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Charlie Garratt
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A Malignant Death: A thrilling WWII murder mystery (Inspector James Given Investigations Book 5) Kindle Edition

by Charlie Garratt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 48 ratings
James Given unravels another shocking mystery against the backdrop of the Second World War! Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, Philip Kerr and Andrew Taylor.

Every man has his downfall…

June, 1940

With most of Europe now in the brutal grip of the Second World War, James Given and his wife, Rachel, have been forced to give up their dream life in France to return to England.

Still haunted by his past cases, James has no intention of resuming his role as a detective in the police force. However, when his ex-boss Superintendent Henry Dyer asks him to investigate the theft of some sensitive military blueprints, James reluctantly agrees to help.

However, things take a turn for the worse when Henry goes missing. Fearing for his friend’s life, James feels compelled to search for him.

With a long history in the force, Henry had plenty of opportunities to make enemies. As James digs further, it becomes apparent that he may have had something to hide.

And though James has vowed to leave behind the danger and violence of his old life, the pull of an unsolved mystery soon proves too strong to ignore…

What happened to Henry? Is his disappearance linked to the theft?

And can James solve the two cases without putting himself in jeopardy…?

A MALIGNANT DEATH is the fifth historical crime novel in the Inspector James Given Mystery Series – a traditional British investigation set in England during the Second World War.

THE INSPECTOR JAMES GIVEN INVESTIGATIONS SERIES:
BOOK ONE: A Shadowed Livery
BOOK TWO: A Pretty Folly
BOOK THREE: A Patient Man
BOOK FOUR: Where Every Man
BOOK FIVE: A Malignant Death
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  1. Book 5 of 5
    Inspector James Given Investigations
  2. Print length
    236 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    May 27, 2022
  5. File size
    2.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09VJ4G7C1
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sapere Books (May 27, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 27, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 236 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 48 ratings

About the author

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Charlie Garratt

Charlie Garratt

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Charlie Garratt is a crime and historical novelist. He has published seven books.

They include the Inspector James Given series, the Meg Valentine Mysteries series and a family saga, A Handkerchief for Maria, a novel based on research in to his own family.

Three of his short stories are included in a collection, Wild Atlantic Words, fifteen tales drawing from life along the west coast of Ireland. One of his short stories won the Read LK competition in 2013.

His most recent book is The Thief-Taker’s Apprentice, a mystery set in 18th century Shropshire.

Charlie is also author and co-author of a number of books and guides on community participation.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
48 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Glynn Young
    5.0 out of 5 stars World War II is crowding in, and Garratt is searching for a murderer
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Former police detective James Givens and his wife Rachel are back in Birmingham, England, after what they thought was to be a life-changing move to Brittany. It was that, but Givens almost lost his life while helping solve a mystery and then Germany invaded Poland, precipitating World War II.

    It’s now the summer of 1940. Givens is working in his father’s clothing business, but the tension between them is almost unbearable. His father resents Givens having changed his Jewish name to an English one, and the two have never gotten along since Givens was a teenager.

    He takes a few days off to visit his former police superintendent, who’s now retired and living a short 30-minute train ride away. Something seems off, but the man insists all is well. His wife is more forthcoming; someone has been committing acts of vandalism against their house and garden. Then the man disappears, and his wife calls givens and asks him to search for her husband. With military recruiting, the police are seriously understaffed. Because of a leg injury from his police days, Givens can’t enlist.

    Over his wife Rachel’s objections, he undertakes a search – and finds the missing man’s body. And his determination to do right by his former boss threatens his marriage and what little of a relationship is left with his father.

    “A Malignant Death” by Charlie Garratt is the fifth mystery novel in the Inspector Givens series. It combines a traditional mystery and a traditional police procedural with the overlay of war, which is now getting closer and closer to home. The reader knows what the characters don’t, that the bombing will be starting, and Birmingham will not be spared. It adds a tautness and tension to what is already a thoroughly enjoyable mystery.

    Garratt is the author of four Inspector Given mysteries, including “A Shadowed Livery,” “A Pretty Folly,” “A Patient Man,” and “Where Every Man.” He also published several community participation guides, until he retired and began writing short stories. One of those stories led to his first novel, “A Shadowed Livery.” Garratt has also published the novel A Handkerchief for Maria. He lives in Shropshire in England.
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  • AnnieB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really really well written WW2 procedural mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2023
    A Malignant Death is the 5th Inspector Givens WW2 historical mystery by Charlie Garratt. Released 27th May 2022 by Sapere Books, it's 236 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free, as are the other books in the series.

    This is an exceedingly well written and compelling series with very well developed and realistic characters. Set in 1940 in England, Givens and his wife have been forced to return to England from France as the war has made living there dangerous and impossible. He's called back into service to investigate the theft of military blueprints as well as the disappearance of his former boss in the police service. Although this is the 5th book in the series, the plot is self-contained in this volume, so it works well enough as a standalone. The characters do develop very well over the course of the series arc, and there are spoilers in this book which will make it more satisfying and cohesive if read in order.

    The author does a good job of describing the racism and antisemitism of the day which can make for distressing (but realistic) reading. The characters are three dimensional and sympathetically and believably rendered. Of all the historical WW2 procedural series I've read, this is a perennial favourite and highly recommended.

    Four and a half stars. Readers of Philip Kerr, John Lawton, and Alan Furst will find much to enjoy here.

    Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • EL
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly enjoyed
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Once I started to read I had to read all 5 books in the series. I hope they might be more to come.
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  • Keith Leonard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Couldn't put the book down as I really enjoyed it
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  • cj
    1.0 out of 5 stars really disappointing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    It’s almost as if the author can’t be bothered. I’d worked out who the likely culprit was early in the book and the red herrings were poorly prepared and added no value, just made it even more obvious. The denouement of the actual culprit and why was poorly written. The relationships between Given, his wife and his father are even more farcical and the books got worse throughout the series. Easy enough to read and thankfully free on Kindle Unlimited but not the best at all
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