The third book in the DI Garibaldi series
PUBLISHED BY MUSWELL PRESS
‘When the body of Alex Ballantyne is found in Barnes Pond the police are baffled. Who could want to kill the newly retired teacher? Investigations take them to St Jude’s, the prestigious private school where Ballantyne taught, and to the discovery that Ballantyne had been blackmailing several of his colleagues. Sex. Money. Drugs. It seems that Ballantyne knew all about his victims’ secrets, and they were prepared to pay to buy his silence. Is one of the St Jude’s staff the killer? And, if so, which one? DI Moriarty’s on the case and he’s soon discovering that nothing is quite as it seems.’
So runs the blurb of ‘Schooled in Murder’, a crime novel written by Ben Joseph, who is found dead in Barnes Pond the morning after giving a talk as part of the Barnes Book Festival.
DI Garibaldi and his team are shocked to discover that the writer has been killed in exactly the same place, and in exactly the same way, as the victim in ‘Schooled in Murder’. When they look at the novel they see more connections with real life. Ben Joseph is the pseudonym of Liam Allerton who , like the victim in his novel, is a retired teacher. And he taught at St Mark’s, a school very similar to St Jude’s, the school in his novel.
But is that where the similarities end? How much of Allerton’s own life, and the lives of those he knew, had he put into his novel? And could the clue to the killer’s identity lie in its pages?
Book 2 in the DI Garibaldi series
'The twists and turns of an exceptionally clever plot make for compulsive reading.
In this, the second of the Garibaldi mysteries, Bernard O'Keeffe proves to be a star turn.'
Barry Turner, Daily Mail
Book 1 in the DI Garibaldi series
'DI Garibaldi takes the biscuit — my kind of detective in my part of London.
Ingenious, entertaining, surprising — everything you want in a satisfying murder mystery.'
Gyles Brandreth
Reviews for The Final Round, featuring Detective Inspector Garibaldi:
“Absolutely gripping” (John Carey)
“You’re in for a treat” (Times Crime Club)
“A fine, twisting mystery the real pleasure lies in seeing Garibaldi dismantle the murderous self-interest of the London upper-middle classes.” (Mail on Sunday)
“Another country music loving detective on the scene!” (Mark Billingham)
“A high-grade debut novel in the classic tradition” (Daily Mail)
“Don’t miss it. Highly recommended” (Liz Barnsley)
“Crime fiction fans are in for such a treat – a terrific read” (Anne Cater)
“A breath of fresh air in the police procedural world” (Girl With All The Crime Books)
‘A new detective hero, charismatic, erudite and full of dry humour. If this is the start of a series, I'm in!' Celia Anderson
'Fast paced investigation with an intricate plot and a surprising denouement.' Ruth Giles
'If this is Detective Garibaldi's first appearance, we can only hope it is not his last...This book has all the tension mystery and pace that is needed to keep the reader's attention. It is very well written. I recommend it.' Douglas Oser, NetGalley
'I really liked this book. The plot was good and kept moving at a decent pace, the characters were engaging and I enjoyed the ending. Five stars!' Natalie Teller, NetGalley
'There is no doubt that O'Keeffe can tell a story. He writes well and includes enough domestic detail for the reader to be able to picture the ghastly suspects as they go about their days.' Sarah Dawson
'The story is a good one, the pacing is excellent and it kept me reading until the book was finished. I'd recommend this.' Ian Kennedy, NetGalley
'I always enjoy discovering excellent new police procedurals and the partnership of Garibaldi and Gardner is an interesting and original one. I was totally engaged by this thriller and its fascinating plot. Well worth a read and I look forward to the next instalment.' Greville Waterman
'This is the first DI Garibaldi book in what I hope will be a series. I liked it a lot. When I read a book and I want to get back to it, rushing through my chores, it's, as far as I'm concerned, a good book. I did not see the end coming. A good start to a series that I definitely recommend.' Hannalore Cheney
'A fine introduction to an interesting character and an absorbing read.' Elaine T, NetGalley
Here's the synopsis of The Final Round:
On the morning after Boat Race Day, a man's body is found in a nature reserve beside the Thames. He has been viciously stabbed, his tongue cut out, and an Oxford college scarf stuffed in his mouth. The body is identified as Nick Bellamy, last seen at the charity quiz organised by his Oxford contemporary, the popular newsreader Melissa Matthews.
Enter DI Garibaldi, whose first task is to look into Bellamy's contemporaries from Balfour College. In particular, the surprise 'final round' of questions at this year's charity quiz in which guests were invited to guess whether allegations about Melissa Matthews and her Oxford friends are true. These allegations range from plagiarism and shoplifting to sextortion and murder...
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