Thank you NetGalley and Seven House for the eARC.
DS Aector McAvoy has a call to a most gruesome murder: the body of a man buried in the tangled roots of a tree after a stormy night. The body is in terrible shape, flayed and broken, two old Roman coins nailed into his eyes. The body has been there for some years and eventually they also find the bones of newborn babies in the spot.
This has to be the creepiest McAvoy in the series, there are scenes that I had a hard time with; the cruelty to humans and animals is brutal, which is why I couldn't give it 5 stars. I really like Aector, he's a good man with a deep love for his family and a respect for the dead that makes him put his heart and soul into his job. His boss, Trish Pharaoh, is a great character and the two of them have each other's backs all the way, which I really love. How he can stay in his job is beyond me; why not take your wife and kids and go for a more peaceful life? I'm dying for the next in the series, maybe I'll have an answer to my question?!

I enjoyed this book, it was well written with a good storyline and well developed charcaters, some of whom I found really likeable. I found the tension and the pacing to be decent and there were several twists that I didn't see coming but sadly although there was a level of unpredictability I guessed the ending. Otherwise this would have a been a 5 star rating for sure.

4 stars

This book is pretty rough. Some gruesome descriptions in novels I read from time to time usually don’t bother me, but some of the scenes in this book really got to me.

DS Aector McCoy rushes to the scene of a recently discovered body. A young man has been brutally murdered abs buried under a tree. If not for the wild storm the night before, he many never have been found.

The pathologist states that he has been there for some years. Before long, he is identified. He was a promising archeology student at the local college.

There are some flashbacks in the book that give the reader some background on both the victim and the possible suspects in the case.

Aector, his boss Trish and the rest of the team move quickly on the case. They identify several suspects. Some seem also to be missing. They soon discover a connection between missing archeological artifacts and the black market through which they are sold.

They also identify a cult-like movement that worships the old Roman gods and their ways of worship.

How is this all connected? Is it connected?

When Aector’s family comes into danger, he naturally goes berserk. Trish takes command, for Aector has been injured.
The identity of the murderer comes as no surprise, but the cover up is sadly disappointing for its disillusionment.
I liked Aector very much. I will look into more of his adventures. His boss Trish impressed me less. The writing and plotting are good and the transitions are smooth. The book would have been a five star with a little less gore.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.