A masterful tale of suspense. A new policeman in inspector Calladine with many changing scenarios leading you to a surprising end. Look forward to catching up with Tom Calladine and the other interesting characters in this story

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and Helen Durrant for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel.
I had never read a novel from this author before. Now I am kicking myself!!! This book had my attention from page one and was a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns until you get to the shocker of an ending.
As it is book 8 in a series featuring the two detectives, I thought that I would have trouble picking up the back stories of the central characters but found that I was wrong. The dynamic between the central characters was great and I loved it.
Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a murder mystery with an unpredictable ending.
Now to go and buy the rest of Helen Durrants novels......

This is the 8th book in the Calladine and Bayliss series. Bayliss takes the lead in this book, as Calladine is missing, and then suspended. It's an interesting twist, as Bayliss uses the 'what would Calladine do' thought process to make sure her team isn't missing anything. Yet they are stymied when they realize the new case has the earmarks of a killing that Calladine first worked in the early days of his career. Did the wrong killer go to jail? Is there a copy cat? Does the old case even relate to the issues keeping Calldine on the bench? Durrant does a spectacular job in this latest book of keeping the reader turning pages LONG into the night. While I had a guess of who the killer might be, it wasn't until all the evidence came to light that I was sure. Readers may be surprised at the ending, but thoroughly satisfied that they just completed a perfect crime thriller! Don't miss this one!

Right now it's on sale for ONLY 99 cents on Kindle, so there's NO excuse to miss it!

** spoiler alert ** I have to be honest,it took me a while to warm to this book.
At the point we there was kidnapping going on,I really was thinking the book overly simple. To me that whole sub plot felt a bit farcical.... or planned by someone not too bright.
Then,I think I warmed to the characters,and the way they quietly worked,gathering each piece of new evidence.
By the time we had our murderer,it had been obvious to me for a while who it was,but still enjoyable to read the net getting tighter and all the cards come crashing down.

Thank you Net Galley. Fun to read. Love the way the character of Ruth Bayliss is developing. Strongly recommended.

Oh my where do I start with this book? I don’t mean that in a bad way but in a good way. There were several story strands to this book that were equally as good as each other and it would be wrong to just pick out one. In case you hadn’t guessed I absolutely flipping, totally and utterly loved reading this book but more about that in a bit.
I really do love the detective pairing of Calladine and Bayliss. In a way they are like brother and sister. Each is in tune with what the other one is thinking, each one worries about the other one if he/ she hasn’t heard from the other one in a while, each would never believe badly of the other one and each has the other one’s back. Both detectives are well respected by their team and the team works really well as a result. I must admit that I feared for Calladine’s safety at the beginning of the book. I won’t put too much detail down as I don’t want to give too many spoilers away but needless to say that Calladine faces a life or death struggle. I had taken to his character that much that if I could have jumped into the pages to ride to Calladine’s rescue myself then I would have done, whilst slapping some of those responsible silly with a wet flip flop. Calladine would be the first to admit that he isn’t perfect and what you see with him is very much what you get. I get the impression that Bayliss is feeling torn in this book. Her partner has had a very good job offer in another place down south and she sort of wants to go with him because it would be a fresh start but at the same time I don’t think that she can face the idea of moving away, leaving Calladine and the rest of the team behind. It was interesting to see the kind of internal battle that she was having. Bayliss would also like to go for promotion at some point. Bayliss takes on the case of a young woman, whose body was found in horrific circumstances in a church. There are very few clues and it seems that no matter which way they turn they hit a brick wall. Bayliss is determined though and she resolves to do her best for the dead woman and ensure that her murderer or murderers are brought to justice. Will Calladine survive to the end of the book and beyond? Who wants to hurt him so badly and why? Will Bayliss say goodbye to Calladine and move down south or will the pull of her boss and the team be too great to deny? Will Bayliss & Calladine be able to solve the horrific murder of the young woman in the church? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
Whenever you pick up a book written by Helen H. Durrant, you are guaranteed one hell of a rollercoaster read and this book was no exception. Blimey oh riley I was hooked on this book from the moment I picked it up and began to read. The book certainly hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. The story started in such a way that will remain fresh in my mind for a long time to come and will set it apart from other books. I binge read this book in two sittings and believe me when I say that the time and the page numbers flew by in a blur but because I was enjoying the story so much and I had taken to the characters so well, I didn’t realise how quickly I was finishing the book until I had cleared over 40 %. ‘I felt torn over ‘Dead Bad’ in that is was such a good book that I wanted to read it non-stop but at the same time it was such a good book that I just wanted to pace myself and stretch the story out for a bit longer. I became totally immersed in the story and in the characters and I found myself getting carried away. By that I meant that I began to shout rude words at the book, argue with certain characters or I wanted to hand out my own brand of justice. I know, I know it’s just fiction but I find that a sign of a good book is that you feel part of the story and part of the investigation. I literally felt as though I was part of the investigating team. ‘Dead Bad’ took me through a wide range of emotions from hope to despair, happiness to sadness and well you get the picture. There were also some moments where I almost had to read through my fingers or I was afraid to turn the page as I genuinely feared what was going to happen next to characters, who seemed so real to me that they were almost my friends- all except the nasty pasties who were trying to hurt Calladine that is.
‘Dead Bad’ is the eighth book in the series featuring Detectives Calladine and Bayliss. It works perfectly well as a standalone but because I am a bit OCD I would advise that you read the series in order and from the beginning.
In conclusion, and if you haven’t already guessed, I absolutely, totally and utterly one hundred percent loved everything about this book. I would strongly recommend this author and her books to anybody and everybody. I can’t wait to read what comes next from this author. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

(Rounded up from 4.5)

The story opens with a hostage situation followed by the discovery of a dead woman in an abandoned church. The similarities to an old case from DI Tom Calladine’s past are unmistakeable but Tom is nowhere to be found and a large amount of money is found in his bank account. It’s up to DS Ruth Bayliss and the team to prove Calladine’s innocence and find a murderer on the loose.

This is the eighth in the series but can be read as a stand-alone but I would recommend to have at least read a couple of the previous books just to get a better sense of the characters.
This was such an absorbing, fast paced read. With the kidnapping of Calladine and the brutal killer on the loose storylines, I just could not stop turning those pages!

This is the second Calladine and Bayliss novel I’ve read and what I appreciated in this one is we got a little bit more about the history/family of the characters than in the previous novel, Dead Jealous. There also a nice little bonus for fans of Helen’s other novels, as there is a guest appearance from DI Greco, the straight laced detective from her ‘Dark’ series of novels.

My only issue was that I got so enthralled by Calladine’s kidnap, I sort of forgot for a couple of chapters that there’d been a murder but that was just a minor point.

Overall a page turner that left me anxiously waiting for the next in the series.

This series is still as strong as ever. It was great to hook up with Tom Calladine and Ruth Bayliss again. Several plot lines going on in this book. Ruth Bayliss is tasked with investigating a brutal murder of a young woman. Meanwhile Tom Calladine has been sent home due to illness, but before he gets home he is abducted. Why does anyone want Tom Calladine out of the way. On top of all of this there is the rising drug problem and its adverse effects on the drug takers. With so much going on Dead Bad captured my interest from page 1 to the last page. The intrigue continued throughout in this crime thriller. This book, in my opinion is one of the best in the series. Can't wait for the next in series!

Detective Bayliss, Detective Calladine and crew are in search of a murderer. The MO is the same as previous murders, but that man had put in prison many years ago. Is this a copy-cat killer or did the previous detectives get it wrong?

With the murder investigation taking place, there is also a lot of drugs being peddled around to the locals. Are these two things related or not?

On top of that, Detective Calladine suddenly disappears and no one can figure out what has happened to him. Did he accept a bribe to not testify in an upcoming court trial or has something more sinister happened?

So many crimes happening all at once. Who can prove who is innocent and who is guilty? It takes some excellent detective work and trust to ensure that the guilty parties are found.

I felt that I was able to get to learn about these characters and come to know them. Who could be trusted, who could not be trusted. It's not all about being a detective, but there is also some personal issues happening that need to be figured out or lives will change.

Highly recommend. Quick read filled with action, murder, mystery and it keeps you guessing!!

Thank you to Helen H. Durrant and NetGalley for the copy!! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Enjoy!! You won't be disappointed!

Dead Bad is a well-written, gripping and enjoyable crime/mystery, with a lovely and refreshing cover adding to it’s charm.

A woman’s mutilated body is found in an abandoned church. The details of the crime are reminiscent of another one committed 20 years ago, the perpetrator of which, was put in prison, who then died years later.
Are the two murders connected? Is the second one a copycat? Things get more complicated when another woman’s body is found. But this time the victim died fighting, leaving the murderer’s forensic evidence behind.
It is up to DI Tom Calladine and his team to dig deep, clear the obstacles and find the perpetrator before he strikes again.

This was my first book by Helen H. Durrant and I intend to read more from this talented author.

Thanks to the author, Joffe Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Another great book in this brilliant series. I love the banter and loyalty within the team and the subtle reminders of events in previous books. A very worthy 5*

4 stars

DI Tom Callandine has shingles. He is sent home by his boss for fear of giving it to the others in the squad room. As he arrives home, he is attacked and knocked unconscious. DS Ruth Bayliss catches the latest murder in his absence.

A woman has been found in an abandoned church, nailed to some planks. She has been there for about three months. Next to her body is a stuffed toy that is homemade. This case has similarities to a twenty-year old killing – but the man is in prison. But the killer is supposed to be in custody. Do they have the wrong man locked up, or is this a copycat? Another woman is killed in the same manner, and the tension in our story ratchets up.

Meanwhile, DI Callandine has some problems of his own. He is being wrongly accused of corruption. He is fighting to clear his name and it is distracting him from the investigation.

The truth turns out to be stranger than fiction – so to speak. In a brilliant twist, the reader learns the identity of the killer.

I liked this novel, as I have liked all of Helen Durrant’s books. It is well written and I enjoyed it very much. Ms. Durrant has created likeable characters, and has a knack for putting the twist in her stories.

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this enjoyable book to read and review.

It was an absolute pleasure to read and review this book. It has all the elements one would expect of a standard police procedural detective novel and it is done very well – a few good suspects, plenty of action and clues, and no silly twists at the end to annoy the reader. As book number eight in a series, and the only one I have read so far, it still works fine as a stand-alone although personally I always prefer to read books in order as the characters build up over time. I will certainly be seeking out the first seven to read!
My only criticism is that there was no real explanation for why the murders were actually committed and done in the manner they were. I think that would have added to the story at the end (I like a motive, however twisted!) That aside, Dead Bad is a dead good book and I can highly recommend it.

Having read all the previous book's in this series I was excited to start this one. As usual it didn't disappoint, real page turner and a fantastic read.

Helen’s books get better and better. I love the characters, the setting and everything about them.

This is no exception, it is a really good story with plenty of twists and turns. However I did guess who it was early on. Can’t wait for the next one.

My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Oh my, this series just keeps getting better! Usual series rules apply, obviously for completeness it is better to start from book one and read in order, but the main story is self contained so, at a push, you can read this on its own, although you will be missing out on character development and backstory.
In this, the latest Calladine and Bayliss, Calladine is not well and has been sent home. On his way though, he is kidnapped. Meanwhile, the rest of the team is called to an abandoned church where a body has been found. One of them starts to think that the scene is familiar and, on further investigation, it proves to be identical to another murder committed many years ago. Only one problem with this, the suspect for that murder confessed and was convicted. Could they have got it wrong or do they have a copycat on their hands? Back with Calladine and, if the kidnapping isn't enough, it appears that someone is out to get him, discredit him. A tip off to the powers that be lead to an old "friend" returning to investigate him. With the usual drugs and guns causing mayhem on the streets can Bayliss help Calladine and the two of them, along with their team, get to the bottom of things once and for all?
Well, as per all of the rest of this series, I pretty much read this straight through from start to finish in only a day. As with the rest of the series, it is your bulk standard Police Procedural but, as I have said before, it is pretty much a perfect example of the genre, containing all the elements you would expect. One of the things I really love about this author is that she doesn't include any superfluous padding. Neither does she patronise the reader by trying to dupe them into making wild judgements nor does she throw anything in from left field. All the plotting is cleverly worked out to give enough confusion to keep thing interesting but not too much to be silly. This really is a breath of fresh air these days, I can tell you. Yes we get the red herrings, they are a given, we also have a bit of a suspect list, but again this isn't over the top.
It's action packed, it flows well and is balanced. For those of us who have been with our duo from the start, it's also a bit emotional as both our leads are going through a bit of a tough time in this book. Not that their personal lives overshadow the case being investigated. They are more complementary and speak enough to character development so inclusion is warranted.
All in all, a solid addition to an already great series. Bring on the next one!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Wow, just loved this book! It was like being on a roller-coaster, so many twist and turns, it was unputdownable! Read in one sitting, really enjoy the Calladine and Bayliss books by Helen Durrant, this is a brilliant series, thank you for letting me have a chance to review it

Great as always! Perfect read for a bank holiday weekend while camping in the sunshine. I look forward to the next by Helen H durrant

Another gripping, twisted instalment in this series. Lots of previous characters return so I would recommend reading the whole series.
(There were a number of typos in this ARC)

Thank you NetGalley and Joffee Books for the eARC.
The eighth in the DI Calladine and CS Baillis series sees Calladine sent home with a case of the shingles. But he's kidnapped instead, ending up a prisoner in a house in Scotland. A huge sum of money has been deposited in his bank account, leaving his bosses to believe he's scarpered after being paid off to stop him from testifying against a powerful crime boss. Baillis absolutely refused to believe this and desperately looks to clear his name. As if she doesn't have enough problems, her partner wants her and their son to leave the area to a new well paying job he's been offered, something she really doesn't want. Also, the horribly mutilated body of a young woman has been found, the MO exactly the same as a murder committed 20 years ago. Since Calladine's disappeared, she's leading the case, making life even more stressful.
This is an action packed book, with a short visit from DI Greco, who, despite previous bad feelings between them, helps clear Calladine's name. When another girl is murdered in the same barbarous manner and a new killer drug is responsible for the deaths of users, the team begin to realize the two crimes are related, but how? Slowly but surely the shocking truth is revealed with a surprising ending.
This was another good book in the series, a fast and enjoyable read.