Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

I just knew as soon as I started this book that I wasn't going to be disappointed. Mr Smith certainly knows how to write a book that will drag you in at page one and spit you back out at the end, leaving you wanting more. I'm loving this series.
When DC Beth Young is given a new case to investigate it's all systems go. Found at home by his wife, James Sinclair is on the edge of life, an attack that was so vicious , so nasty that Beth know whoever has done this needs to be caught and caught soon. It seems James had no enemies and got on with everyone. But it's clear to Beth that this can’t be the case or this man wouldn't have just been found looking like he'd been hit with a speeding train.
Beth and her investigating team are soon put to the test when two more bodies are found. It's time to look into things more and start examining who could be responsible for these crimes.
There has to be some connection somewhere, it's time to did in to their pasts and see what answers are thrown up.
I'm loving the character of Beth, and it's good to see she getting on with her private life and not all work. Beth is a great character that over the last few books I really feel we have gotten to know her. She has demons that she wants answers to and it seems in this outing she is going to find the answers she needs.
This was a fast read and I seemed so engrossed I devoured it in no time at all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I have no problems recommending this book at all. As with all of this authors books once you start them it's difficult to put them down. I look forward to reading more of this series and believe it's just getting better and better.
Personally I would advise that you read these books in order as you get the feel for the characters a whole lot better. It could be read as a standalone but for the best of the characters then knowing their back stories is best.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of Graham Smith’s ‘Fear in the Lakes’ in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third in Smith’s series of police procedurals set in Cumbria and featuring D.C. Beth Young, a member of the Force Major Investigation Team (FMIT). Although I hadn’t read the earlier two books the author provided enough background to allow me to feel comfortable with the characters and setting.

The central case involves the horrific beating of a man, that suggests a personal grudge. His wife insists that her soft-spoken husband has no enemies. Beth and her colleagues investigate though when two bodies are recovered from a lake with similar injuries it soon becomes clear that this is not an isolated case.

This novel met my definition of a solid police procedural. I liked D.C. Beth Young from the outset. I especially liked the way that forensic pathologist, Dr. Hewson, always addresses her as D.C. Protégé.

It was a well-balanced thriller that had me glued to the page. I read it in a single day, just having to know the outcome.

I now hope to read the earlier books in the series as well as looking forward to future cases for D.C Young and the FMIT.

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via netgalley. I have been following DC Beth Young since her first book. This may be the third but you could probably read this as a standalone.

In this third instalment, Beth is growing in confidence and really shows her intellect in this book. After James Sinclair is brutally attacked Beth and the rest of FMIT have quite the case on their hands.

There were one or two things that seemed really obvious to me but it took the team a long time to even consider them as an option. The majority of the book was full of twists and turns and one I didn't see coming until it was essentially revealed. Graham does a good job of keeping the reader on their toes

I loved that some of the chapters were from the killers POV. It was very interesting to see their side of things. This killer was extremely clever and extremely skilled. I can't say much more without ruining the story for you but I was impressed by the killer's skills.

I also really enjoyed the personal aspects of the story. Beth's determination to trace those that scarred her face is strong but not outside the law. Beth is not prepared to risk her career for her own revenge which really speaks to Beth's character. I can't wait to see where this story goes next.

This is book #3 in the DC Beth Young series. It can be read as a standalone book, but I would recommend reading the rest of the series to understand the character’s backstory better.

DC Beth Young is called to investigate a case of an attack on James Sinclair. Found at home by his wife, James’s attack was vicious and apparently unprovoked. According to his wife, he was a very good natured man who had no enemies and got on with everyone. Yet Beth can’t help but think that it was a personal attack on him and begins to look into James’s past. As more bodies are found, with similar injuries to the first victim, what is the connection between them all…..

I was looking forward to this book having read the previous two. The story begins in the most gruesome way ever when Laura Sinclair returns home and finds her husband, James has been attacked, leaving him with almost every bone in his body broken. It honestly couldn’t have gotten into the action any quicker and the first few chapters made sure I wasn’t going to be putting the book down at any point soon! It was blatantly obvious initially that this was no normal attack but as the story moved on, you begin to realise that James perhaps wasn’t the person his wife thought he was.

I love Beth Young’s character and it was great to have her back in another book! As before, her character shows her dogged determination when working the case and in getting results. Beth also has her own personal storyline running alongside and this was just as gripping as the main plot. Again, I loved her relationship with her boss O’Dowd, and O’Dowd’s stroppy attitude to everything bought some dark humour into what was a very tense thriller!

This certainly was a hypnotic read which was packed full of tension and suspense. It is a bit shocking at times (James’s injuries made me wonder where these authors get their ideas from!) but I literally couldn’t put it down before I found out what was going on. It also had some surprisingly tender and heart-breaking moments, which really fitted in well to the story and gave me a little respite from all the beatings! I love this series, and it is definitely getting better and better with each book. This book, for me, is my favourite of the series so far! If you love a book which sets your nerves on edge then this is certainly the book for you!

This is the third in the Beth Young series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone.



“They have to be crippled with life-changing injuries.”



Laura Sinclair returns home to find her husband James’ unconscious and badly beaten …the doctors find all bones from his knees and elbows Dow, have been smashed, plus ribs broken …life changing injuries…just who would torture a gentle man?

DC Beth Young is part of the investigating team, when two more bodies are found they hunt to find a link…

Finding weirdly coded emails on James’ computer, they realise there is something more going on….Beth manages to work out the code and finds two people are messaging each other……by why code? As the investigation progresses they find out more and it involves The Sculptor ! Can they find ‘Babes’ in time?

The chapters from the Sculptor’s perspective are particularly chilling for its lack of emotion….

This is a solid procedural, with well rounded and mainly likeable characters …apart from McKay, he’s just a horrible excuse for a man …they all have relatable problems and a life outside of work. I really felt for Thompson and his family….Beth, with her analytical brain, is dogged in her determination to find the killer, putting herself in danger as a result.

I found this to be well plotted with a fantastic twist, totally gripping from start to finish…

Thank you to Bookouture, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my in honest, unbiased review.

Beth is back in a new and exciting case! Beginning with a shocking scene, FEAR IN THE LAKES is the third installment in Graham Smith's DC Beth Young series. Set in the beautiful Lakes District in Cumbria in England, Beth is a detective constable with the Force Major Investigation Team (FMIT), a team of four detectives who tackle serious crimes throughout the county. Alongside the standalone mystery with each book there is also the ongoing backstory of Beth's injury and her search for the men responsible. This, and the relationships within the team, make this a good series to read in order.

A case with no leads.
A victim with no enemies.
A killer with no conscience…

The story begins with the discovery of James Sinclair by his wife, found clinging to life with virtually every single bone in his body shattered. A quiet mild-mannered man, James was head chef at the Fox and Hounds who kept to himself and even shied away from photos. The team can find no reason for this senseless attack but are soon suspicious when there appears to be no record of James Sinclair before the age of 18. Does his mysterious past hold the key to his attack?

Then the bodies of two low level crooks are discovered in Lake Ullswater with similar injuries...but this time, they're dead. Injuries, it appears, akin to the damage inflicted on Sinclair which seemingly confirm that both cases were the result of one villain. The one difference - apart from being dead - is that each man had a symbol carved into their skulls. What did this mean? Are the symbols a reference to something?

With the bizarre injuries on the victims, the precise and methodical technique, it is soon realised that the weapon of choice is a chisel - leading the team to discover they are on the hunt of a sadistic killer for hire hailing from London known as "The Sculptor".

It soon becomes clear that Sinclair had secrets when the team delve into his laptop and find a mailbox with encrypted messages between three people. Beth, who thrives on puzzles, is tasked with decoding them to discover what was so important that Sinclair had to keep it secret? Identifying his messages were paramount in determining their importance and once she had done so, Beth then worked her way through decoding the others. Why was Sinclair emailing coded messages to two other people? Who were they? Where did they fit in? And did it have something to do with Sinclair's attack?

Then someone posing as Sinclair begins sending messages to the other two. Still in a medically induced coma in hospital with two amputated legs, the team know full well that it isn't Sinclair. It can only be the killer. Beth decodes the messages. He is arranging a meet. But will the other two agree? And can the team get to them in time to stop what is inevitably a trap?

With a fierce snowstorm closing roads and preventing the team from following leads, Beth must listen to her inner voice and solve the puzzle before someone else gets injured...or killed! But the closer Beth gets, the closer she is to becoming the The Sculptor's next victim!

As FEAR IN THE LAKES is Beth's third outing I have to mention that I really like the way the backstory of her injury has developed. Her sideline investigation into Neck Kisses and learning his identity leads her to a discovery about him that is both surprising and tragic, prompting Beth to realise that some stories are not what they seem. With each book another chapter behind her injury is revealed with the door left open to continue and delve further into the next one.

I was also thrilled to see her pick up her relationship with paramedic Ethan that tentatively began in the last book. And I am even more thrilled that it is not the usual relationship that sees each party with their own agenda and always at loggerheads. I know police and paramedic shift patterns can make for difficulties with relationships, but Beth and Ethan seem to compliment each other. That, and they just seem so cute together.

The relationship of the team members are also an interesting backdrop. While we have yet to delve into O'Dowd and Unthank's private lives (we catch but a glimpse of Unthank's with a new girlfriend), we have seen into DS Frank Thompson's and are witness to his pain and grief, having lost his wife Julie to early onset Alzheimer's in the previous book. As this story unfolds, we see just how Thompson struggles during the early stages of the investigation - particularly when questioning a witness whose own loved one has Alzheimer's. He is soon place on paid leave and another more obnoxious DS is brought in as a temporary replacement. The sensitivity with which Smith deals with Alzheimer's throughout the story is admirable, keeping in mind that some of his readers may be facing their own loved ones with the insidious disease. There is an obvious awareness throughout and the understanding given to DS Thompson during his grief is exceptional. To watch a loved suffer this disease is heart-wrenching but in someone so young it must be beyond unbearable.

I love the camaraderie between the team members. They all compliment each other and everyone works well together...with the exception of the temporary secondment in DS McKay, who was deserving of the several reprimands he received from O'Dowd as well as Beth's clever counter-blows in quiet retaliation. On the one hand I hope I don't see him return in the next book but on the other I would love to see him further put back in his place.

As for the team, I love how they interact and work together without one trying to outdo the other, as seen in other police procedural series. My only complaint is how often O'Dowd continually refers to Beth's "sideways brain" or similar. It's repetitive and I feel a litle unnecessary as we are all aware of the fact that Beth sees and thinks things a little differently than others.

I love Beth. She is personable and clever, battling her own demons whilst unraveling puzzles both on and off the case. This combination makes FEAR IN THE LAKES an even more riveting read. I do question why Beth is just a lowly DC when she is more obviously suited to the rank of DS. I would love to see her promoted as her talents are wasted, though not unrecognised, they could be under-appreciated at times.

As for the villain, who was truly creepy, it was enlightening to be privy to a killer's mind with a sprinkling of chapters here and there from the Sculptor's perspective. And I totally didn't see that twist coming!!

I have to mention that I love how Cumbria itself becomes such a prominent character with its treacherous roads, changeable weather and the isolation it brings to the story. How its sheer beauty can be transformed into an unforgivable monster. I often chuckle to myself in reading of the vast differences between the Penrith in Cumbria to the Penrith I know here in Australia.

FEAR IN THE LAKES is a riveting read and an enthralling addition to the series. It kept me guessing throughout and, while I had to, I didn't want to put it down. Smith is a superb writer and draws his readers into a web of mystery with a dark and chilling tale that will have you intrigued and then leave you wanting more. Whilst the attacks and killings are graphic in nature, Smith tells the story without any graphic content. I look forward to Beth's next outing and where Smith next takes us.

Another enjoyable read I highly recommend, though in order with other two first to fully appreciate Beth's journey.

I would like to thank #GrahamSmith, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #FearInTheLakes in exchange for an honest review.

Fear in the Lakes is the third installment in the Beth Young series written by Graham Smith, released on 07/12/19 by my best friends at Bookouture! 💙

Description:

A case with no leads.
A victim with no enemies.
A killer with no conscience…

When Detective Beth Young is called to investigate a victim with multiple broken bones, nothing prepares her for what she finds. James Sinclair is fighting for his life, and Beth can’t shake the idea that the nature of his injuries suggest someone with a personal grudge against him.

But James’s devastated wife Laura insists that her kind, softly-spoken husband is a man with no enemies. She was the one with the fiery temper, but James was so calm, she’d never once managed to provoke even a cross word from him in their eight year marriage. And he was the same with everyone – she can’t name one person who might want to hurt him.

But she knows virtually no details about her husband’s childhood or his life before he moved to the Lake District as a young man, and Beth feels sure that the key to finding James’s attacker is hidden in the secrets of his past. Who was he really? And what is the significance of the coded messages that Beth finds hidden on his laptop?

Then two more bodies are found in one of the deep, picturesque lakes that the area is so famous for, exhibiting similar injuries to the ones James Sinclair suffered. How are they connected? And how many more people are at risk?

Beth knows she is in a race against time to hunt a vicious killer who is both elusive and incredibly dangerous. A killer who knows what James did in the past. Who likes to be one step ahead. But who – if they realise they’re being hunted – might come for Beth next…

My Review:
I was hooked the moment they went over the uniqueness of the injuries James sustained. Here is this man who apparently has no enemies, but he was tortured almost to death. Even his wife Laura can't figure out who would want to do this to her dear sweet husband. I shouldn't have read this at home alone, because it was truly chilling to think someone could break into a house and leave a person in that kind of state! Then Detective Young finds more bodies and the story explodes. This has it all-flawed characters, a suspenseful plot, and an ending I didn't see coming. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! It felt a lot like a huge puzzle being put together, and I loved the way Young's mind worked.

Overall, this was a fast read that I enjoyed immensely. I do wish I had read the first two books prior to this one because it seems like I missed out on some backstory, but it wasn't enough to keep me from enjoying this book. The "sculptor" was a truly frightening and sadistic profile to follow. I've watched more than my fair share of Criminal Minds and SVU, so I love it when a book truly shakes me to the core. I'll definitely be backtracking because I have to know more about Young, and how she got to where she was in this book.

Solid suspenseful book, as usual with Bookouture!
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars

About the author:

Graham Smith is the bestselling author of four explosive crime thrillers in the Jake Boulder series, Watching the Bodies, The Kindred Killers, Past Echoes and Die Cold. Watching the Bodies spent over two weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart and Amazon CA charts. Graham is also the author of the popular DI Harry Evans series and has collections of short stories and novellas. His latest novels with Bookouture are set in Cumbria and the Lake District, featuring DC Beth Young.

He is the proud father of a young son. As a time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer for the well-respected review site Crimesquad.com since 2010.

When not working, his time is spent reading, writing and playing games with his son. He enjoys socialising and spending time with friends and family.

You can find more about him by following these links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972

WEBSITE: https://grahamsmithauthor.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446655.Graham_Smith?from_search=true

Again, huge thank you to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book. I can't wait to read more about Beth Young!

Let me summarise my experience with Fear in the Lakes.

Ouch!
Wow!
What on Earth???
Wicked sick.
Okay, I’m just gonna go with the flow…
I don’t like you.
Where is this going? I’m going mad!!!
Could… No.
It’s always the weather…
Oooh, I see!!!!!!
Did I read that right???
No!
NO WAY!
That’s sick. Sick sick sick.
Ah!
What do you mean ‘the end’?????

Yes, that’s pretty much what I thought while reading Graham Smith’s latest DC Beth Young novel. No, you won’t find clues in my notes. I couldn’t even think properly as I was engrossed in the book!

The prologue hits hard (and I’m not only talking about the reader!) with a victim found with many of his bones broken in a way that ensures the most horrendous injuries. I couldn’t help but cringe at the details given on that poor man’s state. Who deserves such a violent attack? My answer? No one! I wouldn’t wish it to my biggest enemy! Certainly not James Sinclair, who looks white as a dove!

Now don’t go thinking this violence is free and used for fun. Graham Smith always keeps his purpose in mind and the schemes behind the horrors he describes are beautifully complex and show how deeply disturbed minds can work. No violence for the sake of it, but for a greater purpose, whether we agree with it or not. Of course, I couldn’t help but react, I am not a monster. I think the book gave me a couple of new wrinkles as I either grimaced at the pain endured or pulled a face whenever the frustration and tension would ratchet up. I was faced with a dilemma. I wanted to get to know the culprit more… Yet, I wanted him/her/them behind bars for the rest of their lives. I feel guilty to have found this chase particularly exciting and spine-chilling! Yes, it was so good that the awful events playing their parts between long hours of work, questioning, and personal life issues, kept me up late after my curfew!

While the entire book skillfully juggles a crazy plot and a strong characterization, I’ll say I found Fear in the Lakes to put the emphasis on the case, using it to bring a new light on the team, their dynamics, and how the work affects their reactions and the way they see the world. Beth has grown. I am still getting to know her, and I was glad to get more glimpses into her past, her present, and how she is willing to handle the future. The way Graham Smith throws personal matters and cases into the mix to add layers to his characters and use all the possible threads to make his book richer is really stunning. It was also refreshing to see the friend part of Beth when her great brain skills can sometimes make me roll my eyes in a “stop it with the super power, I’m jealous” way.

Plot-wise? Get ready for a wicked read!!! A guy gets beaten up so much his life is going to change forever. His wife swears he is the calmest, kindest man you can find. But his past is a mystery and all the police have to work with is the very ‘original’ injuries left by the attacker. Add to the mix an unhelpful weather and a strong sense of atmosphere, where the place becomes another enemy to deal with, and you find yourself with another beautifully-written, taut, and (sickly) entertaining novel!!

Fear in the Lakes is the third in the critically-acclaimed police procedural series featuring DC Beth Young, however, each instalment can be read independently without any issues. James Sinclair has been murdered in a brutal and merciless manner by a killer who didn't think twice about ending a life. But he apparently was admired by all he came into contact with. That said, his loved ones know little to nothing about his formative years; it seems he'd kept his cards incredibly close to his chest on the matter.

Enter Detective Young. She believes the key to the mystery surrounding his death lies in the years he avoided talking about so she begins a long, arduous exploration of his younger years. Then another two people are killed and Beth realises she must work a little faster to uncover the dark, disturbing truth before another life is lost.

This is a thriller that grabs you hook, line and sinker and refuses to let you stop reading even as your eyes are beginning to close. This is the epitome of a one-sitting spectacular! Beth embarks on an exciting and exhilarating race against time and all the time the tension is being ratcheted up before Smith smacks you with a huge out-of-the-blue twist; these twists make sense in retrospect only — they are so intelligently woven into the plot.

It flows effortlessly and is well written with a swift pace to it. Fear in the Lakes is not for the faint-hearted as it's really quite sick and depraved and explores amongst other topics: problematic relationships, unresolved childhood issues that have been pushed to the back of the mind, small community mentality, gossip, lies, duplicity and deception.

I must also quickly mention that the sense of time and place provides a simply magical contrasting backdrop to these gruesome killings, and as I live a couple of minutes from the Cumbrian border and visit both the Lake District and Carlisle frequently can vouch for its authenticity. A superb, nail-biting thriller. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

Oh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!! I have loved the past two books in the DC Beth Young series (Death in the Lakes and Body in the Lakes) but this one…this one is a proper belter. Sick and twisted murders are my favourite (don’t judge me), the more blood, guts and broken bones the better and the number of bones broken in Fear in the Lakes must be a record!!

Beth Young is called to investigate a victim with multiple broken bones; not just broken but shattered to tiny pieces and beyond salvation. This attack on local man James Sinclair looks like a professional hit job but his wife is adamant that her husband is not mixed up in anything dodgy, she can’t think of anyone that would want to hurt this calm tempered, quiet man. It’s obvious that there must be something in James’ past that she does not know about; he has never told her much about his childhood or his life before he moved to The Lake District. Beth’s dogged determination and unusual thought processes lead to the discovery of secret coded messages on James’ laptop and she becomes convinced the secret to his brutal attack is hidden in his past. After two more bodies emerge with similar injuries to the ones James suffered it appears there is a ruthless and vicious killer on the loose in the picturesque surroundings of The Lakes. The skill and precision that the murderer exhibits are exceptional; to be able to take a person to the brink of death but leave them with life changing injuries or simply cut their life short…impressive! Can Beth find the killer while putting herself in their sights as another victim? As well as this case, Beth is wrangling with the knowledge of discovering more about the man that was involved in the bar fight which left her scarred for life; can she trust herself to delve further into without getting distracted from the investigation?

For such a dark read there is some light relief in O’Dowd (my second favourite character after Beth) and heartfelt emotion with the repercussions of bereavement within the team. My absolute favourite book in the series so far – more please Mr Smith!!

Yesterday it was time to sit back and get immersed in a new story with Beth Young in the leading role!

Not only does the author give her interesting cases to solve but her own private battles are worth following as well.

Do you have to read the other books to follow her background? Not really in my opinion. The author gives enough details for the new readers to be able to follow, but the stories are soooo good, I would advise you to read them all.

I have to admit I had a few ideas about the who and the what. Did it disturb me? No, way! I had fun finding out if I was spot on or completely missed the boat.

Well, let’s say I was hanging half in and half out of the boat LOL.

Beth is the shining star of the police department. Time to give her a promotion?

A great third book in a fabulous series. 5 stars.

Thank you, Graham Smith, Bookouture and Netgalley.

This was my second, in a series of three, featuring D.C Beth Young and the beautiful but haunting Lake District in Great Britain that plays a compelling central role in this fast paced crime story. I probably should have read the second novel before jumping on this one as more of Youngs backstory was revealed - but I was too excited and wanted to read it immediately on NetGalley! Beth Young is more of a junior officer, smart, tenacious, not afraid to take on any work related issues, and chases down all the clues blindly while battling a few personal demons - what’s not to love in a creepy, dark thriller. Highly recommended!

Fear In The Lakes Graham Smith

The beautiful DC Beth young is back, and back with a sickening crime to investigate.

A man has been attacked in his home, nearly every bone in his body has been broken in a systematic attack. What is even more disturbing is the reveal of how the attack took place.

As the man fights for his life in hospital Beth tries to find his attacker, but the motive for such a specific attack is evading her and her small team, and it doesn’t help that the man’s wife knows nothing about his early life.

With such an unusual crime it is a surprise when another victim is found with similar wounds.

The team continue to struggle to find any leads until they get a break……but that would spoil the book, so I’ll leave it there.

Graham Smith has created a great character in Beth Young. I if you have read any of the previous books you will know that her beauty is mired by a wicked scar on one side of her face. It happened before she joined the police and the police never caught the person who bottled her in a pub, but she got a look at a distinctive tattoo on the neck of one of the men who was fighting when she got in the way and received the injury.

She’s been looking for that tattoo since she joined the police. This has formed a great back story through the series, and the cliff hanger in the last book was she found her man. But what is she going to do about it?

This forms a brilliant backdrop to the main story in this book. How does a cop get revenge for a crime that happened to her years ago…….again no spoilers

This series is set in the Lake District, and area which most people consider a nice quiet area of countryside to holiday in. Graham Smith looks at it from another angle. Transient communities, big isolated houses, remote areas where nobody can witness crimes. It is an ideal place to set a crime series, and Graham uses it to its full extent.

Don’t be fooled by the setting. This is not some cosy-crime story. This is a full-on story of a terrible series of crimes that would rock any community. It is a terrific read.

Another great addition to the Beth Young book series! It's an enthralling read that will keep you glued to the pages as this taut crime thriller unfolds.

Another cracking installment of a series I have absolutely loved reading. Graham Smith has once again written an outstanding piece of fiction and I literally can't wait to read more.
I will be sharing a full review for the blog tour but I will say Fear in the Lakes is one of my favourite reads of the year.

Fear in the Lakes is the third book in the excellent DC Beth Young series, set in England’s beautiful Lake District. Beth is a junior officer with the Force Major Investigation Team, who tackle serious crimes across the region. Each mystery stands alone, but the ongoing back story of Beth’s injury and quest to find the men responsible, and the relationships within the team, make this a good series to read in order.

A man is found unconscious at home, almost every bone in his body carefully broken to ensure survival with maximum pain and long term disability. The FMIT is called in, but can find no evidence and the victim, a chef, appears to have led a blameless life. When two local thugs are found dead with bizarre injuries from symbols chiselled into their skulls, the team realise they are dealing with the sadistic killer from London known as The Sculptor. With a fierce snowstorm closing roads and preventing them following leads, Beth must use her penchant for puzzles to decode a series of emails and find the next victim before it’s too late.

Smith is a superb writer, and I love the way Cumbria itself becomes such a major character in the story, from the dangerous roads and changeable weather to the distance and sheer isolation of some of the places heroic Beth and her DI, the hilariously stroppy O’Dowd, must visit. Beth is a great character, brave and resourceful but not infallible. The progress made in her hunt for Neck Kisses was welcome, as while it’s good to have a backstory, I’m not a fan of them being overly drawn out, and what she discovers opens a whole new can of worms.

This had a good pace and interesting cast, including an obnoxious new DS who really needs to be put in his place. The villain was truly creepy, as we get some chapters from the Sculptor’s point of view, and I totally didn’t see the twist coming. While some awful things happen to the victims, we don’t witness them happening, thankfully, that would’ve been too gruesome for me.
My only criticism is how often O’Dowd repeats her line about Beth’s “sideways brain” or similar, it’s an unnecessary repetition that got annoying.
Special praise for the cover art which looks stunning even if it doesn’t necessarily relate to the plot (needed some snow!)

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Fear in the Lakes is published on 12th July 2019.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.5 Hearts This is the third in the series but I have not read the other two but it can be a stand alone with just a bit of feeling like you missed something from the previous books.

I liked Beth and found her to be a strong woman capable of handling herself which I always enjoy.

The middle of the story got a bit slow. I was pushing my way through the middle but I had enjoyed the beginning and I was glad I did since the ending picked up and was enjoyable again.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book to feature Detective Beth Young working with Cumbria police, although it can be read as a stand alone, I would recommend reading the previous two before this one. The plot is easy to follow with a fast pace and there are some good twists in the story. This series just keeps improving. This is definitely one to take on holiday and enjoy. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. Reviewed on Goodreads and Facebook with Amazon to follow.

D C Beth Young returns in Fear in the Lakes which is the third book in the excellent series by Graham Smith.

Beth and her colleagues are faced with investigating a very brutal but strange attack on someone who is a quiet individual with no known enemies.

The author has created a great cast of characters who are all unique and well established and despite a full on investigation driving the book he finds time to develop them individually.

The book is well paced with many twists and turns along with a different crime and is definitely recommended