June 11

Dead Ground – M. W. Craven

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe is in court, fighting eviction from his beloved and isolated croft, when he is summoned to a backstreet brothel in Carlisle where a man has been beaten to death with a baseball bat. Poe is confused – he hunts serial killers and this appears to be a straightforward murder-by-pimp – but his attendance was requested personally, by the kind of people who prefer to remain in the shadows.

As Poe and the socially awkward programmer Tilly Bradshaw delve deeper into the case, they are faced with seemingly unanswerable questions: despite being heavily vetted for a high-profile job, why does nothing in the victim’s background check out? Why was a small ornament left at the murder scene – and why did someone on the investigation team steal it? And what is the connection to a flawlessly executed bank heist three years earlier, a heist where nothing was taken . . .

 

I received a review copy from the publisher.

 

There are certain books which I always look forward to reading. Characters I have loved returning for another challenge, authors who I know always write top quality books or (the best combo) authors who write top quality books and bring back recurring characters.  That third combination brings me nicely to Dead Ground.

The Poe and Bradshaw thrillers by M.W. Craven are a high point in the release schedules for me as Craven hits the perfect balance between dark and gritty but also scores with many laugh-out-loud moments too.

The joy in reading the Poe/Bradshaw books are the two lead characters.  I do a disservice to the brilliantly twisted crime stories which the they have to investigate (more on this in a moment) but the dynamic between Washington Poe, the dogged determination and relentless pursuit of getting to the truth with his rules-be-damned attitude and Tilly Bradshaw, genius, socially awkward and absolutely guaranteed to voice exactly what is in her head at any given time. Their partnership is genius and ruthlessly effective. I could read about them nipping to the chippy and know it would bring a smile.

In Dead Ground the pair are facing a whole new challenge as they are called to support the security forces who normally work in the background, keeping secrets and are very used to ensuring they hold all the aces.  Poe is very much not that kind of team player and readers know there will be conflict as Poe will not accept people withholding information in a murder investigation.

I don’t want to spoil too much (or indeed, any) of the story so I choose my words carefully here.  Poe is tasked with finding who killed an influential figure involved with an upcoming top security meeting.  If you have read The Curator (Book 3 on the series) there is a returning character to shake up the dynamic and bring a new edge to the investigation.  There are also some brilliant interchanges between Poe, Tilly and the spies who are desperate for discretion but know Poe won’t play their game.

Dead Ground is easily one of the best new releases out at the moment. Reading this was an absolute joy and it falls into the “don’t want this to end” category.  If you have yet to discover this series for yourself then I envy you the four wonderful novels which await – not to mention the short stories that will demand your attention too.  It’s an easy five star score for Dead Ground.

 

 

Dead Ground is published by Constable and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Ground-Washington-Poe-Craven/dp/1472131975/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1623359635&sr=1-2

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August 9

The Puppet Show – M. W. Craven

Welcome to the Puppet Show . . .

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless.

When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of.

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive …

 

I bought The Puppet Show on Audible and also had a reading copy which I received from Constable through Netgalley.

 

I listened to The Puppet Show through the Audible app – usually while driving to and from work each day. I say “usually” because I also make efforts to find ways to listen to The Puppet Show at other times too, walking round the shops, tidying the house etc.  This is something I NEVER normally do – my audiobooks are for the commute to work only, it takes something special for me to break that pattern.

I felt The Puppet Show merited that change to my routine, it was special enough to make me want to keep listening when my “normal” listening time was over.  In short – I loved it.

Washington Poe (and the author does explain the name) is called back to work to investigate a series of murders in Cumbria.  Poe has been suspended from duty pending investigation into an accidental release of a suspect’s name to a victims family.  An accident which had serious repercussions for those involved.  Why is Poe recalled from suspension?  Well his name has been carved onto the body of a victim and it looks like the killer has named Poe as a future target.

Poe accepts a return to duties and finds himself paired with a brilliant but awkward crime analyst who has never worked “in the field” before. The pairing of Poe and Tilly (his analyst) is great reading.  Tilly is an expert at tech, stats and probability while Poe is a seasoned cop with sharp instincts and street savvy. He also bucks at authority and has no time for bullies so the entitled and arrogant people who cross his path in The Puppet Show are in for a bit of a shock!

This book has been one of my standout reads of 2018 (thus far).  The perfect blend of police procedural, serial killer and engaging characters with a well balanced supporting cast made it a joy to read.

As I mentioned, I read The Puppet Show as a talking book so I need to address the “listening experience” too.  The audiobook is narrated by John Banks.  He gave Poe a wonderfully booming and confident voice which now defines how I imagine the character. He also made Tilly sound vulnerable and innocent which contrasted her perfectly with Poe.  The story was expertly handled under his care and this is easily one of the best titles in my Audible library.

A five star review is a certainty. I was hooked by the story, loved the characters and I just did not want it to end.

 

The Puppet Show is published by Constable and is available in Hardback, Digital and Audiobook versions.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Puppet-Show-Washington-Poe-Book/dp/B07D5G642H/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1533498247&sr=8-1

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