Ring of roses

A very British crime thriller. In the rough countryside of the Lake District, a dog walked finds the grave of a dead woman and DI Skelgill, picnicking close by, is first on the scene. He and his team first have to identify the body then track her movements to try to identify the killer. But the job becomes complicated as, increasingly, New possibilities seem to be uncovered.

This is a classic who-dum-it with clues along the way for the reader to try to solve the case first. It certainly isn't easy, with numerous characters and unexpected twists. DO Skelgill himself is an irascible man who relies as much on but instinct as evidence, usually, but this time it seems to be playing him false. The rest of his team are also slightly quirky, but nothing compared to the other protagonists. The author writes of the beauty of the area, sometimes using local patois in conversation, and he's also find of occasional illiteration, such as, 'moist mouldy smell of mulch,' which adds to the fun.

Murder in the Woods is an enjoyable murder mystery, very location dependent, and well narrated by Nicholas Camm, whose use of accents in voicing the various characters is superb. Be aware, however, that this sometimes makes what they say difficult to understand, especially for anyone who doesn't know the area. Overall, though, an excellent performance and enjoyable listen.

My thanks to the rights holder of Murder in the Woods for freely gifting me a complimentary copy, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. It was refreshingly different and I very much enjoyed the people interactions, so staid and old fashioned in many ways, as well as the odd thought processes of the DI as his sergeant conducts the more regular police procedure. I will be looking back now for early books in this series. Good fun, good read, recommended.

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