Caution Death At Work by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by FernA dark past casts a deep shadow.
Evan Warlow is back in the saddle as a DCI, though he isn’t yet sure he deserves to be, and there are others who share his doubts.
When a brutal attack on two mountain bikers in the vast solitude of the Brechfa forest leaves one dead and the other badly injured, the hunt is on for the killer. And though the evidence points firmly in one direction, an open and shut case soon becomes murky and unclear.
It’s not the first time bad things have happened in these woods. Things that some have tried desperately to forget. But for the killer, it’s more a matter of unfinished business.
Unless Evan and the team can outwit a vengeful and clever murderer, someone else is going to die.
When two friends are brutally attacked while they camp in the woods overnight one manages to escape, but help comes for his friend too late. DCI Evan Warlow is back in the saddle, but still has a weight over him, wondering if it’s the right decision. But he can’t back out now, he and his team need to sort out the reason behind the savage attack and try to correct some wrongs that stem back to many years ago.
This is the second book in this Welsh series, and I am finding that I enjoy them. In many respects this is a standard British police procedural and highly enjoyable. I do like the small Welsh touches though – the occasional Welsh word thrown into casual conversation with a brief explanation or the slightly darker than usual feel to the story and setting. I enjoy the way this team works together and am getting used to their characters – as well as a new addition to the team. I feel they are meshing very well together and learning about each other’s working styles as we the reader come to know them all.
I definitely feel this book can be read as a standalone. As only the second in the series not much has been missed and there isn’t that massive amount of history and/or backstory that you often get deeper within a series. I feel readers who enjoy British police procedural style mysteries or crime novels should absolutely feel at home with this and enjoy the slightly different flavour the Wales setting gives the story as a whole.
I also really enjoyed the plot. What seemed quite straightforward in the beginning had some layers to it that the investigation unearthed and while not incredibly complicated I did enjoy that it wasn’t as simple as I had assumed at first. I also liked there were a few mild twists to the story that kept me interested and eagerly turning the pages.
An atmospheric and slightly creepy Welsh read – this was a great mystery book and a series I am quickly becoming addicted to. A good read and one I can recommend.
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