RATING: 3.25Although not given to pursuing wild goose chases, Detective Sergeant Diane Fry is spending a lot of time trying to nail down the disturbed individual who is making anonymous calls with promises of murders to come, and providing intellectually obscure clues that have to do with "the dead place", a location which means something to the caller but is maddeningly hidden to the police.At the same time, Detective Constable Ben Cooper is following the threads of another mystery and trying to determine the identity of a skeletonized corpse found in the woods. Cooper finds that there's been an instance of body snatching, a fact that leads him to scrutinizing those who are involved with dealing with the dead. The underlying theme of the book has to do with death, most especially the biological processes that take place once life is over. Booth provides some thought provoking visions of the changes taking place to the physical body. At the same time, one of the advisers on the case specializes in thanatology and provides historical insights into views of death, which at times verges on being a lecture.As always, it's fun to follow the dynamics of the relationship between laid-back Ben Cooper and driven Diane Fry. There is generally a feeling of friction between them, alleviated at times by a teasing sense of connection. They certainly don't seem destined to fall into bed together, but stranger things have been known to happen! One of the most positive characteristics of this series is the way that Booth portrays the Peak District setting. His descriptions are marvelous. However, in The Dead Place, there were so many locales and types of topography that I couldn't visualize them – I often wished that I could have seen a video of what was being described. I am a huge fan of Stephen Booth's, but sadly found The Dead Place to be one of the weaker entries in the series. I didn't find the premise of the book particularly mesmerizing; there was nothing going on that was in the least suspenseful activity and the revelation of the villain wasn't at all surprising. It never seemed that anyone was in danger, in spite of the threats made in the phone calls. The pace of the book was slow, and I frequently found my attention wandering. Certainly, Booth's technical skills as a writer are superlative; there just wasn't enough tension in The Dead Place to hold my interest for almost 600 pages.
I thought I had read a book in this series before but when I checked, I didn't see Booth's name on my list. Must have been several years ago, or I've just heard so much about the series that I was mistaken. This Cooper and Fry series is popular and successful of course, but I was a bit disappointed with this particular story,First, Cooper and Fry. I do like Cooper. He's a thinker, compassionate toward people and animals, has a good detective's intuition, and seems easy to get along with. Fry, on the other hand, is in this story at least moody, touchy, edgy, and a bit obtuse. I noted that she's dealing with some issues from her childhood when she was shuttled from foster home to foster home, and her sister is now living with her. Since the sister is a former heroin addict, this is causing problems.The story is difficult to follow and has strange characters. For instance, a retired professor who specializes in (actually is obsessed with) death, all aspects of death. There is a funeral home owned by Melvyn Hudson with employee Vernon Slack, the grandson of one of the founders of the business. Melvyn thinks of Vernon as stupid and useless.Speaking of useless, one funny spot in this depressing story is that Cooper meets the property owner where a body is found and the man has four hound dogs who tend to sleep in a pile on the porch. Their names are Graceless, Feckless, Aimless, and Pointless. I still laugh at them and their names.There are other murders and attempted murders, missing persons, a crematorium, a series of mysterious phone calls tantalizing the detectives with supposed clues to a murder coming soon and I found it tough to follow. At the end I didn't feel as if I had all the answers I needed. Some likely suspects just seemed to drop off the edge of the page never to be heard from again.Keeping in mind that sometimes what doesn't appeal to me might be just the thing for another reader, Cooper & Fry mysteries didn't get so popular without something good going for them so I intend to read at least one more. Maybe I just happened to start with a rare miss from this author.Recommended if you know and love this seriesSource: Publisher Witness Impulse Imprint, HarperCollins
What do You think about The Dead Place (2007)?
This was another long read for me. I think this book seemed a little longer than it actually was because I found myself rereading parts at times. Now, don't take that the wrong way. I wasn't rereading them because I didn't understand them. I had to go back to reread certain parts because I thought I missed something I should have picked up on. Now, in my book, that is a good thing.This is unique to me because I haven't really read many books like this. Now, I have never read any of the other books in this series, so I think I might be missing some pieces to the characters. I haven't gotten to know them over time, like others have. That is not to say one needs to read the others before this. I just felt like I was missing a few links with the characters is all.This book will have you guessing and reguessing... It's like the old board game Clue. You remember that game don't you? Whodunit, where, with what... Except we know many of the key parts; we just have to put the important pieces together correctly.The easy, yet not so easy, relationship between the detectives adds to this book's story. They are almost how you would envision them... or at least I envisioned them with trench coats and hats on. I don't know why. I think when I think of English detectives, I think of men and women in trench coats and hats... Just my own little stereotype I guess.I am not going into detail about the plot. It is in the blurb, and it gives you all of the information you really need. Like I have said in many reviews, if I give you anymore to the plot, I might end up spoiling things for you or confusing you. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice break from the romance and love stories that are floating around on my Kindle. I like a good mystery or a good thriller now and then.
—Up All Night Book Addict
If you're in the mood to learn arcane details about funeral rituals and what happens to the body after death, read this book. If your hair stands on end at the idea, stay away. Another strong entry in the Fry/Cooper series, this book has everything you expect from Booth--an intricate plot, mordant humor and tense exchanges between Diane Fry and Ben Cooper. I like Booth's writing because it is descriptive and takes the time necessary to build up a picture of place, detail by detail. I also think he's good with dialog. I recommend him to readers who like Elizabeth George or P.D. James. If you're more a thriller reader (a la James Patterson) you may find his pacing too slow for your taste.
—Janet
I read recently that this series featuring Diane Fry and Ben Cooper, two police detectives in Derbyshire, England, is popular in Canada. It's nice to know I'm amongst much company. But I'm not surprised. This is British to the core but not in a stereotypical way. Instead the characters are nuanced, they grow from book to book, they create conflict through their personality quirks and because of their past history. There is never a dull moment in any of these books so far, including The Dead Place. However, at one point in this book, I was getting a tad annoyed (and distracted from the story) with Fry's constant anger. She seems to be in a snarky, irritable mood all the time in this series, always looking for the wrong way to look at things. It's wearing, and her detective skills are at odds with that kind of emotionalism. But just as I was about to be turned off by her attitude enough to close the book, Stephen Booth switched it up, and I once more became engrossed in the plot and the characters.It is a long read, which in this case is a good thing. There are some characters that you just want to stay with for a long time, and Cooper and Fry and their ever-eating colleague Gavin Murfin, fit the bill.When Booth revealed whodunnit, I have to admit I was confused. This is why many authors have wrap-up scenes -- to unconfuse those of us who get lost. Booth's wrap-up is more than just an explanation though; it's a continuation of the relationship between the police detectives and an exploration of the characters affected by the crime. Sometimes one gets lost because the author is trying to be too clever and leaves out crucial details as a way to prevent the reader from solving the mystery. But here it's more that the story has so many threads that come together in a tighter and tighter weave that you need to be able to hold it all in your memory. I wasn't able to. Still, I enjoyed the challenge, and I enjoyed the story. It's well worth spending a few hours with.
—Shireen
