The Lonely Lake Killings by Wes Markin

It’s my stop today on the blog tour for The Lonely Lake Killings by Wes Markin. Many thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for the invite.

The Lonely Lake Killings is the second book in Wes Markin’s The Yorkshire Murders series.

Frank goes to the lake to fish and sees something horrific. There’s a young woman leaning against a tree. As he walks towards her, he realizes she’s dead. The victim is none other than Tia Meadows, the daughter of a well-known builder in Knaresborough. He runs to the nearest house – owned by a recluse named Harvey. Frank sees the victim’s purse on the table and it can mean only one thing. Harvey had something to do with Tia’s murder.

Harvey is standing behind Frank with a knife in his hand. Frank somehow manages to escape and run to another house where he can call the police and alert them of the situation.

DCI Emma Gardner and her partner DI Paul Riddick are assigned to the case. Emma and Paul don’t believe that Harvey killed the young woman. He couldn’t be foolish enough to leave behind evidence in his own house, would he?

As the detectives start digging deeper into the case, they discover a community in fear, and a dark secret from decades ago which create more problems. Riddick is also convinced that this might have something to do with his own past.

Another fantabulous addition to the series. After having read the series debut a couple of months ago, I was eagerly waiting for the next installment.

I love the recurring characters’ side stories as much as the mystery – I cannot choose a favorite between these two. While DI Paul Riddick has lost his wife and twin daughters in a car explosion which was the handiwork of a notorious criminal, DCI Emma Gardner sees her traumatic past come up, once again. Her past having something to do with her psychopath brother, Jack Moss.

The first book ended with Riddick responsible for the arrest of his former boss and friend for corruption. Gardner too received a surprise when she saw her brother Jack at her doorstep with a young girl (his daughter.)

The Lonely Lake Killings begins with a murder near the ‘Lonely’ Lake. A recluse is arrested for the murder but he claims he’s innocent. The victim’s father is a well-known personality in Knaresborough and wants justice for his daughter. Meanwhile, there’s a group of travellers in a rugby field nearby and the locals aren’t happy.

As Emma and Paul start digging deeper into the victim’s personal life, they learn a lot about her father. There’s also an incident from the past which plays a major role in the story – a well-hidden secret which, if blown up, shall cause nothing but trouble.

The mystery kept me guessing till the end. Riddick faces another roadblock halfway through – just when he thought things were getting better, bang! Trouble! I couldn’t help but feel bad for what Riddick was going through. He is a recovering alcoholic and is trying his best to make peace with the fact that he will never see his family again. Yet, there are a few who would love to destroy him.

This is a Wes Markin novel so it goes without saying that the storytelling is simply fantabulous. Excellent plot-to-story development. The mystery keeps one guessing till the end. The whole story is peppered with unexpected twists and turns. There’s an unexpected development at the end. I didn’t see it coming. Took me by surprise (in a good way.)

The Lonely Lake Killings by Wes Markin is a completely gripping page turner. If you love police procedural, I highly recommend you to add this book (and the whole series) to your TBR. I cannot wait to see what’s next for Emma and Paul. After all, the shocking development is sure to create some ripples in the pond.

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