Festivities Turn Gruesome…
Festivities turn gruesome as murder at an isolated farmhouse draws a police presence and Atticus Priest is eventually hired to prove the innocence of one family member. Pacy, volatile and engaging murder mystery with a credible and well crafted cast, a plot populated with twists and turns aplenty and numerous, cleverly woven threads. Gripping and fast moving.

The House in the Woods is an engaging British crime thriller from the creator of the John Milton series.
It was actually published in 2020, but looks like it’s being rereleased next month - I received an ARC and then discovered I had already bought it a while back, but was happy to have a reason to bump it up the TBR, as I do like this author.

Atticus Priest is a former detective with the Salisbury CID who lost his job for drug use and has now set up as a private investigator. Down on his luck and desperate for work, he’s initially pleased to be asked to assist the defence in a murder investigation - a man accused of shooting his parents and siblings in their remote farmhouse, until he learns he’s up against his ex-boss and former lover, DCI Mack Jones. The evidence against his client seems overwhelming, so Priest must find a new angle to cast reasonable doubt - and now he no longer has to follow the rules…

This was cleverly plotted murder mystery featuring two likeably flawed main characters, and I was pleased to discover there are two more in the series to look forward to. I enjoyed the tension between Atticus and Mack as more of what happened between them is revealed. Unfortunately there was a huge Clanger of a clue early on which revealed whodunnit - although not why. It didn’t spoil it completely, as I was still in suspense about how things would turn out, but it keeps it from achieving 5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Welbeck Publishing for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.

I enjoyed this book, not your usual police procedural but a bit thriller and a bit courtroom drama, I liked the 2 main characters Mack & Atticus and the relationship between the two. Quite a lot going on and I think it was a bit too descriptive so it felt long in places. However that didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book. I hope there is more in this series as I will definitely look to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I am a big fan of the John Milton series by this author so began The House in the Woods with high expectations. Did I enjoy it - yes, I devoured this read in just over a day. It didn’t wow me if I’m totally honest though. I thought the story got off to a great start - I was immediately drawn into it with the opening chapter. I felt like it lost a bit of its impetus after its great start and, for me, it became more of a slow burner of a read. I liked Priest, who is a PI, and I also liked Mack. Priest is asked to look at a case which is going to court where a man is charged with 4 murders and insists he is innocent. I really liked how the author told the story here, the writing is good, the story flows easily and there is a good plot line. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of the PI case and the court scenes which were thrilling to say the least and full of tension. I thought the story was, at times, a little too descriptive although saying this it is still a good read. The last quarter of the book is one hell of a fast paced, thrilling and riveting read with a lot of tension and suspense. At this point I needed to know what was coming next, and was eager to find out. The plot went off in an unexpected direction and all the threads begin to come together with loose ends being tied up. I guessed the involvement of a character and was right, although I didn’t know the how or why. Overall, a good read that initially was a slow burner and I’d recommend this if you like crime and police procedurals.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I adore police investigations and courtroom drama and this story combines both wonderful.
This is the first book in a new series and I’m happy that once chosen it because I won’t be missing any in the future.

The main character is a former police officer , now a private investigator. He’s in the look for a big case and that comes in the form of the wife of a man who’s supposedly murdered his family on Christmas Eve while he will be the only one who’s to inherit the family’ possessions.

Atticus Priest is a man that pushes limits when it comes to find out the truth and I loved how much of his complex personality was revealed throughout the book. His ways of investigating aren’t the most easy or legal ones and this will bring him face to face with his former life. That means his old boss and lover. I lived for the tension between them honestly, their interactions were some of my favourite.

There’s a lot of twisted things happening in this case and this family wasn’t at all what a new eye can believe but there’s always something going on behind the curtain and closed doors.
I lived the engaging writing , some characters are reliable and the story itself it’s addictive and thrilling.
I’m excited to read more in this series.

A nice balance between detective thriller and legal drama, with action in and outside the courtroom, and some great characters. I'm keen to read the next in the series! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Mark Dawson has hot the mark with this new P.I. Ex Policeman Atticus Priest is hired by the wife of a man accused of killing his family and comes up against his old partner DCI Mack Jones. Love their interaction. Cannot wait for more of this series.
I received this book from Welbeck Publishing and Netgalley for a review.

I found this a bit slow and there was a lot of unnecessary description in the writing style for my liking. It's not a bad book and will appeal to those who like the most detailed narrative but I personally prefer things to be happening rather than paragraphs describing the scene. It's a decent police procedural, the twists and turns were good. It wasn't my style of thriller but it's certainly a well through out book

The plot is excellent, and kept me engaged, so it's certainly worth reading. I found the characters cliche'ed, but let that pass. What disappointed me, resulting in my only giving three stars, is the style of writing. Pedestrian at best, wooden at worst. The author also seems to be out to rebel against the maxim of "show, don't tell" as nothing goes undescribed. The resultant padding slows the action down; perhaps it was adapted from a screenplay?

I loved this book, police procedural as well as a courtroom drama - sign me up.

The books tells the story of Ralph who, one Xmas eve, comes upon the murder of his parents and siblings. Quickly ruled as a murder-suicide carried out by Ralph's brother, the spotlight then falls on Ralph himself when evidence shows that his brother could not have carried out the attack.

The trial ensues as Ralph fights for his freedom supported by his wife and Atticus Priest, a disgraced former Police officer now private detective. Atticus's investigations are somewhat complicated by his previous relationship with investigating officer Mackenzie Jones.

Thoroughly enjoyable novel and definitely an author and series I will follow.

Thanks to Netgalley and Welbeck Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

An excellent start to a new series featuring the wonderfully named Atticus Priest. The former DS is now a private investigator and looking for his first big case. He finds it when he is approached by the wife of a man on trial, accused of murdering his parents and siblings.

The case, a Christmas Eve massacre at the titular house, is awful. Four people dead and an obvious suspect, who stands to inherit everything. But Atticus isn't convinced and uses his unconventional (read: borderline illegal) investigative methods to seek the truth. This brings him into conflict with the lead investigator on the case, DCI Mack Jones, who just happens to be his former boss - and former lover.

The action takes place during the trial, mixing legal thriller with whodunnit. There are a lot of strands to the case, and it is all skilfully handled as Priest's work uncovers several new angles. There are plenty twists before the conclusion of this excellent novel. And with two very strong characters, there is a lot more to come in this series.

Absolutely superb.
The Milton series is one of my favourites so I was a little concerned about a change of genre from this author.
Needn't have been.
Excellent writing style as always and a plot that was clever, easy to follow and full of twisty turns.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Welbeck Publishing UK for a review copy of The House in the Woods, the first novel to feature PI Atticus Priest, set in Salisbury.

DCI Mackenzie Jones is called to a house in the woods where Ralph Mallender is waiting. He has seen the body of his father lying on the kitchen floor and thinks he has been shot. On entering the house three more bodies are found and Mack thinks she is dealing with a family annihilation perpetrated by Ralph’s brother, Cameron. Then evidence clears Cameron and Mack’s suspicions turn to Ralph. PI Atticus Priest is hired to clear Ralph’s name and that means destroying the case.

I thoroughly enjoyed The House in the Woods, which is a mixture of legal drama, police procedural and Atticus’s unorthodoxy. It is told mainly from Mack and Atticus’s points of view, which allows for a nice interplay between cause and effect, chiefly Mack’s reactions to his investigative efforts.

Much of the action revolves around the trial. Atticus is only brought into the case as the trial is about to get underway, so he doesn’t have much chance to be anything other than guided by its timetable. Still, he manages to pull a few rabbits out of the hat and blindside Mack.

The author has a very readable style. I wasn’t sure at first because it feels as if any momentum is slowed by a wealth of detail, but it soon settles down into an engrossing read. There are twists and turns at strategic moments and enough momentum to keep the pages turning. The author saves his biggest twist for the final few chapters and while I guessed some of it, I wasn’t prepared for its full glory. It is really very clever and I was impressed by the way the author does it, the clues are all there, but it would take a devious mind to put them together.

I think I will need to read more to come to like the characters. Atticus is a bit of a loser, a smart one, but still a man living in his office with few people skills and an appetite for self destruction. There are reasons for this, but he takes a bit of getting used to. I didn’t take to Mack as I think that she comes across as quite selfish and career driven, despite making a hash of this case. Maybe she should have been a man, where these characteristics are often lauded.

The House in the Woods is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This was a nice procedural, nothing very groundbreaking but Atticus is a enjoyable to read complex character.

An engaging crime/mystery novel set in Salisbury

When Ralph Mallender discovers his family dead in their farmhouse in the woods, he is immediately on the police radar as their suspect. The case is about to go to court when the Ralph’s wife employs a private detective in a last-ditch attempt to clear his name. But is he worthy of her devoted support? This is a clever whodunnit, where the stakes are high for the suspect and for those investigating the case.

While I thought I might have rumbled whodunnit, the ending was much more complex and satisfying than I expected. This book will appeal to readers of murder mystery and police procedural novels.

Private detective Atticus Priest and Detective Chief Inspector ‘Mack’ Jones have a history together, both personal and at work. Now they are on opposite sides: Mack prosecuting the murder case and Atticus employed to prove that Ralph is innocent. Atticus is quirky and obsessive; he was kicked out of the police for smoking grass on duty after an affair with his boss, Mack. She’s dedicated to her work and constantly trying to make amends to her husband and children for the time she spends away from them, and for her earlier infidelity.

The plot hinges on Atticus’s ability to investigate, while staying within the boundaries of what is legal. He doesn’t always succeed. Despite his previous relationship with Mack, he is bound to find as many holes as possible in the police case in order to create doubt about the case against his client. Being outside the police force frees him from accountability but he can no longer show a warrant card to justify questioning a suspect or searching premises.

The characters are likeable and engaging, complete with human failings and quirks. The relationship between Atticus and Mack is delightful, with all the emotions explored at different points in the book.

The book gives us detailed descriptions of its setting in Salisbury, Wiltshire, from its soaring spire to its chain coffee shops, its pubs and parks to the atmospheric woodland that is centre stage for the crime itself.

This is a masterpiece of a whodunnit/crime thriller. It all begins on a Christmas eve when a family is found murdered in their home. All the windows and doors are locked. So how had the killer got in and more importantly out.
Atticus Priest an ex detective now a PI has been asked to look into this case. Time is Running Out as the case comes to trial very soon. Atticus is like a Sherlock Holmes, he can see others may miss. An original plot with great characters. This book kept me reading late into the night I HAD TO KNOW THE TRUTH. So many red herrings and twists and turns. As for the truth very clever and definitely not what I was expecting. I need the next book now PLEASE as someone has unfinished business. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

A good book, not my usual type but non the less I enjoyed it and will look out for future books and hopefully I won’t have to wait too long for them

A skilfully plotted detective novel that would entertain the most jaded of palates. More twists and turns than the proverbial serpent. Highly recommended. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.