#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own, I tend to choose books I know I will like, such as murder mysteries.

A BODY UNDER THE BRIDGE by P. F. Ford

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Love the characters & stories, and feel like I have been to Wales!’ Nancy

MEET YOUR NEW FAVOURITE DETECTIVE.

Detective Norman is out of retirement and back on the beat in a rainy Welsh seaside town. Llangwelli might be short on sunshine, but it’s certainly not short on murders . . . Norman may seem a bit old-fashioned, but he’s always willing to learn from his band of misfit recruits.

A lonely widower. A body in a stream. An impossible puzzle.

It’s an ordinary Tuesday morning when pensioner Alun Edwards turns up at Llangwelli station. He doesn’t want to make a fuss but he’s worried about his friend Gareth. Every Monday, they meet up for a game of chess. But Gareth wasn’t at home yesterday. He’s not answering his phone — and he’s left his dog behind. He’d never do that.

Detective Norman searches Gareth’s cottage — and finds a woman’s photograph, torn to shreds and dumped in the bin.

The next day, the body of an elderly man is discovered in a stream under an old railway bridge. The name on his bus pass is Gareth Jenkins. But that’s impossible. According to the pathologist, the body has been in the water at least three or four days. And Gareth was seen walking his dog, just two days ago.

Norman is facing an impossible puzzle. And what is the secret behind the woman in the photograph . . . ?

This absolutely gripping detective mystery full of twists and turns is perfect for fans of Rachel McLean, J.D. Kirk, Pauline Rowson, Elly Griffiths, Matt Brolly and Simon McCleave.

READERS LOVE THE WEST WALES MYSTERIES:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I really connected with old-fashioned DS Norman and DI Southall and the rest of their team. A great read.’ Richard J.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I love the characters, the twists, the setting in Wales, and the cozy mystery feel . . . One of the best police procedural series I’ve read in a while.’ Tabby S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it. A really good story.’ Aileen G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A finely tuned police procedural that had me hooked from the first page. Lots of red herrings kept me guessing until the end.’ Shirley S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another terrific outing for the West Wales murder gang. I adore these characters.’ Kathy H.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another great detective story. I love these books.’ Kelly S.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I really took to Norman . . . He has the kindest heart, someone you would want on your side. A clever premise and a perpetrator who took me by surprise. An excellent read.’ Nicki

THE DETECTIVE
Meet DS Norman Norman. He’s so good they named him twice. He thought his policing days were over when he took early retirement. But then he gets called into Llangwelli Police Department to help train up the new recruits. Out on the west coast of Wales, the town is known as something of a dumping ground for screw-ups, but Norman believes no copper’s career is ever beyond salvaging, so he’s going to whip these youngsters into shape. Even if it kills him.

THE SETTING
Llangwelli (pronounced Hlangwelly) is a seaside harbour town in West Wales that sits on the edge of a wide, shallow river estuary. Thanks to West Wales’s rainy climate, verdant green hills dotted with cows and sheep make for idyllic surroundings. But that doesn’t mean it’s free from crime — as Norman is about to find out.

ALSO BY P.F. FORD
THE WEST WALES MURDER MYSTERIES
Prequel: A DATE WITH DEATH
Book 1: A BODY ON THE BEACH
Book 2: A BODY OUT AT SEA
Book 3: A BODY DOWN THE LANE
Book 4: A BODY AT THE FARMHOUSE
Book 5: A BODY IN THE COTTAGE
Book 6: A BODY UNDER THE BRIDGE

SLATER AND NORMAN MYSTERIES
Book 1: DEATH BY CARPET
Book 2: DEATH BY PLANE
Book 3: DEATH BY NIGHT
Book 4: DEATH BY KITCHEN SINK
Book 5: DEATH BY TELEPHONE BOX
Book 6: DEATH IN WILD BOAR WOODS
Book 7: DEATH IN THE RIVER

Author Bio ~ Peter F Ford
Peter Ford always dreamed of becoming a writer, but a dream is easily stifled without support from those around you. It was only when his old, unhappy life fell apart and he met his new partner (now wife) Mary, who believed dreamers should be encouraged, that he finally got the chance to live that dream. Fast forward a few years and you find a man transformed. 
Now, blissfully happy, settled in a quiet corner of Wales with wife Mary and their rescue dogs, P.F. Ford is living proof that it’s never too late to achieve your dreams.

My Review Omg what a trip to Wales this was. We need more Welsh based ones. This author is brilliant for red herrings and what seems to be loose dead ends but oh these are woven into a sticky web and revealed so fantastically in the end. With an old man missing and somehow his furniture too, will the neighbours be helpful? Did they like him? What is the connection of the solicitor and sister, are they innocent? I dare you to come along and read and find out the killer, you won’t be disappointed at all. Incredible read from start to finish, I had no chance of finding out who until the end!!

#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own, I choose book genres I enjoy to read the most.

Looking Good Dead (Inspector Drake Book 12)

Can DI Drake uncover the mysterious connection between two unconnected victims dressed in 1930s attire before more deaths?

Two startled shop assistants find the body of well-known businesswoman June Bennett hanging in a shop premises she owns. Drake and his team immediately suspect her death is linked to the parties she organised where revellers wore 1930s style clothes.
As suspicion falls upon her husband, the investigation takes an unexpected turn when the team uncovers ‘spin-off’ parties of a more scandalous nature. With the sudden death of an unrelated bank manager, Inspector Drake faces the formidable task of establishing a motive that links both victims.
Tension escalates as the killer taunts Drake with chilling photographs from the scene of the second murder, attracting a deluge of media attention. Yet, Drake is determined to stay resolute, drawing upon the echoes of his past battles?
Looking Good Dead is the twelfth book in the dynamic Inspector Drake crime series. If you like police procedurals, clever mysteries, and gripping page-turners, then you’ll love Stephen Puleston’s unnerving whodunit.

Author Bio – STEPHEN PULESTON
Stephen Puleston was born in Holyhead/Caergybi, Ynys Môn, in Wales. After leaving university he trained and practised as a lawyer.
He is now a full time author presently writing two crime series. Both are based in Wales, a country rich in history and spectacular scenery.
The Inspector Ian Drake books involve a detective inspector based in North Wales, the area where he was born and raised, who faces his own demons while solving gruesome murders.
The Inspector John Marco series follows the adventures of John Marco an inspector based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales. He’s from a Welsh-Italian family catching the killers at large in the bustling city of Cardiff.
All the novels in the Inspector Drake and Marco series are available as audiobooks. All are narrated by experienced professional actors.
Stephen lives with his family in Ynys Môn/Anglesey.

My Review

It may be book 12 but each of these are super as stand alone books too. You don’t feel lost or like you are missing some inside joke at all. One of the reasons I love this author, I can dip in and out at will and never lose the gist of the back stories and characters. Excellent police investigation, thoroughly likeable inspector drake, who doesn’t drink like  fish and fit all the usual police clichés. Fast paced and dynamic well written murder mysteries that keep you guessing up to the end. Feels nice to be set in Wales, I love that it’s not the usual locations or made up locations, but a tangible place I know about, and can easily picture. Rural police should be featured more.

It’s the School summer holidays and we had some rare dry days, so last week we visited Barmouth in Wales. We had planned a beachy time, but it was packed, and felt like sensory overload.

So we decided to do the previous posts Precipice Walk Found here and we followed it up with a Panoramic Walk and it was so beautiful.

We were lucky we could actually drive to the top, so I didn’t have to climb. But if you want too, it’s achievable from the town upwards, if unlike me have the mobility to get up there.

We had planned beachy days, and thought the weather would play ball, but it didn’t. And weirdly we weren’t all in for just sitting on the beach, red flags said it wasn’t suitable for bathing either. So after one day of resting on a beach, which was lovely. We opted for some epic walks around Barmouth and nearby.

A circular walk through the historical Nannau estate and along the shore of Llyn Cynwch
The Precipice has a fantastic array of qualities. From habitats such as woodlands and meadows to captivating views of Snowdonia’s mountain ranges. The path will take you through part of the Nannau estate which dates back to the 12th century and is steeped in fascinating Welsh history.

The route ends on the shores of Llyn Cynwch—a working reservoir that provides nearby Dolgellau with water.

Why this path?
For a moderate walk, the Precipice offers an abundance of viewpoints across some of Snowdonia’s most striking mountain ranges. To the north stands Snowdon and the Moelwynion and to the west stand the Rhinogydd. Cader Idris, the Aran and Arenig can be seen towards the south and east.

Although the path stands at 800ft above sea level, there is little climbing and descending along the route. It can be a great option for an adventurous family outing.