Cast Iron is the sixth, and final, book in Peter May’s Enzo Files series, and to understand everything in this one you need to have read the prior books. Although it can be read without the prior books, a lot of the things will fail to have the intended impact without the prior knowledge.

The Enzo Files, if I’m being completely honest, is my least favourite series by Peter May. There have been some gripping moments, but I never fell for Enzo in the way I expected. There were too many things – specifically about Enzo as a character – that did not hold appeal, but I was interested in the overall storyline and wanted to see how the bet played out. For a while, this book tried to convince me my biggest fear for the series was going to play out, but it didn’t. In the end, it went for the resolution that was obvious from the start of this one.

As interesting as it was to see the details come together, this one was my least favourite of the series. There were too many cliches for me, and I found myself rolling my eyes at the pretty bow everything was wrapped in when we reached the end. I expected something bigger from the ending, something a bit more explosive. It was certainly interesting to see everything come together, but I had hoped for more.

All in all, fans of the series need to give this one a read to see how everything comes together. Although things come together well, it wasn’t quite as good as it could have been.

No I didn’t enjoy this book. I struggled through it. Sorry but not for me. I will not be posting reviews on any social platforms

No longer interested in reading this. Clearing out old galleys.

Once again I read the latest book in a series, and part of my wonder why on earth that I have not read any of the previous books? Especially since I love Peter May's Lewis trilogy.

Cast Iron is book six in the Enzo file series. Forensic expert Enzo Macleod made a bet to solve cold cases that journalist Roger Raffin has written about in a book, which includes the murder of Roger's wife Marie. In this, the sixth book is the murder of nineteen-year-old Lucie Martin that Enzo is trying to solve. However, it's a difficult case, and it gets personal when someone goes after someone Enzo loves.

I think that Peter May really have a talent for creating interesting characters and the Scottish-Italian Enzo Macload is a really fascinating character. He is a very good forensic expert with a very messy family situation. A baby with a woman that seems to loathe him (for some unknown reason), two daughters, Kristy who has a child with Raffin and Sophie who is not really his daughter after they found out that Enzo's ex-wife had an affair with his best friend. So, Enzo must also deal with a lot of personal stuff during the books progress.

I like the progress of the story, how Enzo starts off with Lucie Martin's murder, but soon realize that the case is bigger than just the one killing and the man suspected of killing Lucie, a serial killer who killed three prostitutes may or may not be Lucie's killer. The ending was really thrilling and intense. And I loved that there was a twist in the end that I did not foresee. I did think that the ending felt a bit too easy that there must be a game changer and I was right, I just didn't see the one coming.

I really like the book and I hope to get the chance to read the previous five books some day!

When the fisherman took some time out for a well-earned rest, he had no idea that firstly the lake he regularly fished had had the levels lowered dramatically due to the unseasonal drought, and secondly that he would find skeletal remains, now exposed in the sunlight. The discovery that the remains were of a young girl, missing for fourteen years, shocked the community…

It was eight years after the grisly discovery and forensic expert Enzo Macleod was in Paris, continuing his quest to solve the cold cases he’d started on some years prior. The search for the killer of the young girl who had gone missing in 1989 would consume him in its usual way. But he had no idea how dangerous it would become, both for him and his loved ones. The evidence was sparse; the conclusions the police had originally reached didn’t sit well with Enzo.

Would he flesh out the killer? And would it come at a cost that was way too high?

Cast Iron is the 6th and final instalment in The Enzo Files by Peter May and it was brilliant as is usual from this author. Twists, turns, an intense and racing plot – this thriller took my breath away! And how much more could one person take?? Cast Iron is an exceptional thriller that I have no hesitation in recommending highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette AU for my ARC to read and review.

Good addition to the series. Peter May always readable and enjoyable.

A Scottish detective in France is not your everyday crime thriller but Enzo Macleod is making his sixth appearance in this novel. An extreme drought in the west of France has uncovered a skeleton in water reservoir with a bag over its skull. The remain belong to Lucie Martin who disappeared fourteen years earlier. Enzo has been challenged to solve cold cases and this is the sixth. As he starts to dig into the details of the case he finds he has some strange connections which he cannot quite explain. He needs to resolve the case quickly as everyone close to him is in peril. This is a classic detective thriller where the investigator gets too close to the crime for comfort. It is a good recipe for a very entertaining read, it may not be the most riveting book to read but steady and predictable, in that there are twists you did not expect that spice up the action.

This is the sixth book in a series featuring biologist and teacher Enzo Macleod. The back story is that some while ago Enzo gave up a potentially brilliant career in forensics, in his native Scotland, to pursue a wager. He bets some friends that he could use new scientific methods of detection to solve seven celebrated unsolved murders, all described in a book written by a French investigative journalist. He’s already addressed the first five, so now it’s time for number six. It’s worth noting that this latest book reads like the latest chapter in one long ongoing story; there are numerous carry-over characters here and just about everyone Macleod meets seems to have some kind of history with him and a link to one of the previously solved cases. This isn’t a series you should start (as I have) with the latest book – if you're new to this series you should definitely go back to the beginning.

In truth, I didn’t much warm to Enzo. He’s a man who comes across as a somewhat vain woman chaser, and he’s an irascible type who seems to be completely lacking a sense of humour. But despite this I did begin to become wrapped up in the case of twenty-year-old Lucie Martin whose body had been dumped into a lake in the west of France, in 1989. As the story develops it becomes clear just how tangled Enzo’s personal life is and herein lies a problem with a series like this, I think: as each episode unfolds characters become involved in a very real way and when all of this is aggregated it really feels like there isn’t anyone left who hasn’t been implicated in a crime, had a relationship with the lead man or is in some other way a material player in one of the murder stories. It can feel a bit unreal, like characters in a long running soap opera.

The story itself plays out like an old fashioned whodunnit, with a bit of Alistair Maclean derring-do thrown in for good measure. And there’s actually not much forensics expertise demonstrated in this case. It’s competent enough in terms of maintaining a background level of tension that kept me interested enough to stay with the tale, but it’s didn’t exactly have me leaping out of bed each morning to devour the next chapter. Can this book really be from the hand of the man the wrote the brilliant Lewis Trilogy? I’m afraid so – but it’s really not in the same class.

I might have felt very differently about this story had I approached having read the previous episodes. Maybe I’d have found more empathy with Enzo and his entourage. But then again, maybe not. Distinctly average fare, I’m afraid.

In 2003, the skeleton of a young woman is recovered from a dry riverbed in France, but her murder remains unsolved. Until the cold case falls into the hands of forensic expert Enzo McLeod, who has vowed to solve six cold cases as part of a bet with his son-in-law, journalist Roger Raffin. But the closer Enzo gets to uncovering the truth, the more dangerous the game becomes, and soon he finds that his own family is in danger from people who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.

Cast Iron is the sixth book in the Enzo McLeod series, and I can see that for followers of the series it would provide many answers and bring together threads woven in earlier books. May’s writing style is engaging and driven by action and dialogue, making this a very readable and intriguing mystery. Unfortunately I did not think it worked well as a stand-alone book. Not having read any of the previous novels in the series, I was often confused about the intricate family relationships of the McLeod clan. Enzo seems to have a maelstrom of ex-partners and children from different relationships, one of whom is not even his blood relation since his ex-wife had an affair with his best friend. Another one of his ex-wives (who seems to loathe him) is also the ex-partner of Enzo’s daughter’s fiancé, who Enzo had an affair with - which would make for a rather strained relationship on all levels! Enzo’s bad track record with women has not deterred him from pursuing new romances, however, so the book is a tangle of old and new relationships like an intricate Celtic knot I had no hope of unravelling in one sitting. Since character development had obviously evolved over the previous five books, I felt very estranged from most of the protagonists and never really warmed to any of them, which greatly affected my reading enjoyment. As it was, I felt like I had walked in at the end of a movie, and missed all the lead-up to the grand finale.

I am sure that fans of the series will enjoy this novel much more than I did, as it is cleverly constructed and has elements of action and suspense which at times distracted even me from my confusion and carried me along in their wake. May clearly knows how to write, with plenty of red herrings and a surprising twist I did not see coming. However, I would recommend reading the series in order to get the most out of the different threads of the storyline as well as the multiple characters featuring in it.

For those of you out there who are unfamiliar with the Enzo Macleod series, a quick explanation is in order. Enzo drunkenly took up the mantel to solve all seven cold cases highlighted in a True Crime book. Cast Iron is Enzo's investigation of the Lucie Martin case. Years ago Lucie went missing and then some years later during a drought her body was discovered. All evidence seems to point to a convicted serial killer...

I felt Cast Iron slightly lacked the humour that I found so endearing in the earlier Enzo books. However, the darkness that replaced the humour was palpable as Enzo struggles with a variety of family issues.
I love the forensic element to the Enzo files and adore the forays around France - it's like an armchair holiday for me and I find myself wanting to grab a nice Bordeaux, lie back and indulge.
As usual May has created a cast of characters that come to life on the page, as well as revisiting some old favourites. A fast paced plot with plenty of action. Something for everyone.
Highly recommended as a light read.

Hi Karen,

My next review is:-
"Cast Iron:Enzo MacLeod 6(The Enzo Files", written by Peter May and published in hardcover by riverrun on 12 Jan. 2017. 416 pages.ISBN-13: 978-1780874593

In 1989, a killer dumped the body of twenty-year-old Lucie Martin into a picturesque lake in the West of France. Fourteen years later, during a summer heatwave, a drought exposed her remains - bleached bones amid the scorched mud and slime.

No one was ever convicted of her murder. But now, forensic expert Scottish Italian Enzo Macleod, a retired policeman is reviewing this stone cold case - the toughest of those he has been challenged to solve. He reviews all the evidence and interviews many of the original living witnesses, but there are many obstacles placed in his way to stop him finding the truth, including the terrifying kidnap of his own daughter. I have not read any of the previous five books in the current Enzo MAcLeod series but I still found this book absolutely gripping in its fantastic and detailed plot. It would be remiss of me to spoil the enjoyment of future readers of this book by giving any more details than I have done.

Peter May produces in his writing such rich characters and his research and plotting is second to none, that I was soon lost to the world in the reading of this book, I just did not see the conclusion coming, it absolutely floored me. I have read for review, two of the first books in the authors series set in China "The Firemaker" and "The Fourth Sacrifice" and was absolutely amazed with the detail and huge breath of his research and will always look out for books by this hugely talented author. Extremely well recommended.

Best wishes,

Terry
(To be published in due course on eurocrime.co.uk)

THE GIRL IN THE LAKE

In 1989, a killer dumped the body of twenty-year-old Lucie Martin into a picturesque lake in the West of France. Fourteen years later, during a summer heatwave, a drought exposed her remains - bleached bones amid the scorched mud and slime.

THE MAN ON THE CASE

No one was ever convicted of her murder. But now, forensic expert Enzo Macleod is reviewing this stone-cold case - the toughest of those he has been challenged to solve.

THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET

Yet when Enzo finds a flaw in the original evidence surrounding Lucie's murder, he opens a Pandora's box that not only raises old ghosts but endangers his entire family.

Another brilliant book by Peter May - they never fail to be spot on and enjoyable.

I have read many books by Peter May, from his Lewis trilogy to the standalone Runaway and have enjoyed them all. This is the first of his Enzo Macleod stories I have read, the sixth in a series in which the protagonist attempts to solve cold cases and, although I enjoyed it very much, I feel that this is a series best read in order. There are a number of references to previous cases, and his relationships are somewhat complicated, but this is a fast-paced, interesting and ultimately satisfying story.

I was thrilled to be given this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review. Peter May has been one of my favourite authors since I became hooked on his Lewis trilogy. I knew that this was going to be a five star book before I even opened it, unless of course something had gone badly wrong. It hadn’t I’ve read the first two in the series known as the Enzo Files and loved them. Now here was the sixth and last. It is possible to read this book on its own, but it’s helpful to have a knowledge of the back story. There are references to it throughout the book and I was aware pf gaps in my knowledge, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment.

The protagonist of the book and of the whole series is Enzo Macleod, a forensic scientist resident in the South of France for over twenty years and currently lecturing in Cahors University. He is slightly unconventional in appearance, Having long grey hair tied back in pony tail and wearing cargo trousers, boots and carrying a canvas satchel. He drives a restored Citroen 2 CV. He also has a white streak through his hair, a symptom of Waardenburg Syndrome which will be important in the story. He was raised in Scotland by A Scottish father and an Italian mother, hence the name and is fifty six years old. A very European, offbeat hero. In the first book he accepts a two thousand euro bet to solve the seven real life unsolved murders detailed in a book by a journalist, Roger Raffin, who’s wife’s murder is the final and seventh killing. Enzo is now embarking on the sixth case. Why is this then the final book in the series. You will have to read it to find out. Enzo has also had a very colourful love life, including two marriages, which has resulted in two grown up daughter, one of whom has a baby of her own and now a baby son, all with different mothers. A great character before the action really gets going.

As ever, Peter May’s books are so much more than an action packed mystery. He has the ability to paint with words. , Scenes are set, inimitably described. I could feel and smell Provence. I saw it’s landscapes, felt it’s heat, heard it’s sounds. I wanted to go back. Similarly Paris was evoked. Memories of walking it’s streets stirred. This is an author who has lived in France for many years The action when it comes is as good as the very best of thriller writers, but there is humour here too. There is Enzo’s totally terrifying chase through the châteaux and his heart stopping moment deep in the countryside hearing noises in the undergrowth approach.

For me this book has it all. A truly worthy sixth and final novel in this series solving seven hither to unsolved crimes. Why no seventh book. ? Read this one and find out.

Book 6 in the Enzo series and a a very enjoyable thriller. Well written and full of enough twists to keep the reader engrossed.It can be read as a stand alone but I would recommend starting with book one in the series. Another really good read from Peter May. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon and Goodreads.

I would like to thank netgalley and quercus books for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
This is book number 6 in the series but if you haven't read any if the others don't worry as I hadn't and didn't struggle with what had happened previously or who was who. Enzo has a bet with Raffin that he can solve all six unsolved murder cases in Raffins book he wrote and he is on track to do so. This book follows his investigations leading to the murderer of Lucie Martin. Lucie was only twenty when she was supposedly murdered by a known murderer who is already in jail for previous murders but Enzo doesn't think this is the right man.
The book follows Enzo's investigations into who the murderer was. The start of this book was fast paced with a lot to take in but easily done but the middle did go on and on with nothing really happening and I felt my concentration wandering, but the ending was great, the murderer was a surprise to me and totally didn't get it although had I read the previous books maybe I would have done.

This was an excellent novel. With brilliant main characters and a wonderful plot, this book is a real page turner. I would highly recommend this book.

*Many thanks go to Quercus books and Netgalley for an advanced review copy of this book*

The ‘Cast Iron’ of the title refers to the term often used for an alibi when it is deemed to be beyond question. But can an alibi ever be considered so, until the case is solved?

Enzo Macleaod, forensic expert, has been involved in a bet to unravel the details of a series of cold cases that have thus far baffled investigators. The sixth case is the mystery of what happened to young Lucie Martin, who goes missing from her home one evening, her remains discovered some years later, after a long, hot summer, in the bottom of a dried up lake. The modus operandi indicates the work of a killer already behind bars but he denies involvement.

In the course of the investigation to try to identify Lucie’s killer, Enzo soon realises that there is more than one person who would prefer that the truth never come out. His life is in danger and his family are at risk.

In the past couple of years I have read and reviewed several books by Peter May. I thought I knew his style but found this book, set in France, a little different and, to be honest, a little difficult, at first. Enzo’s complex family life had probably developed over the previous books and so, coming new to the series I found myself backtracking at first to keep the threads of his convoluted relationships clear in my mind. However, the story is a good one, well worth the effort and the investigation a solid standalone that requires no previous knowledge.

For me at least, endings are so often a bit of a let-down even after a very enjoyable rest-of-the-book, so I would also say bravo to Peter May for bringing the elements together in an ending that did not rely on sheer luck or a happy coincidence or a massive and unbelievable hunch. The twist that brings the main characters together in the crucial scene did not disappoint and left a very satisfying aftertaste to an enjoyable read.

This novel is the sixth in Peter May’s Enzo series, featuring Enzo McLeod, a half Italian, half Scottish forensic expert who undertakes to investigate a series of cold cases for a bet. Enzo now lives in France, teaching forensic science in Toulouse. He has a complex family life, with several ex-lovers scattered around France, as well as a daughter, step-daughter and grandchild and an infant son with one of his ex-lovers. His current cold case features a young woman, Lucie Martin, who disappeared in 1989, with her body later found fourteen years later on the dried up edges of a lake during a long drought. At the time that she disappeared, she was working for an organization that helped released prisoners reenter society and had been helping a man who would later be convicted of murdering three prostitutes. Lucie’s family have always believed that this man, Régis Blanc was responsible for her murder. However, Régis claims that he didn’t murder Lucie, so Enzo has his work cut out trying to investigate what really happened all those years ago.

The plot is fast paced and full of twists and turns, as Enzo finds many of those around him are keeping secrets and someone seems to want him dead or at least to stop his investigation. As Enzo uses good old fashioned police work to investigate his case, the plot becomes more complex as further crimes come to light and nothing seems to fit. This will hook you in and keep you second guessing until all finally becomes clear and the pieces fall into place. An enjoyable thriller, probably most satisfying if you have read the rest of the series but it also works well as a stand alone novel.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of Cast Iron, the sixth and final (so far) novel in the Enzo Macleod series.

Enzo is coming close to winning his bet of solving all seven cases in Roger Raffin's book of unsolved murders. In Cast Iron he takes on the case of Lucie Martin whose bones were found in 2003 after she disappeared in 1989. Most people have always believed that Lucie was murdered by pimp, Régis Blanc, who apparently had a crush on her and who was arrested a couple of days after she disappeared for the murder of three prostitutes. The more Enzo digs into the case the murkier it gets.

I have only read the first book in this series and that was a few years and many books ago thus I'm not overly familiar with the series but Cast Iron reads well as a stand alone so it doesn't matter. There is a sense of tying off loose ends as befits the final novel in a series which is extremely satisfying but mostly it is a good read. The plot has plenty of twists and turns to keep the interest going and with new developments in every chapter it never flags. I think there will be a few surprises in it for series readers and the conclusion certainly came as a surprise to me.

Enzo Macleod is an interesting protagonist. Half Scottish, half Italian and brought up on the mean streets of Glasgow, well maybe not so mean if his parents could afford private education he has pursued his career in Toulouse where he is a professor of forensic science and yet, in this novel at least, forensics don't play a large part and when they do it is at someone else's instigation as he seems to prefer the old fashioned methods of questions, shoe leather and deduction. He is an appealing man - smart, attractive and very human with his rather dysfunctional family life (3 children with different mothers).

I thoroughly enjoyed Cast Iron and have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.