Once again Juliet B. Madison has written a book which you won't be able to put down.
Best Served Cold is the fifth novel in the DI Frank Lyle Mystery Series.
The book is much darker than the previous
novels in the series since it deals with the issues of paedophilia, hate crime
and revenge. It also contains M/M sex scenes and is generally unsuitable for
readers below the age of 18.
The story begins with the discovery of the
apparent suicide of Ashbeck City Councillor, and former Mayor, George Driscoll
by his loyal secretary, Shirley Kingston. However investigation leads to a much
darker state of affairs. The more astute reader and DI Lyle Mystery series
follower will remember Mayor Driscoll’s infamous New Year’s Eve dinner party
towards the end of the second novel Heir to Misfortune. It is constantly
referred to thereafter as the night that no one who was there will ever forget. While
on that subject, although reading Heir to Misfortune is not essential
for following the events of Best Served Cold it will help with
the contextualisation of events. You can get your copy of Heir to Misfortune from http://bookShow.me/B00EQBAKC2
Here is the blurb for Best Served Cold
DI Lyle is about to get a glimpse into the murky world of political
activism and hate crime; the murder of a prominent city councillor is just the
tip of the iceberg.
The city of Ashbeck is on high alert when news breaks that convicted
triple murderer and paedophile Bob Kenyon has escaped from custody.
Can DI Lyle and his team get to the bottom of this murky mess before
another atrocity occurs?
Here is what Juliet herself says about the book:
Here is what Juliet herself says about the book:
As well as the murder investigation and hate
crime the book raises the old nature versus nurture debate.
Are criminals born or shaped through the
circumstances of their lives and misfortunes and those of the people whom they
love? Hold onto whatever opinion you may have for now as, by the last page,
your convictions may have become further cemented or changed completely.
The book also follows the back story of the
series to date and the personal circumstances of the characters involved. It
offers the latest stage in the love story between James Lyle & DS Thomas
Fox as well as what goes on in DI Lyle’s home.
Most people know that the character of DI
Lyle is based on roles played by British actor Robert Bathurst, as well as my
own idea of what a CID detective SHOULD be. I have never made a secret of this
fact. DI Lyle also resembles Bathurst physically so I offered a fellow Bathurst
fan, Ruth Barlow, a cameo role as a CSI. It occurred to me while writing the
book that my head CSI, Jim Cox, has never had a holiday during the series so I
put Ruth in his place and made her just as good at the job.
As a huge fan of the UK TV crime drama series
A Touch of Frost I could not resist
setting this book around the time the first ever episode was screened or making
reference to it in that Jayseera videos it for Frank because he’s out. 1992 was of course long before the days
of DVD recorders, Sky Plus boxes and other TV recorders, as well as ITV player
and catch-up TV, so we make a retro-trip back into the days of VHS,
Incidentally the phrase Revenge is a dish
best served cold, from which I took the book’s title, is actually “Revenge is a
dish best served in Cold blood” although it is not known for sure from whose
lips the phrase originated.
I am extremely proud of this book and look
forward to seeing how well it is received by the unsuspecting public. It deals
with dark themes and follows lonely, often twisted, paths to a somewhat
gruesome climax, which poses another question. Is murder ever morally
justified? You may have your own ideas about that, but prepare for them to be
challenged as the story draws to its close.
Juliet is also working on a DI Frank Lyle
novella. A Murder-Free Christmas will
be available from Mid-December.
Here is an excerpt from the first chapter of Best
Served Cold
I went up in the lift and was met by DS Fox.
“Is it grim?” I asked him.
“He looks like his eyes are bulging out of his head,” Fox replied.
“Nothing less than you would expect from a hanging then.” I replied.
“DC Mahon’s working her magic with Shirley Kingston,” Fox added.
DC Paula Mahon was exceptionally good with the friends and families of
the deceased in most cases. She had just the right mix of compassion and
suspicion, for we knew that not everyone who found a body was innocent of the
death.
I followed DS Fox into the office.
Dr Bradley had taken Driscoll down and laid him on a plastic sheet. Two
SOCOS were cleaning up the broken china and bagging it. Others were dusting for
prints.
My friend, Jim Cox, did not seem to be present. Sensing my confusion a
young woman approached me.
“DI Lyle, I’m acting head of SOCO, Ruth Barlow. Jim’s on holiday at the
moment.”
“Have you found anything?”
“The smashed china happened when Mrs Kingston brought in tea and came
upon the body, but there were two cups already here each with about an inch of
cold scummy coffee so we’ve taken those for prints. There was a note pinned to
the body,”
A young SOCO handed me a clear folder with the note that Shirley had
found.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“You’re the detective,” Ruth replied.
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” I said.
I noticed that the team were going through the desk drawers and papers
so decided to leave them to it. Mrs Shirley Kingston should be able to confirm
whether or not it was Driscoll’s handwriting.
“He’s been dead about nine hours, DI Lyle,” Bradley informed me in
response to my standard question, “His corneas are clouded and rigor is
advancing although he hasn’t quite reached the total rigidity stage. The hyoid
is fractured, but to be honest there are finger marks on his throat,” he
indicated reddish purple bruises with white impressions.
“Are you saying what I think you are, Doc?” DS Fox asked, “Only one does
pick up things simply by being the Coroner’s nephew, no matter how many scenes
I attend.”
“What are you thinking, DS Fox?” Bradley’s brow furrowed in a frown.
“I don’t think ex-Mayor Driscoll committed suicide, Doc. I think he was
strangled and then strung up to make it look like suicide. I only hope I’m
wrong.”
“So do I,” I said, “He was a good bloke, no one deserves this.”
Bradley shook his head sadly and looked at me.
“I’m afraid that DS Fox is correct, DI Lyle. Councillor Driscoll was
almost certainly murdered.”
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