This is the tenth book in the Geraldine Steel series and so far Geraldine has served with the Kent Constabulary, the Met and now she finds herself working in York.

Geraldine Steel has found herself demoted from Inspector to Sergeant, she has relocated from London to York to work with her former colleague Ian Peterson, while Ian has been promoted from Sergeant to Inspector and he is now Geraldine's superior.

On arrival in York, Geraldine is thrown into her first case, a young woman has been found stabbed to death, days later there is another murder and the police team’s only connection is that they were in the same class at school, when a third person from school is found murdered the team struggle to find clues and make any headway.

This is a good book, it follows Geraldine as she strieves to become part of a new team, how she is coping with being demoted, her relationship with her old Sergeant who she thought was a friend but is now not sure where she stands with him. This story has several twists but the ending feels a little rushed and it left me unsure as to the relationship between Geraldine and Ian. I am looking forward to see where Geraldine goes from here.

Different city, different circumstances but good to see Ian and Geraldine working together again in a complicated, if slightly over engineered plot

Magic read. I absolutely love this series. We find Geraldine not in a good place, Having been demoted and forced to leave the Met she is back with her old colleague Ian but now he is the boss. Lacking in self confidence and torn in her family live this could be her hardest case yet.

I would like to thank Oldcastle Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Class Murder’, the tenth in the series of Geraldine Steel novels written by Leigh Russell, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Geraldine Steel is working for the Major Investigation Team in York with her former sergeant Ian Peterson although their roles are reversed as Geraldine has been demoted to sergeant due to breaking the law assisting her twin sister and Ian is now an inspector.
Geraldine and Ian are seeking the man who went into a flat and viciously murdered Stephanie Crawford, followed soon after by Peter and then Beth. The only thing the victims have in common is that they all attended the same school and were in the same class. With the number of bodies increasing, can the murderer be found before he kills anyone else?
After reading book number 9 I’d hoped for another and Leigh Russell answered my prayers with ‘Class Murder’ which digs a little bit deeper into the friendship between Geraldine and Ian.
Once again Leigh Russell has produced an exciting action-packed thriller which kept me reading long after the lights were out and everyone was asleep. The characters were convincing and the storyline gripping, ending with a cliffhanging conclusion. I can wholeheartedly recommend ‘Class Murder’ to anyone who enjoys compelling detective novels.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Oldcastle Books for an advance copy of Class Murder, the 10th novel in the Geraldine Steel series of police procedurals.

Demoted and forced to relocate by her own actions Geraldine is now a sergeant in York working with her old colleague DI Ian Peterson in a reversal of their previous roles. She has barely arrived when she is plunged into a murder investigation when Stephanie Crawford is found slashed to death on her kitchen floor. Unfortunately Stephanie is not the only victim and with few clues and even less idea of motive the team struggle to make headway.

I thoroughly enjoyed Class Murder which held me so enthralled from start to finish I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. The plot has plenty of twists and turns, not least a dramatic conclusion, and the ongoing saga of Geraldine's private life. It should be noted that while this is a continuous thread throughout the series there is enough backstory and explanation to allow the novel to stand alone comfortably.

The novel is told from several points of view, including the unidentified killer. Normally I'm not a fan of this approach but it works extremely well here as it fleshes out the situation and adds to the reader's knowledge. I'm not normally interested in the killer's thoughts or motivations but in this case it is well done as he keeps his motivation hidden, preferring to concentrate on his cleverness. Ms Russell captures the mixture of arrogance and hubris neatly and brings a realism to his character which escapes many authors. It's impressive.

After so many novels Geraldine is becoming an old friend. She is a smart, sympathetic character who often ignores herself in favour of helping her family. The move and the events surrounding it have left her unsettled so she is lonely and unsure in her new role. My heart went out to her and I admire her determination not to cause waves and try to adjust to her new place in the hierarchy. She is an excellent creation.

For sheer readability I would have awarded Class Murder 5 stars but I found the ending strange and decidedly OTT. It almost seems to belong to another novel. The majority of the novel is the slow, painstaking accumulation of knowledge and evidence, sifting through the lies and subterfuge of their witnesses and then suddenly there is a flurry of activity from a quiet character. It doesn't ring true.

Class Murder is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.