Gripping, fast moving, mystery thriller     

My rating:  5 out of 5     

Set in Derbyshire, England, this thriller has a dramatic first chapter and then the twists and suspense keep going right to the end.  Brilliant!

The thriller opens with a fire in a family home, leading to all the occupants dying.  As DI Sadler investigates to confirm his view that the matter is as straight forward as he believes, so he comes into conflict with his Detective Constable Connie, who thinks nothing is as it seems.  This leads to family mysteries being uncovered, relationships not being quite as they seem,  and plenty of drama and suspense to keep the reader riveted.  The remaining family members are very interesting characters, and they got me really involved and wondering about them.

Sarah Ward’s writing is so clear and easy to follow, that although there is a lot going on in the book, the action flowed smoothly (and fast), with it always being clear who was who and what was happening.  There are occasional flash-backs to years gone by; these are cleverly done and add to the story.

No more to say, as I don’t want to give any of the excellent plot, twists and suspense moments away, except to say it is all great!

This is the 2nd book I’ve read by Sarah Ward (the other was A Deadly Thaw) .  This one is even better, and I’m now a major fan of this author.  Hope to read more by her soon.

5*s from me; highly recommended to anyone that likes thrillers with twists and plenty of suspense.