A very enjoyable and engaging UK police procedural. A family are found dead in their farmhouse in the days after Christmas. It has an appearance of a possible murder suicide and Detective Inspector James Walker must establish what happened. The revelation that the deaths are very similar to those that occurred over twenty years earlier, murders that involved some of the current victims complicates the investigation. The investigation is managed carefully, the reveals are very well staged and the conclusion is entirely satisfying.
The plot mechanics are superb, the way that the investigation slowly uncovers connections and suspects and the threads between the two sets of deaths at the farm is thoughtful and compelling. The final reveal is unexpected and very dramatically satisfying. The structure of the story did not have to be buckled to allow for the conclusion, it emerged naturally from the way the story unfolded.
The cast are engaging, DI Walker has moved to the Lake District where his wife came from London and village life is closer than he is used to. His wife is pregnant and the crime feels very close to home. The supporting cast are well drawn and engage the reader, plausible suspects appear and demand to be taken seriously. The investigation is a team effort and all the cast contribute. They are competent and hardworking and never are stupid or careless for plot purposes.
The plot is superbly structured with the surface elements of events slowly revealing connections to the past and weight of secrets becoming harder and harder to bear. The puzzle pieces fit together in a very satisfactory way with the conclusion being bloody, horrifying and ultimately tragic. A considerable achievement and a deeply satisfying conclusion to a very smart story.
