This was 100% my kind of book, dark, interesting and intriguing. A well written and gripping thriller.

What if your mother had been writing to a serial killer?
A convicted murderer with a story to tell
I initially found the first chapter a little hard going but then persevered and was hooked. An interesting thriller/mystery/horror themed book with twists and turns. I couldn’t wait to get to the conclusion - well recommended.
Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
#DogRoseDirt
#NetGalley

I had heard great things about this book which is why I was desperate to read it.

Heathers mum dies and when sorting through her belongings she find letters to her mother from a serial killer currently in prison.

There were some very disturbing and graphic descriptions of the murder and it switched from past to present day without notice which sometimes confused me!

I got extremely frustrated with Heather and her ability to avoid thinking things through before acting on them.

A good story line with a twist at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.

So I didn't know what to expect going into this book but I was pleasantly surprised, I really enjoyed reading this book and the characters and the plot was good.

This was a slow starter and I wasn’t sure I was going to make it through the book, but once the story got going it was an intriguing read. Interesting characters (including the supporting players) and a dark plot took me racing towards a great ending.

I don't really know how to review this book. I read it, I finished it but I have no real recollection of being overawed by it. I enjoyed the interaction between Heather and Michael. Being face to face with a convicted serial killer who knew her mother was a good storyline. For me though the book just plodded along until the last few chapters, there it sped up and became interesting and faster paced. I didn't get the surprise but it did make sense. A good ending.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

After the death of her mother, former journalist Heather is sorting through her mother's belongings when she makes a shocking discovery. Her mother has been writing to serial killer Michael Reave - known as the Red Wolf - who has been locked in Belmarsh Prison for over 20 years for the horrific, ritualistic murders of countless women.

A body of a woman is found decorated with flowers, just like the victims of the Red Wolf, and Reave is the only person who can help. After years of silence, he will speak to Heather and no one else.

I struggled with this one; it was a slow burner that didn't really pick up pace until halfway through, by which time I was beginning to lose a bit of interest. The book is well written, but the plot didn't really work for me.

The storyline is told in two timeframes: the present day and "Before". The "Before" is before Michael Reave started his killing spree, and I found these chapters quite disturbing and dark, and certainly not for the squeamish.

I didn't really warm to Heather; I found some of her decisions a bit reckless and I struggled to become invested in her. I also found some characters, like DI Ben Parker, needed a bit more development; Heather and Ben's relationship did not feel believable.

I liked the Grimm fairytale references, but felt a little more of this was needed to make the most out of it; the symbolism felt a little lost and "too clever" at times.

Initially I struggled to get into this book. I stuck with it and wasn’t disappointed. A thoroughly enjoyable read once it got going.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an arc

When Heather returns home after her mother’s suicide, she finds a cache of letters, between her mum and convicted serial killer, Michael Reave. Still reeling from this shock, there is another killing, which appears to be identical to Reave’s. Can Heather bear to talk to Reave and find the culprit, before they strike again?

Dog Rose Dirt is a slow starter, but once it gets into its stride, it’s a cracking read. Heather is a complicated character, with her own problems to deal with, at the same time as coming to terms with her mum’s secrets. As she gradually uncovers the truths and lies over the years, her own issues become clearer.

An enjoyable read, worth persevering with.

Serial killers, copy cats, a mysterious commune & questionable characters all make for an engaging story that had me guessing throughout.

Dark & twisty with gradual revelations leading to a dramatic climax. This story jumps between present day with our MC Heather, after the death of her mother, & the past, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow. There are some sinister characters & the way it is written make you think about the whole nature & nurture question.

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.