Dead and Buried is the twelfth novel in Stephen Booth's Cooper and Fry crime series. This is only my second foray into the series but England's Peak District plays a larger role in this mystery than previously, when the discovery of a body is wrapped up in the unsolved disappearance of a young couple in the past.
As wildfire rages across Oxlow Moors, firefighters discover shallow buried clothing and a backpack with traces of blood. Could these belong to the couple who disappeared years ago - and were they killed and buried or did they escape bankruptcy by making it appear that way? Nearby in a once popular pub, long closed due to lack of business, a body has been found recently murdered. DS Ben Cooper continues to work with Carol Villiars to discover what connections there are by interviewing the pub owners, locals who frequented, and cold leads from the couple case. Diane Fry is also in the background, working on the recent murder. Booth describes the landscape so well, I had Google Maps out looking for the towns he mentions. From Speedwell Cavern to Limestone Way, there is a strong sense of place here. Headquarters is located in the Eden Valley, but otherwise the Peak District, especially around Derbyshire, is well represented.
This is not a dynamic mystery with clues and action, rather a slow discovery of past secrets and a community that doesn't want to rake it up. Ben Cooper is from the area, was even a patron of the pub, and more than ever seems a part of the area. This is an amiable mystery with a solid finish and recommended to anyone who likes watching British detective shows like Lewis or Vera - character based without a lot of violence.
2012 / Tradeback / 423 pages
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