Cover Image: Death on Cromer Beach

Death on Cromer Beach

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Member Reviews

First book I've read by Ross Greenwood. Really good read crime storyline. Enjoyed the characters, plot and kept my interest throughout. Looking forward to more in the series.
I enjoyed the way the story was set in a coastal area and everyone knew each other. Well written and enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

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Thanks to netgalley for supplying this advanced copy for the purpose of review.

This was an engaging mystery with good characterisation and an interesting storyline. Looking forward to reading more.

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A fantastically paced and suspenseful read full of twists and turns that kept me guessing.I was on the edge of my seat

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Ashley, the deputy SIO, gets called in on her day off to investigate a gruesome murder on Cromer beach. Initially thought to be a punishment killing, it turns out to be a meticulously planned murder. Assisted by the fast-track newcomer, Hector Fade, Ashley's investigation takes an unexpected turn when another body emerges.

"Death on Cromer Beach" provides an enjoyable read, focusing on both Ashley and the murder inquiry. Given the series' newness, the novel lets readers familiarize themselves with Ashley's backstory and perspective.

The investigation proves challenging, involving bodies, murder-related graffiti, and multiple suspects. Navigating this complex web isn't easy, and the story maintains intrigue without delving into spoilers. While the narrative follows typical detective work, the ending surprises in multiple ways. Ashley and Hector follow clues, uncover unsuspected connections between victims, and grapple with a cunning perpetrator.

Ashley, an experienced detective, carries the weight of her past traumas, pushing people away. Her attempts to rebuild her life bring a sense of growth and hope. While readers don't learn as much about Hector, his dynamic with Ashley and their evolving partnership infuse the story with warmth distinct from the investigation's intensity.

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Ross Greenwood is back with a brand new good and a brand new series. Then we follow DI Ashley Knight on a case, with a brutal double murder on Norfolk beach. That’s just for starters. The plot thickens we learn it is linked to something that happened many years ago.

Throughout the story we meet new characters. Hector Fade being one of them. Working with Ashley has her partner on the case.

I absolutely love Ashley she is a strong lead character with plenty of history thrown into the story. I love that Greenwood has used a female lead making it totally different to his last series.

This story will have you hooked from start to finish and guessing until the end. It is a gritty, fast paced, addictive read and a brilliant start to a new series. I can’t wait to read what the author will for us next.

Thank you to Rachel and Boldwood Books for a copy and inviting me to take part on this tour.

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Excellent twisted story & engaging characters. Really like the setting, Norfolk is described well. Looking forward to the next instalment.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Death On Cromer Beach' by Ross Greenwood.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Ross Greenwood, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random resources Tours.

Publication date 26th April 2023.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'DS Knight' series.

I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Bestselling Ross Greenwood is back with the start of an exciting new series, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Ian Rankin and Peter James .' I am a huge fan of all three of these amazing authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Boldwood. I have yet to read a book published by Boldwood that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 79 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Cromer, Norfolk, England, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited England on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Ross has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Detective Sergeant Ashley Knight. The benefits of third person perspective with are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


Well, well, well Wow!!! What an absolute cracker of a book!!! This book sucked me straight in from beginning to the explosive ending. It was very well written with excellent descriptions which put me straight into the storyline. The blog and the cover suited the book perfectly.

An absolutely explosive start to a promising new series!!!

This is an absolutely fantastic page turner by the extremely talented Ross. Ross's fantastic evocative writing skills really bring the story to life. I loved the seaside atmosphere of Cromer where you can hear the waves crashing and feel the wind in your hair while turning the pages. Ross describes life in a small community perfectly with everyone knowing who is who and who did what or who they think did what, living in a small village myself I see this all the time. This book starts with local Dora Thorne taking her dog Happy on a peaceful walk on the beach when Happy becomes anything but. Dora sees what Happy is so angry about and discovers him growling at two upturned builders buckets. After a gruesome discovery DS Ashley Knight is called on to the scene. I absolutely adore Ashley but I will talk more about her later. Ashley and her team, including fast tracked Detective Constable Hector Fade, who she is partnered with, try and hunt down the killer before 5hey strike again. However, the more they find out the more complicated the case gets and with mysterious poems being graffitied, suspects with mental health issues, a partner she struggles to bond with and a traumatic past of her own will Ashley be able to hunt down the killer before they hit their magic number? The storyline is addictive and filled with suspense, tension, mystery and everything you could ask for in a fantastic page turner!! I loved all the twists and turns and throughout it kept me guessing what was going on and who was doing what. I would NEVER have guessed at the ending so a MASSIVE WELL DONE to Ross. I have read many thrillers and it's getting harder and harder for me to be surprised so great job there. I loved the storyline and just loved everything about it. It was all done perfectly!! An absolutely addictive page turner that kept my heart in my throat on the edge of the seat and absolutely absorbed me. The fact there were so many different red herrings and so many possibilities that all would have worked perfectly I could not put this book down!!! I was so invested in the storyline that I was up until 2am!! I would LOVE to see this turned into a movie!!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to the next book in this absolutely addictive series!!

WARNING ⚠ DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE CLEARED YOUR SCHEDULES AS THIS BOOK IS ADDICTIVE!!!!

Although this is the third book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.

THE characters were fantastic, solid and completely believable. The main protagonist is Ashley who I really liked from the start. My heart went out to her with everything she was going and had gone through. Ashley has had some traumatic experiences in her past, keeps her feelings locked up, is lonely and has had her own personal struggles to deal with. However, this does not stop her and I absolutely love her sarcastic, kick butt attitude and found her to be an absolutely amazing strong female lead which is always a bonus for me being female myself. I absolutely loved getting to know her as well as her team and seeing how each of her team members worked individually and together. With this being the first book in the series we get to meet many new characters but each one of them stood out to me for different reasons and I loved getting to know them all. Ashley is a great person to lead a team and even when she doesn't want certain people to be the killer she still ensures she checks every avenue. I loved watching her work with Hector and some of their interactions had me laughing out loud, along with many interactions between Ashley and other team members and other characters between each other. I find it is important in any police procedural or murder to have some laughter between to lighten up the atmosphere and Ross did an ABSOLUTELY fantastic job doing this especially with Forensic pathologist Michelle Ma Yun's gallows humour!!
Ashley is an intriguing and complex character and I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know her and cannot wait to meet her again!!! There was a great eclectic mix of characters from good to bad which always helps to liven the storyline up. They all had such different and strong personalities and all suited the storyline perfectly.. There were such a mix of personalities and its hard really to say too much about any of them without giving too much away!!! Regardless of whether you liked, loved or disliked any of the characters they all work perfectly together to bring this story to life. I cannot wait to meet Ashley and more characters in the next book in this series!!

CONGRATULATIONS ROSS ON AN ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE PAGE TURNER!!!! AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC START TO A PROMISING NEW SERIES!! WELCOME TO MY TOP 5 MALE AUTHORS LIST!!! HERE'S TO YOUR NEXT SUCCESS AND THE NEXT AMAZING BOOK IN THIS EPOC SERIES 🥂

Overall a compelling, addictive, gritty and fantastic page turning start to what promises to be an explosive series!!

Genres covered in this novel include Cozy Mystery, Literature And Fiction, Murder Suspense, Amateur Sleuths, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Women Sleuths, Murder and Noir Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Faith Martin, Verity Bright, Agatha Christie, Frances Evesham, J.R. Ellis and Betty Rowlands and anyone looking for a book with a twist they will never suspect!!!


318 pages

This book is just a £2.99 to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback via Amazon (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Well I had to read this book as it’s set in my home town of Cromer, so my initial impulse was to see how well the author knew Cromer.
And it turns out that Ross Greenwood was absolutely spot on! It tickled me to read so many places and locations that I know. It was also very satisfying to be able to mentally follow the action through the locations in the book. Greenwood was geographically perfect on that score.
But you can’t give loads of stars to a book just because you know the area.
This was also a bloody good read. A gruesome and inventive murder kicks off this new crime series. A shocking start to a book that held it’s pace till the end. I only didn’t give it five stars because there was a little bit of fizzling out towards the end.
But, Greenwood promises us more from DS Ashley Knight et al (hope Hector will still be around) and I’ll definitely be adding them to my ‘must read’ list.

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I hadn’t read any of Ross Greenwood’s books but I will be, what a superbly written thriller!
There’s a crime to solve, the locals are scared and eager for the investigators to solve the mystery!
The storyline is very cleverly paced, questions keep coming, who could commit this horrific double murder?
I enjoyed the relationship between the police investigators, Ashley and Hector keep pushing forward, through the frustration of the twists and turns. The characters are perfectly written as the story unfolds.
This is a must read for anyone who loves a suspenseful tense book, that’s hard to put down!

Thanks so much to Boldwood Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this amazing book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I've read several novels by Ross Greenwood so I was excited to read the first in a new police procedural series, this time featuring Ashley Knight. She is a likeable heroine, dedicated to her job and with not much of a personal life. She is paired with new boy on the fast track, Hector Fade. They investigate a gruesome double murder on the local beach which leads to more bodies and events from many years prior.... An intriguing and gritty mystery with likeable characters, I look forward to reading another book in this series.

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Book 1 in a new series about DI Ashley Knight, based in Cromer, Norfolk. A person is found buried on a beach with a decapitated head next to it. Both have a bucket over them. Who is the cloaked person eerily seen around town at night and who keeps changing the strange rhyme graffitied in town?
The author obviously knows the area. Judging by the name dropping of local businesses and descriptions. I liked Ashley and her team and am looking forward to the next book.

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Death on Cromer Beach is the nail-biting new crime thriller from Ross Greenwood that kicks off a top-notch new series police procedural fans are going to love.

The community of Cromer is horrified by the brutal double murder that has left them all afraid for their lives. Norfolk’s Major Investigations Team have been called in with DS Ashley Knight managing the case. As the police begins their investigation, it soon becomes abundantly clear that the murders were carefully planned and that an organised crime gang could be behind the two murders. However, when the evidence begins to mount up, a far more sinister alternative quickly emerges…

As Ashley and partner Hector continue to delve deeper into this case, they soon find themselves going down one dark avenue after another. Just who would inflict such suffering on their victims? Were the victims picked at random or were they known to the killer? Ashley and Hector hope that this crime was a one off from a sadistic individual, but when another body is found, they quickly realise that they must solve this murder sooner rather than later – before another body is found!

Ross Greenwood will keep his readers glued to the pages of his latest crime chiller, Death on Cromer Beach. Fast-paced, brilliantly plotted and full of shocking twists and turns readers simply won’t see coming, Death on Crime Beach is a superb police procedural that easily rivals Peter James’ Roy Grace novels.

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I have been a huge fan of Ross’s work for a while now. By no means have I read everything that he has written but that is something that I will most certainly rectify in the not too distant future. When I read the synopsis of ‘Death On Cromer Beach’ it certainly sounded like the sort of story I have come to expect from Ross- a fast paced, gripping and dramatic story with several twists and turns along the way. ‘Death On Cromer Beach’ is the first book in the series featuring Detective Sergeant Ashley Knight. What a start to a series it is too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Death On Cromer Beach’ but more about that in a bit.

I was drawn to this book by the fact that I saw Ross’s name on the cover of a book that I knew I hadn’t read. The synopsis enticed me in and the story within the book’s covers sealed the deal as it were. As soon as I started reading the story itself, I realised two things – firstly that I was going to become addicted to the story and secondly that there was every chance that I would be reading for the rest of the day as I knew I wouldn’t be able to put the book down for very long. I was spot on. The book 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. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I soon got to the end of ‘Death On Cromer Beach’ and I had to say a temporary goodbye to DS Knight and the rest of the characters. I found ‘Death On Cromer Beach’ to be a gripping, tense and dramatic read, which certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

‘Death On Cromer Beach’ is superbly written and then some but I have come to expect nothing less from Ross Greenwood. Ross certainly knows how to gran the reader’s attention and draws them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, the story started with a memorable opening scene. The story hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Death On Cromer Beach’ felt like being on an at times rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists 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 On Cromer Beach’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading 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*.

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This was an outstanding book. It lets you breath in the atmosphere of Norfolk especially Cromer. A murder mystery that keeps the reader enthralled and turning the pages furiously. Hilly recommended

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Thank you to #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for my copy of #DeathOnACromerBeach by #RossGreenwood
This novel starts with a bang and keeps going. A great start to a new series with DI Ashley Knight in charge.
Looking forward to reading the next one.

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Death on Cromer Beach 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

The first in a new series from bestselling author, Ross Greenwood!

A brutal double murder on a Norfolk beach horrifies the town of Cromer. The way the victims died is chilling and so Norfolk’s Major Investigation Team task DS Ashley Knight to manage the case.

It soon becomes clear that the murders were carefully planned and the finger of suspicion points to an organised crime gang, but as the evidence mounts, a far more sinister theory emerges.

Ashley has been allocated a young but opinionated partner in Hector Fade, and sparks soon fly. Annoyingly for Ashley, Hector is no pushover and looks destined for great things. When the pair delve into the case, they struggle to understand who would inflict such suffering on their victims and hope the crime is a one off from a deranged and dangerous individual. But then another body is found.

There’s a killer on the loose who wants them to believe that the beach has a memory. They must be caught, or others will meet their end by the sea.

My Opinion

This is a great introduction to a new series. Ashley is interrupted on her day off by the discovery of two bodies on Cromer beach, being local means that she will lead the investigation. With this book I was torn between reading it in one sitting and taking my time. The more I learned about the characters, the more I wanted to learn. I am glad this is the first book in the series, and I am looking forward to reading more.

Rating: 4/5

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Death on Cromer Beach is the first in an exciting new police procedural series by Greenwood. I absolutely love the DI Barton series, so was itching to get acquainted with DS Ashley Knight and her team.

Picture the scenario, you're out walking the dog when you come across two bodies; one's been decapitated and the other has been buried up to their neck, whilst they were still alive...remind me never to pay a visit Cromer Beach!

What a cracking start to a new series, it's well plotted, has characters that I can't wait to knows more about, and I'm excited to see what we're tasked with solving next.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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How great that this novel is the first in a new police procedural series! I have so much anticipation for this series and its characters.

DS Ashley Knight finds herself leading a double murder investigation when her superior has had to take stress leave. Two bodies were found buried in the sand on Cromer Beach. The method of their killings was particularly gruesome. Ashley is paired with a ‘fast-tracked’ young police constable, Hector Fade. I very much enjoyed how their relationship developed over the course of the book. Ashley finds herself confiding in the young policeman which proves therapeutic for her. Their banter and jibing was a treat to read. The rest of the Ashley’s MIT team were introduced and I look forward to learning more about them in further books. Even the peripheral characters in the book were interesting to get to know, however slightly.

“There were seven other teams in MIT, but she was glad to be the sergeant of this one. The bickering gave her the family she was lacking.”

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.

The setting, the Cromer Beach area in Norfolk, England was well depicted and the early spring chill caused the narrative to be quite atmospheric.

The homicide investigation is a challenging one for the team. Suspects are few, and are unreliable and unprepared for police questioning. An historic case from 1989 seems to be somehow linked to the current murders and Ashley fears that more bodies may be found.

“Only when there are seven can they rest in heaven
For nobody can deny The Hungry Sea”

With a well-crafted plot and strong characterization, this book should appeal to many fans of the genre. All in all, “The Death on Cromer Beach” was a very enjoyable police procedural and I look forward to further books in this series with enthusiasm.
Highly recommended!

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I love this author’s work so the the thought of a new series got me a tad excited. And I was right to be. Our new main characters are Ashley & Hector, & what a fabulous pair they are. Ashley initially comes across as cold & offish whilst Hector is a fast tracked newbie & very wet behind the ears.

Basically, Cromer Beach is now going to be off limits to me & any plans to build sandcastles have gone straight out of the window. A dog walker is alerted by her charge to two inverted buckets on the beach. In my head, I was shouting don’t lift them! Too late! One contains a severed male head & the other covers a woman buried in the sand. Unfortunately, due to the rapidly incoming tide she can’t be saved. DS Ashley Knight finds herself in charge of the case; questions & bodies mount up.

A brilliant start to the series & if you haven’t read this author before, this is a great place to start. A fast paced police procedural with plenty of shocks. Fantastic.

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I was so excited to see Ross Greenwood was coming out with a new detective series and this first book of the series did not disappoint! I loved the new setting and the new characters. The main detective, DS Ashley Knight, wasn’t like a traditional detective so it was a very refreshing read. Alongside DS Ashley, her team was very interesting to read about. I liked how the author focused on the life of DS Ashley as well as the crime, I felt like I got to know her while reading.

The plot was gripping and it was intriguing when there was a lot of characters who were a bit strange. It made me think and theorise along side DS Ashley who could be the killer. I couldn’t have guessed what actually happened and who the killer was, it came as a shock when it was revealed. There was a lot of twists in this book and many chapters ended on a cliffhanger which made me want to read more. I thought this plot was exciting and fast paced. I can tell this is going to be a good series.

From reading some of this authors previous books, I can see similarities in the writing style so if you enjoyed previous books then you will love this new series. There was a lot of new characters in this book although I found it easy to remember who they were throughout the story. The author built up the world and the scenery at the beginning while setting the scene of the crime so the book starts straight away. I was hooked on this book and I’m sure the rest of the series will be the same!

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