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Sally Spencer
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ECHOES OF THE DEAD an absolutely gripping crime mystery full of twists (Detective Monika Paniatowski Mysteries Book 3) Kindle Edition

by SALLY SPENCER (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 931 ratings
Discover **a top-ten mystery as voted by Kirkus!**

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

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

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A near-perfect mix of procedural and top-notch mystery.” Library Journal
Twenty-two years ago, Fred Howerd snatched an innocent teen girl from her home. He held her captive then strangled her — by his own admission.

Now he’s saying his confession was a lie, forced out of him by two bent coppers.

He calls a priest to his deathbed, desperate to set the record straight.

Detective Monika Paniatowski knows it can’t be true. The detective who put Howerd away is her mentor, Charlie Woodend — the only man she’s ever truly trusted.

He wouldn’t send an innocent man to prison for life. Would he?

And if Fred Howerd didn’t strangle that girl, then who did?

According to a sinister anonymous caller, there’s only one way to get to the truth — find who really killed a man named Brian Mottershead . . .

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:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “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 3 of 14
    Monika Paniatowski Mysteries
  2. Print length
    309 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 2, 2021
  5. File size
    1.5 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
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Spencer's crisp third police procedural to feature plucky Det. Chief Insp. Monika Paniatowski (after 2010's Ring of Death) offers an intriguing look at '70s style crime solving. After serving 22 years for the rape and strangulation murder of 13-year-old Lilly Dawson in 1951 Whitebridge, Lancashire, Fred Howerd, who admitted to the killing, claims his innocence in a deathbed confession to a Catholic priest. Scotland Yard sends Det. Chief Insp. Tom Hall to help Chief Constable George Baxter's team, chiefly Monika, reopen the case, which was the first big case of her retired former boss, Chief Insp. Charlie Woodend, for Scotland Yard's Murder Squad. Monika hopes the truth will clear Woodend or his then sergeant, Ralph Bannerman, of arresting or even framing the wrong man. Spencer unravels a complex cobweb of clues while smoothly flipping back and forth between 1951 and 1973. (Apr.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Fans of Spencer�s popular Charlie Woodend series may have worried that when Charlie retired and his sidekick, Monika Paniatowski, took over, the series would never be the same. Never fear: Spencer�s spin-off featuring Paniatowski is just as compelling, entertaining, and cleverly plotted as the original. Monika�s latest case is extraordinarily difficult, reaching back 20 years. When Fred Howerd, the man accused of raping and strangling 14-year-old Lilly Dawson two decades previously, declares with his dying breath that he did not kill Lilly, his priest feels compelled to report Howerd�s confessed innocence to the police. According to Howerd, he was stitched up for the murder by the just-appointed Chief Inspector Charlie Woodend. Monika is incredulous�the Charlie Woodend she worked with for so many years was one of the most ethical cops she knew. Could he have been corrupt early in his career, or is Howerd�s accusation just plain wrong? As Monika struggles to solve the decades-old murder and discover the truth about her beloved boss, she finds herself facing one of the most sensitive, baffling, tragic cases of her career. A plot full of unusual twists, a flawed but likable and competent heroine, and a very satisfying conclusion make this a must-read for Spencer fans. --Emily Melton

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09MZDY537
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe Books crime thriller, mystery and suspense (December 2, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 309 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 931 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

4.4 out of 5 stars
931 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Tony
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Great read!
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  • Allen
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I like this series, but it's difficult to understand some of the things that are happening.

    Some of the series are so difficult to read because the crime and its surrounding details are spelled out so blatantly it's so hard to read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • RJPetyo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Echoes
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2013
    ECHOES OF THE DEAD is another novel in Sally Spencer's police procedural series featuring Deputy Chief Inspector Monica Paniatowski. The series is set in England in the seventies and is actually a continuation of the Charlie Woodend series. Woodend has retired and is spending his time in Spain while he has been replaced on the force by Paniatowski, his former protégé.

    The "Echoes" in the title refer to the echoes of the past. This one involves a murder, actually two murders, that took place over twenty years before. The novel opens with a convicted murderer, Fred Howerd, who is at death's door. He confesses to a priest that he lied when he confessed to murder years ago. He did not kill the child Lilly Dawson in 1951. The priest goes to the police insisting that an innocent man had been framed. Monica Paniatowski is assigned to investigate. She is chosen because the investigator who originally handled the case was her former boss Charlie Woodend. To save him from the scandal of having framed an innocent man, she plunges into the case.

    Ms. Spencer does a terrific job with her procedurals. I like the setting and am easily transported to Whitebridge in the seventies. All the investigators enjoy hanging out in pubs after hours to discuss the case over a few pints. Many characters enjoy smoking with little thought about cancer. I even liked the appearance of Charlie Woodend even though I expected to disapprove. It was time for the series to move on without the shadow of "Cloggin' it" Charlie hanging over it. But this one worked.

    The novel is well paced with just the right touches of characterization. And, as always, Ms. Spencer has some twists and turns along the way and saves a few surprises for the end. The solution to the mystery is always satisfying in her books.

    I'm a fan, and this one just adds to her winning streak.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • mary ann schafer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Monika's and Woodend's relationship develops
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2017
    Paniatowski and Woodend are wonderfully drawn, and the plot line of the mystery delightfully twisted. A real brain teaser, but with characters you can really relate to. A tad heavy on unnecessary steamy details of who loves (lusts for?) whom, but some people like that
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Try This Author
    Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sally Spencer (really a man) is a British author relatively unknown in America, but he has written a lot of books, most of which are good. Many are "free" with Kindle Unlimited, including the audio version.Quite a lot of bargains and I have read all those. Some are better than others, but for "free" how can you lose?
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars echoes of the dead
    Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2013
    Great book with well developed interesting characters,lots of action, and a great story line. It is great to see the main character grow as the story moves along. I would recommend this book and series to all serious mystery buffs.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Ann Marie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Echoes of the Dead
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2013
    Loved the main characters, the human failings as shone and stated by the heroes and heroines. The plot was rich and full of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. Great read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • lubylu55
    2.0 out of 5 stars Good story but way to many missing words totally wrong
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    pronouns, adverbs and adjectives to get more than a 2. Monika must defend her old boss Charlie from a mistake he might have made 22 years before.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Sylvia Signage
    5.0 out of 5 stars Echoes of the desd
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed ebook and I rate this writer Sally Spencer she weaves a good mystery and gets a good ending of you haven't read her books just give one a try you will be hooked.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars What a turn up
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    There were so many twists and turns from both the historical case and Monika's re investigation, the attempted trickery to put blame on her former mentor was despicable. A good read
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent story in this series.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Extremely good characterisation and although a fairly intricate story it was still a jolly good read with an extremely satisfactory ending. Thank you, Sally. Looking forward to the next in series.
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  • G.W.Moore.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    As soon as you start reading this story you start to realise that there are really many twist and turns to get through. So enjoyable to read and take in the twist and turns.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A red pencil
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    A convicted murderer is allowed home to die. He once had all the power, now he is in his daughter's hands. As the daughter of a killer, she has suffered for years from gossips and neighbours alike.
    Now it's time for payback - to get her revenge for all the years of suffering, before and after he went to prison for twenty two years. So she calls the priest.....
    Report

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