deprecation and tendency to speak first and think later, which gets her into some uncomfortable but amusing situations. This book has it all - if you’re not a fan of police procedurals, have a go at this one - it’s terrific!

I read this novel twice. The first time I raced through it. The second time I just enjoyed the writing. Susie Steiner says it herself: she is attracted to writing crime thrillers because it creates the most satisfying reading experience- ‘a page turner with a literary sensibility’. So you’re gripped by the murder mystery, but at the same time you’re totally immersed in the lives of the people affected by it because they’re as well crafted as any you’d find in literary fiction. My perfect kind of crime thriller.

So firstly: the death. The body of a young Lithuanian agricultural worker, Lukas Balsys, is found hanging from a tree. A note pinned to his trousers reads: ‘The dead cannot speak’. Has Lukas been murdered by his brutal gang masters as a warning to other debt-bonded workers? Or have the terrible living conditions suffered by Lukas driven him to suicide?

Steiner’s description of the lives of migrant workers is unforgettable. She has researched their desperate lives down to the smallest detail: the 4am starts; the zero hour contracts; the twelve hours spent catching chickens without gloves in a huge, noisy, stinking industrial shed; the scratches on their hands that keep reopening. And their squalid living conditions: the filthy mattresses infested by lice and bed bugs; the refusal of medical attention; the constant fear of the sadistic, psychopathic gang masters; the confiscation of their passports and bank cards.

But this isn’t a political lecture. Steiner humanises the situation as we get to know the Lithuanians Lukas and Matis and experience their desperation as their heartbreaking dreams of a better life in the UK are shattered. The reader hopes that the police investigation will see justice meted out to the cruel gang masters who have enslaved Lukas and his fellow Lithuanians.

Of course, the reader is delighted to meet DI Manon again. Susie Steiner sums it up: ‘She is prickly and intolerant and her emotional life is forever up and down ... I think this is what has made readers take to her so readily. She isn’t on an even keel and she doesn’t pretend to be’. Manon’s internal monologue is hilarious and I can’t think of any women who wouldn’t identify with her ‘mental load of The Anxiety of it All’: her teenage son sitting his GCSEs, her 4-year old spending too long at the childminders, their bad diet: ‘Too many fags, not enough kale. Too much telly, not enough yoga’. ‘Saggy-bottomed’, Manon and Mark are slogging through life until a health crisis makes Manon reevaluate their relationship.

Steiner has said that writing novels ‘requires the ability to imagine yourself into the psychic life of another’. I love her compassion, which enables her to create fully rounded characters. Even the hate-filled UKipper and suspected murderer Dean is shown to be a disappointed man who channels his bitterness into hatred for migrants. His entrepreneurial daughter Elise, who has an irrepressible zest for life, is a wonderfully drawn character and I would love to see her appear in the next novel.

Finally, I need to mention that I love it when Manon gets on her soap box and rants against society at large. She is absolutely spot on: ‘This is the age of stupid. In place of knowledge people are exalting their gut feeling as if gut feeling is more valuable than being informed’. Absolutely. If she’s on TV, I would love to see her played by a feisty actress like Joanna Scanlon and not some Skinny Minnie. We can hope.

Many thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel.

Interesting, absorbing and well written. Susie Steiner is a keen observer of everyday life and the psychological impact it has on others.
All the characters are true to life and we can all identify and relate to what she writes. The monotony of everyday living, of working full time, looking after kids, running a house, getting on with your partner. What happens when immigrants take over your next door house? Anti immigration demos.
Plus there is plenty of drama and a murder mystery to solve. Well worth the read.

I loved this book, and read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. A compelling story, great characters (I love Manon and want to read more about her) and a well-written book, with some nice witty touches. I will be recommending Susie Steiner to everyone.

I love, love, love Manon Bradshaw - the perfect mid-life detective, with as much going on in her own domestic life as she does in her work life with the police. Susie Steiner writes so much more than just a crime novel - she writes really great characters, and great plot outside of the main plot. This can be read as a standalone novel - however I do recommend for maximum Manon love reading the first two ahead of Remain Silent.

In Remain Silent we are introduced to the world of Eastern European immigrants - who escape Lithuania on the promise of earning good wages in the UK, but who find themselves abused and subjected to practices of modern slavery. When one is found in apparent suicide the police are not convinced he necessarily took his own life, and instead find themselves investigating the gangs behind the scenes. Modern, relevant, and hopefully helpful in getting people to understand the reasons why people do travel from overseas to work in the UK, often illegally - that was often blamed as the reason that BREXIT happened.

But above all - read this for Manon - the BEST detective out there for me. I would read everything Susie Steiner wrote with Manon at the helm.

People trafficking – a vile and disgusting practice.

DI Manon Bradshaw is returning home with her young son, Teddy when she happens to look up and see a body hanging from a tree. It's the body of a young man. Unwashed and wearing boots. There is a note attached to the body. Translated from Lithuanian, it says; The dead cannot speak.

Manon Bradshaw's boss, Detective Superintendent Glenda McBain feels that as Manon discovered the body, she should lead the team. Something she's not done since the birth of Teddy. However, she's delighted to be back with her original team especially working with DS Davy Walker.

There is already a considerable police enquiry called Operation Pheasant in Wisbech into people being trafficked from Lithuania, Rumania, and other countries from "Old Russia". The conditions in which these people are kept. The way they're treated and the places they're expected to work are appalling.

The storyline had a massive impact on me. I know that we have people trafficked working here in the UK, I didn't know how badly they are treated. Especially upsetting for me is the fact that the gang leaders withhold their passports and wages. There is no escape unless those trafficked find the courage to speak to the police. However, as the book's title shows, those trafficked are too terrified to place their families in harm's way, so refuse to talk to police.

Susie Steiner is brilliant at allowing her readers to go from intense moments of darkness to make the reader laugh out loud, thanks mainly to Manon Bradshaw's extravert nature and the people around her supporting her as she tries to solve the case. The author has managed to draw the victims with so much empathy. It made them real, and I was able to fully sympathise. Likewise, the police are drawn showing warts and all. I'm so pleased I never chose to join them – the working hours are crazy.

I am certainly looking forward to catching up with Manon Bradshaw. Susie, please write another novel soon. You are a brilliant author.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

Although when I requested this, I didn't realise it was in a series, it definitely worked as a standalone novel. It was exactly the type of police inspector thriller I love - twists and turns along the way, a really poignant message on a topical issue of immigration, and some real-life behind the scenes humanity of a police officer. I have already ordered the others in the trilogy to catch up on what I've missed!