The Blurb:
The woman’s limbs were so thin; the skin on her arms as translucent as tracing paper. Around her neck lay a faint string of purple bruises. In one so frail, darker, angrier marks might be expected but Beth knew the bruising would have stopped the moment her heart stopped beating.The
When a walker finds the body of a woman by the shores of Lake Ullswater, the police are put on high alert. Felicia Evans was known to be a tough character, but who would have strangled her?
Detective Beth Young quickly spots the links to three cold cases. Three women strangled and discarded in the stunning, wild hills of the Lake District.
As Beth begins tracking down witnesses, the team receives an anonymous letter claiming the charming mayor of Carlisle is behind the murders. There’s pressure from the top to clear his name. But Beth is determined to find the truth no matter whose feathers she ruffles in the process.
Beth knows the clock is ticking. The killer is hunting again. And it’s down to her to find who’s responsible before another woman becomes his prey…
A gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller from bestselling author Graham Smith, perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, LJ Ross, and J.R. Ellis.
A Body in the Lakes was published by Bookoutre on 15th March 2019, and you can buy it here.
My Review:
Following the discovery of the naked body of an elderly woman Beth finds links to three other murders in the last few years. Following the clues and with dogged determination, Beth and her colleagues in the FMIT dig through clues and evidence in the hope of tracking the killer. And Carlisle's handsome mayor looks like he might not be as squeaky clean as everyone thought....
Throughout the book are occasional diary entries from an unknown author and I loved the mystery behind that - trying to guess each time whose diary it was. I failed miserably!
I love Beth, she's a marvel. I just love how her brain works - the way she seems to see things differently from her colleagues, often enabling the team to move forward with the case. And she is so determined and dedicated - her sense of justice and desire to do the right thing mean she just keeps going. And she often feels guilty when she does take a break. That said, I was delighted to see a nice wee storyline develop for her, and look forward to seeing where that goes.
The rest of the FMIT are brilliant characters too. I love that the boss O'Dowd is another strong woman. The small moments of light relief with Unthank are welcome in a dark story like this one, but I thought my heart might break for Thompson.
As with The Silent Dead, The Lake District itself plays a huge part in the story, almost a character in itself. Beautiful scenery but often desolate places proving ideal for body dumps. I occasionally found myself shivering when reading.
The descriptions of the murders themselves don't necessarily make for easy reading, but are handled with delicacy. There are many suspects and lots of dead ends, and I was kept guessing right to the end.
The pacing and tension was just right - we're thrown head first into the investigation, and I enjoyed uncovering the truth along with the team. It's an original and beautifully written story. And it left me wanting more.
The Author:
Graham Smith is the bestselling author of four explosive crime thrillers in the Jake Boulder series, Watching the Bodies, The Kindred Killers, Past Echoes and Die Cold. Watching the Bodies spent over two weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart and Amazon CA charts. Graham is also the author of the popular DI Harry Evans series and has collections of short stories and novellas. His latest novel with Bookouture is set in Cumbria and the Lake District, featuring DC Beth Young.
He is the proud father of a young son. As a time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.
An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer for the well-respected review site Crimesquad.com since 2010.
When not working, his time is spent reading, writing and playing games with his son. He enjoys socialising and spending time with friends and family.
Author Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972
Website: https://grahamsmithauthor.com/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446655.Graham_Smith?from_search=true
Website: https://grahamsmithauthor.com/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446655.Graham_Smith?from_search=true
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