The House In The Woods by Mark Dawson @pbackwriter

Book Description:

Four murders. Two detectives. One mystifying crime.

On Christmas Eve, DCI Mackenzie Jones is called to a shooting at a remote farmhouse. Ralph Mallender believes his father lies dead inside. When three more bodies are discovered, it’s clear a festive family gathering has turned into a gruesome tragedy.

At first it seems like an open and shut case: a murder suicide committed by Ralph’s volatile brother Cameron. Then new evidence makes Mack suspect the man who reported the crime is in fact the perpetrator.

But Mack isn’t the only one with a stake in the case. Private investigator Atticus Priest has been hired to get Ralph acquitted. That means unearthing any weaknesses in Mack’s evidence.

Irascible, impatient and unpredictable, Atticus has weaknesses of his own. Mack knows all about them because they share a past – both professionally and personally. This time round, however, they aren’t on the same side. 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…

My Thoughts:

Am ashamed to say that this is the first book I have read by Mark Dawson. He has been on my reading radar for a while now but The House In The Woods is my first opportunity and introduction to his work. What an introduction as well!

How the story starts off, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a certain series that has recently just run on television to do with a true story that happened in the 1980’s. Whilst the story starts off with similar circumstances, that’s where they end. What follows is a crime fiction readers dream.

This has a bit of everything. An ex copper turned private investigator and a DCI who both have history. We get to see the investigation side of things as well as what goes on in the court room. I’m not usually a lover of stories in a court room as can find all the technical jargon goes over my head. This though was such riveting stuff and having done jury service myself, spot on. The author’s descriptions brought it all to life and it made for some edge of your seat reading.

The House In The Woods is a page turner of a read that thrilled and excited me at the same time. There are some red herrings that skilfully have the reader looking in the wrong direction and when all becomes clear, well wow! I did not see that coming! As the revelations come to light, I let myself relax thinking that’s all the excitement done with. Well wasn’t I wrong. The author pulls out one last trick up his sleeve that has left me desperate for the next book. LOVED my first introduction to this author and oh boy, will I be reading more.

My thanks to the author for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

The House In The Woods is available to purchase from Amazon.