Innocent men and women, hunted down and murdered whilst camping in the New Forest. At first they are taken, before being set free to try and flee before being tracked down by their faceless captor. In desperation, they call out for help. But there is no-one to hear their cries here... DI Helen Grace must uncover the mystery behind the arrow-ridden victims found hanging from the ancient trees, before any more holidaymakers are taken and found this way.
Helen must walk into the darkness to discover the truth behind her most challenging, most macabre case yet, but will it lead her into danger herself?
I can happily always rely on Arlidge to write a utterly gripping and compelling story, full of twists and turns. In his usual style the author uses short, sharp chapters to increase suspense and tension.
It was really interesting to see what was in store for the MIT after the conclusion of the last instalment, and it was nice to see the team had pulled together in the aftermath or tragedy.
Unfortunately, there was only one thing that was disappointing about this book and was the lack of spirit Helen seemed to have. Throughout the entire series she has been an extremely complex and damaged character and I feel the author has done a complete about turn with her. Although it was great to see Helen's softer side, I felt the difficulties she faced in her personal life were brushed aside, and it is unusual for this series to focus solely on the investigation.
All in all, another brilliant read that has left me as eager as always for the next book.
** Thanks to Penguin-UK-Michael Joseph, via NetGalley for this ARC **