Death from Above: The Calculated Murder of a Daredevil

The nation watches in horror as Angus Simmons—celebrity climber, television personality, and modern-day daredevil—plummets to his death from the gleaming face of London's newest skyscraper. The media calls it a tragic accident, the inevitable price of a life lived on the edge. For a man who conquered Everest and scaled the world's most treacherous peaks without safety equipment, a corporate tower in central London seemed routine—almost beneath his considerable talents.

But DCI Isaac Cook of Challis Street Police Station's Murder Investigation Team sees inconsistencies from the start. Simmons wasn't just any thrill-seeker; he was methodical, precise—a man who calculated every risk with scientific precision. The building he chose that day presented no significant challenge to someone of his expertise. The weather conditions were ideal. His equipment was in perfect condition.

When the autopsy reveals the unmistakable impact mark of a bullet on Simmons' body, what appeared to be a daredevil's miscalculation transforms into a brilliantly executed murder. Someone wanted Simmons dead, and they used his very public climb as the perfect cover—a kill shot disguised as an accidental fall, witnessed by hundreds yet seen by none.

As Cook delves into Simmons' life, he discovers the carefully crafted public image of the heroic adventurer masked a more complex reality. Behind the charming smile and inspirational social media posts lurked secrets, rivalries, and betrayals. His beautiful girlfriend, his devoted production team, his corporate sponsors—all benefited from the Angus Simmons brand, and perhaps some had reasons to fear its destruction.

Was it a jealous climbing rival? A lover scorned? A business partner with financial motives? Or something connected to a mysterious expedition Simmons had recently returned from—one he refused to discuss with even his closest confidants?

In this gripping British detective thriller, Cook must unravel the tangled web of ambition and deception surrounding a man who lived his life in the public eye but died with secrets worth killing for.