This book was so good. I was hooked after the first few chapters. I managed to guess one plot point, but was totally floored by a different one. It kept me on my toes; was a great mixture of creepy thriller / mystery solving and I loved the before / now elements of story telling. It really helped to understand what was happening now, in relation to what was happening then. I would definitely recommend.

A very dark tale of a serial killer and copy cat murders. It starts off fast and the pace carries on. I love to find a great author who I’ve not discovered previously. Just going to buy another book and see if it’s as good as this one. 5/5.

When her mother commits suicide, Heather returns to her house to sort out her affairs. After reading her suicide letter, she thinks something isn’t right and her mother has left her a message. This leads Heather to investigate — leading to secrets and truths that will shake her world.

Dog Rose Dirt was interesting and compelling and I couldn’t put it down. The plot was so unique and there were many twists and turns. I loved how the plot twisted around the decades old serial killer case of the Red Wolf. Also, I loved reading about Michael’s past, as it gave an insight into how he got the way he was. I was intrigued to find out why Heather’s mother killed herself, and it kept me reading. It slowed down in the middle so I did find it a little boring, however I was intrigued enough to keep going. And the ending really made up for it, it was fantastic.

I thought the concept of the commune was fascinating and I loved finding out the history surrounding it. I also loved that our protagonist did a lot of the investigating herself.

The writing was stunning - words put together gracefully and had an impact. The dark and creep atmosphere shone through.

Overall, a compelling story with interesting characters. Even though the plot slowed down in the middle, it was still worth a read! Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for a chance to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this book - one of my favourites of the year so far for sure! I love a creepy book and Dog Rose Dirt definitely delivered on that front. I can't wait to see what is next from this author. Highly recommend.

I thought this would end up being one of my books of the year and it really started off strong. I love books where normal people start investigations but for me, that was when the excitement stopped. The writing was atmospheric and there were some genuinely unsettling moments but it feels like the author tried to pack too much in to ine story. Also I found the scenes with the animals extremely hard to handle and had to stop reading for several weeks before continuing.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.

When Heathers mum commits suicide Heather has to go back to her childhood home, and the memories it holds, to make the funeral arrangements. As she goes through her mums belongings she finds a stack of pen pal letters. The strange thing is that they are letters to an imprisoned serial killer, Red Wolf.

As Heather starts to investigate why her mum would be writing to a serial killer another set of murders are carried out in exactly the same style. How could this be with the Red Wolf in prison. Is it a copy cat or something more sinister at work?

Very twisty and turny and the ending had me gripped. Really great read.

This blurb had everything I love in a synopsis- serial murderer, prison pen pals, mystery surrounding a death.
So why didn't I love it?
It's a tough one. The start was very chaotic, and while I like it usually to grip me from the first page, I found it jarring and a little confusing.
I found the protaganist's behaviour pretty odd too, and it frustrated me when she didn't try to get help when she needed it. I get that the authors have their reasons for this, but it comes across to me as unrealistic.
The execution of this had so much potential and it didn't deliver on all counts.

After her father passed away, Heather Evans left home for a number of years; returning only after learning of her mother's tragic suicide. Not only is Heather plagued by the regular grief you experience after the death of a loved one, but she's genuinely dumbfounded as to why her mother would have chosen to end her own life.

The book has got a nice dark, creepy factor to it - think Grimm fairy tales, ominous notes, weird neighbours, wild creatures where they shouldn’t be. It’s told in a nonlinear fashion - the serial killer’s early life mixed in with Heather’s present day. My only negative, it was a bit slow and my wind did wonder at times and it was hard to keep track of the storyline and where in time you were.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/.5

A very dark, sinister and creepy tale that I found to be quite original, but bogged down with too much description at times and overall I found the plot just too unconvincing.

The description of this book really intrigued me: disgraced Journalist Heather, returns to her childhood home after her mother’s suicide and discovers a box of letters written over decades to a notorious, violent serial killer known as “The Red Wolf” who has been in prison for over 20 years. As Heather was estranged from her mother since she was 16 and they had an uneasy and volatile relationship the suicide has forced Heather to look into her mother’s past and re-examine everything she thought she knew.

At the same time as Heather’s mother’s suicide, a spate of “copy cat” Red Wolf killings are occuring and the police are desperate to prevent any more murders. When Heather realises the connection between her mother and The Red Wolf she contacts the police and they arrange for her to meet him in prison to help catch the killer and learn about her mother’s past.

I found this book a real slow burner and it wasn’t until over half-way through that the pace began to pick up slightly. The storyline has a dual timeline, present day and “before” when Michael Reave began his spree of killings. I found the chapters “before” disturbing and uncomfortable and the more the reader learns about Reave’s background and childhood, the darker the book becomes.

As a seasoned “armchair” detective I figured out some of the twists early on and the pace was a little too slow for my liking, however I did enjoy the references to the original Grimm Fairytales and did find the book creepy in places.

I’m not sure what genre Dog Rose Dirt falls under as it’s part horror, part fantasy and a little twist of supernatural on top but it was an interesting book and I’d like to thank Anne Cater for the invitation to join the blogtour.

An interesting read .When Heather's mother dies and she returns home lots of bad things start to happen which are linked to a murderer from years ago ,and when a copy cat killer emerges things get really gripping. . It was bit gruesome at times but it kept your Interest and things came together at the end .

An ex journalist discovers her late mother who committed suicide was writing to a convicted serial killer in prison. As she delves deeper the time her mother spent at a commune decades before seems central to understanding her mother and where she came from. Gripping thriller, well paced and enjoyable.

This book has me hooked from the first few chapters. Heather returns to her family home after the death of her mother and discovers her mother had been writing to a notorious serial killer for many years. The tension racks up as Heather feels she is being stalked as she finds disturbing things in her old house - a bird trapped in the upstairs, feathers found etc. This is a well crafted, well written book which swivels between current times and the past. An unusual idea which I found refreshing.

Serial killer Michael Reave, known as The Red Wolf, has been locked in Belmarsh Prison for over 20 years for the brutal and ritualistic murders of countless women.

Ex-journalist Heather Evans returns to her childhood home after her mother’s inexplicable suicide and discovers something chilling, hundreds of letters between her mother and Reave, dating back decades.

When the body of a woman is found decorated with flowers, just like his victims, Reave is the only person alive who could help. After years of silence, he will speak to Heather, and only Heather.

If she wants to unearth the truth and stop further bloodshed, she’ll have to confront a monster.

The author has written an incredibly atmospheric and sinister tale, incorporating ancient fairy tales. Parts were very creepy and chilling, giving me goosebumps. The sense of being watched was so powerful, and full of suspense! The parts written in Colleen's house, and in the woods were particularly menacing!

I liked the story, it had a certain dark, brooding, menacing atmosphere that worked well. Heather was a strange character, she was bit volatile. The other characters were less well fleshed out. The pace was a bit patchy and the story lagged at times. But overall I did enjoy this book. It was certainly better done than many others I have read in this genre. I think what mainly spoiled it for me was the Red Wolf himself, and the whole ‘mythology’ if you like, surrounding him. The concept, which I can’t tell you about, didn’t make any sense to me. But Heather said as much towards the end. This should appeal to fans of dark fairy tales and dark psychological thrillers

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an advance copy in return for a fair and honest review

Its been a long time since a thriller has creeped me out but this one certainly did that. I was hooked from the start, its got a good fast paced story line that just keeps giving. Great characters. the female lead is back in her childhood town to sort a funeral for her mum after she committed suicide. Heather is unsure as to why her mum would do this, they didnt have the best relationship and as an adult she was quick to move away. Back in her mother's house Heather find letters written to and from a serial killer in prison, this starts a quest of finding the truth about her mother's past. I can see the book being a massive hit!

I struggle to review Dog Rose Dirt. It ran at a 4 star rating for much of the novel possessing a darkly creepy atmosphere and a mystery that interested me. Heather's estranged mother committed suicide and now Heather has to sort out her affairs. While at her mother's home, Heather finds a bundle of letters from a convicted serial Killer, known as the Red Wolf. Curiously intriguing, eh? Heather then goes about trying to piece together the facts of how her mother came to know such a man. Strange things happen and there is sinister activity afoot, great stuff for a novel.

I was entirely with the story and its gentle unfolding until the end when it felt as if I was suddenly going into the jungle with Rambo. Heather, not really a character I warmed to, suddenly changes into action girl and rushes about on a mission and things go a bit wild. Maybe too high octane too fast but it felt a jarring shift. Yes, it was exciting but seemed out of left field to my view. Exciting? I suppose it was but seemed out of character. A solid story up until then and not necessarily a negative. I've read many a book with highly unlikely developments but here it just seemed too much, too fast.

After returning home, following her mum’s unexplained suicide, Former journalist Heather Evans discovers something very disturbing. Her mother has been communicating with notorious serial killer Michael Reave known as The Red Wolf for around two decades.
Not long after this revelation a body is found with flowers decorating it, the exact M.O as Reave’s.
Reave has said he will help find the killer but will only talk to Heather.
Driven to stop any more deaths, Heather will have to confront The Red Wolf and hope she can trust him to keep his word and prevent any more murders.
A book that grabs you by the seat of your pants and doesn’t let go until it’s dramatic end.
A creepy disturbing book about a serial killer has been done before, but unlike the others this is the real deal. It’s a “keep you up all night book” in both senses of the word. It’s scary as hell and quite brilliantly written. A highly compelling novel that I couldn’t put down. I loved it.

Strange and atmospheric.
Some of the scenes set in the before times made my skin crawl just a little.
It took turns I didnt see coming a mile away,and others I guessed far too soon.
As a whole though,it made me just a little bit creeped out .
That's a good thing.

Losing her job means Heather has time on her hands. Shocked at the suicide of her mother, Colleen, allows her the time and opportunity to sort through her mother’s affairs. Traumatised to discover an ongoing correspondence with an incarcerated serial killer, she is intent on resolving the relationship between them . With the death of another young women showing all the indicators of Reaves, the serial killers previous victims she decides to investigate with neither fear nor thought for the repercussions. Using subterfuge through a relationship with the investigating officer, she obtains information that unleashes a chain of events which unfold in brutal clarity bordering on gratuitous violence. A timeline between past and current events describe and explain the horrific demise of victims to this depraved killer. This does not prevent the reckless actions of our protagonist who is putting herself in the radar as a potential victim. A story , the stuff of nightmares and only for those readers with a strong constitution. Many thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for ARC.

A superb ripping thriller with a difference. Heather goes home as her estranged mother has committed suicide and she has to finalise arrangements. The story develops at a gentle pace that kept me wanting to find out what was really going on. Everything is very convoluted which adds to the intrigue of the story. The book covers the hippy period, ow people grow up changing all the way, a serial killer and a copycat ne as well. There is so much going on and it is great read.