Crimson Lake by Candice Fox


Between the vigilantes out the front and the crocs out the back, Ted Conkaffey feels like he's in prison again. He's been running away from the crime he was accused of, but never acquitted of. It had been only a month since it was all over the national news and there were about 21 million people in Australia who believed he was guilty of the crime. On that fateful day, within minutes of Ted having parked his car by a bus stop, a 13 year old girl was abducted, beaten, brutally raped and strangled until she lost consciousness. Ted was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Seeking refuge and anonymity he'd headed to Crimson Lake, the croc-infested Cairns marshlands, to lick his wounds. Having officially checked out of society, he'd sought solace in the bottom of a Wild Turkey whisky bottle and bleakly stared down the barrel of his own gun. Before all this he'd been in the police force, but now he was no longer a cop and none of his old friends and colleagues had spoken to him since. His wife wanted a divorce and was blocking access to their baby daughter.

The only person who still believes in his innocence is Sean, his solicitor. Sean tries to drag him up from the depths by sourcing a job for him with Amanda Pharrell, who's opened a Private Investigations agency. The irrepressible and charismatic Amanda acquired her private detective's licence after serving 10 years in prison for stabbing a teenager to death. What they find they have in common is that they're both ex-inmates and both have trouble going about life as a pariah.

They start working on the Jake Scully case, a local celebrity and renowned author, who's gone missing - his wedding ring found inside a saltwater croc the size of a mini-van. Jake's wife, Stella, has hired them, as she says quite bluntly, to find her husband dead or alive so she can file claims on their substantial assets. Their first interview reveals a loveless marriage and a dysfunctional and troubled son, Harrison, who even is mother can't stand.

As Ted and Amanda work up the investigation, they discover that Jake had quite a few skeletons in the closet. Delving further, another lead reveals that his books had attracted dozens of weirdo fans. All the while Ted is being harassed by two intimidating local cops, who like to take the law into their own hands and teach him a lesson or two for being a paedophile, as they see it, on their turf. Them and the vigilantes who camp outside his home. Ted can't help himself researching Amanda's crime, as too much doesn't add up and unknown to him, Amanda is secretly fascinated by his alleged crime.

One thing Ted does know - that these backwaters don't provide any sanctuary for him after all, but finally he has more than enough going on to distract him from his own abyss of despair.

This crime drama has an original and cunning plot with three stories unfolding and two empathetic main characters. Candice Fox conjures up a vivid and creepy rainforest setting. A thoroughly engaging book from beginning to end.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and Candice Fox for a copy of the ARC in return for an honest review.

Crimson Lake by Candice Fox

5 stars

Gritty tale of murder and intrigue

I do so love an underdog and this novel has two flawed characters who are drawn together by their violent pasts. One is an ex police officer who has been wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of a young girl and the other is a woman who has a very violent incident in her past. Both characters deal with their issues in different ways but each struggle to trust. Society has marginalised them both and yet they join forces in order to solve a murder.

The murder is set in Cairns, Australia and the vivid descriptions of the humid weather, lush vegetation and deadly predators lurking in the rivers serve as the background to the murder of a famous writer. His grisly remains have been found in the belly of a huge saltwater crocodile and Ted and Amanda are tasked by his wife with finding out what happened.

There are many twists and turns as Ted struggles to get his life back on track whilst trying to get to the bottom of the crime. The book gives great insight into the horror of being accused of a crime one did not commit and the far-reaching impact on a person’s life. The worst part is that the real killer remains at large, free to kill again. The writer creates a huge amount of empathy for Ted and although he is flawed, he is essentially an honourable man. Amanda is more complex as the writer keeps us guessing as to the real truth about the crime she is accused of and her brash nature serves as a cover for a sensitive person whose life is also ruined by a horrific incident in her past.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will add Candice Fox to my list of favourite writers.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

This book was a DNF for me - I just couldn't connect with the characters & the constant pedo references and jokes became too wearying to continue.

Loved this book and with so many twists and turns, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A good plot, well written with likeable main characters. It is the first time I have read any novels by this author and shall look forward to reading more.

A review has been left on Goodreads and Amazon.

Once I settled into the story it became very interesting.

This crime thriller had a very clever intricate plot, which weaved together 3 separate crimes almost seamlessly. The novel was incredibly atmospheric and I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the Australian wilderness and its wildlife.
I think some readers may find the swearing off putting, but I largely found it in keeping with the characters.
The book was very fast paced which I did enjoy, but still managed to really develop the characters back story.
I would definitely read more by this author

An interesting thriller entwining two horrific crimes where the main characters are the accused. The relationship between them is quirky to say the least but grows on you to the point where you feel it is more like brother and sister. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to new material from the author.

Really really enjoyed this book. It was fantastic and I would definitely recommend to everyone

I stayed up past my bedtime reading this last night – and that’s a big deal because I had to get up at 3:45AM this morning for work. This is my first Candice Fox novel and I really enjoyed it. I’d say it’s more of a mystery than a thriller, but there are definitely a couple of heart-stopping moments. Set deep in northern Australia, CRIMSON LAKE follows Ted, accused of kidnapping a young girl, as he joins up with convicted killer Amanda to solve the disappearance of a famous local author.

Ted is a great character – his yearning to prove his innocence really touched me. I like how he comes round to Amanda over the book – and I also love the fact that he keeps geese in his house.

The mystery/thriller aspect of this novel gets off a little slowly, but before you know it you’re thrown into not just one – or two – but three different cases as Ted tries to uncover various truths. This is how I ended up devouring the second half of the novel last night. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Sorry, can't finish this and I can read anything. Don't like the characters and storyline doesn't ring true. Not for me.

4 ☆ Atmospheric and full of Suspicion

This is the first book I have read by Candice Fox and it won't be the last!

Crimson Lake is a story full of suspense, suspicions and mystery.

When Detective Ted Conkaffey happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time... He is falsely accused of the abduction and assault of a young girl.

Things go from bad to worse for Ted when he is put into prison pending investigation.

When Ted is finally released with not enough evidence the Branding is still hanging heavily over he's head and he's work colleagues and the town people are not willing to forgive... branding him a paedophile.

He's marriage falls apart due to the stress and he ends up losing he's daughter and hes life.

He has no choice but to get out of town where no one recognises him.

So he moves to Crimson Lake in the hope to maybe start again.

Unfortunately the past had a way of catching up with you.... things are no easier in Crimson Peak. He has the added pressure of the local police force.

It's here we meet Amanda Pharrell....she too has a very dark past....she is a convicted murderer!

However when the writer Jake Scully mysteriously disappears the two join forces to try and track down the truth!

The two of them are both equally intriguing characters.
Amanda has a dark past but it doesn't quite add up.... what isn't she telling Ted!
Ted can't resist delving into her past... but what is he about to uncover!

There are lots of stories being uncovered within this book, this is what makes it so intriguing and gripping.
You can't help but keep turning the pages as you want to find out the answers.
All the while leaving you hanging a little longer before the next feed of information.

I really liked Ted and Amanda, they make a great team. Both have issues, which seems to make them gel.
Amanda a bit of a lose cannon and Ted level headed. Perfect combination!

Crimson Lake has a very dark, Atmospheric  feel to it. It's the perfect place for a suspense thriller.
Candice has cleverly weaved the characters and stories together. Making this a truly addictive read.

I have to mention there is a fair amount of crocodile talk lol

Overall a clever, addictive, page turner, keeps you guessing till the end.

Highly recommend to readers who love Crime, Thriller, Suspense, Detective, Mystery books

Thoroughly enjoyed this book which brought out the possibility of any of us being accused of a crime by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once accused , the public at large are only too eager to pronounce you guilty despite the fact that a court has not found you guilty.

This is the first Candice Fox book I have had the pleasure to read and I am pretty sure it won't be the last.
This is a well written, compelling thriller with real characters you could relate to. It held my attention from the very first page to the last and I found it hard to put down.
I look forward to reading more in this series.

Crimson Lake is a dark crime thriller.I loved the characters of Ted and Amanda and the crocodile infested setting is quite scary .I think the format is quite complex and is a little confusing as the emphasise keeps shifting so I found it difficult to get totally absorbed.I loved Woman and her little babies and found myself concerned with their welfare .After a slow start the pace quickens until at the end it was racing towards a very enjoyable ending which was left open just a little .I look forward to more in this series .

I really enjoyed this crime/suspense title. Word of warning though, the highlighted crime in the blurb is not exactly solved in this book, so if you're looking for everything to be neatly tied up, this may not be for you.

Detective Ted Conkaffey is in the wrong place at the wrong time when he's accused of child abduction. The case against him is eventually dropped due to lack of evidence, but he is not acquitted and the public, in general, believe him to be guilty.

He hides out in a rundown house at Crimson Lake, where he hopes to build an anonymous sort of life for himself, only to find nothing is as easy as that.

Ted becomes a private detective, joining the firm of supposed killer Amanda Pharrell. They search for a missing author, but the real mystery is why the local cops hate them quite so much, and whether Amanda really is the killer she's supposed to be.

Ultimately, it felt like it was more about the characters than the crimes and I found that quite refreshing. But I would like to see Ted proven innocent. I believe there's going to be a sequel and I really hope it goes there.

I enjoyed this book a lot and would love to read more, I hope there will be follow ups on these characters.

Six minutes is all it took to ruin Detective Ted Conkaffey’s life. Accused but not convicted of a child's abduction, he escapes north, to the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake. There he meets Amanda Pharrell who also knows what it’s like to be public enemy number one. Maybe it’s her murderous past that makes her so good as a private investigator, tracking lost souls in the wilderness. Her latest target, missing author Jake Scully, has a life more shrouded in secrets than her own – so she enlists help from the one person in town more hated than she is: Ted. But the residents of Crimson Lake are watching the pair’s every move. And for Ted, a man already at breaking point, this town is offering no place to hide.

This is a fast-paced, riveting read that keeps building intensity right until the end. With three key storylines to unravel - Ted's, Amanda's and the missing Jake Scully - the author intertwines these brilliantly and you really warm to the main characters despite their pasts. The setting really adds to the story and keeps the reader's tension high. I can't believe I haven't read any Candice Fox before but can't wait to read the next Crimson Lake installment.

Crimson Lake by Candice Fox is set in a small town outside of Cairns in Northern Australia.

Ted Conkaffey is an ex police officer accused of abducting and assaulting a teenage girl, the prosecution was abandoned but he is never cleared of the crime that he denies. He moves to Crimson Lake in an attempt to restart his life. Amanda Pharrell runs a private investigations agency in Crimson Lake after her release from a 10 year sentence for the brutal murder of her friend. this unlikely pair of private detectives are trying to solve the mystery of a missing author while at the same time their personal back stories are unwinding.

This is a tense mystery thriller, right to the end you are uncertain of the guilt of the detectives or the fate of the author. Crimson Lake bowls along at a good pace, I liked the characters and the treatment of the alleged child abductor by the local vigilantes is thought provoking.

Well worth a read, there is a second novel planned with these characters which I will look out for.

Held my interest from the first page and I really liked Ted and lots of other characters. I felt at the same incidents that they were afraid it was so convincing.
The ending was perhaps a tad too dramatic but satisfying nevertheless.
A follow n is crying out to be penned... please!!

Wow! On reading the first couple of chapters of Crimson Lake, I was sold. Originally, I received the book to participate in a blog tour, but you can be absolutely sure that I will be pre-ordering book two as soon as I am able.

Candice Fox’s writing is really fresh and totally gripping. Ted Conkaffey is an excellent central character, put into an impossible and unthinkable situation, and eventually paired with Amanda Pharrell, an erratic, convicted murderer-turned private investigator.

The descriptive writing beautifully conveys the cloying, small-town atmosphere of Crimson Lake and there are some easily detestable local characters, attempting to make Ted’s life a misery.

With a top-notch crime plot winding through it, Crimson Lake is a definite recommendation from me!