A BODY UNDER THE BRIDGE by P.F. Ford

 

A BODY UNDER THE BRIDGE by P. F. Ford- crime 

A man is reported missing by a friend who says he would never leave his dog for more than a couple of hours. When a body is found in a stream nearby it looks like it is the missing man however the pathologist is convinced the man has been dead for several days. The missing man was seen only 48 hours before. When his sister turns up and appears to know more than she is letting on, the team led by DS Norman needs to find out more.

This is one of a series, set in Wales, and happily stands alone- I hadn’t read all of the others. I liked Norman and the team- there’s a great camaraderie and lots of twists and turns to keep the reader interested all the way through. An interesting story line where it appears everyone is under suspicion at one time or another until the final clever reveal. There’s a certain charm about this and one I found highly enjoyable and entertaining. Remind me to go back for the rest of the series. A highly recommended read. 

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter (X) @nickisbookblog

----------------------------------------------------------

A BODY UNDER THE BRIDGE by P. F. Ford

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Love the characters & stories, and feel like I have been to Wales!’ Nancy MEET YOUR NEW FAVOURITE DETECTIVE. Detective Norman is out of retirement and back on the beat in a rainy Welsh seaside town. Llangwelli might be short on sunshine, but it’s certainly not short on murders . . . Norman may seem a bit old-fashioned, but he’s always willing to learn from his band of misfit recruits. A lonely widower. A body in a stream. An impossible puzzle. It’s an ordinary Tuesday morning when pensioner Alun Edwards turns up at Llangwelli station. He doesn’t want to make a fuss but he’s worried about his friend Gareth. Every Monday, they meet up for a game of chess. But Gareth wasn’t at home yesterday. He’s not answering his phone — and he’s left his dog behind. He’d never do that. Detective Norman searches Gareth’s cottage — and finds a woman’s photograph, torn to shreds and dumped in the bin. The next day, the body of an elderly man is discovered in a stream under an old railway bridge. The name on his bus pass is Gareth Jenkins. But that’s impossible. According to the pathologist, the body has been in the water at least three or four days. And Gareth was seen walking his dog, just two days ago. Norman is facing an impossible puzzle. And what is the secret behind the woman in the photograph . . . ? This absolutely gripping detective mystery full of twists and turns is perfect for fans of Rachel McLean, J.D. Kirk, Pauline Rowson, Elly Griffiths, Matt Brolly and Simon McCleave. READERS LOVE THE WEST WALES MYSTERIES: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I really connected with old-fashioned DS Norman and DI Southall and the rest of their team. A great read.’ Richard J. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I love the characters, the twists, the setting in Wales, and the cozy mystery feel . . . One of the best police procedural series I’ve read in a while.’ Tabby S. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it. A really good story.’ Aileen G. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A finely tuned police procedural that had me hooked from the first page. Lots of red herrings kept me guessing until the end.’ Shirley S. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another terrific outing for the West Wales murder gang. I adore these characters.’ Kathy H. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another great detective story. I love these books.’ Kelly S. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I really took to Norman . . . He has the kindest heart, someone you would want on your side. A clever premise and a perpetrator who took me by surprise. An excellent read.’ Nicki THE DETECTIVE Meet DS Norman Norman. He’s so good they named him twice. He thought his policing days were over when he took early retirement. But then he gets called into Llangwelli Police Department to help train up the new recruits. Out on the west coast of Wales, the town is known as something of a dumping ground for screw-ups, but Norman believes no copper’s career is ever beyond salvaging, so he’s going to whip these youngsters into shape. Even if it kills him. THE SETTING Llangwelli (pronounced Hlangwelly) is a seaside harbour town in West Wales that sits on the edge of a wide, shallow river estuary. Thanks to West Wales’s rainy climate, verdant green hills dotted with cows and sheep make for idyllic surroundings. But that doesn’t mean it’s free from crime — as Norman is about to find out. ALSO BY P.F. FORD THE WEST WALES MURDER MYSTERIES Prequel: A DATE WITH DEATH Book 1: A BODY ON THE BEACH Book 2: A BODY OUT AT SEA Book 3: A BODY DOWN THE LANE Book 4: A BODY AT THE FARMHOUSE Book 5: A BODY IN THE COTTAGE Book 6: A BODY UNDER THE BRIDGE SLATER AND NORMAN MYSTERIES Book 1: DEATH BY CARPET Book 2: DEATH BY PLANE Book 3: DEATH BY NIGHT Book 4: DEATH BY KITCHEN SINK Book 5: DEATH BY TELEPHONE BOX Book 6: DEATH IN WILD BOAR WOODS Book 7: DEATH IN THE RIVER

P.F. FORD Peter Ford always dreamed of becoming a writer, but a dream is easily stifled without support from those around you. It was only when his old, unhappy life fell apart and he met his new partner (now wife) Mary, who believed dreamers should be encouraged, that he finally got the chance to live that dream. Fast forward a few years and you find a man transformed. Now, blissfully happy, settled in a quiet corner of Wales with wife Mary and their rescue dogs, P.F. Ford is living proof that it’s never too late to achieve your dreams.