This is the way you write a debut!

Liverpool 1979 new CID recruit Leigh Borrowdale sees herself partnered with DS Des Chung to investigate the discovery of a body in the warehouse.

A 1970s police force sees a male dominant profession with misogynistic and prejudice racist attitudes were a divide exist with those who see themselves as inferior.

The partnering of Leigh and Des sees the underdogs brought together and what a pairing it is!

Leigh is a tenacious character with flair, resilience and determination and her complex home life adds to her character.

The way the author has developed the characters within the book and the interactions between them is superb.and the atmospheric setting gives depth and authenticity to the plot.

A well deserved five stars, looking forward to see how the author develops and hoping this becomes a series.

Book Review 22
The Departed by Sarah Mellor
When a book draws you in from page one and continues to keep you turning the pages, you know you’re onto a winner. Flawed characters, desperate stories, glimmers of hope and believable scenarios all combine to make this a fantastic read- and it’s by a debut author!
This debut novel is beautifully plotted with flashbacks to her younger experiences from the POV of new CID recruit Leigh Borrowdale having to deal with the casual sexism that was rife in the 70s police force (and which echoes so powerfully the ongoing struggle against misogyny in current policing) as well as her own personal demons a declining mother and her unusual way of dealing with personal trauma.
Ridiculed, and sidelined at every opportunity it’s not surprising that Leigh finds herself partnered with detective Des Chung, who faces casual racism from his colleagues too. Investigating links between the death of two young lads, the discovery of another young man’s body and the seedy world of Liverpool’s underbelly of gangs , Leigh refuses to back down when senior officers want to shut down her investigation.
This is a hard hitting read that shows the raw humanity of Liverpool in the 70s, the struggle to survive against the backdrop of Thatcherism and The Winter of Discontent this is a crime story that is character and plot driven. It tells hard truths, but shows the warmth and strength of two outsiders pulling together to right wrongs and bring killers to justice.
With many surprising twists, I was glued to this from beginning to end and have already added this author on my list of Must Read Authors.

The Departed by Sarah Mellor, is set in Liverpool 1979 a time of a freezing winter and the grave diggers strikes (I never knew there was such a thing) and focuses on new CID recruit Leigh Borrowdale a young woman trying to fit into a man’s world and Leigh doesn’t have the easiest life, the men at work treat her with disdain and she is partnered with another misfit detective DS Des Chung. I liked dynamics between them but I did struggle with staying interested in the story, I’m not sure if I would read a sequel.

Liverpool 1979: When the remains of a young man are found, new CID recruit Leigh Borrowdale tries to track down his identity. Finding a connection to two boys presumed drowned in the River Mersey, her personal life threatens to derail the investigation when a familiar face turns up at the police station. Troubled by trauma in her own life and battling against sexism in her work place, she finds an ally in DS Des Chung – will they be able to untangle the web of crimes to bring the guilty party to justice?

I was initially drawn to this book by the setting and anybody who knows Liverpool well will thoroughly enjoy reading about very familiar locations, albeit ones that in many cases have changed over the years. Real life events such as the grave diggers and bin strikes have been woven into the story, giving it a very authentic feel.

Leigh is a great character, someone who is not your typical detective. Her background is troubled and she has chosen a career in the police much to the disdain of her mother. I really liked how she had a life outside the police force, even if it was one that made her job even more difficult for herself! The relationship between Leigh and Des is a fascinating one, attitudes of the 1970s coming to the fore with misogyny and casual racism being something the pair have to deal with on a daily basis.

The plot is well-written and easy to follow with some clever twists along the way culminating in a satisfying ending. I do hope that with the way it ended, this is the start of a series as I am desperate to read what happens next!

A fascinating debut from Sarah Mellor, set in and around Liverpool and with interesting characters. Although the idea of a female cop whose brother has disappeared or died has become something of a trope in crime fiction, it is handled well here. The mean streets of Merseyside make a good backdrop to the central story, the discovery of a body down by the docks. Setting the story in 1979 gives Ms Mellor the chance to deal with the racism and misogyny which were rife at the time. I look forward to more.

Newly promoted Detective Leigh Borrowdale teams up with DC Des Chung to investigate a dead body found in a warehouse on the docks.

Set in 1979 Liverpool, both Leigh and Des are on the outside of the team and have to fight against prejudices against them which serves to bring them together.

The writing of the setting made me feel like I was there and being from Liverpool I appreciated knowing the locations and the authenticity of the dialogue. Small pieces of history being weaved through the story were interesting as well and never seemed out of place.

I love the characters of Leigh and Des and the way they interact with each other and the way their relationship developed through the book. The relationship that Leigh has with her mum is also
interesting.

The plot itself of the crime Leigh and Des are investigating is well paced and I enjoyed the way it unfolded.

I am really hoping this is the beginning of a new series as I would love to see what is next for them all.

A clever crime thriller with a historical slant with well developed characters and set in the best city in the world.
Would 100% recommend.

A hard read, set in the late 1970s, when women and people of minority groups had a very had time trying to do their jobs in the police, both from the general public and extremely biased colleagues. Sadly it felt all too real. Leigh, female with attitude and Des, Chinese, are partners in an otherwise white male CID group in Liverpool. The body of a young man is found but no-one comes forward or admits they knew him. They discover other missing young men and Leigh includes her own brother, James. It's a gritty story, underworld horror, lies, and everything you really don't want to read about. Leigh has had a very hard time of it with her missing brother, break up of parent's marriage, father's second marriage and mother's unpleasant character now reinforced through developing dementia. Leigh herself is a mess - too much drinking, don't care attitudes. Des has a more conventional Chinese British upbringing but now has to cope with the death of his father. She reacts to misogynistic comments by foul mouthing and aggression, he by politeness but quiet seething. Although the main case is sorted at the end there is a clear follow-on signposted not least because there is a 6 month gap between the last chapter and the epilogue. The story certainly has the feel of the time so is well written from that point of view; however, most of the characters are rather unlikely even if they have good reasons to act as such. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.