If, as most readers probably do by now, you count The Birdwatcher (2016) as a Cupidi book, Deadland (2019) is William Shaw’s third Alexandria Cupidi novel. The DS Alex Cupidi series is now five books long, and it appears that the entire series is finally available in the US after months of being able to only get the first two books here.

DS Cupidi lives with her seventeen-year-old daughter Zoë in an isolated beach cottage near the bird sanctuary in Dungeness, England. Alex and Zoë are still relatively new to the area, and Alex worries about Zoë having become such a loner since the imprisonment of William South, the former cop and neighbor of theirs who mentored Zoë into the birdwatching world. Cupidi is a good cop, and she covers a wide jurisdiction that leaves Zoë with way too much time to fend for herself. Without South there to help look out for the teen, Cupidi fears that her self-imposed isolation is not at all good for her daughter.

But just as a spree of crimes hits coastal Kent that are certain to complicate Cupidi’s worries, South is unexpectedly released from prison. Cupidi has a plan: she hopes to ease both South and her daughter back into the world by asking South to keep an eye on Zoë while resuming their regular birdwatching activities. It’s a great plan — if only she can get South even to speak to her or Zoë ever again, something he’s not eager to do.

Then, in what will begin a complicated series of events ending in the deaths of several people, including one cop, two teenage boys decide to snatch the mobile phone of the wrong person as they speed by him on a moped. The man wants that phone back, and he is so desperate to get his hands on it that he is willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. That’s bad enough, but for a while it escapes the attention of the police because the snatching victim doesn’t dare report the theft. Then, way up in Margate, a severed arm is found hidden inside an art piece on display at the Turner Contemporary Museum after the smell finally catches the attention of patrons and staff. What Cupidi needs to do first is figure out whether she is dealing with a murder or with some kind of medical school prank.

After the two teenagers get themselves into more trouble and realize that their own lives are in danger, Cupidi finds herself in a battle for the resources she needs to properly work her case in Margate. Without a dead body, she doesn’t have a murder. The two boys, on the other hand, seem to leave death and blood behind every time they are spotted. But could the two cases be related in some weird way?

Bottom Line: Series fans will certainly enjoy trying to solve the complicated cases at the core of Deadland. But the best thing about this addition to the series is how Shaw’s main characters, and the relationships between them, evolve over time. Zoë is growing up and becoming the young woman her mother can be proud of despite how much Cupidi worries about her. Young policewoman Jill Ferriter struggles with her self-image and poor choices to such a degree that her future in law enforcement is threatened. Cupidi herself has learned to control her worst management impulses and has earned the respect of her fellow cops. And, best of all, Bill South is back in Dungeness where he is struggling mightily to find some kind of life for himself. Deadland is first-rate crime fiction, and Shaw has created one of the best new crime series to have appeared in the last few years. ( )

Two young teenagers, Tap and Sloth decide to take the road to petty crime so they can forge a place for themselves in a rather bleak and uninspiring environment. Unfortunately they have more ambition than talent and they steal a holdall containing a rather expensive iPhone and a cheap Alcatel phone. But the owner is very serious about retrieving his possessions and the threats become very quickly life-threatening and deadly. Meanwhile DS Alexandra Cupidi and Constable Jill Ferriter are asked to look into a rather morbid incident. A severed arm is found in a modern art installation in the Turner Museum in Margate. It is their introduction to the hazy world of art collectors,foundations and financial Maecenases. Although at first sight both cases seem to have nothing in common, very slowly a connection is made between the two boys of a council estate and the glittering world of art with a capital A.
It is a good story,it is well written,the coastal location in Kent next to a nuclear power plant is very well chosen and it definitely keeps your attention until the end.
The why only three stars? Well,and I know this is personal,but I just couldn't connect with Cupidi and Ferriter. Sometimes they felt a bit contrived,then a bit bland and then over the top. I did not understand their reactions or attitudes on certain occasions and I therefore found it very hard to like (or dislike) them,to be moved by them or to be very interested in them...
Ah well ,it happens! ( )

I had completely forgotten the events of the first instalment in this series, but it didn't matter. This novel consisted of different strands which all came together at the end in a more or less logical way. I particularly enjoyed the thread which described Sloth and Tap's efforts to hide themselves from 'the man on the other end of the phone' - it was very moving. ( )

This series just keeps getting better and better and better. Alexandra Cupidi made her first appearance in The Birdwatcher, and although I couldn't stand her character, the story was so good that I knew I'd read the next book, Salt Lane. Deadland is a wonderful addition. Cupidi has had some of her rough edges knocked off by now, and William South from The Birdwatcher returns.

This is a series that character-driven readers should love. In Deadland, we have the added bonus of learning more about DC Jill Ferriter and why her choice of career says so much about her as a person. We also get to laugh a bit at her expense when it comes to her choice of shoes and her hero worship. Cupidi's seventeen-year-old daughter, Zoë, is growing up, too-- and she's showing all the signs of turning into a wonderful, strong human being, even though Cupidi's nerves may not survive the metamorphosis.

How the two subplots featuring Sloth and Tap and the arm in the sculpture merge together is compelling and addictive. I didn't want to stop reading until I'd reached the end. Shaw really ratchets up the suspense as the two boys keep one-half step ahead of the man tracking them down, and the arm in the sculpture was a real puzzler until the plot threads finally began to be woven together.

Deadland is a masterful bit of storytelling. If you're a fan of police procedurals (especially British ones), get your hands on a copy. If you're a fan of strong, multi-faceted characters, get your hands on a copy. If you want to submerge yourself in a story and not think about anything else, get your hands on a copy. (And I haven't even mentioned the atmospheric setting of the marshlands!) You could skip reading The Birdwatcher and Salt Lane and jump right into Deadland, but I'd advise against it. Why deprive yourself of such wonderful reading? ( )

“Deadland” (DL) by William Shaw is the second book in the Alexandra Cupidi series – kinda. Shaw’s publishers classify Shaw’s “The Birdwatcher” as a standalone novel, but it’s the first book in which Cupidi appears. If that isn’t confusing enough, be aware that the books in Shaw’s other excellent series featuring Breen and Tozer have two titles – one for UK originated books where the books are first released, and a second one for the US where publication may follow by several months. I am such a big Shaw fan that I purchased the UK title for DL since the US version will not be available for a while. I’m delighted to see Cupidi #3, “Grave’s End” will be coming out May 2020. All of his books are excellent and highly recommended (the Breen books take place in London in the 1960s !). fantasticfiction.com is a great source to keep all the title and release dates straight; try it if you haven’t used it before.

So what’s DL all about? It starts with a severed arm discovered in a piece of pottery in a gallery. The investigation leads single mom Alex to a retired model and her ultra wealthy husband. In the background is a sub-plot of sorts concerning two high school kids who try to steal cell phones for some extra cash; not criminal masterminds those two. Alex is assisted by her youngish constable Jill Ferriter, who has had a long-lasting crush on model Astrid for years and years. Before long the two plots merge. Then there’s Sgt. Moon who has a sleepover at Jill’s place one night and Jill subsequently realizes she was so hammered that she cannot remember the details but is aware that there are details out there to be remembered. So a lot of rather current issues are blended in with a very interesting and violent case. Shaw’s previous books did not have as many violent “incidents” as DL, and the tension throughout is a cut above Shaw’s other books……there are several nail biting scenes in this 468 page story.

DL is super, highly recommended. It takes place mostly in the southeaster corner of England in the Dungeness area, with other scenes in Dartford and a couple in London. The prose is excellent, the characters are well drawn. The relationship between Alex and daughter Zoe continues to evolve in a very engaging way. It’s interesting that there was so much tension despite the fact that Cupidi does not carry a firearm.

I recommend that anyone new to Shaw start with the Cupidi series and read the books in order beginning with “Birdland”. Enjoy! ( )