The Wood

Cumbria Crime #6

by Rachel McLean, Joel Hames

DI Zoe Finch has been in Cumbria long enough to know who’s pulling the strings in organised crime, and who’s helping them from within the police.

But just as she’s closing in on the evidence to prove it, she finds herself scrambling in the fallout from the murder of a key witness, and struggling to keep the case out of the hands of the very man she suspects of orchestrating it.

Can the women rescued from a human trafficking ring help Zoe wrest back control of the investigation? And does a seemingly unrelated murder on the other side of the Lake District hold the key to bringing her enemies to justice?

With the team thrust into unfamiliar roles and the whole station under investigation, the stakes have never been higher. Can Zoe and her team hold it together under mounting pressure?

The Wood is the sixth book in the gripping Cumbria Crime series, featuring DI Zoe Finch from the bestselling ‘Deadly' series.

Genres: Mystery

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 22, 2025

About the author

My name's Rachel McLean and I write stories you can't put down, with characters you'll be rooting for.

I'm best known for my Dorset Crime series, which has sold over a million copies. The first book in that series, The Corfe Castle Murders, won the 2021 Kindle Storyteller Award.

Here's what Clare Balding (the lead judge) had to say about the book:

'I particularly enjoyed the detail of the landscape and the humorous oddities of Dorset life. I enjoyed the richness of the characters, complexity of life for a working mother who is thrown into a new environment and has to prove herself, all over again.'

But The Corfe Castle Murders is by no means my only book. I've published five series and am working on two new ones, all of which connect. You'll find characters from each series in one or more of the other ones, so you (and I) get to follow them as they take on new challenges.

For example:

DCI Lesley Clarke is Zoe's boss in the DI Zoe Finch series and then moves to Dorset where she becomes the star of the Dorset Crime series.
DS Mo Uddin is Zoe's best friend and sidekick, then moves to Scotland for the McBride & Tanner series.
DC Tina Abbott is a key character in the Dorset Crime series and plays an important role in the new Lyme Regis Women's Swimming Club series of mysteries which stars her mum, Annie.
Zaf Williams starts off in the DI Zoe Finch series then moves to London and is one of the stars of the London Cosy Mysteries series (along with his colleague Diana and Gus the cat).
Dr Petra McBride appears in no fewer than three series and I'm planning a new series for her in 2026.
And not to be outdone, Zoe Finch has two series in which she stars: the DI Zoe Finch series of 'Deadly' books, and the Cumbria Crime series.
Once you get to know these characters, you'll find plenty of books to keep you entertained. And I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.

You can read a full list of the series and books on my books page. Each series is designed to be read in order but which series you go for first is really up to you.

Reviews

[yvonne grannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

How much longer?

Good book, really good storyline, as are all the books in the series, but the storyline regarding streeting, is becoming too long winded now,it's been dragging on for a while,and as a reader, I want to see him get what's coming!

[Mrs C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The net is closing on the criminal kingpin & corrupt cop

Loved this book , latest in the series.
Fast and powerful storyline, things are finally coming to a head in D I Finch & Whaleys efforts to put behind bars Kingpin Myron Carter & his corrupt sidekick D I Streeting as they find more evidence of their part in trafficking women from Eastern Europe and murders !inked to their endeavours.
There are many twists in the story & Streeting has powerful friends in high places who make the lives of the PS & ODD increasingly difficult . When new definitive evidence of Streeting 's active part in the murder of a witness , a former small cog in the criminal organisation surfaces , the team are finally proving their suspicions to the powers that be but at what cost when one of their own's life hangs in the balance after an explosive final chapter.
Meanwhile another valuable witness is rescued by an ex policeman who is under Witness Protection after testifying against the organisation he too previously worked for .
He gets there in the nick of time but is shot during the getaway.
Can't wait for the next instalment.

[Paul Adler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am enjoying this series of books. You could say I was binge reading. In this book Zoe is trying to get evidence that a corrupt policeman DI Streeting is involved in the criminal world of Myron Carter, a ruthless gangland boss. He has fingers in many pies including people trafficking and drug running. The evidence mounts on DI Streeting but he seems to talk his way out of it thanks to a very clever lawyer. While trying to gather evidence from a car left at a scrapyard owned by Myron Carter a member of the police team is critically injured. The story ends with Zoe having realised she now has evidence to arrest Myron Carter. Story to be continued in the next novel.
Despite the up in the air ending (done to make sure we read the next book in the series) this is a good story.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zoe and Carl team up to catch Streeting and Carter. Zoe sends Aaron to head up a murder investigation in a town that he grew up in. A protester against a development in the town had been reported missing for over 2 weeks. He was found in the woods by a dog walker and autopsy proved he was murdered. Simultaneously, Zoe and her team were investigating the murder of a dock worker that was on the take from Streeting and Carter for human trafficking.
The book ended with a couple of cliffhangers-Olivia and David almost getting caught by Carters men; Denise in an induced coma. Looking forward to the 7th book.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first books in this series, more than this one. The initial chapters were annoyingly disjointed. Eventually, things settled down from moving from one character to another and one incident to another...or I became more accustomed to the style. This is the 6th book in the series and the corruption of Streeting and Carter is still prominent, but it seems that there are so few genuinely trustworthy characters in the Cumbria Police Force (top to bottom) that it casts a malaise over everything.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so very glad to read a reminder of the way previous books in the series were left at the beginning of this book. It was enormously helpful in picking up the threads of the ongoing narrative.
It is refreshing to come across an author with the level of respect for readers to do this.
When a reader reads a lot of books it in not feasible that they will recall the details of each book by the time the next in the series is published so thank you Rachel and Joel for doing this

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best in this series so far. DI Zoe Finch closes in on the corruption inside her own police force and gets nearer the organised crime boss and his people trafficking enterprise. Meanwhile her DS is unraveling another murder in his home town.
Fast paced all action police procedural at its best. Just when you think you know what’s happening there’s another plot twist. Great characters who I’ve come to know over the series, they are fully formed and very human.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another instalment of the series sees Zoe and her team striving to catch villians - known criminals and corrupt police officers.

It's a complex web of many parts but with numerous obstacles.

I liked the character development and the tangle of threads, while plenty of action kept me hooked.

Well-written, faced-paced and engaging.

Recommended.

[Julian Tremayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The complex story continues around Cumbria. Good to see the note about major spoilers for those who haven't read books 1 to 5. Zoe continues her fight against crime and all sorts of unusual happenings take place with some real shocks on the way. Excellent narrative.
Julian Tremayne, Pocklington, East Yorkshire

[Sheila Joyner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even with the reminder of what happened in previous books, I was all over the place trying to get a handle on who was who and what was what. My goodness, this book just went on and on….and I’m afraid I just lost interest. Far too long and over complicated. Why not just write a book without all the previous complications. One story at a time, please!

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, When is the Next One Out?

What an ending!!! What is going to happen next? One thing solved but so much left unsettled. We readers have to wait until September??? What a ride this book was. Be sure to start at Book 1 of the series, read the subsequent ones before this or you will probably be lost. Seriously!!

[Crissy Cardwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the series! I felt the anticipation ramp up with each book! This one was so good and I feel like I really got to know these characters. I didn’t want to put it down. I would read until my eyes hurt. I can’t wait for book 7 The Port! Now I have to go back and read about Zoe in Rachel’s other series.

[Lynn Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two stories in one!

Zoe and team have finally got Streeting in custody but things don’t go to plan and there’s an explosion where Denise (PSD)gets badly injured. However, Aaron is seconded to another case of murder, which he gets his man even with the DI and Sargent causing problems. Luckily he there’s a good DC to help him.

[Emma Quarmby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being honest this book didn’t grip me in the usual fashion - I’m normally thoroughly antisocial with my head in the book until I’ve devoured it. The ending left me thoroughly unsatisfied and so many answers left untold. Too many loose ends for me and perhaps not quite the balance to mean a flat read but only in comparison to previous novels hence the 3/5.

[Liz Krummell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than Book 5. I do think the emails are enough evidence on the person whose case has been hanging for a month - plus the 2 women Seriously how did the find the photographer; how did her old boss find the photographer But we have had enough of Carter/Streeting storyline DS is well written character

[John Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this next installment from Zoe and the team. I was gripped from start to finish. Wow what an ending! Really well written. Rachel/Joel are a great team! I look forward to the next book in this rapidly concluding series. I highly recommend both Rachel and Joel. Not just this series but all there other books!

[MS M ADAMS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every bit as good as the previous ones.

An exciting plot and some good outcomes but enough uncertainty to keep you looking forward to the next instalment which hopefully won’t be long!

[Lynn H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gearing up for a very interesting climax in the next book I hope.

The threads of past investigations and the expansion of more interaction with disagreeable police officers does help to increase the tension of who can Zoe and the team trust.

[K.F.Norman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not enjoy this book. It jumped all over the place.
Most unlike all the other books by Rachel McLean that I have enjoyed.
As to having to try downloading some short story to find the real ending was a nonsense of the first order.
Sadly she seems to have gone off the boil.

[Melanie Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the time I finished this I loved it, it I hated it at the start. So much that I wondered if it was anything to do with having two authors, and the “wrong one” had started writing it.
Anyway. I did enjoy it in the end. And I’m not about to stop reading them.

[Sue Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great series

[Nancy Whitmarsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Once again, exciting, fast paced, tying up some loose ends, leaving others dangling. What a ride. Hold on to your hats. Bravo.

[M R B Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling

Everything is coming together. Zoe gets Streeting and Aaron gets the chap who murders the protester. The link with Candle remains.

[MRS KIM V BARCLAY · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing

Another brilliant book in the series. It’s well written gripping and hard to put down once you start reading it. Can’t wait to start the next book

[Barrie E Millett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Rachel, love the way she keeps characters from other series involved and a good story line here

[lynda bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read one the best hard job putting it down, can't wait for the next book

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, complex mystery, relatable characters....

[Annette O'grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book cannot wait for the next one

[davidallan · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are to many characters which spoils the book for a casual reader

[Glynn Donnelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this overall but getting a bit tired of Streeting and his boss. Time to put this story to bed