A Body in the Lakes (DC Beth Young #2) by Graham Smith
Genre: Crime Fiction, Thriller, Police Procedural
Read: 25th March 2019
Purchase: Amazon
★★★★★ 5 stars
A BODY IN THE LAKES in the second installment in the DC Beth Young series, though this is the first book by this author that I have read. I have not heard of Graham Smith nor this series before I came across this book on NetGalley and I have to say that I was not disappointed in my choice.
Set in the beautiful Cumbrian Lake District in northern England, the contrast between its picturesque surroundings and the abhorrent crimes committed within its midst brings a uniqueness to this series in that it is not set in the busy cities but the pristine countryside and chocolate box villages. But don't let its picturesque landscape fool you. Within its midst is a killer so disturbed you won't look at English villages in the same way again. Midsomer has nothing on the Lake District of this series, let me tell you!
When the naked body of an elderly woman is found dumped in the Lake Ullswater area, the elite Force Major Investigation Team (FMIT) are tasked with finding the killer responsible. At first glance, it appears an open and shut case with everything pointing toward the mayor. However, not one to leave stones unturned, DC Beth Young is known for her lateral thinking and soon makes the connection between three other women killed in similar circumstances - and all within the Cumbrian borders. The ages and types of women all differ but one thing remains the same - the modus operandi of the sadistic killer, who rapes and murders these women before discarding them once his lust is satiated.
Beth's investigation takes her through various avenues whilst simultaneously working alongside the mayor in his new idea to head a charity in which he wants Beth's input. But does he want more than just her input? I have to say, I didn't like the mayor. I found him to be predatory in nature and if he wasn't guilty of this crime, he is most certainly guilty of something.
I really liked Beth. She is passionate, determined, analytical, intuitive and not afraid to speak her mind. I didn't find her to be like the way most women lead detectives are portrayed in books, which is a refreshing change. And I like that she was not someone who stepped on and over others to get a result. Her working relationship with her boss, DI O'Dowd was one of mutual respect and though we don't see a lot of O'Dowd, her presence is felt. We do see a little of the other members of the team - Thompson and Unthank, with the former's wife suffering from early onset dementia which takes a huge toll on their colleague. There are moments in which they enjoy a friendly banter of "gallows humour" to which we are privy. I must admit, I had a little chuckle at the reference to "Justin" as the killer.
A BODY IN THE LAKES is an unsettling read in some ways but an intriguing and compelling thriller. I had no idea who the killer was, although I did have a suspect in mind purely because of his position in the story and nothing at all to do with evidence! When the killer is revealed, it is then a race against time for Beth and a local police officer to find him and his latest victim before it is too late. Then just when you think it is all over, there is another sting in the tail to round off the complete story.
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed A BODY IN THE LAKES and while it is the second in the series it can be read as a standalone...though I will be endeavouring to read the first book sometime in the near future. I'm guessing the first book may provide a little more background into Beth, but you can get by with enough in this book to read on its own. Having said that, I will be eagerly awaiting Graham Smith's third installment featuring Beth Young. The more disturbing, the better!
I would like to thank #GrahamSmith, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for this deliciously disturbing ARC of #ABodyInTheLakes in exchange for an honest review.
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