The opening scene feels quite intimate in a bizarre way as I was introduced to a confident gentleman in the three-star Michelin restaurant that he owns, he is entertaining another man, who seems quite out of place. The main course is that of a small bird called Ortolan Bunting, that has to be prepared in a rather unique way that is both fascinating and macabre. The story jumps back then as a young woman who was thought to have been murdered but had clearly come back from the dead seven years later.
I was thrilled to be back with Detective Sargeant Washington Poe and his super side-kick of a partner Tilly Bradshaw. What an incredible pairing they are. Tilly seems a little more confident in this book although still a social misfit, not that she would ever notice. She made me laugh and smile at the most inopportune moments and love that she has created her own band of out of the box thinking misfits like herself.
Poe is in deep trouble in this story as a past open and shut case becomes a nightmare that could ruin him and end his career and freedom. Poe's frustration just oozes from these chapters but his gut feeling still won't believe the undeniable facts. Jared Keaton is smarmy and arrogant and loves himself above all others. Yes, the traits of a really nasty psychopath with an unstoppable need to be top no matter what it takes.
This is a brilliant twisty story that will entertain readers of this young series or as a standalone read. Loving both books so far and can't wait for the next encounter with Poe and Tilly at the helm.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

As usual the fantastic Poe and Tilly are back solving another curious set of murders whilst Poe and his no nonsense attitude rampages around northern England and fights to get the truth.

The Poe/Tilly series of books make me ache from the evocative descriptions of the landscape and remind me of Ann Cleeves novels whilst having a personality all of their own. I'm hoping that as the series progresses there will be further depth added to some of the characters such as Poe's father and Flynn.

I have my fingers crossed that there are many many more books in this series.

WoW..................When you open a book from this author..........You have to turn your mobile phone off etc and shut the door to everything around you!
When, You start this book, you will want to find out what happens next..................But, then You don't want the book to finish!

The Puppet Show was the first book by M.W. Craven. So when Black Summer came available, I could not wait to find a corner in my farmhouse, and get comfortable in my snuggle chair. Then open my Kindle. Only to find out what happens Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw. I just love these characters.
So six years after Washington Poe helps to convict a celebrity chef Jared Keaton for the murder of his daughter Elizabeth Keaton, however no body was ever found!
Elizabeth Keaton suddenly turn up and claims she is the daughter of Jared Keaton then suddenly disappears again.

Is she who she says she is and where has she been for the last six years?

Where has she gone?

Has Poe convicted Jared Keaton and he never murdered his only daughter?

The clock is ticking for Poe and Tilly.................as Jared Keaton is about to be released from Prison.

Are they going to do it? Well, you will need to read Black Summer.

Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are my new favourite crime-fighting duo,

So Looking forward to book 3. No pressure Mike!

I wold Highly recommend The Puppet Show and Black Summer.
These are absolutely superb books!

5 fat Stars for this Fantastic Book

Massive Thank you to the Mike Craven, Little, Brown and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Having already read The Puppet Show the first book in this series I had high expectations for this book. I was not disappointed. The two main characters in the series are Washington Poe a detective sergeant and Tilly Bradshaw a brilliant but autistic analyst. To fully understand the relationship between them I would advise reading The Puppet Show first. The plot is fairly simple in that it appears that Poe has had convicted, six years earlier, an innocent man. From then onwards it becomes more complex with every chapter. Evidence is linking Poe with the murder and Tilly Bradshaw is using all her skills to help her friend. There is a major twist at the end which caught me out. The setting is in Cumbria on the edge of the Lake District National Park. For lovers of crime novels, this series is a must-read.M W Craven is fast becoming a big player in this genre. This is probably the best book I have read this year.
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Black Summer was like nothing I’ve read before! The first chapter is a little gruesome but I was hooked! I loved the quirky characters, Cumbrian setting and most of all I loved Washington. What a fantastically written character! I was gobsmacked at the ending. I mean WOW! You need to read Black Summer!

This was an excellent novel that drew me in. The storyline was well developed and the characters were sympathetic and realistic.

What an intriguing start to this book. It may not be particularly pleasant but it ends with Washington Poe being arrested. The story then goes back 2 weeks before his arrest to look at the events leading up to it. The story relates to a case solved by Poe a few years back. A celebrity chef was found guilty of murdering his daughter and has spent 6 years in prison so far. A young woman goes into a remote police station claiming to be his daughter. She appears to have irrefutable evidence of her identity. This leads to a call to Poe with the simple line "Poe we have a problem". This is almost the catchphrase for this book!

Earlier this year I read The Puppet Show which was the first Washington Poe book. I really enjoyed it and so was very pleased to be able to read this follow up. I think I ought to say that I feel it would be better to read book 1 before this to get the background to the characters. I doubt it is essential but I do think it would add to the enjoyment of this one. The book follows Poe's attempts to effectively clear his name as a result of this miscarriage of justice. He finds that he has few people of his side but he does have Tilly Bradshaw again.

I guess one of the aspects of both these books I've enjoyed is the relationship between Poe and Tilly. To call Tilly awkward is something of an understatement. The same can be said of calling her brilliant! This book builds on this relationship nicely. The story itself is good and well worked. The writing makes for an easy read - one of those ones where you think "I'll just read one more chapter"...

I actually don't think this is flawless. I have a concern about one aspect of the case although there is an attempt to address it in the book. That said I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as I did the last. At times it is dark and brooding - a little like the Lake District that is the main setting. Equally there are glimpses of the sun and parts that entertain in a lighter way. Anyone who read The Puppet Show should enjoy this one in my opinion. I really do hope that there will be a book 3. I will definitely be reading it.

A woman returned from the dead recounts her experience of abuse after being abducted forms the case for Ds washington poe who knows her father is in prison charged with her murder....

Another thrilling read from the author of the The Puplet show

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A thrilling, engrossing read from the pen of M.W. Craven.

This is a truly absorbing psychological thriller that will keep you gripped until the very end. Sadly all too often an intriguing premise fails to live up to expectation. This was certainly not the case with M.W. Craven's 'Black Summer', which was an edge of your seat journey to its thrilling denouement. The premise for this book is a bit of a riddle. Namely, how can someone declared dead in absentia, although fully supported by 'conclusive' forensic evidence, still be alive and appear six years later? Well, this is the question facing Detective Washington Poe and his wily band of colleagues, including the wonderfully drawn and eccentric, Tilly Bradshaw. Six years ago Poe thought he had succeeded in helping to convict celebrity chef Jared Keaton for the murder of his daughter, Elizabeth. That was until her reappearance six years later, and then.... well she disappears again. Despite conclusive DNA evidence proving that the 'abducted' girl and Elizabeth are one and the same, Poe cannot quite believe that he could be so wrong about the psychopathic Jared Keaton. Germane to the plot is the idea that psychopaths exist in all walks of life and Keaton, a celebrity chef, occupies two of the top 10 professions for known psychopaths. The idea that psychopaths walk among us but rarely commit serial murders is most famously popularised in Jon Ronson's 'The Psychopath Test'. Craven takes this idea and runs with it. Indeed, Poe's dilemma does not revolve around the question of whether Keaton is a psychopath, but whether he is a psychopath who kills without conscience. Gradually, we learn that there is more to Elizabeth Keaton's reappearance than meets the eye. Craven's carefully constructed narrative, thrusting forward in short, snappy chapters, kept me gripped to the end. This was an engrossing psychological thriller from the wonderfully talented M.W. Craven. I look forward to hearing more from this author in the future.

5 Stars

Summary:
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.

A very complex but compelling read, Washington Poe's past comes back to haunt him when a young woman turns up at a temporary police station six years after she went missing leaving a copious amount of blood behind that clearly pointed to her death. Poe was the arresting officer in what seemed to be a clear cut case against her father who is serving a life sentence, so how can this possibly be happening. Blood tests confirm her identity but no sooner does she appear she vanishes without a trace. This is a brilliant read with a strong story-line, I absolutely loved it.

I wasnt sure what direction this book was going to go in with that first chapter, at first i thought it wasnt my cup of tea, but i decided to keep reading and im glad i did! Such a great story with a great protagonist, Washington Poe. Loved reading from him, and the story of the murder too. A great book!

Black Summer by M. W. Craven

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Black Summer by M.W. Craven is the second in the Washington Poe books. I didn’t know about this series until I saw it on @netgalley and I am so glad that I did. I review all books neutrally and when they are as great as this I will freely leave 5* reviews on all my channels. I have actually found a new favourite author!

I would recommend reading the first book ‘The Puppet Show’ before this one as there are plot points that continue into ‘Black Summer’, however, you can read this as a stand alone if needed.

Black Summer begins with being introduced to Poe and his colleagues, his boss in the National Crime Agency Flynn and tech nerd Tilly Bradshaw.

He is called back up to Cumbria, which is where he lives, thinking it’s to do with his last case (covered in his previous book ‘The Puppet Show) but finds out it is regarding an old case where Michael Keaton, a celebrity chef who holds three Michelin stars, was convicted in a no body murder of his 18 year old daughter, Elizabeth. However, the daughter has just walked into a local library six years later saying she has escaped her captor.

I thought this weird setup of looking at a case from a different perspective was an excellent premise for a police procedural novel. Trying to prove that Poe was right in the first place and that Keaton did indeed kill his daughter. Of course, it wouldn’t be easy as there are scientific hurdles and an actual daughter to overcome but he gets there with the help of his colleagues.

I love the relationships that are starting to form between the characters but especially the juxtaposition of Poe and Tilly. It’s the combination of straight talking, evidence and feeling based Poe against Tilly’s data based and mathematical character. Experience versus innocence. However, they both have cores of steel and although they are awesome characters on their own when they come together they are unstoppable.

Tilly is a unique character, finished university when she was 16, doesn’t understand the real world, has a mother who incessantly coddles her from society and is completely unfiltered when it comes to saying what she thinks. It’s never inferred that she is on the spectrum but she certainly has some of the traits. I absolutely love Tilly Bradshaw!

Washington Poe feels like a character that still has a lot of background to unravel, especially when it comes to his family and childhood. He doesn’t have a lot of friends and they really are only Tilly and Flynn. This isolation is self enforced though and is reflected in his place of abode - it takes a two mile walk to get there as it can’t be accessed by car. However, you can feel him starting to thaw in ‘Black Summer’ and even begins to entertain romantic thoughts!

Poe and Tilly’s relationship forms an integral part of this series and I am honestly looking forward to the next instalment just to see how this progresses.

M. W. Craven is going to be one of those writers who becomes an icon in the UK crime fiction scene. His books are superbly plotted, his characters of Poe and Tilly are very clearly defined as the good guys and his themes show a large dollop of empathy. He understands that people are manipulated but that doesn’t ultimately make them ‘evil’, namely the doctor in this book and the killer from the previous book ‘The Puppet Show’. His plots are complicated but still feel realistic and are thought provoking and addictive. It’s rare to get a book this good!

There’s nothing better than the anticipation of a great read. With MW Craven, you just know you’re going to get that. Fab book, fast paced and very engaging. As always, hanging out for the next one. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Superb. Black Summer follows the equally excellent Puppet Show, which introduced us to Washington Poe and his colleagues, notably Tilly Bradshaw (with a special shout out to Edgar the Springer Spaniel).

If it’s a pleasant surprise to have a fantastic debut, it’s possibly rare for a second book to maintain, and possibly surpass, the quality of the predecessor.

Black Summer is fabulous. The story is clever, the plotting is tight and well paced and the return and development of the characters is welcome.

I’ll be shouting about this one from the rooftops (but would recommend starting with Puppet Show). 4.5*

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown for a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review. I was thrilled to get it and read in almost one sitting!

lack Summer has it all. Thrills, unexpected but plausible twists and very importantly Poe and Bradshaw, an excellent and unusual pairing. This was my introduction to the team so I now have the pleasure of reading the previous novel.My favourite crime thriller this year. Thankyou to Little Brown and NetGalley for providing me with the free ARC, even though it meant a very late night as I had to keep reading to find out what happened, it was well worth it!

The eagerly awaited follow up to the huge hit novel The Puppet Show, this book was an absolute pleasure to read and review. Washington Poe, back to DS after a temporary stint as DI, is still working for the SCAS (Serious Crime Analysis Section) at the National Crime Agency in Hampshire, as is Tilly Bradshaw who is a profiler now in charge of her own section. Their colleague Stephanie Flynn is now a DI. Poe still has his home in Cumbria which he escapes to when he can and his spaniel Edgar stops at a neighbouring farm with a friend, Thomas Hume. Poe is just about recovered from the Immolation Man case and coming to terms with the truth about his parentage when he receives a call from Major Crimes Supt Gamble in Cumbria. And that can only spell trouble. Jared Keaton, the complete manifestation of evil according to Poe, was a celebrity chef convicted and serving life for the brutal murder of his daughter Elizabeth, although her body was never found and the conviction rested largely on Poe's testimony. The man was charming and a complete psychopath, and Poe had always been convinced of his guilt. So when Elizabeth Keaton suddenly appears at a remote police desk one day with all the evidence pointing to her being the genuine article, Poe is headed for a serious investigation and the strangest case he has ever been involved in. There is only one person he trusts to have his back in all this and the old team are reunited to uncover the real truth. And since Elizabeth has very quickly gone missing again, that is something that will take all they have. I loved the main characters and the interaction between Poe and Bradshaw was beautifully written, the "Tillyisms" giving some real laugh out loud moments in an otherwise gruesome tale. This is a partnership that demonstrates absolute trust and loyalty and is a joy, with Stephanie Flynn making a great third party. This book is everything I hoped for, with brilliant characters and a devilishly clever plot, and is perfect for those who enjoy a well crafted police procedural with a darker side.

A fantastic follow on from the puppet show. Loved the way that each of the characters developed in this latest novel. Great storyline which was fast paced and intriguing throughout. Can’t wait for the next!

Elizabeth Keaton was brutally murdered by her father 6 years ago, her father is serving a life sentence for the crime and yet after all those years Elizabeth appears at a police drop in centre alive, but certainly not well. She has been held captive, abused, tortured and raped but she managed to escape. So if she is alive then her father must be innocent right?

And so begins Poe and Tilly’s new case but this time it is a race to save Poe himself.

This is quite a bit of a different read than The Puppet Show as there is no psychotic serial killer on the loose this time and it is not as gruesome as the first book. That is until the very end, then we get some of the wonderfully gory details I had been waiting for!

The lack of grizzly murders this time round does not mean that this book is lacking from book one in anyway at all. This book is extremely clever with a plot that will have your head spinning and jaw on the floor once all those investigative threads all pull together and all the pieces slot into place completing the story.

Even though this is the second book in a series featuring Washington Poe you don’t necessarily need to have read the first book, The Puppet Show, before jumping into this one but it does however refer back to Poe’s last case from the first book so if you haven’t already I would recommend reading The Puppet Show. Not just to get the full enjoyment out of this book, but because it is a great read and if you have been drawn towards this book you won’t want to have missed the first one! You will love it! (My review for The Puppet Show can be found here! The Puppet Show by M. W. Craven)

A cleverly engineered plot with two of Britains best crime solving duo’s in a race to the finish kind of read!

If you enjoyed The Puppet Show then let me just say – Black Summer is even better!

A massive Thank You to the author M.W. Craven, publishers Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.

I was very late to the party reading “The Puppet Show” (the first in the Washington Poe series) and after thoroughly enjoying it, I was very excited to be able to read the follow up “Black Summer” immediately after. Although either book works well as a stand-alone, I would recommend reading in order as it does benefit you to learn how all the working relationships link together.
The story starts with a prologue that was attention grabbing, a first chapter that was like something out of a Hannibal Lecter movie, which then rolled smoothly straight into the second chapter that was truly intriguing, instantly captivating me, ready for the rest of the book. What more could you want from a crime thriller?!
Although the first chapter is rather grisly and involves the fine dining of a bird called the Ortolan Bunting, I was so intrigued I actually researched this subject and found it to be very interesting, if not shocking and upsetting.
I wholeheartedly love the characters the author M.W. Craven has created. Washington Poe is a troubled man but not a one that brings his issues front and centre of the story but subtly in the background and his relationship with Tilly his analyst sidekick is really quite endearing. I also liked the introduction of the forensic pathologist Estelle Doyle and thought she was another quirky character to add to the fantastically created list of characters. This made for very enjoyable reading and a definite desire for me to continue this fabulous series further again in the future.
What really made the story for me was that it wasn’t just any police procedural but a one based on departments you don’t normally hear of - the NCA (National Crime Agency) and SACS (Serious Crime Analysis Section). It’s nice to read about unknown departments in the police force and learn how the different officers all work together to fight crime. It also combines a character driven novel with action, intrigue and good old fashioned police work with the addition of a computer expert that truly knows her stuff.
I love discovering new authors and when I initially read “The Puppet Show” I knew this was going to be a series I would be addicted to and being a local author to me, it was nice to be able to relate to places mentioned in the story. I do hope one day to meet M.W. Craven at a local bookstore and chat about Washington Poe and Tilly’s relationship!
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend either of these books. They’re excellently plotted, well thought out, instantly addictive and wholly absorbing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Black Summer” and rate this five star read as an absolute must read for 2019!
5 stars