Crime on the Fens

DI Nikki Galena, Book 1

By: Joy Ellis

Narrated by: Henrietta Meire

DI Nikki Galena: A police detective with nothing left to lose, she's seen a girl die in her arms, and her daughter will never leave the hospital again. She's gotten tough on the criminals she believes did this to her. Too tough. And now she's been given one final warning: make it work with her new sergeant, DS Joseph Easter, or she's out.

Her partner, DS Joseph Easter, is the handsome, squeaky-clean new member of the team. But his nickname, Holy Joe, belies his former life as a soldier. He has an estranged daughter who blames him for everything that went wrong with their family.

Their adversary is a ruthless man who holds DI Galena responsible for his terrible disfigurement.

©2016 Joy Ellis (P)2016 Tantor

So glad I found this series

This is a new author for me and the series is newly released on audiobook. This first book in the series has me wanting more.

The DI in this CID squad has a troubled past and a spotty career in the police force. She is hard to work for and her boss gives her a final chance to make it work with a temporary Detective Sergeant. And make it work they do with a bizarre case starting with a missing person and leading to multiple murder and assaults.

Good story overall and the narration was pleasant to hear.

Promising Series!

This book has been on my "wish list" for awhile. Even though review were good, I wasn't convinced it was a book I'd like. When this title appeared as a "deal of the day" I bought it. I'm very glad I did.

At this start of this story DI Nikki Galena is a very troubled person. As the story progresses we learn of the terrible events in her life that have left her so emotionally damaged. We also learn of events that offer her hope of a happier life. It is this hope that has me looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

There is serious crime going on in this story. The plot is intricate and the story moves along at a quick pace. When I got to the last 90 minutes I had to keep listening to the end.

I've gone from being "not sure" about this series to an enthusiastic fan.

Good story, so so narration.

A pretty good British police procedural book. A good story with likable characters with room to "grow" in coming books, makes for solid series opener. Nothing spectacular, but... OK.

Narration was also OK once I slowed down narration speed a smidge. Non dialog narration was pleasant to listen to, but too bad that Henrietta Meire gave the protagonist a hard almost shrill voice.

I'll probably not follow this series. Maybe if a book comes up on a sale, but at full price / credit - no.

Rough Start to a Knock Out Series

Like some other listeners, I was tempted to stop after the first chapter . . . I was turned off by the seemingly rude and obnoxious behavior of DI Galena . . . so much so that I went back and looked at the ratings and reviews for a second time . . . and the next chapter changed my mind . . . TOTALLY . . . the story isn't what it starts out to be, its not a tale of police abuse and aggression . . . so my advice to readers/listeners is to stay with it . . . DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter make an unlikely pair as they fight crime on the Fens . . . she's rough around the edges, and his calming words and ways are a sharp contrast, until his training from his special forces days kicks in, and then its no-holds-barred . . . the investigation and resolution of the masked attacks is top notch . . . and I am looking forward to the next book in the series . . .

Missing moments

There was more out-of-frame moments where characters summarized events that happen rather than getting to hear what happened first hand. Also, the female protagonist often allowed her junior, male detective to counsel her rather than the other way around. It reduced her credibility and made it feel like she was the subordinate.