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

I am a huge fan of Ross and his work and have been for a while now. I haven't quite caught up with everything that he has released to date but that is something that I hope to rectify in the not too distant future. I read and loved the first two books in 'The Norfolk Murders' and I have (im)patiently been waiting for the third book in the series to be released. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because the third book in 'The Norfolk Murders' is called 'Death In Bacton Wood' and it was released on 3rd May 2024. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Death In Bacton Wood' but more about that in a bit.

I was drawn into 'Death In Bacton Wood' from the very start. It's safe to say that I soon became addicted to the story and found it difficult to put the book to one side. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. It was as if the book had developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn't willing to break. The deaths in the book in the books intrigued me as did the characters so I had to keep reading to see if the story was going to play out as I expected it to or if there was a twist to the tale. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I was so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and the speed with which I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'Death In Bacton Wood'. I found 'Death In Bacton Wood' to be a superbly written, tense and dramatic story, which certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

'Death In Bacton Wood' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Ross Greenwood. Ross certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story and then some. Ross clearly cares about his characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which he describes them. he makes his characters seem just as real as you and I. In fact I even grew to consider Detective Ashley Knight as a friend rather than a character in a book. For me, this story hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. Reading 'Death In Bacton Wood' felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twist and turns along the way. I love the way in which Ross makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Death In Bacton Wood' and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. I hope to read much more of Ross's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Death in Bacton Wood, Ross Greenwood
The Norfolk Murders, Book 3
Blog Tour, May 7, 2024

Sometimes timing does not work out in your favor. DS Ashley Knight’s timing, for example, is awful. She has long been interested in an officer from another station, but he was unavailable. So she settled for a relationship that was physically enjoyable but not otherwise sustainable. Then, when the other person became available, Ashley herself was in a relationship.

This is very much a side plot to Death in Bacton Wood. We are not (at least I am not) reading it to see the plight of a lovelorn detective. Ashley Knight is far from a damsel in distress. She is among the leaders of a major crimes department in Norfolk, in charge of working with her team to break open the most difficult and the most heinous cases in the area. In this latest installment, Knight is dealing with a strange crime. A young man (who also had very poor timing) is in the hospital after being struck by a car. The driver had slowed down, unable to avoid hitting him but immediately coming to his aid and making sure he got medical attention. Major Crimes, and Knight, were not called because of those minor injuries to the young man. They were called because of everything else.

Hamish, the one who was hit, told a horrifying story, one that was backed up by his other injuries and the condition of his clothes. He remembered going out to a club with his best friend. He vaguely remembered leaving the club. The next thing he could remember clearly was waking up in a shallow grave with a door on top of him. Fortunately there was not much dirt on top of the door and he was able to escape the grave only to stagger in front of the car and get hit.

Knight arranges for a search of the area near the scene of the accident. They find Hamish’s grave, and more. There is another grave, this one much deeper, and the victim did not and could not have escaped. Then on a nearby beach, two more bodies were found. Although there were many differences in the way the victims had been killed, all of them along with Hamish showed signs of brutal torture prior to their deaths.

There is also a missing person. Hamish’s friend who went clubbing with him is missing. The friend was the son of a local wealthy businessman…and the brother of a suspected drug trafficker. Could these crimes have all been initiated by him to keep his people in line? Were they signs of an impending gang war? Whether either of those hypotheses were true or whether the motivation was something else completely, the Norfolk police need to crack this case before more people start getting killed.

There are two things in particular that I love about The Norfolk Murders series. The first one is the protagonist. DS Ashley Knight is very intelligent, a good leader, a dogged investigator, a solid friend, and a personal mess. Her life outside of work is chaotic and messy, but she sets that aside to be the consummate professional on the job. Her team works as a strong and cohesive unit largely because of Knight. Near the end of the book she observes that, “In some ways we didn’t solve this case. We merely chased it to its conclusion.” Knight is not a brilliant outside consultant. She is a sharp and committed and ethical officer who takes her job seriously and carries it out effectively.

The second thing that really stands out to me is the complexity of the plot. Rival gangs. A worried father with money to spare and influence in high places. Different MOs. No obvious motive. More red herrings than could be explained by their coastal location. Each of Greenwood’s plots involve a high level of planning, and are carefully unveiled piece by piece by piece.

Death in Bacton Wood by Ross Greenwood is the third book in the excellent
DS Ashley Knight series which is set in Norfolk, England, and what an excellent series this has been. I have loved it from the very first book till this book. It was fast pace with lots of twists and turns throughout that will have you turning the pages over quickly to find out what happens next.
This book starts with a young man, called Hamish, who was buried alive, WoW!!! Buried alive...........but somehow he manages to escape. Phew! But, His friend max who he went out partying is still missing. Hamish is taken to the local hospital and then he disappears from his hospital bed,
DS Ashley Knight arrives at the scene to investigate Why Hamish was been buried and why? and what has happened to Max?

Another body is found the same way - Buried.......as the DS Ashley Knight's team investigates, a well known gentleman - local businessman to the area arrives at the scene called Rocco Valli, he is Max's father, sadly he fears the worst. and he has a gut feeling it is his son, he has not heard from him for a few days. However, when he identifies the body it is not his son Max! it is another person that works for the Valli family.

Why has he been buried like this?

DS Ashley Knight and her team have to work fast. Max is still missing. He could be anywhere in these woods and buried. But, will they be in time and find him alive?

Is Rocco Valli being targeted? and why?

DS Ashley Knight asks him to come in for questioning and whilst he is helping them with their inquiries, however he’s not too keen on answering them. His family seems to be mixed up in people trafficking, drugs and so much more.
When they look into his past the full extent of their crimes are revealed, and it becomes clear someone wants revenge. But Who?

WoW this book is So good.

I highly recommend this series Plus you can read this book as a standalone, but I do recommend you read the other two in this series.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

5 Stars from me

Another absolute belter of a book from Ross Greenwood! In this one, the third of a new strand called 'The Norfolk Murders' which is a step aside from the author's prison books and much beloved DI Barton series, and is led by DS Ashley Knight.

In Death in Bacton Wood (as well as a delightful tour of Norfolk) the story bursts to life with the horrific experience of man being buried alive in sleepy old Bacton Woods. It soon becomes clear this isn't an isolated incident and DS Ashley Knight and her team are soon testing their metal against the case of a lifetime.

 There is so much packed into this exciting book, and some absolutely superb characters. I love how the author takes the time and effort to make people 'real' whether they are a bit player or integral to the whole thread of the story.

Death in Bacton Wood successfully combines a complex, dangerous, high-stakes crime spanning both countries and generations along with some gentle good humour and solid police work. It is an exceptional example of the genre.

Absolutely recommended, as are all of the author's previous books and I am grateful to Ross Greenwood, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for letting me be a part of this blog tour.

The third book in the Norfolk Murders series, another drama filled and complex police procedural book with the interesting DS Ashley Night and the rest of the team.
Action packed from start to finish – you know when a book starts with someone almost being buried alive that you will be kept on the edge of your seat all the way through.
Death in Bacton Wood takes a deep dive into the dark, violent world of drugs and people trafficking and the long-held grudges that come back to haunt each monster involved.
With detailed and explicit descriptions of torture, they added a harsh and violent realism to the story – and whilst each crime was truly horrific; its hard to muster any sympathy when you’ve read about the heinous crimes, they have been involved with themselves.
DS Knight is a fantastic character and the team have really grown on me since book one. They work together well and can occasionally add some light relief amongst the gruesome crime action.
With fantastic twists along the way, I was trying to piece everything together as the story progressed rather than already knowing what was happening and who was to blame. I couldn’t put this one down!
This is a brilliant crime series and I look forward to the next.

This story's claustrophobic and disturbing beginning sets the tone for what follows: increasingly dark crimes and few clues about the reason for them or the instigator. DS Ashley Knight and her team search for motive, means, and opportunity in an ethos of lies and silence. The detective team are cohesive, but the shadow of betrayal prevails. I like the detectives and the dynamic between them, the twisty plot that gradually reveals its secrets and the addictive mix of adrenaline and reflection this story provokes. The crimes are disturbing and graphic but are integral to the story. It is an absorbing, gritty crime detective read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I couldn’t wait to read this next thrilling book in the DS Ashley Knight, Norfolk crime series by Ross Greenwood. Rejoining a great cast of characters who you already know is like watching the next episode of a favourite TV series, you welcome them back into your life.

The setting this time focuses on Bacton Woods, the description evoking clear images and experiences.

But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a cosy crime read, far from it! This is full of dark crimes and disturbing scenes, vividly brought to life. However what really kept me wanting to read on, is unravelling the case alongside ‘people’ I feel I knew, whilst they investigated.

Seeing the team spirit continue to evolve, gaining strength and direction from the each other both personally and professionally is heartwarming.

If you enjoy gritty, action-packed police procedural writing, I would recommend this book/ series.

This is a great crime thriller.
Ashley is called when a man stumbles out of the woods and is then hit by a car. At the hospital he says he was buried alive in the woods, so Ashley and the team need to find out why and who was responsible.
Soon a body is found and Rocco Vialli, a local businessman, is convinced it’s his son.
With the Vialli’s seemingly being targeted, Ashley has many questions for Rocco, but he’s not too keen on answering them.
The family seem to be mixed up in people trafficking and when the full extent of their crimes are revealed, it’s clear someone wants revenge.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Next instalment in the Norfolk murders book, but it could be read as a standalone. A great police procedural Book.

This book as everything, and the bad people were bad, family feuds, human trafficking. The book starts with a man being buried alive. I was hooked.

Great author and great book as are all his others.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was an exciting fast paced read and I loved it! The story was full of twists and not at all what I expected. I will be definitely be reading more of this series immediately! Highly recommend

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This shocking crime thriller is set in Norfolk and follows DS Ashley Knight and her team as a mud-covered man is discovered, who claims to have been buried alive.

Soon it is learned there may be more missing people, and the investigation is intensified to find them whether they be dead or alive.

With a link to international criminal activity DS Knight finds the investigation frustrating as witnesses and family members are unwilling to disclose all they know.

Who will they find alive? Will DS Knight crack the case?

I have loved every book in this series, I think partly as they are set quite near to my home but also how the team interact with each other. There is a lot of banter between the characters, and you see into their personal lives.

The international criminal link adds another layer to the investigation as it makes it a lot more difficult for the mystery to be unravelled, but it makes it exciting as you discover the hidden secrets along with the team.

DS Knight is a strong female lead which I always like to see, in this part of the series she has decisions to make in her personal life, but she keeps it away from her work, which shows how strong she is.

Overall, a shocking crime thriller where the race is on to find multiple missing people dead or alive.