Cold Case (DI Sally Parker 3) by M.A Comley #BookReview @Melcom1

About this book…

DI Sally Parker has been handed a ten-year-old cold case. However, the victim, Aisha Thomas, isn’t just a member of the public–she’s a serving police officer’s wife.

During the original investigation, the suspects disappeared before they could be questioned. Now fresh evidence has been uncovered, proving the two suspects to be innocent. Sally has to start over at the beginning. She uncovers a few surprises that were either overlooked. . . or purposefully ignored by the original investigator.

When the case threatens Sally’s fledgling romantic relationship with pathologist Simon Bracknall, she begins to suspect someone is determined to hinder her chance at happiness–as well as solving Aisha’s murder.

Is Sally getting close to revealing the killer or has she stumbled across something even more sinister?

My review…

I do love all this authors books but have to admit to having a real soft spot for the Sally Parker series. I think it’s a combination of the fact I’ve followed the series from book 1 and the fact that as a Norfolk girl it’s set in a part of the country I know and love. But mainly because the author is a natural born storyteller who has made DI Sally Parker such an likeable character that the reader can really empathise with. Here we meet up again with Sally in what I think is one of Mel’s best books so far! Having the team investigate a “cold case” was an inspired idea for this instalment of the series as it’s been a very topical subject recently, proving very popular especially on tv. So I have spent my Bank Holiday Monday morning totally wrapped up in this intriguing murder inquiry.

The Cold Case in question is that of Aisha, married to a serving police officer with the Norfolk Constabulary, who was murdered during a burglary gone wrong. Or so everyone thought until the suspects in that burglary turn up dead and it becomes quite apparent that they couldn’t have been responsible. Sally and Jack are then taken on a perilous journey to find out who could have killed the popular music teacher who’s husband still hasn’t got over her death 10 years later.

This is such a twisty turny book full of possible suspects and motives that give Sally plenty of conundrums to solve. But I got as much enjoyment out of Sallys personal story as I did the murder investigation. The cameo appearance of another of Mel’s characters made me smile and I’m loving Sallys new relationship. Simon’s character is slowly becoming more of an influence in her life and I’m really enjoying seeing that side of this new couple (Simon reminds me of my husband so I definitely have a thing for him!)

Sally, Jack and the rest of the team work so well together that I found myself utterly engrossed in the action and was amazed to realise how much time had passed while I was reading! I got so caught up in the action, desperate to find out what had happened to Aisha but to also discover why someone was determined to make sure Sallys mind wasn’t totally in the case with a personal vendetta against her happiness! My heart was in my mouth at one point concerned with the safety of one of those closest to Sally!

Cold Case was an gripping crime thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed from the very first page. It was like welcoming back an old friend that you haven’t seen for a while but from the first “hello” it’s like you’ve never been apart. Highly recommended by me!

Many thanks to the author for my advanced review copy of Cold Case (DI Sally Parker thriller Book 3) which is out today 1st May 2017