Firstly, thank you to Netgalley, Bonnier Books UK and William Hussey for the opportunity to read the current ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The premise of the plot is great, the story and intrigue captivating and characters darkly endearing...but for me I think it went a twist too far. Throughout the book we teetered on whether something was believable or wholly incredulous and the end for me pushed it over into the unlikely. It was going so well too. The depth of the plot was amazing, we had information from the Traveller's bridge collapse 150 years prior, the Matthers property in the more recent history, Scott and Harry's previous rendevous and also a brief but insightful explanation of Scott's progression to the man he is today. I was struck by how very few female characters there were - Sal (a motherly big sister type), Jodie (her daughter) and lastly Campbell's Nanny and Garris' terminal wife. Whilst I don't need a female protagonist to make a book - it just surprised me as strange and lacking slightly.

However, if you can look past the completely improbable parts, it is an enjoyable read with some interesting twists and turns and depth. I will be looking out for the second Scott Jericho book so it can't have been too bad.

Ex detective and Traveller tries to unravel three seemingly unconnected staged murders after leaving prison.
The only connection appears to be a tragedy that happened to a group of 5 travellers who were killed in a bridge collapse 150 years before.
Nothing is as it seems. Who is the killer, three people are dead and if the scene plays out there are two more to go. Is it a case of revenge after such a long period of time? Can Jericho prevent them and catch the killer in time?
Riveting read that keeps you guessing

I was sent a copy of Killing Jericho by William Hussey to read and review by NetGalley. I really enjoyed this novel! I loved the travelling fair aspect and the fact that the story was told in the first person giving a more intimate view of events. I thought that Jericho was a very believable character, as actually were the rest of the cast. Lots of twists and turns, atmosphere, and a great sense of place. I don’t have much more to say except that I am very happy to see that this is listed as #1 in the series and I look forward to reading Jericho’s future ‘adventures’. Read for yourself and enjoy!

Scott Jericho has returned to the fairground where he grew up with his family. Since he left, he has been many things – a student, a policeman, a prison inmate – but now the only place that he feels welcome is the fairground. But his past mistakes are haunting him even there – he was sent to prison for assaulting a child-killer, which caused the case against him to collapse, and now that killer is stalking him for some reason – but that is nothing compared to what is to come.

Jericho finds himself recruited to investigate a series of murders that echo one-by-one the deaths in an old fairground legend in a most gruesome fashion, but the murderer seems to be one step ahead of him. As coincidences abound, the danger seems to get closer and closer to him. The last victim in the legend was a direct ancestor of Jericho – is he going to be the killer’s final victim?

Just a quick review today – things to do, I’m afraid – and this is an interesting one. I don’t think it’ll be to everyone’s taste – no, correct that, I know it won’t be. It’s quite violent in places and rather sweary, but there’s a darkness at the core of this that is rather unsettling.

At the core of this book, there is an effective mystery. There is a sort of clueing to what is going on – people saying the wrong things, odd happenings that make sense if you look at them the right way, that sort of thing – and the plot contains at least one genuine surprise. Having said that, there is one thing that really should have been questioned from the start that never seems to be until it is too late.

All in all though, this was a little too dark for me, with too many characters getting away with some very dark deeds. However if you like your mysteries dark and well-written, this might well be for you.

Killing Jericho is out today, 27th April 2023 in ebook and hardback. Many thanks to Zaffre for the review e-copy.

An intriguing dark horror mystery featuring a damaged gay ex policeman newly released from prison returns to his travelling showman previous life. A senior colleague from his police days brings details of savage murders to him attempting to gain his help with solving them but he has limited interest until he is offered the chance to investigate a series of murders by a seemingly crippled child offender that have a link to his ancestors who died in an accident in a small Oxfordshire village many years ago. The bleak tale races hither and thither but with very few leads until the shocking denouement. Even at the end it remains unclear if there will be a resolution for this haunted character!

I wasn't sure if I was going to love it or not as I found the first chapter quite slow and distressing. The more i read the more I appreciated the storytelling and Jericho.
A story that mixes a bit of paranormal, a very sad back story, Traveller lore and a series of bizarre killing.
Jericho is an interesting character, a man who know about his root but also live in different world.
Liked it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Love me a book that feels like you’re watching a procedural crime thriller on tv and this is precisely that, throwing in a LGBTQIA+ main story line and I am HERE for this!
-
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the early review copy!

This book was quite a surprise as I started off thinking this one wasn’t for me but actually couldn’t put it down either.
It turned into an engrossing if quite dark read that just kept pulling me in.
Scott Jericho an ex detective just out of prison is fighting his own demons & is not in a very good place.
Jericho was not your usual mainstream detective as he hails from the travelling fair community & usually the two don’t mix.
Add in to the mix he is also gay & fighting addiction since he messed up the investigation that ruined his career.
He has gone back to the fair & his father the one place he never wanted to be drawn back into.
He is wallowing in self pity & drugs when he is contacted about a case that suddenly awakens a desire in him to follow it up.
There have been some really gruesome deaths & it appears to revolve around an old legend of the travellers Bridge from years ago.
This compelling story will keep you reading as you navigate the twists & turns of this dark thriller.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping book

scott jericho an former detective constable now an ex convict just released from prison...spirals out of control on drugs

he needs a puzzle to get his brain pumping again and soon some bizarre murders trickle into his brain and starts the ball rolling

that the murders are a part of the folklore coming from his family background and he his hooked onto this new puzzle that gives him a new will to live

but along the way trouble is brewing...and its never far away from jericho

move over everyone theres a new guy in town a captivating read that draws you in and keeps you reading till late into the night...cant wait for the next book in this series

An ex-detective with a Travelling Fairground background is drawn into pursuit of a serial killer. Well paced and taut thriller drawing on the history of the Jericho showman family and someone out to recreate a tragic accident from the past. Well worth the read. A promising start to what could be a very interesting series

Killing Jericho is a book that I'd been looking forward to reading ever since seeing the synopsis months ago. The idea of the main detective being so unlike any other fictional detective was so appealing. After reading the book, I realised that the element of the 'dark troubled detective' was still there, but it was the circumstances surrounding his arrest and time in prison, as well as his personal history as part of a travelling fairground family, that made him such an interesting and unique detective. I loved the way he used his 'psychic powers' or 'powers of deduction' to investigate suspects, and the fact that this skill was actually something he picked up over his years working customers at the fairs. Overall the story was much darker than I was expecting. I suppose the idea of the 'fairground' setting made me think that it would be less on the heavy side but I was pleasantly surprised. I'm very excited for Book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zaffre for the ARC.

As you will know, I love a new series, so I was really excited to get stuck into Killing Jericho. Scott Jericho is not your typical investigator: he's an ex-police officer, ex-con and member of the travelling community, and this makes the story even more interesting. I was fascinated not just by the investigation, but by Jericho's back story and despite his clear propensity for violence, I could not help but root for him.

Jericho's investigation takes him to a number of different locations. William Hussey always ensured that the reader came with him through the descriptions and this helped me to immerse myself in the story. I really looked forward to a new stave every morning!

Jericho and his family are travellers, and this is a community I don't know much about. The author builds up a clear picture of this lifestyle and I enjoyed learning more.

William Hussey's plotting is absolutely brilliant. Throughout Killing Jericho, he places several subtle clues as to the answers, but I was still completely unprepared for what was coming and I loved the way everything came together!

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Scott Jericho and William Hussey!

Scott Jericho comes from a travelling family but life has taken him on a very different path. The decisions he made had the potential to destroy any connection with his family and their community but despite leaving them behind for University, coming out as gay and joining the Police, they continue to welcome him home.

After a devastating investigation at work ruins his career, Scott vows to never get involved in another case. He is content with his decision until he is contacted by a stranger who wants his help. He tells Scott about a series of murders which have a strong link back to the Jericho family and their fairs.

Scott soon finds himself chasing a very dangerous criminal and facing the possibility that someone he cares about might become the next victim.

When a book like this comes along which is so fresh it really makes an impression.

Scott Jericho - what a character. He’s a different type of detective, a very different personality type and his skill of being able to read people in an almost psychic fashion means that he is able to examine cases in a way that others wouldn’t even be able to fathom.

It might sound quirky and it presents a different type of approach to solving a murder investigation but Killing Jericho is DARK. One minute it felt very ‘Classic Crime’ and the next it had touches of ‘Seven’ which I loved!

This is the second crime fiction book in a row I’ve read which has obviously been written by a real crime fiction fan. If you’re obsessed like me, there are little references which will constantly jump out at you and the authors love for the genre shines throughout the story.

I’m thrilled that there is a second book already on the way. I’m such a massive fan of this series already and it’s only just started.

Wow! What can I say about this? Well, it's dark, an element of twisted gothic horror, disturbingly graphic in places but refreshingly different to any other thriller/police procedual I have ever read.

Scott Jericho is not your usual mainstream lead character and that's one of the beauties for me. He's flawed. He has an addiction. He's from the travelling community. He's gay. I just love when an author goes out and creates something that little bit different.

Scott used to be a detective constable in the police force until one day he threw his career away by attacking a prime suspect in a murder case, leading to him serving time in prison.

Now he's been released and has nowhere to go other than back to his travelling show community who take him in.

After a series of gruesome deaths come to light, Scott can't help himself. He needs to investigate and seeks the help of his old boss DI Peter Garris.

Are these deaths somehow linked to an old ghost story 'The Legend of Travellers Bridge' from many years ago?

With Scott's link to the past, is he in danger?

Some really great characters, even though they really should be locked up! Hard to read at times but I applaud the author for tackling really tough subjects.

I hope this is the first of many books to come featuring Jericho as he is such an unusual but lovable character.

My only slight niggle is that it slowed down a bit mid story after such a gripping opening, but if you can get past that it's well worth a read, especially if you want something a little different to the usual detective novel.

What an ending! I'm ready for book number two now.

📣 Graphic, violent, gore, drugs, paedophile references.

Many thanks to the publishers and the author for an ARC.

Thanks to netgalley as always. Really grateful to be able to discover new favourite authors.

Scott Jericho has been released from prison after serving a sentence for GBH.
He returns to the travelling community, who welcomes him back.
Jericho is a gay ex detective/traveller, and this makes it such a unique book.
A Professor Campbell gets in touch with Jericho to solve three murders and try and prevent two more. Time is running out.
This is the first in the Jericho trilogy, and I have to say I was immersed from the first page.
It is very dark and gory in places, but then Jericho is a very dark, complex character.
I never guessed who the murderer was, and it was a totally shocking revelation.
Brilliant. I look forward to book number two.
I would like to thank the publisher Bonnie's Books for the invite to read this in return for an honest review.
Also thanks to Netgalley.

William Hussey’s Killing Jericho is the thrilling introduction to a detective cut from an entirely new mould. Scott Jericho is an openly gay traveller, grew up on the fairground circuit, went to Oxford to read English literature, then worked as muscle for hire in London’s criminal underworld. He is also a former cop, drummed out of the Metropolitan Police and jailed after savagely beating a murder suspect, which derailed the case.

Still, Jericho’s career as a private detective gets off to an inauspicious start. He has spent the months following his release in an alcohol- and drug-fuelled stupor in an attempt to drown out the voices of the ghosts that have been haunting him since his disastrous final case with the Met. Having lost his career, his home and his reputation as a result of his violent temper, Jericho had no choice after leaving prison but to return to the traveling fair run by his father. Since then, he’s barely moved from his decrepit trailer.

The friends and family he once turned his back on have sought to interest him in fairground work, while his former mentor has attempted to engage his interest with the case files of some particularly peculiar crimes, but it is a savage encounter with a suspected paedophile that finally shakes him free of ennui. It turns out the man was sent to the fairground by Professor Ralph Campbell as a test to see if Jericho could spot his criminal tendencies.

After passing the test in bloody fashion and hearing Professor Campbell’s message – “Tell Jericho … that they’re calling out to him: the dead of Travellers Bridge” – Jericho feels compelled to investigate further. It’s the first time he has felt any interest in anything in months, and the link to traveller lore means he’s unable to resist learning more, especially when murder is mentioned.

The Travellers Bridge tragedy took place 150 years ago in the fictional Oxfordshire market town of Bradbury End. As the wagon carrying Matthew ‘Slip-Jointed’ Jericho and four employees of his travelling freakshow passed over the bridge it collapsed, sending them all to a watery grave. Now, Professor Campbell is convinced that a serial killer is using the legend as the basis for a killing spree.

It seems too far-fetched for Jericho, but he hasn’t been keeping up with the news. Professor Campbell tells him about three recent murders where the victims were mutilated to resemble the freaks who perished in the tragedy. Forced to admit there might be some truth to the serial killer theory, Jericho agrees to travel to Bradbury End and investigate.

Killing Jericho is a dark and twisted tale with a hint of the supernatural. Scott Jericho is haunted by the ghosts of three children who perished in an arson attack, and by guilt stemming from his role in allowing their killer escaped justice, which is why he is suspectable to the idea of the dead of Travellers Bridge calling out to him. Additionally, aside from the truly horrific nature of the crimes, there’s something almost paranormal about the killer. Fortunately, Jericho has his feet firmly planted on the ground and shows no fear when pursuing the depraved yet undeniably human serial killer.

Jericho himself is a complex character who is not always easy to like. He has a violent streak that has brought devastation and disappointment to himself and others, but he has certainly paid a high price for past mistakes. The many and often-conflicting facets of his personality mean he has never really felt at home anywhere. He also has a tendency to treat people badly in the convenient belief he is helping them by enforcing distance and keeping secrets.

Despite seeking to distance himself from his roots, Jericho’s traveller background continues to have a major influence on his life. Even among former colleagues who dislike him, Jericho’s almost preternatural skill as an investigator is acknowledged, and William Hussey shows great originality in explaining how growing up among showmen shaped his observation and deductive reasoning skills, moulding him into an almost perfect detective. Hussey doesn’t shy away from the discrimination travellers often face, as the need for constant vigilance has also informed Jericho’s exceptional ability to recognise criminals.

Moreover, Hussey does a sterling job of establishing the duality of Jericho’s attachment to the travelling fairground. He vividly describes life there, both the good and the bad, the magic seen by the punters and the gruelling work that goes on behind the scenes. Several interesting characters from among the travellers feature only briefly in Killing Jericho but will hopefully reappear and be fleshed out as the series progresses. The fact that the travellers remain outsiders, no matter how regularly and for how long they visit places, means they are uniquely placed to observe and influence events, largely without people noticing.

One place where travellers have had an undeniable influence for centuries is Bradbury End, an archetypal country town where the outwardly pleasant façade masks simmering discontent. This time it is not the travellers are the focus of vitriol and Jericho experiences some unwelcome profiling by local police. The citizens are up in arms about the proposed closure of the local library and the construction of a mosque, and Hussey clearly portrays the slow-dawning realisation that their prejudices have allowed far-right groups to infiltrate the town.

Killing Jericho is a macabre tale in which the (anti)hero’s Sherlockian powers of deduction are pitted against the murderer’s depraved yet coldly controlled machinations. There is plenty of shock and gore as Jericho’s hunt for the apparent serial killer progresses, and the case has even wider-ranging impacts than he could ever have expected. It makes for stirring start to the Scott Jericho series.

Wow ! This has to be the best book I have read in years. The story is interesting and compelling, the characters fully formed and relatable (apart for the psychopaths). This would make an amazing movie, it is just so colourful and cinematic. It twisted and turned but still I didn't see the punchline coming. Can I have the next Scott Jericho book now please ? I don't think I can wait till next year.

CW: child death, violence, gore, references to paedophilia

Disgraced former police detective Scott Jericho is newly released from prison - for beating the prime suspect on his last murder investigation to a pulp - and back at his dad's fairground. Depressed, bored and feeling disconnected from both his identity as a police officer and the community of travelling showmen he grew up in, Jericho resists attempts by friends, family and former colleagues to help him get back on his feet, until he finds himself drawn into investigating a series of brutal murders with a mysterious connection to Jericho's fairground family.

I can always be tempted by the promise of a new voice in British crime fiction, and my family on my dad's side have been travelling showmen for generations, so I am definitely the target audience for this twisty, theatrical story. The brilliant detective who must overcome his demons to crack the case is a well-worn archetype, but Scott Jericho is an exciting, original addition to the genre, his character and background illuminating a corner of society still shrouded in mystery and prejudice. Author William Hussey does an excellent job of bringing the vibrant showman community to life and celebrating its rich history and the unique bond its members share. The fact that Jericho is also gay adds a further refreshing dimension to the troubled detective trope.

With all this in mind, I wanted to love Killing Jericho, but ultimately I found the overwritten prose and far-fetched ending really detracted from a novel which had the potential to be really enjoyable.

Hussey's descriptions of the various murder scenes are graphic and gruesome, reminiscent of Se7en or the Hannibal television series, and one early scene is described in genuinely sickening detail. However, it is the way that the author overwrites mundane moments with unnecessary attention to detail that I found tedious. I don't need to know that Jericho has purchased his hot drink from 'the ubiquitous Costa Coffee', for example, and descriptions such as a businessman letting out a 'cattish shriek' when Jericho bumps in to him just made me laugh and took me out of the scene. Jericho also constantly tells the reader how good looking he is (irrelevant) and what an incredible detective he is (not true, based on the evidence of this story, wherein Jericho is repeatedly deceived and wrongfooted by the most obvious subterfuge.)

The conclusion is at once eye-rollingly pat and utterly wild.

However, there was much I did like about Killing Jericho, which would convince me to pick up the next in the series. Jericho himself is an interesting protagonist, I loved the way the story showcased the showman community, and the mystery was pacy and intriguing. I was unsurprised to learn that Hussey has made his name writing YA horror, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he develops his voice in future Jericho books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

I've seen this book everywhere! This really has been mega hyped.

The opening of this book is really gripping and although I found Hussey's writing quite difficult at times, he really knows how to create a world and create an atmosphere.
I hate to say, despite the promising start, the more the book went on, the more I lost interest.
Overall I enjoyed this book but it wasn't as gripping and enjoyable as I thought it would be based on the blurb and opening few pages.

The first in the Scott Jericho series & the author better hurry up with the second; I need more of this man.

Jericho is ex police, ex prisoner, gay, self-medicating with pills & sex, going nowhere fast. He is back living in the traveller community he once rejected & his friends are trying to rediscover the old Scott. Nothing works until a Cambridge professor asks for his help in solving several deaths which appear linked to an old fairground legend.

This was a brilliant read; almost an anti-hero, Jericho is a fabulous character & I can’t wait to see where he goes next. The setting is great too, the author helpfully provides a glossary of travellers vernacular, such vivid descriptions of the community & place. Read it.