What do you think?
Rate this book
Run to the Hills
Not yet published
Expected 1 Feb 27In the first in this gripping crime thriller series from multimillion copy bestselling author David J. Gatward, Detective Sam Metcalfe came home to heal. But his past came with him.
After years undercover among London’s most violent criminals, Sam Metcalfe returns to the Yorkshire Dales hollowed out, haunted and barely sure of his own name. He’s looking for silence. For open moorland, drystone walls and a place to disappear.
Instead, he finds a father who won’t speak to him, a community that hasn’t forgiven him and a hostile team that’s determined to see him fail. And when blood is spilled on the frozen moors, a decade-old disappearance takes on a terrifying new meaning—one that puts everything he came home for at risk.
When Sam receives a message colder than a Dales winter, it becomes clear that his past hasn’t just followed him home. It’s here to kill.
After years undercover among London’s most violent criminals, Sam Metcalfe returns to the Yorkshire Dales hollowed out, haunted and barely sure of his own name. He’s looking for silence. For open moorland, drystone walls and a place to disappear.
Instead, he finds a father who won’t speak to him, a community that hasn’t forgiven him and a hostile team that’s determined to see him fail. And when blood is spilled on the frozen moors, a decade-old disappearance takes on a terrifying new meaning—one that puts everything he came home for at risk.
When Sam receives a message colder than a Dales winter, it becomes clear that his past hasn’t just followed him home. It’s here to kill.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 1, 2027
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For quite some time, the suggestion has been made to me that I need to read David J. Gatward’s Grimm series. I have refused because there are so many books to the series, and I don’t want another series that I will have to go back and read so many books.
When I saw he was starting a new series, I thought I would give it a shot to see if I enjoyed his writing style. From the cover and the description, I was expecting a good book, but nothing that would make the author stand out from the crowd.
Boy, was I wrong.
First, let me say, Gatward has made me want to visit the area. I have already told my wife that L.J. Ross has me planning a trip to visit the UK to visit all the sites from her books. Now I have someone else that is helping to plan that trip. The scenery becomes a character in and of itself.
But then you add to the scenery the complicated character of Detective Sam Metcalfe. First, let me say a thank you to the author. This is not another “doesn’t play by the rules” detective always fighting against authority. That has been done to death.
The unfolding backstory starts out with the opening of the book. And what an opener it is. Had me hooked from the beginning.
As a mystery plays out in current time, we get more and more glimpses into Metcalfe’s past and eventually, the two timelines converge. It’s more like a Big Bang.
And to add on top of that, not everything is going to get wrapped up with a neat little bow. Because, honestly, that isn’t life.
The only downside to this novel is that it made me go to an online retail store and started looking at the Grimm series. Ugh. Here I go. Why? Because Gatward has shot towards the top of my must-read list.
I’m not sure when the next book in this series comes out, but I am ready right now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
When I saw he was starting a new series, I thought I would give it a shot to see if I enjoyed his writing style. From the cover and the description, I was expecting a good book, but nothing that would make the author stand out from the crowd.
Boy, was I wrong.
First, let me say, Gatward has made me want to visit the area. I have already told my wife that L.J. Ross has me planning a trip to visit the UK to visit all the sites from her books. Now I have someone else that is helping to plan that trip. The scenery becomes a character in and of itself.
But then you add to the scenery the complicated character of Detective Sam Metcalfe. First, let me say a thank you to the author. This is not another “doesn’t play by the rules” detective always fighting against authority. That has been done to death.
The unfolding backstory starts out with the opening of the book. And what an opener it is. Had me hooked from the beginning.
As a mystery plays out in current time, we get more and more glimpses into Metcalfe’s past and eventually, the two timelines converge. It’s more like a Big Bang.
And to add on top of that, not everything is going to get wrapped up with a neat little bow. Because, honestly, that isn’t life.
The only downside to this novel is that it made me go to an online retail store and started looking at the Grimm series. Ugh. Here I go. Why? Because Gatward has shot towards the top of my must-read list.
I’m not sure when the next book in this series comes out, but I am ready right now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.
I have had Grimm Up North - the first novel in Gatward’s DCI Harry Grimm series - on my TBR for several years. The 25 volume collection, however, seemed overwhelming. I was therefore incredibly happy to get this advance copy from Amazon Books UK and NetGalley. The pace is fast. Breathless and exciting. Run to the Hills is where we are introduced to detective Sam Metcalfe. Coming off a long and tumultuous undercover stint Sam returns to his childhood home in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales. Once there he is confronted with all his past lives and tossed into an old mystery with fresh twists. Gatward is an excellent plotter with a particular skill towards dialogue and it throws you right in the middle of things. This creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere and propels to the end. I had an absolute blast reading the book and am glad to have discovered another author I really enjoyed.
I have had Grimm Up North - the first novel in Gatward’s DCI Harry Grimm series - on my TBR for several years. The 25 volume collection, however, seemed overwhelming. I was therefore incredibly happy to get this advance copy from Amazon Books UK and NetGalley. The pace is fast. Breathless and exciting. Run to the Hills is where we are introduced to detective Sam Metcalfe. Coming off a long and tumultuous undercover stint Sam returns to his childhood home in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales. Once there he is confronted with all his past lives and tossed into an old mystery with fresh twists. Gatward is an excellent plotter with a particular skill towards dialogue and it throws you right in the middle of things. This creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere and propels to the end. I had an absolute blast reading the book and am glad to have discovered another author I really enjoyed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a big fan of David Gatward’s DCI Harry Grimm and his newer DI Haig series I was very pleased to receive Run to the Hills, the first in his Sam Metcalfe series. I was expecting something similar to his other books, but this is very different.
Sam Metcalfe had worked undercover in London but after a very violent case returns to the Yorkshire Dales to try and get his life back together working in the local police force. His past and present life soon collide together in this fast paced novel which is hard hitting and probably not for the squeamish! It gripped me from the beginning, so much so I read it in a day. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Sam Metcalfe had worked undercover in London but after a very violent case returns to the Yorkshire Dales to try and get his life back together working in the local police force. His past and present life soon collide together in this fast paced novel which is hard hitting and probably not for the squeamish! It gripped me from the beginning, so much so I read it in a day. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews