DCI Monika Paniatowski has just returned from maternity leave after giving birth to twins when she is informed of a murder in Milliners Road which is an area of expensive and secluded houses. Jane Danbury has been brutally murdered while her three children are asleep upstairs. Her body is discovered by the au pair returning from a day out. Naturally the first suspect is her husband - William Danbury - a local pillar of the community.

Monika must risk stepping on a few toes before she can uncover the murderer. As the story is set in the late nineteen seventies, the attitudes to women seem old fashioned today but this is how things were then and William Danbury's opinion that women have to be slapped occasionally to show them who is boss was not uncommon.

I found this a gripping story and simply kept reading until I'd finished it because I wanted to know who was responsible and how it happened. The author writes well and there are always touches of humour to lighten the grim storyline. I have read a couple of the books in this series and both have been very good. Though the book is part of a series it can be read as a standalone novel. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.4 s Patricia Ann283

Spencer certainly has very unique and integrating characters
working on her police force including herself. Mysteries and
well-kept secrets are found among both the police and the
persons of interest. Love how she works them all into her
novels and keeps giving us unparalleled novels. Sometimes the
reader finds oneself in stunned disbelief of what she has
written.
3 s Karen503 3

I received this book from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

After returning from maternity leave after the birth of her twins, DCI Monika Paniatowski is thrown straight in at the deep end when the body of mother of three, Jane Danbury, is found brutally murdered at her own home. Although Paniatowski is convinced from the outset that the victim’s husband, William, is the prime suspect, she faces pressure from those in authority as he is a councillor with friends in high places. The case soon takes a turn for the worse and the whole focus of the investigation shifts from a straightforward murder hunt to something far more harrowing…

Due to not having read any of the previous books in the series, I initially found it hard to get to grips with the characters as I felt that we were given information that was not needed as part of the plot. As the story progressed, however, I found that the story moved on at a quicker pace and I began to get a lot more engrossed. Setting the book in the 1970s is a great plot device as it gives the author a chance to show police procedures at the time when modern forensics was in its infancy. Also, at a time when high-ranking female police officers were very few and far between, Monika Paniatowski is portrayed as a strong character, fighting off sexism as she goes about her every day police business.

Sally Spencer addresses several taboo subjects in ‘Thicker than Water’, not least the issue of domestic violence, and at times you can almost feel yourself wincing as you sense what is about to happen.

I would recommend this book but I feel that it would be advisable to read the previous books in the series in order to build up the back stories of the main characters.

Review can be viewed at https://gobuythebook.wordpress.comnet-galley2 s Elite Group3,066 50

A riveting read involving murder, kidnap and domestic abuse.

DCI Monika Paniatowski has just returned from maternity leave when she is thrown into a murder which has occurred in the Whitebridge municipal authority of Lancashire. The victim is the wife of a ‘big knob’ in the community, Councillor William Banbury, and right from the outset, Monika knows she is going to be under pressure to solve this case.

What she is not immediately aware of is that there is also a missing child. Neither has she anticipated the reaction of Banbury when he arrives home. He is quite clearly a bully and a misogynist, and Monika takes an immediate dis to him.

This is a very well thought-out thriller involving some very serious issues in our society. I did, at one stage, think that the writer, Sally Spencer, had a particular ‘down’ on men in general, considering the circumstances of Monika’s twin sons’ conception, and that the main male characters are flawed in differing ways. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the author was actually a man writing under a ‘nom de plume’!

Reconsidering my position, I think that this book highlights some of the problems that the female gender encounters in careers such as the Police and the Forces. They not only have to be seen to be doing their job well, but are expected to do it far better than their male counterparts.

The plot is cleverly laid out and moves apace with many twists and turns, right up to the very end. The characters are well-defined and the police procedures clearly laid out. Monika is also fortunate to have a good team of colleagues around her.

Thank you ‘Sally’ for this enjoyable thriller.
Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review1 Tay97

#7 A gripping thriller with a cast of complex, fascinating characters, some of whom could easily have their own book. Technically, it's a police procedural plot line but Spencer's creation of DCI Monika Paniatowski makes a refreshing change in a genre largely dominated by male characters. Fast paced with plenty of twists and suspense, this book was a thoroughly enjoyable read.1 Mickey HoffmanAuthor 4 books20

I do reading this series with its interesting characters and witty dialogue.1 Deb946

Another great suspenseful mystery with Monika under pressure to solve it. Meadows is becoming a more colorful and wonderful addition to the team, Beresford is still trying to grow into his own skin as he was a caregiver for his mother for years and is now experiencing life, and Crane is a positive contributor to the group. Together they solve the mystery of an abused woman in her home and the abduction of her 2 year old daughter. Was it the abusive husband that killed her? Was it a stranger? Was it the woman her husband was having an affair with? People with lives full of secrets- the team uncovers the secrets and solve issues that arise during the investigation as well as solve the murder of the woman and the abductor of her daughter. Soozee1,045 11

Overall I quite enjoyed this book. However, it purports to be set in the 1970s, and somehow it just doesn't always ring true. The anti-female prejudice of the time may surprise some (not those of us who lived through it though!).
The murder, the suspects and the plot are entertaining and the twists enjoyable.
The story is interesting and the characters generally well-portrayed, if a little stereotypical in parts. I would read others from the series. Julie896 6

Better

Better.
The story hangs together, there are plot lines that make sense as red herrings, and the characters are acting themselves and not strange doppelgängers. Lisa McMeekin21

Loved it!!

I love how she writes of the atmosphere of the moors, or the docks,etc. You almost feel the rain in the air,the wind on the moors, the smell of the docks in Whitebridge.
I LOVE how she keeps revealing more about the personal lives of her team, and of her lead character Monika Pan it peak I
I can't get enough-thank God there are more books in the series I can't wait to read the next one Marilyn871

I'm a fan of Sally Spencer (a pen name for Alan Rustage) and have enjoyed her books. So, I was delighted to pick up two new Severn House novels by her/him from the library. I am impressed by the pace of the plot and the complexity of the characters. There simply isn't an idle moment when reading her work. Every fact and every action moves the plot forward. Her characters are well drawn and very human as they muddle through clues and situations that lead to a resolution. I would highly recommend reading her mysteries. Although is not necessary to read them in order, some of the backstory finds its way into the books. Because of that, it is helpful to know a bit about the characters. I began reading Spencer with her Chief Inspector Woodend books which preceded these Monica Paniatowski mysteries. They are all good reads. Deb Novack284 9

The characters are unforgettable. A great, the mystery is solved by using forensics ,proper procedures and of course your brain and common sense.

***This book was received in exchange for an honest review****british-mysteries historical mysteries ...more Jan1,111 5

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