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What follows is the investigation from Atticus Priest whom is tasked by the wife of the accused to clear her ‘innocent husband’.
But not all is as it seems, her long hours and dedication to her job causes friction in her marriage, which is just recovering from her affair with Atticus, who she promised never to see again; and now they are working on the same case. The plot may sound a little familiar with true crime fans spotting a few similarities with a heinous crime that has recently had more publicity but be aware that the direction this fictional story takes isn’t as clear cut.
This week sees the release of Fielding’s book, The House In The Woods (though this isn’t Fielding’s first delve into fiction writing — she released the much-loved Archie The Ghost Hunter in 2019). I liked the fact that the author gave the characters the chance to make things better and that they took the chance. Priest is the kind of character I enjoy as he is at quite a low point in his life but isn't dark and brooding.
The written text flows, often using the sort of language-developing syntax and vocabulary favoured by Beatrix Potter: the hard working beaver builders ask to be paid in peanut butter sandwiches ‘to which no-one had any objection’. I liked the chemistry he had with Mack and they complimented each other perfectly as they work on different aspects of the case but with both having the same end goal.
DCI Mackenzie 'Mack' Jones is primary on the case and, as such, finds herself working against [former lover] Atticus. Travelling across some of the most haunted sites in not just the UK, but the world, Fielding has gathered some of the most convincing and compelling paranormal activity on film. The main narrative delves into the aftermath of one of the family accused of murdering the entire family in this aforementioned, isolated and eery dwelling deep in the woods of England. His earlier John Milton novels as well as his Beatrix Rose novels were outstanding, but the quality decline in the Milton series caused me to stop listening.
This was cleverly plotted murder mystery featuring two likeably flawed main characters, and I was pleased to discover there are two more in the series to look forward to. Thank you to NetGalley, Zoe Miller and Hachette UK for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book in a new series and I’m happy that once chosen it because I won’t be missing any in the future. This book had everything, court procedures, thorough investigations, character development all in one go.
What might have been a disaster is avoided as the four animals decide to build one strong house to accommodate them all, with the help of some beavers. And as Atticus picks at the loose ends of the case, everything starts to unravel in a way neither of them could ever have predicted.
But even in the attempts of an exciting scene, the author never made the most of when the main character was held against his will. The John Milton series features a disgruntled special agent who aims to help people to make amends for the terrible things that he has done. Suspicion falls in many corners and the resentment felt towards Evie intensifies as people’s motives are revealed.Instead he is a quirky guy whose Asperger's syndrome and Sherlockian skills of deduction make him a complex and compelling character. A cleverly plotted murder mystery full of tension and suspense - you won't be able to put this Mark Dawson thriller down! Although it was an easy and entertaining read, there were a couple of things about Mark Dawson's style that I find off-putting. It was first published in 2020, but is being rereleased – I received an ARC and then discovered I had already bought it a while back, but was happy to have a reason to bump it up the TBR, as I do like this author. Littered with stunning descriptions of the Wicklow countryside, Zoë Miller very much brings the locations to life for the reader.
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