Dead End

Praise for
DEAD END

‘A brilliant talent in the thriller field’

–
Jeffery Deaver

‘
A
macabre read, full of enthralling characters and gruesome details which kept me glued from first page to last’

–
Graham Smith, Crimesquad

‘I found the narrative well written and at times terrifyingly brutal. The tension slowly builds as the twists and turns develop and as the story unfolds I could not put this book down’

–
Ann Marie Muldoon New Books Magazine

‘An encounter that will take them into the darkest recesses of the human psyche’

–
Barry Forshaw, Crime Time

Praise for
CUT SHORT

‘Cut Short
is a stylish, top-of-the-line crime tale, a seamless blending of psychological sophistication and gritty police procedure. And you're just plain going to love DI Geraldine Steel’

–
Jeffery Deaver

‘Russell paints a careful and intriguing portrait of a small British community while developing a compassionate and complex heroine who's sure to win fans’

–
Publishers Weekly

‘an excellent debut’

–
Mark Campbell, Crime Time

‘It's an easy read with the strength of the story at its core… If you want to be swept along with the story above all else, Cut Short is certainly a novel for you’

–
crimeficreader
,
http://itsacrime.typepad.com

‘Simply awesome! This debut novel by Leigh Russell will take your breath away’

–
Amanda C M Gillies, eurocrime.co.uk

An excellent book… Truly a great start for new mystery author Leigh Russell’

–
Michael Lipkin, New York Journal of Books

‘A surefire hit – a taut, slick, easy to read thriller’

–
Watford Observer

‘A pretty fine police procedural, with a convincin if disconcerting feel of contemporary Britain’

–
Compulsive Reader

‘Cut Short
featured in one of Eurocrime's reviewer's Top Reads for 2009’

–
Eurocrime

‘Cut Short
is not a comfortable read, but it is a comelling and important one. Highly recommended’

–Mystery Women

‘Well written debut psychological thriller’

–
www.stopyourekillingme.com

‘Gritty and totally addictive debut novel’

–
New York Journal of Books

‘If you're a real fan of police procedurals, you'll probably enjoy this read’

–
Sacramento Book Review

‘An excellent story, skilfully built and well told’

–
www.thebookbag.co.uk

‘intelligently written, gripping crime fiction’

–
Bookersatz Blogspot

‘I look forward to the second book in the series’

–
Nayu's Reading Corner

‘
a very excellent book!’

–
The Book Buff Blog

‘a wonderful series’

–
http://clarissadraper.blogspot.com

Praise for
Road Closed

‘A well-written, soundly plotted, psychologically acute story’

–
Marcel Berlins, The Times

‘Well-written and absorbing right from the get-go… with an exhilarating climax that you don't see coming’

– Amanda Gillies, eurocrime.co.uk

‘New star of crime fiction, Leigh Russell's chilling sychological thriller is terrific & terrifying!’

–
Clem Chambers

‘Road Closed
is a gripping, fast-paced read, pulling you in from the very first tense page and keeping you captivated right to the end with its refreshingly compelling and original narrative’

–
New York Journal of Books

‘Enjoyable crime, without the graphic blood and guts so many authors use’

–
jillysheep Blog

‘I recommend this to all murder mystery readers and it will improve your holiday by packing a copy’

–
Nayu's Reading Corner

‘Keeps you guessing until the end and packs some powerful surprises’

–
Helen Hunt, Bookersatz Blog

‘Leigh Russell's book
Road Closed
had me wanting to say to heck with everyone and everything else until I had turned ever page’

Book Place

‘a gritty page turner from the start’

–
Louise Purser, Star Magazine

‘An even better read than
Cut Short!
’

–
The Secret Writer

‘Leigh Russell does a good job of keeping her readers guessing. She also uses a deft hand developing her characters, especially the low-lifes… a good read’

–
San Francisco Book Review

Also by Leigh Russell

Cut Short

Road Closed

DEAD END

LEIGH RUSSELL

www.noexit.co.uk

NO EXIT PRESS

Dedicated to

Michael, Jo & Phill

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr Leonard Russell for his medical advice, all my contacts on the police force for their help my editor for her guidance, David Marshall for his support, and Annette Crossland with all the team at No Exit Press.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1

1: Abigail

2: Waiting

3: Discovery

4: Team

5: Scene of Crime

6: Surfing

7: Morgue

8: Family

9: Shock

10: Briefing

11: Interviews

12: Waste

13: Mistress

14: Zoe

Part 2

15: Vernon

16: Matthew

17: Arrangements

18: Ben

19: Witness

20: Hannah

21: Agency

22: Charlotte

23: Whitewash

24: Drink

25: Evie

26: Stalker

Part 3

27: Marriage

28: Trust

29: Alarm

30: Date

31: Hallowe'en

32: Missing

33: School

34: Neighbours

35: Carol

36: Release

37: Talk

38: Agreement

39: Interest

40: Visitor

41: Clean UP

Part 4

42: Guy

43: Grief

44: Corpse

45: Store

46: Impatience

47: Identification

48: Argument

49: Secrets

50: Dissatisfaction

51: Leaving

Part 5

52: Daughter

53: Panic

54: Name

55: Concealment

56: Justice

57: Escape

58: Whitstable

59: School

60: Cafe

61: Arrest

62: Regret

63: Proposal

64: Journey

65: The Truth

66: Cellar

67: Moving on

68: Change

Questions and Answers

‘When you kill somebody you change the universe.’

Dr Gwen Adshead,
Consultant Forensic Psychotherapist, Broadmoor Hospital

Glossary of acronyms used in
Dead End