When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…
Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.
Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back…
When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows.
As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha…
Both a nerve-shattering, enthralling and atmospheric thriller and a moving tale of grief and psychological damage, Crow Moon is a staggeringly accomplished debut and the start of an addictive, unforgettable series.
I'm delighted to be hosting the blog tour for Crow Moon by Suzy Apley today particularly as it's publication day. Congratulations, Suzy! Huge thanks to Orenda Books for for sending me a copy of the novel and to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour.
From the moment I first saw the gorgeous cover for Crow Moon, I had a feeling I was in for a treat. The always excellent Mark Swan from Kid-Ethic has surpassed himself here; I thought it was stunning before reading the book but it's only afterwards that I was really able to appreciate how perfectly it complements Suzy Apley's powerful, compelling debut. This is a beautifully imagined, nerve-shatteringly sinister yet achingly poignant gothic thriller and perhaps most excitingly is the first book in what is clearly going to be a must-read series.
In Crow Moon a darkly suspenseful contemporary murder mystery is rivetingly woven together with the dark tragedies of the recent and ancient past and this skilfully multilayered novel is a compulsive read from start to finish. It introduces Martha Strangeways who was once an award-winning investigative journalist but the death of her infant twin sons in a devastating house fire has meant she has lost much of herself as well as her two youngest children. However, the overwhelming grief and guilt which has almost consumed her doesn't prevent Martha from reacting with an innate sense of empathy when another mother in the small village of Strathbran comes to her, concerned that her teenage son is missing. Martha is an immensely likeable character and while it's obvious that she is driven by her understandable need to protect her own teenage boy, Dougie, her understanding of the pain experienced by other parents is evident throughout.
After Martha discovers Fraser's body in the most horrific of circumstances, it's not surprising that she would take a close interest in the case, particularly as the boy was best friends with Dougie. When she learns about the sinister poem inscribed on Fraser's back, her journalistic instincts are reignited but now she is also a fiercely determined mother and the combination proves to be almost unstoppable. She befriends Detective Inspector Derek Summers, the detective in charge of the investigation and before long is able to persuade him to give her the inside scoop on how the case is proceeding, in return for any evidence she can uncover as a local resident. It might not be strictly by the book but it works and while they don't always agree, I enjoyed reading about their mutually respectful relationship.
After a second teenager goes missing, the tension is amped up considerably as the village has to contend with the knowledge that their children could all be at risk from the evil in their midst. Suzy Apley's deliciously chilling thriller cleverly features ancient folkloric beliefs as well as the mysterious Book of Shadows written by an unknown woman many years ago. As her tragedy gradually unfolds, the village's links to witchcraft finds an increasingly unstable figure utterly resolute as he carries out his twisted plans. Meanwhile, it is slowly revealed that the teenagers have their own secrets, tied to both the old rituals and current day issues.
As the crow moon grows near, Martha faces a race against time to figure out who the true killer is before it is too late. The unbearably tense climax is both shocking and deeply moving as it finally draws together the absorbing narrative strands. However, as much as this is an unsettling, exciting murder mystery, it is also a perceptive exploration of loss, grief, love and possession.
With its immersive, atmospheric sense of place, Crow Moon is a superb read; the supernatural elements never overshadow the modern day crimes but instead add a fascinating dash of ominous intrigue to this artfully plotted, engrossing novel. This is a memorably accomplished debut by Suzy Apley, and the future looks very bright indeed for this talented author. Very highly recommended.
Crow Moon is published by Orenda Books. It can be ordered directly from their website or more purchasing links can be found here.
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Thanks for the blog tour support x
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