Right off the bat, I'm going to say that my issue with this novel is entirely down to it not being my personal cup of tea. When I am reading a novel like this one, I prefer not to know who the killer is right off the bat. It's fine if we get their POV, as long as it's not blatantly obvious who is behind it. I like pitting my own brain against that of the investigating officers to see if I can figure it out before they do. So the fact that we knew exactly who was behind things (and even to an extent why), left me bored. What is the point of watching Anna stumble around trying to put the pieces together I already had all of the answers? Another pet peeve I had while reading this book was the sheer amount of times Anna had to excuse herself to use the bathroom. I get it, that is a natural part of being human, but literally none of the other characters went once.

Aside from that, I did enjoy the author's writing style. They made it easy to follow along with the story and who was who (even if some of the interactions seemed a bit out of character for me). I do have the second novel in this series to read (I'm curious as it would appear the events of book number two also take place at the Hawthorn farm and I want to see how the author approaches a new story set in an old location), so I will reserve judgement on whether or not I will continue on with this series until after I have gotten the chance to read that one as well.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Another new series for the writing machine that is Emmy Ellis. DI Anna James, a crime thriller, that keeps you guessing..... Anna is a no nonsense copper but will she ever break the rules just slightly????? Loved getting to know the characters..... one of their own is being a nuisance, severed heads are being found, is their a connection with one person?.?? Loved it cant wait to read the next one....

Personally, I don't usually like mystery or thriller novels from the point of view of a detective. But the premise of this book was appealing to me. It gave me some gruesome vibes, so I decided to give it ago, whatsoever.
I did like some chapters and the mystery construction in the first half of the book, but after that it all become a little dull and predictable, in my opinion.
Not a bad read, at all.

This book is definitely a must read if you like psychological thrillers. I couldn’t stop reading this book. The characters had you wanting more information about them. At the end, I wanted to know more about Matthew wife’s family history and Peter involvement with the Kings. Overall, it’s still very good read.

The Pig Pen by Emmy Ellis is the first book in a new series following DI Anna James. In my opinion, the synopsis on Goodreads gives too much away. But, a head is found in the front yard of a woman with questionable morals, and the story takes off from there.

Unfortunately, I think this book gave away too much too soon. As a reader, we know more than DI Anna James from the very start, and it took away from what could have been a good police procedural. There are characters in the novel that drag the story instead of moving it along. The character development is predictable and lacking. And, we don't see what makes DI Anna James and her team the first in a series worthy. On top of that, there is no big reveal that thriller and mystery readers enjoy. Overall, this was just ok. I'm not sure I will continue with book two.

Series featuring Detective Anna James..Twisty and intriguing although we always know who the killer is.

Please excuse any typos as I am writing this on my phone. This is a new author for me. The first book in a series. We start out knowing who the killer is. I ran into issues with that bc I felt like I was reading backstory for the rest of the book. Also I found the characters very unlikable and unbelievable. The writing was very good and flowed easily. There really was no ending to this book which was another let down. I’ll give the next book in the series a try.

Ty to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I don’t recommend this book.

A wonderful gritty start to what I hope turns into another great series by this author. A massive page turner for me

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this Arc

Wow what another brilliant book by this author
A brilliant start to a new series gritty page turner

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

This was my first time reading a book by this author. Overall, I found it to be well-written and enjoyable. The narrative was engaging, and I appreciated the unique approach of revealing the murderer from the start, allowing us to understand the crime from their perspective. The crime itself was intricate and gruesome, adding to the story's intensity which I enjoyed! The use of flashbacks was effective and added to the story.
While I liked the characters, I didn't feel any sort of connection and wasn't fully engaged with them. I wanted to connect with the characters on a more personal level and feel that they needed greater depth and stronger personalities.

3.5 out of 5 stars. Overall, a good way to start a series!

A wonderful blend of crime, mystery, and thriller along with its gruesome and unsettling story. The focus on a detective's investigation and the cat-and-mouse game between the killer and the protagonist also echoes the multi-perspective and suspenseful storytelling of this fantastic book.

THIS is how you start off a new series! Such a chilling, gripping read! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars! This was a twisted, jaw-dropping, fast-paced story, that I found I did not want to put down! It had a unique plot and well-developed, multi-faceted characters. It was suspenseful, thrilling and addictive! I was glued to my Kindle screen from the first page to the last. If you like unputdownable true crime as much as I do, you CANNOT miss out on reading this book!!! I can't wait for this series to continue! I'm hooked!

#THEPIGPEN #NetGalley

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

The pig pen by Emmy Ellis.

Nothing is more haunting than finding head on a spike in your garden, that was the beginning of this intense tale. Talks about a suck you in first chapter! Anna James is the detective on the case when she finds she is in search of a reoffending serial killer… when all they find is heads no bodies. The thrill continues as the story goes on, however the fear hits close to home when one of the victims is someone Anna knows.

This was a thrill ride of a book that kept my attention and the pages flying by! Great book and a little deep at times. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this Advanced copy!

Wow, The Pig Pen was sure a fabulous crime thriller. I can’t imagine how authors can come up with such gruesome crimes. Actually, it’s probably best that I don’t know, but this was a great crime thriller.

Set in Yorkshire, this was a good read featuring DI Anna James. I failed to engage with any of the characters, especially Matthew but I liked the plotting which was well described and kept me interested. The flashbacks worked well and although we knew the killer, there was still plenty of suspense going on. I would like to see more of Anna and her team but for me, this was just an ok read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

For anyone who is enthralled by true crime, and wants more. This story reminds me of the infamous Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton, a man who fed his victims to his pigs.

This is the first Emmy Ellis book that I have read and will not be the last. A crime story set in Yorkshire U.K., where a man is murdered, and his head found impaled on a spike in the garden of his on again off again girlfriend /sleep partner. We, as the reader begin this book by knowing exactly who the murderer is and why he did it. We also know that whilst the head is spiked and displayed, the rest of the body met an unthinkable end.
Now begins the plight of Detective Inspector Anna James to find the perpetrator and unravel the horror that is suddenly presenting itself in her district as more unexplained deaths occur.; The reader is taken on this voyage of discovery with Anna and her team as she tries to close the net and figure out who and why.
What is noticeable is that Emmy Ellis actually makes Anna James a totally likeable character which is not always the portrayal of hard-hitting female cops, and yet she manages to achieve a personable but extremely savvy detective who is definitely no one's fool. Anna is stumped as to motives behind these murders but realizes that there is a common thread in the form of one person,
I enjoyed this book immensely and found it a great easy read with a fluid writing style,
My only criticism was the ending which I felt was abrupt and hurried with one storyline left hanging a little. Whilst it is easy to conclude what happened I am a reader that likes everything wrapped up so, this is most likely a personal preference,
All in all, a great read and I will be checking her backlist

Even though the book begins with a gory murder and reveals the murderer from the outset, the author's easy writing style kept me engaged throughout. The characters are likeable, and there's promise in this being the start of a compelling series!

This is my first book by this author but looking at her back catalogue there are loads for me to catch up on! Really enjoyed this book and found all of the characters to be well developed and authentic. Storyline engaging and well paced. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I liked how we seen Anna and the team just be normal people that was lovely I can’t wait to find out more about Anna and her team I read this in a day it kept me gripped I didn’t want to stop reading. It was an easy read I was fully invested.
I’m so excited for more !!