Book Synopsis:
After three years behind a desk, Inspector John Barton wonders if he’s still got what it takes.
An opportunity arises to return to Major Crimes, so he jumps at it, after all he’s been around the block a few times. When he and his team are called in to investigate an attempted murder which seems to be linked to the case of a missing child, Barton is immediately thrust back into the life of a detective – early mornings, late nights and endless pressure to get to the truth.
Then a man dies.
Something deadly is going on behind the high walls and imposing gates of the mansions in the sleepy village of Castor. The locals are keeping each other’s secrets and if Barton doesn’t find out why soon, the bodies will start mounting up.
The Village Killer knows who’s next, and the clock is ticking…
The book all Ross Greenwood fans have been waiting for – Barton is Back! Ross Greenwood returns to his bestselling series, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham and Ian Rankin.
My Review:
The Village Killer is a gripping, twisty read from one of my favourite crime writers. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
Firstly I loved being back with DC (now DCI) Barton following him doing what he does best. It was great to see him back in the action and I loved the traditional police method that he uses, like trusting his gut in certain situations despite there not being any evidence that it is correct. The closeness between his team members was lovely to read about, particularly as they all work so well as a team supporting each other when needed and distracting their team mates with often hilarious banter. It often made me wish that I was a part of their team as it seemed like a lovely close knit team.
I thought the book was very fast paced and there was always something happening to keep my attention. As with the other books in the series there were multiple suspects which made it impossible to guess and kept me on my toes as I tried to work out who the murderer was. Even in the slower moments I was just enjoying hanging out with DCI Barton and his fabulous team. I liked that the descriptions of the investigation showed the slog of police work and the slower moments of a case as it made it seem more realistic. This is actually the seventh book in the series and whilst it could be read as a standalone as everything you need to know is explained, it is probably best to read the series in order. I’m really hoping that there is more to come in this fantastic series.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Boldwood for my copy of this book through Netgalley. If you are a fan of crime fiction I highly recommend this fabulous author!
About The Author:
I was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until I was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. I then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.
I found myself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that I met my partner about 100 metres from my back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. I’m still a little stunned by the pace of it now.
My first book Chancer was written after I decided to do something challenging while my knees permitted. No skydiving for me. I became a prison officer for four years. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave me the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep I completed it in the early morning hours.
It’s surprising for me to realise I’ve written sixteen books now. There are three strands, one where the books concern lives affected by prison, and then my detective series starring DI John Barton. The first Barton book, The Snow Killer hit the coveted number one spot on KOBO and AUDIBLE, with the rest of the series not far behind.
I’ve also written four detective books in a Norfolk series now, starting with Death on Cromer Beach. There are two more planned.
My publishers kindly told me I had reached over half a million sales with them in five years in July 2024
I hope you enjoy reading what I’ve written.
Over The Rainbow Blog 