WHO BETTER TO SOLVE A MURDER THAN A DEAD DETECTIVE?
When Detective Inspector Joe Lazarus storms a Lincolnshire farmhouse, he expects to bring down a notorious drug gang; instead, he discovers his own dead body and a spirit guide called Daisy-May.She’s there to enlist him to the Dying Squad, a spectral police force made up of the recently deceased. Joe soon realises there are fates far worse than death. To escape being stuck in purgatory, he must solve his own murder.
Reluctantly partnering with Daisy-May, Joe faces dangers from both the living and the dead in the quest to find his killer – before they kill again.
I need to start my review of The Dying Squad with an apology to Adam Simcox; I actually read the book a few months ago but it's taken me far too long to write this. I'm still able to remember it well though, which is clearly testament to what a unique and memorable thriller it is.
I read a lot of crime fiction and even in the most twisty books, it's always likely that the protagonist will survive, particularly in a series. This is not the case with The Dying Game as – to misquote Dickens – 'Joe Lazarus was dead to begin with.'
He finds this out at the start of the book and at the same time meets his irreverent spirit guide, Daisy-May. Joe is a brilliant character; he has a lot to come to terms with, beyond discovering he has been murdered and it's fascinating to see how he develops during the course of the novel. However, I suspect Daisy-May will be the character who captures most people's hearts. She may appear to be full of teenage attitude and rather flippant at first but she's kind, astute and courageous. The partnership which evolves between them is a highlight of The Dying Squad and epitomises everything I loved about this genre-busting thriller. They share a rollercoaster ride of emotions as they have to decide whether they can trust one another in the face of increasingly complex developments.
Some of the book is still set in real-life Lincolnshire – although being soil-side now presents a very different challenge to Lazarus – but there are also several gripping scenes which take place in the afterlife, most notably Purgatory. Of course, a book such as this requires readers to accept situations which are obviously fantastical, regardless of their own beliefs but Adam Simcox has created a really immersive, vividly realised world here which is utterly convincing throughout. The enigmatic warden of Purgatory, known as the Duchess adds a further layer of intrigue to this chilling, intricately plotted story but while her intentions aren't always obvious, there's another character who is a truly terrifying creation. There are some deeply unsettling scenes imagining what the afterlife may hold for most people, flawed as we all are, but some of the human characters are also horrifyingly ruthless and even when I thought I'd guessed a few of the revelations, they continued to shock me.
The Dying Squad is a compelling, satisfyingly concluded mystery but it also features some tantalising loose ends which ensure readers will eagerly look forward to the next book. The truth about what brought about the cold-blooded murder of Detective Joe Lazarus is revealed during the course of the labyrinthine thriller but he is part of the Dying Squad now and he and Daisy-May have already started making plans for the future of Purgatory. Meanwhile, another superbly charismatic, ambiguous character is also plotting their return and I look forward to reading The Generation Killer soon.
The Dying Squad explores some grim topics and is an exciting, creepily tense read, however, it is also acerbically witty throughout and full of heart. I thought it was excellent and highly recommend it.
The Dying Squad is published by Gollancz, purchasing links can be found here.
About the Author
When he’s not making films he indulges the masochistic pain that is being a Spurs fan, and keeps up his unhealthy vinyl collecting habit. He lives in London with his wife (a fellow writer) and their two young sons.
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