Meet Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard — burly and blunt. He takes no nonsense from crooks or his superiors.

When the head of a well-known criminal family is found dead, the community thinks they know who did it.
Everyone is whispering the same name — the Latch Man.

A legendary burglar with a long history in Hafton, the Latch Man was once feared for slipping into houses undetected. But DCI John Blizzard doesn’t believe in easy answers — or folk heroes.

As he digs into the rivalries and secrets surrounding the family, Blizzard begins to question everything he’s told. Is this the work of a long-retired thief? Or is someone hiding behind an old name to get away with murder?

And when a second body turns up, Blizzard must act fast — before the Latch Man strikes again.

A police procedural where the past is weaponised — and truth is a dangerous thing.

Perfect for fans of Peter Robinson, Ann Cleeves, and Colin Dexter.

DCI John Blizzard isn’t interested in urban myths. He’s too old to be chasing shadows. But when the press starts spinning the return of a legendary burglar into a media storm, Blizzard must rely on instinct and experience to see through the noise — even if it puts him on a collision course with people who’d prefer the past stayed buried.

Set in the heart of Hafton, the novel moves between tight-knit council estates, back-alley pubs, and old houses with too many secrets. The city's long memory is everywhere — and so are the grudges that never died.

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