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Henry & Sparrow #1
The dying dolls
….and Detective Sergeant Kate Sparrow is getting desperate. The first died horribly. Kate knows this. She’s seen the photos. The second, who vanished a month ago, almost certainly fell victim to the same twisted, deluded artist. There is still hope for Melissa Hounsome... still time... if Kate can find her. It’s just that Kate doesn’t think she can find her.
But she knows a man who can. Lucas Henry - a dowser of astonishing talent who has found bodies before.
Only problem with that? Lucas might also be a murderer...
But she knows a man who can. Lucas Henry - a dowser of astonishing talent who has found bodies before.
Only problem with that? Lucas might also be a murderer...
- GenresCrime
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 14, 2021
68 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Fox
7 books9 followersMaking her crime fiction debut in the pandemical pandaemonium of 2021, AD FOX has been published for fifteen years and won a plethora of awards as children’s author Ali Sparkes.
‘I have always loved writing for children, but for many years I harboured the dark secret of really wanting to murder people,’ confesses Ali. ‘Happily, only in print. Well, as far as the authorities know…’
Having despatched quite a few characters in her bestselling Shapeshifter Series, Ali had always nursed the urge to take it up a gear for her readers beyond school age - and the cancellation of scores of festival and school event bookings in 2020 provided that silver lining. Time.
‘It’s been hideous for so many people,’ she says, ‘and I wouldn’t wish a global pandemic on anyone. Obviously. But the extra time has finally allowed me to scratch that crimey itch. Henry & Sparrow is the result. I can only hope both the police and the dowsing community will one day forgive me…’
Before becoming an author Ali worked as a reporter in local newspapers and later as a BBC broadcast journalist and a comedy writer for BBC Radio 4. Prior to all of this she was a bit of a luvvie and a singer in bands - and a Pontin's Bluecoat for one memorable summer season. Her experiences in all these fields have provided a rich background tapestry for the Henry & Sparrow series.
She lives in Hampshire, England, with her husband, occasional boomeranging offspring and a highly porous labradoodle who loves too much. She likes to go running. Not quite so often in the woods since writing The Dying Dolls.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 20, 2021
This is a review that I almost wish I didn't have to write.
AD Fox (aka Ali Sparkes) is an author that until last month, I had never heard of. I came across her quite by chance on the 'UK Crime Book Club' Facebook page, on which she asked whether having a female detective as a lead character was off-putting to male readers. My reply - for what it's worth, and as a male reader who loves crime fiction - was that I don't mind in the least if a book has a strong female lead character. Where I have been known to become a little irked is if there has to be a weak male character as a sidekick. What's wrong with both male and female characters having their own strengths and weaknesses?
Ali's response to this one comment showed her to be a truly lovely and generous person. Because it resulted in me being sent ARC's of not only her first crime novel, The Dying Dolls, but her second - Dead Air - as well. If my review was based on the author's loveliness, I'd finish and award five stars right now.
But, I always say that my reviews are of the book and not the author. And I'm really sorry to have to say that my comments here aren't quite so gushingly praising.
I do have some good things to say. It's absolutely true that both the female and male lead characters have strengths and weaknesses here. DS Kate Sparrow is a dedicated police officer who has so far been unable to find a breakthrough in the case that has seen three female runners abducted. The first was found to have died horribly, the other two have so far disappeared without trace. Her frustration, and fear that she may be unable to save the lives of two other women is palpable.
In desperation, she turns to her childhood friend Lucas Henry, who is ... well, he's quirky. A wannabe artist, living in an inherited bungalow but unable to afford to keep the electricity connected, he also has a gift for dowsing. This enables him to not so much find as to sense new evidence at the abduction scenes.
The trouble with 'quirky' is that it's also divisive. I am sure that there will be people out there who will absolutely be ready to fall in love with Kate and Lucas and be more than happy to accept everything that happens in the storyline. But there will be others for whom the quirks don't really do it, and I have to say that I personally lean towards the second category.
My real problem wasn't with the character of Lucas so much as how he has to fit into the main story. I'm trying hard not to give spoilers away, but it relies on Kate being willing to accept his gift but her fellow police officers being somewhat more cynical. The point is reached where Lucas, despite having been arrested and tasered, senses how he can escape police capture and stay off their radar until he has managed to save more than one life. But for me, it just seemed so improbable as to be almost farcical.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, though. I did. I read it easily and will definitely give Dead Air a chance. AD Fox deserves no less. If you're looking for a new crime fiction series, I'll happily
recommend that you give this one a go. And I'll be even happier if, having read the Dying Dolls, you disagree with everything I say.
My thanks, again, to the author for an ARC of this book. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.
AD Fox (aka Ali Sparkes) is an author that until last month, I had never heard of. I came across her quite by chance on the 'UK Crime Book Club' Facebook page, on which she asked whether having a female detective as a lead character was off-putting to male readers. My reply - for what it's worth, and as a male reader who loves crime fiction - was that I don't mind in the least if a book has a strong female lead character. Where I have been known to become a little irked is if there has to be a weak male character as a sidekick. What's wrong with both male and female characters having their own strengths and weaknesses?
Ali's response to this one comment showed her to be a truly lovely and generous person. Because it resulted in me being sent ARC's of not only her first crime novel, The Dying Dolls, but her second - Dead Air - as well. If my review was based on the author's loveliness, I'd finish and award five stars right now.
But, I always say that my reviews are of the book and not the author. And I'm really sorry to have to say that my comments here aren't quite so gushingly praising.
I do have some good things to say. It's absolutely true that both the female and male lead characters have strengths and weaknesses here. DS Kate Sparrow is a dedicated police officer who has so far been unable to find a breakthrough in the case that has seen three female runners abducted. The first was found to have died horribly, the other two have so far disappeared without trace. Her frustration, and fear that she may be unable to save the lives of two other women is palpable.
In desperation, she turns to her childhood friend Lucas Henry, who is ... well, he's quirky. A wannabe artist, living in an inherited bungalow but unable to afford to keep the electricity connected, he also has a gift for dowsing. This enables him to not so much find as to sense new evidence at the abduction scenes.
The trouble with 'quirky' is that it's also divisive. I am sure that there will be people out there who will absolutely be ready to fall in love with Kate and Lucas and be more than happy to accept everything that happens in the storyline. But there will be others for whom the quirks don't really do it, and I have to say that I personally lean towards the second category.
My real problem wasn't with the character of Lucas so much as how he has to fit into the main story. I'm trying hard not to give spoilers away, but it relies on Kate being willing to accept his gift but her fellow police officers being somewhat more cynical. The point is reached where Lucas, despite having been arrested and tasered, senses how he can escape police capture and stay off their radar until he has managed to save more than one life. But for me, it just seemed so improbable as to be almost farcical.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, though. I did. I read it easily and will definitely give Dead Air a chance. AD Fox deserves no less. If you're looking for a new crime fiction series, I'll happily
recommend that you give this one a go. And I'll be even happier if, having read the Dying Dolls, you disagree with everything I say.
My thanks, again, to the author for an ARC of this book. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.
January 31, 2021
Loved this, clever story with some very strong characters.
Can't wait for more adventures featuring Lucas and "Sid" ...I'll leave you to read the book to find out exactly who Lucas and sid are !!!
Can't wait for more adventures featuring Lucas and "Sid" ...I'll leave you to read the book to find out exactly who Lucas and sid are !!!
January 26, 2021
One of the best crime thriller debuts I've read - bravo! One that made me stay up late, unable to stop turning the page... one that means I'll never want to walk in the woods alone again...
A captivating and chilling read from the first page to the last, AD Fox is a master of tension. From one page to the next, it pulls you between laughing out loud with brilliantly injected humour, to feeling unsettled to your core, immersed in DS Sparrow's case.
The plot is intricate, the character captivating and as real as they come, and the twist at the end will knock your metaphorical socks off.
Can not recommend highly enough - AD Fox is my newest instant buy author.
A captivating and chilling read from the first page to the last, AD Fox is a master of tension. From one page to the next, it pulls you between laughing out loud with brilliantly injected humour, to feeling unsettled to your core, immersed in DS Sparrow's case.
The plot is intricate, the character captivating and as real as they come, and the twist at the end will knock your metaphorical socks off.
Can not recommend highly enough - AD Fox is my newest instant buy author.
July 1, 2021
I truly wish I could rate this book higher than 5 stars!! It was absolutely FANTASTIC!!
I literally felt the pace of the story and lost track of how fast I was reading this book! I couldn’t put the book down.
The characters were well thought out, relatable and easy to picture whilst reading. I loved dear Reggie!! In a way he is the true hero of the book!!
I was completely convinced the murderer was one person…. The twist of the real murderer was chilling. The way the murders were carried out was gruesome to say the least but so inventive!
I can’t wait to read the next Henry & Sparrow book, the novella and more.
I have read other work by AD Fox as her alter ego Ali Sparkes and i LOVE all i’ve read by her. This woman knows how to write a convincing and fantastic story in everything she writes!! If you haven’t read her work yet WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? You won’t regret it guaranteed!!
I literally felt the pace of the story and lost track of how fast I was reading this book! I couldn’t put the book down.
The characters were well thought out, relatable and easy to picture whilst reading. I loved dear Reggie!! In a way he is the true hero of the book!!
I was completely convinced the murderer was one person…. The twist of the real murderer was chilling. The way the murders were carried out was gruesome to say the least but so inventive!
I can’t wait to read the next Henry & Sparrow book, the novella and more.
I have read other work by AD Fox as her alter ego Ali Sparkes and i LOVE all i’ve read by her. This woman knows how to write a convincing and fantastic story in everything she writes!! If you haven’t read her work yet WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? You won’t regret it guaranteed!!
October 13, 2021
This book was recommended to me by members of the Facebook group UK Crime Book Club. I've been introduced to some wonderful authors since joining this group and this one was no exception.
The Dying Dolls is a great read and the start of a new series, Henry and Sparrow. DS Kate Sparrow and Lucas Harry (a dowser with an astonishing ability to find bodies) are a great combination and I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops as the series progresses. Particularly in view of the cliffhanger at the end of the book!
This is a real page turner of a book which kept me reading into the small hours of the morning. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, Dead Air, but I'll have to make sure I choose a time when I din't have to be up early the next day.
The Dying Dolls is a great read and the start of a new series, Henry and Sparrow. DS Kate Sparrow and Lucas Harry (a dowser with an astonishing ability to find bodies) are a great combination and I'm really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops as the series progresses. Particularly in view of the cliffhanger at the end of the book!
This is a real page turner of a book which kept me reading into the small hours of the morning. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, Dead Air, but I'll have to make sure I choose a time when I din't have to be up early the next day.
April 21, 2021
Having read Undertow, a prequel available by signing up to AD Fox's newsletter on her website, I was keen to read book 1, The Dying Dolls. It is the start of the series featuring Lucas Henry and DS Kate Sparrow. Lucas is a dowser (or a diviner) and uses Sid to help him find things - or people. Kate calls on him to help solve the murders of 3 runners. The author's sense of humour comes through in her writing, in between the chilling passages. It is a story well told and I found it hard to put down. Look forward to reading the next book in the series.
June 21, 2021
Not quite sure how I came about this book but so glad I did. Read it in one sitting. It is only a short read (200 pages) but hey it was such a compelling read and I flew through it! I can see how some authors would have padded it out but that would have been such a shame. It has the perfect pace with no frills and lots of entertainment. Plenty of thrills, twists and action and the tension just grew and grew. Very exciting. It even had some humour (but that might be just me!) Simple, no nonsense storytelling which gave me a few wonderful hours of reading. One happy bunny.
February 8, 2021
This book did grip me as the characters felt "real". Kate Sparrow is a really gritty detective and Lucas is very quirky, which is a good new angle for a character in this genre. However, I guessed who the murderer was as soon as the character appeared in the book. I kept hoping I was wrong and there would be a massive twist at the end. I've downloaded the prequel and I'll probably buy book two to see how the characters develop. Excellent writing and very funny at times so well worth reading.
May 2, 2021
What a great first crime novel. The Dying Dolls has everything - a creepy perpetrator , an everyday setting & a great, new, crime busting combination.
Henry & Sparrow are joined by Reggie & Sid in trying to solve the disappearances of several female runners. How they do it is not by normal police methods & that is part of the joy of this book.
Easy to read, with well drawn main & subsidiary characters, I cannot wait to read the next one.
Recommended.
Henry & Sparrow are joined by Reggie & Sid in trying to solve the disappearances of several female runners. How they do it is not by normal police methods & that is part of the joy of this book.
Easy to read, with well drawn main & subsidiary characters, I cannot wait to read the next one.
Recommended.
April 19, 2021
I really liked this book. The character of Lucas is so different from anything I had read before and makes the story even more interesting. Also as interesting is the background relationship between Kate and Lucas.
I can't wait to read the next in the series to see how this duo's relationship progresses, and look forward to seeing more of "Sid" ! Bring on book 2.
I can't wait to read the next in the series to see how this duo's relationship progresses, and look forward to seeing more of "Sid" ! Bring on book 2.
October 5, 2021
At last! A book I can write a good review about. Well written (amazing - someone who understands English, apart from the ubiquitous, dreadful, 'Me and .....'), and tightly crafted. So, it's a little far-fetched at times - but that's entertainment, and this book provides entertainment in spadesful. As you can imagine, I am raring to go on book two.
October 19, 2021
An intriguing read, I liked the unusual protagonist of a dowser helping with the investigation. This novel establishes the characters well and I look forward to reading more in the series - 4* from me
December 8, 2021
Interesting premise with the dowsing piece. Not something I had ever heard of. Kate Sparrow hires a dowser to help her find some missing women. But she has her own past tragedies as does Lucas Henry the dowser.
Quite a fast completing last few chapters.
Quite a fast completing last few chapters.
January 13, 2023
I enjoyed this very much. Quite different from usual crime stories. I don't really know if I believe in dowsing, but I liked this unusual aspect in a crime novel. I will certainly read the other books in the series
October 23, 2023
I came across this book quite by accident and I’m glad I did. It wasn’t quite as tense as some crime books I’ve read, which made it a lighter, more enjoyable read. Don’t get me wrong though, there were plenty of heart in mouth moments! Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
May 23, 2021
Great read!
Really enjoyed this story! Gripped from the beginning, can't wait to read the next one! Great storyline and some good twists.
Really enjoyed this story! Gripped from the beginning, can't wait to read the next one! Great storyline and some good twists.
June 10, 2021
Oh Wow!! I couldn't put this book down! A different team combination to the norm, but it works so well! Moving straight on to the next book in the series!
November 3, 2021
Intriguing concept .
Interesting cast of characters and a well paced storyline kept me burning the midnight oil . Looking forward to reading more of this authors work .
Interesting cast of characters and a well paced storyline kept me burning the midnight oil . Looking forward to reading more of this authors work .
June 20, 2022
Loved this new Police detective Kate Sparrow. Looking forward to more episodes, hopefully with Lucas.
June 7, 2025
Interesting plot. Enjoyable characters. Unusual concept.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews