Mad Bad And Dead by Sherryl Clark
Judi Westerholme Thriller Book 3
Sherryl Clark
Genre: Crime Thriller
Published: 23 August 2022
Publisher: Verve Books
Publisher's Blurb
Already struggling to juggle co-running Candlebark's pub/bistro along with her new childcare responsibilities, what Judi doesn't need right now is more stress. Yet, as usual, it arrives in spades: she starts receiving threatening, late night phone calls before discovering one of her best employees, Kate, shot dead in her bed.
Once again, Judi finds herself at the center of a murder investigation, as well as the hunt for Kate's fourteen year-old daughter who has been missing since the murder. Add in the uncertainty of her relationship with D.S. Heath and the fact that her estranged mother's nursing home keeps calling to urge her to visit, and Judi might finally be at breaking point.
Review
Mad, Bad and Dead is the third book in the Judi Westerholme thriller series. Our heroine finds herself struggling to co-manage a pub with the staff she is blessed with, a task made a darn sight harder when one of them turns up dead. Kate has been gunned down in her own house and her teenage daughter is now missing.
Throw in a series of anonymous threatening phone calls and you’ve got yourself a thrilling murder mystery manhunt with a fair sprinkling of mysterious suspects, tantalising red herrings and a race against time to find Kate’s daughter, catch a murderer and most importantly stay alive.
The main characters are nicely defined. They’re supported by a great mix of secondary characters all with their own issues and flaws.
A nicely paced plot and a slow release of clues gives the reader the chance to make their own minds up just who the villain of the piece is and if you’re like me you’ll almost certainly change your mind a few times along the way.
Definitely not one you’ll want to miss
My early crime novels are now all in the bottom drawer, and in 1996 I began writing books for children and young adults, resulting in more than 70 titles published by Penguin Random House, UQP, HarperCollins, Pearson and Macmillan Education. My books for young readers have won awards and been published overseas. My middle grade crime novel, Dying to Tell Me, was published in the USA by KaneMiller and was a VOYA Top Shelf pick.
I continued to write adult crime fiction for my own enjoyment while publishing books for a younger audience. When I entered my novel, Trust Me, I’m Dead in the 2018 CWA Debut Dagger Awards, I was delighted to be shortlisted. This has led to a two-book deal with UK publisher, Verve Books. The sequel to Trust Me, I’m Dead is Dead and Gone.
Book 3 is in progress!
Trust Me, I’m Dead was longlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Dagger Award 2020 and the NZ Ngaio Marsh Best Novel award.
Favourite writers: Tana French, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, Mark Billingham, Peter Robinson, Val McDermid, and many more.
Favourite TV shows: (at the moment) Vera, Line of Duty, Endeavour, Bosch, Longmire, Person of Interest, Happy Valley.
Secret writer’s wish: To write an episode of Vera.
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