# Death's Taste - DS Tomek Bowen Essex Police Procedural - Book 5

On a windy and blistering cold morning, Morgana Usyk, owner of one of DS Tomek Bowen’s favourite haunts, Morgana’s Café, visits Mulberry Harbour a little over a mile out to sea.

A short while later, her body is found in the shallows, floating beside the harbour.

Early reports and eyewitness accounts they saw the killer fleeing the scene. But when storm Alisha rolls in, washing away all evidence, Bowen and the team are left stranded.

Now the water’s rising.

And Morgana’s is not the only body they're going to find in it.

**A Gritty Descent into Essex Noir** - Death’s Taste is the explosive fifth instalment in the DS Tomek Bowen series. It weaves authentic police procedure with deep psychological trauma, set against the salt-air and grey skies of the Essex coast.

**Perfect for Readers Who Love:**

-   Gritty UK Police Procedurals: Mark Billingham, JD Kirk, and MW Craven.
-   Flawed, Psychological Detectives: Michael Connelly’s realism and Angela Marsons’ psychological depth.
-   Fast-Paced British Thrillers: Daniel Cole and Mo Hayder.
-   Atmospheric Regional Crime: Authentic Southend-on-Sea settings, from the sprawling pier to the silent marshes.

**What Makes Tomek Bowen Distinctive:**

-   Endearing Human Flaws: He’s an endearing man-child who dyes his beard to hide the gray and struggles with the isolation of his past.
-   The Ultimate Revelation: Amidst the hunt for a serial killer, Tomek discovers a daughter he never knew existed—a bombshell that redefines his fight for justice.
-   Unresolved History: While the primary case closes, Tomek’s hunt for his brother’s second killer — the ghost named "Charlie" — is just beginning.

**Story Details:**

-   Genre: British Police Procedural / Murder Mystery.
-   Mood: Tense, Gritty, Emotional, Atmospheric.
-   Format: Full-length novel.
-   Setting: Southend-on-Sea and Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, UK.
-   Series Entry: Book 5 of the DS Tomek Bowen Crime Thriller Series.

**Reader Reviews:**

-   "I liked Tomek as a character. He feels totally real and flawed. Riveting and enjoyed the many twists as things progressed." — Reader Review
-   "A classic police thriller, very well composed. Investigate by very real people with normal human flaws." — Reader Review

**Key Facts:**

-   Protagonist: Detective Sergeant Tomek Bowen.
-   Primary Conflict: A vigilante targeting released offenders in the Essex community.
-   Themes: Vigilante justice, childhood trauma, and long-buried family secrets.
-   ISBN-13: 978-1-80520-052-9.
-   Dimensions: 5.06in x 7.81in.
-   Price: £8.99.

## Details

- **Price:** 9.99 GBP - 12.99 GBP
- **Vendor:** Jack Probyn
- **Type:** Book
- **Tags:** DS Tomek Bowen

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Paperback | 9.99 GBP | In stock |
| Sprayed Edges | 12.99 GBP | In stock |
| Signed Edition | 11.99 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh
- Book cover of Death’s Taste by Jack Probyn. A gritty Essex Murder Mystery featuring a large, slanted concrete sea defense or sunken bunker partially submerged in tidal water at sunset. Book 5 in the DS Tomek Bowen series, perfect for fans of JD Kirk and JM Dalgliesh

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> Source: [Jack Probyn Books](https://www.jackprobynbooks.com/products/deaths-taste-book-5-ds-bowen-essex-crime-thriller-series)
> Updated: 2026-05-20