Cut to the Bone

DI Meg Dalton #3

by Roz Watkins

‘ONE OF THE BEST CRIME WRITERS OUT THERE’ Elly Griffiths 

‘I BARELY CAME UP FOR AIR’ Jo Furniss

‘CONFIRMS WATKINS IN THE FRONT RANK OF BRITISH CRIME WRITERS' Daily Mail

‘A RIVETING AND PROPULSIVE THRILLER’ Kia Abdullah

‘SMART AND ATMOSPHERIC’ T. M. Logan

___

A beautiful young social-media star goes missing.

But who took her?

When controversial internet celebrity Violet Armstrong vanishes in the middle of a scorching Peak District summer, the case sparks a media frenzy.

The clock is ticking for DI Meg Dalton and her team to find Violet before online threats explode into real-life violence. And then the blood and hair of a young woman are found in an empty pig trough at the local abattoir…

The more Meg finds out about this unnerving case, the more she becomes convinced that something very, very bad has happened to Violet. With temperatures rising and the press demanding answers, the case is about to take a terrifying turn…

In bestselling author Roz Watkins’ chilling new thriller, DI Meg Dalton must face her most disturbing case yet. Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Susie Steiner and Val McDermid.___

What authors and readers are saying about Cut to the ‘BRILLIANT AND COMPELLING’ Amanda Jennings

‘A REAL-PAGE TURNER’ Sophie Draper

‘I INHALED THIS NOVEL. IT REACHED TO MY BONE’ Netgalley

‘A DARK AND TWISTY TALE, WITH A POWERHOUSE FINISH’ Rachael Blok

‘ANOTHER RIPPER FROM ROZ. BRILLIANT!’ Suzy K Quinn

‘SUSPENSE OOZES FROM EVERY PAGE’ Netgalley

‘A HEART-IN-YOUR-MOUTH READ’ Jo Jakeman

‘CHILLINGLY COMPELLING AND UTTERLY TWISTED’ Danielle Ramsay

‘WILL KEEP YOU GLUED TO YOUR SEAT’ Jane Isaac

‘A TERRIFIC READ’ Mick Finlay

‘GRIPPING AND GRUESOME’ Sam Blake

‘GRIPPING, CLEVER AND TWISTY’ Amanda Brittany

Genres: Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 25, 2020

About the author

Roz Watkins is the author of the DI Meg Dalton crime series, which is set in the Peak District where she lives with her partner and a menagerie of demanding animals.

Her first book, THE DEVIL'S DICE, was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger Award, and has been optioned by ITV Studios.

Roz originally studied engineering and natural sciences at Cambridge, before studying patent law. She was a partner in a firm of patent attorneys in Derby, but this has absolutely nothing to do with there being a dead one in her first book.

In her spare time, Roz clicker-trains her dog and horse, and likes to walk in the Peak District, scouting out murder locations.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read of Roz Watkins's DI Meg Dalton series set in the beautiful Derbyshire Peak District, currently suffering under a sweltering, drought stricken, scorching heat, giving rise to numerous wildfires. Temperatures are about to rocket further when young, beautiful 18 year old Violet Armstrong, a controversial vlogger and social media star promoting the eating of meat, disappears, feared murdered at Gritton Abattoir where she works. She is famous for barbqing meat, sausages and burgers in her eye catching bikini, the poster girl for carnivores, particularly men.

Meg, her partner, DS Jai Sanghera, Meg is trying to dampen feelings she has for him, and her police team that includes the irritating DS Craig Cooper, begin to investigate the most sinister and twisted of cases. They find themselves under the intense pressure of traditional and social media, caught between the high profile animal rights vigilante group, threatening Violet and others working in the media industry on The Great Meat Debate Website, and the pro-meat eating Justice for Violet campaign group, men in their balaclavas, killing animals indiscriminately. Meg finds herself being threatened and trolled on social media, with aspersions cast on her competence, her vegetarianism blamed for her not arresting the animal activists for Violet's murder. There is a 1999 thread, featuring Rebecca 'Bex' Smith, separated from her sister and father after being sent to live with her aunt at the age of 3 after a traumatic incident.

In a narrative that features local folklore about the ghost of the pale child, Meg finds herself alone in thinking that perhaps Violet is not dead, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, whilst having to host a controlling and manipulative father, who has been indifferent to her existence, at home. This turned out to be a wonderful and thrilling read, but it took me a while to get into and I did wonder at the beginning whether it was really a book for me as I was struggling to connect with Meg as the central protagonist. One of the major highlights of the novel is the terrific sense of location, so atmospheric, with the Ladybower Reservoir and the creepy and sinister woods. Overall, an intense and engaging piece of crime fiction with a surprisingly shocking denouement. Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.

[Stace · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis of the book drew me in but after just five chapters I found myself becoming frustrated with the characters, including the main character DI Meg Dalton.

The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, especially when Meg was questioning people, and the banter between herself and her partner began to grate on me, surely no-one speaks to each other the way they did!

Add to this the story of the Pale Child and I was done and gave up.

The plot was intriguing and being the kind of person who loves a good thriller/detective novel I had high hopes but I couldn't get into it nor connect with the storyline or the characters.

I wanted to enjoy the book so much but alas it wasn't a book for me.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Meg Dalton #3

A young woman is missing and Meg and her partner DS Jai Sanghera are investigating. Violet had been a social media star. The race is on to find Violet before the online threats explode into real life. But then the blood and hair of a woman are found in a pig through at the local abattoir where Violet works. Violets car had been found outside in the car park of the abattoir. Violets social media posts had angered local animal rights activists.

I did not k ow that this was the third book in a series when I requested the book but it does read well as a standalone. The story is told in two timelines, 1999 and the present day. Theres plenty of twists and sub plots. This is a fast paced and atmospheric read. I was hooked from the beginning. I couldn't read this book quick enough.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Roz Watkins for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of Cut to The Bone,the third novel to feature DI Meg Dalton of the Derbyshire Police.

When Violet Armstrong goes missing from an abattoir in the Peak District village of Gritton it is a big deal as 18 year old Violet is an internet phenomenon who extols the virtues of meat. Tensions are rising and then her clothes and hair are found. It’s baffling.

I enjoyed Cut to The Bone which has a twisty plot, some great dialogue and a seriously imaginative plot. I’m not so sure that I found the solution convincing but the journey to get there is interesting and absorbing with its concentration on pigs and the legend of The Pale Girl.

The novel is told from Meg’s first person point of view and switches back to events in 1999 which have a bearing on the present day. The switches are helpfully labelled so there is no confusion. I found the 1999 narrative longwinded and overly detailed so I felt it distracted from the main event, the hunt for Violet and the is she/isn’t she alive conundrum. It has its place but could have just as easily been exposed through dialogue and the benefit of hindsight. I really liked the hunt for Violet (or her body) which is full of assumptions, secrets and twists.

Meg Dalton is an interesting character. She seems to see more clearly than her team but she’s not overly confident and finds the media trolling of her investigation and character difficult. I thought the author’s treatment of this aspect of modern life acute and spot on. She has her personal troubles as well with her wayward parents and guilt over her sister’s death many years ago. It all makes her human but it is also clear that she doesn’t know herself very well. She stresses over her ability to do her job when she’s more than competent.

Cut to The Bone is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Nicky Mottram · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think I must have been reading a different book to everyone else 🤔 I found the storyline was all over the place and really disjointed and so unbelievable and silly To the point I found myself rolling my eyes ! The whole ‘pale child ghost’ thing just made the plot ridiculous. So this book was not for me and won’t be reading anymore by this author but I’m definitely in the minority as a lot of people loved it 📚
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am truly surprised how much I enjoyed this book, considering there were some elements where I just found myself going "That would never happen!" And I just didn't really click with our main character Meg. However, I tried guessing the ending all the way though and had absolutely no idea what was coming. A slow burner but the last 3rd of the book really makes it all worth it.

Unique story and well written.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Peak District, Derbyshire, UK; modern day.
In this third outing for D.I. Meg Dalton, she is called in to investigate the disappearance of online influencer Violet Armstrong, who has gone missing from her night job at an abattoir in the small Peak District village of Gritton.
As the summer heat intensifies and wildfires burn on the surrounding moorland, water levels in the nearby Ladybower Reservoir fall, prompting the reappearance of The Pale Child - supposedly a former resident of the manor house now submerged under the waters of the reservoir, local villagers believe she returns at times of drought and that, if she sees your face, you will die.
As Meg's investigation fails to discover the missing girl, blame is soon placed locally on a group of animal rights activists who have been targeting the abattoir. Then the team discover that the missing Violet, who was adopted, believed that she had links to Gritton and was there trying to discover information about her roots, in particular the identity of her father......
This was another great read in an excellent series, which I have been following since meeting the author at Derby Book Festival shortly after the first book was published. Love the setting of course, being my home county and an area I am familiar with, and the books have great characters with complex back stories. More please, Roz! - 9/10.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roz Watkins is a fantastic writer and I love Meg Dalton and the setting in the Peaks, an area that is very dear to my heart. Some disturbing themes are tackled in Cut to the Bone but they're balanced by the wonderful wit and kindness of Meg, her team and the author's prose. This is such a good series. I can thoroughly recommend the audiobook, too. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.

[Angela Watt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually more of a stand-alone crime novel reader, but am first in line with my hand up if I know there's a new book in the Meg Dalton series. And this is the third.

As usual, Roz keeps us turning the pages to discover what’s happened to the girl who disappeared at the local abattoir. Not only has she vanished, but she’s Insta famous, an advocate for meat-eaters across the world and an employee at the local slaughterhouse.

The story unravels, and we find out there’s a lot more involved in this than a missing, presumed dead girl, and it was a totally unexpected outcome for me which is always a positive. During the novel, we flick back and to in time exploring the past of some of the main characters and leading us to the final reveal. I enjoyed this aspect as well as some of the humour that Roz slips in along the way. Without giving too much away, an encounter with a pig towards the end of the novel genuinely had me laughing out loud.

So far, I’ve enjoyed the series immensely, and I like Meg, who’s not your usual flawed alcoholic detective. She's by no means perfect but a lot more relatable to than some cliche versions of detectives you get in other police procedural novels. Roz also has a way of putting across themes that make you think, and this book is no exception.

I wouldn’t say this was my favourite book in the series. I particularly loved book 2, however, when Roz releases the next, I’ll definitely be back for more.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Roz Watkins and the publisher for enabling me to read an early copy of this book. But you’ve not long to wait as this one will be released later this month.

[Caroline Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cracker of a read by Roz Watkins. She has firmly embedded herself as a crime thriller author and I thoroughly enjoy her books. Cut To The Bone carried a creepy edge which I loved. The plot was fascinating, effortlessly combining past and present: a local ghost story along with a story of a young woman going missing after using social media to share her beliefs. The characters were sharp and well written. This is everything you could ask from a crime thriller. An unputdownable read.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining read from Roz Watkins. Like her first two novels, it's set in the Peak District and has a hit of the supernatural to it.
A teenage vlogger disappears whilst working temporarily in an abbatoir in the village of Gritton, presenting DI Meg Dalton with two mysteries to solve - no body has been found so is she dead or not? And why was she in Gritton in the first place?
The story moves along at a good pace, and there twists aplenty. I have to admit I found the ending stretched the bounds of credibility a little, but not enough to spoil my enjoyment of the book.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful

[Noemi Proietti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cut To The Bone is the third book featuring DI Meg Dalton and I am really enjoying this series. Meg Dalton is a likable character, strong, smart, relatable, even funny at times. She has a complicated family history, a rough past that sometime still sneaks up on her, and she is surrounded by a team of mostly likable detectives (there is a bad apple in every group).

In this new novel, DI Meg Dalton is investigating the sudden disappearance of Violet, an eighteen-year-old vlogger famous for videoing herself in bikini while she cooks meat and she has quite a following of fans and even a few haters. Violet’s disappearance triggers a social media war between groups of activists and when the war goes beyond simple insults on Facebook, DI Meg Dalton and her team need to find Violet before things get much worse.

Cut To The Bone takes place in the Peak District village of Gritton, a place that everyone seems to want to stay away from, surrounded by a gothic and claustrophobic atmosphere that gave me the chills just reading about it. Making things more sinister is the myth of the Pale Child, the ghost of a murdered child wandering around the village.

The story is brilliant, twisty and very-well-written. I love that it is told in first person from Meg’s point of view because, as I mentioned, she is a fantastic character and, as a reader, I enjoy being inside her head. This series just keeps getting better and better and I will certainly keep reading it (I am already looking forward to book number 4!). If you enjoy a good chilling police thriller, this one is for you. A fantastic read!

[Charlotte Pawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pale Child is a ghost if you let her see your face, you would be next to die. What started as a missing girl changed into murder with connection to the abattoir. What is the connection to the pigs and animal vigilantes. Is this just a smoke screen and the real secret lies in the sinister village of Gritton. There will be plenty of twists and turns to the very last page in this thrilling story.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Miss R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#CuttotheBone #NetGalley


Simply wow. After reading this compelling thriller I feel the need to declare myself Roz Watkins' new number 1 fan. This is how thrillers should be written. I was hooked from the get-go. This was an enthralling story full of tension and twists, with suspense oozing from every articulately written page. Tautly-plotted doesn't begin to describe the creative thrust and execution of 'Cut to the Bone'. Indeed, this novel, which features the memorable, sure to be enduring, DI Meg Dalton, is a cut-above your average. The story revolves around the disappearance of beautiful young social-media star Violet Armstrong. Her clothes and hair are shortly found at an abattoir, but there is no sign of Violet. Then there is the fact that Violet's social media feed is preoccupied with extolling the benefits of eating meat. Is there a connection between the grisly find at the abattoir and Violet's online presence. Moreover, there is the question of what bearing events from 1999 have on the present-day disappearance of this young woman. Dalton is stymied, but time is running out for Violet. Moving through the metaphorical gears of building suspense - a natural part of the thriller writers armoury, the tension becomes palpable. This is edge-of-your-seat stuff The tension unbearable. Heart in mouth time. I loved every page. So, if you're reading this Roz Watkins, get writing! I need another fix of DI Meg Dalton and her deadly escapades. Thrilling, engrossing and addictive.

[Steph Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a brilliant plot. So much more than a missing person story.
Violet Armstrong was a beautiful Instagram sensation, followed by many for her championing of meat-eating. Cooking a barbeque in your bikini when you are so gorgeous earns you many, many ‘likes’! Her social media posts angered local animal rights organisations. She works at an abattoir, and when she goes missing her workplace is searched. Sinister clues point to her demise, including her blood and hair. It chilled me to the bone at the thought of her dying in her workplace. And that local animal rights organisation seemed to have inside knowledge of her movements. DI Meg Dalton experiences some trolling through social media, who question her commitment to the case, being a vegetarian herself.
The owners of the abattoir, the workers and the local community had a strange connection. All enquiries seem to come back to a local folklore about ‘the pale child’. It was claimed that if you saw ‘the pale child’ and it looked at you, then you would die.
There were many secrets in the families within the community, they all seemed connected in some way, especially in the past.
There is an old thread, running through the book, about a girl sent away from the village to stay with an aunt. This fits in perfectly.
It certainly didn't go the way I expected. And it contained some really unpleasant scenes which I visualised all too vividly!
From folklore to something quite sinister, a real page turner.
I love the interactions between the team especially Meg and Jai.
The twists and turns, and red herrings thrown in made for a fascinating read.
The setting was very atmospheric, and I felt the heat of the scorching summer coming from the pages. Roz Watkins puts a good dose of humour into the story too, which I love.
I certainly look forward to catching up with DI Meg Dalton in the future.

[Ash Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Trigger Warnings – Rape, victim shaming, incest, abduction, suicide, drug overdose, animal abuse, animal death, murder, gory and bloody content talked about in detail.*

Overall opinion of the book:

Cut to the Bone is the third book in the DI Meg Dalton series. When I requested to be a part of the blog tour, I hadn’t realised this wasn’t a stand alone book (I later realised that I own the first book in the series – Devil’s Dice, which I definitely need to read now!). Although this is the third book, you can absolutely read it before reading the first two as each book focuses on a different investigation. There are references to the first and second books when referring to Meg’s personal life, but nothing that impacts the readers knowledge of the main plot.

There’s so much to unpack in this book, it was jam packed with many twists and turns. The story not only covers the disappearance of Violet, it also touches upon the strange case of the Pale Child and uncovers the past of many characters in the town of Gritton. Gritton is home to a pig abattoir and has a past of many deaths. Sightings of the Pale Child have been linked to the deaths and the storyline of the mystery behind this intrigued me so much.

Living in Wales, I live near a reservoir that is home to a flooded village. Similarly to the book, when we experience particularly warm weather, the church steeple can be seen above the water. The concept of there being a village underneath the water has always equally fascinated and terrified me. When I began reading this in the book I was hooked and found the storyline interesting and also creepy! I read some of Cut to the Bone late in the evening and I would be lying if I said it didn’t give me nightmares!

There were so many layers to the investigation and Watkins had me second guessing every character. You know a thriller is a good one, when you don’t fully guess what will happen. I had my suspicions, but nothing prepared me for the second half of the book and the ending in particular. I don’t want to give too much away, but Watkins tied everything up very well and I didn’t expect it at all.

As you can see from the trigger warnings above, this book isn’t for the faint hearted, and you’ll definitely need a strong stomach to read some of its content, but if you like books that are quite gory and a little bit disturbing, this will be right up your street!

I liked that the main detective was a woman. This is only the second detective book I’ve read where the main detective is female. Dalton is a headstrong and likeable character. The way in which she handles the situations she’s placed in is brilliant and she’s not afraid to stand up to her male counterparts. I wasn’t so keen with her feelings for a particular character in Gritton as I prefer character’s feelings to blossom over time. It did make some aspects of the book more interesting, but I personally wasn’t keen on the character she grew to like very much. Her relationship with Jai is interesting though and I want to know what will happen with them next!

I particularly enjoyed that there was constant action in Cut to the Bone, when there was a break in the investigation discussions, there was plenty of things happening in Dalton’s personal life that kept the book continuously interesting.

The story switches from past to present, focusing on Meg Dalton in the present and giving an insight to Bex, Violet’s mother, in the past. This was a brilliant technique as it gives the readers more of an insight to the characters living in Gritton when Bex was a teenager and adds further detail to the plot. It also allows the reader to understand Bex and some of the key character’s actions better.

The writing is fantastic, Watkins is a very talented writer. The plot was interesting throughout and the writing flowed well and was easy to follow. All of the conversations felt very natural and the writing didn’t feel forced at any point. I’d love to read more by Watkins in the future and will certainly be reading the first two books in the series and continuing with the series in the future.

The only niggle I had with the plot was that the Animal Rights activists were very vocal at the start of the novel and involved significantly, but as the book progresses, they’re not mentioned as much. I would have liked to have found out what they thought about the outcome of the investigation and also what Anna and other villagers in Gritton thought. I also wanted to find out who was responsible for what nearly happened to Hamlet as I don’t recall the person being responsible named.

There is lesbian, disability rep and also a brief mention of a transgender character in the book. Meg Dalton is a strong female character that knows her own mind and isn’t afraid to question the opinions of those around her. I liked that the author included a cat called Hamlet that appears in the story on more than one occasion. This is a lovely nod to her being a cat lover and I’m sure those who love cats as much as I do loved Hamlet just as much!

Final thoughts:

This was a brilliant thriller overall, it was haunting and kept me on my toes from beginning to end. The writing was brilliant and the plot was intricate and brilliantly thought out. It focuses on the idea of whether pigs can and will eat human remains. This idea for a book may not be to everyone’s tastes, but if you’re a horror fan or someone that likes to read particularly gruesome books, then this is probably something that’s crossed your mind in the past and is particularly intriguing as it is gruesome. Watkins has written a fantastic book and although some of the content is certainly not for the faint hearted, this is a must read for many. I can’t wait to read more books by Roz in the future!

Full review here:
https://ashleighbekkah.wordpress.com/...

I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers HQ in order to review as part of the blog tour. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by receiving a gifted copy of this book in any way. I would like to thank the publishers HQ, and the author Roz Watkins.

[Margaret Pillay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about the disappearance of a young woman and DI Meg Dalton's work to find her. The beginning of the book was intriguing and enjoyable, but the story became ridiculous and I didn't finish it.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Cut To The Bone' is the third book in the best selling series featuring Detective Inspector Meg Dalton. I have followed the series from the start and I absolutely loved the first two books in the series. When I heard that Roz was due to release another book in the series, I just knew that I had to grab a copy as soon as I could and squirrel myself away until I had finished reading it. Oh boy, I thought that the first two books in the series were good but 'Cut To The Bone' is even better! I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Cut To The Bone' but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Detective Inspector Meg Dalton? I warmed to her again from the start and it didn't take long before I felt as though I had reunited with an old friend. Meg's personal life isn't exactly straightforward. Meg's Grandma passed away after an illness and Meg carries a lot of personal guilt around with her. It's as if she is punishing herself. Meg is still grieving for her Grandma, which is understandable. Meg's work life is also slightly problematic but not to do with anything she has or hasn't done but a personality clash between certain members of her team. Meg is like a referee in a child's football match. Meg is a feisty detective, who goes above and beyond what you would normally expect of a police officer. If she is handed a case then you can guarantee that she will give 110% to the investigation and that she will not be satisfied until she has solved the case and apprehended the perpetrators (if there are any). Meg is kind, compassionate, sensitive, tough and tenacious.
Oh my flipping word, 'Cut To The Bone' was another amazing read from the hugely talented and twisted Roz Watkins. It didn't take me long at all to get into this story. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first page, that was it- I just knew that I wasn't going to be able to put the book down at all. I must be psychic because that's exactly what happened. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story for fear of missing a vital clue or a crucial development in the case. I read 'Cut To The Bone' is one long reading binge. I was so focussed on the story that I lost track of time and I didn't realise just how quickly I was reading the book until I looked up to check and I was staggered to realise that I had read almost a third of the book in one go. All too quickly I got to the end of the story and I had to say a temporary farewell to Detective Inspector Meg Dalton.
'Cut To The Bone' is superbly written but then I wouldn't expect anything else from Roz Watkins. I must say that the story certainly started with a bang, it hit the ground running and maintained the fairly fast pace throughout. I cannot honestly think of another book that has started in the same sort of way that 'Cut To The Bone' did- with the apparent disappearance of a young lass from an abattoir. What a way to get your attention!! Once Roz has your attention she will not let you have it back until the moment you read the last word on the last page. The story takes place using two different timelines- events as they happened in the recent past (I'm talking years ago) and the other timeline details things as they happen in the modern day. 'Cut To The Bone' is superbly plotted with so many twists and turns that I lost count. I think that the story is a bit like a parcel in a game of 'Pass The Parcel'- unwrap the top layer and half a dozen more layers emerge. I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself and another member of Meg's team, which is all thanks to Roz's very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Cut To The Bone'. As I indicated above, I thought that the first two books in the series were good but 'Cut To The Bone' is even better. The series featuring Detective Inspector Meg Dalton just goes from strength to strength and gets better and better. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Roz's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Jacob Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roz Watkins has become an auto-buy author for me. When I read her debut novel, The Devil’s Dice, I knew her character, DI Meg Dalton, was one I was going to want to keep coming back to. The latest book, Cut to the Bone, is another brilliant addition to this series which keeps getting better and better.

What I really like about Roz’s work, is that there is always the touch of the supernatural, which gives her books a very chilling atmosphere. And the story of the Pale Child in this book sent shivers up my spine as I was reading it. It made me want to find out more about what was really going on here and if there was any truth in the claims, or if it was just people’s imagination.

The character at the centre of Meg’s new investigation is Violet, a teenage vlogger who has gone missing. Violet has become the poster child for the meat industry. She posts videos of herself, semi-naked, while cooking with meat and has gained a large following and fan base on social media. Two storms are gathering around her disappearance. Animal rights activists are angry at Violet for how she has behaved, and some are saying she got what she deserved. Then there are Violet’s fans. They accuse the activists of having something to do with her disappearance as she was a supporter of the meat industry. Meg finds herself at the centre of this storm as she comes under fire from both sides. Soon she starts receiving threats.

This turns into a really difficult investigation for Meg and her team. They have to get to know the real Violet while angry voices shout at them from all directions. As they investigate further, they begin to find out that she isn’t quite the person who she portrayed herself to be.

When I first learnt about who Violet was, I didn’t have a lot of sympathy for her, but I grew to like her as the book progressed. I wanted Meg and her team to find the answers to her disappearance, but I kept thinking that their efforts would be undermined, by the two groups at war with each other. This is what makes the book a very tense read. Also, I worried about Meg’s safety as well, as she comes under intense scrutiny.

It’s quite a gruesome book. Some parts may make some readers uncomfortable, particularly the sections relating to the meat industry, but it does make for a very gripping read. I love Roz Watkins writing, and I love Meg’s character. There is some tension between her and her colleague, DS Jai Sanghera, who is going through a rough patch in his relationship with his girlfriend.

I love this series, and I can’t wait to read what Roz Watkins comes up for DI Meg Dalton and her team next.

[Karolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be an intriguing and fascinating read with twists and turns thrown in. Well written, plotted and researched. I found that I got into this book straight from the start and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

DI Meg Dalton is called in to locate an eighteen year old girl, Violet Armstrong, when she disappears from the local abattoir, near the village of Gritton. Her car is still there, they find her watch with some blood on it and some of her blood in the troughs. Plus the pigs haven’t eaten all their food.

Meg gets police officers to question the villagers, as they try to find who was the last person to see Violet alive. Her friend Izzy lets them know she may have found some information concerning her real dad, her real mum was dead. That was why she was in Gritton. It then turns out she had been at Tony Nightingale’s farm on her last night. When they question him, he says, ‘she reckons she was my granddaughter!’ He then explained that he had a daughter Bex Smith but she didn’t have a baby although she had been living with his sister. She was now dead.

In 1999, Bex returned to the farm for a month to see her dad and sister, Kirstie. They were a bit like chalk and cheese. With Kirstie, she didn’t always know how to take her moods. It was the same with her dad. Perhaps she shouldn’t have come back. Kirstie liked being in control so she decided that Bex would have a leaving party and she would invite the crowd. Bex got on with them. They had the party in a field, with booze and Bex drank too much. Then she thought she saw the pale face in the woods. She was going to die according to the myth. The others chased the pale face and Bex stayed there, next thing she knew, someone was on top of her...who was it? They were the father of her baby. Bex and her aunt decided to adopt the baby, it was for the best.

This was a book with lots going on and very involved but when you get to the end, it will all be worth it. The ending was such a curveball I didn’t see it coming but it was fantastic.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to go from one 'geographical' crime novel to another, one which grated and this which, whilst it had the flaws of its series, remained likeable.

Roz Watkins' detective Meg Dalton operates in the Peak District and much of the action here is in a fictional village of Gritton. There are lovely villages and there are the ones where there's always something a bit off and she conveys the atmosphere of the latter very effectively, as well as the ongoing feudal nature of local society. As usual, there's an awful lot loaded into one novel although by the end the relationships between the themes are much clearer. Perhaps Roz Watkins should be more confident now that she'll have more books in which she can explore issues and say what she wants to say. I would very much like to say that the more startling developments are far fetched but sadly not an unheard of scenario in the real world, although there is a singular absence of social workers, including in the perhaps overly neat wrapping up.

The book opens with the disappearance of a social media star - a young woman who barbecues in a bikini. It would be easy to be put off by this 'trendy' aspect but it's handled well here: the people running the abattoir in Gritton, the animal rights activists and those whose motivations are less clear but still organise themselves into some sort of avenging army. These latter remain shadowy but there are no cardboard cut outs.

Things are a bit too complicated in the lives of the investigating officers... clearly there's more to come and I struggled a bit because I couldn't remember clearly all that Meg had been through with her family in previous books. I'd certainly suggest a new reader start at the beginning with the Devil's Dice rather than here.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pacy and atmospheric crime thriller with some nice touches of humour - I loved the comment about 'the vacuum cleaner lived a largely untroubled life in the spare bedroom'. Set in the Peak District in and around an abattoir and a pig farm, this book combines a great sense of place with both some
good old-fashioned creepy Gothic touches (the Pale Child, a local ghost who allegedly appears whenever the drowned village resurfaces from beneath Ladybower Reservoir) and some very modern touches too - like the polarised social media reactions to the disappearance of an abattoir worker. DI Meg Dalton is a very relatable protagonist, who has to balance her investigation into the grisly crime with her own family worries and personal relationships with her colleagues.
Roz Watkins' special skill is in not only creating ingenious mysteries, but in grounding those mysteries in the unique landscape and history of the Peak District, and in real-life controversies. Cut to the Bone features several highly effective scenes set around the Ladybower Reservoir's drowned village and spillway, and more scenes (including a very memorable climax) either set on a farm or incorporating debates around intensive farming practices and the intelligence of pigs.
I will certainly never look at a pig, or Ladybower Reservoir, in quite the same way again...

[Jackiesreadingcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roz Watkins has done it again, a brilliant read with the third book in the DI Meg Dalton series. A gripping read as the beautiful Violet Armstrong a social media star goes missing from an abattoir, in the middle of the night. The only thing left behind was her watch which had blood on it, what was she doing in the area the watch was found in? How does it link with the old story of the Pale Child ? A local ghost story.

The pressure is on for the team to find this missing woman, the weather is scorching hot, and online threats are ramping up. But then blood and hair of a young woman are found in an empty pig trough!

Meg becomes more and more concerned that something bad has happened to Violet, the press want more answers, and things are about to take a more terrifying turn. Not only is Meg dealing with the case but also her own home life, family worries and personal relationships with the team, but all is brought together with a brilliant climax.

This is a brilliantly written police thriller, the series just gets better and better as we get to know more about the characters. A story that is absolutely gripping from start to finish, and one I can’t recommend highly enough. A fantastic read. Looking forward to book 4.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #HQ for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest fair and unbiased review.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cut To The Bone by Roz Watkins is an all-consuming contemporary crime suspense. It is part of the D.I. Meg Dalton series but can be read as a stand-alone. I loved my return to the Peak District to catch up with Meg Dalton as she fights crime.
Roz Watkins has an amazingly vivid imagination. Her plotline was fabulous – intricate and well thought out. I hung on for a roller coaster suspense as I failed, once again, to predict the outcome.
The characters were all well drawn. I love the leading lady, Meg Dalton. She is a perfect mixture of brains, reasoning, and strength of character with an Achilles heel that makes her so easy to relate to. She has compassion but is tough when she needs to be.
Cold case crimes bump up against present day ones as a sinister figure is spotted once more. Local legend re-emerges and the villagers believe this foretells death.
Families are at the heart of the novel. We expect our families to look after us but this is not always the case. There are some warped translations of love out there.
Cut To The Bone was a totally gripping and absorbing read which I loved. I am looking forward to more crime solving from Meg Dalton. I think the whole series would be fabulous on Netflix – any producers out there please take note.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Surjit Parekh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stunning new DI Meg Dalton novel from Roz Watkins, the acclaimed author of The Devil’s Dice and Dead Man’s Daughter.

***

When beautiful young social-media star Violet Armstrong goes missing in the middle of a scorching Peak District summer, the case sparks a media frenzy.

The clock is ticking for DI Meg Dalton and her team to find Violet before online threats explode into real-life violence. And then the blood and hair of a young woman are found in an empty pig trough at the local abattoir…

The more Meg finds out about this unnerving case, the more she becomes convinced that something very, very bad has happened to Violet. With temperatures rising and the press demanding answers, the case is about to take a terrifying turn…

My thoughts of this brilliant powerful terrifying third part police thriller was brilliant loved it how DI Meg Dalton finds out what really has happened to Violet was mindblowing the characters were outstanding Author Roz Watkins has written a powerful thriller that is unique and terrifying it grips you from the beginning till the end a outstanding masterpiece can not wait to get my hands on the book 💥💥💥💥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Tracy Fells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this crime mystery series set in the Peak District. The third outing for DI Meg Dalton didn’t disappoint and I’m already hungry for book 4. Poor Meg has a testing case this time in searching for a missing young woman. Tenacity is Meg’s middle name and she won’t give up the search, believing the woman is still alive, even though all her colleagues believe they’re on a murder case.
It’s another tough gig for Meg and her romantic life too, she doesn’t make good choices.
The author creates an intriguing story with characters to care about, but also never shies from difficult or controversial topics. ‘Cut to the bone’ features a pig farm and abattoir as a key setting. Animal welfare and meat consumption are protested by an angry group who clash with the abattoir owners and workers. Both sides start breaking the law and people start dying. Meg and her team get caught in the middle, and Meg’s vegetarian lifestyle marks her out as a target.
I particularly enjoyed how Meg’s bacon (sorry) was saved by a pig, showing how intelligent these animals are. The DI Dalton series gets better and better. Quality writing lifts these books high above the rest, in a crowded crime market.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. Even though this is book three in the series it is the first I have read. Before I even got 50 pages in I was kicking myself for not reading the earlier books. I loved the writing, the setting and the characters. I want to know more about all of this police team in Derbyshire.

If you read a lot of crime fiction like I do you probably struggle to find something original and I was pleased that everything about this book was. The investigation was one that I had never read anything similar to before, and even though Meg has some personal problems they were also different. Concerning parents rather than failed relationships. I enjoyed her relationship with her friend Hannah and her devotion to her cat Hamlet ( great name for a cat). And even though I would like to visit Ladybower reservoir I will go out of my way to avoid anywhere that looks like Gritton.

It is quite a gory read at times, not just with the crimes that are committed but also the everyday procedures at the abattoir. I will certainly be looking more closely at the meat products I buy in the future.

[Yuliia S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried reading this book, I gave it my undivided attention, but alas, it can’t be done. Characters just don’t feel real with the fakest of dialogues, bickering detectives like children and all. I noticed this tendency in the two previous books and despite plot holes and again, unrealistic conversations, I liked the beginning of the series.

I couldn’t go in with this book because of xenophobia and lack of research. I understand it’s fiction, but I just couldn’t continue reading as a Ukrainian.

Dear Roz,

Please research names of other countries for your next project. There is no “the Ukraine”, and it’s ridiculous how many times I had to cross the wrong article off.
The final straw was the following: “But I wouldn’t be surprised. I don’t know why Dad ever thought someone from the Ukraine would fit in here.”

It’s quite a shame my country was put in the context of ridicule.

2.5 stars.

[Duncan Robb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is DI Meg Dalton's third outing and finds her embroiled in murder and all manner of controversial behaviour on both sides of the meat industry. As with the previous two books the author has created a character that is relatable, feisty, and smart, but with vulnerabilities that have you rooting for her.
The story is set in the glorious Peak District and is peppered with references to local landmarks, towns, roads and villages that anyone who knows the area will appreciate, even though, by necessity a little artistic licence is used in the naming of key locations. The plot keeps the reader guessing from beginning to end with some ingenious twists, red herrings and sub plots that add depth to an already engrossing read.
The writing is top drawer; wonderful dialogue and absorbing narrative, overall ten out of ten - Highly recommended.