Muddy Waters: A Body in the Lakes by Graham Smith @GrahamSmith1972 @bookouture

Do you get that yummy thrill when it’s time to share the review of a book written by one of your favourite authors?? Because I do!!

Thanks to Noelle and Bookouture for inviting me to be part of this amazing blog tour!

Title: A Body in the Lakes
Author: Graham Smith
Publisher: Bookouture
Date of publication: 15.03.2019
Format: e-copy
Source: Publisher
Number of pages: 372

The woman’s limbs were so thin; the skin on her arms as translucent as tracing paper. Around her neck lay a faint string of purple bruises. In one so frail, darker, angrier marks might be expected but Beth knew the bruising would have stopped the moment her heart stopped beating.

When a walker finds the body of a woman by the shores of Lake Ullswater, the police are put on high alert. Felicia Evans was known to be a tough character, but who would have strangled her?

Detective Beth Young quickly spots the links to three cold cases. Three women strangled and discarded in the stunning, wild hills of the Lake District.

As Beth begins tracking down witnesses, the team receives an anonymous letter claiming the charming mayor of Carlisle is behind the murders. There’s pressure from the top to clear his name. But Beth is determined to find the truth no matter whose feathers she ruffles in the process.

Beth knows the clock is ticking. The killer is hunting again. And it’s down to her to find who’s responsible before another woman becomes his prey…

A gripping edge-of-your-seat thriller from bestselling author Graham Smith, perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, LJ Ross, and J.R. Ellis.

Some people never cease to amaze you. Graham Smith is one of them. When I saw the second book in the DC Beth Young series available to read, I just HAD to jump on it. Why? Because there is nothing better than putting your hours and your life in the hands of an author who knows what he is doing.

Welcome to my review of A Body in the Lakes.

Beth Young is an exceptional cop. When we meet her for the second time, a body is waiting for the police near a lake. Right away, Beth’s eyes and mind are on high alert. This doesn’t mean she is omniscient. It is her attention to detail and the way her brain works that make her stand out. But she never shows off, and she welcomes the help and opinions of others, from her boss, DI O’Dowd, to the professional pathologists taking care of the victims. I love this side of Beth. She knows her talent with riddles and puzzles allows her to perceive patterns invisible to regular people. Never ever does Graham Smith pushes the limits to come up with far-fetched theories and ideas to make her protagonist look smarter than her colleagues. I don’t know how he does it, but Beth remains a fabulous team member while forging her own path.

After digging up cold cases, Beth finds herself in a dark and muddled maze. Juggling from their first case, the ‘new’ ones, and a big political figure who could make some waves, everyone’s hands are full. You might think that too much going on might slow down the pace of the plot and take away some of the interest in subplots, but that would be not counting on Graham Smith! He weaves a dirty, bloody web of suspicions I simply adored (does that make me sound weird???? I couldn’t care less!!) Good days and bad days go by and the reader is led into private and professional lives. What a pleasure not to be plunged into a CSI episode but be faced with real legwork, tough suspects to crack, and emotions taking over. Police officers are human beings, and I think Beth is one of the best examples of authenticity we can find these days in crime fiction.

A Body in the Lakes is a compelling read, a lift from hell going up and down until it makes your head spin! I couldn’t stop reading!!! Neither could I stop my emotions from flooding the atmosphere around me. The events unfolding in front of my eyes kept me wondering who was behind it all. Was the mayor like all politicians, sick and dark? Don’t we all suspect politicians? I mean, unless it’s Barack Obama, all suits guys are guilty of something in my eyes!!! Who could assault women the way the victims had been? I was horrified by the fate they had met, yet, the reality of it brought to life by acute descriptions only made me want to fight harder for the truth!

A Body In The Lakes is like a poker game. You are dealt cards and you must play and be the best to unmask the predator hiding among the numbers.

Graham Smith is a wonderfully brilliant mastermind who has created one of the best female characters in crime fiction, building a stunningly normal and gloomy world for Beth to grow. Her personal vendetta is the fragile thread underneath Beth’s drive for justice, and I can’t wait to know what’s next in store for us, lucky readers! What a thrilling thriller!!!

 

Grab your copy of this book, and the previous one if you don’t have it already!!!

Graham Smith is the bestselling author of four explosive crime thrillers in the Jake Boulder series, Watching the Bodies, The Kindred Killers, Past Echoes and Die Cold. Watching the Bodies spent over two weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart and Amazon CA charts. Graham is also the author of the popular DI Harry Evans series and has collections of short stories and novellas. His latest novel with Bookouture is set in Cumbria and the Lake District, featuring DC Beth Young.

He is the proud father of a young son. As a time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer for the well-respected review site Crimesquad.com since 2010.

When not working, his time is spent reading, writing and playing games with his son. He enjoys socialising and spending time with friends and family.

Author Social Media Links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor/

TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972

WEBSITE: https://grahamsmithauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446655.Graham_Smith?from_search=true