DI Louise Blackwell has been on several months leave after her near escape from a deadly fire followed by the brutal murder of her brother Paul. Her first case back at work at Weston CID has her investigating the brutal killing of several sheep in the Mendip hills near the tourist village of Cheddar. Although at first glance it doesn’t look like a case requiring CID, the sheep were definitely killed by a human and not an animal and Louise knows the killer could escalate to more severe crimes. The next day a dog walker is attacked in the same area by a man wielding a knife but manages to fend him off. When a young girl is kidnapped a few days later the police don’t know whether her disappearance is linked to the previous attacks, but clearly, they need to work fast to find her.

The area around Cheddar is famous for its gorges and limestone caves and is a popular tourist destination. The evocative description of the caves and the clifftop walks add atmosphere to the setting of this novel and I felt I got to know the area well, particularly the 274 steps of Jacob’s ladder, the pathway to the clifftop, which Louise had to trek up and down many times to investigate all the crime scenes.

This was a slow build of a police procedural as the police gradually try to work out who is responsible for the killings and the kidnapping. One theory they follow up is that someone is trying to put off investors in a controversial housing development in the area and a local commune of environmentalists come under scrutiny.

Although fully engaged in locating the missing child, Louise’s mind can’t help being distracted by the investigation into her brother’s murder by the major crime unit. She can’t help feeling they are missing a vital lead in the case but is unable to bring this up with the lead detective, DCI Tim Finch who was the reason for her transfer from major crime to Weston CID, and takes every opportunity he can in interfere in her investigations or shower her with snide comments. Finch is a nasty, controlling piece of work who has his whole team under his thumb and I’d like to hope Brolly is plotting his fall from grace soon as his constant sniping at Louise is becoming annoying.

Overall, this is a good addition to the series. With some changes to her family situation so Louise can be closer to Paul’s young daughter Emily, we should see Louise well settled in at Weston in the next episode.

The Gorge by Matt Brolly is a police procedural and the third book in the Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell series. The author brings plenty of suspense and lots of atmosphere to this story set mostly in and near Weston-super-Mare and the village of Cheddar in England. The tale has two points of view; primarily that of Louise but with a few short sections from the mind of a criminal

Louise returns to work after five months of recovery from her last case. A murder investigation is about to be shelved that she feels needs closure and may not have been thoroughly scrutinized. On top of that, her niece, who is living with Louise’s parents is acting up. When her first case back is the slaughter of some sheep, she thinks she will be easing back into work. But when this escalates to something even more menacing, Louise has her work cut out for her.

Louise is a fascinating character and felt three-dimensional. She isn’t very politically savvy at work, but she fights for what is right and inspires loyalty in her co-workers. She’s also highly intelligent and has a dry sense of humor. The work/life balance that she faces is what many workers face every day. This added realism and kept me thoroughly engaged in both facets of her life.

The plot is driven by the police working through the clues. There is a lot more going on under the surface, though. Themes running through the story line include work relationships, the drive to succeed, grief, loneliness, loyalty, mental health, family, alcoholism, and much more.

There was enough at stake to keep me engaged throughout the story. The world-building was absolutely fantastic and gave a clear sense of place. I felt like I was walking up and down the steps of Jacob’s Ladder multiple times with Louise and then joining her on the cliff walk. While the main mystery was resolved in the book, there is a thread for future books in the series. There is some background given in this book, but the series is best read in order. Louise’s full background is shared in book one and helps shed light on her situation and mind-frame in the following books.

Overall, the plot was creative, absorbing and well-paced. I would recommend it to those who enjoy police procedurals and British crime dramas. I look forward to reading the next book in this series as well as checking out this author’s DCI Michael Lambert series.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Matt Brolly for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 25, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of The Gorge, the third novel to feature DI Louise Blackwell of the Weston-super-Mare Police.

Louise returns to duty after 5 months leave due to the murder of her brother, Paul, and is asked to investigate the death of three wild sheep at Cheddar Gorge, which appear to have had their throats cut. Then, in short order, a man is attacked and a young girl disappears in the same area.

I enjoyed The Gorge in parts, but it’s a slow read that doesn’t go very far and it didn’t really hold my attention until the last few chapters where things heat up. The plot has three main strands, the events in Cheddar which is Louise’s case, the investigation into her brother’s murder that she’s supposed to stay away from, and her ongoing feud with DCI Tim Finch which has featured in all three novels. This and the novel being told from various points of view give it a choppy, disjointed feel with the reader unable to settle in to a straight narrative. The events in Cheddar are a good and interesting premise and could have been made into an engrossing read, but the unnamed perpetrator’s voice destroys much of the mystery and the constant switching to the other plot strands diminishes the possibility of engrossment.

The reasons for the antagonism between Louise and DCI Finch are well documented in the previous novels so it’s getting tiresome and becoming an unnecessary distraction. He’s a nasty man whose petty vindictiveness is getting worse. I just wish he’d get his comeuppance and we could all move on and be able to concentrate on Louise’s investigations. Louise, on the other hand, is portrayed as a bit of a sad character. Her work life is a bit of a misery because of Finch, she has few friends and no social life because Finch has given her trust issues and she spends most of her free time trying to sort out Paul’s 6 year old daughter, Emily’s problems. It’s dreary.

The Gorge is a solid read but it’s more character driven than I like in a procedural.

This is the third in a series but can be easily read as a standalone. I enjoyed the character development and enjoyed seeing how all the threads came together.

Another great read in this series, they are getting better everytime. Once I started reading didn't want to stop. Looking forward to reading more.

The Gorge is the third book in the DI Louise Blackwell series and it is another interesting and page turning police procedural novel.

Set in and around Cheddar Gorge Blackwell who is still dealing with the after effects of her brother being murdered is assigned an investigation into the murder of some sheep. This investigation soon expands.

The author keeps the action coming thick and fast with numerous twists & turns along the way.

A highly enjoyable book

After a forced sick-leave, DI Blackwell returns to work. Her first case feels like a joke. Someone has killed 3 feral sheep in Cheddar Gorge, a picturesque village in an area of outstanding beauty. It’s not a case that normally involves the CID, but there’s pressure from some councillors that are golfing buddies of the Chief Constable and they have to take it seriously. The matter escalates when a couple of days later, a dog walker is attacked at the same location with a similar knife. It’s now a case of attempted murder. Then, an 11-year-old girl goes missing. There are several groups of with various interests in the area: an investment company wants to build luxury flats, the National Trust wants to keep things as they are, local landowners like to make a killing selling their land, and the local tourist industry sits amid all this. Louise’s nemesis, DCI Finch turns up and tries to snatch this case away from her.

While all that is going on, Louise is told that the murder investigation into her brother’s death is going to be shelved as there are no leads or tips. Although she’s warned to keep out of it, she does her own bit of investigating.



I requested this book after reading a raving review. Unfortunately, I’m a bit disappointed as it took me a while to get into the story. At first, I had trouble connecting to the main character but that changed when she more or less adopted the dog of the assault victim.

A character that piqued my interest is Richard Hoxton. Although he works for the property developer, he seems to have a moral compass. Not only does he understand the grievances of the local people, he genuinely believes that his boss is the best choice to build houses in the area. I’m not so sure about Walsh’s intentions but I developed sympathy for Jennings when he asks Louise to go on a date. He does have a drinking problem; he’s a functioning alcoholic but suffers from blackouts. This is not in his favour as far as Louise is concerned as she has more than her fair share of alcoholism in her family history.

The story moves but slow and meanders about without much happening, apart from the crimes that is.

Although this is the 3rd book in this series, I could follow the narrative without any problems. There’s a lot of information about the previous cases that give an insight into the problems Louise has. But I would advise the author to use a different editor as I found several plot holes (what happens to the dog, does he go back to his owner, where and when or where does he stay when she’s working? At a given time Hoxton calls Louise and needs to meet her to give info but this doesn’t seem to happen and in the next line she seems to act on some undisclosed information) Rather shoddy work. I’m sorry to say that it’s rather mediocre as far as the intrigue as well. It feels as if he used a template and a checklist but couldn’t sew the whole thing properly together.

I liked the description of the area and the local history, which seems to be authentic as far as I know. The picture on the cover depicts the gorge in question, I suppose.

I thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the free ARC, this is my honest and unbiased review of it.

I was first introduced to Matt Brolly here on NetGalley. I must admit he has become one of my favorite authors.

This series is fantastic! Filled with family drama and a murder (was it a person there?). And of course, the feud with Finch is ongoing. I look forward to more. This can't possibly be the end for DI Louise Blackwell!

A good thriller with a few twists. Well drawn character's. This is the first Matt Brolly novel I have read but it won't be the last.

This feels like the conclusion of the 3 book series. Louise and the cast return with both a baffling new case and the on going investigation into her brother's murder. We see Louise pulled in several different directions while trying to deal with everything.

THERE ARE MINOR SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW (nothing major)

This was a pleasure to read - having not come across the author before, it appears that Brolly is a talented author who knows how to tell a story. It isn't one of those "unputdownable" books that keeps you reading into the early hours, but it is certainly very readable and very enjoyable. A little more description of the places mentioned in the book would not have gone amiss, though.

The book starts with the death of a couple of feral sheep - there doesn't seem to be any particular reason for this and it appears that the author only included this event as a means of easing his character DI Blackwell back into work after an extended period of leave due to her brother's murder.

I had not read the previous two books in this series, but enough back story is given to allow the reader to understand Blackwell's situation. In fact, I would suggest that if you want to read the first two, avoid this one until you have done so. It's too late for me now - but I will definitely come back for more when they are published.

Matt Brolly has brought us another Detective Louise Blackwell novel who is back for another cracking crime story, this time she finds herself in scenic Cheddar she's initially called out to the murder of some rare sheep but that's just the start of her troubles, I like these novels as they are set quite locally to me and I like the characters although having read the previous novels it does get a bit repetitive when the text keeps referring back to louises dislike of her old boss, I know why it's done but I find it annoying. But what amazed me most was the fact she climbs up Jacobs ladder three times in a day, I did it once and it nearly killed me lol.

This is the third book in the DI Louise Blackwell series, but it can easily be read as a standalone without feeling you’ve missed something.

The series is set in the Weston-super-Mare area, with this story focussing in and around Cheddar Gorge. Some sheep are attacked and killed, a walker is attacked with a knife (but, fortunately, his injuries are not life-threatening), a young schoolgirl goes missing, then a small baby is snatched from his cot. It seems that all these events are related and whilst DI Blackwell is investigating the cases, she’s also – unofficially – trying to get to the bottom of her brother’s recent murder.

In DI Blackwell’s personal life, she is very worried about her young niece who is now orphaned and in the guardianship of her grandparents. Little Emily is showing some concerning behaviours, but a little bit of assistance from her puts the final piece into the jigsaw puzzle of her dad’s murder.

This is one of those books that you read in a short space of time because you can’t put it down, then get to the last page and wish there was more! A fantastic read that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley,, Matt Brolley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read The Gorge.

This is the third book in the Detective Louise Blackwell crime series. I have not read the first two books in the series, but I did not feel like I missed out on anything coming in this late into the novels. It was not necessary to have read the previous books and The Gorge can be read as a stand alone.

The Gorge was well written and by the great descriptions I could picture the scenery where the action was taking place.

I am now looking forward to the next book in the series and I will seek out the previous two novels and try to catch up in order.

Another fabulous police procedural from Matt Brolly starting Louise Blackwell and set around Weston Super Mare. Great plot and characters, especially the recurring police. This book had an end of the line feeling, but I’m really hoping there is more to come in this series. The star of this book though has to be the setting. Cheddar is beautifully described, capturing the stark beauty and immense claustrophobia of the place.

The third book in the DI Louise Blackwell series and once again it doesn’t disappoint.

Back at work after her brother’s murder, her first case involving the death of some wild sheep seems innocent enough, however things develop quickly when a man is attacked and then a young girl disappears.... are they connected and do unwanted local building development plans have a role to play or is something else more sinister going on.

Matt Brolly takes you on a highly descriptive journey around Cheddar Gorge and the surrounding areas with the landscape playing just as important a role as any of the main characters.

Blackwell’s personal life, as she battles with the aftermath of her brother’s murder and her relationship with both her parents and niece, continues to reenforce how brilliant this author is with his characters development and raises the bar from some of the other crime books available.

An Intriguing New Case.....
Book three in the Detective Louise Blackwell series finds the DI with an intriguing new case which very quickly spirals out of control. Engaging throughout with a believable cast populating the plot as well as realistic backdrop descriptions. A solid and satisfying read.

This is the third book in the DI Louise Blackwell series, set in Weston/Portishead. In this particular book most of the action takes place in Cheddar and Cheddar Gorge. Louise is back at work after an enforced leave following the murder of her brother in the previous book. Her first case is to investigate the death of three wild sheep (yes, sheep) which had their throats slashed. The next day a man walking his dog is attacked and has his arms nastily slashed. It’s not long before an 11 year old girl disappears. Louise is alarmed by this escalation.

Everyone is wondering if this is related to a proposed development at the gorge. A man called Richard Hoxton has the job of smoothing ruffled feathers and wining the dining the potential investors. But he has a drinking problem and initially dismisses the feeling that someone has been watching them during a night time exploration of the caves, a bit of drunken revelry. But Hoxton is uncomfortable about his job and doesn’t trust his drunken self so he ignores what turns out to be pivotal to the case.

At the same time Louise has been informed that the investigation into the death of her brother will soon be scaled right back. She cannot legitimately look into this but co-opts the help of Farrell, a detective out of Portishead working for her nemesis and former boss DCI Finch. He is a piece of work! So Farrell does a bit of digging and finds a new lead.

Back at the gorge, a young boy has now been kidnapped and the stakes are rising in this strange and disturbing case. It was actually a good plot and could have been really exciting but somehow the pace and drama that I have come to expect from Matt Brolly’s books seemed a bit lacking. I found this book to be somewhat plodding and I had trouble concentrating. However, Louise has a few wins this time so maybe she will be in a better place in the next story. The characters are good too, it just needed a bit more oomph! Thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Matt Brolly for providing me with a copy of the book to review. My opinions are my own.

I'm a Matt Brolly fan so was delighted to receive an advance copy of The Gorge - the third in the Louise Blackwell trilogy.

I enjoy these books immensely - from the setting of the West Country to the kick-ass, Blackwell herself. I would have liked more attention on the relationships between the police characters in this book but ultimately, it's a solid police procedural.

Thank you to NetGalley the publisher and author for this ARC.

Matt Brolly is a fairly new author to me and I enjoyed reading his previous book in the DI Louise Blackwell series. I thought this book was a great follow on from that. The author has a good style of writing which captured and held my attention all the way through. I loved the glimpses into DI Blackwell’s home and private life and reading of her working relationships and growing friendships with colleagues. As a character DI Blackwell is really growing on me, as are the team she works with. There were several story threads here which I particularly enjoyed, as well DI Blackwell following up on a murder that is personal to her. I don’t know the area the book is set in very well, and after reading Matt Brolly’s descriptions can picture it in my mind. Overall, a good mystery read that I would recommend. Hope there is another book to follow.