Death in the Lakes: A gripping crime thriller with a stunning twist

Graham Smith

Nov 2018 · Bookouture

About this ebook

‘I devoured this book, such a page-turner! ... still debating 'whodunnit' right up to the very end ... gripping and literally kept me wanting more.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

 

The body was suspended, lifeless, arms spread out with thick, black cable ties binding them to a horizontal timber. But her eyes went first to the folded black wings attached to the victim’s back.

 

When a body is found posed in a ritualistic manner at the crumbling Arthuret Hall in the stunning hills of the Lake District, Detective Beth Young immediately recognises the signs of a serial killer.

 

Beth quickly establishes the victim’s ID as forty-two-year-old local, Angus Keane, who leaves behind a distraught wife and two young daughters. Beth and her team must investigate disgruntled clients and bumps in his marriage, yet she knows the story is bigger than this.

 

As each suspect claims to have an alibi, Beth prays she’s wrong, but the post-mortem reveals a killer with unusual skills to match a twisted mind. With her leads running dry, Beth digs into the history of Arthuret Hall, once a home for evacuee children. And she thinks she might be getting somewhere, when a dog walker finds two more bodies in the dank cellar of derelict Highstead Castle. Both bodies have birds’ wings glued to their backs.

 

As the newest recruit to the Cumbrian major crimes team, and with a past she’d like to forget, Beth was always under pressure. But with her serial killer theory confirmed, the clock is ticking and she must pull her team together for long, sleepless nights. Beth is certain there’s a clue hidden in the staging of the bodies, and where their scenes are set, but, as she gets closer, she begins to wonder – is she walking into a trap?

 

Can Beth get inside the killer’s sick head before they take another victim, or is she next?

 

A tenacious young detective with scars both physical and emotional, Beth Young will stop at nothing in her fight for justice for the innocent. Set in the Lake District, it is perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, LJ Ross, and Peter James. 

 

Readers are loving Death in the Lakes:

‘I was absolutely gripped… A sophisticated and gripping read that will send your heart racing. This is an author who knows exactly what a crime fan expects from a book and he delivers every time. A thrilling and twisted read.’ By the Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars

 

‘Ohh I really enjoyed this book so much, the plot was exceptionally good, very gruesome and totally addictive.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

 

‘Every now and again something stunning comes along, and now is that time… Not only is the story original, and compelling, but the main character is one of the best fictional Police Detectives I’ve had the pleasure to be introduced to… A great book, just stunning.’ Nigel Adams Bookworm, 5 stars

 

‘Packed a punch of thrills and chills… [A] remarkable read that captures the mind in a vice grip and refuses to let it go.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

 

‘[It] thunders towards a thrilling climax.’ Goodreads reviewer

 

‘Twisted and gruesome. And brilliant… Hugely atmospheric… The action is full on, and the story is full of tension – my nerves were shredded!’ Suze Reviews

 

‘Oh my, what a chillingly disturbing first case… Just when you think you may have it figured out… You don’t… If you like a good police procedural serial killer mystery…. this is the one for you.’ Goodreads reviewer

 

‘A very, very cleverly written novel which grows in intensity… A psychologically intelligent, gripping and complex start to a brand-new series.’ The Writing Garnet

 

‘Wow is all I can say… A twisty, turny, fast-paced thriller.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

 

‘If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would! Absolutely brilliant story and one of my favourites this year.’ Booking Good Read, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

I do love the beginning of a new series, as you start to get to know the characters, find out about the protagonist and their strengths and weaknesses and begin to understand something about them. The layers that these characters have start to settle in your mind and before you know it you are hooked. I have a strong feeling that Beth Young will become a firm favourite. I like my crimes to be dark and sinister and if they make huge ripples in their own worlds, so much the better.Beth Young’s first case is a cracker and a wonderful start to an excellent new series. D.C. Beth Young has transferred from CID to the Cumbrian Force Major Investigation Team. Reporting to DS Thompson and Head of the FMIT, DI Zoe O’Dowd, she is keen to make a good impression. Her skill lies in her ability to look at a case from all angles and see what others can’t – to discover patterns or links in cases that are not immediately obvious. An intuitive thinker, she’s ambitious, but not forceful. Beth’s first challenge comes in her very first week with her new team. Emily Welton is getting married in a grand country house hotel when she stumbles across a hideously disfigured body Angus in the grounds of a decaying once grand country mansion . Clearly staged and displayed the bride has the presence of mind to call on her cousin, a policeman, to call in the police while she tries to put the scene to the back of her mind and get married to the man of her dreams. Beth’s backstory is one that she carries with her. She has facial scars from an incident in a pub when she was younger when she was younger and this sometimes makes her quite defensive. She’s not immediately impressed by DS Thompson who straight away calls her ‘Young Beth’ which gets right under her skin. The other principal member of the team is Unthank Hewson. Hewson and O’Dowd don’t seem to get on, yet Beth quite quickly comes to realise that he can see what an asset she could be to the team. This is a unit that doesn’t quite gel, yet which needs to work closely together if the crimes are going to be solved. It isn’t long before more grotesquely displayed bodies are found in dilapidated stately homes across the Lake District and Beth’s powers of observation and lateral thinking will have to be at the forefront if this case is to be solved before anyone else dies. This is a fast paced novel where the gruesome finds do not seem to offer up any obvious clues. Throughout the novel, we hear from the unnamed voices of two men who seem to play a part in these gory and unpleasant deaths – but who are they and is one the murderer? In a race against time, Beth will be up against a deadly, twisted killer and my heart was in my mouth as I got caught up in this deadly game of cat and mouse. Smith keeps up the tension and this dark, intense thriller is just the thing for dark winter nights when you know that you are safely inside,away from the clutches of a warped serial killer. Smith provides both clues and red herrings to keep the reader’s mind churning and I was totally caught up in the story as the next victim was stalked in a deeply creepy and fashion. As I watched Beth try to piece the puzzle together whilst finding her way in this new team, I realised I was willing her to succeed and that she had caught my imagination in a big way