The Dying Light by Ann Cleeves

Ann Cleeves has sold millions of copies of her books, which have been adapted for the screen, and her latest crime novel features her trademark well-developed characters and a small-community setting. Detective Matthew Vern and his team investigate the death of a young woman at a luxurious holiday home in North Devon, with her best friend missing.

The property belongs to a rising politician, so the pressure is on to solve the case before the media frenzy begins.  The team discover a community brimming with secrets, and events at a local music festival seem key to what happened. But the leads are confusing, and they find themselves caught between family secrets and local tensions. A mysterious American couple was also visiting at the time of the death – just what is their connection to the case?

This brilliantly written crime thriller draws you into the location and characters with masterful precision, and the ending is satisfying- not a rabbit out of a hat, but one I didn’t see coming, yet it made perfect sense. Compelling and page-turning.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Pan Macmillan