This is a confident literary crime novel that gets better and better as the story progresses. I really enjoyed it.

It is a story of crime, family, friends and their relationships, set against the background of the 1984 miners’ strike in the UK. Ian is in the police, running away from everything. His brother Stephen is on the strike picket line. Childhood friends remain close by, and everyone has secrets.

Literary crime fiction means that this is a character-driven novel. Yes, there are mysteries and crimes, and these are investigated, but the focus is on the characters; what they feel, what troubles them and what motivates them. This works very well for me as an approach for a story like this.

The writing is strong, and I love how the relationships between the characters develop over the story.

The novel also provides a fascinating insight into a key time in British social and industrial history a little over forty years ago, and shows how it impacted families.

I recommend this one for a thoughtful read, and look forward to the rest of this planned trilogy, covering future decades.

You might like this if you like Kate Atkinson, Tana French or Jane Harper.

A good gritty crime thriller novel. This is a strong start to the Stoke Rising series that is set in the 1984 miners’ strike. This forces family alliances to the limit when Ian’s childhood friend is murdered he then takes up a role he thought he had long left behind of serious crime detective. A great read.

Stoke 1984.
This story has its origins in 1959 when tragedy strikes a family which will never be the same again. Fast forward to 1984, DC Ian Weedon has been running from his past since a young boy. Initially, his police duties take him to Liverpool and serious crime but he now serves in rural Staffordshire as a local bobby. Meanwhile, his brother Stephen is heavily involved with the miners strike and is on the forefront of the picket lines. This is police locally, reinforced by the Met. The Staffordshire force is stretched to the limit and when one of Ian‘s childhood friends is brutally murdered, he is reluctantly drafted in to the investigation. He now has to face his past, even more so with problems for his family deepening, when Stephen’s son Christopher goes missing.

This is a complex and very well written novel which I enjoy very much. It’s set against the backdrop of the bitter miners strike and whilst I think it does help to know something about it, five minutes or so on the Internet would cover the background. It’s obvious the author has done a huge amount of research because the book feels so authentic. It’s really excellent on atmosphere, capturing the divisive aspects of the strike and the tensions are there for all to see. It’s written so vividly you can almost feel them. It deeply affects Ian’s family which is conveyed well.

Although it is set in the 1980s, the plot feels fresh as the issues here (apart from the strike obviously) are current. Drugs and county lines, community issues that are similar to today, racism, homophobia, corruption and OCG’s – it’s all here and so it’s apt and appropriate.

I think the author does a good job on various plays on Black Earth, deep in the coal mines being the obvious one but there’s dark Stoke, dark Liverpool, dark characters, dark pasts etc etc. This is a very strong aspect of the plot.

Although most of the novel is set in 1984, it backtracks to two other timelines to show the connections and the roots of what plays out in that year. It does slow the pace a bit but I don’t mind as it makes it all click into place. Many of the characters have a huge amount of baggage, Ian for example, but some other characters are tortured souls for one reason or another. There are quite a lot of characters, but I sort them out eventually!

It’s tense, it twists, it turns, it makes me think and keeps my interest throughout. Overall, it’s a very good literary mystery/crime novel. I think this is the start of a trilogy and I look forward to the next two.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to. Firefinch Publishing for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

A passionate and powerful book set mostly in the 80’s during the time of the miners strike. The book covers many topics such as family, friendship, gang warfare, scabs and betrayal, homophobia, police brutality, police corruption and murder. It is fast paced and intriguing with well written characters.

Black Earth is a crime novel with genuine depth, the kind that doesn’t just use its setting as backdrop, but lets the community, history and landscape shape every beat of the story. Set firmly in Stoke’s mining communities during the turbulence of the 1984 strike, the book feels lived‑in and authentic, full of the grit, loyalty and fractures that define places built on hard work and harder truths.

Kate London’s strength lies in her characters. These aren’t just names on a page; they’re fully realised people who grow, struggle and reveal themselves as the story unfolds. Ian Wheedon, returning reluctantly to the world he tried to leave behind, is a compelling centre. A flawed, weary, man who has been shaped by the coal‑black past he can’t outrun. The wider cast, from family to childhood friends to those caught in the strike’s fallout, adds richness and emotional weight.

The crime plot is engaging, but what elevates the novel is how seamlessly it intertwines with community tensions and the long shadows cast by old wounds. The sense of place and time is exceptional: you feel the picket lines, the claustrophobic pressure of divided loyalties, and the rawness of a community fighting to stay afloat, although I accept my memories of this turbulent time provide context that younger readers may not have.

This is not a fast‑paced thriller, it’s a thoughtful, atmospheric crime novel that rewards readers who appreciate character development and layered storytelling. The slow burn pays off, and the authenticity of the mining world gives the book a grounded, memorable quality.

A strong, evocative start to the Stoke Rising series which is rich in character, steeped in place, and full of emotion.

I amsolutely loved this book. The story is good, and the evocation of the community, and of the period is excellent. I really couldn't put it down.

It's 1984 and the middle of the miner's strike. Ian is a policeman working in the south of Staffordshire in a rural beat. He quit his previous role in Merseyside after an informant was found dead. He is being drawn back into an investigation against his will but as his nephew has gone missing he can't ignore family ties no matter how much his relationship with his older brother is messed up.
A tale of solidarity, betrayal, corruption and family ties.
A good read.

Black Earth is a gripping crime thriller that weaves together a tragic event from the past with a murder investigation in 1984. Set against the backdrop of the miners’ strike, it explores how secrets, old friendships and past events can have a lasting impact on families and an entire community.

I was particularly drawn to the way the past and present come together as Ian Weldon is forced to confront his own history while investigating the murder of a childhood friend. With tensions already running high, the disappearance of a young boy adds another layer of suspense and makes the need to uncover the truth even more urgent.

There’s a real sense of atmosphere and the feeling that everyone has something to lose. The story combines family drama, community tensions and a murder mystery, keeping you wanting to know how everything will unfold.

A compelling read that shows how the events of the past can continue to shape the present, and how far people will go to protect the people they love.

Thank you to the publisher, Kate London and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

This is a new author to me and definitely a different type of read. It was cleverly written and thoroughly enjoyable.

It is a crime novel based in the mining community of Stoke in the 1980s although there are different time lines visited throughout.

DC Ian Wheedon is brought face to face with his past and struggles to deal with it. He needs to face up to his family and the horror of what happened.

Exceptionally well written with many twists and turns.

Recommended.

Black Earth is far more than a police procedural—it’s a sweeping, character‑driven exploration of community, trauma, and the long shadows cast by history. Kate London writes with a clarity and emotional intelligence that makes every moment feel lived‑in, every character fully inhabited.

What struck me most was the novel’s sense of place. The mining communities, the simmering tensions of the 80s, the political fractures that ripple through families and friendships—London captures it all with a raw authenticity that can only come from someone who has truly seen the job from the inside. The book feels grounded, gritty, and unflinchingly honest, yet never loses its compassion.

Ian Wheedon is a brilliantly drawn protagonist: flawed, weary, and quietly compelling. His internal conflicts are as gripping as the external ones, and the way London threads his personal history through the wider social upheaval is masterful. The supporting cast—family, colleagues, childhood friends—adds richness and emotional depth, making the stakes feel intensely real.

The writing is assured and immersive, with a slow‑burn tension that builds beautifully. It’s a story about loyalty, identity, and the cost of silence, told with nuance and heart. The blend of literary quality and crime‑fiction momentum makes it genuinely stand out.

A gripping, thoughtful, and evocative start to the Stoke Rising series. I’m already eager for the next instalment.

With thanks to Kate London, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

A good start to a new series and a new author. Told in two timelines. The characters were well drawn and the aurhor succeed in capturing the eighties. The plot gripped me and I look forward to the next book. Thanks to Firefinch Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.75 stars

It took me a little while to get into Black Earth, mainly because there are quite a lot of characters to get to grips with! Told across two timelines, but predominantly set in the early 1980s, the story centres around communities, loyalties and the divisions surrounding the 1984 miners’ strikes in the Midlands.

The pacing is a little slower at times, but I actually appreciated this as the different threads gradually come together. Gritty, atmospheric and full of tension, it’s an informative glimpse into the miners’ struggle and the impact it had on families and communities.

It’s clear how much research has gone into this novel. The writing feels authentic and vivid, capturing the divisive nature of the strike and the tensions that ran through everyday life. Alongside the historical backdrop, the story explores issues such as corruption, racism, homophobia, drugs, county lines and organised crime, many of which still resonate today.

Complex, thought-provoking and very well written, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you invested. Once I’d found my feet with the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is book one of a new series by this author who is already well known for her gritty series featuring Collins & Griffiths, and this opener starts in 1984 with the death of Liam Holdcroft in a fire. We follow the investigation into this, mostly featuring DC Ian Weldon who has connections to Liam from his childhood, and also meet Ian's brother Stephen who is a striking miner who is divorced with one son Christopher who due to who and what he is hasn't really got much going for him. We learn how Ian is disillusioned with the police force and just wants to be a bobby on the beat investigating the little things that mean more to normal people, rather than chasing the glory as a detective. Our other MCs are Jamie and Eddie (Tweety) who are also on strike.
We then go back to 1959 and witness the events that lead up to a very nasty tragedy which both shocked the community and changed the lives of a group of young boys.
We then return to 1984 to find out that Christopher is missing. His mother Janet reports his disappearance but doesn't feel the cops are listening to her so she turns to brother-in-law Ian to help...
We also pop back to 1965 and follow the lads as they start their working lives. We also see Stephen marry Janet.
And so begins a very convoluted and interconnected tale spanning the decades, following our main characters as they both try and get on with their complicated lives as well as trying to figure out who killed Liam and find out where Christopher is.
I loved every page of this book. I do love a dual timeline when done well and in this book it is absolutely perfect. The past, starting in '59 is injected in exactly the right places to explain, complement, and progress what is happening in the present day of '84. We go forward in increments, each time jump providing something significant to the story as a whole. It's a thing of beauty.
Now, as you would expect, with all the timeline stuff and the interconnectedness of all the stuff going on within and without the two main storylines, you'd expect a large cast would be needed to pull it all off And you'd be right. Although there are only a (big) handful of main characters, there are also a LOT of extras, all of whom have key parts to play along the way, even if they may only appear once. I saw this coming and wrote me a list which I have to say, after a while, I didn't need anymore.
And the story is absolutely gripping. I do love fiction wrapped around factual events and the miners' strikes were absolutely front and centre in the news for a considerable time, Kinnock and Scargill obviously feature herein. but there are also a few other real incidents from that time also included, I was especially moved by the one about the taxi driver. Which means that events in this book have either been lived through or meticulously researched. I also learned a lot about mining!
I said at the beginning that this is the start of a series, I have also heard that it is part of a trilogy, and that makes more sense. I can definitely say that this episode ends well, enough is resolved in what is going on herein, just leaving me wonder which characters will progress through to episode two to continue their stories, if indeed this is how the author is taking it. I for one am very excited to find out.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.