This book is primarily about Heather. We meet her as she comes to attend her mothers funeral. Her mother, Colleen, has committed suicide. Her death and the note she left make no sense. Heather thinks there is something more going in here and it seems someone is trying to frighten her. Alongside this we have Michael's story. He's in jail convicted of multiple murders but maintains his innocence. As Heather discovers her mother has a connection is Michael she becomes more determined to get to the truth. But Michael isn't talking - he's only telling her fairy tales. Heather travels to the place that connects her mother to Michael in the hope of finding answers - but she gets more than she bargained for and realises that not only did she not know her mother she doesn't know herself.

There were so many things I liked about this book... there are some real twists and turns that I didn't see coming. The idea is original and different. I really enjoyed the first half of the book but struggled with the second half. There was an incident of animal cruelty which I really didn't like and felt was unnecessary with a second incident hinted at. There is child cruelty too although the detail is not graphic and it is an essential part of the story. The opening chapter is a real shocker. I think maybe the big issue with this book for me is Heather. I didn't like her and I don't know why. The relationship she dallies with was unlikely and yet still felt unfinished. There were a few loose ends that just left me feeling a bit disappointed. This is a sad tale... that didn't really feel like it had a satisfying conclusion.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heather returns to her home when she finds out that her mother has committed suicide. Going though her mothers belongings she finds letters from a notorious serial killer Michael Reave.
I was invited to read this story by the publishers but I found the story dark and disturbing and hard to read in parts.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review

Heather Evans returns home to bury her mother after her sudden suicide. But when Heather discovers a stack of letters in her mother's belongings that show she was communicating with notorious serial killer Michael Reaves for years, Heather wonders if she ever knew her mother at all. How did her mother know the infamous "Red Wolf"? And given that he has been in prison for twenty years, who is responsible for the bodies of the young women that have suddenly started appearing, dismembered and dressed with flowers, just the way the Red Wolf used to kill his victims?

This was a well written novel with plenty of twists and turns, and I liked that the narrative switched between character POVs so that the reader got a fully rounded story from different perspectives. I really liked the interactions between Heather and Michael, and I thought that relationship was thoughtful and well-explored. I also really enjoyed the chapters that dealt with the history of the commune, which I thought was an interesting and original idea.

The final expose took a little of the shine off this novel for me - it was a bit too melodramatic for my taste, and used a trope I don't particularly enjoy, which I won't be specific about as I don't want to spoil this for anyone who hasn't read it yet. But on the whole this was a great read - compelling central idea, interesting exploration of the relationship between Heather and Michael, and a fascinating central character in Heather's mother, who didn't get to feature much except in flashbacks, but who nevertheless provided a compelling central figure in the narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A dark gripping, twisting gut reaching at times thriller with great characters Heather our heroine and her best friend Nikki, then the badies pure evil or are they.. .......
Heather's Mum has killed her self why you will find out, however they were not on great terms with each other well since her Dad died really. That not a clue bye the way, He'd a heart problem and well that's life for some that is. Heather has to return to her childhood home for the funeral and sort out the house ect, where she links back up with Nikki and learns some surprising things about her Mum. To start with there's the pen friend who has links to her she never knew well she didn't think she knew the pen friend or his family. however I guess as in life do we really know anyone fully but hopefully our contracts have less gruesome pasts or secrets. But she never knew this friend so there will be plenty of surprises which may explain the weird going ons I'll let you read about them hate to forewarn you and spoil the shocks.
I will let you know that there has been a number of ladies go missing and the clues point to someone who had a cast iron alibi so if this has wet your appetite and you love thrillers then I think this is probably a good one for you.

This is a change of pace for the author best known as a fantasy writer, but Jen totally owns this thriller/horror based story as she weaves a dark, compelling fairy tale which takes folkloric tropes and turns them on their head.

How much of what makes you you, is genetic and how much is acquired? A re-appearance of an errant,grownup daughter into the life of her deceased mother has Heather re-assessing her entire existence.

Apart from the really bizarre circumstances surrounding her mother's death, the atmosphere of the village where she has lived feels both caught in a time warp and also underpinned by some really dark local legends.

As she begins sorting out her mother's effects, Heather's profession of investigative journalist kicks in and she starts dissecting the paperwork that was left behind and makes the astonishing discovery that her mother was writing to an infamous serial killer, known as the Red Wolf.

Now behind bars for the rest of his life, the gruesome details of his killing are there for anyone to read about so, when the murders start again not long after she arrives back home, Heather begins to doubt absolutely everything that she held to be true.

What links does her past have with the commune which was run in the 1960's ? Why do the woods both compel her to wander them, whilst  also terrifying her?

More and more details are unearthed about a completely different person that Heather cannot recognise as her mother, and,as reflection and introspection threaten a fragile sense of self, presents begin to be left on her doorstep, and then, inside her house...

Is Heather about to become the latest victim of the Red Wolf? Is it a copycat killer or was the wrong person locked away?

This is a terrifying novel that examines the red riding hood myth from a mirror direction-the wolf is wearing the red hood this time around and the power of the feminine in the form of women who stepped outside the norm and expected roles, in the 1960's is explored in depth. The notion of nature versus nurture and how you grow into the person you are expected to be, as opposed to the person you are supposed is so very interestingly explored here.

Yes, it is a serial killer novel and there are some gruesome descriptions of the murders committed but, at heart, this is a deeply feminist novel on the way that women are subsumed, devoured and returned to the earth to feed a system which ultimately betrays them.

Heather ends up in her old childhood bedroom, with a career hanging on a knife edge, an air of disappointment hanging over all she has achieved whilst her school friends are all well established and settled in their chosen fields. The expectations versus the reality of life in a small town or village is keenly explored as she is viewed in her homestead as someone who has 'failed'. Her idea to write about the murders could be seen as a way to revive her writing career based on a patriarchal narrative which exploits and ultimately destroys the young, the beautiful victims of the Red Wolf. Her path out of the small time is seemingly dictated to her by a serial killer who wants to talk only to her, but who is exploiting whom?

The killer, safely behind bars, the male detective using her to get details out of Michael, or the new killer who seems to have taken her arrival to start his 'games' again?

A twisting, breathlessly turning story which keeps you well and truly on your toes, it completely fires on all cyclinders and whether Jen is dipping her toes in this genre or intends to stick around for a while, 'Dog Rose Dirt' will, I predict, be huge.

# Dog Rose Dirt. # Netgalley
It started off quite well, with Heather having to return back to her mothers house. To sort out her mothers funeral and various other things. When she can across some letters. Which shocked Heather. Finding out her mother had been writing to a serial killer for years. Although growing up she never really got on with her mum growing up. The letters were definitely not the mum she knew.. after having read the letters she now wants to meet the serial killer perhaps he could shed some light on why her mother threw herself off a cliff. I was really hooked on the book almost from the first chapter. The twist and tunes were coming think and fast. As there was a copy cat killer around when she approached the police about meeting this serial killer. Who had always protested he was innocent. The police allowed a visit to take place. With the hope he could help with the copycat killer. He was killing exactly the same way including doing the same things that Michael was supposed to have done which was never released to the public.... so anyone with any common sense would actually think well perhaps he his innocent. Or he must know who it his to be able to kill right down to the finish details. B..... it’s really really intriguing and spellbinding. However. When Heather found out her mum lived in a commune. Before she married her dad. Which Heathers mum never appeared to be the type she also never realised how her mum had this other live as her mum never told any one about. As I say I was totally hooked. Strange this started to happen like finding 3 bird feather a could of time. A bird getting into the flat she shared also. Dead birds.. so I then excitedly got to were Heath and Nikki her friend decided to go look where they used to be the commune to see if that could provide answers. As they arrive after a couple of nights there. The book took a rather strange turn. It actually became a mixed up mess of unbelievable strange things. I do mean that wholeheartedly. It was just crazy nothing about that time they went was actually worth reading I am seriously. Such a good book which such a unbreakable cray not worth reading ending. I felt I had wasted my time reading it in the first place I could tell you things but if you decided to read it. It will be interesting to know what other people thought had I know what’ I could not believe how this book that I was hooked o. Suddenly became such unbearable load of rubbish, I can not see the point of writing I was prepared and thought a 5 star was not enough for this book. Until I hit the last 12% that literally spoilt pi wish I n

I was so pleased I was accepted to receive the ARC. This book blew me away, it's one of the best books I have ever read. I'd not heard of JW before but now she will be an author I will never forget. The opening chapter literally grabbed me and creeped me out, it's bloody brilliant. It's like a fairy tale for sick serial killers. The main character Heather was brave, determined and didn't take no shit from nobody and the relationship she had with Michael {the serial killer} slowly revealed itself to be deeper than I first thought. The detailed descriptions of the murders and the positioning of the bodies was sick, but I loved it. I felt like I was in there in Fiddler's wood when Heather went looking for Nikki, and the ending was a stroke of genius. Even though a couple of the parts were predictable it did not ruin the book in any way whatsoever. The plot was gripping and it was so hard to put the book down, their were a few twists along the way but all in all this is one hell of a book. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did because the blurb doesn't do it justice, but OMG it's a phenomenal read. Thank You Netgally and Harper for this awesome ARC, I truly loved it.

Five stars! What a fantastic book. Utterly engrossing, compelling storyline which got more and more intriguing and spun me in all directions. All the way through I was picturing who would play what role as it will make a perfect six part series. Will definitely look up the authors other books. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

What a very dark and scary book! This story is full of the stuff nightmares are made of and I relished every page! Some really disturbing parts but this was needed to fully understand the terrible goings on. Very good thriller.

I was immediately drawn into this book, even though I had thought it was not for me. (I’m not keen on serial killers!) Brilliantly descriptive, creepy, dark even gory, but with a story that keeps you reading page after page. It is hard not to feel sorry for Heather who has lost her job and her mother to suicide and is then subject to supernatural (?) events. I literally had to keep reading to the final conclusion. It deserves to to well.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC. I definitely recommend it.

Well Jen Williams can you write a good scary gripping book. I loved it. I loved to gentle flow to the back story and the clues there. I also liked how you included Grimms tales into it. What a brilliant read.

Well!! What to say about this book......
It's a dark dark book about a young woman unaware of her background. Questions arise when her mother commits suicide which seemed out of character.

I couldn't put this book down and read it in two days. Primarily about a serial killer and a new copy cat killer. It could appear to be the very popular genre of bloody deaths and chasing a serial killer but it is so much more and was kept guessing until close to the end. This is the first book I have read by this author. More please. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for a copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book. Its scarier and gorier than I expected, with good twists and turns right up until the end.

Dog Rose Dirt is properly and deliciously scary. Heather, a disgraced journalist, has to go home after her mother Colleen suddenly kills herself. The house is full of bad memories and unfinished business and does not feel like a home.
Heather quickly starts to feel that someone is watching her: a malign presence. She discovers a sheaf of letters from a notorious serial killer called The Red Wolf. It indicates a long correspondence between him and her mother. At the same time, the Red Wolf is hunting again. In quick succession, women are turning up dead and displayed in the same ornate way. When the police find out about the letters, Heather is put in touch with the killer in prison. He will only speak to her and Heather imagines she can get some answers for herself. Instead, Heather is drawn further and deeper in a deadly game that she cannot escape.

Wow this is a thriller.. Oh yes from page 2 I was like what is happening here I was hooked. I read in a day I had to know. A crazy story of a daughter Heather seeking out the truth about her mother's death.

I loved it and it had me on the edge of my seat, I love readings thrillers and it's been a while since a book offered a story that couldn't be predicted and left me wondering. Jen Williams offered this is Dog Rose Dirt.

5 golden stars and highly recommended thriller for summer 2021. Amazingly unpredictable thrilling story about secrets and lies.

#DogRoseDirt #JenWilliams #NetGalley #bookreview #booksin2021

I loved this. Thank you for the advanced copy, enjoyed it so much.

I loved the style of writing in this, made a change from the usual formal sometimes over the top style.

Heather returns home after her mum suddenly commits suicide. They had a stained relationship and when Heather starts going through her mums things she realises that she knew nothing about oyt who her mum really was. And she finds her suicide note odd, so starts delving into her past. Could her mum be connected with the horrific serial killer, who looks to have started killing again?