So you like thrillers? Then enjoy this and sit back for a slow literary ride as Jen Williams takes us into the depths of a killers mind and a twisty telling of Grimm'esq fairytales, things that go bump in the night and evil often at its most depraved.
Dog Rose Dirt may well be a marmite novel - I enjoyed it, I kept with the pace, the ending was good but for some, the storyline may not fire them up? The main character, Heather, is hard to get to know but maybe that's the point? A stand alone thriller that slowly generates foreboding and anticipation at every turn of the page; just keep with it for a satisfyingly gory end!

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Dog Rose Dirt but that has in no way influenced my review.

There was no way on this earth I was going to be able to resist this book. The cover is stunning, the title is quite different to everything else out there so it immediately grabbed my attention, and the words 'serial killer' had me downloading a copy faster than you could say, well, 'serial killer'!

Heather Evans receives dreadful news which sends her rushing back to the town, and the house, she grew up in. Her mother, who Heather readily admits she hasn't really seen or spoken to for a while, has committed suicide. The note she left was confusing. Heather can't quite believe it's true but begins the unenviable task of packing up her childhood home. But sifting through the mundane, Heather finds letters going back years between her mild-mannered mother and the notorious serial killer known to all as The Red Wolf, Michael Reave. It makes no sense. But ex-journalist Heather is determined to find out why her mother has been sharing such personal correspondence with a convicted killer for decades. Particularly as the body of a woman has just been found, decorated with flowers, just as Reave used to do with his victims...

Heather's story and her search for the truth had me glued to the pages throughout this intriguing crime debut. How well do we really know those we're closest to? Probably not as well as we think! And that's one of the main hurdles Heather has to cross in the unravelling of her mother's life. Due to the recent bout of killings, which undeniably have a link to Reave in their similarity, Heather arranges to meet with the Red Wolf. She plans on using her journalistic skills to get the truth about her mother from the killer and discover more about their shared friendship, along with finding out her mother's state of mind before she took her own life and wrote that strange suicide note. But Michael is intent on only sharing fables and morbid fairy tales which confuse and frustrate Heather, along with the police team investigating the recent murders.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Dog Rose Dirt is a well-written slow burn mystery which I found to be a compelling page turner. Some aspects of the story I guessed from fairly early on. Others I didn't. This is the author's debut crime novel but she's an established writer in a different genre, which shows in the construction of the story and the narrative. Heather isn't the most appealing of central characters but she had a rawness and a realness about her which I really appreciated. I don't think you have to fall in love with a lead to become part of their story, I've said something along these lines many times before, but I was cheering her on. I wanted her to discover the truth, whatever that would be. I enjoyed Dog Rose Dirt and I would happily read more crime fiction written by this author. I hope there's more to come. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Dog Rose Dirt. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I was immediately drawn to this book by the book description and this did not disappoint. An extremely gripping read full of twist and suspense. A brilliant thriller which will have you hooked from the first page.

I was grateful for an advanced copy of this book from the publishers.
Although I was not gripped from the first page like some reviewers, I found this a strong, clever and chilling crime novel. It took a while to pick up a pace that I prefer, but I did not see the end coming! It was a tense and original read, and for many, you will enjoy it.

When Heather's mother commits suicide, Heather goes to stay at her mother's house and starts looking through her mother's belongings to try and find some answers. What she finds stuns her, letters to a convicted serial killer, who has recently come back into the news because of a copycat killer. When Heather contacts the police and meets the serial killer to try and help with the investigation, she finds herself in a situation where she feels threatened herself and can't draw back because she needs to try and find some answers. I think this book will go down well with readers, for myself I found it slightly frustrating to read because Heather's actions don't always make sense and because there seem to be loose ends throughout the book.

Really enjoyed this book, it totally confounded my expectations but in a really good way! I'd heard good things about it and really glad that it lived up to the hype!

Dog Rose Dirt by Jen Willliams is a compulsive and horrifying contemporary murder suspense that I could not put down.
A cold-blooded killer is behind bars when a number of identical murders begin. Details, known only by a few are replicated as modern crimes collide with the past.
Recovering from the loss of her mother, an ex-reporter finds a bundle of letters that awaken the investigative journalist in her. Digging deep into the past, she uncovers some well-hidden truths.
Our early years set the tone for our lives to come. We witness lives manipulated by those who should be caring for them.
The novel is written in present day and ‘before’ in various voices. The reader must try to follow the clues to get to the truth. Can you do so before the end? I couldn’t!
The characters were extremely well drawn eliciting a variety of emotional responses from me.
Jen Williams is a new author to me. I shall certainly be seeking out more by her.
Dog Rose Dirt was a gripping but creepy read.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I rate this UK mystery book 3.5 stars rounded up. Heather Evans, an ex journalist, returns to her mother's Home after her mother has killed herself. She makes a startling discovery: a bundle of letters to her mother from serial killer Michael Reave, known as "the Red Wolf." Reave has been in prison for 20 years for a series of grisly murders. Then a new murder takes place with eerie similarities to the Red Wolf murders. Heather contacts the police and sends them copies of some of the letters.
The police ask her to talk to Reave. He has refused to talk to the police about his murders or the new murder. He will only talk to Heather. There is a sense of foreboding that builds from the very beginning of the book. It is told in 2 time frames--Michael as a young boy and Heather in the present day.
I suspected part of who the present day killer was, but not all of it. This is a very creepy book and I would not describe it as a cozy mystery. If you like Tess Gerritsen or James Patterson, you will probably like this book.
One problem: Heather has a friend, Nikki, who is a teacher. At one point Nikki is confusingly juxtaposed with Fiona, also a teacher, location 418 "Nikki, can I come over? I need to talk to someone" Putting the marking aside finally, Fiona smiled at the little pile of cards and presents on her desk." Fiona is also a teacher and this was the same paragraph.
Since this is an uncorrected proof from Harper Collins UK, it should be easy to fix this.
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Jen Williams for sending me this eARC through NetGalley

Well written suspense novel,well worth reading.Kept me guessing right from the start.Kept me going right to the end.Would recommend this book and author to anyone who likes mystery novels

Dog Rose Dirt is a twisty standalone thriller in which fantasy writer Jen Williams turns her hand to crime writing and poses the question: what would you think if your mother had been corresponding with a brutal serial murderer for many years? Disgraced journalist Heather Evans and her mother Colleen have been estranged for a long time and haven't spoken in close to two decades, so returning to her childhood home is quite the shock. However, it isn't anywhere near as baffling and inexplicable as her mother, someone who had seemingly never been diagnosed with depression or mental health issues, committing suicide suddenly. When Heather first arrives she finds a note bizarrely addressed: "To you both," despite the fact that Heather is an only child. As she mourns her loss, she decides to look for answers as to who the enigmatic other person is who Colleen referred to in the letter believing they must be important and what she discovers astounds her. She is chilled by the huge cache of letters going back decades from notorious convicted serial killer Michael Reave, aka The Red Wolf, a friend of Colleen's from a commune popular in the 70s known as Fiddler's Mill and who carried out a series of ritualistic killings in which he removed the women's hearts before adorning their bodies with flowers.

She has a lot of unanswered questions, but when the bodies of new victims are found with the same eerie modus operandi as Reave's her questions multiply. Reave has claimed his innocence since the very beginning but could it really be true? The copycat seems to have meticulously studied Reaves' apparent crimes and investigator DI Ben Parker asks Heather to pay Reave a visit in jail. However, although he agrees to see her and talk, he doesn't appear interested in helping the case. Can she get to the bottom of why her mother killed herself, Reave and Colleen's relationship and who is behind the targeting of new victims before another person perishes? This is a compulsive and thoroughly addictive thriller and the story Williams spins is packed full of twists and suspense. It's creepy, disturbing and so atmospheric, but be warned it isn't for the faint of heart or those who enjoy less graphic, ominous crime as it is rather nausea-inducing at times, which is testament to the author's skill. The sense of foreboding starts almost immediately and grows as the narrative progresses never letting up for even a second. Well written and quick-paced, it is told from Heather and Reave's perspectives connecting past and present seamlessly. And watch out for the explosive, stomach-churning ending.

A great premise with some fantastic creepy moments. Occasionally a little jarring with some of the reveals, but overall a very enjoyable thriller with some great true crime flourishes.

An estranged daughter finds hundreds of letters written between her mother and a convicted murderer after the mother commits suicide. The daughter has no idea about this relationship but begins to investigate when copycat murders begin. Quite a dark tale but not too difficult a storyline to unravel.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Harper Collins UK for the advance copy.

This book was gripping, disturbing, dark and creepy. Basically everything you want from a book to read on a hot day in the garden....definitely not at night though if you want to get some sleep. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it.

This book is seriously creepy, I felt quite unsettled a lot of the time and felt that it was like watching a horror movie.

Following her mother’s suicide, Heather discovers she had been writing to a serial killer for years, and she tries to find out the reasons why. With copy cat killings taking place at the same time, the need to discover these reasons become more urgent, particularly when it appears Heather may have come to the attention of the killer. I enjoyed this mystery, which is at the heart of the book, and the urgency of the need to find the copy cat killer, only increased the suspense and almost created a sense of panic.

I loved the settings in the book, all of which are well written and create a threatening, dangerous atmosphere, which helps to unsettle the reader.

The character development is excellent. Heather is annoying at times, but is determined and stubborn and endearing enough for the reader to care and worry about her. More impressive is the author’s ability to create a a very human serial killer who I sort of liked, even though I was telling myself I shouldn’t. He wasn’t the monster we expect a serial killer to be, and that made the book stronger.

The only part of the book I didn’t enjoy was the animal cruelty, however, as most serial killers abuse animals first, it was realistic, but still difficult for me to read.

This book really does keep you on the edge of your seat, it is exciting, chilling and scary and I loved it.

A deliciously dark and deep thriller that is full of folklore and twists and turns.
There's a wolf in the wood and he's killing young women and burying their hearts....young journalist Heather gets drawn deeper and deeper into the mystery as she she's struggles to understand her estranged mothers' improbable suicide, discovering letters from her to a serial killer in prison.

I loved how the author wove legends and the gruesome fairytales of Grimm through the story, keeping us guessing about each of the fringe characters whilst maintaining the pace. Hot read of Summer 2021!

Gripping, Terrifying, Engaging... The perfect Halloween read!!

The atmospheric writing in this book really captures the essence of the genre, and the creepy vibes I got from this book are like none other, it’s rare for me to find a book truly creepy so bravo Jen Williams, you did it haha

I’d say this borders on psychological thriller and mystery but hits you with a cracker of a monstrous and gruesome serial killer to get your heart racing!!

One of the darker books I’ve read but oh so gripping and haunting! I highly recommend you all to read this and follow Heather along her terrifying journey.

Many thanks to Netgalley & Harper Collins UK for the ARC!!

Creepy and compelling dark scary novel.
Dark, domestic noir. A twisting suspense to keep the reader on their toes. With a well developed cast of characters, this is a slow burn and a gradual mounting of tension leading to some, perhaps, surprising revelations. A thoroughly engaging read.

Dog Rose Dirt is a chilling thriller that begins with a somewhat familiar storyline of journalist Heather returning home after the death of her mother. She discovers that her mother was corresponding with Michael Reave , a serial killer who is currently in prison, and whom her mother knew many years before. Amidst Heather's search for the truth another young woman, who appears to have a link to Heather's family goes missing. Running alongside this narrative is the story of Reave's appalling childhood. The novel moves along at a good pace and is well written. The author creates a real feeling of tension and unease and it is one of the scariest thrillers I've read for a while. However, for me there was something missing , I wasn't completely gripped throughout and I felt that the novel as a whole was let down by a rather ridiculous ending. 3.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Dog Rose Dirt - Jen Williams

An interesting premise and some potentially very interesting elements.

What do you do when you find out your mother (who committed suicide) used to exchange letters with a notorious ritualistic serial killer known as The Red Wolf?

What do the police do when an apparent copycat killer is continuing the murder spree using the same signature methods?

I liked the start and the setup, I thought and hoped it had potential, sadly I didn't really connect with the characters, the atmosphere or feel any tension or pace. The relationship between main character Heather and a Michael Reaves (The Red Wolf) formed through prison visits was the most successful element for me.

I read this blind, with no knowledge of the author but wasn't surprised to find the author usually writes fantasy with the weaving in of fairy story elements.

Not really one for me, sorry.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins

This is a scary, action-packed thriller involving a serial killer, a mother who has killed herself, secrets and lies. Lots of it work very well. The poor abused boy from the terrible dysfunctional family is portrayed well and the beginning of the book really gripped me. However, Heather was an unlikeable and rather unbelievable character and there were times, even in a book about a serial killer, that I lost interest and found it hard-going. The ending was full of big reveals and twists but I had guessed a few of them along the way. Overall, not bad but could have been great.