As I am one of the stops on the Zooloo’s Book Tours book tour today, I’m delighted to be sharing my thoughts on Voices from the Dead by Tony Bassett. Many thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours and Joffe Books for the opportunity to take part and for supplying a digital review copy. This may be the 8th book in the series, but as a newcomer to the Roy and Roscoe novels, I found it completely accessible and thoroughly enjoyable as a standalone read.
About the book
A murdered beauty influencer. A buried secret waiting to surface. A killer who’s already one step ahead.
In the picturesque Warwickshire town of Queensbridge, a retired nurse escapes to her hotel room looking for peace from the chaos of her great-nephew’s rowdy thirtieth birthday party. But to her horror she witnesses a brutal crime from her balcony — a young woman strangled in the room opposite.
Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy — staying at the same hotel after attending a nearby wedding — is first on the scene, and quickly realises this isn’t a random attack. The victim, glamorous beauty influencer Candy Goodhope, was living a double life — and everyone close to her has something to hide.
Roy’s boss, DCI Gavin Roscoe, takes charge of the investigation, and as the pair follow the trail, another brutal killing tears through the town. Roy is sure there’s a link between both murders, but Roscoe isn’t convinced.
But as Roy digs deeper, she closes in on a secret so dangerous someone will kill to protect it.
Because in this town, the past never stays buried — and even the dead still have a voice.
Voices from the Dead by Tony Bassett published by Joffe Books on 17 November 2025 and is available from all good bookshops. To read additional reviews and see how other readers are rating this crime thriller, please visit Goodreads. You can also follow along on the book tour over at Zooloo’s Book Tours. Available to buy now on Amazon – also available on Kindle Unlimited
About The Author
Tony Bassett is a former journalist who worked on regional and national newspapers in Britain for more than 40 years. He mainly reported on crime, show business, human interest and consumer topics. Now retired, he writes crime fiction.
Tony is best known for his series of novels set in the West Midlands featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy.
His latest novel, VOICES FROM THE DEAD (Book 8) begins in the picturesque Warwickshire town of Queensbridge where a retired nurse escapes to her hotel room from a rowdy birthday party, looking for peace. But to her horror, through a window, she witnesses a brutal crime — a young woman being strangled in the new wing of the building.
Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy —attending a wedding in the same hotel — is first on the scene, and quickly realises this isn’t a random attack. The victim, glamorous beauty influencer Candy Goodhope, was living a double life — and everyone close to her has something to hide.
The fifth book in the series, HEIR TO MURDER, was judged first in the Mystery and Suspense (Police Procedurals) category in the American Fiction Awards in June 2024.
The full list of books in the series (in order) are: MURDER ON OXFORD LANE; THE CROSSBOW STALKER; MURDER OF A DOCTOR; OUT FOR REVENGE; HEIR TO MURDER; IT NEVER RAINS; NOT MY VALENTINE; and VOICES FROM THE DEAD.
A collection of the first seven books was published in October 2025 under the title DETECTIVES ROY & ROSCOE MYSTERIES 1 – 7. The whole series has been released by London publishers The Book Folks, now part of Joffe Books.
Tony has also written a stand-alone thriller, SEAT 97, about a man shot dead at a London concert hall (published by The Book Folks) while two further works (the crime novel Smile Of The Stowaway and the spy novel The Lazarus Charter) were published by The Conrad Press.
Tony first developed a love of writing at the age of nine when he produced a junior school magazine. A few years later, his local vicar in Tunbridge Wells staged his play about Naboth’s Vineyard. At Hull University, Tony was judged Time-Life Magazine student journalist of the year in 1971.
Tony, who has five grown-up children, is a Life Member of the National Union of Journalists. He lives in South-East London with his partner Lin.
You can find out more about Tony Bassett and his writing at tonybassettauthor.com and you can also find him on Facebook and Instagram
My Review
Voices from the Dead is a well-crafted and thoughtfully written crime thriller that delivered an enjoyable and engaging reading experience. Tony Bassett’s writing is confident and polished, with vivid scene setting that brings the Warwickshire town of Queensbridge clearly to life. The atmosphere is well established, and the investigation unfolds at a steady, methodical pace that will appeal to fans of classic police procedurals.
The characters of Sunita Roy and Gavin Roscoe are convincingly drawn, and their professional dynamic adds depth as the story progresses. Although this is the 8th book in the series, I found it very accessible as a standalone read and never felt lost or confused. That said, I did find myself wondering whether having a longer history with the characters through the earlier books might have added an extra emotional layer to the story and helped certain moments land with greater impact.
While I enjoyed the plot and appreciated its careful construction, I didn’t feel completely gripped throughout, and the tension never quite peaked for me. This, however, feels more like a matter of personal connection than any shortcoming in the writing itself. Overall, Voices from the Dead is a strong, enjoyable addition to the series, and one I would happily recommend to readers who enjoy character-led crime fiction — particularly those already familiar with Roy and Roscoe, or those looking to begin the series.
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See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines. This review may also appear on my social media channels and selected book platforms. All links were correct at the time of publication. Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours, thanks to Joffe Books. This review reflects my own reading experience. This review is original content. Please credit and link back if you wish to quote.
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