The Body on the Moor

DCI Craig Gillard, Book 8

By: Nick Louth

Narrated by: Marston York

Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

You can never escape the past. Especially on the moors....

After the National Crime Agency cracks a major drug gang, junior barrister Julia McGann finds herself defending the violent enforcer Terrence Bonner. This high-profile case is a coup for her, but almost immediately things start to go wrong. Intruders break into her house, and then a young girl turns up at her door with a horrifying story to tell.

Three months later, DCI Craig Gillard and his team struggle with the shocking murder of a much-respected local headmaster, found dead in his own car. The baffling crime fills the newspapers but yields few clues. As Gillard sifts the evidence, a pair of blood-spattered gloves seems important.

Why were they used for both the murder and for the burglary at Julia’s house? What secrets is the barrister hiding...and what happened on the Derbyshire Moors two decades ago that could be the key to these shocking events?

A story of deceit, vengeance and blackmail, best-selling author Nick Louth will leave you reeling in this unpredictable crime thriller.

©2021 Nick Louth (P)2021 W F Howes

Utter Garbage

This is not only the worst book in the series, it’s one of the worst books I have come across in a long while, and I devour books. This is not a DCI Gillard book, he barley makes an appearance. Ninety percent of this book is about a female barrister who is one of the worst written characters I have come across in a LOOONG time. It takes effort to write a character this badly and she is the main character in this mess of a novel. If there was an award for “Best Too Stupid To Live Charter in a Novel” Nick Louth would win a lifetime achievement for “Julia”, a woman so incredibly stupid and inept that there is no way she would have survived to adulthood, much less become a barrister. Each action and decisions contradicts the one before to the point of nausea and they just kept coming. This book only gets worse as it goes on. I returned for a full refund and I am done for good with a writer I had so far enjoyed, that’s how bad this book was.

LONG And GLOOMY!!

Not one likable character.....and gloomy !!and .....could s” she” plan anything that sophisticated??.....and then N o t see the end coming?
Save your $ or credit!!!!

An Awful Story

Despite the excellent narration, the story line was actually quite awful. I considered quitting several times but listened doggedly to the end—and was sorry I did. I have enjoyed all of the previous Craig Guillard books, but he didn’t even appear all that often in this one. I started out feeling pity for the character of Julia but ended up feeling utter disgust for her. She was weak, pathetic, and corruptible. The ending had the feel of a cliffhanger but I sincerely hope the author never resurrects Julia or her friend Rachel . If the next book is about them., I definitely won’t be reading it

Wow! Didn't see that coming

Terrific addition to the series. Grim humor. Twisted, deviously clever plot. I took 1 star off the story because occasionally my belief in what people found themselves capable of doing slipped. Lots of moral ambiguity here. Very diverting book, robustly performed.

Seriously not worth it

Just not worth it, I feel like someone else wrote it
Just didn’t finish it

Mindnumbingly Boring

We have been listening to this book for three evenings now and I want those hours back. I don't know what happens; I don't care what happens. The characters in this book are not the least bit interesting, and this book could be used as a textbook example for "tell, don't show". I've read shampoo ingredient lists that are more interesting than this book.

We enjoyed the series up until this sudden veering away from interesting plots and engaging characters. For the first time in a long time I completely agree with the other reviews saying "don't waste your time with this one."

Unexpected (In a Not Great Way)

I've read the other books in this series and enjoyed them but this book deviates from the series in an unexpected way which I didn't appreciate. Some might like it, Louth is a talented storyteller, but for me, the story was not enjoyable, and DCI Gillard is barely in the book at all-to call it "A DCI Craig Gillard Novel" (as the cover does) is a big stretch. Fans of this series should think twice before using a credit on this book.

NOT UP TO THE USUAL STANDARDS

I have become a fan of Nick Louth & hıs Guillard series. They are usually tightly constructed stories, well written and with amazingly detailed police procedurals. This one does NOT live up to those standards. I wonder whether in a rush to publication they failed to edit the story from the standpoint of overall composition. There are two running stories here, that of Guillard and his investigation and of Julia stuck in an unusual bind with a “ferile” young woman who enters her life. These two stories are unbalanced. Louth spends way too much time on setting up the Julia story. This results in sheer boredom in the first 2/3 of the novel, the rare Guillard diversions lighting up the story up. When the two stories converge & Julia takes unexpected directions the novel gets a bit more exciting. But then there is an awfully abrupt ending. The story badly needs a denouement. I don’t know how any editor allowed that ending to go into publication. As I said, think this was a rush job. Louth is a good writer. He needs to take stock in this fiasco and take his time to publish a well. constructed, well edited story.

DISAPPOINTING!!!

For anyone who enjoys the DCI Craig Gillard series I wouldn't recommend this one AT ALL. Not an overall bad story in of itself but one that eventually took the easy way out by insinuating nearly everyone but the perpetrators were stupid and gullible. Gillard is nothing more than an impotent side character in his own story and the ending of The Body on the Moor was ridiculously unbelievable. So, so, so disappointing!!!!

Yawn.

Not sure why this is considered in the series. The detective is barely in it. Slow story, Julia is a daft barrister. In predicaments that common sense would tell an average person what to do. Pretty much guess ending just not the how. Only reason I finished was to see the how.

Utter not nonsense

I’ve read all of the books in this series and enjoyed them but this one SERIOUSLY! The entire premise from beginning to end was absolutely stupid! I know that sometimes you have to suspend belief but in all honesty this was too much! Didn’t like the characters and the inclusion of the main characters was cursory- if I were marking this I’d use a red pen and tell the writer MUST DO BETTER!

Ridiculous, far fetched nonsense!

I enjoyed the previous DCI Gillard books but this one is so far fetched, it is absolute nonsense. I have no idea how it has 4 out of 5 stars!

don't bother

couldn't make it through. Really enjoyed the series up to now but couldn't finish this one. Characters not engaging and plot ridiculous

Not really a DCI Gillard book

I just don’t think there was enough DCI Gillard in it to class it as part of the series. No character development. Really disappointed.

Ridiculous

I’ve liked all his other stories but this has all the credibility of a B52 bomber landing on the moon. The narration was excellent but the story was far-fetched to an extraordinary degree and just got worse as it went on. It’s like he decided to get another one out while he was riding on the success of his others.

Disappointing

Implausible plot. Didn’t enjoy. Kept going as thought it must get better but it never did!

a different kind of police story

very clever story that looks at things from another side. A story that in a way needed telling. very good very compelling that demands reading or listening to to the very end

So glad I listened

I have loved this series so far and I worried that this would be bad, based on reviews.
It isn’t and I think it was very good, especially the ending which made me think.

disappointed in this book.

I've read all the other books in this series and I'm disappointed with this one. I feel that it was rushed, the main character DCI Gillard felt like a bit part, the story was flimsy and the ending. Not Nick Louth's normal standard. The End.

Very tedious and disappointing

I am a firm follower DCI Craig Gillard novels, but this one really stretches the point. It seems to me to never get to the point, and even though some plots seem to be getting a little far fetched, this one tipped me over the edge. I just wanted it over. I found the credulity of the main female character, a professional, to be implausible, as the main plot is also. Craig Gillard rarely appears and the narrative is so drawn out it nearly detracts from the good narration. Give this one a miss.