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R.R. Newman
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The Grave Digger's Boy: A Gripping Crime Mystery Full of Twists Kindle Edition

by R.R. Newman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 118 ratings
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In this debut crime thriller, an overturned twenty-year-old murder case forces the victim’s sister to seek help from one of last people to see her alive.

As a boy, Ben was one of the last to see beautiful young Esther Garrett alive—which led to an intense obsession. Twenty years later, the conviction of her murderer is overturned due to a police corruption scandal. Ben’s obsession is reawakened when Esther’s sister asks for his help in investigating the crime. As Ben is drawn deeper into the case, he will be forced to face the truth about his own life and soon finds himself questioning everything he ever believed. Was Esther really murdered? And if so, could the killer be closer to home than anyone ever imagined?

The Grave Digger’s Boy is a gripping crime mystery full of stunning twists and turns and the perfect read for fans of authors like Rachel Abbott, Cara Hunter and Patricia Gibney.
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  1. Print length
    264 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Bloodhound Books
  5. Publication date
    August 19, 2019
  6. File size
    1582 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author


Ray Newman grew up in Devon and Somerset, and lives in Bristol, where he works as a writer and editor in trade publishing. His first novel, The Grave Digger’s Boy, is a psychological crime novel set in the West Country. Ray studied English at Cambridge, specialising in American literature and crime fiction, and worked in central government communications after graduating. Under the name ‘Ray Bailey’ he has co-authored two multi-award-winning non-fiction books, on beer and pubs respectively. He has also written articles on architecture, history and culture for Fortean Times, the Modernist and the Bristol Magazine, among other publications.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09C6LGH2P
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloodhound Books (August 19, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1582 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 264 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 118 ratings

About the author

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R.R. Newman

R.R. Newman

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
118 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

DeWayne Rail
5.0 out of 5 stars Best read in a long time
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019
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I really liked this. Reminds me a bit of Patricia Highsmith, with an attractive writing style and complex psychology. I need another one. Very well done.
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Knut Albert Solem
4.0 out of 5 stars Good storytelling, quite cinematic
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2019
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Good play with language, bleak, but believable. A miserable main character, and things keep getting worse. A good read. I could have wished for more of a plot, but the atmosphere is developed very well.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars You want to keep reading!
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2019
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This was a smooth read and kept you locked in at all times. I was sorry when it ended! Can’t wait for his next book!
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Reba
3.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2019
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The story of Ben, who, as a boy, was the last person to see a beautiful young girl before she disappears. Twenty years later, and twenty years after the boy accused of killing the girl has been convicted, he is approached by the victim's sister asking him to help her look into Esther's disappearance. Unhappy in his life, and still obsessed, he begins investigating on his own. Through many twists and turns, he finally figures out who the killer is. But who is the grave digger's boy? That's the question I kept asking myself.
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booklover
4.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful Page Turner
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2019
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

When Ben was 11 years old, he was a witness in the disappearance of a teenage girl. She happened to be riding on the bus that his father drove ... she got off the bus and was never seen again. Another bus rider, a man just released from prison who got off at the same time was charged and convicted of her murder ...although her body was never found. He has always said he was innocent.

Twenty years later, he is still obsessed with her disappearance ... especially when her younger sister comes to him asking for help in discovering what really happened to her sister.

What the two of them discover will change everything Ben has thought. Was she even murdered? Did she run off with someone? If she is dead, who had reason to kill her? Why hasn't her body ever been found?

This is a suspenseful page turner with twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. The characters are finely drawn and are quite credible. The mystery starts on the first page and doesn't let up until the final surprising ending.
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Bev
4.0 out of 5 stars A young boy's obsession follows him into adulthood.
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2019
The Grave Digger's Boy is about a young boy who is a witness to a missing young girl after she departs his father's bus. There was a rowdy, unsavory man followed the girl into the woods from the bus, and that is all that Ben and his father saw. The police investigation tries the young man for murder even though a body was never found. Ben became totally obsessed with the missing girl. Twenty years later the young man is released due to the investigating police officer is now accused of
inventing witnesses and other corruptions. Ester's sister asks Ben for help in finding her sister's body. Or is there a body? What really happened? Ben gets involved in things he wishes he had not. I thought the beginning moved rather slowly, it did pick up the pace some in Part Two and ongoing from there. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Bloodhound Books.
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Flgirl
4.0 out of 5 stars Great story with a great build up of suspense and intrigue
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2019
This was my first book I have read by this author. What a treat to be one of the first to read this. The story starts out with a young witness to a murder. The story builds with a conviction and fast forwards 20 years later when the conviction is overturned. This is when the story begins and draws the reader into questioning what is the truth. As the investigation begins anew everything is questioned the intrigue pulls the author in and will not let go. This was a thoughtful read with the character development and how no one and nothing is as appears but leads the reader to trying guess what is real and what is perceived to be real. I liked this and look forward to more. Don't miss this one. A great end of the summer read.
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Bobbi Jo Wagner
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Story!
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019
This is my first book by this author, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I enjoyed how I was pulled into the story from the start. It is a creative story that has some sitting on the edge of your seat moments as well as really? moments. The characters brought the story to life for me and kept me reading until the end. Ben was a young boy when he witnessed a disappearance of a young girl but she seems to haunt him into his adult life where he is approached to help find another missing girl. i loved watching him grow throughout the story. I highly recommend this book.
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Top reviews from other countries

John
5.0 out of 5 stars Cracking read - highly recommend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
Absolutely loved it. The sort of book you stay up too late reading, so you're knackered the next day. Very evocative locations, twisty-turny plot and brilliantly drawn characters. Didn't want it to end, but couldn't stop reading it. I'm not particularly a reader of crime fiction, but this isn't a grisly procedural, this is more of a mystery, like a Robert Goddard. Definitely recommend.
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ms J Cook
4.0 out of 5 stars Strange
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2019
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I couldn't put this book down, although I thought it very strange and the title maybe a bit misleading but I needed answers and they weren't the ones I wanted, having said that I did enjoy it.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
A cracking read. I was drawn in from the start and the story kept me guessing until the final twist. I also loved the pace of the novel - every page was relevant and moved the story along. It’s full of great observations, on life, on people and on the places in Devon and London where the story is set. Would definitely recommend.
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Kate
5.0 out of 5 stars Claustrophobic and taut psychological thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2019
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A claustrophobic and taut psychological thriller that gradually unfolds to take in numerous spills and thrills, with a genuinely clever and unexpected ending. Moving across decades, from the West of England, to London and back again, this is a thoughtful and thought provoking read. Enjoy.
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Steve Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
Really enjoyable read. Sped along at a cracking pace twisting and turning, held together by credible characters, ending in a satisfying climax.
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