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Book Review of Black Dog

Black Dog
eadieburke avatar reviewed on + 1619 more book reviews


Book Description
Fifteen-year-old Laura, daughter of the wealthy Vernon family, is missing. When retired miner Harry Dickinson reports that he's found the body lying in the woods, his strangely obstinate refusal to cooperate with the investigation raises more than a few eyebrows. Whatever Harry knows about what has happened up in those woods, he's certainly not telling. Cooper teams up with Detective Constable Diane Fry, an ambitious rookie with a few secrets of her own. As they work to unravel the baffling crime, the young detectives find themselves in a complicated two-step of suspicion and sexual tension.Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Northern England's Peak District, Black Dog is an evocative, gorgeously written work of psychological suspense.

My Review
I found this book to be an excellent debut by Stephen Booth. I enjoyed his writing right from the start. His descriptions allow you to visualize the setting and you feel like you are right there. This is not your typical crime novel. The two main characters, DC Ben Cooper and DC Diane Fry are what drive the story. They are competing to become a sergeant. They seem to be doing a dance of suspicion, attraction and frustration. Can't wait to read the next book in the series to see how this relationship pans out.
The plot and storyline are excellent and the reason and person behind the killing was a complete surprise to me. I would highly recommend this book to those who like psychological suspense.