What do you think?
DI Adams #5
Dales of the Unexpected
The blood moon rises, and in the wilds of the Dales, something is coming ...
DI Adams has faced down Folk, fae, and feral geese, but waking in a ditch on the Yorkshire moors, unarmed and uncaffeinated, is a new low. Worse still, her duck is missing.
And so is Dandy.
But that's just the beginning. She's not here by chance, and neither are the others wandering the moors. No, they've been put here for a reason, and if they can't escape the estate before sunrise, they're never going to.
Gingerbread villages, Yorkshire alligators, and haunted, statue-riddled woods would be challenge enough. But as the moon rises, the hunt rides out, and behind it something ancient stirs.
Adams has one chance to save them all, but with no Dandy, no duck, and no backup, time is running out fast.
Not that she's going to let that stop her. If she can't arrest someone, she'll bloody well hit them with a very big stick ...
◆◆◆
This is book six in the DI Adams Mysteries, which began somewhat further south with What Happened in London, before heading to Yorkshire in All Out of Leeds.
The DI Adams Mysteries contain no graphic violence, scenes of a sexual nature, or strong language, but they do contain some blasphemy, as well as a truly disturbing level of caffeine consumption.
DI Adams has faced down Folk, fae, and feral geese, but waking in a ditch on the Yorkshire moors, unarmed and uncaffeinated, is a new low. Worse still, her duck is missing.
And so is Dandy.
But that's just the beginning. She's not here by chance, and neither are the others wandering the moors. No, they've been put here for a reason, and if they can't escape the estate before sunrise, they're never going to.
Gingerbread villages, Yorkshire alligators, and haunted, statue-riddled woods would be challenge enough. But as the moon rises, the hunt rides out, and behind it something ancient stirs.
Adams has one chance to save them all, but with no Dandy, no duck, and no backup, time is running out fast.
Not that she's going to let that stop her. If she can't arrest someone, she'll bloody well hit them with a very big stick ...
◆◆◆
This is book six in the DI Adams Mysteries, which began somewhat further south with What Happened in London, before heading to Yorkshire in All Out of Leeds.
The DI Adams Mysteries contain no graphic violence, scenes of a sexual nature, or strong language, but they do contain some blasphemy, as well as a truly disturbing level of caffeine consumption.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2026
About the author
Kim M. Watt
45 books353 followersHello lovely people!
I’m Kim (as you may have guessed, given that you're on the author page for Kim). I write funny fantasies and off-beat cosy (or cozy, depending where you're from) mysteries set in a world not so dissimilar to ours - and in fact sharing many locations.
And in this not-dissimilar world you'll find mystery-solving dragons with a strong affection for barbecues and scones, and snarky feline PIs with human sidekicks. You'll run across baking-obsessed reapers running petting cafes stocked with baby ghouls, Apocalyptic riders on Vespas, and women of a certain age Getting Things Done. There may even be the odd born-again troll redefining troll-ness for the modern age about the place.
You'll find myth and reality clashing in small and spectacular ways, and discover the healing magic of tea and a really good lemon drizzle cake.
But, most of all, there will be friendship, and loyalty, and people of all species looking out for one another. Because these, above all things, are magic.
And you can find me rambling on about all this (and more) over on my website, or join me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for bad puns and many, many cat memes. Many.
Come join me!
I’m Kim (as you may have guessed, given that you're on the author page for Kim). I write funny fantasies and off-beat cosy (or cozy, depending where you're from) mysteries set in a world not so dissimilar to ours - and in fact sharing many locations.
And in this not-dissimilar world you'll find mystery-solving dragons with a strong affection for barbecues and scones, and snarky feline PIs with human sidekicks. You'll run across baking-obsessed reapers running petting cafes stocked with baby ghouls, Apocalyptic riders on Vespas, and women of a certain age Getting Things Done. There may even be the odd born-again troll redefining troll-ness for the modern age about the place.
You'll find myth and reality clashing in small and spectacular ways, and discover the healing magic of tea and a really good lemon drizzle cake.
But, most of all, there will be friendship, and loyalty, and people of all species looking out for one another. Because these, above all things, are magic.
And you can find me rambling on about all this (and more) over on my website, or join me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for bad puns and many, many cat memes. Many.
Come join me!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 22, 2026
Actual rating: 3.5112335569789 stars
Not the most exciting or funniest installment in the series, but still fun and entertaining and stuff. Also, pigeons that are canaries + unwashed troll armpits (don't ask) + sprites with pet alligators + the most unwillingly hilarious leafy woman ever + roast chickens as weapons of mass destruction =
· Book 1: All Out of Leeds ★★★★
· Book 2: Trouble Brewing in Harrogate ★★★★
· Book 3: A Right Shambles in York ★★★★
· Book 3.5: Hazards of the Establishment ★★★
· Book 4: Hexed in Hawes ★★★★
Not the most exciting or funniest installment in the series, but still fun and entertaining and stuff. Also, pigeons that are canaries + unwashed troll armpits (don't ask) + sprites with pet alligators + the most unwillingly hilarious leafy woman ever + roast chickens as weapons of mass destruction =
· Book 1: All Out of Leeds ★★★★
· Book 2: Trouble Brewing in Harrogate ★★★★
· Book 3: A Right Shambles in York ★★★★
· Book 3.5: Hazards of the Establishment ★★★
· Book 4: Hexed in Hawes ★★★★
July 5, 2026
‘Dales of the Unexpected’ was the darkest DI Adams book so far. Ever since ' WhatHappened In London’, when Adams first encountered a threat from the Folk which most people were unable or unwilling to see, she’s been getting increasingly out of her depth. Straddling the human and Folk worlds, increasingly aware of the overlap and yet unwilling to accept or learn about the reality of the magic used by the humans, Folk, and others whom she’s determined to police, she's been making herself into a target. In the last book, ‘Hexed in Hawes’, her family was targeted by a Fae Lord. In ‘Dales of the Unexpected ’, things get worse. This time, Adams wasn’t just investigating a crime; she was a victim of one. Adams off-the-books investigation of missing persons, suspiciously mis-filed in police records, leads to her being abducted and then hunted.
It was a story packed with well-crafted action scenes, but at times, it felt as though Adams was wandering aimlessly through a video game. The mystery about what was going on and the tension about what Adams could do about it (if anything) worked well for the first half of the book, but then started to wear thin. It was the descriptions of the people around Adams and her interactions with them that kept me engaged. I loved the depiction of the bluff: the ‘Nonsense, this can't be happening’ middle-aged, middle-class white man, the likely to get wild and dangerous despite looking like a scatty hippy hedge witch, and the old guy who may be dying on his feet but still tells everyone he’s fine. I especially liked the aristocratic villains of the piece who ranged from entitled-dangerous-but-dumb, through entitled- dangerous- and-clever to so-entitled-that-no-one-else-is-real psychopath.
The ending was dramatic but felt a little too easy and a little too optimistic, given how relatively helpless Adams had been in the face of focused malice.
To take this series further, I think Kim Watt is going to have to reveal what it is that makes Adams so special, and Adams is going to have to stop treating magic as an aberration and start to understand it as a threat and a tool.
It was a story packed with well-crafted action scenes, but at times, it felt as though Adams was wandering aimlessly through a video game. The mystery about what was going on and the tension about what Adams could do about it (if anything) worked well for the first half of the book, but then started to wear thin. It was the descriptions of the people around Adams and her interactions with them that kept me engaged. I loved the depiction of the bluff: the ‘Nonsense, this can't be happening’ middle-aged, middle-class white man, the likely to get wild and dangerous despite looking like a scatty hippy hedge witch, and the old guy who may be dying on his feet but still tells everyone he’s fine. I especially liked the aristocratic villains of the piece who ranged from entitled-dangerous-but-dumb, through entitled- dangerous- and-clever to so-entitled-that-no-one-else-is-real psychopath.
The ending was dramatic but felt a little too easy and a little too optimistic, given how relatively helpless Adams had been in the face of focused malice.
To take this series further, I think Kim Watt is going to have to reveal what it is that makes Adams so special, and Adams is going to have to stop treating magic as an aberration and start to understand it as a threat and a tool.
July 11, 2026
I've received an advance copy in order to write an honest review
Poor DI Adams is going through it in this book. No coffee, no duck, no big stick and worst of all, Dandy is missing.
While I do feel for DI Adams it does make for a very entertaining story full of all of the 'Toot Hansell' (aka magical) nonsense I've come to expect from this series.
At times it was a little chaotic and I did really miss Dandy (though not near as much as DI Adams missed him) but overall this was such a fun read with a good balance between the rising stakes and still having enough of the charming, whimsical stuff that makes the books from Kim M Watt so special
Poor DI Adams is going through it in this book. No coffee, no duck, no big stick and worst of all, Dandy is missing.
While I do feel for DI Adams it does make for a very entertaining story full of all of the 'Toot Hansell' (aka magical) nonsense I've come to expect from this series.
At times it was a little chaotic and I did really miss Dandy (though not near as much as DI Adams missed him) but overall this was such a fun read with a good balance between the rising stakes and still having enough of the charming, whimsical stuff that makes the books from Kim M Watt so special
July 11, 2026
Another hit
Good story as usual but not my favorite of the series. I love the banter, character development, twist and turns of her books. This one not so much. Too much like a tame hunger games for my likes. But all in all a good read.
Good story as usual but not my favorite of the series. I love the banter, character development, twist and turns of her books. This one not so much. Too much like a tame hunger games for my likes. But all in all a good read.
July 6, 2026
This is the fifth solo outing for DI Adams, not counting the prequel “What Happened in London” (which explained why Adams is not keen on bridges) and yet again Ms Watt provides a hugely enjoyable tale filled with peril and an exhausting amount of hill walking, paddling and running, which takes place in one very long day and night, I think – sorry, it’s hard to keep track of time in enchanted landscapes. You don’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one as Ms Watt is very good at slipping in brief explanations without interrupting the flow. However, if you haven’t read the previous books or the Beaufort Scales books where Adams first appears (trying to keep the Toot Hansell WI and dragons out of trouble) you may miss some of the nuances. All opinions in this review are my own.
There is trouble in the police. Someone is making accusations of misconduct about Adams, whilst Collins has found that missing persons reports are being misfiled so they aren’t investigated…lots of them. The removal of a previous bent copper who was shaking down the magical folk with threats and menaces has not removed the influence. With no way of knowing who is involved Adams and Collins are forced into discussing it out of the office. Whilst Collins continues his investigation into the missing persons reports, Adams heads off to see her friend Rory who is rumoured to be getting into bad company. Just as the conversation starts she is shot with a tranquiliser dart and wakes up in the Dales, surrounded by open country, dry stone walls and big hills. No roads, no clues, but worse than that, no equipment and no invisible dog. In the past, much of her success has been assisted by Dandy, her invisible coffee-addicted dog, a multi-tool and a duck torch attached to her keyring, and a big stick.
There are other people who are in the same situation, including a witch called Chloe who is Adams’ friend whether Adams likes it or not, and another woman whose disappearance is being investigated by Collins. The Dales are full of Unexpected people, things and creatures: amongst lyrical countryside that could be a character in its own right, there are statues that perhaps owe a little to Dr Who’s Weeping Angels, Yorkshire alligators, crawly bitey things, self-aware captivating furniture, a musically entrancing sprite whose voice is anything but – and that’s just for starters.
But the hunters are coming, the hounds are baying and time is running out. With no map, no weapons and danger all around can Adams and the other increasingly exhausted kidnapees stay at least one step ahead of the hunters till dawn? Will Adams find out who is behind this? Is there a connection to other magical crimes she has dealt with over the last few years? Has Rory gone over to the dark side? Will any of them live to tell the tale, or is this the end of Adams’ story? Sit tight and hold on – it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
There is trouble in the police. Someone is making accusations of misconduct about Adams, whilst Collins has found that missing persons reports are being misfiled so they aren’t investigated…lots of them. The removal of a previous bent copper who was shaking down the magical folk with threats and menaces has not removed the influence. With no way of knowing who is involved Adams and Collins are forced into discussing it out of the office. Whilst Collins continues his investigation into the missing persons reports, Adams heads off to see her friend Rory who is rumoured to be getting into bad company. Just as the conversation starts she is shot with a tranquiliser dart and wakes up in the Dales, surrounded by open country, dry stone walls and big hills. No roads, no clues, but worse than that, no equipment and no invisible dog. In the past, much of her success has been assisted by Dandy, her invisible coffee-addicted dog, a multi-tool and a duck torch attached to her keyring, and a big stick.
There are other people who are in the same situation, including a witch called Chloe who is Adams’ friend whether Adams likes it or not, and another woman whose disappearance is being investigated by Collins. The Dales are full of Unexpected people, things and creatures: amongst lyrical countryside that could be a character in its own right, there are statues that perhaps owe a little to Dr Who’s Weeping Angels, Yorkshire alligators, crawly bitey things, self-aware captivating furniture, a musically entrancing sprite whose voice is anything but – and that’s just for starters.
But the hunters are coming, the hounds are baying and time is running out. With no map, no weapons and danger all around can Adams and the other increasingly exhausted kidnapees stay at least one step ahead of the hunters till dawn? Will Adams find out who is behind this? Is there a connection to other magical crimes she has dealt with over the last few years? Has Rory gone over to the dark side? Will any of them live to tell the tale, or is this the end of Adams’ story? Sit tight and hold on – it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Once again DI Adams is challenged to get things sorted out.
As always in Kim M. Watt's books tension runs high ... even higher in the DI Adams series, increasingly so in this book.
....and for me it was different than the others as I felt as least as lost as and perhaps even more confused than Adams and the people she tries to help getting away from this mysterious place.
Having lately begun trusting more in other people, that she got to know throughout the series as well as on the little duck, a very big stick / staff and of course Dandy, she is now suddenly bereft of almost all of them and her trust is tested.
There were less cosy times, where you could take a deep breath and feel good, comfy and safe, a substantial lack of coffee for quite a while, but: Those fewer moments are really enchanting *little pun here, I admit*.
We have throughout the series watched DI Adams evolve from being a down to earth DI to more and more accepting that there are much more layers and folk than she could ever have imagined. Doing the right thing stays her number one premise, trying to secure all different types of beings. She was a lone wolf, but has learned to build up trust and connections and reading this book you will learn how she copes and reacts when her trust is tested, her securance nets are away and her home and her police station unreachable.
I wish you a wonderful time reading this book, but be aware: It took me a night's sleep. Who can sleep not knowing how they shall escape?
Almost forgot: I got an advanced readers copy for free - for an honest review and honest it is.
I love all of Kim M. Watt's books and have purchased quite a few of them, as they are very well written. Kindness, humor and a high moral are always part of it and it is simply great to read a book, that is written in a way that takes you into the story without being dragged out again by quirky grammar or writing style. ....and yes, English is my 3rd language, so please excuse my own mistakes. I know that my English is not perfect, but nevertheless I can see the difference between a good or a bad writing style.
As always in Kim M. Watt's books tension runs high ... even higher in the DI Adams series, increasingly so in this book.
....and for me it was different than the others as I felt as least as lost as and perhaps even more confused than Adams and the people she tries to help getting away from this mysterious place.
Having lately begun trusting more in other people, that she got to know throughout the series as well as on the little duck, a very big stick / staff and of course Dandy, she is now suddenly bereft of almost all of them and her trust is tested.
There were less cosy times, where you could take a deep breath and feel good, comfy and safe, a substantial lack of coffee for quite a while, but: Those fewer moments are really enchanting *little pun here, I admit*.
We have throughout the series watched DI Adams evolve from being a down to earth DI to more and more accepting that there are much more layers and folk than she could ever have imagined. Doing the right thing stays her number one premise, trying to secure all different types of beings. She was a lone wolf, but has learned to build up trust and connections and reading this book you will learn how she copes and reacts when her trust is tested, her securance nets are away and her home and her police station unreachable.
I wish you a wonderful time reading this book, but be aware: It took me a night's sleep. Who can sleep not knowing how they shall escape?
Almost forgot: I got an advanced readers copy for free - for an honest review and honest it is.
I love all of Kim M. Watt's books and have purchased quite a few of them, as they are very well written. Kindness, humor and a high moral are always part of it and it is simply great to read a book, that is written in a way that takes you into the story without being dragged out again by quirky grammar or writing style. ....and yes, English is my 3rd language, so please excuse my own mistakes. I know that my English is not perfect, but nevertheless I can see the difference between a good or a bad writing style.
August 30, 2026
Ms. Watt's characters are grand - no cardboard standins, ever. The magic folk (and dragons, clockwork cats, dogs, and the occasional chair) have personalities and problems despite their magic. Human or magic, her characters have the option of being friend or foe, or possibly both. Everything feels real and nothing feels prescriptive. Hence there are so many of us who fall in love with her books. And that's what makes it hard when her usual cast of characters do not appear. We miss them and are waiting for them to make their useful appearances. But you know what? Sometimes the characters that show up when your favorites are off doing things turn out okay. Especially the dogs (and I adore the Dandy).
In Dales, Adams is drugged and set out on a vast estate, bereft of most of her usual friends and magical paraphernalia. Worse she is one of the unwilling targets of a highly illegal hunt by influential, conscienceless rich people who show no concern when she identifies herself as police. They clearly don't know the dauntless Adams. In the course of the book, Adams runs into some very unpleasant things -- sentient furniture, statues that appear to have taken lessons from Dr. Who's Weeping Angels, a village that can be what she wants it to be until it has her where it wants her, unfriendly folk, and more. It's apparently let's kill Adams day. Nevertheless she persists.
Adams being Adams, she also helps, and is helped by some unexpected characters. Ultimately, that it is her real strength. Magic or human, beings who may not know they are inclined to do good find themselves stepping up as needed to help Adams and whatever community she has gathered around her. There's nothing like a book that has characters you can boo and characters you can applaud. It may not have a perfectly happy ending (spoiler: the rich and powerful go free) but at least they don't win this round.
In Dales, Adams is drugged and set out on a vast estate, bereft of most of her usual friends and magical paraphernalia. Worse she is one of the unwilling targets of a highly illegal hunt by influential, conscienceless rich people who show no concern when she identifies herself as police. They clearly don't know the dauntless Adams. In the course of the book, Adams runs into some very unpleasant things -- sentient furniture, statues that appear to have taken lessons from Dr. Who's Weeping Angels, a village that can be what she wants it to be until it has her where it wants her, unfriendly folk, and more. It's apparently let's kill Adams day. Nevertheless she persists.
Adams being Adams, she also helps, and is helped by some unexpected characters. Ultimately, that it is her real strength. Magic or human, beings who may not know they are inclined to do good find themselves stepping up as needed to help Adams and whatever community she has gathered around her. There's nothing like a book that has characters you can boo and characters you can applaud. It may not have a perfectly happy ending (spoiler: the rich and powerful go free) but at least they don't win this round.
Review of advance copy received from Author
No Coffee, No Dandy, No Duck!
And, NO, despite the @#$% prompt that keeps appearing on this page, I am NOT going to use AI to write my review, thank you very much.
I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for my honest and HUMAN review.
My first response to yet another DI Adams book was, "Thank Goddess! Something intelligent, entertaining and well-written at last, instead of all the schlock I've encountered lately. This book is lively and fast-paced and will 100% keep the reader's attention. However, if one is unfamiliar with the previous DI Adams (or perhaps even some of the Beaufort Scales) stories, it may be a tad confusing.
I will not get into the plot details, because I don't think that's the place of a reviewer, and leads to spoilers. If you want to know precisely what the novel is about, read the Amazon summary or the jacket cover! Instead, I will expound on other important details: the book is well-written, and the characters three-dimensional and engaging; the writing is top notch, with no egregious errors in spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, or grammar. This book has slightly less humor than previous DI Adams stories, at least until the final few pages, but is every bit as filled with human feeling. There are also a couple of very delicately drawn but undeniable parallels to real-life individuals with too much power and too little regard for human life, and the ability to coerce others by drawing them into heinous acts about which they then cannot speak without self-incrimination.
I will say that I am delighted that Adams need no longer be the loner that she once was; that she has found both her human as well as her Dandy dog connections; this overriding warmth is always a component of Kim's books, and so lovely and welcome.
And, NO, despite the @#$% prompt that keeps appearing on this page, I am NOT going to use AI to write my review, thank you very much.
I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for my honest and HUMAN review.
My first response to yet another DI Adams book was, "Thank Goddess! Something intelligent, entertaining and well-written at last, instead of all the schlock I've encountered lately. This book is lively and fast-paced and will 100% keep the reader's attention. However, if one is unfamiliar with the previous DI Adams (or perhaps even some of the Beaufort Scales) stories, it may be a tad confusing.
I will not get into the plot details, because I don't think that's the place of a reviewer, and leads to spoilers. If you want to know precisely what the novel is about, read the Amazon summary or the jacket cover! Instead, I will expound on other important details: the book is well-written, and the characters three-dimensional and engaging; the writing is top notch, with no egregious errors in spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, or grammar. This book has slightly less humor than previous DI Adams stories, at least until the final few pages, but is every bit as filled with human feeling. There are also a couple of very delicately drawn but undeniable parallels to real-life individuals with too much power and too little regard for human life, and the ability to coerce others by drawing them into heinous acts about which they then cannot speak without self-incrimination.
I will say that I am delighted that Adams need no longer be the loner that she once was; that she has found both her human as well as her Dandy dog connections; this overriding warmth is always a component of Kim's books, and so lovely and welcome.
July 12, 2026
Oh dear what happened with this one
Contains spoilers
Firstly let me say I'm a huge fan of Kim M Watt. I've read all 5 previous DI Adams book plus all of the Beaufort Scales books
I really did not enjoy it at all and really struggled to finish it I felt like I was trying to swim through treacle at timed
*****Spoilers *******
*********************************
But this one I just couldn't connect with
Maybe it was the lack of the usual gang
Hardly any Dandy, Collins, or Thompson for starters I missed them all massively
The lack of the duck, yorkies and Adams' other usual stuff went on far too long
There were too many new characters too I know we know Chloe and we've met Olly before but I felt the others weren't fleshed out enough for me and I didn't really gel with them.
There was too.many to keep.
Up with and it didn't work for. Me
I missed the banter between Adams and Collins also the snarky comments from Thompson don't the DI Adams as a character works half as well without her usual supporting cast to play off
I was so fed up with them going round and round in that damn estate it was so boring I thought I was going to lose it and give up
This book was not like Kim had written it at all
I hated the whole hunt thing it I don't think. It was a good story at all the Hunters were just annoying in the extreme
I lacked the clever comedy of the others I felt the end was poor too, all tied up too neatly
I'm not sure about the whole Weird wolves thing either
On the whole the book seemed at great odds to the rest of the series
I do hope it's not the last well here from DI Adam et all but please get it back on track
Sorry Kim but I really think you dropped the ball on this one
I wanted to write an honest review so here it is
Contains spoilers
Firstly let me say I'm a huge fan of Kim M Watt. I've read all 5 previous DI Adams book plus all of the Beaufort Scales books
I really did not enjoy it at all and really struggled to finish it I felt like I was trying to swim through treacle at timed
*****Spoilers *******
*********************************
But this one I just couldn't connect with
Maybe it was the lack of the usual gang
Hardly any Dandy, Collins, or Thompson for starters I missed them all massively
The lack of the duck, yorkies and Adams' other usual stuff went on far too long
There were too many new characters too I know we know Chloe and we've met Olly before but I felt the others weren't fleshed out enough for me and I didn't really gel with them.
There was too.many to keep.
Up with and it didn't work for. Me
I missed the banter between Adams and Collins also the snarky comments from Thompson don't the DI Adams as a character works half as well without her usual supporting cast to play off
I was so fed up with them going round and round in that damn estate it was so boring I thought I was going to lose it and give up
This book was not like Kim had written it at all
I hated the whole hunt thing it I don't think. It was a good story at all the Hunters were just annoying in the extreme
I lacked the clever comedy of the others I felt the end was poor too, all tied up too neatly
I'm not sure about the whole Weird wolves thing either
On the whole the book seemed at great odds to the rest of the series
I do hope it's not the last well here from DI Adam et all but please get it back on track
Sorry Kim but I really think you dropped the ball on this one
I wanted to write an honest review so here it is
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for my honest and HUMAN review.
I loved this newest installment in the DI Adams series. I love the series, and each installment gets better and wilder. This one starts with a brawl - then goes south from there. It’s a wild ride from start to finish, so be prepared to put your life on hold since there is really NO break in all the action.
DI Adams is caught in a maelstrom without her usual support of Dandy, Duck and Very Big Stick. But she’s grown. She has learned not everything can be solved with a pair of handcuffs (even though that is still her favorite) or a timely whack with said Very Big Stick. She's also learned she has humans/animals/folk that do have her back.
As usual, Ms. Watt writes THE BEST characters. They are not always what they seem, and you are not sure exactly WHAT they really are. Even the bit parts get to shine – like Jenny of the Woods and Crumbkin. There are friends she has met along the way in this one – but there is just enough doubt in some of them that, like DI Adams, you just don’t REALLY know who can be trusted. Are they on her side? Or is it a trap?
I kept expecting EVERYTHING to be a trap. And some things were – just not at all how I expected. And many of the traps popped up out of nowhere. Really – where does she GET this stuff?
The signs in the village and the chef’s menu items are a special treat. I kept rereading them as they were so descriptive and off kilter. And they kept changing - so if you blink you could miss something. My DH is a chef, so the menu items were the best. I’ve been reading them out to him and having a great laugh.
Now I need a nap as I stayed up half the night reading this one. Could NOT put it down!
I loved this newest installment in the DI Adams series. I love the series, and each installment gets better and wilder. This one starts with a brawl - then goes south from there. It’s a wild ride from start to finish, so be prepared to put your life on hold since there is really NO break in all the action.
DI Adams is caught in a maelstrom without her usual support of Dandy, Duck and Very Big Stick. But she’s grown. She has learned not everything can be solved with a pair of handcuffs (even though that is still her favorite) or a timely whack with said Very Big Stick. She's also learned she has humans/animals/folk that do have her back.
As usual, Ms. Watt writes THE BEST characters. They are not always what they seem, and you are not sure exactly WHAT they really are. Even the bit parts get to shine – like Jenny of the Woods and Crumbkin. There are friends she has met along the way in this one – but there is just enough doubt in some of them that, like DI Adams, you just don’t REALLY know who can be trusted. Are they on her side? Or is it a trap?
I kept expecting EVERYTHING to be a trap. And some things were – just not at all how I expected. And many of the traps popped up out of nowhere. Really – where does she GET this stuff?
The signs in the village and the chef’s menu items are a special treat. I kept rereading them as they were so descriptive and off kilter. And they kept changing - so if you blink you could miss something. My DH is a chef, so the menu items were the best. I’ve been reading them out to him and having a great laugh.
Now I need a nap as I stayed up half the night reading this one. Could NOT put it down!
July 6, 2026
Kim M. Watt has done it again!
Dales of the Unexpected is a wonderful collection of stories that perfectly captures everything I love about Kim's writing: warmth, clever humour, memorable characters, and just the right amount of mystery and magic.
Returning to the Yorkshire Dales always feels like coming home. Whether you've known these characters for years or are discovering them for the first time, every story has its own charm while fitting beautifully into the larger world Kim has created. I loved seeing familiar faces alongside new adventures, and every tale left me smiling.
One of Kim's greatest strengths is her ability to balance light-hearted moments with genuine emotion. Her characters are wonderfully human—kind, imperfect, funny, and incredibly easy to care about. Even the smallest interactions feel authentic, and the friendships throughout the book are every bit as enjoyable as the mysteries themselves.
The writing flows effortlessly, making it very easy to read "just one more story"... until you suddenly realize you've reached the end. Each story feels complete while leaving you wanting to spend a little more time in the Dales.
If you're already a fan of Kim M. Watt, this collection is an absolute delight. If you're new to her books, it's also a lovely introduction to her unique blend of cozy mystery, gentle fantasy, humor, and heart.
I closed the book with a smile on my face and the familiar feeling that I didn't really want to leave the Yorkshire Dales. Highly recommended to anyone looking for stories that are entertaining, comforting, and full of heart.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntary.
Dales of the Unexpected is a wonderful collection of stories that perfectly captures everything I love about Kim's writing: warmth, clever humour, memorable characters, and just the right amount of mystery and magic.
Returning to the Yorkshire Dales always feels like coming home. Whether you've known these characters for years or are discovering them for the first time, every story has its own charm while fitting beautifully into the larger world Kim has created. I loved seeing familiar faces alongside new adventures, and every tale left me smiling.
One of Kim's greatest strengths is her ability to balance light-hearted moments with genuine emotion. Her characters are wonderfully human—kind, imperfect, funny, and incredibly easy to care about. Even the smallest interactions feel authentic, and the friendships throughout the book are every bit as enjoyable as the mysteries themselves.
The writing flows effortlessly, making it very easy to read "just one more story"... until you suddenly realize you've reached the end. Each story feels complete while leaving you wanting to spend a little more time in the Dales.
If you're already a fan of Kim M. Watt, this collection is an absolute delight. If you're new to her books, it's also a lovely introduction to her unique blend of cozy mystery, gentle fantasy, humor, and heart.
I closed the book with a smile on my face and the familiar feeling that I didn't really want to leave the Yorkshire Dales. Highly recommended to anyone looking for stories that are entertaining, comforting, and full of heart.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntary.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I loved the latest DI Adams adventure in Yorkshire. The book starts with a rumble in York and just keeps going.
Adams partner in the Leeds police DI Colin Collins has been informed of a missing person. Strangely this is not the first person to go missing. Over the last few years at least 20 people have disappeared but there hasn’t been any obvious investigation of the disappearances and nobody seems that fussed.
Adams and Collins decide to investigate the latest disappearance and find that another person is also missing.
Adams is contacted by her posh friend Rory who asks her to come to the house, when she gets there Marcus the Were from a previous adventure featuring a beer festival is there as well, a member of his pack has also gone missing. While they are discussing this they are attacked, Adams is rendered unconscious and when she wakes up she is out doors in a field without her big stick, her Yorkies and even her duck, but worse than that, no Dandy.
She is trapped in a magical estate with several other people, they can’t escape the estate and are being hunted. Somehow they have to avoid being captured or being killed as well as avoiding numerous Fae creatures and cunning traps as well as the ‘Wild Hunt’.
This is a darker tale for Adams, but she is ever resourceful and is making friends and forming alliances. I absolutely loved it and raced through it eager for more.
I loved the latest DI Adams adventure in Yorkshire. The book starts with a rumble in York and just keeps going.
Adams partner in the Leeds police DI Colin Collins has been informed of a missing person. Strangely this is not the first person to go missing. Over the last few years at least 20 people have disappeared but there hasn’t been any obvious investigation of the disappearances and nobody seems that fussed.
Adams and Collins decide to investigate the latest disappearance and find that another person is also missing.
Adams is contacted by her posh friend Rory who asks her to come to the house, when she gets there Marcus the Were from a previous adventure featuring a beer festival is there as well, a member of his pack has also gone missing. While they are discussing this they are attacked, Adams is rendered unconscious and when she wakes up she is out doors in a field without her big stick, her Yorkies and even her duck, but worse than that, no Dandy.
She is trapped in a magical estate with several other people, they can’t escape the estate and are being hunted. Somehow they have to avoid being captured or being killed as well as avoiding numerous Fae creatures and cunning traps as well as the ‘Wild Hunt’.
This is a darker tale for Adams, but she is ever resourceful and is making friends and forming alliances. I absolutely loved it and raced through it eager for more.
July 8, 2026
Lost on the moors, surrounded by danger, and hunted!
Detective Inspector Adams of the North Yorkshire Police may have found her most dangerous and puzzling case yet. Or rather, it has found her. Adams is searching for several missing persons when she finds herself unexpectedly stranded on the moors. Who put her there, and what do they want? Adams is unsure of where she is or how to get home. All she knows for sure is she doesn’t have her duck, her big stick, or her invisible hellhound, Dandy. And horror of all horrors, there is no coffee. Nothing on this estate is what it seems; there are traps around every corner.
For a person who doesn’t like people, Adams is collecting more friends. With those friends comes the need to interact with them and protect them. Chloe, a young hedge witch, and Olly, a young man who is sensitive to “Folk” stuff, are along for the ride this time. Adams is not sure who to trust, as Rory, her impoverished gentry friend, seems to be working on the side of the Weres. This sixth outing in the DI Adams series is slightly less cozy, way more tension-filled and action-packed than previous books. It is still filled with humorous encounters, witty dialogue, and magical creatures.
Even if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, you will enjoy Dales of the Unexpected. I love the unique world Kim M. Watt has created and highly recommend this book.
Thank you to the author for access to an advanced reader copy.
Detective Inspector Adams of the North Yorkshire Police may have found her most dangerous and puzzling case yet. Or rather, it has found her. Adams is searching for several missing persons when she finds herself unexpectedly stranded on the moors. Who put her there, and what do they want? Adams is unsure of where she is or how to get home. All she knows for sure is she doesn’t have her duck, her big stick, or her invisible hellhound, Dandy. And horror of all horrors, there is no coffee. Nothing on this estate is what it seems; there are traps around every corner.
For a person who doesn’t like people, Adams is collecting more friends. With those friends comes the need to interact with them and protect them. Chloe, a young hedge witch, and Olly, a young man who is sensitive to “Folk” stuff, are along for the ride this time. Adams is not sure who to trust, as Rory, her impoverished gentry friend, seems to be working on the side of the Weres. This sixth outing in the DI Adams series is slightly less cozy, way more tension-filled and action-packed than previous books. It is still filled with humorous encounters, witty dialogue, and magical creatures.
Even if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, you will enjoy Dales of the Unexpected. I love the unique world Kim M. Watt has created and highly recommend this book.
Thank you to the author for access to an advanced reader copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Firstly, I received this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review, so here it is...
It's excellent, as usual, but perhaps a little different to our young Adams previous adventures. It feels a bit more serious, I mean being lost in the icy wilds of the Dales in December is bad enough, being without as much as a drink of coffee, is a bit harsh, let alone the rest of the things she has to deal with. (Maybe a few small spoilers, sorry) No duck, no stick, no dog...no s**t!! And Rory? Good guy, bad guy, just a guy?
And to top it all is the reason she's where she, and eventually a few others are; for the hunt. And she's not on the right end of it. With statues that are too mobile for anyone's good, a wood siren (who'd love to be top of the charts), a Crumbkin, a handful of over enthusiastic posh wierdos on horseback, it's a far too realistic race against time. And the real Hunt.
I love this book, I find it reminiscent of my favourite PI and his more or less human sidekick from Leeds. DI Adams has grown up, a bit, and now seems to have a clear goal in life, rather than arresting all the bad guys she can. I look forward to seeing where she goes from here, and what she does with the very big stick in her car boot! And I do wonder about the research the author had to do for this book...or was it all just imagined...
It's excellent, as usual, but perhaps a little different to our young Adams previous adventures. It feels a bit more serious, I mean being lost in the icy wilds of the Dales in December is bad enough, being without as much as a drink of coffee, is a bit harsh, let alone the rest of the things she has to deal with. (Maybe a few small spoilers, sorry) No duck, no stick, no dog...no s**t!! And Rory? Good guy, bad guy, just a guy?
And to top it all is the reason she's where she, and eventually a few others are; for the hunt. And she's not on the right end of it. With statues that are too mobile for anyone's good, a wood siren (who'd love to be top of the charts), a Crumbkin, a handful of over enthusiastic posh wierdos on horseback, it's a far too realistic race against time. And the real Hunt.
I love this book, I find it reminiscent of my favourite PI and his more or less human sidekick from Leeds. DI Adams has grown up, a bit, and now seems to have a clear goal in life, rather than arresting all the bad guys she can. I look forward to seeing where she goes from here, and what she does with the very big stick in her car boot! And I do wonder about the research the author had to do for this book...or was it all just imagined...
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got an advanced readers copy for free - for an honest review and honest it is.
This is a tour de force from Kim with a splendidly outrageous start with an aggressive troll and a dodgy gambling den run by Fae. Then we leave that scene and find DI Adams trying not to be sectioned for being "mentally unstable" and DI Collins wondering why people are going missing in the Dales. From that point on we gallop along a rip-roaring adventure of dodgy hunters, fairy villages and magicians. The layers between our world and other worlds are very thin and DI Adams is learning to distinguish between them as she fights for survival and resists temptation to become magically powerful. There are delightful bits slipped in, like an alligator is called Florence and the food offerings in the fairy/fae village are bizarre and nauseating.
The hunt is excruciating to follow as it leaves you with your heart in your mouth with narrow misses and the lack of the dandy devil dog and a duck. Lack of coffee stands high in the problems Adams faces so she starts to question the nature of reality and how her version of it was getting more unreliable all the time.
The descriptive writing is excellent, like "a big man, tall and solid... cut from the same stuff as the fells." or geese are "opportunistic agents of chaos".
A splendid tale again and I'm off to re-read it
This is a tour de force from Kim with a splendidly outrageous start with an aggressive troll and a dodgy gambling den run by Fae. Then we leave that scene and find DI Adams trying not to be sectioned for being "mentally unstable" and DI Collins wondering why people are going missing in the Dales. From that point on we gallop along a rip-roaring adventure of dodgy hunters, fairy villages and magicians. The layers between our world and other worlds are very thin and DI Adams is learning to distinguish between them as she fights for survival and resists temptation to become magically powerful. There are delightful bits slipped in, like an alligator is called Florence and the food offerings in the fairy/fae village are bizarre and nauseating.
The hunt is excruciating to follow as it leaves you with your heart in your mouth with narrow misses and the lack of the dandy devil dog and a duck. Lack of coffee stands high in the problems Adams faces so she starts to question the nature of reality and how her version of it was getting more unreliable all the time.
The descriptive writing is excellent, like "a big man, tall and solid... cut from the same stuff as the fells." or geese are "opportunistic agents of chaos".
A splendid tale again and I'm off to re-read it
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh my.
Oh my oh my.
Do you really want to deprive Adams of her duck, very big stick and Dandy? Or worse still, coffee? One hunt organiser is going to find out that it’s a very bad idea indeed.
But first Adams needs to evade the hunt, the bog snakes, the weird statues and what is it with inanimate objects going snap snap snap? A chair should be just that. A chair! (But maybe these ones are relatives of beach deckchairs?)
A siren with the desire for a hit number one, a hound that isn’t Dandy but rather likes Adams all the same, a bewhiskered Crumbkin capable of traversing unseen paths whilst having nice nail art and cobblers just dying to get their teeth into the fleeing hunted. Adams is not having a good night.
At least she found some jet fuel. Or rather coffee, that’s been left mysteriously unattended and that no one else will drink. And now she’s determined that if she can’t arrest anyone she will at least like to hit someone and that someone may just be the one who arranged this nightmare of an evening.
Read it. Read it again. Then read it AGAIN. You’ll be laughing at the quips, gasping at the woods and going ewwww at the specials board. Do take your own big stick and make sure you have your duck because you’ll want to keep them handy throughout. Just in case.
Oh my oh my.
Do you really want to deprive Adams of her duck, very big stick and Dandy? Or worse still, coffee? One hunt organiser is going to find out that it’s a very bad idea indeed.
But first Adams needs to evade the hunt, the bog snakes, the weird statues and what is it with inanimate objects going snap snap snap? A chair should be just that. A chair! (But maybe these ones are relatives of beach deckchairs?)
A siren with the desire for a hit number one, a hound that isn’t Dandy but rather likes Adams all the same, a bewhiskered Crumbkin capable of traversing unseen paths whilst having nice nail art and cobblers just dying to get their teeth into the fleeing hunted. Adams is not having a good night.
At least she found some jet fuel. Or rather coffee, that’s been left mysteriously unattended and that no one else will drink. And now she’s determined that if she can’t arrest anyone she will at least like to hit someone and that someone may just be the one who arranged this nightmare of an evening.
Read it. Read it again. Then read it AGAIN. You’ll be laughing at the quips, gasping at the woods and going ewwww at the specials board. Do take your own big stick and make sure you have your duck because you’ll want to keep them handy throughout. Just in case.
July 3, 2026
I'm not a writer but Kim Watt sure is. She brings each installment of the DI Adams books to life with wonderful characters, great action/suspense, and bits of humor.
DI Adams and DI Collins are stumped by the number of missing persons over the years who haven't been investigated. They decide to check into the matter. She is then called to her friend Rory's home where she again comes upon the were Marcus. Next thing she knows, she's waking up in a ditch on the moors without her duck, her stick. her dog, or coffee. Dandy made an earlier brief appearance and is sorely missed.
DI Adams finds herself on a magical estate with water-spouting statutes, an alligator, snakes, a singing sprite and other strange creatures. Some are out to get her while others help her allude those who are hunting her and others she found along the way. Their efforts to escape are nightmarish and only DI Adam's determination to survive and serve justice to those involved bring about a wonderful ending.
Another delightful, magical, and romping good time spent with DI Adams and all her friends old and new.
Disclaimer: I received a free Advanced Reader copy from the author. This in no way impacted my review.
DI Adams and DI Collins are stumped by the number of missing persons over the years who haven't been investigated. They decide to check into the matter. She is then called to her friend Rory's home where she again comes upon the were Marcus. Next thing she knows, she's waking up in a ditch on the moors without her duck, her stick. her dog, or coffee. Dandy made an earlier brief appearance and is sorely missed.
DI Adams finds herself on a magical estate with water-spouting statutes, an alligator, snakes, a singing sprite and other strange creatures. Some are out to get her while others help her allude those who are hunting her and others she found along the way. Their efforts to escape are nightmarish and only DI Adam's determination to survive and serve justice to those involved bring about a wonderful ending.
Another delightful, magical, and romping good time spent with DI Adams and all her friends old and new.
Disclaimer: I received a free Advanced Reader copy from the author. This in no way impacted my review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In this installment of DI Adam's adventures in the North, she's trapped in the Dales by persons unknown, without her dog, her duck, and her big stick but with a burning desire to whack someone or arrest them with extreme prejudice. Also, sadly, a sense of betrayal.
Adams is wandering alone in an unfamiliar environment, trying to find her way out, like the heroine of a 1950s mystery novel by Mary Stewart - just as determined and intrepid though maybe not as confused and clueless.
Many weird creatures follow her and try to impede her progress, like moving statues, toothy geckos, and twig creatures playing musical instruments. My favorite is the enchanting (hehe) Jenny of the Woods.
As usual the writing is dark, lyrical and studded with flashes of humor. I laughed aloud at Chloe the hedge witch trying to prevent her pet snake from eating a gecko:
“Oh, Mabel, no,” Chloe said, grabbing the snake and the critter. “No, you don’t know where it’s been!”
This novel a delight, so much so that I was willing to forgive the ear worm that lived rent free in my brain for days. Eagerly awaiting the next one.
Adams is wandering alone in an unfamiliar environment, trying to find her way out, like the heroine of a 1950s mystery novel by Mary Stewart - just as determined and intrepid though maybe not as confused and clueless.
Many weird creatures follow her and try to impede her progress, like moving statues, toothy geckos, and twig creatures playing musical instruments. My favorite is the enchanting (hehe) Jenny of the Woods.
As usual the writing is dark, lyrical and studded with flashes of humor. I laughed aloud at Chloe the hedge witch trying to prevent her pet snake from eating a gecko:
“Oh, Mabel, no,” Chloe said, grabbing the snake and the critter. “No, you don’t know where it’s been!”
This novel a delight, so much so that I was willing to forgive the ear worm that lived rent free in my brain for days. Eagerly awaiting the next one.
June 26, 2026
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kim M. Watt really did it again, another fascinating instalment in the D.I. Adams series.
It all started as a more or less straightforward bust of a gambling den, but then it all went pear-shaped.
D.I. Adams gets stuck up the moors without a, well, without a duck, Dandy, coffee and a stick. Yet she can’t give up, and it’s not just herself stuck up those moors either!
A complicated struggle to get free ensues. Who is friend, who is foe, who can she trust and where IS she in the first place.
Another breathtaking adventure for D.I.Adams, it took some effort to pace myself and take it in moderate morsels, but I will re-read more slowly because now I know how it ends and I can sleep again.
Some wonderful old and new characters, on various numbers of feet, and help from unexpected sides but also some quite persistent ‘bad’ guys.
Oh, and it will give you a nice earworm to boot.
Kim M. Watt really did it again, another fascinating instalment in the D.I. Adams series.
It all started as a more or less straightforward bust of a gambling den, but then it all went pear-shaped.
D.I. Adams gets stuck up the moors without a, well, without a duck, Dandy, coffee and a stick. Yet she can’t give up, and it’s not just herself stuck up those moors either!
A complicated struggle to get free ensues. Who is friend, who is foe, who can she trust and where IS she in the first place.
Another breathtaking adventure for D.I.Adams, it took some effort to pace myself and take it in moderate morsels, but I will re-read more slowly because now I know how it ends and I can sleep again.
Some wonderful old and new characters, on various numbers of feet, and help from unexpected sides but also some quite persistent ‘bad’ guys.
Oh, and it will give you a nice earworm to boot.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Being kidnapped is bad enough, being kidnapped and dumped on creepy magical moors to be hunted for sport is another thing entirely. Fans of DI Adams’ continuing adventures through the magical world that exists in the shadows and forgotten places of our own will love this latest addition to the series. What will Adam’s do when statues, aristocrats, and gingerbread villages are closing in, and she finds herself duck-less, stick-less and invisible dog-less? The only thing left maybe learning to lean on those confusing, irritating, and often surprising people that just possibly could be considered to be her friends.
I highly recommend this book and all the others in this series for some fun escapist reading. It’s the perfect series for when this world we live in gets to be too exhausting and you could use a little magical pick-me-up. It’s probably better for you than DI Adam’s levels of caffeine consumption at the very least.
I highly recommend this book and all the others in this series for some fun escapist reading. It’s the perfect series for when this world we live in gets to be too exhausting and you could use a little magical pick-me-up. It’s probably better for you than DI Adam’s levels of caffeine consumption at the very least.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Such an enjoyable book! DI Adams is on top form although the forces ranged against her are powerful. She and Collins are tracing missing people with no success and Rory may be able to help, but then shakes Adams’ trust and Marcus seems to be helping the opposition too. Adams and Chloe are plunged into the centre of a world where nothing is right and Dandy is missing! Chloe is there but she and Adams have been dumped into a world where everything is out to get them. Together with the lost people they are pushed towards danger as a deadly hunt pursues them and the threats close in. The odds are stacked against them and the most fabulous chase ensues. The story swept me along. I can’t wait for the next one, thank you Kim for yet another splendid tale of DI Adams and her odd but delightful associates.
July 1, 2026
It isn’t hyperbole to say that the D I Adams series just keeps getting stronger. There is an increasing depth to the stories that hooks you in. That’s not to say that it isn’t funny and whimsical but there are certainly a few anxious moments! Just be very careful when you wander into those cosy perfect little villages.You don’t have too have read the other books in the series but it helps as you see returning characters develop, in particular ,Chloe the witch who comes into her own. I became very fond of Gussie the wolfhound and was looking forward to her and Dandy possibly becoming a thing. Although I can see the difficulties what with Dandy being a demon dog and all. There is definite progress in discovering who is behind all the strange happenings (you need to read the other books!) But there is clearly more to come. Thoroughly recommend.
July 5, 2026
Dales of the unexpected: number six in the DI Adams series
In disclosure i received an ARC copy - but also downloaded from Kobo
I have just finished reading this. There was one massive problem with it. I had to read all the first five first, there was some magic involved. Or perhaps it was the cats that make a home with me insisting on it.
As usual, this was darker than the Beaufort ones, but the darkness was alleviated by the descriptions of the dales. I still haven’t worked out how long they were lost for – or (spoiler) what Adams will do with the big baddy in future times.
I couldn’t put it down - so read through the football matches. The background shouts lending something to the overall spookiness.
Well worth the read. But I would recommend reading all the rest in the series first to make sense of some of the nuances.
In disclosure i received an ARC copy - but also downloaded from Kobo
I have just finished reading this. There was one massive problem with it. I had to read all the first five first, there was some magic involved. Or perhaps it was the cats that make a home with me insisting on it.
As usual, this was darker than the Beaufort ones, but the darkness was alleviated by the descriptions of the dales. I still haven’t worked out how long they were lost for – or (spoiler) what Adams will do with the big baddy in future times.
I couldn’t put it down - so read through the football matches. The background shouts lending something to the overall spookiness.
Well worth the read. But I would recommend reading all the rest in the series first to make sense of some of the nuances.
Review of advance copy received from Author
DI Adams is back with another great adventure! This time she’s being attacked by both sides, her own people and The Folk! She seems to be considered a huge threat to someone, but who? And why? Plenty of high stakes mysteries and action and one heart stopping possible betrayal! I won’t divulge any more since I hate spoilers but I just have to say that since I discovered Kim Watt several years ago she’s become my favorite author and I devour everything she does 😉! All of her series are must reads but Adams and cohort are one of the best. I received an advance copy of this book and this review is my heartfelt opinion of it . Now on to the next agonizing wait for more 🙂
Review of advance copy received from Author
DI Adams is finding work frustrating, as people she has arrested get released without charge or explanation. Equally mysteriously, a series of missing persons have been misfiled – the most recent as a missing pet! Who can be trusted?
A visit to a friend ends with her waking alone on the moors with no sign of Dandy, her duck, or coffee. But she’s not entirely alone, and we are introduced to new friends as well as new enemies – or at least newly identified enemies.
I don’t think it counts as a spoiler to say everyone survives and there are hints of more shenanigans for Adams and her friends in the next book: get writing Kim!
A visit to a friend ends with her waking alone on the moors with no sign of Dandy, her duck, or coffee. But she’s not entirely alone, and we are introduced to new friends as well as new enemies – or at least newly identified enemies.
I don’t think it counts as a spoiler to say everyone survives and there are hints of more shenanigans for Adams and her friends in the next book: get writing Kim!
Review of advance copy received from Author
As with all D.I. Adams sagas, Dales of the Unexpected races forward, disaster after disastrous twist, so fast I myself can hardly breathe. But Dales leaves me shivering even more because it so subtly dredges up truths that we’re all trying-to-not-think-about-all-the-time, just like the “classics” we were assigned to read in school, but then discovered we loved and continue to mull over years later. Dales begins with shadows and corruption looming over Adams, and its victory (Whew!) resolves little, with hints of darker shadows linked to that corruption. Thankfully, Adams and her merry band live to fight another day – may we all do the same. Read it! (May the next book come soon!)
Review of advance copy received from Author
DI Adams has taught us to appreciate the value of ducks and big sticks, but what happens when she’s separated from both?
This latest instalment breaks new ground for her and for her companions, old and new, and it’s a fast paced romp through the Yorkshire Dales. We meet fae, folk and monsters (mostly human) along the way and in the process learn more about Adams and the world she inhabits than ever before.
I couldn’t put this book down, and have no hesitation in recommending it to others. I think you’d be fine if this was the first time you met Adams, but you will certainly get more depth if you are aware of the lore and events that brought us here. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This latest instalment breaks new ground for her and for her companions, old and new, and it’s a fast paced romp through the Yorkshire Dales. We meet fae, folk and monsters (mostly human) along the way and in the process learn more about Adams and the world she inhabits than ever before.
I couldn’t put this book down, and have no hesitation in recommending it to others. I think you’d be fine if this was the first time you met Adams, but you will certainly get more depth if you are aware of the lore and events that brought us here. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 30, 2026
Another absolute romp in the DI Adams series. This entry in the series is much more active, with chases and battles galore. But we still get some more background into Adams and her connections to the "Other." Kim driiiiiiiibles out the details, making us want to get to the next book so we can maybe one day understand everything that's going on.
Of course you really should read all of the prior books from Kim first, including the Toot Hansel/Beaufort Scales books so that you'll get more of the inside story.
Highly recommended, and can't wait for the next book.
Note that this book was received early from the author, which is why I can post a review so quickly.
Of course you really should read all of the prior books from Kim first, including the Toot Hansel/Beaufort Scales books so that you'll get more of the inside story.
Highly recommended, and can't wait for the next book.
Note that this book was received early from the author, which is why I can post a review so quickly.
June 30, 2026
Wow! My favorite Detective Inspector , DI Adams is back in a big way. Whatever is going on in the Dales, she’s determined to get to the bottom of it. But then while investigating she’s abducted and wakes up on a deserted moor without her big stick, her duck, or (the horrors!) any coffee. What for duck’s sake is going on? Was she betrayed? Double crossed? Only time and investigation will tell. Big five stars for this newest entry in the series. It kept me reading and rooting for the good guys. I highly suggest starting from the beginning of the series if you haven’t read the previous books. As a read alone it would be enjoyable, but you’d miss a lot of backstory.
July 3, 2026
Thank you to the author for an advance copy, this is my honest review.
This is an un-put-downable book! DI Adams has been kidnapped and is trapped in an estate without her trusty Dandy (or, horror of horrors, coffee) and must escape. The writing is very atmospheric and wonderfully descriptive. There are dangers and unexpected allies and Adams and her company must evade traps and survive a terrifying hunt. There are also multiple very good dogs!
I really love that over the books, Adams goes from operating on her own to building a trusted circle of friends (both human and not), and am eagerly waiting for her next adventure!
This is an un-put-downable book! DI Adams has been kidnapped and is trapped in an estate without her trusty Dandy (or, horror of horrors, coffee) and must escape. The writing is very atmospheric and wonderfully descriptive. There are dangers and unexpected allies and Adams and her company must evade traps and survive a terrifying hunt. There are also multiple very good dogs!
I really love that over the books, Adams goes from operating on her own to building a trusted circle of friends (both human and not), and am eagerly waiting for her next adventure!
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