BOOK DESCRIPTION
What she saw in the wood would change her life forever
Walking in the wood one day, Fran witnesses the horrifying murder of local teen, Tyler. She tells the police exactly what she saw, but their investigation doesn’t seem to make much headway.
Fran tries to settle back into a normal life, but is tormented by guilt – was there something she could have done to save the boy? Fran can’t let it go and finds herself drawn to Tyler’s grieving mother, Mel, both finding some strange connection through this shared trauma.
Then someone launches a terrifying campaign of intimidation against Fran and her husband, Laurie. Could it be the killers? Are they letting her know she had better be careful what she says? Who she sees? And why is Mel acting so strangely? Does she know more about her son’s death than she is saying
Fran can’t help herself – she needs to know the truth. But when she begins to dig, she uncovers the terrible secret of the deep, dark wood – a secret that will change her life forever.
In a Deep Dark Wood – a stunning psychological thriller with a nerve-shredding climax. Perfect for fans of K. L. Slater, Sarah A. Denzil and Miranda Rijks.
This gripping thriller is narrated entirely from the perspective of Fran who is married to Laurie and the mother of Alice and Flynn. After Fran witnesses the murder of a young boy whilst walking their dog buddy in the woods near their home and then receiving treats and intimidation, Fran finds herself compelled to found out more about the dead boy's mother Mel. But,little does Fran realise that she is pitting her wits against some very dangerous, cunning people and her search for answers is not only placing her life in danger but will also result in a shocking act of betrayal.
Although I admired Fran's determination to uncover the truth behind the young man's death there's also aspects of her character that I didn't like, I also had mixed feelings about Laurie. But why did she feel so compelled to dig into Mel's life? Was she unhappy and bored with her life? Now that her children had left home, was she suffering from empty nest syndrome? Her marriage to Laurie had been through a rocky patch and she was still struggling with her trust issues, could this also have been one of the reasons behind her actions and behaviour? I really liked Sal and Alan (call me Al) and loved Buddy the dog although whenever I read a thriller that features a animal in the plot I find that whilst I am reading I suffer from constant feelings of anxiety that the animal is going to get injured in some way. The small cast of characters were vivid and realistic, some trustworthy and some not so trustworthy but who would murder a young both in such a horrific way and why?
This is a very well written,gripping debut thriller that opens with a chilling prologue, keeps the reader guessing and builds in intensity as the twists and turns of the story unfolded. I thought this was a very entertaining,enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
About Tina Pritchard:
After a life dedicated to bringing up a family, taking a social science degree, working as a lecturer, a trainer and more recently an independent celebrant, Tina addressed her burning need to write a novel. In a Deep Dark Wood reflects her belief that scratching below the surface of ordinary lives can reveal a rich seam of material. She wrote the book after her interest was piqued by police investigations in the UK Midlands into County Lines Drugs operations. After researching she discovered just how prevalent the problem is in rural communities.
Like many women of her age, the main character Fran has lost a sense of who she is beyond being a wife and mother. She is an unlikely protagonist. In need of a purpose after a terrible year that has left her reeling, she finds it, albeit in a way that ultimately endangers her life.
Tina loves to write and has won competitions for some of her short stories and poetry. She lives in a beautiful part of the world and gains much of her inspiration from walking her badly behaved terrier Horace, in the Derbyshire countryside.
Published by Inkubator Books on 28th February 2021
Purchase Link...
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE POSTS OF THE OTHER BLOGGERS WHO HAVE STOPS ON THIS BLOG TOUR
Thanks for being part of the blog tour xx
ReplyDeleteHi Nicki, Thank you so much for your detailed review of my debut novel - In A Deep Dark Wood. I really appreciate the feedback. All the best Tina.
ReplyDelete