Long Shadows

Detective Craig Wild Mysteries #1

by Derek Thompson

A SECRET THAT WON’T STAY BURIED. A KILLER WHO CAN’T FORGET.

Detective Craig Wild couldn’t cut it in London. Now he must swap the Met for Mayberry, a sleepy Wiltshire backwater where ambition goes to die.

It was supposed to be a second chance. Then Wild is faced with the most baffling case of his career.

Eccentric farmer Alexander Porter is found shot dead in his own field. Everyone assumes it was suicide. But Wild knows there’s more to it than that.

Determined to uncover the truth, he teams up with plucky PC Marnie Olsen. They set off on a twisting trail.

The first suspect is Nathan Porter, Alexander’s tearaway son. Wherever Nathan goes, trouble follows.

Then someone else dies.

Wild and Marnie must delve into the darkest corners of the family’s history if they are to uncover the truth.

Can they unmask the killer before Wild’s own chequered past catches up to him?

Genres: Mystery

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2020

About the author

Derek is a British author of novels and short fiction.

The Complete Thomas Bladen Spy Thrillers boxset, published by Joffe Books, comprises: STANDPOINT, LINE OF SIGHT, CAUSE & EFFECT, SHADOW STATE, and FLASHPOINT.

Book 6, PATHFINDER, is by Sixpence Publishing.

DS Wild Crime Mysteries published by Joffe Books:
1. LONG SHADOWS
2. WEST COUNTRY MURDER
3. *** Available in April 2026 ***

INTO THE VOID is a collection of short fiction by Sixpence Publishing.

Reviews

THOMAS BLADEN SPY THRILLERS
"Realistic rather than glitzy. This story did not disappoint with its gritty detail and credible characters. Kept me hooked right to the end. Great writing!" VC

DS WILD CRIME MYSTERIES
"...Slid down like a beer at the end of a hard day... engaging and entertaining story that kept me in suspense. A good balance of male & female characters, well written and believable." Helenmx5

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Craig Wild had just started in Mayberry after a particularly grueling episode at the Met in London. Transferred into the country environment, Wild wasn't sure he'd ever fit in. But PC Marnie Olsen was like a breath of fresh air - keen, intelligent - he knew she'd go far. With the help of Marnie, Wild had to discover why and how Porter had been killed, whether the motive went back decades, and who, in the local area, would have the information to do the killing. Could it happen? Wild was uncertain about his own career, but didn't know what else would suit.

Long Shadows by Derek Thompson is the 1st in the Detective Craig Wild Mysteries and while I enjoyed it well enough, it was slow to begin with, a little bland. The participants didn't have a lot of character, although Marnie stood out from the rest and will have a good career. I'll check out the next in the series to see how far she advances in the force. Recommended for fans of police procedurals.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Wild has recently transferred from London to a small village which if he can't make it here, he's not going to make it anywhere. This is his second chance ... his last chance.

Andrew Porter, a well-known farmer, has been found dead in one of his fields.Shot in the head, people assume it's a suicide, but then where is the gun?

The primary suspect is Nathan Porter, the victim's son. Known mostly as a trouble maker, he does have a motive for wanting his dad dead.

But then someone else dies ....

Wild and PC Marnie Olsen are called in to investigate and find that no one tells the truth and everyone has secrets to hide. The more they question family and friends, the farther back in time they have to go.

Can they prevent more deaths?

Well written with a solid plot, I enjoyed how wild's past and present cases come together to give him a touch of credibility. Partnering with Olsen showcases Marnie as a presence to be reckoned with. She's smarter and more ambitious than her male counterparts. She's going to go places. There are twists and turns that I didn't see coming that led to an unexpected ending.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley / Books n All for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

LONG SHADOWS is the first book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it.

Set for the most part in Wiltshire, we meet people from a close-knit community which is shrouded in secrecy. There are murders and puzzles to solve and I couldn't wait to find out who the culprits were.
How do recent incidents relate to the goings-on that went on in the past? Are the recent crimes connected? Why are the local people often evasive? And what is a visitor from across the pond looking for?

Detective Sergeant Craig Wild is a new member of the team at Mayberry Police Station - he has been transferred from London - and has hopes that he can put the past firmly behind him. It's been a really difficult time for him, so along with the move and, hopefully, a case that he can sink his teeth into, it will help start him to heal and move on from what happened.
I like Wild, he's a realistic character and the author's writing style enabled me to really get inside Wild's head. I feel as if I know him and have known him a long time. I love Marnie and I hope that her and Wild will become the perfect crime-busting duo! I really hope that Marsh sees sense (I think that she is starting to) and allows the two to work together. Marnie will be good for Wild: she's empathetic and has her wits about her!

Wild and his colleagues: Sergeant Galloway, DC Ben Galloway and Constable Marnie Olsen set to work on a new case, and it's certainly going to take a lot from Wild and the team: Alexander Porter, 68 year old is found dead. I won't say any more as I don't want to give any of the plot away, but this author is very, very good at throwing you off the scent.
I had my suspicions of who I thought might be the perpetrator but as the story flowed I kept changing my mind! The author keeps you guessing and although I wasn't driven by thrill, it is a brilliant 'who dunnit!' and I didn't want to put my Kindle down.
I found that my mind never wandered, I was always engrossed in the story and I am looking forward to reading more by this author - thank you!
I hope that there will be more cases for Wild - and Marnie - to crack; I wish to see their characters develop further.

I highly recommend this author and you won't be disappointed.
This storyline is full of mystery, it has no plot holes and is flawless.

Thank you to Joffe Books via NetGalley and Books 'n' All Promotions for my arc copy.
This is my honest and unbiased review.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long Shadows is the first instalment in the Detective Craig Wild series by bestselling author, Derek Thompson, which gets everything off to a thoroughly engrossing take off. DS Wild is just beginning to adjust to a hugely different pace of life as a police officer based in the often idyllic and peaceful countryside of Mayberry, Wiltshire, having not long transferred from the Met where he was used to the crime and chaos associated with a crowded city overrun with people from all walks of life, when he is called in to investigate the suspicious apparent suicide of local farmer and pensioner, Alexander Porter. His new colleagues believe it to be an open and shut case but almost instantly Craig finds inconsistencies and it appears the case is heading more and more in the direction of foul play being involved. With Police Constable Marnie Olsen by his side, he starts to unravel a tonne more than anyone had bargained for including the far-reaching consequences of drastic family decisions made decades earlier and a web of deceit and favouritism.

This is an excellent series opener and not only has a compelling mystery but adeptly develops everything ready for the second instalment too. Set in a close-knit and stunning part of the country Craig Wild hopes to heal after an incident when he was previously stationed in London but like any outsider moving into a small town, inhabitants are wary and standoffish but surely they'll warm to him in time. The cast is engaging with Craig, of course, being front and centre and as with any new crime protagonist, I will certainly look forward to seeing his personality and relationships build and evolve as both his colleagues and fellow Mayberry natives, as well as myself, learn more about him as a person and a member of law enforcement. It has some surprising sarcastic humour interspersed throughout and some exciting, twisty developments. This is a promising, tense and compulsively readable police procedural and I look forward to more. Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.

[Fictionophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy police procedurals, especially when the protagonist has a troubled personal background. DS Craig Wild certainly fits the bill.

The setting and the police team were interesting to become acquainted with. The murder investigation was a tad convoluted, and hard to follow. The motives seemed insufficiently strong for the crime, in my opinion. Also, in concurrence with the Wiltshire murder enquiry, DS Wild still has a residual case ongoing in London, which further muddies the waters.

My favourite character was the rookie policewoman Marnie Olsen. She was smarter and more ambitious than her male counterparts, and I can see a bright future for her. Apparently the author thought so too, as she figures prominently in the second book.

All in all, a decent series debut, but not my personal favourite. I did enjoy it enough to have the second novel "West Country Murder" already loaded on my Kindle.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Long Shadows, the first novel to feature DS Craig Wild of the Wiltshire Police.

Craig has been forced out of The Met and is now working in Wiltshire. He is pleased to be given the opportunity to work on the suspicious death of farmer, Alexander Porter. Most detectives assume it is suicide but, ably assisted by PC Marnie Olsen, Craig is sure there is more to it and the roots of the crime reach far into the past.

I thoroughly enjoyed Long Shadows which is a well plotted police procedural with several twists. The novel is told from Craig’s point of view so it is easy to get absorbed and follow every twist as the investigation proceeds. I found it a hard book to put down although I found the solution a bit disappointing after all the excitement that went before. The plot is well conceived and had me turning the pages feverishly to see what was coming next. It is full of interconnecting relationships and shared history and I’m not sure if that is supposed to suggest something about rural life.

I think that Craig Wild will grow on me but I wasn’t overly impressed in this first outing. I’m probably thick as I didn’t really grasp why he had to leave The Met and all his feelings about the resulting enforced transfer don’t amount to much more than self pity. That and his decidedly edgy relationship with his new colleagues is all a touch dreary but by the end of the novel there are hints that he’s settling in to his new role. Surprisingly for this kind of novel there is depth to his character.

Long Shadows is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this crime story and Craig Wild is a good character at the centre of things.

The mix of characters fit well into the plot and the sense of place was great. I liked the fast-paced writing style and the way the story gelled.

No spoilers from me, so I will just say that I recommend this story to those who enjoy the genre.

[Eirlys · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good read

I enjoyed reading this book, because it was an introduction to Detective Craig Wild. He had been working in London, but due to some problems, arrived in the rural area. The characters were diverse and a closed book in his experience.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Sergeant Craig Wild has not long started at his new posting in Mayberry, Wiltshire, moving from the Metropolitan Police in London. It wasn't exactly a voluntary decision, following a botched armed robbery, the collapse of his marriage to another police officer who is flying up the ranks and a bit of a breakdown to boot. On paper he probably doesn't seem a great prospect and is struggling to be accepted by his new colleagues who have basically only got him as they were in need of a new DS and have told him as much. So nothing to lose and everything to prove, especially with a boss like brusque Scot DI Marsh who looks to be a hard taskmistress. As the book starts, he attends a death which at first is thought to be suicide. As he looks closer, the shooting of an older man who walks with a stick out a long way from home in one of his own fields appears to be a lot more suspicious. Suspects are not hard to find when the contents of his will are made known, but with each discovery of further information in the case the focus switches from one person to another. Gradually Wild forms a partnership with young PC Marnie Olsen who shows more promise and talent than some of the other detectives there, and together they embark on digging into past history and old relationships to find the truth about the farmer's death. With another murder occurring in quick succession, they have no time to lose. Especially in the countryside where they do things differently and no one's talking, particularly to an incomer who doesn't understand their ways. There are some great characters being introduced in this book and they were well described and very believable. Despite his shortcomings, Wild is a clever and quick thinking detective who more than demonstrates his worth in this first story. I think we've only just scratched the surface with Wild and there is a lot more to know about him but there is already plenty to like and the partnership with Marnie Olsen is a good one. A very enjoyable story and I really hope this will become a series. 5*

[Nerys Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Craig Wild left the Metropolitan and London under a cloud. Now stationed in Wiltshire he has not been greeted with open arms by his new colleagues. When he is called to the discovery of a body he can’t help but hope that this is a case he can get his teeth into and show everyone what he’s made of.

Local landowner Alex Porter has been found in one of his fields. The two police officers already there believe it to be a straight forward suicide until Wild points out that is no weapon at the scene. The ensuing investigation brings several suspects to the fore, including Porter’s own son, and divulges family secrets hidden since the Second World War.

A really good read. Liked the characters and the dynamic between DS Wild and PC Marnie Olsen. Hope to read more about this partnership.

Thanks to Joffe Books and Derek Thompson for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

[Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this new series we meet DS Craig Wild transferred from the Met, under a cloud, to Mayberry police station set in rural Wiltshire.
He wants to move on and put his past behind him. Personally and professionally life had been hard.
Thinking his cases will be tame after what hes been used to hes thrown straight into an investigation into the death of 68 year old Alexander Porter.
His body is found in the middle of a field, a gunshot wound to the head.
Is it suicide or something much more suspicious.
Wild finds himself teaming up with a young PC Marnie Olsen as they follow the clues and digest the evidence hiding in the locals family histories.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters worked well together.
I hope the partnership between Wild and Olsen continues.
Looking forward to their next outing.
Thanks to Joffe books for the chance to read this as an ARc in return for my honest opinion.

[Ruth Matheson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enter DS Craig Wild, recently moved to the rural town of Maybury from the Met in London due to both personal and professional reasons. However there is to be no quiet life here and he finds himself investigating the murder of a local farmer. As an outsider, he finds he is given the cold shoulder by the locals and has to get used to the 'country' way of doing things! That being said, he is also mindful that some of his colleagues are not being used to their full potential and tries to help them along. The story sees old family feuds come to the fore and has lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. A good start for a new series.
Thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC to review.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Booklover BEV

D.S. Craig Wild big city boy from London is now working at Mayberry police station in Wiltshire country side. Called to an investigation to get his teeth into not a normal missing tractor or holiday home break in. The body of Alexander Porter is found with a gun shot wound.a suspicious death?.his assistant Marnie Olsen Craig has no complaint with hes nearly divorced and wanted to move on. Loved this book and all the characters. Compulsive reading right through. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more in this series from the author
Thank you to joffe and netgalley

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long shadows by Derek Thompson.
A SECRET THAT WON’T STAY BURIED. A KILLER WHO CAN’T FORGET.
Detective Craig Wild couldn’t cut it in London. Now he must swap the Met for Mayberry, a sleepy Wiltshire backwater where ambition goes to die.
I really enjoyed this book. Great story and some good characters. Craig and Marnie were my favourite characters. I wasn't sure about Ben. I hope there is more to come. 5*.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. Another misfit detective sent out to the country after screwing up in London. He was marginally likeable. I did like the other characters that were brought in. But the mystery in London was an unneeded distraction that never flowed for me and part of the local mystery did Telegraph the solution. Some potential here.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a little and rather embarrassing confession to make. Although I have got all of Derek's earlier books on my ever increasing 'to be read' mountain, I haven't actually read one......until now that is. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for 'Long Shadows', I thought that it would be an ideal opportunity to acquaint myself with Derek's work. Having enjoyed reading 'Long Shadows' as much as I did, I am now rather cross with myself that I left it this long to discover how flipping fabulous an author Derek is. I absolutely loved reading 'Long Shadows' but more about that in a bit.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of Detective Sergeant Craig Wild when I first met him. He's a bit of an odd one. He used to work in the Metropolitan Police but for reasons which aren't immediately apparent, he transfers to Wiltshire Police. For me, he certainly has a chip on his shoulder- in fact he seems to have a bag of McCains Home Fries on his shoulder. He knew that he had to leave the Met but at the same time he seems to resent the fact that he has transferred to a quieter police force. He doesn't exactly make the best of impressions when he first meets his new team. Craig can be short with people, he can be very sarcastic and I got the impression that he doesn't make friends that easily but at the same time that doesn't seem to bother him. He does make a good impression on Police Constable Marnie Olsen. Marnie is eager to learn from Craig and Craig teams up with her as he knows that her local knowledge will prove to be invaluable. They prove to be a good team and they get on really well together. Will Craig and Marnie solve the case? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to red the book for yourselves to find out as I am no t going to tell you.
It didn't take me long at all to get into this book. In fact by the time I got to the end of the Prologue I knew that I was not going to be able to put the book down and so it proved to be. For me, 'Long Shadows' was most definitely an unputdownable page turner of a book. I was completely mesmerised by the story and I just had to keep reading. I had my suspicions as to what was going to happen and I had to know if my suspicions were correct or if I had the wrong end of the stick entirely. My Kindle 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. As a result of my addiction to this story, I seemed to race my way through the book. I managed to read the book over the course of a day which is really good for me as I usually have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not in this case.
'Long Shadows' is extremely well written. The author grabbed my attention with an eye catching synopsis and he drew me into the story from the start. In the character of Craig, Derek has created an intriguing character, who I look forward to getting to know even better in subsequent books. For me, 'Long Shadows' was perfectly paced. The story hits the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. 'Long Shadows' is a tense, tightly plotted, gripping story that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Reading 'Long Shadows' was very much like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns to it than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Long Shadows' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Derek's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Jenny Twist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig Wild is posted from the Met to a tightly-knit rural community where he is frankly out of his depth.
When a local farmer is found shot dead in his own field but with no gun nearby, the village closes ranks against him. The locals deny knowing anything about it. Wild even suspects the local constabulary is failing to give him full support.
But he has one staunch ally who works with him to unravel the mystery and track down the killer.
Thompson Is a skilled writer who can present a complicated plot in fluent, easy to read language. This is the first book of his that I have had the pleasure to read. The first of many, I hope.

[Aileen (Ailz) Grist · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 'comer inner' of a copper in rural Wiltshire - coming in under a cloud too - finds life very different that working for the Met in London. He can't understand some of the habits of the locals, including police officers. When a local farmer is killed and he is put in charge of the case, it looks like the locals are running rings around him - but is he really as clueless as people think.

Loved it. This is a new series that I'll be following.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read an advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

[Carol Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very average not very pleasing, turns out it has 2 stories but did not find it exciting at all in fact quite boring in places. The main protagonist is boring woe is me attitude and could not liken to him, but as usual he wins the day and he turns out he is a great person. I won't bother with any follow ups as there are bound to be some.

[Ann Shemeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cracking Story

A fast paced story line of a demoted DI at the top of his game shunted off to the country in disgrace. His arrival is greeted with sarcasm and vandalism to his car. And his female boss is not exactly welcoming until there's A murder with the weapon missing,and spin where he's ignored. Appointed a partner who comes across as reticent to say the least!

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well crafted story

This is the first book that I have read by this author but it will not be the last. A well crafted story with strong in interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns.Looking forward to reading more.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very complicated family and a truly complicated series of lies.

[diana hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

long shadows

Long Shadows by Derek Thompson is quite a good read , first in the Detective Craig Wild Mysteries, hopefully the others will be as good

[Fiona Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read......

Great read from start to finish. Not my usual choice of reading material but look forward to reading other novels from same author. A must read for gripping crime mystery fans.

[Bernadette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rushed ending

This had such potential and I was enjoying the multilayered crimes and the characters, but the ending was wrapped up very quickly and I found it unsatisfying.

[Jo Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sometimes approach new crime series with trepidation; I’m sure everyone has read one or two where some crucial evidence appears at just the right time, as if by magic, or there’s a confession akin to an episode of Scooby Doo. Derek Thompson’s “Long Shadows” thankfully didn’t fall into either trap.

The reader joins the protagonist, Detective Craig Wild, in the first few weeks of his transition from the pressures of city policing to the somewhat slower pace of a countryside force in Mayberry. It isn’t going well for him as he’s viewed as a cockney outsider in this close knit community. Wild stumbles over ever more tangled roots of family trees as he tries to improve the first impressions he made and solve the apparent suicide of a local farmer which isn’t as clear cut as it seems. Following the trails through nepotism, inheritance and decisions made decades ago which haunt the village even now, he makes friends and enemies along the way to the novels surprising conclusion.

I found Wild a refreshing character; he puts his foot in his mouth so regularly he may need to hop rather than walk; his sardonic inner monologues made me chuckle at times and I felt for him when flashes of pain from his divorce and exile from the Metropolitan force surface to distract him.

I enjoyed seeing PC Marnie Olsen grow as the story progressed and hope we see more of her in future novels. There were some characters who I never really got to grips with, such as DI Marsh; I would have liked to have found out more about her and had the opportunity to see less of her battleaxe side and more vulnerability to understand her character.

I had to go back a few times to jog my memory on relatives and storylines but overall I enjoyed the novel with its twists and tangles.

I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a light crime drama (think Midsomer Murders) rather than a gritty police procedural.

[Scilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Craig Wild is the new man in sleepy Wilshire Police Department. He has come from London after a divorce from his wife and some psychological problems, and almost immediately has a murder to solve. A farmer, Alexander Porter, has been killed in his own field with a shot gun which can't be found, although the killing appears to be designed to look like a suicide. Craig declares that it is a murder, but has trouble getting possibly witnesses to talk with him. He gets help from a uniformed police woman, Marnie Olsen, who appears to be much smarter than he is.

Marnie and Craig find out a lot, and figure this goes back to family history as far as WWII. They gradually find three different wills, each giving a different beneficiary. The son is first a suspect, but he has left town before the time of death. The two farmers who rent the fields are suspects who were each named in one of the wills, and there is an American visiting and researching who is also a suspect. Although Craig does make some good decisions, and finally solved the case, he doesn't appear to be as sharp as the detectives in most mysteries, and I found it a little confusing trying to follow all the leads and keep track of characters.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review. I enjoyed reading it; it was good, but not one of the best I've read recently.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity from NetGalley to read Long Shadows by Derek Thompson
A brand new detective series in the vein of Peter Robinson’s DCI Banks, I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish.
Opening on the central character of Craig Wild, it’s hard not to take to him straight away and want to find out more about what forced him to move to a quiet village after being in London.
Luckily we get to find out little bits about the detective as the story progresses, but happily it doesn’t distract from the main narrative. The story does take us back to partly explain events in London but not to a deep level. This might be further explored in further books, as it’s left with a bit of an open storyline.
I enjoyed the historical theme running through, as the author delves into the villagers past secrets.
We get to see tiny side stories exploring a couple of the other characters and again I would be very interested in where these characters are taken and explore the relationship their building with Craig Wild.
Overall I give this book 4.5 stars.
At no point did I put it down because I was bored of the story, and once I’d reached the halfway point I really wanted to find out what actually happened.

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long Shadows is the first in a new detective series by Derek Thompson, having read his spy thrillers before I was excited to see how he would take on a police procedural.

Long Shadows is a solid, well plotted mystery and a really good start to this series.

Craig is an interesting character. Forced out of London he moves to the countryside, where he’s finding it hard to fit in with the close knit community. He’s desperate to prove his worth but still carries scars from his previous case. I also liked Marnie Olsen, an ambitious PC. They make a great team and I feel there’s a bit of a spark between them which I enjoyed.

I did feel that the side story concerning Criag’s past distracted me slightly from the main story. I thought it could have done with a bit more expanding upon or maybe even its own book altogether but of course that’s just my opinion.

Long Shadows is a smart and compelling mystery and a definite must if you enjoy a British set police procedural. I’m looking forward to reading more from DS Craig Wild.

[Jacqui Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Wild has been lumbered with a posting in the depths of rural Wiltshire following some "events" in London although I never quite gathered precisely what they were about. He clearly in not a country lover and is rather out of his depth to start although at least owns a pair of wellies. He's tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of a local farmer not really aided by the local police or to the vastly inter-mixed families involved. The dead man made things more difficult by writing three wills using different solicitors to add to the complexities. Family feuds abound. The character, Wild, has good scope to develop into someone of merit, his Glaswegian boss is feisty but tends to 'have his back' which is a pleasant change. Then there's Marnie, the young, bright, intuitive DC, who should be going places - hopefully in Wild's team. Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.