Dead Town (Raine and Hume #3) by Stephen Williams

Dead Town (Raine and Hume #3) Reviews

• 
  Krystal

  I have very mixed feelings on this book. I have categorized my thoughts into the three main issues.
  
  The first being that I did not realize that this was the third in a series. And while that didn't hinder me from understanding this one, I do feel like I missed out on a lot of the complexities that make the characters of Hume and Raine the way they are. It is obvious that there was something deeper going on there than just former mother and daughter-in-law that I felt like I was missing out on. However, I think Raine's approach to grief was well written and it made it easy to emphasize with some of the more reckless choices she made.
  
  The second was that for all of the action in this book, things seemed to drag on throughout most of it. I'm not sure if this is because there seemed to be so much going on with all of the different characters exploring different things (some things pertaining to Melissa's case, others not), that it just became to muddled or what, but there were times I could easily put this novel down to go to other things.
  
  The final issue I had with this story is entirely a personal one of my own. I feel like this book was trying too hard. At one point an officer tries to help Hume out of the car as they said that the ground was very slippery (mind you she is above said officer in rank). Not only does Hume take exception to being called ma'am, but she also seems almost insulted that the officer offered his hand to help her and even questions if he did that to every officer. Personal pet peeve I know, but people who genuinely act like this irritate me. The officer was trying to be nice to a superior officer, there was no reason to react the way she did. A simple no thank you, would have sufficed, along with her preference of being called guv instead.
  
  I was also annoyed by the fact that both Raine and Hume somehow manage to disarm their opponents by always breaking their wrists (in Hume's case it was with a kick). It was like the author couldn't think of another way to disarm the bad guys than that.
  
  Now those things aside, I thought that the idea of this story was one of the most unique ones that I have seen in a long time. The idea of using artificial intelligence in order to "murder people", as part of a game was intriguing. And honestly, I would not be surprised if a game like this didn't pop up in the future (although hopefully without the horrific truths that this one included). And as I said previously, the characters were all complex and individual which made them stand out against each other, while still working well as a team.
  
  All that being said, I do believe that this book will be well received by fans of the series, and I enjoyed it enough that I will be going back to book one to give this author another chance.
  
  DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
• 
  Carole Gourlay

  Review:
  
  I was offered this by Joffe as an ARC, and at first I couldn’t remember what had gone on in book 1. I knew “Raine” (with an e) rang a bell, but as I read so many, I’d forgotten. Started this one, realised I’d not read book 2, so read that and carried on.
  
  This time the team are called out to what purports to be a murder, but although the scene is set, there’s no body. Mary Hume is given a phone with a video on it of a killing taking place. It’s of a blogger Melissa Clarke, who is known for her cold case investigations. Mary & Echo are given the task of finding what’s happened and enlist the help of Raine and her unorthodox methods.
  
  I have to say Raine is delightful, no nonsense, sorts the thugs out, doesn’t give a fig for what the hierarchy think, we could do with more like her on the streets today. Breaks a few limbs of the most evil villains and goes on her way. Excellent!!
  
  What follows is a really well thought out crime. Being of the older generation I did struggle a little bit with the gaming side of it with Echo and Bitz, but it was so cleverly worked out, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m not going into great detail because I dont understand gaming, but it is a fabulous read. I would recommend, if time permits, to read the first two so that the picture is clearer.
  
  I do hope Stephen continues with this series, as the characters are excellent, they work well together and there’s none of the upper echelons interference that stop the police officers doing their jobs. Also the plots are different from usual crime. I think he’s got a lot more mileage yet and Raine will be able to sort out her demons.
  
  My thanks to Joffe and the author for the ARC.
• 
  Gordon Johnston

  Dead Town is the third installment in the excellent London based series featuring DI Mary Hume and the enigmatic former detective turned PI known as Raine ("like the weather with an e"). With a combination of a twisting plot, several recurring characters from the first two novels and some serious violence, this is a gripping tale.
  
  Dead Town sees a crime blogger gone missing, several linked crimes and a people smuggler with connections to Afghanistan. Raine and Hume try to piece it all together with the help of DS Echo, the Maori tech whizz and several other recurring characters. It's a difficult tale to untangle, but the ending makes it well worth the journey through London's seedier side.
• 
  Vicki - I Love Reading

  This is the 3rd book I have read by this author.
  Series
  Raine and Hume
  1. The Skin Code (2022)
  2. A Bloodstained Coat (2023)
  3. Dead Town (2024)
  
  Thoroughly enjoyed each book and looking forward to reading more in this interesting growing series.
  Detective Mary Hume stares at the crime scene in confusion. She’s in an empty flat. Peeling wallpaper. A bloodstained chair in the middle of the room.
  
  But no body.
  
  A story filled with tension and twists throughout. Interesting, believable and likeable characters. Getting to know the main characters over these books has been interesting.
  I was soon engrossed in the pages wanting and needing to read on.
  
  At the end of these books you really are left wanting more and I look forward to the next installment. This book will be a great read for any crime thriller fan.
• 
  Julie

  Thank you, NetGalley and Joffe Books for the copy of Dead Town by Stephen Williams. You can read this as a standalone, of course, but you will get the most out of this book if you read the whole series because each book builds on the last and the characters’ relationships really develop throughout the series. Raine continues to be the most interesting character and I loved how she has such a good heart. The compelling story felt current and kept me guessing until the explosive reveal and end. You don’t want to miss this series or this book. 5 enthusiastic stars!
• 
  Sandra Leivesley

  I found the storyline of this London based thriller intestesting but ultimately I found it a bit disappointing. Although it is mostly fast paced with plenty of action, there are times when the action slows right down, mostly due to some wordy explanations, and I found myself skipping a few pages.
  
  I didn't realise this was book 3 in a series when I started reading and although it didn't spoil the story I did occasionally feel I was missing something.
  
  I'm not sure I would read more by this author.
• 
  Jackthedad

  Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy. If you want a synopsis, click on the book.
  
  This was a disappointing book for me. It had ingredients I like – quirky characters in a modern setting with twists but it didn't grip me. There were two occasions when the police got a breakthrough because of something unusual they had recently experienced and this felt too contrived.
  
  I'm sure the author has his fans but, even though it's an easy read, it's not for me.