I have been looking forward to reading Black Summer for a while. It was one of my hotly anticipated reads for 2019. I have the special edition on order from Goldsboro Books. It was one of the three books that I read in a single weekend and I did not disappoint. Everything its predecessor was, but with even further established characters and an equally brilliant plot, this is going to be a runaway success.

This time around Poe finds himself one hundred percent in the firing line as an old case comes back to haunt him. Well ... less haunt him as much as potentially ruin his entire life. Absolutely convinced of the guilt of celebrity chef, Jared Keaton, in the disappearance and suspected murder of his own daughter, Poe pursues his suspect to the expense of any other leads. But when someone claiming to be Keaton's daughter turns up at a community policing desk, could it be that Poe got everything horribly, horribly wrong all those years ago?

What I love about this book is that the author has taken a very viable subject, the potential miscarriage of justice and incarceration of an innocent man, and woven it into a story that is full of misdirection, suspicion, manipulation and, quite honestly, a touch of the macabre. I mean, think about it. All the ways that a professional kitchen could be used to dispatch a victim ... assuming, that is, that there ever was a victim and that it wasn't all some very elaborate hoax.

I won't lie. I did kind of guess quite early on what had happened and how, perhaps because I watch far too many crime shows on TV, have an overwhelmingly suspicious and twisted mind and an inability to trust others, but it was still a kind of blend of ewwww and cool, accompanied by a Muttley-esque laugh when my suspicions were confirmed.

A word to the wise though. This book is addictive. I sat down with it a little after one in the afternoon and, barring a short break for my dinner, didn't move until I had finished just before eight. Why? What made it so 'unputdownable' that I was willing to develop numbness of the gluteus maximus to finish it? Well it was a combination of things really.

1) The pacing and setting. Absolutely spot on. Against the backdrop of the start Cumbrian countryside around Shap, and with storms rolling in, it made the perfect metaphor and the perfect build to the dramatic conclusion of the story.

2) The storyline. In spite of guessing to a degree where it was heading, it still had me hooked from the off. How could someone be both dead and alive? And it this was a set up, how could a man incarcerated for seven years pull off something so extravagant and cunning and why?

3) The most important part of all - the characters. Poe and Tilly. A combination so oddball, so mismatched, that they absolutely should not work but one hundred percent do. They are perfectly in tune in spite of having nothing in common and you know they would do literally anything for each other. Poe is gruff and straight talking. A no nonsense guy. Tilly is no nonsense as well, but largely because she doesn't understand it. Her brain operates on a completely different spectrum to her colleagues and you wouldn't have it any other way.

So in case you haven't guess, the book comes highly recommended from me. It's not as gory perhaps as the predecessor. The violence, while there, is less gratuitous or graphic so if you were looking for the same kind of book, you may be disappointed. But if you like brilliant characters, compelling plot lines and brilliant storytelling you are in absolutely the right place. Go get it. you know you want to.

Washington Poe is back!
Things have moved on since ‘The Puppet Show’ ( Book 1 ) finished and its fair to say this can be read as a stand alone or of course as Book 2 in the series, there are enough small nods to past events that if this is your first outing with Poe then you get a bit of a back story
It was good to have Poe back, I am not a massive lover of series books but took to Poe and Tilly ( his unorthodox tech expert ) in Book 1 and so was looking forward to the new case.....

Elizabeth Keaton was killed, brutally murdered by her father, psychopath and celeb chef Jared Keaton.....well, that is until she turned up at a Cumbrian library 6 years later!
Poe had been in charge of the investigation, now he is about to be investigated and Jared Keaton is to be released
The evidence is 100% watertight
Everyone can see that
There is nothing Poe can do
But he has a niggle....and once he starts he cant stop as he re investigates Elizabeths murder in his own special way
How can a murdered girl re appear, with the correct blood and dna!!??!!
A taut, tense and exciting thriller filled once again with humour, atmosphere and wonderful descriptions of Cumbria
I look forward to Book 3
The acknowledgements at the end are definitely worth a read as well
Talented author and a good solid story told in this authors unique way
9/10. 4.5 Stars

So this one was set in Cumbria, lots of it in a town where I work and lived for a number of years. Seeing places I know well in print always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling so that was definitely a winner. I have to say there was a point about a third of the way in when I was thinking that there was element of shoehorning everything the author knew about Cumbria into the book. Almost, “ I am going to put all I can in because I am not wasting research or knowledge” . It became a little irritating, but may be I noticed it more as I know the area well.
That aside this is a great premise and the plot is well developed. The reader is constantly guessing and driven forward to the next revelation. Nice to see policing working as a cohesive, if some what quirky team with strong female characters .

I can’t decide if I am more pleased at how much I loved this book or that I have now found another author whose books I can eagerly look forward to reading.
It was excellent from start to finish. The descriptions of the little French bunting made me heave whist that of the springer spaniel made me laugh out loud.
I cannot possibly recommend this book enough it’s a clever entertaining brilliant read... now buy it and enjoy it.

A great follow up to The Puppet Show. Griping (if quite gory) plot, wonderful characters (that you want to be your friends), sharp and entertaining dialogue- everything we came to expect from Mr Craven is there. I have thoroughly enjoyed this second instalment of Tilly and Poe's adventures and can't wait for the next one.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown publishers for the ARC.

Wow!
This book was brilliantly written....the twists and turns were great. Just when i thought i had it sussed, the next chapter changed it up again!
I found myself thinking about it while i was at work and couldn't wait to get home to it.

Well this was such a gripping crime novel set in the beautiful Lake District that as soon as I finished it, I immediately ordered the first in the series so I could find out more about these wonderful characters.
Washington Poe is a Police Detective investigating serious crimes with the help of his quirky assistant Tilly Bradshaw: Tilly is incredibly intelligent, has numerous PhDs and can manipulate technology to help in police investigations but it quickly becomes apparent that she has very little in the way of social skills.
They are a great combo and they need everything they’ve got when the supposedly murdered daughter of Restaurant Chef Keaton appears at a police station. He has been convicted of her murder 6 years previously by Poe and in fact there was so much blood at the restaurant crime scene that it seemed impossible to Poe that she could have survived. Poe is convinced that the right man is in prison and that Keaton is a psychopath who had no qualms about murdering his own daughter.
Keaton’s Michelin starred restaurant is still open despite the owner being in gaol and when Poe and Bradshaw start to investigate, they even enjoy a meal there which proves to be rather amusing.
This is the second book in the series but it did not matter that I had not read the first novel as it worked well as a stand alone.
This was a great read that had me hooked right from the beginning. The author’s attention to detail was incredible- he’d researched the cordon Bleu restaurant trade really diligently.
Black Summer is an enjoyable thriller which I throughly recommend. I’m now about to start book one- The Puppet Show to find out more background information on Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw. I’m sure I will find it equally compelling.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Company for the advanced copy of this book.

Black Summer is the second book in the Washington Poe seriesand I read it straight away after Puppet Show. Poe and Tilly are back investigating an older case of Poes. I didn’t like the beginning with the Ortolan bunting and thought it was unnecessary as it didn’t really give anything to the story. It appears that a murder victim might not have been murdered at all and Poe is determined to get to the bottom of it whatever may happen. A thrilling, gripping read that drags you along at a good pace. I may never think of a sous vide machine in the same way again!! I cant wait for the next book. Also posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

A truly excellent thriller. Washington Poe is faced with an enormous issue when a past case comes back to haunt him. He investigated the disappearance of Elizabeth Keaton and this investigation had ultimately led to the conviction of her father, celebrity chef Jared Keaton, for murder, despite no body ever being found. But when Elizabeth Keaton walks into a police office and declares herself alive, her identity being confirmed by a DNA test, then Poe has a huge problem on his hands.

Utterly gripping, this book is a complete page turner. I'm only sad I hadn't read the first one, which I will remedy. Poe is a great character, supported by an interesting supporting cast, and the plot is brilliant. He's sure the chef is guilty yet the DNA doesn't lie... Add to the summer reading pile.

(This review is of a NetGalley edition)

Woohoo, been waiting for this, blooming brilliant, didn't let me down, you won't be disappointed if it's the only book you buy this summer, all I can say is Get it.

Thanks to NetGalley.co.uk for providing a copy of the book for review. This is an entertaining and intriguing mystery with numerous red herrings, set in contemporary Cumbria. Tilly doesn't appear for quite a while, but when she does, she demonstrates how she has grown since The Puppet Show. Following a gory beginning, which ends with Washington Poe being arrested in a restaurant, Mike Craven leads us back to a point a few weeks before to show how we reached that point. It also suggests the rest of this series will be spent inside prisons! The use of the preview set in the future worked extremely well, as I couldn't predict how we were going to get there and it meant that I was reading intently looking for clues, as well as being hooked on the narrative. I would highly recommend this book, however would recommend you clear some time, as you won't want to put it down; I read it in 2 sittings.

I absolutely loved this book, it was fast paced and kept me hooked from chapter 1. Poe and Tilly are fantastic characters, I love how Tilly has really grown in character since the puppet show. I couldn't put this book down.and read it in a day. I would highly recommend M.W Craven as hes a fabulous author.

5 Stars from me!

Even better than The Puppet Show!

Black Summer is packed full of brilliant characters – including old favourites Tilly Bradshaw and Washington Poe – Jefferson Black was a fab newcomer and I’d love to read more about him.

Be warned, the opening chapter is more than a little bit grim… maybe don’t read it while eating dinner!

I love the scenic imagery from these books too and especially that around Poe’s home. The little twist regarding his home in this book is interesting and I look forward to seeing how that pans out in the future.

The relationship between Tilly and Poe is lovely, very simple and respectful and they make for a great team.

I love Poe’s (classic old school detective) style of walking the line with his superiors and I appreciate how much time the author has taken to make all characters throughout the book into solid tangible people rather than just bit players.

This is fast becoming one of my favourite series and I can’t wait to see what is next from M W Craven.

synopsis: After The Puppet Show, a new storm is coming . . .

Jared Keaton, chef to the stars. Charming. Charismatic. Psychopath . . . He’s currently serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of his daughter, Elizabeth. Her body was never found and Keaton was convicted largely on the testimony of Detective Sergeant Washington Poe.

So when a young woman staggers into a remote police station with irrefutable evidence that she is Elizabeth Keaton, Poe finds himself on the wrong end of an investigation, one that could cost him much more than his career.

Helped by the only person he trusts, the brilliant but socially awkward Tilly Bradshaw, Poe races to answer the only question that matters: how can someone be both dead and alive at the same time?

And then Elizabeth goes missing again – and all paths of investigation lead back to Poe.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Sometimes you read a book by a new author and think I must read his next book to see if it will be as good. The first book was The Puppet Show and the author, M W Craven’s next book is Black Summer. His second book was totally engrossing and I think the creation of his two main characters, Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw, was an inspiration. kept in check by D.I. Flynn, the two characters evolve into two characters no-one can get the better of and they are extremely accomplished and entertaining.
Black Summer is one of the best books I have read this year.
Highly recommended.

My thanks to Little Brown Book Group U.K. Constable for an eARC via NetGalley of M. W. Craven’s ‘Black Summer’ in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in Craven’s D.S. Washington Poe series of police procedurals. It was just amazing. So much so that I immediately bought the first in the series as well as the audiobook edition for ‘Black Summer’. I have been happily tucked away since totally engrossed by it.

The plot involves celebrity chef Jared Keaton, who is six years into a life sentence for the murder of his daughter Elizabeth. While her body was never found, it was Pope’s testimony that proved crucial to secure the conviction.

When a young woman stubbles into a local police station claiming to be Elizabeth and that she had been abducted and held captive, it triggers an investigation into the case including Poe’s role. He is called up to Cumbria. He soon realises that he needs to undertake his own investigation and calls on the brilliant Tilly Bradshaw to assist him.

This was one of the best crime thrillers/police procedurals that I have ever read. It was plotted so intricately and was so well written. Poe and Bradshaw make an excellent team. I now look forward to reading the first in the series, ‘The Puppet Show’ as well as waiting patiently for the third.

Very highly recommended.

Jared Keaton is an evil, sadistic and revengeful man, who 6 years ago was jailed for his daughter's murder, even though a body was never found. Washington Poe is still convinced that Keaton murdered Elizabeth, that is until a woman walks into a police station and declares that she is Elizabeth and is clearly alive and well. Poe knows there must be more to this and enlists the help of his old sidekick, Matilda 'Tilly' Bradshaw, if anyone can unearth the truth, she can! Then Elizabeth goes missing again, and this time Poe is the suspect, will Tilly discover what really happened before it's too late or will Poe end up on the wrong side of the bars?

I was over the moon when I heard we were going to be reunited with Tilly and Poe, I absolutely adored Tilly in the first of this series, The Puppet Show, she is so innocent but also astonishingly clever, and she will always have Poe's back, no matter what. You don't know what complex is until you've been 'Bradshawed'. This was a case like no other and Poe & Tilly were hit by one stumbling block after another in the race to find out what really happened on that fateful night. M W Craven keeps his audience on the edge of their seats throughout this rollercoaster ride and he totally smashed it again. Whilst you can read Black Summer as a standalone, I advise you read The Puppet Show first to truly understand these amazingly complex but lovely characters. I can't wait for book 3!

I would like to thank Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for the auto approval and will post my review on both Amazon & Goodreads.

I waited a long time for this book, after reading The Puppet Show and loving the characters of Poe and Tilly, and it does not disappoint,
There is a restaurant scene at the beginning of the book, which was so descriptive, I felt compelled to mention this to the author via Twitter! Seriously, this scene is gruesomely gripping!
I read the book deep into the night, and again in the morning, before reluctantly having to put it down to get up and go to work!!

The Puppet Show was one of my absolute favourite reads of last year, made all the more incredible by the fact that it was a debut. I feel like I've been yearning for this second thriller in the Detective Sergeant Washington Poe series for a long time and it certainly didn't disappoint. This can be read independently of the first book without issue but it is so damn good you'll want to pick it up I am sure. Here, Poe's judgement is called into question when the apparent victim of a killer he helped convict years earlier suddenly appears seemingly alive and well. But when she disappears again as fast as she came the heat is well and truly turned up on Poe.

This a deliciously dark and tantalisingly twisted read with characters that come live on the page. It is well researched and pacey and it's almost impossible not to fall in love with the fascinating dynamic between Poe and Tilly. They trust each other implicitly and so Tilly helps Poe through this overwhelmingly stressful time. I relate to her quiet, introverted nature and her social awkwardness makes her all the more endearing. Craven writes in such an absorbing manner that hooks you in immediately and the whole story is believable and highly addictive.

Black Summer is another sensational, page-turning thriller from Craven. This is gripping entertainment and comes very highly recommended. Many thanks to Constable for an ARC.

After reading book 1, The Puppet Show and absolutely loving the characters in it, I couldn't wait to start book 2. What a god damn awesome read it was.
I couldn't wait to be back in the lives of Poe and Tilly, what a remarkable duo these two are. I love the bond between them both and the so unlikely working relationship that just works so well.
Poe is again in need of help again and it's his buddy Tilly that will be there to help him.
Super Chef Jared Keaton was locked up for the murder of his daughter, It was Poe who helped get him locked up. The shocker is when 6 years later still serving the time he was given, Jared Keaton's daughter Elizabeth suddenly turns up.
This has everyone stumped, even super fact finding Tilly can't work out this one, after all, all the evidence was there to show that Elizabeth had been murdered. That is everything, but the body. Let the madness commence. WHAT A READ!
These books would make for some awesome Sunday night TV viewing.
I really couldn't recommend these books highly enough. I guess you could get away with reading this having not read The Puppet Show, but I really wouldn't recommend doing so. These books are so good, to know you have every little detail in your mind, you really should read them in order.
Outstanding writing, and a series i'm going to love book after book, I just can't keep waiting for the next one to come out. Maybe I need some form of time machine to take me to the next publication. I so so can't wait.
This book will be going on my 2019 Must Reads list, without a doubt.

I was so happy to back with Poe and Tilly so soon after finishing The Puppet Show!
In this much anticipated sequel, we find Poe still reeling from the revelations after his run in with the Immolation Man. Now back to the grindstone of regular police work, he is in a relatively boring meeting when a phone call changes everything.
Back in Cumbria, a young woman has walked up to a police desk in a local library claiming to be the victim of a murder that Poe solved six years previously.
Poe is summoned back to Cumbria and in a plot that covers the two weeks following the phone call, we follow Poe and his brilliant wing-woman Tilly as they try to uncover the truth before the man convicted of the murder, who also happens to be the girls father/famed celebrity chef/possible psychopath, is released from prison.
This is another twisty, tense and very entertaining story and I had absolutely no clue as to where it was going! But, as good as the story is (and it is very, very good!) the characters absolutely make this for me. Poe and Tilly lead from the front, but with an excellent and believable supporting cast like Flynn, Gamble, Rigg, Doyle, Edgar(!) and even Keaton and Wardle, this is another absolute winner. I can't wait to see what comes next.