‘A wonderful, absorbing read: a crime deeply rooted in the past, a beautifully evoked sense of the Lake District…DCI Hannah Scarlett is a fine creation and it’s good news that we can look forward to seeing more of her in the future.’
Peter Robinson, Edgar Award winner
‘A poignant mystery: atmospheric, haunting, and so tactile you can almost smell the moist air.’
Booklist
‘Edwards’ book is an interesting fair play puzzler that will engage fans who like their contemporary crime in an English village setting.’
Publishers Weekly
‘The author… has crafted a poignant mystery: atmospheric, haunting, and so tactile you can almost smell the moist air.’
Booklist
‘An absorbing read, full of local detail and vignettes of Lake District life. Hannah and Daniel are plausible characters, and if the hints here are carried forward, they are surely destined to become more closely involved with each other in future books. The central mystery is satisfyingly resolved, with a clever twist in the tale.’
Maxine Clarke, Eurocrime
‘I was gripped by the story, and couldn’t sleep after reading it just before bed one night. There is great detail about people and about the natural world. There is the tension between old-time residents, and people new to the area. We see the extraordinary beauty of the place, and its isolation. The book is in the mystery genre, yet it is also a great character study, as the best mysteries are. I completely enjoyed my time within the book, and thoroughly recommend it. I’m thrilled there are more in the series, and I can’t wait to get back to this area and its people.’
Letters from a Hill Farm blog
‘‘A good, traditional English village mystery, to be expected of Martin Edwards – perhaps a bit long on coincidences, but with an excellent feeling for a part of the country which is not used that much as the setting for crime stories.’
Bernard Knight, Tangled Web UK
‘I loved it… I am not a regular reader of crime fiction but I do enjoy a well-written, intelligent mystery story, especially if it is set in beautiful surroundings. So I like Colin Dexter, P D James and Ruth Rendell and now Martin Edwards is added to my limited list. Anyone who grew up with the Arthur Ransome stories will love reading these books; I was whisked away to the Lakes and can’t wait to pay my next visit.’
Random Distractions blog
‘Apart from a truly satisfying mystery, the novel offers excellent and convincing descriptions of the village environment where it takes a generation to become part of the place. Martin Edwards is clearly an experienced writer who takes an interest in his area and his characters; nicely rounded characters whom I am looking forward to meeting again – soon!’
Dorte H blog
‘I was completely involved with the characters and swept along by the mystery. The setting is superb, the Lake District is vividly described, as is Daniel and Miranda’s renovation of the cottage, and the bookshop owned by Marc, Hannah’s partner. I liked all the detail in this book. I could see the coffin trail, the steep stony track that had been used years ago as the route mourners took to bury their dead at the church over the fells.’
Books Please blog
‘Readers will appreciate this fine amateur sleuth police procedural rivalry in which the who-done-it is cleverly devised.’
Harriet Klausner, The Best Reviews
‘I found the mystery intriguing and the area depicted quite interesting. I’m also very partial to cold case mysteries. I look forward to reading the next book in the series… A mystery that I love.’
My Random Acts of Reading blog
‘An excellent book from a very experienced author. The character development and plot lines are well thought through and realistic, and the book is a real page turner. It is no surprise that this book was short-listed for the Theakston’s award for best crime novel in 2006, and it would have been a worthy winner. I may have an ever growing list of books that I need to read, but his later books in the Lake District series are definitely now on that list!’
Dooyoo reviews
‘A well structured story.’
Mysteries in Paradise blog
‘An excellent crime novel.’
Chris High website