Book Cover: BLACKHAMPTON THE MIDLANDS, 1890.
THREE PEOPLE ARE MISSING.
London’s Murder squad sends two detectives…
They find a town of superstition, secrets and conspiracy. The icy and crumbling coal-mining village to which Inspector Walter Day and Sergeant Hammersmith have been despatched does not welcome outsiders. Tread carefully and they may catch a killer. But a wrong step will mean never seeing home again…

THE BLACK COUNTRY: (Scotland Yard Murder Squad Book 2) by ALEX GRECIAN (2013)
ISBN: 0-241-95893-8 / 978-0-241-95893-3 (UK PB) Publisher: Penguin

My first of Alex Grecian’s novels and a belter too it oozes atmosphere which was very much appreciated!

Keen now to lay hands on the first book in series The Yard and thrilled to know there are yet more to read; 2.5. The Blue Girl (2013); 3. The Devil's Workshop (2014); 4. The Harvest Man (2015) and to come in 2016 5. Lost and Gone Forever (2016).
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Especially thrilled, and a bitty jealous to hear that honorary bookcrosser MrFlutterbies9 has read the book preceding this THE YARD as it will make the appearance of this doubly welcome. So I am to passing this on pretty sure it will be well received, so here goes… into the post in a tick, tucked into a Festive Parcel - ENJOY!

Yep, Mr Flutterbies9 has indeed read The Yard, the first of this series by Alex Grecian, however the second is welcome also!

Book 2 now read (by both) and book 3 similarly by Mr Flutterbies9 who has roared through these in super short time (for him). He loved them all and that is high recommendations from him.

I was lucky to be able to read books 1 and 2 of this series back to back and very rewarding it was too. I have appreciated these greatly and look forward to reading Book 3 which Mr Flutterbies9 has already read! and which is now adorning my tbr for a while.

In this tale, Walter Day and Sgt Hammersmith have been transported to the Black Country for another rollercoaster of a tale of murder and its detection. His early life immersion in the coal industry stand him in good stead in this involved storyline searching for a missing mother and child in desperate weather and an unfriendly neighbourhood fraught with its own dangers of closed community and unspoken misunderstandings and where even the very buildings in the village itself are undermined in a disastrous way. Circumstances conspire against them successfully completing the mission and the involved story of the ex criminal Canadian skews the trail in a major manner. The children are the eyeopeners in this story and their bravery is undiminished even at the end of the plot. Another very atmospheric and transfixing story enhanced by the wonderful characters.

As I know you have already read this one I will look to pass it on elsewhere. I'm sure others will find it just as enthralling.

Wrapping this up to go elsewhere.

Happy travels (not so ) little book.

"what the reviewers said" wrap it up bookbox

Ive never even heard of this series, but I think its going to be another one to add to the TBR mountain range. im looking forward to reading this one.