DI Chris Sigurdsson is one of the most unique crime fighters I've seen in awhile. He suffers panic attacks at the most opportune times and he's obsessed with his own death. Because he ratted out a fellow office for beating a suspect, he's become persona non grata and no one wants to work with him.

His supervisor comes up with a plan to kill two birds with one stone. Send Sigurdsson to a remote island to spy on a female detective there. The supervisor is still pouting that the lady detective dared to take time off to have a baby. So he decides to have the whistle blower report anything and everything she does.

The murder he is investigating is of a has-been wrestler. He is somehow poisoned with strychnine while he is in the ring.

It's an interesting case, as well as frustrating, having to decide who's lying and who isn't. There are many suspects ... his competitors in the ring, the big boss, and there is the secret he's been keeping for years. While trying to solve this murder, he also gets involved in a drug ring.

Every other chapter or so, the reader sees the victim's life in the form of a book with his memoirs. His memoirs are honest and what you see isn't always what you get.

All the characters are fascinating and credible in their own way. I've never been a big fan of wrestling, but the behind- the- scenes language and action is quite entertaining. Lots of action keeps the reader invested in the story and the reader is rewarded with a surprise twist.

I believe this is the author's debut novel .. Well Done!

I wish to thank the author / HarperCollinsUK - HQ DIgital / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
netgalley-2017 read-in-201714 s Sarah2,716 194

Deadly burial is a relatively short read at only 149 pages on the kindle edition. It is also the first book in a new series featuring DI Chris Sigurdsson.

The author takes us into the world of wrestling. Not a world I probably know a lot about not being much of a fan of the sport myself. Wrestlers always come across as having very big egos and it's not something that appeals to me whatsoever. Even though the majority of the characters in this book are exactly what I had envisioned, the author does humanise some of them so I could feel some empathy.

I really Mason and Sigurdsson. There is a certain amount of chemistry between them but they both very much bring something different to the table. Overall they worked well together on this case though they certainly have their work cut out and I honestly thought at one stage that this might be one of those unsolved cases.

Overall this is a solid start to a new crime series. If you are after a shortish, engrossing read, then would certainly advise people to give this a go. Look forward to seeing what else the author has in store for the main characters in future cases.fiction5 s Elaine Tomasso3,160 61

I would to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins/HQ Digital for an advance copy of Deadly Burial, a police procedural set on Salvation island, off the Devon Coast.

DI Chris Sigurdsson is sent to Salvation to help Inspector Carina Mason investigate the death of fading wrestling star, Vic Valiant, who died in the ring of strychnine poisoning.

The novel is a fairly straightforward investigation with the usual red herrings, faulty theorising and unco-operative witnesses. In fact, their poor investigative skills and the way they keep barking up the wrong tree get a bit annoying after a while. It is fiction so I expect the protagonists to be a bit more savvy. To compensate for this there are a couple of good twists, some fairly theatrical scenes and the novel is intercut with excerpts from the increasingly unpleasant Vic Valiant's autobiography.

The descriptions of Salvation Island in all its faded glory and rabbits are well done and I felt I could really picture it. I don't know anything about wrestling so while the detail of it seems authentic I can't pass comment. It was smart to set the novel in a second rate operation as it gives the author more scope for dodgy dealings.

Mr Richter has all the minor characters pegged and they are well drawn. Chris Sigurdsson is a dreary character. Obviously, as a fictional detective he has to be troubled so he is burdened with a fear of death, OCD and serious panic attacks which overshadow everything in his life. Carina Mason is bullied by their superior, the misogynistic DCI Wells, and overcompensates the fear of losing her job with a tough exterior and abrasive manner. I can't say I took to either of them.

Deadly Burial is a decent first effort with some teething problems but worth a read as I think Mr Richter has a promising future as a novelist and I will be interested in reading his next book.
5 s Lisa 60 17

Review originally posted on Rambling Lisa's Book Reviews

I grew up watching the wrestling and have loved it my whole life! I mean I went to a show when I was 8 months pregnant, I was a tank, and my husband was having to pull me off the chairs while I was screaming at the wrestlers. I love shouting and screaming at the wrestlers that I love telling them to hurt the ones I dis. This shows just how invested we can get in the kayfabe world. It doesn’t matter who the wrestler is in the ‘real world’ we only know them as their character and never consider that their lives are far from the character they play. Deadly Burial shows us that the wrestlers are more than just characters. Behind the scenes is explored as the result of the death of a wrestler from times gone by.

While reading we are watching the scenes unfold as they happen along with excerpts from a diary. Richter has brilliantly brought the world of wrestling to us and shows us just what no one wants to believe; wrestling is real, remember that!

I totally didn’t see what was coming and was sitting with my mouth open…I have a feeling that some bugs may have flown in and I might not be vegetarian anymore as a result….

You don’t have to be a lover of wrestling to love this book, why not pick up a copy and see for yourself.2 s Stacey62 13

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

"

A gripping debut crime thriller novel from Jon Richter, perfect for fans of Peter James, Stuart McBride and Leigh Russell.

A fight to the death…

When DI Chris Sigurdsson is assigned a grisly murder case on remote Salvation Island, he knows that it might be his strangest yet.

A forgotten wrestling star of the 1980s has been poisoned whilst in the ring, and amidst the slippery lies of his dangerous opponents, unravelling the victim’s murky past is almost impossible.

And as a storm threatens to cut Salvation Island off from the mainland, the race is on for Sigurdsson to find the ruthless killer before he strikes again…"

The novel is a fair straight forward investigation with the usual plot twists and red herrings of books of this nature. The seemingly bad detective work became bordering on annoying after a while and was repetitive. The plot was very slow and didn't pick up until ~ 60% through the book. But there were some good plot twists which I did not see coming.

I found there were far too many characters, most of whom had stage names, which made it very confusing and became quite hard to follow. Sigurdsson is a pretty bland character and I found his troubled background quite stereotypical. This also ran true with his relationship with Mason, who I also did not connect with.

The constant referencing to rabbits also got on my nerves.

Overall, this is a good first effort by Richter. There are some teeththing problems, but he does have great potential as an author.
2017 netgalley1 Kate A483 16

Rating 3.5/5

This was a very unusual book, but unusual in a good way. I think when I read crime thrillers I must go in with a bit of a preconceived notion of what to expect and this book ended up being a little unexpected.

The wrestling angle I really enjoyed, I actually knew a lot of the terminology from an old acquaintance and whilst I haven't been to a wrestling show for a quite some time, the way the event and the characters were described really brought it all back. I thought Richter captured the atmosphere and personalities so well and I enjoyed reading about the behind the scenes element.

The island as a setting was a fantastic choice, it definitely gave the book the right creepy/remote feeling. The fact that it was a place that had once been popular and had over time fallen into obscurity, I thought matched in really well with our two main characters, Sigurdsson and Mason.

I d that they were both viewed, for entirely different reasons, as misfits of the force and that they had been almost relegated to the island because of that. Sigurdsson I really d because he wasn't at all what I was expecting, he's a cop but he has issues with anxiety and whilst he seems really good at his job he also doesn't seem entirely passionate about it. He seemed very human, and not the tough, jaded super hero type that I have come to expect, which I loved.

Mason was also a character that I enjoyed, I d that she was a force to be reckoned with and kind of had no filter but I also enjoyed getting to see her family life and how she had to juggle her job with it.

Unfortunately, there were a few little things that could have been better in the story, whilst I enjoyed the plot the motivations of some of the characters could have done with a little more fleshing out. The conclusion to the story whilst explained and tied up nicely I didn't find completely credible, I felt there maybe needed some more explanation or set up sooner in the story to justify certain characters actions.

This was an enjoyable read with an interesting storyline, brilliant setting and characters. I hope I get to see more of Sigurdsson and Mason.

Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere2017-reads Rebecca Stobart51 17

Deadly Burial is a debut from Jon Richter will take you a quick but no less thrilling venture into a gruesome case, in less than two-hundred pages.

The book is set on a remote island and features a murder centred around the sport of wrestling, giving it a very unique feeling. I don't know anything about wrestling but the book is written well and I would assume it was authentic because I followed along with it easily.

One point I really d in this book is that Richter writes about how the majority of the population of the island is made up of rabbits, this touch made the setting seem more ominous and feel cut off from the rest of the world. Cut off from the rest of the world -with a murderer *chills*.

A trope of the detective novel is a damaged officer whose life is full of conflict, this book is no different. DI Sigurdsson fears his own death and suffers panic attacks and premonitions about the whole subject because of a childhood trauma. I didn't think much of Sigurdsson’s college Carina Mason, but a lot of the side characters were a lot of fun, including the wrestlers. Despite not being a wrestling fan I think this element of the book was the biggest win for Richter.

The plot definitely picked up more towards the midpoint of the book, before then it was very much about establishing characters and the usual procedural detective work. There were a lot of plot twists that I didn't predict which was surprising in such a short book, I wasn't expecting red herrings or a complex plot line, so that gave the book extra points.

There isn't a whole lot more I can say about the book without giving away the plot, but for fans of intense reads and other authors such as; Peter James, Stuart McBride and Leigh Russell, then this is a read for you. I would recommend to anyone who is in a bit of a reading slump because this will jumpstart you for sure.
Nicola Smith976 36

Deadly Burial would probably be termed a novella as it has the equivalent of 149 pages but it felt a longer read because it has so much packed into it. DI Chris Sigurdsson is sent to a remote island called Salvation to investigate the (possibly) mysterious death of a professional wrestler and a series of unusual and interesting things happen to him during his time there.

I'm not a fan of wrestling but did actually find myself being drawn into the whole theatre of it. However, the main reason I chose to read this book was the setting. I love reading about island life and especially remote ones. Salvation is a quite bleak and desolate sort of place and yet this huge wrestling event takes place there. There's also the added interest of the huge rabbit colony that lives there.

I d Chris a lot. He has his troubles but he's hugely likable. And the officer he is sent to Salvation to help is also a great character. Carin Mason is prickly and feisty but she and Sigurdsson end up forming a great alliance.

This is quite a hard-hitting thriller. No punches are pulled. Along with the story of the two detectives trying to work out whether the wrestler, Vic Valiant, was murdered or not we are treated to sections from Vic's memoirs. It makes for quite an unusual and unique read and I thought it was very well done.

As this book is billed as a DI Chris Sigurdsson novel and it's a debut I'm guessing the author has more in store for readers where Chris is concerned. I'm not sure, given the ending (which I won't reveal) how that is going to work so I shall be interested to see what Jon Richter comes up with next but I hope it's as eclectic a read as this one is.
Joyce1,760 36

3 and 1 / 2 stars

Detective Inspector Chris Sigurdsson is assigned to investigate the death of a professional wrestler on Salvation Island. He is to assist a police officer on the island by the name of Carina Mason. “Vic Valiant” died in the ring of poisoning.

Our story goes back and forth between the present and an autobiography written by the unfortunate Mr. Valiant. Given what he wrote in his book, he is a most unable fellow.

DI Sigurdsson is a most unusual officer. He is most fearful of his own death and imagines all kinds of horrors associated with it. Carina Mason has a mysterious past and is dogged by DCI Wells who diss women and holds a grudge against her for her taking time off to have a baby.

The officers seem to be a little lost at times, but they continue on interviewing witnesses and following suspects. One of my favorite parts of the book is the other professional wrestlers. They are quite colorful.

Since I know a bit about professional wrestling, that part of the book is well written. In fact, the book has potential for a debut writer. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Richter’s novels.

The murderer comes as a surprise, although upon reflection, perhaps it shouldn’t have.

I want to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins UK/HQ Digital for forwarding to me a copy of this debut book to read. Rachel (Rae)698 59

I loved the references to the wrestling even though I'm not really a fan myself it did take me back to my childhood as my brother always seemed to be watching it on the TV. So it was interesting seeing some of the background scenes behind everything involved down to storylines and the characters the wrestlers portray. The setting for the story has a very eerie atmosphere and easily makes the story feel more tense.

Sigurdsson was an interesting character especially as he isn't your average detective. This is mainly due to having problems with anxiety it gave him a more human side to his character. There are multiple suspects to keep things interesting as Sigurdsson and Mason investigate. With a few twists and turns that helped move the story along at a steady pace. I enjoyed the excerpts written by Vic for his book it definitely showed the darker side to his fame.

With short stories they can either feel rushed or not have enough content but I found Deadly Burial had an intriguing story that held my interest. With it being a quick read if you have a spare afternoon or evening then this book could be perfect for you.

With thanks to Jenny at Neverland Blog Tours for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion Gemma Bray32 4

Crime novels are not normally my go to books, but once I had read the synopsis to Deadly Burial, I was quite intrigued. From the first page to the very last I was hooked, the book is quite short at only 115 pages so I was quick to read the whole book within a day. I love the style of layout Jon did for this book, rather than Chapter names it was days during the investigation.

To give you further background to the story, he included chapters in the point of view of Victor Schultz. I loved these as it increased your knowledge of the character, why certain things were happening and building the character up. Because you were jumped straight into the story after the death of Victor happened, you couldn’t get a feel for the other characters.

I think this is why the chapters in Victor’s point of view helped, knowledge of the wrestling world doesn’t need to be needed. I was able to get hooked on it and even though I didn’t understand what was going on with the wrestling, I was still able to enjoy the book. Jon does a really good job of being able to pull the reader into the wrestling world.

Read my full review here: https://anoceanglimmer.wordpress.com/... Alison878 68

3.5*
This is a fairly short book but packs quite a lot between the covers. I have never been a wrestling fan and know zilch about the rules but it made an unusual basis for a story. Vic Valient is an interesting character and there is more to him than meets the eye. I the way the book is segmented so that we discover a deeper side to Vic through his autobiography that he had been working on before his untimely death.

Also the setting on a remote island made it feel rather sinister, the rabbits that made up the majority of the population kinda reminded me of a crime mystery on Watership Down!

DI Chris Sigurdsson arrives on the island to investigate the death but he has several issues of his own to deal with. He isn’t made to feel very welcome by the local police either so the search for answers is fraught. There are a few suspects and the race against the clock to uncover the answers is entertaining.

I believe Deadly Burial is the debut novel by Jon Richter, it’s a quick enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing more from him.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Neverland Blog Tours for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily. Lynda1,433 77

I really wasn’t sure how I felt about reading a book based around the wrestling industry but as I was lucky enough to win a copy in a competition I though I should give it the benefit of the doubt and I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed the book. Very well written and an intriguing and original storyline.

Briefly, an ageing wrestling star has died in the ring and it appears that he may have been poisoned. DI Sigurdsson is sent to Salvation Island to help the local police, led by inspector Carin Mason. But this is going to be anything but straightforward.

The book is interspersed with excerpts from the victim’s memoirs, but only for the eyes of the reader. The only part of the book I found less enjoyable were the interviews with the wrestlers. They just felt a bit repetitive. That said overall I enjoyed the book enough that I want to read this author again. As a debut novel I thought it was fabulous. I really warmed to Sigurdsson and Mason. 4.5* and so nearly a 5.
Catherine 274 2

A wrestler is murdered during a bout in the ring. The victim had been writing his memoirs so the story is told in alternating chapters between extracts from his memoirs and the investigation into his death. The main character, DI Chris Sigurdsson is described as a police detective riddled with fear and neurosis, suffering from panic attacks and always tortured by premonitions of his own death, apparently triggered by the accidental death of his younger brother in childhood. His female colleague is abrasive and suffering from her own insecurities. The characterisation of both police officers seem quite one dimensional and there is no brilliance or outstanding deductive ability to counter balance their flaws. They are very average police detectives and the crime is solved more by luck than intent. Jenna Scribbles536 32

When I was about 80% into this book, I had to go off and see what other Jon Richter titles I could buy. I now have four.

Richter write really good detective stories, thriller, action, etc. You will have many suspects to consider. Deadly Burial has a professional wrestling event as the setting - but the cast of characters are stuck on a small island due to a storm brewing. How fun is that!? People die, disappear, get beat up (actions scenes are sooo good) oh and - thugs and a scene with nosey grandma.

What I really enjoy is the way the author wrote the characters. If you are looking for depth, here you go. I’ve mentioned to Jon Richer (on Twitter) that he should write a multi-book detective series. I want to stick with his characters longer. Book after book.

Deadly Burial has mystery and a few surprises. I recommend it. Geoff. Lamb410 1 follower

Hmmm. The title does not really fit the story. Still, this was a very good read. I learned about "wrassling". The plotting was very good, though I confess to feeling let down right at the end. On the other hand, given the interesting complexities of the 2 lead characters, it works. kindle-bought Matthew Prudence1 review10

Thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Jon Richter. The characters and relationships are relateable within an intriguing and fast paced plot. A wonderful shorter crime / thriller novel for those looking for an exciting and enjoyable read! Surely this must be the first of more novels to come from Jon Richter. I am hoping for a sequel soon! Chris Rowlands33

Great read.

Fantastic book, found the characters had enough depth to keep them interesting but not go off on a tangent too much. Thoroughly enjoyed reading, would recommend and hope to see more from the author!! Kathleen Gray10.4k 175

This is more a novella than a novel but it's a good read if you procedurals with damaged detectives. It's based on an interesting premise and a really unappealing victim. I d Sigurdsson and the setting. THanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Martha BrindleyAuthor 1 book28

A very good debut novel from Jon Richter. A good story with interesting characters set in the world of professional wrestling. A desolate island, murder and incompetent police officers makes for an interesting combination! Thank you Net Galley for my copy. Lindsey Roberts407 67

Original Review Here

I wasn’t sure what I was letting myself in for with the opening chapter of Deadly Burial by Jon Richter. The opening comes in the form of a diary entry from a wrestler, one who has issues and won’t apologise for them.

Luckily, these diary entries are only scattered sporadically throughout the book. Vic Valiant isn’t supposed to be a able character, although empathy emerges as the content of his diary is revealed. It was a relief when the main characters were introduced.

It took me a while to warm to Chris Sigurdsson. His character is introduced through his paranoia and fear of death. It created an atmospheric opening, with the island shrouded in mist and Chris jumping at shadows. It didn’t create a relatable character you could connect to though. As you learn more about him, Chris becomes a stronger character.

The reader is introduced to Mason through Chris’ eyes. She initially seems hostile and distant, another character I was unable to connect with.

Four chapters in, and no relatable characters. Not a promising start.

Once Chris and Mason start working together, the book gets much better. Chris starts approaching things with the mindset of a policeman rather than being afraid and Mason’s suspicions are proved to be grounded in reality: their boss is a sexist pig trying to play the two of them off one another to get them both into trouble. As they open up to each other (and the reader), the plot becomes more engaging and the characters able.

The case itself is full of violence – only natural considering all of the suspects are involved in the wrestling in one way or another. A lot of characters were introduced, which, for a short book, felt a little overwhelming to me. All of the interviews allowed us to understand the characters and their motivations – who could be a potential suspect and who appeared genuine – but it didn’t advance the plot. It felt too much we were given character studies for the very purpose mentioned above.

The violence that impacts the main characters felt very far-fetched, yet it worked. The pacing was relatively steady until this moment, when everything was fast-forwarded and you had to catch up with the twists of events. What I d here, however, is that it wasn’t as simple as Chris and Mason believed – there were a few twists still to come.

The ending left me confused as to who was involved with what and committed which crime – there suddenly seemed to be a handful of them! So saying, I wasn’t able to guess myself who the killer was, so I enjoyed the ride that Richter took me on.

There is a lot about the wrestling which put me off a bit, but overall, I found this an enjoyable short book. It wouldn’t have held my interest if it was any longer, but I enjoyed being swept away for a few hours. If you’ve got an afternoon to kill, this might do it. Jannelies1,091 89

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
What made me pick this book from NetGalley, I can’t remember. Certainly not the fact that it all revolves around the murder on a wrestling star. I abhorr violence and thus everything that has to do with wrestling or free-fighting. When I started the book I immediatly got the image of one of the Netherlands’ most famous fighters, a very scary condemned criminal. So I felt a little sick in the stomach.
However, I did not stop reading because I immediately the style of the story. So, eventually I read the whole book and was not disappointed. Jon Richter found a way to describe some very unattractive characters and build a good story around them. The main characters Chris Sigurdsson and Carina Mason are doing their best but of course their efforts are not being valued by their boss. The fighters all have stage names and stage habits and the weather is appaling. We read a lot about rain, and rabbits, and panic attacks and there is even a little romance…
So if not the best debut of the year, I certainly want to read more of this authors. It is not often someone can write a book about something I really do not want to read about, and let me read the book in two days… Sue Wallace 6,427 77

Anglesey Blue by Dylan H Jones.
MURDER. BETRAYAL. REVENGE.
 It’s not the homecoming Detective Inspector Tudor Manx was expecting, but solving the case is just the start of his problems.
This was a really good read with good characters. Shannon was my favourite character. I was rooting for him. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Bloodhound books. Elisa3,357 31

Autor del comentario:
=================================