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Sally Spencer
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BACKLASH an absolutely gripping crime mystery full of twists (Detective Monika Paniatowski Mysteries Book 4) Kindle Edition

by SALLY SPENCER (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,001 ratings
Meet Monika Paniatowski, an ambitious new DCI with everything to prove — and everything to lose.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Deft writing and skilled plotting combine with a mix of all-too-human characters — and a shocker ending! Outstanding.” Booklist

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A near-perfect mix of procedural and top-notch mystery.” Library Journal

Two missing women.
One mutilated body.
One twisted killer.

DCI Monika Paniatowski has a bitter history with Chief Superintendent Kershaw. So when Elaine Kershaw goes missing, Monika tries to steer clear of the search.

But Kershaw wants his wife back at any cost and now Monika’s leading the case.

When a second woman, a vulnerable young sex worker, vanishes, Monika refuses to treat her any differently. She is determined to find them both before it’s too late. Does she have what it takes to bring them home safe?

Then a body — lashed with a thousand tiny cuts — is discovered out on the moors.

Has Monika been searching for answers in all the wrong places?

Discover a brilliantly twisty mystery series set in the 1970s — when it was tough to be a woman in a man’s world.

Fans of Rachel McLean, Angela Marsons, Jodie Lawrance, D.S. Butler, Lynda La Plante, Rebecca Bradley and Caro Ramsay will devour this thrilling crime series.

WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT THE MONIKA PANIAKOWSKI MYSTERIES:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A tour de force readers won’t quickly forget.” Kirkus

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Compelling, entertaining and cleverly plotted . . . a must-read.” Booklist

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A terrific mystery — tense and with all the clues there once you figure out how to assemble them.” Lynn, Goodreads

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Spencer delivers another first-rate whodunnit.” Kirkus

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Hugely entertaining!” Booklist

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A witty protagonist and a likeable supporting cast” Publisher’s Weekly

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The plot twisted and turned, and kept me wanting more!” Margaret B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “One of the best police procedurals around. Spencer proves again that she is in league with Peter Turnbull and Lynda La Plante.” Library Journal

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Monika carries the torch nobly as Spencer’s franchise keeps its edge.” Kirkus

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Belongs in the same league with Rebus, Resnick, Harpur and Iles, Morse et al.” Booklist

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Heartbreaking and heart-wrenching, this is Spencer at her best.” Library Journal

THE DETECTIVE
DCI Monika Paniatowski is smart, ambitious and damaged. Her sergeant started a rumour she landed her post by sleeping her way to the top. But the truth is Monika — a Polish immigrant with a long and traumatic backstory — has had to work twice as hard as any of the resentful male colleagues currently betting against her. Will her flawless instincts be enough to win them round?

THE SETTING
Whitebridge was once a thriving Northern mill town — with canals crisscrossing through it — where everyone looked to the mills for employment and business opportunities. In the 1970s, it is a place in decline, where the social fabric is ripping apart.

DCI MONIKA PANIATOWSKI MYSTERIES
Book 1: THE DEAD HAND OF HISTORY
Book 2: THE RING OF DEATH
Book 3: ECHOES OF THE DEAD
Book 4: BACKLASH
Book 5: LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER
Book 6: A WALK WITH THE DEAD
Book 7: DEATH’S DARK SHADOW
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  1. Book 4 of 14
    Monika Paniatowski Mysteries
  2. Print length
    300 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 14, 2021
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Meet Monika Paniatowski, an ambitious new DCI with everything to prove — and everything to lose

Fans of Ashes to Ashes, Rachel McLean, Angela Marsons, Jodie Lawrance, D.S. Butler, Lynda La Plante, Rebecca Bradley and Caro Ramsay will devour this thrilling retro crime series.

THE DEAD HAND OF HISTORY
THE RING OF DEATH
ECHOES OF THE DEAD
BACKLASH
LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER
A WALK WITH THE DEAD
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Customer Reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars 1,501
4.4 out of 5 stars 932
4.4 out of 5 stars 931
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,001
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,463
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,316
Price $0.99 $3.99 $3.99 $3.99 $3.99 $3.99
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Spencer’s deft writing and skilled plotting combine with an intriguing mix of all-too-human characters and a shocker ending to make for another outstanding entry in this excellent series" ― Booklist Starred Review

"DCI Monika Paniatowski (Echoes of the Dead) usually follows the beat of her own drummer, but she’s stuck when the chief’s wife is missing. We’ve starred this fine series in the past, so come investigate the fourth entry." ― Library Journal

"Solid ensemble police work narrows the search, including an unusual contribution with a kinky angle from Det. Sgt. Kate Meadows, while some subtle misdirection keeps the reader guessing." ― Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Spencer was born and brought up in Cheshier. She has been a teacher in England and Iran.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09NP2W52R
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe Books crime thriller, mystery and suspense (December 14, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 14, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,001 ratings

About the author

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Sally Spencer

Sally Spencer

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Sally Spencer is a pen name, first adopted when the author (actually called Alan Rustage) was writing sagas and it was almost obligatory that a woman's name appeared on the cover (other authors like Emma Blair and Mary Jane Staples are also men). However, Alan uses James Garcia Woods as his pen name for the mysteries set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War.

Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a teacher. In 1978-79 he was working in Iran and witnessed the fall of the Shah. He got used to having rifles - and, one occasion, a rocket launcher - pointed at him by both soldiers and revolutionaries, but he was never entirely comfortable with it.

He lived in Madrid for over twenty years, and still considers it the most interesting and exciting city he has ever visited, but for the last few years he has opted for a quieter life in the seaside town of Calpe, on the Costa Blanca.

His first series of books were historical sagas set in Cheshire (where he grew up) and London. They were very popular with his English readers, but his American readers find the dialect something of a strain.

He has written twenty books featuring DCI Woodend (a character based partly on a furniture dealer he used to play dominoes with) and thirteen (so far!) about Woodend's protegé Monika Paniatowski. His DI Blackstone books are set in Victorian/Edwardian London, New York and Russia, and the DI Ruiz books have as their backdrop the Spanish Civil War.

Alan is a competitive games player who likes bridge and pub quizzes. It is only by enforcing iron discipline that he doesn't play video games all the time.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,001 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Gail H. Davis
    5.0 out of 5 stars British bobbies
    Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    And one of their wives is kidnapped( supposedly) and a prostitute is also murdered savagely with whips and cuts and red shoes- Eventually the woman who was ‘mother’ to the prostitutes is actually a. Nun doing research and the chief of police’s wife is murdered by her own husband!
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  • Nancy Moody
    4.0 out of 5 stars Crime Mystery Full of Twists!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This is a good plot full of twists. I especially like the characters and their loyalty and respect for DCI Paniatowski. The ending was a surprise.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars OMG
    Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. What a fantastic read.
    I didn't want to put it down.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Rose Marie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable reading
    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2014
    I never suspected the husband until late in the book. The way the storyline worked made the read enjoyable. I think Monika is a very complex person, but she believes in doing the right thing. I also like the way the other characters reveal their lives and we learn how they became the people they are and why. I look forward to reading more of Monika's stories.
    Helpful
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  • itaughtem
    5.0 out of 5 stars Never disappoints....
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2014
    As always, Monica Paniatowski impresses us with her imperfect but appealing humanity. No slouch in the detection department, she nevertheless continually measures herself and her decisions against an imaginary ideal, always in the interest of pursuing justice. Once again Sally Spencer spins an intricate web of clues, false leads, and insightful personal quirks of supporting characters, keeping our attention until the very end.
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  • Allen
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I like this series, but it's not for the faint of heart. Things are described just like it happened in real life. Don't recommend this as "before bed" reading.
    Helpful
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  • Mrs. Y
    5.0 out of 5 stars good book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2015
    clever plot ,good character development,informational,no superfluous sexual sensationalism, writing flows and there is never a dull moment, a thoroughly good read
    Helpful
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  • javamonster
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best one
    Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The murderer was who I expected, but good story anyway. Lots of Paniatowski ruminating over the life she might have had, and conflict with Beresford.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another unputdownable story in this series.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I would give this book ten stars if possible! Definitely a must read with extremely good characterisation and such an excellent, intriguing plot. I've enjoyed all of these stories but this one has such an unusual twist in the tail, can't wait for the next book. Thank you, Sally.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars good
    Reviewed in Australia on March 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    These are good stories, with good twists and turns but very badly written. I think this author needs a better proof reader.
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars What a girl!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    A nice team now in place , diverse, each with their own idiosyncrasies. They've begun to work well together and believe in their boss. Great storyline - kept on the edge throughout.
    Report
  • numbercruncher
    5.0 out of 5 stars A mystery with a difference
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Monikas' character is credible and so likeable. The twists and turns in the books keep you hooked until the very end....looking forward to the next!
    Report
  • G.W.Moore.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Yet another great read, from the first chapter that you are reading you are engaged with the story and the ending is brilliant.
    Report

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