Death in Bacton Wood is bk three in the DS Ashley Knight series, and what book it was! When Hamish stumbles from Bacton Wood after waking up from a night out to find himself buried alive, he somehow manages to make it to the hospital, where staff desperately try to work out what happened to him. DS Ashley Knight and her team are called in to investigate,  but they find that Hamish isn't in his hospital bed, it leads Knight and her teams to discover he didn't leave on his own volition - all they know is that he was babbling about being buried alive and during a search of the woods, they discover where he was kept but also made another grim discovery - another body buried alive!

This was jammed packed book from the get go, it touches on the difficult subject of human trafficking, modern slavery and immigration.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a review copy of Death in Bacton Woods, the third novel to feature DS Ashley Knight of Norfolk Police.

I enjoyed Death in Bacton Wood, which is an engrossing read with several surprises (I hesitate to call them twists) that end up going in a direction I didn’t expect at the start. To be honest I expected a serial killer novel and was pleasantly surprised at the turn it took as it makes the read that much different.

I was hooked from the start, not just in the way Hamish rescued himself from being buried alive but also in the mystery of why he was in that situation in the first place. As the novel is mostly told from the investigative point of view the reader must wait while Ashley and her team unravel the various clues and lack of cooperation for more information. The reader may be able to guess the broad brushstrokes but the intrigue is in the surprises, I was caught unaware several times.

I would like to say that this is a pleasant read and it is, notwithstanding the violence and cruelty, because Ashley and her team get on well so the backbiting is missing and that’s always a plus for me.

Death in Bacton Wood is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I am enjoying this series very much.

This particular book had lots of gritty twists and turns and I had no clue until the author revealed it, how the pieces of the puzzle fitted together.

Cleverly written, I liked the combination of Ashley Knight and her team, all of whom bring different skills in order to solve the case in question.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

Ross Greenwood continues The Norfolk Murders series with the third chilling and nail-biting installment, Death in Bacton Wood.

DS Ashley Knight and her team are called in to investigate when a mud-splattered man staggers from Bacton Wood with a shocking tale that he was buried alive. When another victim is found and more men are reported missing, Ashley and her team realise that this case might be even more complicated than they initially thought. But could the notorious Vialli family hold the key to untangling this twisted mystery?

The more they dig, the more staggering are the revelations the Murder Investigations Team uncover. As this case stretches beyond the boundaries of their patch and all the way to Eastern Europe, Ashley and rookie cop Hector Fade find themselves in a race against time in pursuit of a dangerous killer. With a family intent on taking matters into their own hands, a department rat and new victims increasing by the day, will the team manage to solve this case? Or will this whodunnit continue to perplex and baffle the detectives?

Ross Greenwood’s Death in Bacton Wood is a whip-smart, hard edged and heart-stopping crime thriller that kept me guessing till the end. Brilliantly plotted, cleverly written and peppered with tension, intrigue, danger and suspense, Death in Bacton Wood is a terrific police procedural from Ross Greenwood readers will have a hard time putting down.

This is one of those books that I knew would be an instant hit, having read the first two books in the Norfolk Murders series I knew I was bound to enjoy this one too. Ross has a unique knack for writing thrillers that just keep you on your toes page after page, there’s no unnecessary filler writing, this is just page after page of well written and well crafted storytelling and character development. Plus like any good thrillers, twists you just don’t see coming!
•
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a fondness for this series due to the location, Bacton wood being almost walking distance from us. But I think even if I didn’t know Norfolk well, this series, and this book in particular, would be up there with my favourite crime thrillers. Plus I should add Ross has done a great job of getting the settings in the series accurate, always worthy of note when you’re reading about local places!
•
As with many thrillers it’s hard to review the story in depth without spoilers, but if you enjoy police procedural thrillers - you should definitely pick this series up. The books can all be read standalone, but for the best experience and enjoyment I’d highly recommend reading all three.
•
A solid 5/5 read for me, and fast becoming an auto-buy author. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Ross.

Brilliant book. I loved it. Full of twists to keep you guessing right to the end. This is a great series and i can't wait to read more.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

The book hits the ground running with a man buried alive in a shallow grave struggling to free himself. DS Ashley Knight happens to be at the police station on her day off to catch up on work, but finds herself called to the scene. As a result, her team are assigned to investigate the incident, which expands when another victim is found buried in the same woods. Soon thereafter, they discover that even more men are found – and the victims are all tied to an organized criminal organization.

The Major Investigation Team find themselves attempting to untangle a case that stretches from Eastern Europe through to North Norfolk. Along with rookie detective, the whip-smart Hector Fade, Ashley is in a race against time trying to help a family who seem determined to take matters into their own hands. And when Ashley suspects there is a department rat, the stakes get even higher.

As the evidence continues to point in different directions, and as new victims are uncovered thick and fast, Ashley and Hector begin to fear they have finally met their match in a killer too ruthless and clever to be caught.

Despite Ashley’s personal life being a hot mess, she is bright, talented and has good instincts. The team members all have their quirks and issues, but they still get the job done. The setting of the woods is creepy and is almost another character in the book. It adds to the tension, which I love. If you like dark, twisty mysteries, definitely check this one out.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books. All opinions are my own.

I'm a big fan of Ross Greenwood's books, having started with the DI Barton books set in Peterborough, a city I know well. On the other hand Norfolk is just close enough that I know some of the bigger places that get a mention but not well, and Bacton isn't somewhere I had heard of.

But none of that matters; the local references are nice little hooks for those who know the area but there's absolutely no need to know the location before reading the books, albeit you may be tempted to visit afterwards - but only after DS Knight has finished making them safe!

If you read a lot of books in this genre you often get a feel for where something is going. Ross is quite good at letting you make assumptions which turn out to be mistaken, which makes for an entertaining and less predictable read. He also seems better than most at avoiding the tedious repetition that is often a feature of book series - the reminders of what you missed or forgot about key characters from previous books in the series are subtle enough to to jar if they're details you already recall.

Great book, although I'll never look at a door quite the same again. Looking forward to the next installment.

I’m not sure how I’ve managed to miss this author, with the level of violence he writes, I’ve been missing out! 😂.

Whilst this part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, but I will be going back and starting the series from scratch (along with his other books)

This is a dark, gritty and fast paced read, I definitely want to get to know Ashley and her team more. The setting was a massive pull for me (orginally from Thetford) so was nice reading about my roots and I definitely need to give Barton a visit again.

Death in Bacton Wood was a gripping read. It starts off when Ashley is called to see to a man who stumbled out of the woods and was hit by a car. The man is convinced he is buried alive but no one knows who he is. This crime thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.

The plot was so intriguing and I couldn’t tell what was going to happen. Some people in the book were suspicious and I loved finding out their backgrounds and how they are related to the case. I love the police team, and their banter between each other. I also like the consistency of reading about the same team as I know they are an excellent team. Their personalities drew me in and it is nice to have the familiar characters.

I was hooked on this instalment and I loved how unique the plot was. The writing style is always so gripping and I liked the past chapters within the present day. I was curious about how the past chapters linked with the present day. The book was definitely a page turner and made me think constantly. I highly recommend this book and the series. It was be read as a standalone but it is nice to read them together to get to know the police team.

Some mixed feelings about this author. This was one of his better books, a twisty plot with a few suprises along the way, it is told from different viewpoints which start to make sense as the book progresses. This is not for the fainthearted because the crimes are bloody and violent and involve people trafficking, forced prostitution and drugs as well as a mafia style family. The police team work well together on the whole, the setting is the Norfolk coast . A little insight into the personal lives of some of the team, but not too much .
On the whole, the book is well written. Conversations could be a little long winded and the book is may be a little too long, otherwise a great read .Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

The story:
When a man stumbles out of the woods claiming to have been buried alive, DS Ashley Knight and her team in the Norfolk Major Investigation Team aren’t sure if this is a prank gone wrong, or something more sinister… But when another body is discovered in Bacton Wood, all doubt is removed and the team is plunged into a case that may have links to local club owners the Vialli family and organised crime…

With her own personal and career progression on her mind, along with colleague DC Hector Fade’s indecision about his future with the police, will Ashley be able to uncover what’s going on before more lives are lost?

My thoughts:
“Death in Bacton Wood” by Ross Greenwood is the third instalment in the DS Ashley Knight series, and I’m really enjoying seeing these characters develop over the course of the books.

Ashley is continuing her journey to try and improve her physical and mental health, and at the start of this story she is also looking to take the next step in her career and try to become an inspector (something the team is lacking after the events of “Death on Cromer Beach”, book one in the series). It’s also nice to see how her friendship with DC Hector Fade has progressed; a career-minded young man on the fast-track program to seniority — if he decides to stay with the police, that is.

This story begins with a man in a situation that would be many people’s worst nightmare — waking up to find himself buried underground with no light and no memory of how he got there. He finds his way to hospital for just long enough to tell his jumbled story to Ashley, only to go missing from his room, probably against his will.

This is an intricate and interesting case, with a far-reach into the world of organised crime, including drugs and people trafficking. This story answered some questions that were still lingering from book two, but also suggests there’s more to come from Ashley and the team. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next!

I have read every book by Ross Greenwood. Everything he writes is just great. This book is the third in the Norfolk Murders series. I knew it would tick every box, even before I opened the book. That's how much confidence I have in this author.

Death In Bacton Woods definitely starts as it means to go on. Hamish is buried alive and luckily manages to escape. Max, his friend is missing and when Hamish completely disappears from his bed in the hospital, DS Ashley Knight and the team have an investigation that's going to keep them on their feet.

With a plot that keeps the suspense high as well as scary. I read this book at some pace. As always the characters are so well created and the setting so vivid I can picture it so well. In this particular instalment the investigation turns pretty dark, with human trafficking and organised crime being some of the issues raised. It's as always, an excellent storyline that doesnt stay surface level. The dark side of life is here, and with it, the shocks and horrors that comes along with it.

Ultimately a story of revenge, which leaves Asley and the team searching in a race against time. What a cracker of a book! Ross Greenwood goes from strength to strength. If you haven't read any of his books you are certainly missing out.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the gifted ebook to write my honest review.

The third book in this police procedural series proved just as engaging as the first two. This is a police procedural crime series that is a pleasure to follow.

Once again DS Ashley Knight finds herself heading a crime investigation that proves a real challenge. Hamish MacDonald, a young man, after a night out drinking, wakes up to find himself buried alive in a crude grave. Desperation and adrenaline help him escape. After other men go missing, and with the help of her ‘fast track’ young constable, Hector Fade, she must discover who is targeting these men who all seem to have some connection to the Vialli Italian crime family. When Hamish is forcefully taken from the hospital, Ashley’s case just turned ugly. The patriarch of the Vialli family impedes the investigation once he realizes that his sons and nephews might be involved. Also, this powerful man seems to have someone from the police providing him with classified information. Who is the mole? And how and why are they doing this?

Three books into the series finds Ashley and Hector’s friendship maturing. Their banter and jibing adding greatly to my enjoyment of the novel. Now Hector is almost finished his secondment to the team and Ashley wonders what decisions he will make about his future career.

The rest of Ashley’s MIT team included DC Barry Hooper (several years younger than Ashley – whom she is sleeping with), DC Emma Stones (mother of three), and the pregnant DS Bhavini Kotecha. Ashley answers to Chief Inspector Vince Kettle. Even the peripheral characters in the book were interesting to get to know, however slightly.

DS Ashley Knight was an intelligent, lonely, and quite damaged protagonist. She has had a lot of ‘life lessons’ that have caused her to be empathetic to others. She is in her forties and single. In this novel she is looking to advance to Detective Inspector and her assessment is imminent – causing her more stress.

The setting was skillfully described. Norfolk, with all of its autumnal splendor.

The homicide investigation takes up about four months after the last book. In my opinion it would be advantageous to read this series in order to fully realize the development of the characters backstories.

Be warned, there are some distressing topics covered in this book. Gangland murders, torture, and people trafficking to name but three. Furthermore, readers will be delighted that there are some plot twists that keep you guessing. In addition to the present day police investigation, there are some chapters set one month previously that are devoted to the harrowing experiences of illegal immigrants. These chapters made me wonder how they could be linked to the present day criminal investigation.

With a well crafted plot, strong characterization, and a satisfying conclusion, this book should appeal to many fans of the genre. All in all, “Death in Bacton Wood” was a very tense and immersive police procedural and I hope that there are further books in this series. Fingers crossed!

Highly recommended!

Death in Bacton Wood is the third book in the brilliant Norfolk Murders series. It will easily read as a standalone, but why would you want to miss out?

Can you imagine waking up only to discover you've been buried alive, only to escape and get yourself hit by a car?

Greenwood has fast become one of my go to authors for a great police procedural. His writing can be very descriptive, so be warned, it can be messy in places.

It's a fast paced read, with a plot that turns to the darker side of life of human trafficking. It's compelling, engaging and an absolute twistfest.

Absolutely unputdownable!

It was so good to have another outing with Ashley, Hector and the rest of the MIT and their associates. This was a particularly interesting story as well with all the turns it took for the whole story to unravel and come to a conclusion.
As with the first two, this could be read as a standalone book, the story arc and characterisations are that good but reading all three together makes the whole experience better.
The way the book ended, I wasn’t sure if it was an ending for this set of books or just preparation for somethings being different in the next. I really hope it is the latter as I have really enjoyed the three so far.!

Hamish MacDonald finds himself trapped in a shallow grave in Bacton Wood. He eventually manages to push off the door placed over him and then gets hit by a van and taken to hospital. He tells his story, or at least the parts he can remember, to Norfolk’s MIT detectives DS Ashley Knight and DC Emma Stones. Was he meant to die out there or was it a warning? Fears mount for his friend Max who is missing after their night out together. Another body is soon found in the woods. Before long there are three missing men and a murder for detectives to investigate. The trail leads the team, including the very bright fast tracked DC Hector Fade and Ashley’s now (and not terribly suitable) boyfriend DC Barry Hooper all working under DCI Kettle, to the Vialli family. Could this possibly be caused an escalating gang feud between the Romans and the East European Vampires or are they looking at something far wider ranging and more sinister? Knowing the head of the family Rocco Vialli will intervene and dispense his own form of justice, possibly aided by the department mole suspected in the previous story, Ashley and the team are under enormous pressure to solve the case first and catch a brutal killer.
This is another great addition to the series. All the other very likeable regulars are here, pregnant DS Bhavini Kotecha and DCs Jan Pedersen and Sal Freitas, in a very well written complex and twisty story with some big surprises in store for everyone. I very much enjoyed this new case for Ashley Knight and I am definitely looking forward to more stories in the series.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, for a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This book is part of the Norfolk Murders series. At the beginning, we meet a character named Hamish, and I was keen to find out more about what happened to him. I liked the detectives, DS Ashley Knight and DC Emma Stones, and I found myself relating to them a little bit, in a humorous kind of way. I felt the general tone of the writing was lighthearted, and although some of the murders seemed a little bit gruesome to think about, there wasn't any graphic imagery. I found this quite light, pleasant reading, and got through it quite quickly. As I liked the detectives and the way they worked together, I would probably consider reading about them again, if possible.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

ACTUAL RATING 4.5 STARS
This is book 3 in the DI Barton series, following up to Death at the Trailer Park. Hector is trying to make a decision on whether to stay in policing, or take his leave and go for a high paying job in the civilian sector. Ashley and her team are trying to not influence him, while trying to get him to stay. But this first murder, might just be enough to make him change his mind. As more clues get unearthed (pun intended), Ashley and her team realize there is much more at stake, and they may be in the middle of a gang war, as they determine that all the victims are coming from the same family known to the money laundering squad. As they get closer to the truth and their witness disappears, it's a frantic search for the final clues, to save his life. The book can be read as part of the series, or as a stand alone, and is a great intro to DS Knight and her team.

Death in Bacton Wood by Ross Greenwood

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When a mud-splattered man staggers from Bacton Wood with a terrifying tale about being buried alive, DS Ashley Knight and her team are called in to investigate. Soon, another victim is found, and more men are missing – all with connections to the well-known Vialli family.

The Major Investigation Team find themselves attempting to untangle a case that stretches from Eastern Europe through to North Norfolk. Along with rookie detective, the whip-smart Hector Fade, Ashley is in a race against time trying to help a family who seem determined to take matters into their own hands. And when Ashley suspects there is a department rat, the stakes get even higher.

As the evidence continues to point in different directions, and as new victims are uncovered thick and fast, Ashley and Hector begin to fear they have finally met their match in a killer too ruthless and clever to be caught.

My Opinion

Hamish wakes up and finds that he has been buried alive, the friend he had been out with is also missing. Within the first few pages Ross Greenwood had packed in enough to grab my attention. This is the third book in a series but it can easily be read as a standalone. Before I started reading, I made a mistake of looking at the page count - honestly this book didn't feel like it had over 400 pages.

A great crime thriller. There is a lot going on in this book, so definitely one to read without distractions.

Rating 4/5