Detective Sara Hirst left her career in London's Metropolitan Police Force and is now working in Norfolk Police's Serious Crimes Unit. Norfolk is much smaller, more quiet, and much less crime ... at least until now.

The village is preparing for Carnival Week, usually a happy time for all. But the Carnival Queen, Daisy Shaw, has been found in an alley ... murdered. Who would have wanted this beautiful, young woman dead?

There is plenty of suspects that bear looking at ... the caravan of Travelers, known mostly for the trouble they bring with them. Daisy had been dancing with one or two of them the night before. Then there's the boyfriend, who no one seems to know about. A local man who's recently turned into a bully, and three friends who are visiting. They all seem to be hiding something.

Village residents are growing frustrated, angry, and the police have their hand full. Roads are closed, Travelers have parked their caravan in an area meant for the carnival participants.

Suspense starts on the very first page and holds steady throughout. Twists and turns lead the solidly drawn characters to an unexpected conclusion. Although 3rd in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend starting at the beginning of this engrossing series.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

DS Sara Hirst #3

Detective Sara Hirst has moved from London to Norfolk Police's Serious Crimes Unit's carnival week in Cromer on the Norfolk coast. The Norfolk Police's Serious Crimes Unit have been having an easy-going summer - until this morning. The body of Daisy Shaw, the Carnival Queen. is discovered in a back alley. Suspicion falls on the carnival crew, especially when it turns out that Daisy's boyfriend Kit was one of them.

I was pulled into this story from the first page. There's lots going on and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. It's a descriptively written and tense read. The plotline has been well thought out and executed. The story is told from Sara, Jessie and Adele's perspectives. With secrets being revealed and lies uncovered, this is a great addition t the series. This book can be read as a standalone/

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #JudiDaykin for my ARC of #ABrutalSeason in exchange for an honest review.

I've never been to Cromer, but after reading this I feel like I know it well, such vivid descriptions of height of the season traditional British holiday activities, with a bonus murder mystery to solve!
Its particularly moving as the author states in her opening note that she used to live in Norfolk and work on the pier and this brings the character of Jessie alive and real.
I thoroughly enjjoyed this and looking forward to the next in the series.

It’s Carnival Week in Cromer on the Norfolk coast. The morning after the opening reception, as the carnival organizers and shopkeepers await throngs of tourists, a body is found. It’s Daisy Shaw, the Carnival Queen. All planned events come to a halt as DI Sara Hirst and her team are called.

A Brutal Season has three narrators. Sara Hirst leads the investigation. Jessie Dobson, a sound engineer, is employed by the summer theater. For personal reasons, she is hiding information that may help find the killer. Adele Hayward, active on the carnival committee, is keeping secret what happens behind her home’s closed doors. Over the course of a thorough investigation, Sara must discover these hidden secrets before there is another victim.

Peopled by actors, gypsies and Cromer residents, A Brutal Season is a detailed, excellent police procedural. The Norfolk locale, with its small villages and bustling waterfront town is atmospheric. All the characters are well detailed and the multiple plots combine to make this thriller compulsively readable. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Judi Daykin for this ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of A Brutal Season, the third novel to feature DS Sara Hirst of the Norfolk Police.

It’s carnival week in Cromer, so when the body of carnival queen, Daisy Shaw, is found dead Sara and the team have their work cut out, especially with suspicion falling on the carnival crew which includes Daisy’s boyfriend.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Brutal Season, which is a solid police procedural that builds a case step by gradual step. The novel is told from three main points of view, Sara, theatre sound technician Jessie Dobson and carnival committee member Adele Hayward. Jessie and Adele are keeping secrets from the police, so their narrative gives their justifications for that and explains what they’ve been through. Sara’s narrative is more straightforward as it concentrates on the investigation with a hint of the personal. The novel switches between these three voices so it can get a bit disruptive to the concentration at times, but on the whole it works well as all three have a compelling tale to tell.

The investigation is great. There is nothing particularly startling about the crime and the investigation is equally low key. They ask questions, get lied to on a regular basis and proceed to disprove the lies and uncover the hidden secrets. I found it logical and remorseless, just what I want to read.

I like Sara Hirst as an investigator. She seems even handed and dispassionate in her work, but after three novels I’m still not sure about what makes her tick. She seems rather remote as a character in this novel, but maybe that’s good after the emotional upheaval of the previous novels.

A Brutal Season is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

A great storyline based around the Norfolk coastal towns in the height of the summer season,in particular Cromer during its carnival week and the of the pier variety theatre.. The story has rape murder and drug dealing as it’s central feature,with other stories involving various locals.An exceptional read looking forward to reading more novels involving DS SARAH Hurst

A well written and clever concept with engaging characters and several overlapping narratives. At times the plot was clunky and didn't flow as well as it could have; there's a statement given or an interview but the contents aren't revealed until later

Love this series joining DS Sara Hirst in the Norfolk Police a gripping crime thriller.
Jessie Dobson the pavilion theatre on Cromer Pier she heard voices and saw singer Ricky Easton what is he up to and carry's on her way it had nothing to do with her.
Sara is off work its Saturday and a call on her mobile from Edwards must be important, she is on her way to Cromer a young woman the carnival queen Daisy Shaw has been found.
The Carnival ball had a lot going on that night, Xander Haywood and friends and the travellers had all been thrown out after a bust up.
This story unfolds with a lot of twists I'm saying no more, I loved it with a super duper end. till the next time.

Set in Norfolk, this is a gripping thriller that gets readers turning each page until the end. The Sara Hirst character is well drawn as well. Amazing, I shall be returning to this author again most probably. Highly recommended.

Carnival Hits Cromer..
The third in the Detective Sara Hirst series and Carnival week hits Cromer on the Norfolk Coast. Not all is fun and games, however, and when the body of the Carnival Queen is discovered suspicion abounds in the small town and the atmosphere turns nasty. Will Sara get to the bottom of this before more tragedy ensues? With a premise that delivers, a cast of wholly credible characters and a solid narrative this is a solid read and a worthy addition to the series.

A Brutal Season by Judi Daykin

First time read by this author .
Really enjoyed reading about DS Sara Hirst , a great character.
The carnival comes to Cromer in Norfolk , and with it mayhem and murder.
The plot was full of suspense and intrigue and kept me interested until the end.
I became fully immersed in the story and will look out for the other books in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
This was my favorite DS Sara Hirst book so far. It had a good murder mystery, great descriptions of a Carnival being held in the area and how much work it takes to set it up and a lot of good and really nasty people. Sara is a sympathetic character, as are the other women in the story. A brutal murder, a nasty group of men, domestic violence and Travelers causing havoc at the Carnival make for a book that's hard to put down. This is a good series; each book can be read as a standalone, but it's better to have read them in order.
Really good and highly recommended!

This book makes we want to go to Cromer. I do enjoy the DS Sara Hirst books, so atmospheric. What a lot is going on in this story. There's the carnival - with Carnival Queen, a travelling funfair, the theatre season and to top it troublesome travellers causing havoc - oh and some domestic violence too.

Loved it - read it in one sitting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Good book! This book had a great storyline! It was very interesting and the story flowed well! It had suspense, intrigue, drugs , murder and a great who done it! I definitely enjoyed reading this book! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!