Dark Truths

A Forensic Mystery

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Pub Date 04 Feb 2021 | Archive Date 04 Feb 2021
Canongate | Black Thorn

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Description

A fresh case lays bare old bones for DI Watt’s team

When a young woman’s body is discovered on a popular jogging trail in Birmingham, Detective Inspector Bernard Watts and his team are plunged into a disturbing murder investigation. Not only has the woman been violently stabbed – her head is missing.

When a close examination of the crime scene results in a shocking discovery linking the present murder to a past crime, criminologist Will Traynor is brought in to assist the police. Aware of Traynor’s troubled past, Watts is sceptical that Will can contribute anything useful to the investigation.

He's about to be proved very wrong . . .

A fresh case lays bare old bones for DI Watt’s team

When a young woman’s body is discovered on a popular jogging trail in Birmingham, Detective Inspector Bernard Watts and his team are plunged into a...


Advance Praise

'This series debut is a solid, skillfully written police drama with plenty of twists'
Booklist   

'Watching an old pro herd cats as he cracks a tough case should tickle procedural fans everywhere'
Kirkus Reviews        

Praise for A.J. Cross:

'Outstanding . . . Cross, herself a forensic psychologist, plays fair with the reader right up to the surprising conclusion'
Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Cold, Cold Heart        
'All the elements of a winning puzzler: a sympathetic heroine, a complicated case and a crisis to lend a sense of urgency that justice be served'
Kirkus on Cold, Cold Heart 
      
'Another keep-‘em-guessing instalment of this popular and sharply written crime series . . . Characters with notable depth, a provocative plot and a nifty twist make this a procedural to savour'
Booklist on Cold, Cold Heart    
   
'A gripping, suspenseful, cleverly plotted story with plenty of unusual twists and a smart, independent heroine'
Booklist on A Little Death        

'An intriguing fair-play puzzle, with an abundant set of plausible suspects and possible motives . . . A highly satisfying mystery'
Publishers Weekly on Something Evil Comes

'This series debut is a solid, skillfully written police drama with plenty of twists'
Booklist   

'Watching an old pro herd cats as he cracks a tough case should tickle procedural fans everywhere'
...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781838853952
PRICE £8.99 (GBP)

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)

Average rating from 26 members


Featured Reviews

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it right from the beginning, it was fast paced and very different I will be recommending this book to my friends.

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DI Watts and his team are assigned a gruesome new murder case. A woman has been found viciously stabbed on a hiking trail, and her head is missing. Criminologist Will Traynor is brought on board when Watts finds connections to another, older murder.Watts is hoping Traynor can help, but he also knows about Will’s own troubled past and worries that it might hamper the investigation. A good, solid police procedural

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Having read this book previously still found it an interesting read, probably enjoyed it more second time around. Thoroughly recommended, well worth reading.

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I picked up this book because I read Karin Slaughter and it sounded similar to her work. It did not disappoint. It was very fast paced and included so many details just like her work. It did keep me guessing to the end which is always nice. I don't like mystery/crime novels to be too easy to figure out. I'll definitely be watching for more from this author.

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This book did not disappoint. It was very fast-paced and I was guessing to the very end. This is a new author for me, and I definitely want to read more.

Recommended.

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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this forensic based thriller. I was captured during the first chapter when a decapitated body was found stabbed to death in an East Midlands Beauty spot. From the captivating characters of DI Watts, PC Judd and Wil Traynor, I found this book an intriguing and fascinating story to read. I would certainly recommend reading this book.
I for one, can't wait to read the sequel to Dark Truths

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#DarkTruths #NetGalley Truthfully majority of the character are actually really likable . Maggie is intelligent and mature and loves the Sarah Keller agent. Even the simple characters actually very likable which made this thriller even more enjoyable.

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I love crime fiction and was intrigued by the idea of a forensic psychologist being involved in a murder mystery. This is the first in the series featuring Will Traynor helping the police with investigations and is an extremely promising start! Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book opens with the brutal murder of a jogger on a popular trail. Her head is removed from the scene in a gruesome and horrifying twist, but forensic investigations of the nearby area uncover a whole host of other problems that need dealing with too. Detective Inspector Bernard Watts is put in charge of the investigation with an inexperienced rookie police officer, PC Chloe Judd, for support. Together, they begin to uncover the truth about the crime, aided by criminologist Will Traynor - who seems to have his own agenda.

This is a well-paced and engaging police procedural. I found that there were plenty of events and twists to keep me reading and enjoyed the interaction between the main characters - including a fabulous and likeable forensics expert, Dr Chong, who I hope features in future books. PC Chloe Judd is also an interesting character and I liked the fact that she is still learning - it was good to see a more insecure and relatable police officer starting to find her feet.

I was less sure about the character of Will Traynor. I thought that he would be more central to the investigation, but actually Watts and Judd are the key figures. He made some interesting observations on the investigation, but also seemed a bit of a liability! I'd be intrigued to see how his story is developed in future books.

Overall, this is a well-written and cleverly=plotted crime novel. I am certainly looking forward to the next book in the series by A J Cross and would recommend this to those who love a twisty police investigation.

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This book had me from the start. It was fast paced and kept me guessing all the way to the end which surprised me (which rarely happens). I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

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A J Cross has a book that starts with a bang and on the last page rounds the story off, inbetween the story has you gripped all the time. Fast moving twisting and turning all the clues are there but it’s only on the last few pages that the author lets you into the secret. This is going to take some beating to claim book of the year

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