DCI Will Blake Crime Mystery Thrillers, Book 1
**** Follow this cold trail of murder
Author J.E. Mayhew creates an interesting character, DCI William Blake as he launches this new series. In many ways I found it to be an interesting, complex crime story with a variety of twists and turns. A once beautiful dead teen is found barefoot in the park. Though she is identified early, the clues to her character are shared in pieces. Details of the brutal current and past murders are tied to shoes which find their way into a secondhand shop.
Blake is a complex character that takes care of Serafina, his dead mother’s cat. He takes care of the house, while the cat runs the roost. Their contentious relationship help clue you in on the man and his approach to solving the case. As the senior investigator of the murdered girl, he directs his team on the investigation while also being hands on. The details of police procedure appear correct, but in some places slow the story.
The descriptions of the locations, people and interactions provided a good framework for the story. I liked the descriptions home life of the various families pulled into the investigation.
As the story unfolds the connections between this murder and past murders add a level of suspense and interesting dark secrets which can no longer remain buried. The action is good and keeps the listener moving along with the story. It is one of those murder mysteries which require you to go all the way to the end.
The narration is clean without issues. I found good distinguishable accents by the narrator Owen Welsh. The pace up front was almost too slow yet pick up after a dozen chapters. I enjoyed the faster pace and race to the end.
It seems a good start to a series with a lead character like Will Blake whom I hope will continue to evolve. If you like the darker side of murder mysteries this may be just the ticket to start your new series.
About the Author J.E. Mayhew
Jon Mayhew is an award-winning author based on the Wirral peninsula in the UK. This stretch of land that separates Liverpool from North Wales was described in Arthurian legend as a haunt of people loved by neither God nor man. Despite this, Jon has a deep affection for the place and loves walking his dogs and exploring the land of his birth. When he’s not plotting crimes, he enjoys playing mandolin, guitar and bass in various local sessions or in the Two Left Feet ceilidh band. This talented author writes as J.E. Mayhew for adults and Jon Mayhew for the younger crowd.
About the Narrator
Owen Welsh; Narrator; Actor from Liverpool with a passion for voice acting stemming from my love of videogames, cartoons, audiobooks and doing silly voices. Owen’s voice is best described as melodious and warm with a soft Welsh accent.
1 Response to "A Poison Tree"
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book, Rox. I had not heard of this author, so it’s a new introduction for me.