The Puppet Show

Holy moly, this is a fabulous book! I've read nothing but amazing reviews of The Puppet Show but there's always a slight chance I will feel differently to those other reviewers. On this occasion I definitely don't.

We have a fantastic protagonist in Washington Poe. He's the kind of cop I love to read about, one who doesn't mind bending the rules to get a result, but does it for the right reasons. He teams up with Tilly Bradshaw, a civilian analyst, and DI Steph Flynn (the one who got his job when he got suspended for doing something he shouldn't have). I loved Tilly. She can't help saying what she thinks, no matter whether it's appropriate or not, and she thrives on data. Tilly and Washington are the perfect pairing and the author is show more onto an absolute winner there.

They're investigating a serial killer who is burning people alive near stone circles in Cumbria. Given this rather macabre storyline, I was expecting it to be a very gory read but it's not. Obviously there's some detail of the killings, but the story is much more about the why than the what. We follow the investigation from when Washington gets involved, or should I say when he finds out that his name has been carved into the chest of one of the victims!

There are several reasons why I absolutely loved this book (forgive me for resorting to a list):
1. The story is clever and the plotting is strong. We learn what's going on at the same time as the characters so it's almost like sitting in the room with them.
2. There's plenty of humour and I think that one or two of the funny lines will stay with me.
3. It's fast-paced and exciting, and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen a curveball was thrown at me.
4. The writing is incredible. It drew me in from the very first paragraph. As soon as I had read it I thought to myself "I'm going to really like this book".
5. Perhaps the most important reason for me is the characters. There are trillions of police procedurals out there and for the most part I think the ones I read are good but not amazing. There are only two series like this that I have been able to stick with past book one and that has been, without a shadow of a doubt, because of the characters. The Puppet Show is the start of the third series that I intend to stick with. Oh yes, the good news is that book two featuring Washington Poe is coming very soon. Yippee!!

Anyway, I didn't like it much. Just kidding - I thought it was a police procedural of the highest calibre and it comes highly recommended by me. show less

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 show more 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. show less

This is a belter of a debut novel and I am already burning (hahaha) for the next in the series! The main characters are so well written and fleshed out that you cant help but like them, especially Tilly. For me she stole the show!

Poe makes an interesting addition to the literary world of detectives, he’s not your typical detective, with his quirks, a tendency to bends the rules and going his own way, teamed up with Tilly and her own quirks they make a unique crime fighting team who at times had me laughing out loud 🙂

As you can guess from the book’s description there are some fairly gruesome scenes throughout the book but not written with the soul intention to gross you out but shows the killers descent into depravity. But these show more murders are happening for a reason just as surely as Poe’s connection to the case and although there are hints and clues throughout the book, however the ending was still a bit of a shock!

There is a twist at the end that I certainly didn’t see coming and with some of the big reveals they could so easily be a reality in today’s society and one that leave Poe with a moral dilemma that will leave you thinking for a good while after finishing the book.

If you enjoy gritty police procedurals, a touch of the macabre, horror or serial killer thrillers then this is a book for you! show less

This is a belter of a debut novel and I am already burning (hahaha) for the next in the series! The main characters are so well written and fleshed out that you cant help but like them, especially Tilly. For me she stole the show!

Poe makes an interesting addition to the literary world of detectives, he’s not your typical detective, with his quirks, a tendency to bends the rules and going his own way, teamed up with Tilly and her own quirks they make a unique crime fighting team who at times had me laughing out loud 🙂

As you can guess from the book’s description there are some fairly gruesome scenes throughout the book but not written with the soul intention to gross you out but shows the killers descent into depravity. But these show more murders are happening for a reason just as surely as Poe’s connection to the case and although there are hints and clues throughout the book, however the ending was still a bit of a shock!

There is a twist at the end that I certainly didn’t see coming and with some of the big reveals they could so easily be a reality in today’s society and one that leave Poe with a moral dilemma that will leave you thinking for a good while after finishing the book.

If you enjoy gritty police procedurals, a touch of the macabre, horror or serial killer thrillers then this is a book for you!

The Puppet Show was published on the 7th June 2018 show less

Washington Poe is brought back from suspension to investigate bodies being burned in stone circles. Partnered with Tilly Bradshaw to solve the case.

Since reading all the Ruth Galloway books by Elly Griffiths I've yet to find another series which is as good to fill the hole those books have left. I've heard good things about books by M W Craven so thought I would give the first one ago.

I don't enjoy police procedure anymore unless the books have that something like the Ruth Galloway books. This book for me was just full on police procedure and I wasn't enjoying it all.

What I did like was the setting which is Cumbria with it's remoteness and of course the Stone circles. I also did like the character of Tilly. She's a very quickly young show more lady who obviously has autism. She reminded me so much of Holly Gibney from the books by Stephen King.

I'm sure this author is a favourite for many and there really wasn't anything wrong with the book. I didn't like some of the subject matter as it involved children which I don't enjoy. There is that big twist but by the time I had arrived at that point I really had lost all interest. It's mainly the book being police procedure that wasn't for me. I doubt that I would carry on with the series. show less

First off, I do not tend to read serial killer novels. But, here, I made an exception and it was worth my time. If you feel the same way about serial killers, I urge you to reconsider this time too.
While often serial killer novels focus on a psychotic, all-knowing, ultra-evil antagonist, Craven focuses much more on the investigators and delves into their characters as they chase their killer. There is a good bit on the investigative procedure that also adds heft to the narrative, which is capably rolled out to the reader.
M.W. Craven is an emerging talent and I look forward to future entries in this series.

I'm so very pleased to say that The Puppet Show is a fabulous book! I had high hopes, and you know high hopes high falls, so I'm especially glad when I realized not only is the book engrossing to read, it features two new favorite characters Detective Washington Poe and very socially awkward civilian analyst Tilly Bradshaw. Oh, their working relationship makes me think of Ash Henderson and Alice McDonald in Stuart Mcbride's series about Ash Henderson. Poe and Tilly just click, and there are so many wonderful moments, both funny and more serious.

Anyhow, this is a crime novel so of course, there is crime happening. In this case, brutal murders, with the emphasis on brutal. Yes, being a man reading about the mutilations must be hard. I show more love the setting of the story, I really get a rugged landscape before my eyes and those stone circles that have been there so long time that no one knows what they are for. Now they are used for human sacrifices and Poe has to figure out who is killing these men and why and the investigation starts to reveal hints that the answers lie in the past...

The ending is great, I started to have my suspicions towards a certain person towards the end and I was one the right course. It was such a fabulous ending, at one moment I was afraid it would end with a cliffhanger, and in a way it did, but in a good way. The book ended with me feeling satisfied and eagerly awaiting the next book!

I want to thank Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less