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DCI Greg Geldard #2

Glass Arrows (DCI Geldard Book 2)

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PREY, PREDATOR OR PROTECTOR - WHICH ARE YOU?

Shortlisted for the East Anglian Book Awards prize for fiction 2021

A body is found during a bird-flu turkey cull. DCI Greg Geldard, newly promoted and newly transferred to Norfolk, is about to face the most challenging case of his career.

His investigation starts with one body found amongst dead turkeys, but goes on to expose a range of crimes hiding in plain sight, from modern slavery to wildlife smuggling. The body count rises, a friend is threatened and justice seems a long way off.

If you enjoy the gripping suspense of Elly Griffiths and the atmospheric settings of L J Ross, you'll love Glass Arrows. Get ready for the next instalment of the multi-award-winning DCI Geldard Norfolk Mystery Series.

Click the Buy Now button before the price changes.

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2023

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About the author

Heather Peck

12 books4 followers
Heather Peck is the author of the Greg Geldard series of murder mysteries, set in rural North Yorkshire and Norfolk. As she says:
‘I’ve had a life of two halves. In the first I was both farmer and agricultural policy adviser. I bred sheep and alpacas, reared calves, broke ploughs, represented the UK in international negotiations, specialised in emergency response from Chernobyl to bird flu, managed controls over pesticides and GM crops, saw legislation through parliament and got paid to eat KitKats while on secondment to Rowntree. In the second I chaired an NHS Trust, worked on animal welfare, sailed a boat on the Norfolk Broads, volunteered in Citizens Advice and the Witness Service and vaccinate humans against Covid. Two golden threads have run through everything; my love for both reading and writing, and the wise words of my Gran. ‘You can do anything if you try hard enough.

Now I write about the countryside and the animals I love, the industry (farming) I hold in deepest respect, and the various ways in which humans make things bad for each other and the world around them, always being very aware of the sad fact that cruelty to animals usually goes hand in hand with cruelty to other humans. Much of my time in the Witness Service and in Citizens Advice has indeed brought me face to face with some of the more tragic aspects of family life and work.

I write about the rural world because I want to share its wonders, peculiarities and hilarious moments with people who may not have been privileged to see it as I have seen it. But I wrote these specific books, Secret Places and Glass Arrows, because each uncovers problems that are probably hidden to most of us and about which I care passionately.

My main protagonist has grown with each story and his life has changed in ways I couldn’t have predicted at the start. When I started writing Secret Places I didn’t intend Greg Geldard to be the main protagonist. But I find that he, and other characters, take on a life of their own. How they react to circumstance affects what and how they feel, and therefore how they evolve. That too gives me immense satisfaction. Greg Geldard is now a man with a rounded personality; some strengths, some weaknesses, some insights and some blind spots. I’d like to meet him.’

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5 stars
51 (56%)
4 stars
31 (34%)
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6 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Whispering Stories.
3,016 reviews2,616 followers
September 29, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

Glass Arrows is an unravelling rabbit hole of a crime story set in Norfolk. The dead body of Lithuanian turkey farm-worker Jonas is found amongst the turkeys that are awaiting their own fate of being culled following the discovery of a virus that has been identified within them that could result in a potential pandemic as the virus is believed to be transferable to humans.

The people that have been called in to oversee the operation to cull and remove the entire livestock are up against it as the police investigative team is trying to salvage what they can from the crime scene without causing a risk to the public.

Chief Inspector Greg Geldard is the officer in charge of the case. He has recently been promoted and has transferred from North Yorkshire to the area. During the investigation, he uncovers evidence of organised crime and slavery. As another linked death occurs, DCI Geldard struggles to bring the murderer to justice.

This is the second book in the DCI Greg Geldard series, though it works perfectly fine as a standalone. There is no doubt that the author, Heather Peck, has written a thriller that is both tough in subject matter and bang up-to-date. She has also approached the topic very sensitively.

I certainly loved the premise as it was clear from the get-go that this was deeper than just murder, however, there were so many people introduced in such a short space of time that I found it difficult to remember who was who. Further, without any descriptions of any of the character’s personalities or appearances, it all seemed a little rushed and I wasn’t sure initially if I was going to carry on reading more than the first few chapters. That said, I had become hooked and was desperate for justice.

Glass Arrows is definitely a fast-paced thriller that eventually became a page-turner after the initial stuttered start. I loved that the ending was full of suspense and I enjoyed the read immensely.
Profile Image for Karen.
226 reviews3 followers
August 8, 2021
I have read so many really good books over the past few months and this one didn’t disappoint either. Another one of my favourite genres; crime / police procedural.

This is the second book in the DCI Greg Geldard crime series. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and even though I haven’t yet read Secret Places which is the first in the series, I didn’t feel that I had missed out on the back story as the author gives enough detail and background about the DCI. I will, however, be reading the first book in the series really soon, just to properly fill in those gaps.

I really enjoyed this book, another one of those that I stayed up late into the night to read ‘just one more chapter’. I was completely immersed in both the characters and the story. The story setting is quite close to where I live, so it was great to be able to visualise the places that more vividly and it really made the story real.

The writing style was fast paced and as I mentioned above, proper page turning stuff. The cliff ending chapters kept you on your toes and just when you thought you had beaten the detectives to how it all fitted together, another twist was thrown in and yet again you had to strap yourself in and rethink your theories and solutions.

The story also broaches into the sensitive, but topical issues surrounding people trafficking, gang masters, illegal immigrants and modern slave labour. All of these topics are dealt with sensitively and thoughtfully, and in such a way that anyone who is suffering or knows of anyone that is suffering, can take the right steps to help everyone.

I highly recommend this book for fans of crime thrillers and police procedurals. It would be a great summer holiday read, just as much at home on the beach / by the poolside / in the hot tub, as curled up warm and snuggling in a book nook with a nice cup of tea and a blanket. Just make sure that wherever you settle, you have plenty of snacks and drinks as you won’t want to tear yourself away from this immersive, page turner.

Thank you to Anne Cater, Random Things Tours and Heather Peck for a gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sharon Rimmelzwaan.
1,306 reviews36 followers
August 2, 2021
Glass Arrows by Heather Peck is the second book in the DCI Greg Geldard series. This book could be read as a standalone but I must say I do think you will want to read the first after reading this one. I have read the first book and was glad to see I was invited to this tour also.
When the body of a farmworker is found during a turkey cull, the incident falls to DCI Greg Geldard to investigate. Newly promoted and newly transferred from North Yorkshire to Norfolk, he is about to face the most challenging case of his career. As he uncovers evidence of organised crime and modern slavery, the body count rises, a friend is threatened and he struggles to bring the murderer to justice.
As Geldard begins to unearth connections to Europe things begin to escalate and it becomes much more than first thought. Creating a crime/ police procedural that keeps you reading until the last page, and then you wish it was just 'one more page' as it is hard to leave these characters. Heather Peck has again brought us a story in which every character feels real and the plot is as tight as the first book. She doesn't shy away from the sensitive subjects and deals with them in a way that shows care and attention to detail too.
DCI Geldard is a character I warmed to from the first book and in this book I enjoyed learning more about him and what makes him tick. In fact there are a few characters that I think are solid ones and just help make this book as good as it is.
I am happy to say I easily recommend this to any police procedural or crime thriller lovers. The realness of this story hits home about certain subjects as well.
Thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Silverwood Books for my copy of the book.
Profile Image for N.N. Heaven.
Author 6 books2,014 followers
January 3, 2024
Story Impressions –

They say the perfect crime is to hide a body in plain sight, but can DCI Greg Geldard solve this case? It’ll test all his skills and fortitude yet can justice prevail. This crime thriller kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was listening. With themes ripped from today’s headlines such as bird flu, modern slavery, and animal smuggling. I couldn’t turn away. The audiobook is narrated poignantly so the characters and the crimes take centre stage. This series just keeps getting better and better.

Narrator’s overall voice –

Scott Fleming narrates the mystery with emotion and tension. His voice is engaging yet doesn’t undermine from the overall story.

Does the narrator fit the characters?

Yes, the narrator uses his voice like an instrument, differing it to fit the characters.

Narrator’s reading style –

There’s an broadmindedness to Scott Fleming’s style which makes listening to him a pleasure.

Narrator’s impact on reading experience –

Scott Fleming brings the characters to life. Readers can enjoy listening to him and ponder this whodunit.

Narrator’s pacing –

The pacing is constant and doesn’t diminish the reader’s attention.

Audiobook flow –

The audiobook flows well.

What makes this audiobook unique –

What I found so unique about this audiobook was the way the narrator expresses emotion and tension throughout the crime thriller.

Would I recommend this audiobook –

Yes, I would recommend it to any reader/listener. You’ll be entertained for hours.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Nancy

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
24 reviews
September 28, 2023
Good read

I loved this second book can't wait to read the rest and it kept revealing things that were very interesting
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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