Dying Wish

Dying Wish is the fourth book about Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Jeff Temple and the Major Investigations Team, but works well as a standalone book. Set in England, when author Grant Mason has a heart attack during a book signing, he begs his assistant, Hilary, to burn his house down as he lay dying. Hilary, conflicted by the request, turns to her friend Temple for advice, which sets off an the investigation into why Mason would make the request and what he wanted to hide. Temple and his team uncover secrets that that even they find disturbing, and that could rock the posthumous reputation of Mason. Temple and his partner, Angel, have some of their own issues to work through, distracting Temple from the full focus on the mystery at hand.

James Raven is hitting good strides with this novel. Temple comes across as a complex and interesting protagonist, interesting to watch develop. The supporting characters also have depth and feeling; that, along with the detailed setting, makes for a well-rounded book. The dynamic between Temple and his team is positive and realistic, and the detail about the investigative methods gives an interesting “behind the scenes” view of British police procedures.

British mystery TV shows have become more popular lately and those fans of Broadchurch, The Fall, or Luthor will find a lot of enjoy in Dying Wish.

As stated, Dying Wish can be read independently of the rest of the series, but mystery fans who haven’t read the previous books may find a new set of stories to enjoy for many hours.