Today I am pleased to be taking part in the blog tour for The Huntsmen. My review is written with thanks to Tony Forder for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book.

Blurb:

When DS Royston Chase is called to the scene of a fatal road collision, his task is to identify the girl who died alongside the ex-Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. Paired with the bold and strident DC Claire Laney, Chase is given the task of closing the case quickly and quietly.

But when the girl’s DNA provides a familial link to a child who vanished from her home twenty years earlier, Chase and Laney refuse to accept the coincidence. The pair start looking harder at the ex-cop’s life, at which point they encounter serious opposition. Perhaps deadly serious.

Because the establishment looks after its own, and soon it’s not only their bosses getting in the way of a thorough investigation. Chase and Laney find themselves seemingly at odds with everyone, fighting to save their own reputations as well as the case. But neither will rest until they identify their young victim, no matter what the cost…

Review:

When an author starts a new series, it’s difficult not to compare the new detective and their team to the more established detective that you know so well. However, I think it is important to judge Royston Chase in his own right and I think he definitely has a lot more to give! He’s outspoken and doesn’t always do things in the way you would expect but he’s determined to get results and I really wanted him to succeed. His partner, Claire Laney, is something else. I loved the way she was described and despite her rough edges, I really enjoyed getting to know her and seeing how their partnership developed. I also found it interesting to learn more about the role of the PCSO, Alison May.

Tony Forder’s writing gets better and better with every novel he writes. Despite the setting not being an area with which I am familiar, I could picture the surroundings very easily and was drawn into the story immediately by Forder’s keen eye for detail. I also love the humour in his writing, which is often quite dark. 

The premise of The Huntsmen is one that, although it touches on some horrific crimes, I found very intriguing. The investigation throws up a number of questions and I really wanted to know how they would be answered. It was very difficult to put down! I hope this series continues as I believe the characters do have a lot more to give and I would love to see where Forder takes them next! 

The Huntsmen is available from Amazon.

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