This is the second book I have chosen to read for the Great Transworld Crime Caper. Published by Bantam Press, an imprint of Transworld, it was shortlisted for the CWA Duncan Lawrie Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year.
Forensics expert David Hunter retreats to the remote Norfolk village of Manham to escape from a family tragedy. By taking up a job as the local Doctor he believes his old life can be left behind. However when a local woman is murdered, the police are desperate for his help. When it happens again, and the tight knit community worry that a serial killer is on the loose his assistance is invaluable. The villagers become suspicious of each other and no one is exempt from investigation.
This novel started really well, but I found it hard to get into until the pace picked up towards the middle of the book. There is a “love interest" which I often dislike, however I felt tied in well with the story and helped make David a little less one dimensional. I didn’t feel as though I knew any of the characters very well, as the novel wasn’t particularly descriptive.
I was concerned this would be a gory novel, which is not something I enjoy reading, however the level of gore was contained and not over the top. It was much more Midsomer Murders than Silent Witness!
The level of intrigue intensified half way through the book, and I was glad of this as the red herrings and story developments made me want to keep reading, and the ending was very well written.
A good start to the “David Hunter” series of novels. This is an enjoyable easy read, which sets the stage well for his subsequent investigations.
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