Excellent book with a brilliant storyline and great main characters. I would recommend this book.

It took me a while to get into this but once the book gets going, it's very gripping, suspenseful and mysterious. The story goes through twists and turns and, I will warn you, you will get confused in parts but it all becomes starkingly clear eventually.

The ending was brilliant and I certainly didn't see it coming. This author certainly spent a lot of time plotting and planning and she pulled it off extremely well. I was completely gobsmacked and wanted to slap myself for not seeing it sooner but I do love a book that keeps you guessing right til the very end.

I loved the characters, Meg was an intriguing and a strong-willed character; she goes through so much in this book that I was rather surprised to still see her standing at the end!! Poor woman.

I also loved Jai; he's sweet and caring and I can definitely see sparks between him and Meg... I do hope they get together in later books!

An interesting and gripping read that will keep you guessing and will makes you stupidly frustrated but you won't be able to help yourself in turning those pages!!

This was such a good debut. I loved that witchcraft was a theme in this book which added a spooky, creepy atmosphere to the writing. This theme, for me, really made the book stand out, the author, Roz Watkins, had me googling the local myths in this book which I was absolutely fascinated by. I’m excited to see that this is the first book in a new series; it’s a series that I’m keen to read more from.

Roz Watkins opens her novel with the discovery of the body of a lawyer in a cave in the Peak District. When Detective Meg Dalton arrives at the scene, strange markings are found on the stone wall and an eerie tale concerning the caves emerges. As the investigation progresses, unsettling details emerge about a curse which has plagued the family. But what makes the case all the more perplexing is when another body is found. Could such a curse really exist.

I really enjoyed getting to know Meg as a character in this novel. She faces many obstacles in her path as she tries to bring the killer to justice but she is absolutely determined to do so, whatever the cost to herself and her career. She isn’t a character without her own problems and Roz explores some interesting themes in her backstory, I won’t go into too much detail here, but these themes I’m sure will prompt plenty of discussion in book groups. Ethical and moral issues do play a huge role in this book.

I also really liked her relationship with her side-kick, Jai. There were times when I did think that perhaps their working relationship wouldn’t work but as the novel progressed I did think that Meg would be lost without him, not as a colleague in particular, but as a friend.

The pace of the novel is excellent and exciting. As I finished each chapter I really wanted to find out what was going to happen next and Roz managed to expertly conceal the final truths in this book. She is an exciting new writer who I can’t wait to read more from. I’m sure her first novel in this series will win her lots of loyal, new fans. She is a talent to watch out for. Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the book to read.

I love reading murder mysteries and this one appealed to me because it is set in the Peak District, where my mother's family came from, so I knew the places mentioned. I liked the cover, the title sounded intriguing, and I always enjoy finding new crime authors to read!

The Devil's Dice is a police procedural featuring Detective Inspector Meg Dalton, newly transferred to the area. She's plunged straight into a murder enquiry when a lawyer is found dead in a cave, his initials carved into the rock behind him along with an image of the Grim Reaper. Except the carvings have been there for over a century...

I did love the bits of history and legends woven throughout this story, especially the 'labyrinth' where witches met their death hundreds of years before. I also liked the old house on the edge of the quarry and the curse upon it! I loved the character of Jai, Meg's sidekick, but I found it harder to relate to her, mainly because I couldn't understand why she didn't deal with the office bully head on, especially since she out-ranked him. The story was very fast-paced, with several life or death moments for Meg, and I am sure this series will go on to do brilliantly.

Recommended, especially if you like creepy historical stuff with your detective stories.


I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book, which will be published on 8th March 2018.

Thank you to Roz Watkins, HQ and NetGalley for my copy of this book, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this because it was REALLY CREEPY in places and had a whole lot going for it on a whole lot of levels.

First of all Meg, our main protagonist, has a wonderful sense to her. You know ye olde flawed detective tropes, well she has flaws for sure but really engaging ones, she is also very endearing so immediately you are right there with her.

Which she would probably be grateful for as she investigates some suspicious deaths and gets all caught up with an ancient curse. One of the huge strengths of this novel was the beautifully described settings, haunting and bleak, the tension is palpable throughout much of the narrative but Roz Watkins manages to lighten the mood with some randomly funny moments too, also down to the strong and layered character we are following along with.

It is an intriguing mystery - kind of old school in the sense of it, with some beautifully done twists and turns and an unexpected and edgy resolution - so there's that too.

The relationships between Meg and the "supporting cast" are beautifully done as well, a really compelling start to a new series, laying the groundwork for us readers, I'm dying to know what happens next with Meg in several of the strands left unresolved.

This particular mystery is done but I'm sure there will be consequences, this means that you'll be eager for the next instalment and this one will stay with you.

Also - just saying - I'm not going in any caves. Or any houses on the edge of cliffs. Or actually leaving my house at all for a while.

Plus I may not play cards.

Yes. Good then. Let's have more Meg Dalton as soon as possible.

Recommended.

A murder mystery set in the Peak District really appealed to me and i liked Meg the Detective Inspector as she seemed more realistic having feelings of anxiety and trying to do the right thing but also finding the time to help out with her ailing mother and gran.
This is Roz Watkin's debut novel the first in a series and i liked the slightly paranormal element to the story which separated it from the usual genre of thriller. However i did think that many of the male characters seemed to be either aggressive, sullen and generally not very approachable and i couldn't say i warmed to any of them and even Jai, Meg's detective partner could be very annoying at times. Maybe with time Roz's characters will become more balanced and rounded. I would love to see how this series develops. I received a copy to review through #TheDevilsDice #NetGalley

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of The Devil's Dice, a police procedural set in Derbyshire.

Meg Dalton has newly returned to her native Derbyshire when she is called to a murder scene. A man has been found poisoned by a cake laced with cyanide in a supposedly haunted cave beside a carving of the grim reaper and the man's initials.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Devil's Dice which is full of twists and turns and I read it in one sitting, desperate to know what was coming next. It seems a very mature novel for a debut with great pacing, plotting and characterisation. Ms Watkins seem to know exactly when to dole out the information that will either push the plot forward or satisfy some of the reader's curiosity. It's impressive. I must admit that I had an inkling of where the plot was going but with several suspects and and a well hidden motive it was only one of several possibilities. I loved the way Ms Watkins kept me guessing and my mind working out all the possibilities as it makes for a great, absorbing read.

Meg Dalton is a great character and very realistic. Outwardly smart and well accomplished with a Cambridge degree inwardly she is a worrier and riddled with guilt. The reason for the guilt becomes apparent over the course of the novel and while unfounded and irrational it strikes a chord as very realistic. It seems to cast a pall over her personality making her a people pleaser and and always anxious about doing the wrong thing or upsetting people. I found these feelings very easy to identify with and it makes her a very endearing personality.

Why not 5*? The only thing I found unrealistic in the novel is the level of violence and injuries Meg suffers. She is like a superhero - bruised and battered but still she gets up and continues the good fight.

The Devil's Dice is an impressive debut which I have no hesitation in recommending as a good read. 4.5*

I thought this book was well written and was a good debut novel. It was different from other crime stories and had an interesting theme of witchcraft running through it. I hope there’s more from this author