This exceptionally well-crafted crime story showcased remarkable character development alongside a flawlessly executed plot. It felt like I was immersed in a multi-episode of my favorite crime-fighting show. I eagerly anticipate exploring the future of these intriguing characters.

What starts as an archaeological find on Dartmoor develops into a murder mystery when it’s revealed the body is not anywhere as old as first assumed. The detectives assigned to the case are an odd couple as all the best tales of this genre tend to be. The actual investigation is well detailed at a slow but steady pace moving from Devon to France and London and back to Devon. The actual discovery of the perpetrator is totally found by accident but this doesn’t detract from a good entertaining yarn. Hopefully there may be more to come from this pair as their relationship deepens nicely.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

David Sharp’s “For All Your Endeavours” is a captivating blend of historical intrigue and modern-day detective work, set against the hauntingly beautiful yet treacherous landscape of Dartmoor. As a book reviewer who appreciates intricate plots and well-developed characters, I found this novel to be a compelling and immersive read.

The story begins when an archeologist's blade unearths what appears to be an ancient sacrificial ‘bog-body’ on the moors of Dartmoor. The excitement among archaeologists turns to shock when the body is revealed to be the remains of a murder victim from a twenty-year-old cold case.

DI David Lancaster and DS Marie Vidêt are a dynamic duo whose contrasting personalities and complementary skills drive the narrative forward. Sharp does an excellent job of fleshing out these characters, making their personal struggles and professional challenges feel authentic and relatable.

“For All Your Endeavours” explores themes of legacy, justice, and the passage of time. The novel’s pacing is expertly managed, with each chapter revealing new clues and raising the stakes. Sharp’s ability to weave historical elements with contemporary detective work adds a unique flavor to the story, making it stand out in the crime thriller genre.

This novel prompts readers to reflect on the ways in which the past influences the present. Sharp’s meticulous research and attention to detail lend authenticity to the narrative, making the twists and turns all the more impactful.

“For All Your Endeavours” is a masterfully crafted novel that will appeal to fans of both historical fiction and contemporary crime thrillers. David Sharp’s debut is a testament to his storytelling prowess, offering a rich, multi-layered narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.

I highly recommend this book for its engaging plot, well-drawn characters, and the intriguing interplay between past and present.

I really enjoyed this one. I was hooked from the first page, and couldn’t wait to find out what who the body in the bog was, and how it ended up there!

The story had some interesting sub plots - the farmer and his family, the world the wealthy live in and all the secrets it affords them, the detective… the writer had clearly done his research to cover multiple locations and eras in this story.

One of the things I most loved was the name of the book. When it became clear, it gave that wonderful feeling of pulling the last bit together.

The lead detective - I wasn’t a massive fan, he was quite condescending to his colleague at times. Not sure if this was because she was female or his subordinate, or maybe both! I look forward to seeing how his character grows, and perhaps this will be part of his development.

All in all, a great read and I look forward to the next one!

The book starts out in a wetlands conservation area where a drainage project has revealed a bog body. Excitement reigns as this is the first found in the area. The local corner, after being called to certify death, joins in the retrival and recommends his lab and morgue as being the closest space to examine the remains. That's fortunate as it turns out the body isn't 2000 years old, or even 2oo years old. It's 2o years old and now a case for the police. DI David Lancaster and DS Marie Videt are called in. Identification of the body proves tricky but they are able to identify the belt binding the victim's hands as coming from a bespoke tailor and made for a local magistrate's deceased husband. The detectives must tread lightly as to not offend her or their superiors. Admist this juggling act, the body is identified as a young North African who had been living and working in the south of France. To find out how he ended up dead in England and his connection to the magistrate's family a trip to France is required.

I enjoyed this book but did find it dragged a little in the middle. It was almost as if the author knew how he wanted to book to start and how to end but it faltered in between. This is the first in what I hope will be a series, and I find there's often excess information on the lead characters as the author is fleshing out their stories. I'll definitely read the next one as I liked both detectives and the author writes very well. 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for the eARC of this book.

I really wanted to like this book! First, let me start with the positive feedback: I absolutely love the cover. It's really intriguing and sets the scene for an awesome mystery/thriller. It made me want to sit down and binge read it.

Now, for the things that didn't work for me:
1) There is an overwhelming amount of detail in this book. It seems like the author did a lot of research about the history of the area or has a personal connection. But at times, it felt like too much information, almost like a history lesson.
2) I prefer a level of intuitiveness in a book where I can infer what's happening based on the facts presented, and then towards the end, receive confirmation about my thoughts. In this book, everything felt too obvious. The facts were explained, summarized, rephrased, and confirmed repeatedly, which made it boring due to the redundancy.
3) The introduction of a love interest caught me off guard. It seemed unnecessary and didn't fit well with the story.

329 Pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

Archeology, murder and smart detectives…What more could a girl want in a mystery novel?

Jimmy is clearing an area of the bogs with his digger for a conservation project. He comes upon a body. Soon, the area is deluged by a team of archeologists, complete with a professor to lead them. This will be the first bog body found in this area of Britain.

Sadly for the team, the body turns out to be much more recent than expected. It has only been in the bog for about twenty years. Enter the detectives, DI David Lancaster and DS Marie Videt.

The belt with which the male victim's hands were tied leads back to a bespoke tailor. The belt is traced to a member of high society. The detectives must tread carefully, even though the man is now deceased himself.

The trail to find out what happened to their now identified North African young man leads the detectives to France and other places around England.

Only a chance encounter solves this case in a surprising fashion.

This book is well written and plotted. It gets tedious in places. (Romances are not my thing.) I liked the characters, even the murderer.

I want to thank NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

While this book was a little slow, I did have fun reading this. If you're a fan of archeological things as well as murder mysteries, you may like this. This was my first by this author and I liked his writing style.

The moment Jimmy’s digger blade cut through the soft peat, he knew what he’d exposed. It was flesh. Human flesh. On the remote moors of Dartmoor, the discovery of a sacrificial ‘bog-body’ is cause for great excitement amongst archaeologists. But when it is discovered that the body is not the well-preserved remains of a long-dead ancestor, but rather that of a murder victim from a twenty-year-old cold case, DI David Lancaster and DS Marie Vidêt are immediately called in to investigate! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, great mystery, a good who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

At first they thought it was a bog body lying under the peat, a person dead for perhaps thousands of years. But further examination proves that the body is a much more modern murder victim. The detectives in charge are on the lookout for a decades old murder, and their investigation will lead them into the lives and homes of the wealthy elite

For All Your Endeavours by David Sharp begins with the discovery of a well-preserved "Bog Body" in a remote area of Dartmoor,which naturally causes much excitement amongst the group of archaeologists doing a "dig" nearby.
This soon turns to excitement of a different kind when it's discovered that the body is that of a murder victim and possibly that of someone who went missing 20 years ago rather than in the depths of antiquity. Plymouth-based police officers DI David Lancaster and DS Marie Vidêt are tasked with investigating and the case becomes far more involved and complicated than it first appears.

I really enjoyed this book,at first I thought it was going to go down an exploitative route as mention of a notorious London address and the predilections of some of the characters hinted strongly at it taking that direction. It's far more subtle than that and what initially appears something quite sordid goes in a totally different direction. Author David Sharp cleverly leads the reader,and his main characters ,down a number of cul de sacs and the story twists and turns without resorting to grandstanding twists.

There are no punch-ups of car chases here,it's more for readers who enjoy the William Wisting , Kurt Wallander and even Inspector Morse books. I don't know anything about author David Sharp but this story holds up well against any of the previously-mentioned classic detective stories.
Being local to some of the locations I also know which architectural monstrosity offends D.I. Lancaster as he looks out on it from his office.

A great read, Lancaster and Vidêt are a great team and hopefully there's scope for a series here. I'm always interested in trying new authors, I was more and more impressed with this book as the story progressed and I hope to read more from David Sharp.