Having loved his Stevens and Windermere mystery series I was eager to dive into Laukkanen's brand new series of which Deception Cove in the first instalment, and it certainly didn't disappoint. This is a first-rate, clever crime thriller which is fast-moving with more twists than a pretzel bag and the writing is so wonderfully crisp that the pages almost turn themselves. It's an absorbing and gripping read in which the ominous atmosphere builds and builds to a stifling crescendo. The setting of Cascadia (Pacific Northwest) in a small town devoid of opportunities also adds to the claustrophobia which the author conjures up so well.

The story is complex with multiple threads that all merge as the book progresses. The main characters Mason and Jess are both broken people but for very different reasons. Their paths cross in an entirely unexpected way and they effectively team up against a common foe. This is a fiercely compelling read with suspense aplenty and a setting that is both harsh and beautiful. Above all, this book illustrates the power of animal companions to change the lives of their owners, and I loved that message. The bond between canine Lucy, Jess and Mason is heartwarming to experience and a unique idea for a crime thriller.

I hope this series raises Mr Laukkenens profile considerably as it is clear he is a master storyteller, but so far I don't feel he has had the attention he truly deserves. Many thanks to Mulholland Books for an ARC.

Owen Laukkanen's new crime thriller series is so atmospheric and gripping, set in the stunning location of the Pacific Northwest coast, in the dying town of Deception Cove, where so many have had their ambitions stifled and dreams shattered. This complex story has two main protagonists, Mason Burke, a recently released ex-convict who has served his time for murder, and ex-Marine and widow, Jess Winslow, suffering from a debilitating PTSD from her Afghanistan tours, isolated in her dilapidated home. Whilst in prison, Mason helped to train Lucy, a pitbull mix dog, as part of his rehabilitation integration programme. Lucy was a terrified and fearful abused dog, that had been rescued. From initially unpromising beginnings, Lucy turns out to be the making of Mason as he comes to love that dog to pieces as he trains her for 6 months, devastated when his time with her comes to an end.

Lucy becomes Jess's loyal and beloved 'companion animal' helping her cope with her recurring nightmares and PTSD, becoming integral in her battle to survive. However, Kirby Harwood, Sheriff Wheeler's Chief Deputy, and his band of dirty local lawmen, are desperate to get their hands on a package hidden by Ty, Jess's dead husband. In their harassing efforts to motivate Jess to locate the package, they have taken Lucy with the intention of destroying her as a dangerous dog. Mason is consumed with the need to find out what happened to Lucy, and does not believe that the dog he trained had become aggressive and dangerous. He has every intention of saving Lucy, no matter what, and travels the long distance to Deception Cove to do so. After prickly beginnings, Jess and Mason begin to forge a bond, initially driven by their common purpose to rescue Lucy. Their relationship strengthens as the dangers they face have them fighting for their lives against all the odds.

Laukkanen has written a thriller that is compulsive and gripping, Lucy is a dog still affected by her earlier abuse, who provides the opportunity for hope and redemption for Mason, and instrumental in supporting Jess through her crippling PTSD. Lucy is the reason for the meeting of two such apparently different people, without her, there would be no reason for their paths to cross. They prove to be what each other needs at a strikingly vulnerable period of their lives, and this includes Lucy, a charismatic presence plagued by her own emotional dog terrors, they knit together into an unbreakable and strong trio. This book is brilliant, full of suspense and tension, and with the winning trio of protagonists, Mason, Jess and Lucy, set amidst the background of a unforgettable dramatic geographical location. Highly recommended to crime fiction and thriller readers and for animal lovers! Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.