Honestly I’m very torn about this book. It sits between 2-3 stars for me.
What’s good about this book:
* Stellar prose. Vivid sense of atmosphere and some astute observations on life and death.
* Awareness of animal torture and how it’s not seen as serious as killing people, and awareness of how difficult farming is and how viruses like foot and mouth disease broke farmers and put them into debt.
* Startling images. There is lots of violence in this book, especially animal torture so be warned. But these senses are well researched and thought-provoking.

What I struggled with:
* Plot. The chapters felt heavy. Even though there were snippets from various characters in an attempt to allude to the killer and provide red herrings, the pacing was slow and I couldn’t be gripped.
* Characters felt at a distance. There were so many people, it was hard to keep on top of them. They also weren’t fully formed with conflicting viewpoints. They were very cold, especially Alec who’s a terrible father.
* Holes in characters’ past. We learn that Alec’s wife died, but who raised his son then? It obviously wasn’t him.
* Ghost town. I felt like I was in dystopian world. I couldn’t understand how things worked. Who’s Alec’s boss? Who’s Cooper’s boss? How is she a freelance forensic veterinarian? So many questions.
Ultimately I couldn’t connect with the characters and felt disengaged with this book and almost fell into a reading slump. I admire the author’s efforts and message but the execution wasn’t there. It’s 2.5 from me for efforts.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I was intrigued by the concept of this novel and was excited to read this. Unfortunately I found this quite confusing and the characters didn’t quite grip me.
This opens with detective Alec following a farmer who’s found sixteen horses beheaded and their heads buried around his farm. Then we have a prologue following a vet called Cooper who works as a forensic scientist dealing with crimes to do with animals. She’s in therapy following the sixteen horses case.
Then time rewinds and we follow Cooper and Alec trying to solve the crime. Interspersed are narratives from other suspects.
This was a convoluted hot mess. There were times when the prose was stunning with a vivid, claustrophobic small-town haunted vibe to it and there was some quote worthy lines. By the village itself felt timeless. I wasn’t sure where in the UK it was supposed to be set. Also the characters weren’t fully fleshed out. They felt vague and ambiguous. There was a teasing of chemistry between Alec and Cooper by then from Cooper’s POV Alec comes across as a lying creep (there was no example of this, why is she thinking Alec is hiding something?) and we later find out he’s a drunk. It’s very weird. Even the sub-plots were quite confusing. The police headquarters itself wasn’t constructed properly. How does things work in this town? I was so confused.
There were some interesting aspect about cruelty to animals and the Croydon Cat Killer, but this wasn’t quite the serial killer read I was expecting. 2/5.

Sixteen Horses by Greg Buchanan is one of the most original crime novels I’ve read. If you’re a fan of literary crime fiction, then you need to read this book. Greg Buchanan is an exciting new voice.

Set in a dying seaside town, Illmarsh, the town and the police are shocked when the corpses of sixteen horses are found buried. Days after the police first come into contact with the horses, people who were there fall desperately ill. What is going on here? What do the murders of the horses mean? And what connection do they have to the dark events that have also taken place in the town?

Sixteen Horses is such a unique crime thriller. It is a stunning debut that will keep you gripped. The atmosphere is very dark and foreboding. It gave me a very uneasy feeling as I was reading it. It seems as though there is no light at all in the village where the events are taking place. The crime is such an unusual one, and it made the book feel very fresh. It’s what made me want to keep reading after I read the opening pages. If you think the opening pages are dark, be prepared, it is about to get a lot darker.

This is not a fast-paced, action-packed crime novel; it is a slow-burner, character-driven novel. I loved Greg Buchanan’s writing style, which pulled me into the story and the setting. Illmarsh itself becomes a character. The opening chapters are so chilling, and I had to know what was going on in the town. Who was behind the crimes that were taking place? It puts all the locals on edge, and I could feel the tension as the novel progressed.

Illmarsh is a town that feels forgotten. It added to the atmosphere. I could picture the town on the coast very well, and Greg Buchanan evokes a real sense of place in his writing. Sixteen Horses is a very immersive book. It will definitely appeal to you if you’re a fan of Chris Whitaker.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what Greg Buchanan writes next. This is a stand-out crime thriller. I am sure that there will be many people talking about it in the months to come. Sixteen Horses is a superb debut which I won’t be forgetting about any time soon.

What a strange and enjoyable book. A crime story, a meditation on the dying sea-front towns and enjoyable on both front.

It is very different from any other crime books out there. The characters are deeply flawed and unusual as is the story. I loved it and this is an author to follow.

The opening chapter booked me in straight away. Sixteen horses heads buried but for one eye showing was enough to keep me there.
What followed the why how and who seemed to have a complex story behind the opening.

Interesting. gripping but don't lose sight of what is going on this book is really very good.

I loved the concept the characters and in particular "Cooper" bringing life to the story. A bit of the last had to come in to explain the now.

But all in all a good story line. loved it

I thought this book sounded intriguing. Literary - excellent. A thriller - great. However, what wasn't really made clear was just how macabre the central premise is. I am accustomed to reading thrillers, detective novels, police procedurals, etc and they don't normally turn my stomach - this did. I have to say that the writing is excellent. - had it not been so polished it probably wouldn't have affected me in the way it did. That, .though, doesn't diminish the fact that at times the book is very difficult to follow - again, not something new to me, but in this case, just somewhat overdone. This is definitely not for the faint-hearted, it's gruesome in places, very visceral too. If you don't like being affected by a book, give this one a wide berth.

I deliberated for some time over how many stars to award this - I started with two because I didn't enjoy it, then thought that was unfair because the author's style is so good, so changed to four - but in the end I settled on a middling three stars (that's still 60% though - that's pretty good in my book).

Sixteen Horses by Greg Buchanan is dark, very dark.

Set in a windswept isolated English coastal town, 16 horses heads are found buried in a field. As the police investigate dark secrets about the local community start to emerge. The rain keeps falling.

I don’t know where this went as I found it so depressing that I could not bring myself to finish it!

The principle of this book sounded good but reading it was really difficult to understand what was going on. It kept going from what was happening to random paragraphs that you didn't know when it was set or what they related to. It didn't make any more sense at the end either

The setting is Illmarsh, a sleepy forgotten seaside town. First on the scene after the farmer after his daughter is Detective Alec Nicols. What he finds gets him urgently requesting a forensic veterinarian. When Cooper turns up he's surprised as he wasn't expecting a female.

They investigate why someone could do such a thing and if "16" has some sort of meaning. They come across crimes in the community, unexplained disappearances, arson, mutilations and desperate cruelty. Can they believe the words of a local hermit who tells them he saw it all...

The story is twisty and dark but compelling. The characters are multi-layered and I felt I never really knew any of them at all. When I wasn't reading the book I was thinking about it. Which for me, is always the sign of a good read. Would recommend.

Not really sure where to start with this review. To be honest I almost stopped reading because of the graphic scenes early on and the way the chapters jumped around with time and people, but persevered because I felt there had to be something about this less than 200 page novella that made publishers fight over it. I am glad I did, however I am still not 100% sure what to make of it. It started darkly and just kept getting darker, yet the language and stunning writing style got me hooked. Sentences like: “Nothing in her life was what it could have been. This struck her, as she thought of her father’s shoes lying there without feet.” Also, “She was just a little girl, lost in a life of burning men.” Or “It was the problem at the heart of his profession. How to save the animal from the owner.” The book is full of phrases and commentary steeped in imagery.

At first glance, this is a crime novel, but it goes much deeper than that. It is a literary discussion on the dark side of human nature and the damage people do to each other in the name of love or control or desire, or any of a million other rationalities. It is about the death of an already dying town and its people. It is about guilt and the personal demons we all have hidden from others around us and yet the reader never gets close enough to any of the characters to really understand their true motivations. You are still left at the end with the feeling that there is so much more lurking underneath.

I need to go and read something lighter now, and will come back and have another read before it comes out next year. I like books that make me think outside the box and this certainly does that. I will still give it four stars despite my own personal horror of animal abuse.

The premise of this is intriguing and spooky- sixteen horses killed and buried on farmland. Why? Naturally the story spills out further, going in many different directions.

I think maybe this was a bit too visceral for me- which is of course a personal opinion in terms of what works for me in stories. Despite this, I must say that the creepy, haunting atmosphere created through some excellent writing was really excellent. It made me feel a bit melancholy, but if you like that kind of thing, this is for you.

I struggled a bit more when it came to the story itself. As a reading experience it jumped around a lot and I found it hard to engage with some of the characters. It felt a bit too literary for me- I don't necessarily want that in a detective novel.

I think this will ultimately come down to if you enjoy the slightly dreamy, yet weirdly violent, storytelling style. I probably don't, but many will.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel.

A slow building thriller that will take you on a journey into who killed 16 horses and why they did. Taut, twisty and complex the book is a satisfying read. The truth to the killing can be found in the past so as we go back in time we come to realise the past has a long reach . With rich detail it keeps you captivated until the truth is revealed with a flourish . A well written debut novel that seems anything but.

What’s it all about?

In a dying seaside town forgotten by the world, harbours an horrific incident. Sixteen Horses are beheaded, their severed heads and tails left partially buried in a farmers field. How could such a thing happen? Who did it ? why?
This is a story within a story, within a story! Each of the characters having their personal misfortune which develops as the novel unfolds ,and reaches a crescendo at the very end of this disturbing tale.

What’s good about it?

I really enjoyed the intensity of this book, it really kept me guessing about who was responsible and why ? The descriptions were good and added richness to the main narrative. All of the main characters in this story were well developed and believable, especially the relationship between Alec and Cooper. It’s well written and develops at a good pace. I think I have found an Author that will take me to the darkest places of the human mind and thank him for it!

What’s not so good about it?

Nothing about the story or the narrative – its excellent. However, for this particular reader, I found the chapter structure very short and it took me some time to get into the rhythm of the book

Overall

Very good! I would highly recommend.

I didn’t realise this was a sampler so it’s difficult to rate. I found the mystery of the horse’s heads curiosity inducing, so that was enough to keep me reading. I’m less sure how long my curiosity would last given the initial format. The novel has a distant tone as if viewed from afar so it doesn’t draw the reader towards the characters or offer any sense of intimacy. It also switches point of view between characters, an approach I’m not overly fond of. Having said all that it may be that the story is strong enough to overcome these quibbles but the sampler is too short to know one way or the other.

Full novel review:
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Sixteen Horses, a stand-alone set in the coastal town of Ilmarsh.

When the heads and tails of sixteen horses are found partially buried in a field DS Alec Nichols is at a loss at the cruelty and motive. Forensic veterinarian Dr Cooper Allen is asked to assist the investigation and gets rather more than she bargained for.

Sixteen Horses is a weirdly compulsive read that I’m still not sure I enjoyed. It draws the reader in with an excellent plot full of twists and hints and becomes a real page turner. I was desperate to know the who and why behind this grandiose statement and the further events. The answer turns out to be rather mundane after all the strange events.

The novel has a more literary tone than I like or want to understand. I assume it is trying to tell me some home truths about the human condition but I wasn’t interested enough to pay attention or attempt to decipher it. The plot’s the thing for me and it’s great. The tone seems distant and fragmented with the dialogue and the characters’ thoughts leaving things unsaid and with no intimacy. The narrative jumps about in both point of view and timeline, making it seem uneven and disjointed. I think this probably reflects most people’s approach to their thoughts and conversations but it’s weird in a novel.

Cooper Allen is the sane character although that may not be true as very little is revealed about her. Alec Nichols has secrets and seems somewhat untethered to reality at times so I’m not really sure what to think about him. It all adds to the atmosphere of uncertainty and ambiguity in the novel.

I think that if it were not for the compelling plot I would have given up on the tone and ungraspable nature of the novel. I’m glad I read it but I’m not sure that I would attempt a repeat performance.

I found this a very confusing story. Lots of suggestions which weren't true. Most of the characters Were damaged in some way. The answers all came out at the end but were still very confusing. Overall the concept of the story was interesting.

I didn’t realise when I downloaded this that it wasn’t the whole book. What a tease! The beginning is so promising that I definitely want to read the rest and find out what happens. Even had the title of the book and the blurb not already told you that there was a grim scene to come, the initial scene-setting really conveyed a sense of the macabre in the atmosphere, the mud, the bleating sheep.
We’re used to our lead detective having a troubled past but the first few chapters give just enough of a glimpse inside Alec’s mind to know that what has happened in his life is out of the ordinary. Introducing Cooper in a therapy session was a deft way of delivering exposition without it being clunky.
What an intriguing start. I look forward to reading more.
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Having been given the opportunity to read the first few chapters of Sixteen Horses back in July, I almost came to wish I hadn’t: it started so well that it was torturous to leave it without knowing what happened next. So, when the full book became available, I wasted no time in taking up the story again.
I like Greg Buchanan’s varied use of language: he intersperses more conventional prose and dialogue with short, sharp descriptions. It’s used to really good effect to evoke the sheer desperation of a faded seaside town used as a dumping ground for people unwanted elsewhere. The descriptions of Ilmarsh put me in mind of Stephen King’s Castle Rock: everyone has secrets, evil lurks. It’s not surprising to have a sense of foreboding at the beginning of a crime thriller but this is proper creepy.
I read this really quickly, keen to find out which of these bitter and damaged people had felt so wronged that they would plot and enact such a brutal campaign. It’s bleak in the extreme but I urge you to read it – I think there’ll be a lot of buzz surrounding its release next May.

*This is a review of the first 5 chapters of the book*

I swear that the birds stopped tweeting and the air took on that strange silence that falls when there is an unseen predator waiting to pounce when I read these opening chapters. The atmosphere created is that good. A rundown town, a detective with a past and a vet who is still struggling to reconcile the events surrounding the crime involving the dead horses. It's dark, original and wholly captivating. I am eagerly anticipating reading the rest of the book when it becomes available.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advance sample in return for an honest review

I received an extract from Sixteen Horses as a preview from publisher Mantle Books - so far I love it! For now a solid 4 stars - the characters are promising, the writing dark, and I love a worn old seaside town...!

We join detective Alec Nicholls pre-dawn, covered in mud, being guided by a farmer to a spot in a lonely field...
A hermit, living in the wild, tells of what he saw on that night...
Forensic vet Cooper Allen is called in to help the investigation, which will affect her deeply...

I absolutely can't wait to read the rest of this book - the scenes is being set and the characters introduced. I'm excited to see how it all pans out!
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UPDATED 1/9/20 after reading whole book:

Wow. Just wow. This book absolutely destroyed me. Greg Buchanan, what did you do?!

I LOVED this book. I'm still reeling.

I felt I was there, in that decaying seaside town, as Alec and Cooper are drawn deeper into the dark mystery surrounding 16 horse heads, buried on a desolate farm with their eyes turned to the sun. Who would do such a disturbing thing, and why? What other horrors are there to uncover?

The writing is tense, vivid, and what starts as dark quickly becomes pitch black. This is not just your average detective thriller - it's way darker, very intense, and disturbingly psychological. Sneakily, the story pulls you in and grabs you, then just doesn't let go. The pace builds to an shattering climax that I had to re-read a few times to make sure I'd really read what I thought I had, Then I had to put my kindle down, walk away and come back to it!

I am ruined. It is brilliant.

5 dark, dark stars!

Sixteen Horses - Greg Buchanan
Publisher Mantle Books
Publication Date 13/5/21

NO SPOILERS

I was invited to read an advance copy of this book due for publication in 2021 and as I love a detective mystery I thought it looked interesting. It was so much more than that. I was gripped from the beginning, but, at the 45%’ish mark it developed into something much more than your standard thriller.
Beautifully written, rich in detail, dark and disturbing, I could not put it down.
It just got better and better, building to a stunning climax which I had to read twice to make sure I’d absorbed and understood it all.
A superior and original thriller, Highly recommended.
I’d like to thank the author, publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

What starts out as a very gory, and extremely well depicted crime scene soon moves into something much darker, and intensely psychological. I almost feel I need to read it again to understand the full story. Maybe because I was expecting a typical crime story, but what I received and read was much richer and complex. Dark, slightly horrifying and pretty disturbing at times, the author draws you in very quickly and interest is thoroughly maintained throughout, not losing momentum at all. Others will describe the story itself, but the depth of the characters and the atmospheric tension in the landscape helps set it apart. Recommended.
Thank you for an opportunity to read and review NetGalley and publisher.