“A dead body in a crop circle sends a coded message”


I haven’t read too many of the flurry of post Coronavirus pandemic books, as I just know that some are going to be much better than others – but boy oh boy! This has to be one of the best!!

I deliberately chose to download this one, first and foremost, because I have to admit that I had a vested interest in this story long before I even opened the cover on my Kindle. It is set in a location I know so well, having been born and raised in Swindon, a mere couple of miles from Hackpen Hill. When we were first married we lived up on the edge of the Cotswolds, so Oxford was our local ‘stamping ground’. We now live just as close in the opposite direction and within a virtual stones throw of Porton Down, near to Salisbury. I therefore found myself trying to catch the author out with his continuity of place names and journey times, but this storyline has been so well researched and authentically presented, with an obvious enthusiasm that doesn’t take prisoners, so there was not much chance of me finding fault, leaving me able to enjoy a lovely trip down memory lane, although the Swindon Police HQ has been relocated to Gable Cross since I moved away and is no longer a central feature and deterrent in the heart of the town.

Those were about the only parts which were lovely though, as this story hit the ground running from those very first opening lines, with the action and suspense being relentless right until the last, when an ending which was carefully considered, gently brought down the pace and offered peace and hope for the future, for Bella and Jim. Some short, punchy chapters kept the gathering momentum of the storyline evenly paced and fluid; seen, heard and told as it was, through the eyes, ears and voices of the three main protagonists, Bella, Jim and DI Silas Hart.

Crop circles have formed a large and important part of the narrative of the Wiltshire landscape from as far back as I can remember, including the wrath and ire they invoke within the local farming community, for the damage and havoc they can wreak on a crop. Also, having a husband who is ex-military, the concept of the Porton Down “£15 help us find a cure for the common cold” which used to be offered to serving service personnel, is legendary! However, this book raises the game of both strands of local folklore, to a totally different, elevated and nauseatingly twisted level, then deftly weaves them together, with the addition of an unscrupulous US pharmaceutical company, into a tale of chilling proportions, which plays with the minds and emotions of protagonists and readers alike. Nothing is what it seems in the distorted reality of this disparate cast of characters and it is left to DI Silas Hart and DC Strover to unravel fact from fiction, truth from lie, reality from imagination, as they try to bust open a cartel which has already destroyed so many lives. I wonder if perhaps in these times of the whistle-blower culture , a beleaguered Porton Down might, on this occasion, come away with some of its reputation and code of ethics as a protector of the country, intact?

Supremely dark and intensely multi-faceted; wonderfully researched and authentic; compelling and gripping; sympathetically nuanced and told with real heart. The immersive qualities an author who is skilled in the imagery of words and the art of storytelling can engender, makes reading this book both a delight and a troubling experience, at one and the same time. A penetrating and profoundly touching study in human behaviour, encompassing mental health issues and the power of drug induced mind manipulation, whilst never loosing sight of the overarching crime thriller storyline at its core.

The author has created a cast of characters, which aside from the Swindon CID team, are definitely not what they seem to all outward appearances, but I dare you spot the anomalies and join up all the dots. So well have they all been drawn and defined, so genuinely believable, so raw and passionate, they totally had me fooled, right until the bitter end. Complex, emotionally damaged, desperately driven by imagined and instilled beliefs and reactions, all of which made them difficult to relate to or invest in, until unfolding events turn everything on its head and the devastation wrought by an unscrupulous few individuals becomes terrifyingly apparent, to them and me.

Oh! and the ‘locals’ in the village pub, ‘The Slaughtered Lamb’ (not the real name of a pub in this area from what I can ascertain, but I would love to know on which establishment it is based) are probably quite fairly representative of this rural, insular corner of the county, although perhaps I shouldn’t admit to that and I defy most people to find it anything other than a struggle to relate or become engaged with them, they do have their own particularly unique customs and ‘quirky’ ways!

Hart and Strover are a new team of detectives to the world of crime fiction, but to my thinking, they really do warrant and demand a series of their own, so well do they gel and work together. Keen to encourage his young protegee, in a CID section he considers to be too male dominated, Hart not only gives a methodical, process driven and ‘nerdy’ Strover a free reign during the course of the investigation, but he also refreshingly, finds himself actually listening, being informed and acting on, her attention to detail. As the investigation progresses, it does transpire that Hart has more than a purely professional interest in this case, which sets his policing and parental responsibilities, rather at odds with each other. Happily, they do not collide too spectacularly and the outcome should also help his family get back on track, as like all fictional detectives, he does carry an inordinate amount of emotional baggage and leads a complicated and turbulent home life.

From a purely personal point of view, part of the joy of reading, is the unique and individual journey a book takes me on and The Man On Hackpen Hill, is so much more than a daring crime thriller – Where will your journey take you?

An interesting and intelligent murder mystery set in Wiltshire, Crop Circles and a very strange killing of a man found in an intricate crop circle make this thriller from JS Monroe that little bit different from what I’ve read so far this year.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters in this book but it’s a solid, well crafted thriller that as I said is a bit different and it’s good to read the superstition elements.

A good read

I would like to thank Netgalley and Head of Zeus for an advance copy of The Man on Hackpen Hill, the second novel to feature DI Silas Hart of the Wiltshire police.

DI Silas Hart is called out to a new crop circle on Hackpen Hill, not an unusual event in Wiltshire but this one has a complicated design, implying chemical compounds or worse, and a dead body at its centre. While he’s investigating the murder Jim, a scientist at Porton Down, wants trainee journalist Bella to tell his story, if they can escape the men wanting “a quiet word”.

I was really looking forward to The Man on Heckpin Hill, because what’s not to like about the combination of crop circles and murder? Unfortunately it is not a good fit for my taste. For a start the novel is told from various points of view, mainly Silas, Jim and Bella, and while it is not my favourite approach to storytelling I can live with it mostly, but in this case I don’t feel that the author has the balance right. He alternates between their voices, initiates a development and promptly moves on to another voice. It is choppy and frustrating as the reader is constantly having to re-adjust their perspective to the current point of view and events. I found it impossible to get immersed in the novel or identity with any of the characters.

The novel is full of action, twists and mystery, but it soon becomes apparent that it is all about conspiracy and alleged nefarious governmental doings. The hint is in the synopsis with the mention of Porton Down and I was too dense to pick it up. (For those unfamiliar with the establishment its name is forever synonymous with the development of chemical weapons in the UK). Of course, it could all be misdirection as the reader never really feels on firm ground. It all becomes clear in the final chapters and it’s clever, but for me this final resolution doesn’t make up for awkward journey getting there.

I like Silas who appears to be a sensible man, aware of his shortcomings and not afraid to employ help when required, and well able to navigate the minefield of office politics. Jim and Bella are more problematic. They are both keeping secrets and have mystery attached to them. They appear unreliable, but maybe they’re the truth tellers - remember, conspiracy.

The Man on Hackpen Hill is not for me, so it took me days rather than hours to finish. If, however, you relish a good conspiracy novel with twists, mystery and action then this will suit you nicely.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. The subject matter appealed and all the locations are well known to me.
The book has an interesting and engaging start and I was quickly engrossed.
Beth is leaving Oxford after 3 years of studying. She wants to be a journalist like her father, and on receiving a mysterious letter telling her to go to 'The Slaughtered Lamb' pub in Wiltshire, she hopes her big story might be on the cards. There she meets the intriguing Jim Matthews, a scientist working at Porton Down.
Crop circles with bodies at their centre are appearing across Wiltshire. These crop circles are more complex than usual and appear to show mathematical patterns. DI Silas Hart and his colleague Strover, favourites from previous books, are put on the case.
This book is intriguing and it's impossible, in my opinion, to know who is telling the truth. I'd appeal to readers to ensure you get to the end - this is fodder for conspiracies!

This wasn’t quite what I expected but was still interesting!
If I’m honest, I requested this book because it’s set in wiltshire where I work and I do love a crime thriller. I spent most of the book trying to work out whether the characters were telling the truth or whether I was losing the plot (!) so to speak.
Lots of twists and turns!

I really enjoyed this story. It was very different to thrillers I've read before. Some bits were more obvious than others but because of that it did keep you guessing almost to the end.
I felt it was written with some compassion for mental health issues, was well researched and will written. I found it really interesting to read about some of our more recent history and to be able to look into it for more details (not usually something I'm keen on when trying to get into a book)

4.5 stars rounded up.

Bella leaves a small Oxford College after studying for three years, she senses there’s something wrong as her mother drives her home but she can not grasp what it could be. She starts work experience at a newspaper and is sent a mysterious letter telling her to go to ‘The Slaughtered Lamb’ pub in Wiltshire. There she meets Jim Matthews who works at Porton Down. Coincidentally, maybe, DI Silas Hart is summoned to a complex crop circle below Hackpen Hill where a dead body of a young man lies in the centre. The story is told from these three perspectives.

This is an extremely good combination of a police investigation with an excellent thriller element. It’s an incredibly well researched book and though the maths, science and medical science goes over the top of my head to a certain extent it gives a great feeling of authenticity to the novel. The plot is a very clever puzzle with crop circles, their codes, patterns and cryptic messages, spooks, the secretive world of Porton Down with chemical warfare and experimentation and it also examines treatments for mental illness such as schizophrenia. This may sound busy but in fact it dovetails really well and forms a cohesive, intelligent and fast paced plot. I like the short sharp chapters which add to the tension as the case deepens and becomes a real challenge to them all. The characters are very good and the author gives us a good blend of an exciting storyline combined with the personal stories of all three. DC Strover is a really good and immensely knowledgeable sidekick to Silas. There is some powerful imagery throughout the storytelling which keeps you fascinated with no desire to put the book down! It all builds well to a believable conclusion and I like how the end is imperfect and not tied neatly in a bow.

Overall, this is a compelling and absorbing read. It does veer towards the dark side at times and on occasion it shocks as it should and it makes you feel sadness for the victims of an audacious and unscrupulous plan.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Head of Zeus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story, it was well written, had good narrative and good pacing and the characters were well developed and relatable. I read this quickly and would definitely recommend it if you like lots of twists and turns ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am already a huge fan of this author and Di Silas character. This was fantastic and dark and creepy. Not for the faint hearted. Highly recommended xxx

Wow!
I'm already a big fan of the DI Silas Hart & Strover cases and this was realllly chilling!!!

"It isn't unusual for crop circles to appear overnight on Hackpen Hill. In this part of Wiltshire, where golden wheat fields stretch for miles, the locals have got used to discovering strange mathematical patterns stamped into the earth"

What then transpires is a twisty, thrilling chase to work out what is going on when the very "unusually" dead bodies are found in the middle of these crop circles!
It is commendable the amount of knowledge I took from this book regarding chemistry/maths/ crop circles and Portion Down- which I was completely unaware of at 31years of age- even though I live down the road from it in Bristol!. It's been really well thought out and J S Monroe has done ALOT of research into the storyline he wanted to create here. No stone was left unturned and everything written didn't feel too far fetched. It was compelling reading.

JS Monroe has also highlighted throughout mental illness awareness and symptoms that I wouldn't of else known not having read 'The Man On Hackpen Hill'.
On top of this I got some great ideas of locations I'd quite like to visit this summer such as Swanage and Studland Bay!!!

I absolutely loved the main characters aside from Hart & Strover in this book and Loved Bella's & Jim's storylines equally, you kind of had an underlying inkling of where their stories were leading with some shocking plot twists that I didn't see coming! I was on edge for both of them come the ending of the story and was utterly fascinated and gripped by the whole thing!!!

Pleasssssssse do more DI Silas Hart Thrillers asap!! A full 5 Gripping, Well Deserved Stars for "The Man On Hackpen Hill" *****

I received this book from Head of Zeus and Netgalley for a review. A clever murder mystery which keeps you guessing till the reveal, then even more twists loved it.

Crop circles are annoying and costly to farmers, but not usually something DI Silas Hart would be involved with. This crop circle, however, has the body of a naked man, dead center in the middle. Meanwhile, Bella is on her first job as a journalist is given information by a secret government op about the real and frightening truth about the crop circle and the sacrifice at its center. This is a nice mix of police procedural and ancient superstition, it kept me turning the pages

A tad predictable in parts,but that at least kept me reading to the end,so I could see if I'd guessed it right.

I liked the character of Silas,and would happily read more about him,for me though,Bella was irritating and so spoilt the majority of the book.