I’m over the moon to be able to say I’m hosting a stop on the blog tour for The Lonely Lake Killings by Wes Markin. Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the copy of the book to give you my honest review.
A lonely recluse. A missing girl and a community in fear.
When the body of a young local girl is found next to an isolated lake, the main suspect is the old recluse who has lived next to the lake for many years – especially when the young girl’s purse is found on the old man’s doorstep.
But DCI Emma Gardner and her partner DI Paul Riddick aren’t so sure. Why would the old hermit leave such an obvious clue? And who would want to set the old man up?
As they dig deeper into the murder they discover a community in fear, determined to keep hold of long buried secrets. And Riddick is convinced that his own dark past is somehow linked to this crime, too.
Gardner fears that she may never get the answers she needs, until a break leads her down a path she’d rather not face. One that runs directly to her own front door…
These last few weeks, I have been so lucky! Every review I have posted has been for a book by one of my go-to authors. Today is no different. Wes Markin is one of my favourite authors, and not just because he is a brilliant bloke but because he writes brilliant books too!
The Lonely Lake Killings is the second book in The Yorkshire Murders series. I have been waiting for this book since I reviewed his first book in the series, The Viaduct Killings. So,to say I was happy to finally read this book is an understatement.
This book picks right up from the end of the last book, so the continuity feels strong. I would say that it could be read as a standalone, and Wes Markin does a great job of filling in back stories. On the other hand, if you begin from the first one, you do understand the main characters to a greater depth.
DCI Emma Gardener and DI Paul Riddick are called out to the discovery of a young woman next to a local lake. The murderer seems cut and dried, but is it? The more they investigate the case, the more suspects that crawl out of the woodwork. Then there is Paul Riddicks past to delve into as well as Emma’s brother. The more I read, the more tense and dark it became. That’s one of Wes Markin’s traits. Even if the story isn’t as dark as his other books, he always brings tension and darkness in some way. I love it!
As the pages flew by, I attempted to guess who the murderer was, but as always, I was wrong. No matter how many books, Wes Markin writes the quality never diminishes. His characters are superbly drawn, and I feel like I know Emma and Paul. To the point I was just glad to be back with them.
His plots are crafted with depth. The twists are perfectly placed, and the conclusion is one I don’t guess. Then, there is his humour running throughout the book. It always makes me chuckle, sometimes a little dark, but it’s what helps make his books as good as they are! I am holding my impatience in for the next book!
Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3Xt9K80
Author Bio
Wes Markin is the bestselling author of the DCI Yorke crime novels, set in Salisbury. His new series for Boldwood stars the pragmatic detective DCI Emma Gardner who will be tackling the criminals of North Yorkshire. Wes lives in Harrogate and the first book in the series The Yorkshire Murders will be published in November 2022.
Social Media Links
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Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/wes-markin
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