The Blurb:
A stunning new crime thriller from #1 bestselling author Rob Jones.
Poised to return to work after a long bereavement leave, Detective Chief Inspector Jacob is called away from the sanctuary of his home to attend the grim discovery of human remains over a quarter of a century old. Found deep in woodland with its own grim history, they give little up, but he is soon confronted with local gossip of hauntings and witches.
The mystery deepens when a second person is murdered in the same woods, and Jacob soon realises he is hunting a killer who will stop at nothing to keep the darkest of secrets buried in the past. Working alongside Dr Sophie Anderson, a criminal psychologist with her own damaged past, they close the net until tragedy strikes again in this gripping romantic suspense thriller.
Set in the wild and beautiful Wiltshire Downs, The Fifth Grave is a fast-paced whodunit with a dash of humour and romance and a killer twist.
You can purchase The Fifth Grave from Amazon UK and Amazon US.
My Review:
It's great to be reading another new to me author, although a quick check online and I can see that Mr Jones has written a ton of books before this one, so I plan to check some of those out. I also don't think I've read a crime book set in Wiltshire before, so it's good to be visiting somewhere new.
Tom Jacob is a DCI returning to work after an extended break following a personal tragedy. So he brings with him some demons, but I found him to be very likeable. He's a bit of a maverick, prepared to bend or break the rules when he seems it necessary. It doesn't always endear him to his superiors (Marcus Kent is an arse!) But he commands loyalty from his team.
Jacob is called back from his leave a few days early due to the discovery of a dead body. It soon becomes clear that the body has been there for a number of years, but it is discovered near the site where four sisters were supposedly buried hundreds of years earlier on suspicion of being witches.The press soon link the latest body to witchcraft, especially as a book on witchcraft was found with the body. And then the bodies start mounting up...
I liked Jacob's team, particularly Anna Mazurek. She's no nonsense, straight talking and feisty. And she has a potentially interesting back story, which I reckon might be explored at a later date. Bill Morgan deserves a mention too. He's old school, gruff, and totally reliable. Sophie Anderson was interesting. I liked her, and her perseverance, but wondered how she funded her travels and accommodation. But she has an interesting story which I'm really looking forward to finding out more about.
The setting is absolutely a character in its own right. The forest where the first body is found is very spooky, especially the line of four trees marking the graves of the four sisters. And when the murders start in the present day, the team move into an incident can in the middle of the forest. I was seriously creeped out and anxious anytime one of the team was travelling to or from there!
There is a lot going on in this story. There is plenty of action, and lots of wrong turns as the team pursue their leads. I was totally taken aback by the ending, completely thrown. I didn't see it coming at all, which was great.
This book was a mixture of action and police procedural, with a wee bit of witchcraft thrown in. Likeable characters, a brilliant setting and a great plot all add up a really strong story. I look forward to reading more.
The Author:
Rob Jones is the internationally bestselling author of seventeen archaeological adventure novels, including thirteen in the Joe Hawke series. Originally from England, today he lives in Australia with his wife and three children.
Author Social Media Links:
Thanks so much for closing off the blog tour today Suze x
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure.
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