Turn the Dial for Death by Jeremy Vine review: Cosy crime goes dark
An altogether darker second entry into an excellent series.
Turn the Dial for Death by Jeremy Vine: Key details
- Publish date: 23 April 2026
- Genre: Crime
- Publisher: Harper Collins
- Available formats: Hardback, audio and ebook
- Series/standalone: Book 2 of Sidmouth Murder Mysteries
- Length: 384 pages
Blurb: When a doctor is found dead in the woods, shot through the heart with a crossbow, his wife is the prime suspect, despite an ironclad alibi. Desperate to clear her name, she appeals to radio presenter Edward Temmis for help.
But Edward has troubles of his own. With his beloved radio station in crisis and a mysterious motorbike crash on the seafront, the doctor’s death is the least of his worries.
Edward, Kim and Stevie must reunite on a treacherous path to uncover the truth. Can they solve the case before everything tumbles down?
Turn the Dial for Death by Jeremy Vine: The review
Sequel to last year’s Murder on Line One, Turn the Dial For Death is darker, twistier and far more ambitious than its sequel. Less time is spent on character development and more on the thrilling plot, which means if you’re new to the series, this is a hard starting point. But if you’ve already read Murder on Line One, you’re going to love it.
Once again, this story focuses on Edward, Kim and Stevie. Some time has passed since the events of the last book: Edward and Kim are fully entrenched in a relationship and Stevie is about to get married herself. But all of that plays second fiddle to the dark events happening in their small Devon town. Not only has a body been found in the woods, shot with a crossbow, a vehicle has ploughed through a local pizza place.
Edward still works at the radio station, sure, but that is merely an anecdote to his overt amateur detective work. When the wife of the man found in the woods approaches him to find out the truth of the murder, he can’t resist – and with the help of Stevie and Kim, he unravels a case much more grizzly than anyone could have expected.
Including me. While Murder on Line One felt very much in the cosy crime category, here Vine has gone full-on crime/mystery, with barely any sign of cosy left. It works very well, with the darker central mystery being much more gripping than anything classed as ‘cosy’ could be.
Turn the Dial for Death is an excellent follow-up, and even if it is a bit of a tonal shift, it’s one I can fully get on board with. I can’t wait to see what crimes Edward, Kim and Stevie find themselves in the middle of next.
With thanks to Harper Collins for sending an advanced copy of the book.
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