Fifteen years ago, two little girls were found murdered in their home. Their sister was never seen again.

Now, DCI John Blizzard stands over a gravestone defaced with red paint — and the past has come roaring back.

When the girls’ father, long suspected but never charged, is found shot dead by the family grave, Blizzard is thrown back into one of Hafton’s most disturbing unsolved cases. The same name. The same whispers. The same missing child.
But this time, someone is writing messages in blood. And they’re not done yet.

As Blizzard reopens the case and digs through the wreckage of a fractured family, he uncovers a trail of guilt, grief, and vengeance that leads deep into the criminal underworld — and dangerously close to home.

A chilling British police procedural full of suspense, buried trauma, and northern grit.
Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Joy Ellis, and Peter Robinson.

DCI John Blizzard is seasoned, cynical, and deeply intuitive. With a bulldog sense of justice and little patience for protocol, Blizzard brings moral weight and emotional depth to every case — especially the ones no one else wants. If you’re guilty, he’ll find you. If you’re lying, he already knows.

Set in Hafton, a Northern city where industrial estates meet crumbling graveyards and windswept suburbs, the novel evokes the stark beauty and simmering menace of England’s far north. A cemetery soaked in snow becomes the centrepiece of a crime that never healed.

THE SERIES HAS OVER 7000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent murder mystery storyline, enjoyed the read.”
— Kindle Customer
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book, keeps you on your toes, with an unexpected twist at the end. Well worth picking up to read.”
— Kerry
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another great book. The banter between Blizzard and the team is so good. The way he deals with the cases is really good. A must read.”
— Mulli
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Another well written and crafted story from John Dean. Lots of action with plenty of twists and turns and an exciting ending.”
— Kindle Customer
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A thoroughly entertaining read, with realistic characters who continue to develop as the series of DCI Blizzard books keeps improving. Highly recommended.”
— John O
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love this writer and this book did not disappoint.”
— Sue Armstrong
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a different direction of investigation, looking for a shooter with a list of people to kill, including cops.”
— Susan Green
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ All of John Dean’s books are good but I love DCI Blizzard! The books are carefully plotted and the characters are well written. I hope there are many more books in the series. I highly recommend this book!”
— Elizabeth P.
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very good addition to the DCI Blizzard series. The author has another series that I like as well, the DCI Harris series. No nonsense detective with interesting plot turns.”
— J Austen
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just wasn’t long enough. I like DCI Blizzard and would like to know more about him.”
— Zippie 65