Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Written in the third person, which isn't my favourite I found this mystery mediocre and the ending a little predictable.

This is a new to me author and I thoroughly enjoyed their work. Even though it's book 9 I didn't feel out of the loop. Dr Lane is an interesting character, I'll assume he assists the police when it comes to Ritualistic Behavioural Crimes.
A unique murder in a small village. Villagers who tell the same story. Something suspicious is happening here.
I really enjoyed the way the author wove this tale as pieces started to fall into place. I do like the way it ended, it would seem that karma took care of justice.
Great story, I look forward to looking at more from this series.

Dr. Harrison Lane is called to the scene of a burned body on a cross in the small community of Thistleford. The killing looks to be ritualistic. Dr. Lane begins investigating and talking to community members- but they all claim not to have seen or heard anything. He then discovers that there are two suspected cults in the area. And the story is propelled forward by another murder.
The atmosphere is claustrophobic and a bit dark. Dr. Lane observes and sees things others miss. The investigation is driven through his observations. The plot is set up nicely and kept me intrigued to discover what was going to happen next because there are a lot of suspects in this small town.

Likes:
1. The story line (mystery) had me intrigued and drawn in!
2. The observations that Dr. Lane made.
3. The atmosphere- well written and adds to the feeling of the story.
4. The dry humor!
Struggles:
1. The constant influx of pop culture. While I do feel it is relevant in the story, it was a little excessive.
2. The over-explanation of the investigation- very repetitive in some areas.
3. The reminders that Dr. Lane is not like other psychologists, he is "buffed".
4. I feel the story was too short. We did not really get to know much about Lo9uise, and i really wanted the author to dig into her story so we could understand why this happened to her. There are explanations, but it is vague.
5. The ending! It leaves you hanging- so you will have to read the next book to find out.

Overall, the book kept me interested, then frustrated! I will probably try one of the earlier books to help me better understand the character of Lane- but I have to get through my big pile of TBR's first!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest, voluntary review.

What? What was that? What the hell was that?
Why did it end like that? I have so many questions... Like, why does it feel like an open ending?
Is it just me, or was it on purpose? I'm not satisfied with the ending at all.
I need justice. The victim needs justice. I want to see those two people in jail and suffering from what they did.
Okay, that's too harsh, and I'm not supposed to feel like this when it's just fiction, but hell, I literally needed that satisfying ending. 
I want to give this book a 5-star rating, but I am not a big fan of the ending, so I'm giving it a 4-star rating instead.
Overall, I am 100 percent satisfied with the whole story. 
I just hope in the next book justice will finally be served.

Book 9 Dr Harrison Lane Mystery series. I haven't read the previous books in the series but really enjoyed this one and already looking forward to the next installment in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm publishing for allowing me early access to this book, all opinions are my own!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The story starts off by introducing us to a group of women on a community stroll, as they walk in the countryside they spot what they think is a scarecrow or a puppet…however on closer inspection they find it is remains of a burned body on a cross.

When DS Gibbons notices the religious connotations in this murder he calls one of his buddies Harrison Lane Psychologist and Ritualistic Crime expert.
Dive into the minds of DS Gibbons and Dr Lane while they uncover what happened…

This book was a wild ride I enjoyed the small town muder mystery vibe and it was a fast gripping read, however I didn’t love the ending hence the 4⭐️’s. I felt like it ended a bit abruptly like I thought it could have carried on for a few more chapters…Technically the mystery was solved but mentally not on page. Discarding this small dislike (for me) I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will DEFINITELY read more by this author im the future!!!!❤️

Burning lies by Gwyn Bennett is another excellent book. The story Starts with a body found burned beyond recognition in the village of Thistleford and it also looks like it could be a ritualistic murder. Detective Sergent Ross Gibbons needs help, so he brings in Doctor Harrison Lane who is the head of the ritualistic Behavioural Crime Unit.
Once the police find out their victim is a physic called Louise and talk to the locals, they find the locals think that people living at Harmony House could be involved. Lane discovers that Harmony House is a home where ex cons stay and they are all trying to turn their lives around. After Lane’s visit, he suspects the locals could be prejudice and he believes that they have nothing to do with the murder and just want to be left alone. Then the Thistleford Community church which is very secretive invite Lane to visit and he finds past demons return to haunt him. After a second killing Gibbons, Lane and the detectives find they have a story of secrets, red herrings, tight lipped locals, and a lot of things that have disappeared from Louises home and a mystery that must be solved quickly before there are any more murders.
This is the first book I have read in the Harrison Lane mystery, and I am sure to read the other books in this series after reading this is a standalone book. Lane plays a big part in solving the crime with the local police of this small village. I loved Lane Character as he works hard reading body language and spending a lot of time reading crime scenes. A fast-paced book with a great plot which I Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This book begins with a horrific discovery of a woman's body who has been burned beyond recognition in a ritualistic manner that is even more disturbing. At this point, I am getting a little creeped out. Because of the manner of death, Dr. Harrison Lane, is called to the scene. He is the head of the Ritualistic Behavior Crime unit. This, of course, gave me vibes of the BAU and Criminal Minds.

The more you learn about the victim, pieces of the puzzle fall quickly into place. The mystery was good and kept my interest. I also liked the characters. However, I felt like I did not get any resolution. You got some answers, but it was a little bit of letdown. Then you are left with a hanging scene at the end. Overall it was still a good, creepy story if you enjoy the creepy vibes from this type of murder mystery. It is definitely one of those books that is best read during the daylight hours.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I read this book while trying to get out of a reading slump, and it worked. This book was an easy, fast paced and intriguing read. I was immediately drawn in by a mystery involving a person found burnt on a cross.

The small town atmosphere, a religious cult-like group and a happy haven for ex cons added an immense amount of thrill and mystery.

Highly recommend this book if you're looking for a quick, interesting mystery to read.

*If you have found this review it was meant to be seen by you at this very moment. You must be destined to read this book.* (IYKYK)

Thank you, Net Galley for the advanced read. I really appreciated this book. It got right to the action, and it kept you wanting to turn the page. The author takes you on a Journey with the Main Character and makes you want to keep on reading about his career. The book opens with a woman burned at the stake. Dr Harrison Lane was asked to help investigate the case because he is the Head of the Ritualistic Behavioral Crime Unit. Throughout his investigation, he encounter challenges in his personal and his career. The author did a great job describing how Dr. Lane navigated them. However, I wish there was a little more information about the case. I took off one Star because the information about the case that is missing would have only enhanced the book. I would recommend this book to a friend. I can't wait to read the next book if there is one!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I read it quite quickly as I was gripped by the storyline from the offset. How could someone who was well liked be found murdered in such a horrible way, with no clues left in the village. The Ritualist Behaviour Unit, was a new one for me and something I was unfamiliar with the idea of. I found it all very intriguing and fascinated by Dr Harrison's thinking behind solving the mystery around this and subsequent murders. I shall now look into reading earlier books in the series as well as any new stories.
Recommended for those who enjoy crime fiction and thrillers.

The fourth Gwyn Bennett book I have read but the first in the Dr Harrison Lane Mystery series (book 9). Another well written and gripping book which as enthused me to read more in this series. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for th the chance to ARC this book.

This book was really frustrating as it leaves us hanging at the end! I haven't read the previous Harrison Lane books but was impressed with him and the plot from the beginning. Women walkers find a woman burned at the stake and Lane is called in to investigate but quickly discovers Harmony House--which houses ex-cons who are reforming their lives--and Thistleford Community Church where everyone gathers for worship. And if that isn't enough, another dead body appears and everyone is a suspect--and tight-lipped! As I eagerly approached the end, I discovered there are no answers...so either wait for the next one or be happy not knowing what's going on!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

ARC Review
I enjoy a good detective book and Harrison Lane who is head of the Ritualist Behavioral Crime Unit delivers. He's asked to help on a case in an English village where a woman and psychic named Louise was unalived by being burned at the stake. But as he's working on the case, mysterious disappearances happen, another body is found, and his past make its presence known.

The pacing started off a bit slow for me, which is fine, because when answers were being found and Dr. Lane started putting pieces together, it picked up. The pace reminded me of the show 48 Hours and I wanted to know who did it. I liked the fact that the book was in third person point of view. It allowed me to see how Dr. Lane looked for the small details within the crime scene, how he looked at the body language of the people in the village he interviewed. Sometimes being in the mind of an unaliver can be tricky and scary and this did not have that. I'm hoping there's a second book because this one left me on a cliffhanger and left with me questions about some of the characters.

Another gripping and entertaining mystery in this series. It's a story of secrets, red herring, the search for a motive and a high number of possibile culprits.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and the solution surprised me.
Well done, highly recommended
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This books starts off extremely strong, letting us dive straight into a murder mystery that involves cults, witchcraft and religion in a seemingly quiet town.
This book is quite short- less than 200 pages, so it is fast paced. It’s written in 3rd person which, for murder mysteries, I tend to not love as much. I feel like it could have been longer to really explore some of the topics and/or characters but it was still a good, fast read that touched on some heavy topics.


Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this arc.

First off I want to thank Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC. I held contradicting opinions about this book. Initially, I was excited to start it because I hadn’t read a mystery novel in a long time, and the plot intrigued me. However, upon reading, I felt a bit disappointed. Now, keep in mind that this is purely my personal opinion, and others may feel differently. Books are like an acquired taste—some people enjoy certain aspects while others don’t.

On the positive side, I appreciated how the plot was set up. It felt like I was watching an episode of “Criminal Minds” while reading. There were moments when I was genuinely intrigued and eager to uncover what would happen next.

However, there were aspects that didn’t sit well with me. One of my biggest pet peeves in books is pop culture references. If a chapter went without mentioning TikTok or YouTube, I was pleasantly surprised. Authors sometimes insert cultural references, but they don’t always get them right, which can be frustrating.

Additionally, I found that many crime elements were overly spelled out. Even subtle hints were explicitly stated, which diminished the mystery. When reading a mystery, I prefer to feel a sense of unease and stress, trying to piece things together on my own.

I do want to read the author’s other books, as I started with this one in the series rather than going back and reading all the previous ones beforehand. Unfortunately, I didn’t entirely connect with the main character, which I think impacted my ability to enjoy the book. So, I want to go back, read the earlier novels, and gain a better understanding of the character. Perhaps a fresh perspective will allow me to appreciate this book more.

Finally, I wasn’t a fan of the third-person point of view. I rarely enjoy it unless it’s exceptionally well done. In this case, it felt somewhat redundant. While the narration would delve into what Harrison was thinking, it remained in third person. I believe that if you want to include a character’s inner monologue consistently, it’s more effective to tell the story from their first-person perspective. First-person narration immerses readers deeply into the character’s thoughts and emotions, which is especially crucial in mystery novels. It brings the audience closer, allowing us to experience the story from within rather than observing from the outside.

Overall books like all other art are subjective and just because I did not enjoy the book does not mean no one will. If you are still curious about the book, I suggest reading other reviews for different perspectives.

This is book 9 in the Dr Harrison Lane. I have read and loved books 1 & 2 and I will be going back for the rest asap. I didn't feel like I was missing any vital information from not reading all of the books.

I really enjoy the ritualistic behavioral element of the crime solving. Harrison is an intriguing character although I struggled with his lack of communication with his girlfriend. The murder and investigation throws up plenty of suspects although I did guess who was responsible. The village definitely gives off Hot Fuzz vibes.

My only issue was the ending was so abrupt. It felt like there were pages missing. I look forward to going back to learn more about Harrison and is past and I will be keeping an eye out for future additions to this series.

This is the first book I've read in this series so you don't need to have read them all to read and enjoy this one. Called out due to what looks like the burning of a witch, the investigation leads Harrison and the police to a religious group, a home for ex convicts and a village where everyone apparently liked the victim. The murderer wasn't immediately obvious, with false leads causing delays in the investigation. It also brought up a trauma from Harrisons past. Not something you need to have read the series for, but makes me curious so I might have to read the previous books.