The Landscape of Death

DCI Tom Raven Crime Thrillers, Book 1

By: M. S. Morris

Narrated by: Dan Calley

A dead man on the beach. A detective with everything to prove. And a secret that won't stay buried.

When a man’s body washes up on the North Yorkshire coast with a gunshot wound to the chest, DCI Tom Raven is handed the case. The only clue to the victim’s identity? A ring engraved with two names.

Raven hasn’t set foot in Scarborough for over thirty years. Now he’s back – leading a murder investigation and facing ghosts from his past.

The trail leads to an old friend turned shady businessman. But the deeper Raven goes, the more tangled the lies become – and the less he can trust the people around him.

Not everyone wants him solving this case. And not everyone wants him back.

Scarborough holds secrets. And someone will kill to keep them hidden.

Set on the North Yorkshire coast, the Tom Raven series is perfect for fans of David J Gatward, J M Dalgliesh, Simon McCleave, and British crime fiction.

©2022 Margarita and Steve Morris (P)2025 Margarita and Steve Morris

Great Story

The initial book of the Time Raven series did not disappoint! It was a great read, with an interesting plot, and lovely outcome. I now plan to read the entire series.

Great Story.... but...

The story was really good... but, the narration was really difficult for me... I had to listen on 0.8 speed... it was as if the reader was racing to the finish... no differences in the character voices, no pauses, no emotion... I plan to just read these on Kindle Unlimited.

Totally unrealistic main character

Tom Raven is one-dimensional. His departure from Scarborough, leaving the love of his life without a word? A 20-year marriage and a daughter that mean.... what to him? And please - no Superintendent would permit an officer to stay on a case in which he had so many relationships! All Donna had to say waa that they had slept together and back to London he would go. Then the ending, with Becca? If the author meant to whet an appetite for future Raven books, I'm flying away after #1.

The sing songy reading made it hard to follow story.

The reader spoiled what might have been a good story. It started out as a typical procedural. The main character seemed well developed. The plot had a good beginning.

Pretty good

Not a bad story. Not great, either. I did not like the 'singsong' way the narrator spoke. The up and down and up and down grated on my nerves. If he didn't do that, his voice would have been really nice.

Please someone direct this narrator

I would love to stick with this author, because in these first few chapters I’ve really taken to the stories and the characters, but I listen in my car- so the narrator is equally important. This narrator has one tone…although occasionally he speaks in character and some life comes to the story. I kept hoping it would change, but I can’t bear it any longer and won’t be finishing this book.

Could not get past chapter 3

That narrator’s voice put me to sleep.
It was sing song and monotone all at once.
This was my first experience with this happening. I have listened to many many books!