You really a get a sense of the surrounding area within this story. Somewhere that is usually a very scenic setting, is tarnished with violence and death and boy did I love every minute of it!

Whilst this may be the second book to feature Beth, there is enough background so that you can pick this one up without having read the first one in the series. You more than likely will want to though as this is an author who knows his crime thrillers inside and out. He is an author who just keeps on giving, giving everything that a true crime junkie wants and needs to satisfy that craving of thrills and chills.

The nature of the story line is one that is quite sombre. I didn’t envy Beth one bit working the case she is on. Not only does she have her work cut out trying to catch a killer, she has to deal with the mayor also. So not much pressure there then!

A Body In The Lakes is a dark and brooding read that totally held me captive. Parts chilled me to the core whilst other parts caught me off guard, causing an array of emotions. British crime writing at it’s best!

A Body in the Lakes by Graham Smith
Genre: Fiction/Crime Fiction/Crime, Thriller & Mystery
BUG Rating: 4.5/5

Overall: Well paced book, with a lot going for it! The storyline, set in Cumbria, follows Detective Beth Young and her colleagues at Force Major Investigation Team (FMIT) as they discover the body of an old woman, who has been disturbingly sexually assaulted, strangled and discarded, naked, by the lakes. The case also flags up cold cases in the same area with a similar MO - the killer never having been found. Beth is determined to resolve the puzzles of the past and present murders in order to bring peace to the victims and their families. Multiple storylines (some quite grisly) going on in this book, which all tie together perfectly, whilst allowing us to explore the great set of characters Graham has given us. If I was to sum up in 3 words: Exciting, Spine Tingling and Unpredictable. It had me on the edge of my seat at times, especially when we got a glimse into the killer’s mind, and it literally kept me guessing until the very end who they were!


Read my full review on my blog