Blog Tour: Reviews of Horsey Mere and The Wherryman by David Blake
Huge thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me give an honest review of these two books. I am a recent convert to David Blake's work and am chuffed to be part of this blog tour and to give reviews of both of these fab books.
First up is Horsey Mere. Here's the blurb
star, and three girls with powers beyond anyone's control.
As DI Tanner and DS Evans endeavour to make plans for their big day, the chance discovery of Norfolk's last known witch, tried and hanged by Norfolk’s infamous Witchfinder General, sparks a chain of the most horrific events, none of which Tanner seems able to stop.
Purchase Link - getbook.at/HorseyMere
My Thoughts on Horsey Mere
Well, I read the first book in this series and was intrigued. Now five books in and Tanner and Jenny (his fiance and work partner) investigate a series of deaths linked only by the finding of the body of a witch tortured and buried in Horsey Mere. It was good to revisit DI Tanner now that he's settled into his role within Norfolk police. Horseymere can be read easily as a standalone because the author ably weaves in references to relevant past information. I enjoyed the humour shared between Jenny and tanner. It was a good counterbalance to the darkness of the crimes as more people are killed. Blake skillfully weaves the red herrings in with the facts, so it took me a while to work out who'd done it. The motive however, was another matter and I didn't get that until the denouement near the end.
What I liked most about this is the varied characters - this serves to show the underbelly of Norfolk whilst still managing to explore the beauty of the area. I also applaud Blake for going to the darkest of places. Many authors are reluctant to do so, but I think he had to in this book and I'm glad he did. A solid 4* from me!
The Wherryman Blurb
Returning to the Broads after nearly two years at sea, Tanner moors up next to a boat to find the body of a man whose five-year-old daughter is nowhere to be seen. As a torrent of unwanted memories begins flooding through his mind, an attractive Broads Ranger arrives at the scene with a disturbing tale; one of children being taken by a ghostly figure, standing at the helm of an old wooden boat.
Purchase Link - getbook.at/TheWherryman
The Wherryman My Thoughts
Having just finished Horsey Mere, I was delighted to move straight onto The Wherryman. I was desperate to see where DI tanner could possibly go after the events in Horsey Mere and I have to say, the two years spent at sea have allowed Blake to reinvent Tanner and provided scope for many future Tanner stories (which I am very pleased about). I think Tanner has evolved throughout the series and giving him space to evolve even more has worked well for him as a character.
When I read the prologue, I was hooked. Dark, unsettling and visceral I defy anyone to pot The Wherryman down for more than a few seconds after reading that. I had to catch my breath but then was straight back to it with a weird combination of trepidation and eeriness. If it started off with such a bang - where the hell was Blake going to take us next?
The storyline for The Wherryman is intriguing and creepy - just the sort of story I love - the idea of a mysterious man in a boat stealing children and then disappearing so abruptly is fascinatingly chilling and then there's the murders!
With Tanner newly co-opted back onto the team after his stint at sea, things have changed. With animosity between him and fellow DI Cooper resurfacing, tanner is not in for an easy ride. Seeing links in the crimes to his past life in the Met, Tanner is keen to follow the evidence and being a little more blase about procedure that he should he causes his boss some anxious moments.
Blake has introduced some new characters which will take the series forward and open up many new plot-lines.
Overall, this was an addictive read and I'm really fed up that I didn't manage to guess whodunnit or the motive (kicking myself as all the clues were there) . I love the fact that Blake isn't afraid to go to dark places and to take the time to weave complex plots that keep the reader hooked. All the stars from me!
Author Bio
is a full-time author living in North London. To date he has written eighteen books along with a collection of short stories. He’s currently working on his nineteenth, The Wherryman, which is the next in his series of crime fiction thrillers after Broadland, St. Benet's, Moorings, Three Rivers and Horsey Mere. When not writing, David likes to spend his time mucking about in boats, often in the Norfolk Broads, where his crime fiction books are based.
Social Media Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidBlakeAuthor
Twitter: @DavidDBlake
Follow the rest of the tour
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment. It will now be placed in a moderation queue for approval.