Merseyside, and a woman's dead body has been left in Sefton Park. She has been murdered and is a university student. A letter left on her body alludes to psychological experiments carried out in the USA in the 1950s.

The case is given to Detective Inspector David Murphy who chooses Detective Sergeant Laura Rossi to work with him, much to the chagrin of DS Tony Brannon. Another murdered woman is found and the local press are questioning Murphy's suitability. David has issues when he failed to save a girl being murdered and his parents were also murdered by the ex-lover of his now estranged wife, who herself has drug problems.

The current murders seem to link to a missing woman from twelve months ago. Jemma Barnes vanished after a night out with girl friends, and her mother and partner , Rob Barker, have tried to locate her. The police and friends however were aware of her "taking off" for weeks and then reappearing. However this time she hasn't. Despite having the confidence of Detective Chief Inspector Stephens, Murphy isn't sleeping and is struggling to make a breakthrough. Is there a serial killer at work? Does the answer lie in the University?

DEAD GONE is a good debut novel but it is on occasions quite horrifically graphic, so be warned! The Liverpool-based author, with Italian roots, is currently a mature student in Psychology and Criminology at Liverpool University.

Recommended.

Geoff Jones, England
January 2014