This is the first book in the Detective Alice Rossi series by author Helen H Durrant. I have previously enjoyed quite a few series written by this prolific crime story writer so I was looking forward to reading her latest offering.

DCI Alice Rossi is a long standing member of the Greater Manchester’s Serious Crime Squad having served the last twenty-nine years. Her husband Paul died six years ago and now lives alone on the outskirts of Manchester. With retirement just around the corner she is starting to dread trying to find something else to occupy her now that her husband is gone. The thing is she does not miss Paul because he was such a good husband, in fact he was far from it.

Everything was set up for another exciting novel but something just didn’t quite click for me. Hopefully further books in the series will develop the characters more and be more enjoyable . A decent read but not the author’s best work.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Joffe books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

At the luxury country retreat of Still Waters at the foot of the Pennines, a woman has a plan. She is determined to lure her nemesis out by baiting her with death. She has already killed and dismembered a young man, Callum Hilton, and proceeds to leave the non-identifiable bits of his body in Ash Lake knowing that her target will recognise the clues. Neil Lewis, a witness to her crime, is swiftly dealt with but the local police arrest the wrong people. It’s the tweet that brings DCI Alice Rossi from the Greater Manchester Serious Crime Squad running. Especially as she fears that she will be the victim in this killer’s endgame. She arrives at Tameside police station, explains to DS Jason Hawkes that they have the murder case all wrong, that the disappearance of Callum will definitely be connected to the psychopath she has been chasing for six years and tells him about the killer aka #Mad Hatter – at least as much as she wants to reveal. At Still Waters they prepare to search the lakes and she adds DC Sadie Fox to her team as FLO. The Mad Hatter is watching as Alice arrives with Jason to investigate. The game is on. But only Alice knows why this killer is so obsessed with her. The search quickly reveals a bag of body parts and also a much older body. Could it be the killer’s first victim whose body was never found? The post mortem shows links between Neil and what they believe is Callum but just how reliable is all the evidence left by Mad Hatter? Is she only giving them what she wants them to find? The game is on with the killer always seeming to be one step ahead. A chance discovery gives Alice the clue she needs to Mad Hatter’s identity, but how can she prove it with no evidence?
Alice is a fantastic new character, a widow with nearly 30 years’ experience in the job. Jason, a younger but very intuitive officer, makes a great addition to her team. This story has an excellent strong and clever plot with some very likeable characters, and lots of surprises and plenty of great suspects along the way. It has a lovely twisting ending which leaves open avenues for the next story to explore. I am definitely looking forward to more in what’s going to be a super new series!

My first book, that I have read by this author, absolutely brilliant! Highly recommended, and I will definitely read others written by this author!

The Ash Lake Murders records a series of murders happening in Still Waters, a vacation retreat on the shores of Ash Lake. An usual aspect of these murders is that the perpetrator appears to be a woman and commits a series of murders in a short period of time and then goes dormant for years before starting up a new cycle. She leaves few clues behind and nothing to identify her. Each time they occur the killer uses social media posts to send messages announcing the murders and the location of the dead and often mutilated bodies. She also draws Alice Rossi's attention to them in these posts. Alice is a local police department who unsuccessfully investigated the previous murders. The murderer is quite knowledgeable about how to avoid leaving identifying evidence behind, almost like a professional. This is a fascinating account of these murders occurring around Ash Lake and their motivation. My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with a complementary copy for this independent review.

I’m a fan of Helen Durrant’s other series so I was looking forward to reading this. It’s the first book in a new series. DCI Alice Rossi, a widow, is called into investigate the disappearance of a young man from his parent’s luxury holiday cabin in the Peak District. Before the investigation really begins, another fellow from the same development is found murdered. Teasing messages are sent to Alice suggesting the killer is a female serial killers Alice has been trying to bring to justice.
I loved the premiss of the book but didn’t enjoy the way it played out. I’m not a huge fan of books that leap between the killer’s thought and the detective solving the crime, and for that reason only gave it 3 stars. If you enjoy that style of book, you’ll be in for a treat as the writing and the story is excellent.

This is the start of a new series for Helen H Durrant enter DCI Alice Rossi. I have to admit as I was reading the book I was surprised that it wasn't an established series as there seemed to be a lot of history with the main character and the goings on so will be interesting to see how this series progresses.

The main character DCI Alice Rossi is a mature female nearing the end of her policing career and for the past six years of her career she has been blighted by a serial killer known as the Mad Hatter and in this book her nemesis has once again returned to taunt her and she must make haste as the killing count rises.

Helen is not a new author for my I regularly enjoy her novel and this one was no different an engaging read.

A strong police procedural with a protagonist who you will likely love and loathe in equal amounts at different times in the story! I loved the case itself - a female serial killer with links to the lead detective investigating the case made for a mystery I could really engage with. The author cleverly led me to think I had it all sorted out only to throw in a twist! A fun, interesting read which will appeal to those who like police procedurals in which you really get to know the lead investigating character,

THE ASH LAKE MURDERS by Helen H. Durrant brings together an unlikely pair. Alice Rossi is a DCi on the verge of retirement and her latest case involves a female serial killer, A police procedural that is somewhat slow in developing nonetheless the case is concluded with an unexpected and shocking twist.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

I generally enjoyed this police procedure featuring a new character. Alice, the DCI on the case, is a likable but flawed character. She is being taunted by a murderer and we know it has something to do with Alice's past. The backstory is eventually revealed and we can somewhat understand the passion behind the villain.
The plot is generally straight forward. Alice must find the murderer before the murderer makes good on the threat that Alice will be the last victim. I liked the way the plot developed until near the end. The identity of the villain was not a surprise as the character was clearly developed as such. The final confrontation between Alice and the villain was a disappointment and very anticlimactic. Then there was a twist I did not see coming at all, perhaps because it was quite unrealistic. And I am not so sure the tweet thing at the end worked.
I like Durrant's writing style and police procedure in the plot structure. This is the first mystery I have read by her and despite some flaws, I liked it well enough to look for more from her, especially ones featuring DCI Alice Rossi.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

An introduction to DCI Alice Rossi, and I already have warmed to this new DCI. Rossi receives another message from her nemesis, The Mad Hatter who taunts Alice via Twitter over the murders committed. Rossi is brought in a lead detective on a missing persons case which soon turns out to be murder in a tranquil country retreat.
Simultaneously, pieces start falling into place with the mystery surrounding her husband’s death. Rossi needs to identify and catch the Mad Hatter before it’s too late.
A really enjoyable read, and the start of an interesting new series. Can’t wait for more adventures with DCI Rossi.

EXCERPT: 'I bet I feature in your dreams, don't I?' She laughed. 'And don't think I'll just slip away out of your life, either. I have a task to complete and I will see it through.'

'More people to kill?' Alice spat the words out.

'This time the focus is on you, Alice. You see, I want you dead, out of my head for good. Sorry to be a spoilsport but I'm calling time on our little game.'

The line went dead.

ABOUT 'THE ASH LAKE MURDERS': A female serial killer with a deadly agenda. The detective who must stop her. Luxury holiday lodges in the stunning Peak District. The game begins . . .

Callum is lured to an isolated boathouse by an attractive older woman. When she gets him alone, she knocks him out with a single blow. As he wakes up, her voice comes out of the darkness, “You’re a sprat to catch a mackerel.”

Surrounded by hills and lakes, Still Waters is home to a close-knit community of wealthy retirees. It’s an unlikely setting for violence. The police don’t take Callum’s disappearance seriously: he’s 24-years-old, after all. But Callum’s mother, a Still Waters resident, knows that something is very wrong.

Then a body is discovered floating in the lake. Head bashed in. But it’s not Callum.

And someone tweets:Come out to play one last time, Alice. Still Waters run deep. #MadHatter.

That’s when DCI Alice Rossi is called in. She’s back.

MY THOUGHTS: I mostly enjoyed this, the first book in a new series by an author I admire. The book is well written and the characters interesting and well portrayed. My problem is with Alice herself. Her boss has every confidence in her, but Alice doesn't see this and often withholds vital information from him thinking that he won't believe her. This is going to cause problems, but I can see that it is going to add to the tension and suspense in the next book.

And, yes, I will definitely be first in line for that.

An interesting beginning to a new series which, I believe, is going to go from strength to strength.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#THEASHLAKEMURDERS #NetGalley

I: @hhdurrant_author @joffebooks

T: @hhdurrant @JoffeBooks

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #policeprocedural #serialkillerthriller #series

THE AUTHOR: Helen H. Durrant is a British author who sets her novels in the area she has lived for many years, the towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. The area offers an interesting mix of the industrial and the countryside and makes for a great setting for a crime novel. (OrderofBooks.com)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Joffe Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Ash Lake Murders by Helen H. Durrant for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Joffe Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A thriller that will have you guessing. It kept me entertained and I didn’t want to put it down.

3.5 stars

The Ash Lake Murders by Helen H. Durrant is the first in the Detective Alice Rossi series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Joffe Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
Series Information:
DCI Alice Rossi works in the Greater Manchester Serious Crime Squad.  She is 50 years old, and her abusive husband Paul died six years ago.  She has a son, Michael.  Alice has plans to retire shortly. Her boss is Superintendent Frank Osbourne.



My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
It's been two years since a female serial killer known as "Mad Hatter" has struck. But when a tweet appears with her trademark hashtag, Detective Alice Rossi is called.

A body is found, and another man is missing in the wealthy retirement community of Still Waters. Although arrests have been made, Alice knows they are not the perpetrators. She knows the woman behind these murders is Mad Hatter.

The killer has her own agenda, and it is only to draw Alice into her game.  When she is done playing, Alice is to die.  There is a link between the two women that no one knows.


My Opinions:
I really enjoyed this.  It looks like it will be a good series. It is well written, and the characters are interesting.  I really like Alice, although sometimes I didn't like her actions.  I loved her boss.

Although I had an idea what was going on early in the book, this did not take away any of the enjoyment as the story unfolded.  It was a very fast read.

My biggest problem was the ending.  I like a clean ending, and this book left Alice open to future problems.

Gripping tale of cat and mouse that intertwines and grows until you can't get away - you've got to keep reading to find out who it is and what will happen next. Super female lead and complex cast of characters - this is a series to start and follow - can't wait for the next installment!

I had two MAJOR problems with this one.

The first one being that DCI Alice is close to retirement and has had a long-running feud (for lack of a better word) with this Mad Hatter character, and yet this is the FIRST we hear of it. I would have LOVED to have read other stories with these two characters so that the build-up felt more realistic. I get it, Alice was unable to solve any other murder that was attributed to the Mad Hatter before now, but that doesn't mean the character/murders couldn't have featured in prior stories. To make the final showdown happen in book one felt a bit like a cheat to be honest (even though I see where it will probably be used as a jumping off point for the series).

My second issue with this (and again I can see where this might be used in future novels), is that the "major twist" was something so unbelievably inconvincible that it just pissed me off. Unfortunately, I can't give anything away without ruining it, but I can say that when you look at things as a whole it left some gaping holes in an otherwise solid plot.

HOWEVER. Despite those issues, this was still a well-written police procedural that kept me up late reading just "one more chapter" so I could try and guess just who our killer was. I was thrown off a couple of times not just where the killer with involved, but where other pieces of the story fit in as well. And I think that the author did a nice job of setting up future novels in this series both in her expertise as a DCI and in the aspects of her personal life.

I would definitely read more of this series!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Um, sorry, but this book was not it for me at all. The mystery was super compelling which is why I requested an ARC, but it was super underwhelming. It was slow and the characters were all flat. And although this book is the first in its series, it read as if it was one in the middle. There was lots of information that seemed like it happened in a previous book and I would’ve loved some backstory, especially on the dynamic between Alice and Mad Hatter.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Wow what a great start to a new series but this brilliant author. Full of suspense a d a page turner can't wait to read more

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance copy of #TheAshLakeMurders by #HelenHDurrant

The first in a new series about Detective Alice Rossi
Someone is placing tweets to get Alice’s attention.
We come into the story after this has been going on for 6 years which I found disconcerting to start with thinking I’d missed earlier books in the series, but it all becomes clear as you read on.
As the bodies count rises Alice’s knows she will need her wits about her if she’s not to be next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of The Ash Lake Murders, the first novel to feature DCI Alice Rossi of Greater Manchester Police.

At the Still Waters Reserve, a holiday home resort for the wealthy Callum wakes up in the boathouse with a woman telling him he’s bait. The police aren’t too interested in his disappearance as he’s an adult until there is a murder. A tweet from an old adversary brings DCI Alice Rossi into the case.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Ash Lake Murders, which is an engrossing read with several twists and turns. It opens with Callum’s predicament and the first twist, a female perpetrator then moves on to the investigation which is told from Alice’s point of view. Alice is keeping secrets, so there’s the mystery in the novel, the perpetrator’s identity and what Alice doesn’t want anyone to know. The author does a great job of slowly teasing out both and ratcheting up the tension. It becomes a game of cat and mouse with a final, massive twist. Yes, this twist is a shock and clever, but it is also less than realistic and casts a shadow over what had been up till then a very good read. It also hints at a thread that could develop over the series.

Alice Rossi is an unusual protagonist. For a start she’s months from retirement, not that that holds her back and if she hadn’t mentioned it the reader would never have known as she throws her heart and soul into the investigation. I like it a lot, because too many novels have the over fifties as frail and/or infirm. I also like it that she doesn’t put on a brave front and can get as nervous and frightened as the rest of us. That’s refreshing in fiction. In general I like her and will be looking out for her next case.

The Ash Lake Murders is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Callum falls for an older attractive woman. When she gets him alone she knocks him out. As he wakes up her
voice out of the darkness. Surrounded by hills and lakes stillwater is a close knit retiree community.
The police didnt take Callum disappearance seriously. Callum mom thinks there is something really wrong.
A body is discovered. Who body is this if it is not Callum? Where is Callum?
If you like thriller or suspense this is the book for you.
Thanks to Joffe Books, Netgalley, and the author in exchange for a review.
Publishing Date March 24th, 2022