The Fields (the first in a series) is an excellent novel, beautifully written and atmospheric, with a compelling rural setting and some intriguing characters. Strange deaths, a possible serial killer, past trauma and country bred relationships all play a part in this literary mystery, I really enjoyed it and read it in two sittings Multi faceted and emotionally layered, The Fields is highly readable and I'm very happy its the start of a new series. Recommended.

When newly promoted Head of Investigations of the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Sergeant Riley Fisher, is called to a grisly murder scene, she’s shocked to discover she knows the victim. Chloe Miller and Riley used to be best friends at school. Until everything changed. Knowing that revealing her connection to the victim will have her removed from the case, Riley decides to down play her history with Chloe. When a second brutalised body is discovered, Riley knows that the small, Midwest town she grew up in has a sadistic killer on their hands. And it’s down to Riley to find them… The Fields is a beautifully written, slow build police procedural featuring an intriguing lead protagonist in Sergeant Riley Fisher. I thoroughly enjoyed the small town, midwest setting with its claustrophobic feel where everyone knows your business whether you like it or not. I thought setting the book amongst a farming community where corn is life was a great choice and something I don’t remember seeing before in a crime fiction novel. When the mangled body of Chloe Miller is found in a field owned by a family-run farming cooperative, suspicion immediately falls on Chloe’s husband, James, who does very little to convince investigators of his innocence. But when the discovery of a second body is made, the investigating team need to cast their net wider. Particularly as Governor Bill Hamilton, petitioning for re-election, personally requests James is left in peace. This is a complex murder mystery with many intricate threads running throughout its pages but it’s all done so well and wrapped up skilfully. Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Fields is a well-written, compelling police procedural with a twist. I enjoyed the author’s storytelling, I thought the characterisation was excellent and the setting was highly atmospheric and drawn in such a way to make it incredibly vivid. Riley Fisher is a character I am looking forward to seeing more of. I believe the second book in the series is being published in the UK in February so that’s something to look forward to. Riley’s own traumatic past plays a pivotal role in this novel showing the extreme emotional pressures she is under to solve this case. Not helped by her immature adult brother who seems to get himself in serious trouble more often than not. Riley really has an awful lot on her plate and I’m keen to see how the events of this book mould and shape the character further. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Fields with its intriguing slow build storyline, multiple interwoven threads and different backdrop. Recommended.

This is the debut in a series written by Erin Young. Sergeant Riley Fisher is the recently promoted head of the Field Investigations Unit of the Sheriff’s Office in Black Hawk County, Iowa. A young woman has been found dead with horrific injuries in a cornfield and Riley arrives on the scene to discover that the victim was a childhood friend, Chloe Clark connected to a dark past she thought she had moved on from. More victims are found and Riley soon discovers developments are beyond her level of leadership. A multifaceted tale I really enjoyed with a good protagonist and supporting characters, I'm keen to pick up book two. I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is an interesting debut that went in directions I really didn’t see coming. I’ll be checking out book two when it releases.

I haven't picked up a crime/thriller in such a long time, but I saw this one on NetGalley, and it intrigued me, so I just had to request it. Enjoyed is the wrong word for this book, with its cannibalism, its murders, its corruption, its political statements - the list goes on - but once I got into it I was really hooked, and read it all in only three sittings. Like: I liked that it was different from anything I've read before, and I liked the fact that it genuinely kept me guessing until the end. Sometimes with thrillers you can guess the ending right at the start, but it wasn't the case for me with this one. Didn't like: the book is a little bit confused in its identity - is it primarily a crime thriller, or making a political statement about big agriculture, or about the character development of the female police officer MC? I'm not saying a book can't contain all of these things at once, but I'm not sure it felt it had a coherent focus. Maybe that's just me! It's still a great read.