4 stars

I read the Kindle edition.

Two boys are sneaking a smoke in the woods before class. They notice something near a fallen log. Uncovering the body, they are startled to see that it is Carly Braithwaite.

This is to be DI Dan Hellier’s first case as lead. He is to be “supervised” by DCI Ian Gould who is set to retire in three weeks. The investigation into the death of Carly begins with DCI Gould interviewing students and staff at the school near where Carly’s body was discovered. At the same time, DI Dan Hellier goes to speak to Carly’s father and surviving sister. The father reacts violently but finally manages to calm down. At the school, DCI Gould interviews the students, but one person of interest named Jamie manages to get away before the interviews begin. One of the teachers, Miles who is the school music teacher, acts oddly. He claims that he is over-sensitive.

Meanwhile, Carly’s English teacher, Claire goes around to see Miles at home and sees more than she should. She gets in deep trouble.

The next day, they are speaking to Jed Abrams, the person in charge of the recording studio where Carly was to go on Sunday. He claims she never showed up, but is also acting very suspiciously. Suddenly, the case seems to go in two directions.

When the suspects are brought in, the stories turn into a he-said/she-said situation. The questioning was done very well, and was interesting and informative.

It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel – at least I couldn’t find any other books by Mr. Steadman. This novel is very well written and plotted. I only discovered a couple of minor gaffes in it. The tension in this story begins with the discovery of Carly’s body. It continues at a high level throughout the novel. I was a little disappointed in the DI Dan Hellier character. He was always doubting and questioning himself. Of course, he had good reason, so perhaps I’m misjudging him. He almost seemed incompetent at times. He seemed to get along well with his team, but was a little cranky with his superior. There is always something going on in this book – action galore. There is not a wasted word anywhere in this book. I really liked this novel and I certainly intend to read more of Mr. Steadman’s writing. Perhaps DI Dan’s confidence will rise as he gains experience in his present position.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful debut novel for me to read, enjoy and review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first page to the last! A clever police detective story, complex enough to keep the reader turning pages and wanting more, with plenty of suspects and clues along the way. It featured strong main characters who I have already warmed to and am keen to meet again very soon in the next two novels. More please!

Death in the Woods is a great action packed mystery that deals almost with any crime you can imagine. This book kept me reading until 5:39 am. The main story is about a murder of a 16-year-old who has just won a prestigious music award and is set for a life in the world of young stars. Side stories include underage pedophile ring, kidnapping, human trafficking and that’s just for starters. DI Dan Hellier is assigned to the case but with the caveat that a retiring DCI will be nominally in charge. Things quickly take off and we are on our way through a fast paced nonstop book that never slows down. I wasn’t too keen on DI Hellier in the beginning but he finally learned how to lead and not let his personal history interfere with the job at hand. There are some great women detectives in the book who could easily spin into their own books. I would love to recommend this book to anyone and happily give it a 5 star rating. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review. Great book