A killer is hiding in plain sight, like a snake in the long grass…

When Dr Nell Ward stumbles across a woman’s body amongst the purple heather on Furze Heath, she was on the lookout for nests of poisonous adders.

But something is lurking out here far more dangerous than vipers.

#AGenerationOfVipers @Sarah_Y_L @emblabooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour

A cold-blooded killer is on the loose and this is not his first victim. As DI James Clark begins to investigate, a pattern emerges pointing towards this being the work of a serial killer. Every victim shares the same physical characteristics – all of which are a match to Nell herself.

As Nell is pulled into a tightly coiled mystery, she can’t help feeling someone is tracking her every move…

Can she unmask the murderer before they strike again?

My Review

I was ready to give this 4 stars – a police procedural albeit with an ecological twist – but then it became so exciting and fast-paced, with an unexpected outcome that I upped it to 5 stars (at least). I was reading while sipping my cappuccino, after my swim at our local Lido, I carried on reading with my lunch (home-made kedgeree in case you are interested, though I am sure you are not) and then kept going until I had finished it by about 4pm. I just couldn’t stop reading. Oh that ending! I’m so excited but I can’t say why.

This was a serial killer thriller with a difference. Particularly if you like bats and snakes and I love both. I’ve often had a python wrapped round my shoulders (yes that sounds weird), but I do enjoy an animal encounter, though more often they are of the furry rather than scaly kind.

This is the fourth book in the Nell Ward series, but it can be read as a standalone. There are references to Nell’s past history – we know that detective James is her ex and that current boyfriend Rav has been in an accident, leaving him with life-changing injuries. We also know that her family are wealthy aristocrats, but Nell is very down-to-earth. Her working team is great, though the three new members of staff are all a little weird.

That’s the background, now for the story. Basically, four women have been murdered and the evidence points to it being the work of a serial killer. The MO is similar enough and the ligature used is identical in all the cases. It’s not yet been identified, but the marks it leaves are the same. Even more worrying is that Nell looks just like the victims. Both James and Rav fear for her safety.

But Nell won’t be deterred, not when there are adders and lizards to be relocated and bats to be nursed back to health. That means going out at night to the very place she found the fourth victim, out on the heath. Well, you would wouldn’t you? Actually I wouldn’t, but then maybe I’m just a wimp with a penchant for pythons. Or not an idiot.

This was a cracker of a read, I was breathless by the end. I’m not sure if it was realistic, bizarre or slightly tongue-in-cheek, but it was brilliant all the same. A perfect story on a summer’s day and a great holiday read.

Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogtour 

About the Author

After spending sixteen years as an ecologist, crawling through undergrowth and studying nocturnal habits of animals (and people), Dr Sarah Yarwood-Lovett naturally turned her mind to murder. She may have swapped badgers for bears when she emigrated from a quaint village in the South Downs to the wild mountains of the Pacific Northwest, but her books remain firmly rooted in the rolling downland she grew up in.

Forensically studying clues for animal activity has seen Sarah surveying sites all over the UK and around the world. She’s re-discovered a British species thought to be extinct during her PhD, with her record held in London’s Natural History Museum; debated that important question – do bats wee on their faces? – at school workshops; survived a hurricane on a coral atoll whilst scuba diving to conduct marine surveys; and given evidence as an expert witness.

Along the way, she’s discovered a noose in an abandoned warehouse and had a survey de-railed by the bomb squad. Her unusual career has provided the perfect inspiration for a series of murder mysteries with an ecological twist – so, these days, Sarah’s research includes consulting detectives, lawyers, judges and attending murder trials