This was a sloooow burn. I was at 50% before I even realised if I liked it or not. But I'm glad I stuck with it as it definitely improved. There were a lot of different storylines in here, maybe too many, but I liked how it came together in the end. It definitely kept me reading and wanting to discover what was going on and who the murderer was. And I liked our main character Riley.

This was very dark and gruesome. And I'm not sure I totally understood all the politics and big agriculture storylines. And I definitely didn't expect corn to turn people into....I better not spoil the ending. A good book, 3.5 stars.

**3.5 rounded up**

It starts with a body in a corn field. Sergeant Riley Fisher realises the victim is a childhood friend connected to a dark past she thought she had left behind.

This was pretty standard police procedural. I was engaged with the story throughout and felt it had decent pacing. I would have liked more from Riley back story but I'm guessing that will come in future books. Great start to a series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Erin Young for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. So sorry this one fell through the cracks and is a very late review 😔

The Fields by Erin Young

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A breakneck procedural that is beautifully written and masterfully crafted, Erin Young's The Fields is a dynamite debut—crime fiction at its very finest.

Some things don't stay buried.

It starts with a body—a young woman found dead in an Iowa cornfield, on one of the few family farms still managing to compete with the giants of Big Agriculture.

When Sergeant Riley Fisher, newly promoted to head of investigations for the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, arrives on the scene, an already horrific crime becomes personal when she discovers the victim was a childhood friend, connected to a dark past she thought she’d left behind.

The investigation grows complicated as more victims are found. Drawn deeper in, Riley soon discovers implications far beyond her Midwest town.

My Opinion

Whilst I enjoyed this book it took me a while to get through. For me this was a promising debut novel and I do have the second book lined up to read. Erin Young has written a very descriptive novel that really introduces Riley Fisher to the reader but the book didn't grip me - I was able to put the book down for days at a time.

Rating 3/5

This was a good debut novel. It is a slow burn mystery thriller. There were lots of characters which became confusing. It was also lacking action.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

This is a graphic thriller, if detailed descriptions of mutilated bodies are your thing you'll probably love it but if like me you find it a bit grim you'll end up skipping over those parts. A twisty read with a good lead character and a political message. I'd have enjoyed it more if was less gruesome.

The Fields.

Back stories, side stories, front stories, look-over-there stories. Politics, drugs, cannibals, corporate level agri-business, missing women, white van abductions, the FBI, the small-town Police force, female DS derided by her older male colleagues, dysfunctional families; corrupt governors, eco warriors …
There’s a LOT to unpack in The Fields.
I found myself dropping several of the strands till about 60% through the book when I started to get more of a handle on all the myriad micro-stories and themes.
But, keep with it! You’ll be rewarded with a satisfying and cleverly tied-up ending.

The Fields is a poignant and heart-wrenching memoir that delves into the author's upbringing in rural America. Young's writing is incredibly evocative, and her descriptions of the fields and landscapes that surround her are beautiful and immersive. The book is a raw and honest portrayal of poverty, family dysfunction, and addiction, and Young's willingness to share her story with such vulnerability is commendable.

Some readers may find the book difficult to read due to the heavy subject matter. The Fields does not shy away from the darker aspects of Young's life, and some passages are quite graphic and disturbing. Additionally, the nonlinear structure of the book may be confusing for some readers, as Young jumps back and forth between different time periods and experiences without a clear chronological order.

For me, The Fields is a powerful and important memoir that sheds light on the experiences of those living in poverty and struggling with addiction. Young's writing is deeply affecting, and her story is one that will stay with readers long after they have finished the book. Anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally impactful memoir will find much to appreciate in The Fields.

Whilst I ramble incoherently here, I have to add that I’m really unsure how a written review will do this book justice. Please just trust me when I say – THIS IS A MUST READ.

DNF - This is simply a case of me not being the target/ideal reader for this one. I know many other readers that will really appreciate this book and based on the reviews, there are many people who fit that category for which I am glad!

Startling and very sharp, effective writing (maybe even some showing off with fireworks at times) but settles down to intertwined stories of a murder , abuse and personal history of investigating detective .. which runs parallel as well .. sometimes taking over central concerns of crime solving ... there are some cliches as is usual toward fulfilling genre requirements (female detective with some misogynist problems among her fellow officers) but this is effective and above the rest due to top quality writing skill.

Police Sergeant Riley Fisher finds the body of a young woman in a cornfield. It's a simple enough premise, but a very arresting one in Erin Young's The Fields, as it spins off from there into the churn of the small-town rumour mill, the insidiousness of small-town politics, and the desperate economics of rural farming. Add to that strange disappearances among the local homeless population and whispers of a serial killer, and you've got a dangerous mix.

Riley is an immediately likeable and relatable protagonist, who's balancing a lot of different pressures at home and at work. Her determination and her complexities make her a great nail to hang a detective story from, and the supporting cast are at times appropriately sinister, insular and sympathetic. Young has created a really believable and familiar portrait of a small town, with all the gossip, family connections and prying eyes that it entails.

There are several plot threads to keep hold of, and they're woven together in a mostly satisfying and cunning way here. The reveal, when it comes, is quite shocking - perhaps too shocking, as it could have been set up a little earlier, to get the reader used to the almost unbelievable evil of it all. Still, a thoroughly enjoyable thriller that is at times as chilling as it is familiar.

The Fields is a dark and sinister exploration of rural life in the US. It's gripping, well paced and a read that will leave you thinking about what you have read long after you've finished it.

*Many thanks to Erin Young, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I admit I struggled to get through this book. Its best bit is Sergeant Riley Fisher who after being assigned a new case realizes that the victim is a person she used to know.
The book is written in the style of some other authors and follows the pattern which unfortunately is not what I am looking for in a book. The problem is that I need to take a break from such books and then, maybe, maybe, I might enjoy such thrillers. Besides, there are quite a few characters and my attention shifted between them instead of remaining on Sergeant Fisher and the plot.

I am not 100% sure on how I feel about this book, was it a good storyline, yes, however it wasn't executed the best it could've been which dropped it a few stars.*

This is a debut crime thriller for Erin Young and she pulls off a good storyline, You follow recently promoted Sergeant Riley Fisher who discovers that a recent dead body found in the area is one of her childhood friends who was connected to her dark past she thought she'd moved on from.

There were so many characters and information to keep track of that the culprit was very obvious (to me anyway) so there was no big reveal.

If you are fan's of John Marrs' crime thrillers or Karin Slaughter I'd reccomend you give this a shot! It's very descriptive in the gore category which I personally don't mind - but a warning to those who do!

*I'd say its more of a 3.5 than a 3 star.

i was in the mood for a classic detective story and this ticked a lot of the boxes! i really liked riley as a lead character and the setting was unsettling and dark. i got a bit bored halfway through as it just didn't offer much more than others like it

I tried very hard with this book but found it incredibly slow. The setting was great but the more I read, the more I felt myself not enjoying the story so I gave up about halfway through. It's just not for me

This is the debut in a series written by Erin Young. Sergeant Riley Fisher is the recently promoted head of the Field Investigations Unit of the Sheriff’s Office in Black Hawk County, Iowa. A young woman has been found dead with horrific injuries in a cornfield and Riley arrives on the scene to discover that the victim was a childhood friend, Chloe Clark connected to a dark past she thought she had moved on from. More victims are found and Riley soon discovers developments are beyond her level of leadership.

A multifaceted tale I really enjoyed with a good protagonist and supporting characters, I'm keen to pick up book two.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Sharp, Dark, Gritty…
The first Riley Fisher novel and a sharp, dark and gritty tale it is. Riley has her own brand of demon and past traumas haunt her hideously but the latest grotesque killing brings everything to the fore with a bang and it becomes personal. With a deftly crafted of characters, a searing narrative, a vivid sense of time and place and an immersive storyline this is a gripping and pacy read.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Fields’ by Erin Young in exchange for an honest review.

This dark crime thriller opens with the discovery of a woman’s body in an Iowa cornfield, on one of the few family farms still managing to compete with the giants of Big Agriculture.

Sergeant Riley Fisher has recently been promoted to head of investigations at the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office. She is shocked to discover that the victim is an old friend, from the dark past that she thought she'd left behind. She manages to convince her superiors that she can remain impartial.

Amid the sweltering heat rumours travel quickly throughout the locality. Then another body is found. It becomes clear to Riley that something deeply disturbing is occurring in Black Hawk County and beyond.

This was a well written police procedural that also addressed the issues linked to the rise of Big Agriculture and its impact upon the economy and environment. I will warn that some scenes are quite graphic.

Overall, I felt that ‘The Fields’ was an assured debut for Erin Young as well as a promising start to this new series of police procedurals.