Format: Paperback
Published by: The Book Folks
No. Pages: 182
Synopsis:
On a walk up the moor near Ilkley in Yorkshire, ex-detective Henry Ward and his loyal terrier Tessa stumble across the body of a young man, who is clearly deceased.
Probing further, Henry decides that if the bag of drugs in his pocket is anything to go by, the lad has been up to no good.
Despite resistance from the officer in charge – curt ex-Met officer DI Kate Barnes who’d rather Henry kept out of her way – Henry pursues his own line of inquiry. So much for thinking he’d retire in a quiet countryside cottage and leave his troubled days as a DCI in Bradford behind.
But quickly Henry finds himself ahead of the local police. Yet old and tired, with a bad hip, and possibly terrible judgement, is he really cut out to track down a killer?
My Thoughts: (spoiler free)
Firstly many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a copy of the book to review and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
This is the first in what promises to be an exciting new series, and I have to say outright, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. In terms of the number of pages it is not a long read, but it more than packs a lot in, wonderfully plotted, with engaging and likeable characters, and not without a twist or surprise.
It reads more as a cosy crime novel and for me that was part of its charm, it features retired detective Henry Ward who when he finds the body of a young man, has a hankering to get back in the game and investigate for himself, somewhat at the annoyance of the police.
Henry is a really likeable endearing character, of a certain age which slows him down which befits the pace of the book, sharp of mind, you can take to him instantly and whilst he may appear to someone trying to meddle, his heart is in the right place and crucially he is does not stray outside the realms of the law, for me that worked in giving the story credence. He is able supported by neighbour and parish counsellor Mrs Whitehead, the way they are both written you can form a mental image. I look forward to seeing how they develop in future books. For me all the characters within the book are written and presented in a way that gives them an air of believeability. The location of the book also played its part in adding a degree of atmosphere to the book, set in West Yorkshire.
I found the book wonderfully plotted and executed with aplomb on the page, it is a tight plot where everything is knitted together in a way that you keeps guessing and turning the pages as things are slowly revealed. The story is written in a way that allows the action to flow on the page.
It is a read which twists and turns and as you read on has surprises in store that I hadn’t seen coming, the ending is both satsyfying but also leaves you wondering
Overall for me this was an engaging read that kept me hooked and entertained from first to last, a read that will appeal to any crime fiction fan and one I would recommend, I for one am definitely looking forward to reading more of the exploits of Henry Ward
Book 2: Butcher on the Moor – Out Now
Book 3: Missing on Ilkley Moor – Out Now
About the Author:
Ric Brady is an author, playwright, and interactive fiction writer. His debut novel ‘Murder on a Yorkshire Moor’ was published by the Book Folks in 2023.
He grew up near the misty moors of Brontë country and started reading crime fiction when he was young, borrowing second-hand novels written by Ian Rankin, John Grisham, and Dean Koontz.
He writes thrillers and crime fiction that have a dose of dark humour, and his stories are based in the north of England despite him living in France. He frequently returns to the UK to soak up the atmosphere, buy boxes of Yorkshire tea, and come up with ideas for future novels.
Purchase Here:
https://geni.us/Ric-Brady-Debut
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