M. W. Craven

Cumbria has a serial killer loose that has been burning their victims inside the county’s ancient stone circles. After the third body is found, the National Crime Agency (NCA) sees that the victim had a name cut into their chest. Acting Inspector Stephanie Flynn and old friend of Washington Poe goes to try to talk him into returning to the squad and help to find the killer. When he rejects her proposal, she tells him he needs to go into protective custody. He wants to know why, it's then that she then reveals what was carved into the third victim of the immolation man. Poe then agrees to help. This is going to be a fantastic series with brilliant characters. Poe returns to the tram with the rank of sergeant. His old sergeant is now his boss, DI Stephanie Flynn, Poe wouldn’t have it any other way. Poe is a little unorthodox, to say the least, with his investigations and doesn’t at all mind taking on the local constabulary. Much of the story takes place up in Cumbria. The author's description of the bleak landscape where Poe lives and the unpredictability of the weather sounds like an interesting place to visit.... but I wouldn't want to live there. Overall... The Puppet Show is an excellent mystery/thriller that will probably leave the reader guessing, at least I was pretty much in the dark, until the big reveal. It’s well written with lots of twists and turns and a whole lot of action. Be aware that there are also some quite gruesome parts as well. I loved the characters...especially Poe and Tilly. They will do anything for each other. Tilly provides the much-needed lighter touches to the story. I don't usually recommend books since there is so much different interests even in the same genres, but I believe die-hard mystery/thriller fans will really like this one.… (more)

Washington Poe is a quirky detective who has been reinstated to solve a serial murder that literally has his name on it.; the latest victim has Poe's name cut into him before being burned to death. It is up to Poe to discover what the victims have in common and why he himself was targeted. His sidekick Tilly is an awkward woman with a high IQ and an invaluable ability to find information and make connections. The two of them join forces in unconventional and unapproved ways that lead them in unexpected directions.… (more)

Elizabeth Keaton was brutally murdered by her father 6 years ago, her father is serving a life sentence for the crime and yet after all those years Elizabeth appears at a police drop in centre alive, but certainly not well. She has been held captive, abused, tortured and raped but she managed to escape. So if she is alive then her father must be innocent right?

And so begins Poe and Tilly’s new case but this time it is a race to save Poe himself.

This is quite a bit of a different read than The Puppet Show as there is no psychotic serial killer on the loose this time and it is not as gruesome as the first book. That is until the very end, then we get some of the wonderfully gory details I had been waiting for!

The lack of grizzly murders this time round does not mean that this book is lacking from book one in anyway at all. This book is extremely clever with a plot that will have your head spinning and jaw on the floor once all those investigative threads all pull together and all the pieces slot into place completing the story.

Even though this is the second book in a series featuring Washington Poe you don’t necessarily need to have read the first book, The Puppet Show, before jumping into this one but it does however refer back to Poe’s last case from the first book so if you haven’t already I would recommend reading The Puppet Show. Not just to get the full enjoyment out of this book, but because it is a great read and if you have been drawn towards this book you won’t want to have missed the first one! You will love it!

A cleverly engineered plot with two of Britains best crime solving duo’s in a race to the finish kind of read!

If you enjoyed The Puppet Show then let me just say – Black Summer is even better!… (more)