What do you think?
Rate this book
DC Harriet Taylor #3
The Backpacker
From #1 best-selling author: Stewart Giles comes a new detective story set on the Cornish coast. Where the pretty villages and towns hold some very dark secrets.
WHAT IS THE SECRET AT LANDELL’S FARM?
A girl’s body is found hidden in a remote spot of a Cornish Farm. The same farm that a young girl ran towards to escape her pursuer many years before. Detective Harriet Taylor has to abandon her day out to investigate.
As the forensics team get to work they uncover another mystery hidden among the rocks.
Who would kill a young backpacker? Is there a link between this and a mystery from many years ago?
As Harriet and the team get to work they find more questions than answers. What secrets is the sleepy Cornish village hiding?
This is a fast-paced page-turner that has so many twists and turns it keeps the reader guessing right up to the shocking end.
WHAT IS THE SECRET AT LANDELL’S FARM?
A girl’s body is found hidden in a remote spot of a Cornish Farm. The same farm that a young girl ran towards to escape her pursuer many years before. Detective Harriet Taylor has to abandon her day out to investigate.
As the forensics team get to work they uncover another mystery hidden among the rocks.
Who would kill a young backpacker? Is there a link between this and a mystery from many years ago?
As Harriet and the team get to work they find more questions than answers. What secrets is the sleepy Cornish village hiding?
This is a fast-paced page-turner that has so many twists and turns it keeps the reader guessing right up to the shocking end.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2018
82 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Stewart Giles
83 books85 followersAfter reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live. After Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later. 3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series - the DC Harriet Taylor Cornwall series. The Beekeeper hit the shelves and hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well. The third in the series, The Backpacker I have self-published and is now available.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 1, 2018
4.5 Stars
DC Harriet Taylor is back for her third adventure. Even though this is 3rd in the series, it does well as a stand alone.
Taylor has been called to investigate when a young girl's body is found hidden on a Cornish farm. While finding dead bodies is not the norm, the bigger surprise is that they find a second body in the same place that has been buried there for over 20 years.
The young woman is identified as a backpacker .. a person who hikes the available trails. Who would want to hurt her?
As Taylor and her team look into the crime, they find more questions than answers. Harriet is becoming obsessed with the second body, unidentified, and doesn't understand why the other detectives bar her in every way from looking into the death. Someone knows more than they are telling ... but what ..or who .. is hiding something? And is it connected with the more recent killing?
There are plenty of suspects to follow in this well written crime fiction. The girl's boyfriend who doesn't seem too upset ... the brother she hasn't spoken to in years ... members of the farm where she was found ... or was this a random killing?
There are lots of twists and turns and surprises as alternating chapters tell about what is happening today and what happened all those years ago. It's easy to follow and has a surprising ending.
As always I recommend starting at the beginning of this riveting series.
Many thanks to the author / Books N All Promotions / Jill Burkinshaw for the digital copy of The Backpacker. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
DC Harriet Taylor is back for her third adventure. Even though this is 3rd in the series, it does well as a stand alone.
Taylor has been called to investigate when a young girl's body is found hidden on a Cornish farm. While finding dead bodies is not the norm, the bigger surprise is that they find a second body in the same place that has been buried there for over 20 years.
The young woman is identified as a backpacker .. a person who hikes the available trails. Who would want to hurt her?
As Taylor and her team look into the crime, they find more questions than answers. Harriet is becoming obsessed with the second body, unidentified, and doesn't understand why the other detectives bar her in every way from looking into the death. Someone knows more than they are telling ... but what ..or who .. is hiding something? And is it connected with the more recent killing?
There are plenty of suspects to follow in this well written crime fiction. The girl's boyfriend who doesn't seem too upset ... the brother she hasn't spoken to in years ... members of the farm where she was found ... or was this a random killing?
There are lots of twists and turns and surprises as alternating chapters tell about what is happening today and what happened all those years ago. It's easy to follow and has a surprising ending.
As always I recommend starting at the beginning of this riveting series.
Many thanks to the author / Books N All Promotions / Jill Burkinshaw for the digital copy of The Backpacker. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
August 1, 2018
Harriet and the team are called to Landell’s Farm, where a young girl’s body has been found in a remote spot. The forensics team quickly discover that another body is also buried there, many years previously.
The young girl was meant to be backpacking along a trail which crosses Landell’s Farm. The other body is a much more difficult case. There are few suspects, and more questions than answers.
Will Harriet and the team discover what happened to both bodies?
Whilst this is the third in the Harriet Taylor mysteries, it can easily be read as a standalone. There are no references to previous cases.
I’ve read the previous 2 novels in this series, and am going to admit to being quite disappointed in this one.
The plot centres around 2 dead bodies, one from the present and one from the past. Harriet seems to be the only one concerned with discovering what happened to both bodies. Everyone else seems uninterested in the older case.
I still love Harriet’s team, but the humour that mostly comes from the 2 PCs, both called White, was sadly missing. I was also quite disappointed with the ending.
It’s still a good read.
The young girl was meant to be backpacking along a trail which crosses Landell’s Farm. The other body is a much more difficult case. There are few suspects, and more questions than answers.
Will Harriet and the team discover what happened to both bodies?
Whilst this is the third in the Harriet Taylor mysteries, it can easily be read as a standalone. There are no references to previous cases.
I’ve read the previous 2 novels in this series, and am going to admit to being quite disappointed in this one.
The plot centres around 2 dead bodies, one from the present and one from the past. Harriet seems to be the only one concerned with discovering what happened to both bodies. Everyone else seems uninterested in the older case.
I still love Harriet’s team, but the humour that mostly comes from the 2 PCs, both called White, was sadly missing. I was also quite disappointed with the ending.
It’s still a good read.
August 7, 2018
Harriet Taylor is spending some much need rest time sailing with her new boyfriend pathologist Dr Jon Finch when a call comes in they’ve found a body of a young woman up at Landell’s farm. It turns out to be Frenchwoman Lauren Moreau, an avid hiker out to walk the coast to coast trail nearby. While investigating they unearth a second body which has been there for much longer.
With her hands full and short staffed Harriet can’t get the second body out of her mind. Are the two deaths linked and who is the mystery dead man?
So this is third in the DC Harriet Taylor series and the second I’ve read, but it can be read as a stand alone. Personally I would recommend starting at the beginning with The Beekeeper just to get a better understanding of the characters and setting.
Sometimes I love diving back into a series with familiar characters that I am already know and enjoy. The book isn’t that long but there’s plenty packed into it! With the fast pace I absolutely flew through it, I could not stop turning those pages!
Harriet is still as determined for justice as usual, although she is suffering from insomnia and headaches but that won’t stop her cracking the case! I adored the fact that she has found a new relationship with Jon Finch after the one with her husband ended so badly.
I also want to note there is quite a few sailing terms in the book but there’s a handy glossary of terms at the front, now if someone asked me what a jib sheet was, I now know what the heck they’re talking about!
There’s two storylines, one from 1996 and one from the present that are weaved together well. I did really enjoy the two narratives, each one as interesting as the other but I think they needed signposting a little better. What I mean to say is 1996 chapters were labelled but the present was not making it a little jarring when it changed eras.
Also I felt the ending was a little rushed compared to Stewart Giles other books but it is well worth a read.
I would recommend this for fans of police procedurals with a strong female lead.
With her hands full and short staffed Harriet can’t get the second body out of her mind. Are the two deaths linked and who is the mystery dead man?
So this is third in the DC Harriet Taylor series and the second I’ve read, but it can be read as a stand alone. Personally I would recommend starting at the beginning with The Beekeeper just to get a better understanding of the characters and setting.
Sometimes I love diving back into a series with familiar characters that I am already know and enjoy. The book isn’t that long but there’s plenty packed into it! With the fast pace I absolutely flew through it, I could not stop turning those pages!
Harriet is still as determined for justice as usual, although she is suffering from insomnia and headaches but that won’t stop her cracking the case! I adored the fact that she has found a new relationship with Jon Finch after the one with her husband ended so badly.
I also want to note there is quite a few sailing terms in the book but there’s a handy glossary of terms at the front, now if someone asked me what a jib sheet was, I now know what the heck they’re talking about!
There’s two storylines, one from 1996 and one from the present that are weaved together well. I did really enjoy the two narratives, each one as interesting as the other but I think they needed signposting a little better. What I mean to say is 1996 chapters were labelled but the present was not making it a little jarring when it changed eras.
Also I felt the ending was a little rushed compared to Stewart Giles other books but it is well worth a read.
I would recommend this for fans of police procedurals with a strong female lead.
July 12, 2020
Good!
This is the first book I've read by this author, but I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it from the opening pages. The story was captivating, the characters were intriguing, and the story was pretty good. It's a definite must read for crime readers. I've started backwards at book 3, but I already have book 1 downloaded to read.
This is the first book I've read by this author, but I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it from the opening pages. The story was captivating, the characters were intriguing, and the story was pretty good. It's a definite must read for crime readers. I've started backwards at book 3, but I already have book 1 downloaded to read.
July 30, 2018
Review will be posted as part of the Blog Tour
August 3, 2018
I've read a few books by Stewart Giles and this new release hasn't disappointed me. I love his writing and have been known to say that I would read his shopping lists with great interest!
A woman's body has been found in an out-of-the-way place on a Cornish farm but, while the police are retrieving it, they discover another body which must have been there for about twenty years. Detectives Killian and Harriet Taylor are called in to investigate but they concentrate on the most-recent murder. Harriet, who is a determined young lady, cannot leave the second body to lie and begins her own investigation at home.
Throughout the book we are given little snippets of the action from twenty years previously which builds the tension over Harriet's investigations and, eventually, it is realised that the two cases are connected. The action rushes on until we are given all the answers at the end. (I won't spoil it!)
Stewart Giles books are always a pleasure to read with so many ins and outs and possible perpetrators. The reader is kept on the edge of his/her seat and, I find, ignores everything in order to reach the end of the story. I would highly recommend this book to all lovers of police procedural and also those with a love of the English countryside. It's definitely 5 stars from me!
A woman's body has been found in an out-of-the-way place on a Cornish farm but, while the police are retrieving it, they discover another body which must have been there for about twenty years. Detectives Killian and Harriet Taylor are called in to investigate but they concentrate on the most-recent murder. Harriet, who is a determined young lady, cannot leave the second body to lie and begins her own investigation at home.
Throughout the book we are given little snippets of the action from twenty years previously which builds the tension over Harriet's investigations and, eventually, it is realised that the two cases are connected. The action rushes on until we are given all the answers at the end. (I won't spoil it!)
Stewart Giles books are always a pleasure to read with so many ins and outs and possible perpetrators. The reader is kept on the edge of his/her seat and, I find, ignores everything in order to reach the end of the story. I would highly recommend this book to all lovers of police procedural and also those with a love of the English countryside. It's definitely 5 stars from me!
August 5, 2018
I have a bit of a confession to make. Although I have read a fair few books of Stewart’s series featuring DS Jason Smith, I haven’t read any of the series featuring DC Harriet Taylor. Sorry Stewart. Never fear though because I have now read the first in the series featuring DC Harriet Taylor and I fully intend to read the rest of them. I absolutely loved, no make that adored reading ‘The Backpacker’ but more about that in a bit.
I couldn’t help but take to the character of DC Harriet Taylor from the moment I first met her. She is one determined, strong and feisty individual. She is involved in the search for the killer of a young lady. It turns out though that underneath some rocks underneath the first body, there is another body, which has been there for a substantial amount of time. DC Taylor is determined to have a hand in solving both cases. Harriet can’t understand why her colleagues are so reluctant and unapathetic towards the case of the person, who has lain dead for the longest period of time. It’s almost as if they are trying to sweep it under the carpet. She takes it upon herself to do what she can to solve the case. Even though she has been warned off taking the case any further by her senior colleagues, she is like a dog with a bone and she will not give the case up no matter how much she is told to. She thinks that out there a family is missing a member and she wants to reunite the body with their loved ones. Harriet picks up the littlest clues and investigates them further. Will Harriet manage to have a hand in solving both crimes? Why are her superiors so determined to prevent her investigating the older case? Who is hiding what secrets? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
This book is extremely well written. The story takes part in two different periods of time. One time slot is the present day story and the other time slot is written describing events that happened in 1996. The chapters written from 1996 go a long way to explaining what happened to one of the victims and why. This way of telling the story works really well, the chapters interlink and the story flows seamlessly as a result.
The author clearly cares about the characters in this book and this shines through in his writing. There were certain characters that I couldn’t help but take to and there were certain characters that made me want to punch them on the nose end. When I felt that my ‘friends’, those characters that I had taken to, were under attack I so wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to defend them. Before anybody shouts, yes I do know that ‘The Backpacker’ is a work of fiction but if I enjoy a book as much as I enjoyed this one, I tend to ‘live’ the story and I can imagine the action taking place in front of me. I really did feel as though I was a silent member of the investigating team.
Oh my giddy aunt this was one hell of a read. Somebody gave me the paperback copy of this book and as soon as I read the first paragraph, I could tell that this was going to be one of those books that I would become seriously addicted to. So it proved. I picked the book up at the right time for me because I was in need of a distraction for various reasons and distract me it did! I only intended to read a couple of a chapters but that intention soon went out of the window, because I was still sat there hours later and I had finished the book. The more I got into the story, the more I read and the quicker the pages turned. The page numbers flew past in a blur but because I was loving everything about the book so much, I hadn’t realised just how quick I was getting through the story until I closed the back cover.
Reading ‘The Backpacker’ was much like riding on a very unpredictable and scary rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns that you would find on a snakes and ladders board. There were also times when I dreaded turning the page because I feared what was going to happen next. Silly me because then I realised that if I wanted to know how the story ended then of course I had to turn the page.
In short, and in case you couldn’t tell, I absolutely adored reading ‘The Backpacker’ and I wholeheartedly recommend this author and all of his books to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Stewart Giles writes next but in the meantime I will seek out the other DS Jason Smith and DC Harriet Taylor books that I haven’t read yet and make reading them one of my top reading priorities. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I couldn’t help but take to the character of DC Harriet Taylor from the moment I first met her. She is one determined, strong and feisty individual. She is involved in the search for the killer of a young lady. It turns out though that underneath some rocks underneath the first body, there is another body, which has been there for a substantial amount of time. DC Taylor is determined to have a hand in solving both cases. Harriet can’t understand why her colleagues are so reluctant and unapathetic towards the case of the person, who has lain dead for the longest period of time. It’s almost as if they are trying to sweep it under the carpet. She takes it upon herself to do what she can to solve the case. Even though she has been warned off taking the case any further by her senior colleagues, she is like a dog with a bone and she will not give the case up no matter how much she is told to. She thinks that out there a family is missing a member and she wants to reunite the body with their loved ones. Harriet picks up the littlest clues and investigates them further. Will Harriet manage to have a hand in solving both crimes? Why are her superiors so determined to prevent her investigating the older case? Who is hiding what secrets? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
This book is extremely well written. The story takes part in two different periods of time. One time slot is the present day story and the other time slot is written describing events that happened in 1996. The chapters written from 1996 go a long way to explaining what happened to one of the victims and why. This way of telling the story works really well, the chapters interlink and the story flows seamlessly as a result.
The author clearly cares about the characters in this book and this shines through in his writing. There were certain characters that I couldn’t help but take to and there were certain characters that made me want to punch them on the nose end. When I felt that my ‘friends’, those characters that I had taken to, were under attack I so wanted to jump inside the pages of the book to defend them. Before anybody shouts, yes I do know that ‘The Backpacker’ is a work of fiction but if I enjoy a book as much as I enjoyed this one, I tend to ‘live’ the story and I can imagine the action taking place in front of me. I really did feel as though I was a silent member of the investigating team.
Oh my giddy aunt this was one hell of a read. Somebody gave me the paperback copy of this book and as soon as I read the first paragraph, I could tell that this was going to be one of those books that I would become seriously addicted to. So it proved. I picked the book up at the right time for me because I was in need of a distraction for various reasons and distract me it did! I only intended to read a couple of a chapters but that intention soon went out of the window, because I was still sat there hours later and I had finished the book. The more I got into the story, the more I read and the quicker the pages turned. The page numbers flew past in a blur but because I was loving everything about the book so much, I hadn’t realised just how quick I was getting through the story until I closed the back cover.
Reading ‘The Backpacker’ was much like riding on a very unpredictable and scary rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns that you would find on a snakes and ladders board. There were also times when I dreaded turning the page because I feared what was going to happen next. Silly me because then I realised that if I wanted to know how the story ended then of course I had to turn the page.
In short, and in case you couldn’t tell, I absolutely adored reading ‘The Backpacker’ and I wholeheartedly recommend this author and all of his books to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Stewart Giles writes next but in the meantime I will seek out the other DS Jason Smith and DC Harriet Taylor books that I haven’t read yet and make reading them one of my top reading priorities. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 30, 2019
The third in the DC Harriet Taylor series which is fast becoming one of my favourite sets of stories. There is possibly a little less of the dark humour than in the previous books and it is a more straightforward murder mystery than before. The main characters are now very well known the reader and to each other, and form a close knit team of investigators which is just as well, since they are facing a genuine puzzler of a murder. The body of a girl is found partially hidden at the edge of Landell's Farm in the quiet Cornish town. Eerily it is the same farm to which that a young girl ran to escape an attacker many years ago. The team of police are swiftly brought in to secure the crime scene and start interviewing possible witness when their colleagues in the forensics unit make another strange discovery hidden amongst the rocks. At first there appear to be no suspects or credible motives for the killing. As fast as suspects arise they are quickly discounted leaving Harriet and the rest of the team with little to go on. And does anyone but Harriet care about the strange mystery in the rocks? Again this is a cracking murder mystery, very well written with just the right amount of twists in the plot to keep up the pace to a shocking ending, one which I certainly didn't guess! Recommended reading.
October 4, 2018
This is the third book in the series I have read and I have loved all of them.
The main difference between this one and the previous two is that this one seems to be taking itself a lot more seriously than the previous two, although not as serious as police books I have read recently.
The book starts off with a body being found at the edge of a farm so Harriet and her team go to investigate it. Whilst there they discover another body, which has been there for a number of years.
The story concerns two separate timelines decades apart but both linked to the mystery of who killed both people.
Even though this didn't have the dark humour of the previous books it was still a brilliant read and I really liked the way it cut between different periods in time throughout. This was made easier by the fact that the year was written at the top of the chapter when going back to the 1990's.
The story flowed really well throughout and I was left guessing and second guessing myself whilst reading to try and figure out the link and who the murderer was before the big reveal. When the big reveal did arrive I was shocked by the answers but really liked the way the story ended. I also really hope this isn't the last we have seen of Harriet and her team.
The main difference between this one and the previous two is that this one seems to be taking itself a lot more seriously than the previous two, although not as serious as police books I have read recently.
The book starts off with a body being found at the edge of a farm so Harriet and her team go to investigate it. Whilst there they discover another body, which has been there for a number of years.
The story concerns two separate timelines decades apart but both linked to the mystery of who killed both people.
Even though this didn't have the dark humour of the previous books it was still a brilliant read and I really liked the way it cut between different periods in time throughout. This was made easier by the fact that the year was written at the top of the chapter when going back to the 1990's.
The story flowed really well throughout and I was left guessing and second guessing myself whilst reading to try and figure out the link and who the murderer was before the big reveal. When the big reveal did arrive I was shocked by the answers but really liked the way the story ended. I also really hope this isn't the last we have seen of Harriet and her team.
December 22, 2018
I was foolish enough to buy the three “Harriet Taylor Thrillers” at the same time on the strength of a recommendation; fortunately they were only £0.99 each. They are all utterly dreadful, I think the first was published by some vanity publisher (ironic as it is a theme in book #2 espousing it as something for inept writers to resort to) and books 2 & 3 I believe were self-published.
I plodded through the first. Abandoned but returned to and eventually finished the second. I attempted the third struggling on for the first 50 pages but (despite the fact this is the third book) the writing standard is still abysmal. Were it not for the subject matter of the crimes I would rank the literary level at about that of Enid Blyton.
In all of these books the police officers are as thick as two short planks and totally incompetent. The writer treats the readers as though they are every bit as moronic. Had the writing been good they might have been acceptable as lightweight holiday reads when you are happy with something which is very undemanding. I will never ever read another book by this author.
I plodded through the first. Abandoned but returned to and eventually finished the second. I attempted the third struggling on for the first 50 pages but (despite the fact this is the third book) the writing standard is still abysmal. Were it not for the subject matter of the crimes I would rank the literary level at about that of Enid Blyton.
In all of these books the police officers are as thick as two short planks and totally incompetent. The writer treats the readers as though they are every bit as moronic. Had the writing been good they might have been acceptable as lightweight holiday reads when you are happy with something which is very undemanding. I will never ever read another book by this author.
August 16, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I have read quite a few of this author’s books now and they are all very well written with addictive plots so I was delighted to see that he had a new release out!
The plot is great, I loved the pace and the characters are spot on – I love a strong female lead and you certainly get on in this book! The interaction between Harriet and her team was completely on point and I loved it. Plenty of twists to keep you hooked right from the start through to the books brilliant ending – excellent!
This one is definitely a five star book for me – very enjoyable and very highly recommended!!
I have read quite a few of this author’s books now and they are all very well written with addictive plots so I was delighted to see that he had a new release out!
The plot is great, I loved the pace and the characters are spot on – I love a strong female lead and you certainly get on in this book! The interaction between Harriet and her team was completely on point and I loved it. Plenty of twists to keep you hooked right from the start through to the books brilliant ending – excellent!
This one is definitely a five star book for me – very enjoyable and very highly recommended!!
August 15, 2018
This is book three of the Cornish series, and I really enjoyed it. The pace and tension, plus the great atmospheric descriptions pull the whole thing together. The premise was good one, and I stayed up late to find out what happened. Harriet Taylor is a likeable detective, with a few edges that work well with the whole plot. This could be read as a standalone, but to get the most from the series, and to understand some of the characters more, I would rec reading from book one, The Beekeeper.
September 23, 2019
Best of the series so far
Other than Harriet acting like she has blinders on about the 19 year old death, when the answer was quite obvious, the plot and story line was enjoyable to read.
Other than Harriet acting like she has blinders on about the 19 year old death, when the answer was quite obvious, the plot and story line was enjoyable to read.
June 7, 2020
Another good book
Enjoyed this author's story and the building up of the characters made them seem all the more real. So I not only recommend to others but look forward to the next instalment.
Enjoyed this author's story and the building up of the characters made them seem all the more real. So I not only recommend to others but look forward to the next instalment.
April 14, 2020
3.5 stars.
May 2, 2021
Brilliantly crafted
Well written and a brilliantly disguised conclusion. Now on to the rest of Stewart Giles, should keep me going for a few weeks!
Well written and a brilliantly disguised conclusion. Now on to the rest of Stewart Giles, should keep me going for a few weeks!
October 31, 2023
This is the first of the Detective Harriet series that I have read. I enjoyed the change of character and setting. Harriet Taylor is calmer than DS Jason Smith but she's up for adrenalin sports and she's no pushover.
Quite soon into the story you realise there will be two mysteries to solve. The story moves back and forth over about twenty years. I didn't see the end coming until the last chapter.
A good read.
Quite soon into the story you realise there will be two mysteries to solve. The story moves back and forth over about twenty years. I didn't see the end coming until the last chapter.
A good read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews