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    Persons Unknown
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    Persons Unknown
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    Persons Unknown
    Audiobook11 hours

    Persons Unknown

    Written by Susie Steiner

    Narrated by Juanita McMahon

    4/5

    ()

    Unavailable in your country

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    About this audiobook

    THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

    A brutal murder. A detective with no one left to trust.

    ‘[Steiner] solidified the promise of last year’s debut, Missing, Presumed, with another hyper-realistic police procedural’ Guardian: Books of the Year 2017

    A YOUNG MAN MURDERED
    A city banker bleeds to death yards from a Cambridgeshire police headquarters.

    A DETECTIVE OUT OF HER DEPTH
    DI Manon Bradshaw’s world is turned upside down when the victim turns out to be closer to her than she could have guessed.

    WHO SHOULD SHE BELIEVE?
    When even her trusted colleagues turn their backs on her, it’s time to contemplate the unthinkable: are those she holds dear capable of murder?

    Manon Bradshaw is back.

    ––––––––––––––––––––––-
    'Steiner has a quirky, evocative prose style that is often very funny and her novels are highly entertaining and full of memorable, well-rounded characters' Sunday Express

    'Bradshaw is an engaging heroine, full of self-doubt and contradiction, but whose caustic wit gleams through the grim murder inquiry' Daily Mail

    'Winning prose, sympathetic characters and an appreciation of life’s joys as keen as a knowledge of its dangers' Wall Street Journal

    ‘An ingeniously and extravagantly plotted, multi-voiced thrillride … wise and witty … beautifully written’ Irish Times

    ‘I loved it … Persons Unknown is like walking on quicksand, for reader and detective alike' Val McDermid

    'A smart and funny rumination on motherhood' New York Times

    'Strikingly modern…It is refreshing to see a detective grappling with real life dilemmas but they never get in the way of the plot, which is clever and original. A series to watch from a confident writer who draws even minor characters with care and sympathy' Sunday Times

    ‘By turns tense and tender, gripping and moving, and always beautifully written. I didn’t read this book so much as live it: DI Manon Bradshaw is so convincingly human that I often wonder what she’s up to now’ Erin Kelly

    ‘The best new crime series in years’ Sarah Perry

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 29, 2017
    ISBN9780008123369
    Unavailable
    Persons Unknown
    Author

    Susie Steiner

    Susie Steiner began her writing career as a news reporter first on local papers, then on the Evening Standard, the Daily Telegraph and The Times. In 2001 she joined the Guardian, where she worked as a commissioning editor for 11 years. Her first novel, Homecoming was described as 'truly exceptional' by the Observer.

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    Reviews for Persons Unknown

    4/5

    145 ratings21 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I do like Manon Bradshaw, in spite of her so-mixed-up self! I’ve enjoyed both books, and I’m waiting eagerly for Ms. Steiner to finish the third.
    • 5/5
      First Stiener book I have read, it will not be the last. Enjoyed the plot and the wonderful characters.
    • 4/5
      Although Susie Steiner employs the overused device of giving key characters their own individual chapters, she does so with a style and finesse that lends distinction to "Persons Unknown." This police procedural deals with the further adventures of forty-two year old Detective Inspector Manon Bradshaw, now in her middle trimester of pregnancy, who is "in hot pursuit of the work-life balance." Previously, she adopted Fly Dent, a twelve-year old African-American boy (Manon takes "pride in his reading, in his gentleness, his soft manners, his decency"), who resents her decision to leave the pricey and dangerous streets of London for a four-bedroom home in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Manon and Fly live with Manon's sister, Ellie, and Solly, Ellie's adorable two-year-old son.

      The plot involves the stabbing death of thirty-seven year old Jon-Oliver Ross, a financial wheeler-dealer and ladies man, the subsequent arrest of a convenient but unlikely suspect, and the exploitation of vulnerable girls to entice rich businessmen. The characters are intriguing, and we get to know some of them intimately. Manon is hilariously self-deprecating about her ungainliness ("she has a rolling gait these days, as well as a double chin, as if someone has attached a bicycle pump to her backside and inflated her"), is perennially exhausted, cries at the drop of a hat, and has an enormous appetite. She adores Fly, but fears that he will go astray if she does not keep a close eye on him. Because of her transfer from the Met, she has been demoted to a boring desk job. However, she has good reason to stick her nose into the aforementioned homicide investigation, led by former colleagues DCI Harriet Harper, and DS Davy Walker.

      There is an abundance of humor in Manon's clumsiness, bluntness, and inability to take no for an answer. In addition, Steiner effectively and warmly conveys how far a devoted parent will go to protect a child she loves. Adding to the novel's appeal are its brisk pace, aided by the author's skillful use of short sentences and fragments; superior descriptive writing; animated and clever dialogue; and a meticulous examination of how carefully analyzed forensic evidence can be a game-changer. The conclusion springs an unpleasant surprise on us, leaving enough loose ends to whet our appetite for the next installment in this engrossing and addictive series.
    • 3/5
      I'm a bit torn on this one. Up until pretty close to the end, I was into the story and feeling Manon's frustration and heartbreak and anger and all the rest. I was empathizing with Davy and cheering for Mark. But the way the reasoning behind the arrest was completely glossed over left me calling bullshit. As upset as Manon was about it, I have a hard time believing she wouldn't have pushed for more of an explanation. Particularly since it was so close to her personal and professional lives.

      I would go 3.5 stars if I could. When I started writing this review, I had already marked the book as 4 stars but just dropped it to 3 because I can't get past the handling of the arrest and the resolution with the conspirators. I don't want to give any spoilers away so I can't get more specific than that.

      Was the writing good and the mystery interesting, yes. But between the stuff I already mentioned and having one-to-three POVs too many, I feel comfortable with the 3 stars. The extra POVs weren't really that bad but I would have liked to have stayed with either Manon or Davy and had the story unfold from their POVs instead.

      All this being said, I will certainly still read the next in the series. I like Manon. Flawed, bitchy, rude, assholish Manon.

      Thanks to the publisher, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.
    • 4/5
      I liked Persons Unknown even more than the first. Some great insights on human behavior. Manon and Fly's relationship is fragile and I can't help but root for them because it is so beautiful. An issue that I noticed with Missing, Presumed and this book is the conclusion to the mystery, it's a bit anti-climatic, but the lead up to it is outstanding and the character development so good that I can overlook that slight flaw. Maybe I just wanted to see one of the characters get their due and that didn't happen. I will definitely be reading the third in the series. So sad to hear of Steiner's death, huge loss as she was so talented. Sadly there will not be a fourth in the series
    • 4/5
      I liked the mystery in this and the character development. The momentum kind of putters out near the end, which is unfortunate, but overall I enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      Manon Bradshaw returns in a gripping police procedural that hits her very close to home. In Susie Steiner’s previous novel, Missing, Presumed, Detective Manon Bradshaw adopted young Fly Dent, left orphaned with the deaths of his mother and his brother, Taylor. In Persons Unknown, Manon and Fly, Manon’s sister Ellie and Ellie’s toddler son Solomon have left central London and taken up residence together in a house in Cambridgeshire. Manon, several months pregnant, is desk-bound and working cold cases. Having given up on the notion of finding a suitable male life-partner, she has opted for artificial insemination. When a young, very wealthy banker from London dies of a stab wound in a nearby park, Manon—who is not part of the investigative team—finds herself on the outside looking in and suffering a shock when facts come to light connecting Ellie to the victim, Jon-Oliver Ross. Then the investigation—which is being led by her colleagues Harriet Harper and Davy Walker under the direction of Detective Chief Superintendent Gary Stanton—takes an even more alarming turn when Fly, caught on CCTV footage in the park at the time of the murder, is arrested. Manon, fed up with the physical and emotional burden of her pregnancy, rattled by guilt over Fly’s obvious unhappiness with the move to Cambridgeshire, and incensed by how Fly is being treated in custody, embarks against policy on an off-the-books investigation and soon finds herself stumbling along a dangerous path toward several unpleasant truths, one of which has the power to shatter her faith in what she thought were solid family ties. Manon Bradshaw, with her impulsive, intuitive bull-in-a-china-shop investigative approach, is someone with whom the reader instantly connects and comes to care about, as a cop, as a woman, and as a mother. The London setting, expertly evoked, drips with atmosphere. Persons Unknown is a carefully crafted, smart and engrossing entertainment: a complex tale of corruption full of twists and turns, briskly paced, and bustling with sympathetic characters whose pain and daily struggles are real.
    • 5/5
      Second mystery featuring Manon Bradshaw. A complicated plot that resolved in a satisfying way, though there was a big logic problem concerning the arrest of Manon's adopted son. Like the first book, the characters were well done as individuals with quite different voices. Manon is pregnant during this book and I grew really irritated with all the mentions of how tired she is, how fat, how uncomfortable. It felt like she was practically in a coma through the last part of the book. I guess if you have a pregnant protagonist, that can't be helped, but it was boring.
    • 4/5
      Interesting read. The characters are real, almost too real. The story keeps your attention.
    • 4/5
      Persons Unknown is the 2nd book in the Manon Bradshaw series. Manon is 5 months pregnant, and is feeling a bit out of sorts. A dead body is found in the park. This person happens to be involved with her family.
      Manon is not allowed to be involved with the case, due to her proximity to the victim. So many things are happening at once, and it leads to a seedy story of money laundering, prostitution, murder, and affairs.
      Manon feels betrayed by her friends on the force and by her family. Things are falling apart.

      This is a well crafted story and I really enjoyed it. It is full of twists and turns and interesting characters as well as interesting family dynamics.
    • 3/5
      Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner picks up where her debut novel Missing, Presumed leaves off. Manon Bradshaw has adopted twelve year old Fly (from the previous book) and moved back to Huntingdon, living with her sister and nephew Solly. When a finance executive is stabbed to death in a local park, Fly is charged with the murder, even though there is no evidence to support the charge. He was seen walking in the park at the time of the murder and his footprint was found in some blood on the ground.Manon, five months pregnant, is obviously beside herself, bemoaning the move which was theoretically to benefit Fly by getting him out of his old neighborhood. Barred from participating in the murder investigation, she of course, does so anyway, along with hired attorney Mark Talbot.There are a lot (a lot) of twists and turns in Persons Unknown, that’s for sure. And it is a good read. However, it is short on solving the mystery and long on Manon’s bemoaning her fate: single, pregnant, tired, not keeping Fly safe in his new environment…and the list goes on. So, here you have the plusses and minuses. Do what you will.
    • 5/5
      This is one helluva thriller. It's the second (after Missing, Presumed - and this is even better!) featuring the same lead character, detective Manon Bradshaw, jaded and cynical, whose life is going in many crazy directions. She's the adoptive mother of Fly, a black twelve year old, and she's yanked him from London's gang influences to a suburb where he is surrounded by no one who looks like him. And she's moved to cold cases, since she's also become pregnant. Manon and Fly live with her sister Ellie, who is also a single mom to Solly. The story opens with the murder of Ellie's ex, Simon's father Jon-Oliver. There are so many excellent supporting characters here, and the most fantastic writing, chock full o'Brit-isms that made me flush with pleasure when I could figure them out. Dear reader, we've got another Kate Atkinson here!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed the first book (Missing, Presumed) in Susie Steiner's new series featuring Cambridgeshire Detective Sergeant Manon Bradshaw. Manon returns in this second book - Persons Unknown. Manon has relocated from London back to Cambridgeshire and taken a position in Cold Cases. She figures the locale change will be better for her adopted son Fly and the baby she's expecting in five months. Her sister and her young son are living with them as well. But, old habits die hard. When a businessman dies just steps away from the police station, Manon can't help herself - she sits in on the briefings. Things get real personal when it's discovered that the victim has ties to Manon's family - and that Fly is a suspect. That's just the beginning. Lines are crossed and boundaries broken in so many ways in this latest.Oh, where to start? I adore Manon. She's dogged, determined, feisty, fierce and loyal. Exactly the person you would want in your corner. Her pregnancy adds a level of difficulty, but also some funny moments on the way to solving this latest mystery. As with Missing, Presumed, there's an excellent. well-plotted mystery at the heart of the book, but Steiner's novels are definitely character driven. And for me, that's why I am enjoying her writing so much. I was glad to see Davy and Harriet (both police officers) return. They too have 'full' personalities and lives. Davy is also given a voice and POV in this book. And I really like the developments and relationships that Steiner has inserted into Manon's life.I always enjoy British police procedurals - the focus is not on blood or gore, but on the clues, the investigation, and the players. There are many ways things could have played out in Persons Unknown. I had my suspicions about whodunit, but was quite happy to be not completely right.Persons Unknown was another excellent read from Steiner - and I'm really looking forward to the third book. Absolutely recommended.
    • 5/5
      I received a free advance e-copy of this book and have chosen to write an honest and unbiased review. I have no personal affiliation with the author. This is a very well written police procedural crime thriller. Excellent plot and great character development. Full of twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down. I never knew what was going to happen next. So many secrets and surprises. A mother will do anything to save her son. Do we ever really know our own family members, their motivations, and what they are willing to do for a buck? This book is well worth the read and I look forward to reading more from Susie Steiner in the future.
    • 4/5
      Steiner has created a character who is very easy to relate too, she has so many contrasting characteristics to her personality, tough and yet compassionate, fearless except when it come to a certain twelve year old. Fly, a young black male that she adopted in the previous book, but their relationship is a work in progress. The case in this book will hit very close to Manon's home and heart. A very timely case concerning racial bias and Manon will find out who her friends are, those who are willing to help despite consequences to themselves and their own jobs.Second book in this series, and though I really didn't want to pick up another series, I am quite taken with this one. Well written, alot of heart and interesting scenarios make for a good read.ARC from publisher.
    • 3/5
      Like the author's first book, this one was okay for me. A good read for the most part. A little lengthy in some parts. I liked how the author handled the chapters with the different characters and yes, I even liked poor Birdie.Manon did get on my nerves a few times, but it wasn't so annoying that I cringed everytime the story came back to her. It is a series that I would read more of.The ending was something that I didn't see coming - well not entirely all of it. Thanks to Random House and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
    • 3/5
      I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately. The last few books I’ve read have been ok…nothing wrong with them but not anything that made me lock myself away & force abandoned family members to forage for themselves ’til I was done. When I read the blurb on this, I was hoping for an exciting & complex police procedural that would keep me guessing. Sadly, it was not to be. Yes, Manon Bradshaw is a cop but despite the fact it opens with a body this is much more about the MC’s domestic situation than hunting down bad guys.To be fair, she is forgiven for being a bit scattered & preoccupied. Manon is 42, 5 months pregnant & lives with sister Ellie, nephew Solly & adopted son Fly. She recently left the bright lights of London for a slower life with the police force in Huntingdon. Her crushing workload at the Met has been replaced by regular hours spent combing through cold cases. Impending single-motherhood is daunting enough. So she really doesn’t need the added stress of Ellie’s problems, Solly’s tantrums & Fly’s troubles at school. The proverbial icing on the cake is provided when the body is identified as Ellie’s ex.That’s just the beginning of a convoluted story line that will cause Manon’s professional life to come crashing into her personal one. The author has a very distinctive writing style, often in present tense with characters’ random thoughts popping up in the narrative. Chapters alternate narrators so you get multiple POV’s. The investigation throw up a few surprises but you’ll have your suspicions early on as to who is involved. Instead of being full of suspense, it’s more of a vehicle to foreshadow big change to Manon’s home life. The case is wrapped up by the end but several other plot lines are left open. I haven’t read the first in the series & perhaps that’s why I had a hard time connecting with the MC. That’s on me. It all comes down to the fickle element of personal taste & if you read & loved “Missing, Presumed”, no doubt you’ll find much to enjoy here.
    • 2/5
      I had a hard time getting through this book. It seemed that each chapter was being told by multiple points of view. I also got annoyed at the way the pregnant title character was portrayed. I felt that just because she was pregnant she was given a lesser role in the book.I love British mysteries but was very disappointed with this one.
    • 5/5
      Persons Unknown is the second in the DS Manon series from Susie Steiner and easily matches the first volume, Missing, Presumed, in both plot and character development.Steiner tends to give readers an in-depth look into how her characters think whether those thoughts are related to the case or not. This may well be what some people find tiring in her novels but it is what I find most interesting. In this case, however, everyone should be satisfied because the case is very personal for Manon so her thoughts all, to some degree, pertain to the case.I think her use of each chapter being from the perspective of a different character works very well. It allows us to not only know recurring characters even better but lets us know some of the case-specific characters a lot better. I am thinking of Birdie here in particular.As with many mysteries, especially police procedurals, many social and cultural issues are addressed. This is true here as well and the extra depth of character development allows those issues to have both an organizational/societal aspect as well as personal aspects on both sides of any debate.I would recommend this to readers of both mysteries and general character-driven novels. There is plenty to appeal to both groups.Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 5/5
      I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of Persons Unknown as I had read and liked Missing, Presumed. I thought Persons Unknown was even better. Although it is considered a sequel, I found it was perfectly fine as a stand-alone novel. I couldn't put the book down; the characters and plot were unique and compelling. I found the realistic insights into a murder investigation from many perspectives interesting. I liked both the interracial adoption issues and single motherhood experience. I also appreciated the story line of the shopkeeper and her loneliness. This book was much more than a mystery/thriller, largely due to the great writing and interesting characters. I highly recommend it.
    • 4/5
      I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.DI Manon Bradshaw has returned to Cambridgeshire and is living with her sister Ellie, Ellie’s son Sol, and Manon’s adopted son Fly. Because she now has Fly, she is working cold cases to keep her hours manageable. The body of a man is found in a park and it turns out to be Ellie’s ex/Sol’s father. Then Fly is arrested for his murder.I found the beginning a bit slow; I was enjoying the bits from Davy’s perspective, when actual police work was being done, but these were interspersed with Manon obsessing endlessly about her pregnancy and how tired/ungainly it made her feel and how she wished she weren’t shut out of the murder case. Once Manon started helping the defence lawyer, Mark, and doing investigating of her own, the pace picked up.I found the plot interesting and coherent, with some excellent twists, although Ellie’s love life turned out to have been improbably exciting for the single mother of a toddler working as a nurse. I liked the Manon/Mark storyline, but there was something off for me about Manon’s relationships with Fly and her unborn baby. I can’t remember too much about the first novel in this series, but here Manon’s distress about Fly’s arrest and remand seemed out of all proportion to the way she related to him at the beginning of the book. As for the baby, she was either obsessing endlessly about it (see above) or wishing she had never got pregnant because of the effect on Fly, now the apple of her eye.Recommended. I hope the next one has lots more of Davy.