Review: One Bad Deed by T.M. Payne

July 21, 2026

Synopsis:

One night. Two cases. Three deadly secrets.

Dennis Canning has been murdered. Decades ago, he destroyed an entire family—has someone now taken revenge? DI Sheridan Holler believes so, but everyone has an alibi.

Then a brutal attack leaves a colleague fighting for her life in hospital. The investigation points to one suspect, but Sheridan can’t prove it. Time is running out, and the evidence she needs is just out of reach.

Desperate and haunted by the ticking clock on both cases, Sheridan crosses a line she never thought she would. She turns to someone she shouldn’t trust—someone who can help her get the proof she needs, no matter the cost to her conscience or even her career.

As the cases intertwine and dark secrets surface, Sheridan discovers that some alibis are too perfect—and some crimes are decades in the making. But when you break the rules, the consequences might destroy you.

Review:

I’ve ventured into quite a lot of thrillers lately, especially crime and detective stories, and this book left me absolutely speechless. If I could hug someone, jump up and down, and applaud, I would do it in an instant. I’ve enjoyed the series a lot so far, but this one topped all the others.
It was the perfect balance between two stories that both had a very personal touch and were incredibly intense, each in its own unique way. One felt especially gruesome, and I found myself feeling such a deep connection to my special family. I don’t know if any book has ever made me scream, shout, and giggle so much within seconds. I’m calling it what it was: perfection on pages, and I don’t ever want it to stop.

The connection between the characters, especially the women in the story (the men obviously contributed:) ), clearly showed that they deserve to take centre stage. These strong, intelligent women, who are there for each other when it counts, don’t hold back, hold each other accountable, and ask for help when they need it, made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
My biggest surprise was a character from the previous book, whom I didn’t like much, but who I suddenly wanted to add to my own friend group. And then there was my least favourite character so far, who we’re hopefully done with now.
Did I already mention it? This was perfection on paper, and you’re not allowed to convince me otherwise.

🌙 Recension: One Bad Deed (Detective Sheridan Holler #5) by T.M. Payne
📚 Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller
📅 Release Date: July 21, 2026
📖 Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
📗 available in various formats – included in Kindle Unlimited
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received a free copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 394
⭐️ 5/5