Dead Ground is the fourth book in the Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw series and they are getting better with each thrilling, edge of your seat story. Considering how incredible The Puppet Show (book one) is I wouldn’t have thought it possible but Craven is a master.

An unusual request for Poe takes him and Tilly from a court hearing to a murder investigation which on the surface looks just a little too normal for them to be involved with. Soon though my favourite crime duo find themselves embroiled in complex crimes and working with the FBI and MI5 while trying to figure out how multiple James Bonds and a ceramic rat are connected to a politic summit.

The Puppet Show, Black Summer and The Curator are three of my favourite books so I had extremely high expectations for Dead Ground. Not only did Craven meet them, he surpassed them. The story is exquisitely written with twists and turns so clever I can’t imagine how they are conceived. Then, just when you think everything is figured out, another twist. Poe really takes centre stage here, showing exactly why he’s one of the best characters in crime writing today.

As a fan of the Washington Poe books, I was eager to read 'Dead Ground' - and I was not disappointed.

This novel has everything I could've wanted, and more. Not only does it have the usual banter between Poe and the wonderful Tilly Bradshaw but 'Dead Ground' features spooks, international summits and corruption. You didn't think Poe and Bradshaw would get off easily, did you?

As always, one of the greatest things about this series is the strong narrative voice. I love how MW Craven manages to take the reader into some of the darkest places imaginable but have you laughing in the next breath. The dialogue between Tilly and Poe flies off the page and, in my opinion, they are the greatest double act in crime fiction. The introduction of Alastor Locke made for very interesting reading too. Craven has such a gift in making his characters distinct from one another and making them utterly believable.

I suspect, given that the UK's military history features heavily in this novel, that 'Dead Ground' is MW Craven's most personal book yet. His descriptions of military ops and the terrain in Afghanistan are pitch perfect, informing the reader without overwhelming and creating brilliant imagery in the mind's eye.

I can't recommend this book highly enough.

I really enjoyed this book. I hadn’t read any others but had seen this one recommended.
I liked the characters of Poe and Tilly and liked how they worked together.
I thought the plot was good and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing until the end of the book about who had done what.
I would definitely recommend this book and will read some of the other books by the same author.

I feel so late to the party.

This is the fourth novel in the series to feature Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and computer programmer Tilly Bradshaw, but the first I’ve read. Although I’ve missed a lot of the back-story of this fabulous duo, this is a great stand-alone read. I’ll definitely be going back to the rest of the series.

In this book, Poe is called in to help investigate the murder of a man found in a seedy backstreet brothel in Carlisle. However, the appearance of several members of the UK and US security services give Poe the distinct impression that there is more to this case than meets the eye. When other anomalies arise – missing evidence, vanishing files, lies and cover-ups – Poe and Bradshaw are left trying to make sense of a case which has high-level implications…

I loved the main characters – both Poe and Bradshaw are distinctive, quirky in their own ways, lively and engaging. And so funny – the humour in the book and the warmth in the relationship between two such unlikely friends is just lovely. In particular, I thought Tilly was brilliant – a fabulous mix of naivety and supreme intelligence – and definitely want to meet her again. Her questions (or Poe’s anticipation of them) about some of the more seedy elements of the case were hilarious, but I loved that this is part of her strong character and she isn’t diminished by her innocence in some matters.

The plotting of this novel is also super-tight. There were loads of things that I thought couldn’t possibly be connected, yet all the loose threads made sense in the end. Every time I thought I had sussed out what was going on, a new revelation or twist pulled the rug out from under my feet. In the end, I had to accept I was in the hands of a master of storytelling and just go with it!

There is absolutely no way that I could have predicted the route that this novel took – it was genuinely surprising and had dimensions that I could not have foreseen. In this sense, this is a satisfyingly twisty story – and the presence of the two likeable and engaging lead characters is the icing on the cake. I particularly liked the technological element too – Tilly is a genius in this regard and the clever use of tech made for some interesting plot points.

I’d recommend this to anyone who likes their crime stories with a dash of fun and quirkiness. Yes, it is a tight and pacey police procedural, but it is also so much more. I genuinely couldn’t put it down until I’d reached the final denouement (after several false ones!) Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Once again we are back with Poe and Tilly in book four of the series. Two amazing characters they never grow old or dull. If you didn’t already know but I absolutely love this series…..I mean who doesn’t?!

The story starts with one hell of an opening…..James Bond style! for a moment I actually thought I was reading the wrong book. Of course I wasn’t this is Craven’s way of drawing you in from the first page. Which had me well and truly hooked.

Ground Dead is a fast paced addict read which I couldn’t put down. Not only is it character driven is also has an excellent plot. Tilly and Poe make a brilliant team and bounce off each other.

Be repaired to be taken on a roller coaster ride with this book. It is full of action and suspense with some added humour to spice it up.

It is a well crafted story to add to the series. In-fact craven has totally smashing it making this one the best in the series so far.

My only complaint is that I am left waiting for the next one! Old and new fans of this series will love it. I cannot recommend it enough giving it 5 solid gold stars.

Thank you to Little Brown Publishers for a copy all thoughts are my own and not biased in anyway.

If you are a fan of Poe and Tilly then you will already know, as this is Book 4 in the series, what to expect from this book, it’s characters, the dialogue and story telling inc the humour and probably already have read/be reading ‘Dead Ground’
If not then although this can be read as a stand alone I think the book needs/ works best read as part of the series
Anyway they are back and this time in a more ‘thriller/spyish’ kind of adventure and for me this was great, as you know I love these kind of books with Secret Services and all the drama and ‘fuss’ that goes with them
As always based in Cumbria it never fails to makes me want to go back and visit ( not been for years )
I felt Tilly took a back seat in this book and the spark between them was perhaps not so evident but their unique friendship and foibles was still on show when needed
Poe was as brilliant and wonderfully obnoxious as ever and refused to change even in the light of working with MI5
I missed Flynn and am hoping,as it looked,she will be back next time
As always a long and enjoyable authors note and acknowledgements, they have to be the best, and most heartfelt yet irreverent by an author and are like a short story in themselves
So yes Poe and Tilly are back and if you love them and this unique style of telling a story and making a series out of 2 very unusual characters then you will 100% love this book, which was for me one of the best in the series, too

9/10
5 Stars
If you are a fan of Poe and Tilly then you will already know, as this is Book 4 in the series, what to expect from this book, it’s characters, the dialogue and story telling inc the humour and probably already have read/be reading ‘Dead Ground’
If not then although this can be read as a stand alone I think the book needs/ works best read as part of the series
Anyway they are back and this time in a more ‘thriller/spyish’ kind of adventure and for me this was great, as you know I love these kind of books with Secret Services and all the drama and ‘fuss’ that goes with them
As always based in Cumbria it never fails to makes me want to go back and visit ( not been for years )
I felt Tilly took a back seat in this book and the spark between them was perhaps not so evident but their unique friendship and foibles was still on show when needed
Poe was as brilliant and wonderfully obnoxious as ever and refused to change even in the light of working with MI5
I missed Flynn and am hoping,as it looked,she will be back next time
As always a long and enjoyable authors note and acknowledgements, they have to be the best, and most heartfelt yet irreverent by an author and are like a short story in themselves
So yes Poe and Tilly are back and if you love them and this unique style of telling a story and making a series out of 2 very unusual characters then you will 100% love this book, which was for me one of the best in the series, too

10/10
5 Stars

I love this series. Mike Craven sets off at a brisk pace and from then on you are running to keep up. From that opening sequence right through to the end I kept thinking that Mike Craven is the Banksy of the book world. Innovative, riveting and challenging hypocrisy at every turn, this is my kind of crime writer and Dead Ground is a corker of a book.

A killer with a strange signature, a heist conducted by the most unlikely villains and a challenge to Poe’s living arrangements are all part of this fast and furious mix of a devilish, cunning tight plot, riven through with humour and topped with real flashes of darkness and the odd Cumberland sausage or in Tilly’s case, vegan breakfast.

This book sees the return of some interesting characters, though as ever you can read this one as a stand-alone…but do yourself a favour and start from the beginning – it is so worth it.

Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw, from the Serious Crime Analysis unit (SCAS) of the National Crime Agency are engaged in serious business. Poe is up in court and Tilly is defending him…and it’s all going well until MI5 step in.

There’s been a murder and Poe and Tilly are need asap to look into it because the victim is linked to a high profile international trade summit hosted by the Government at the Scarness Hotel in Carlisle.

Oliver Bierman was a partner in a helicopter service with US former soldier, Patrick McDaid. Bierman’s tortured and badly beaten body has been discovered in an empty brothel. Because of the security implications both M15 agent, Hannah Finch, guided by the shadowy Alastor Locke, and FBI Agent Melody Lee known to Poe and Tilly from The Curator, are also working the case alongside our intrepid pair. Locke is a brilliant character. He’s an old school spook, wily and devious, prepared to exploit all weaknesses he finds. He’s a great sparring adversary for Poe and each comes to have a grudging respect for the other.

Examining Bierman’s body, pathologist Estelle Doyle finds some interesting markers that suggest what might have happened over and above the bludgeoning of his head with a baseball bat.

Casting a critical eye over the crime scene at the brothel, Poe realises that something is amiss, but it will take a while to realise what and who is responsible. Then all hell will break loose, because a vital piece of evidence links to a crime some three years previously when a man was shot in the head at point blank range in the midst of a security vault heist.

Poe and Tilly must chase down the clues and work out what links these murders. In the process they will find themselves immersed in official military secrets, lies and cover-ups that are truly explosive and carry deep political implications.

This case feels quite close to home for Poe, a man whose affinity lies with the working squaddie rather than the top brass. This case involves the military and a tragic event during the Afghanistan war. Poe has to tread a fine line between the politics and the emotional impact of a terrible tragedy that left a bereaved family upset and angered by a wall of silence. It’s a fine piece of writing that feels truthful.

If Poe is to catch a wily and utterly ruthless violent killer, he will need all the tricks at Tilly’s disposal and his own brand of logical deduction to make all the required connections. Knowing who is working with him and who is against him is not a given here and Poe finds himself not knowing who he can trust (apart from Tilly, obvs).

I always like it when I learn things from a book and Craven throws in just the right kind of oddball information that I love to soak up from military language and customs to the incredibly worrying and accurate information about Janus cables– it’s an added bonus to an already superb book.

But it’s Tilly Bradshaw and Washington Poe who really make this series come alive. Mike Craven has a great way with one-liners that serve to underscore the sardonic Poe and the delightfully honest, outspoken and fiercely literal brainbox, Tilly. They are such vivid characters it’s impossible not to be captivated by them and to let them lead you on a merry dance. The welcome return of two other characters and the addition of the spook’s spook, Locke, all make for a fantastic cast of characters you will adore.

Verdict: Another cracking, compulsive and thrilling read from the master of manipulation. Twisty, inventive and utterly unmissable, this is another great addition to the Poe and Tilly series.

Aw, well – what can I say? – I was in Tilly and Poe heaven with Dead Ground and am already looking forward to the next. One of the things that amazes me about this series is the diversity of subject matter and storylines. You are always guaranteed to learn about something you’ve never before encountered and in Dead Ground we traverse the world to Afghanistan where we learn more about some of the things our troops faced and… it’s all woven into a perfectly satisfying crime narrative that had me guessing till nearly the end.
Then, there’s that beaut of a final twist … but enough about that – you’ll have to read it to find out about it, but believe me I didn’t see that one coming – despite the clues that Craven so meticulously dropped along the way.
The Tillyisms are brilliant - from ‘Spastic colons’ to ‘Water Sports’ they had me chortling and snorting like a farting pig. The interactions between the characters are believable and compelling, as are the various obstacles Poe and Tilly face during the investigation.
Dead Ground is one of those satisfying reads that you can’t put down, but that you just don’t want to end either – a very satisfying position to be in as a reader.
In summary, Dead Ground is an addictive read with a lot of substance, balanced by the levity of the Poe and Tilly interactions. Pure Gold!

Bloody hell!!! What have I just finished? I feel out of breath after reading Dead Ground. Deep breath!!!

So after the incidents of The Curator, Poe’s boss Flynn is on mat leave so Poe and Tilly are kind of let loose to save Poe’s abode from the evil council. Until they’re frogmarched out of court to Manchester. But what awaits them, is a different kettle of fish and Poe has some new “friends” to play nicely with… or rather try and tolerate in his own unique way.

I loved Tilly’s performance in the courtroom, she really is something else. Perfect retorts said so innocently to the council’s solicitor. As this series has gone on, she’s learnt so much from Poe and she becomes more endearing as the books go on!

As for Poe’s new friends, they learn quickly that no one messes with Poe, even the Secret Service! This man is brilliant, his methods may not be the most orthodox at times but he sees things others don’t. And in this particular murder case, he needs to. There are secrets everywhere! Who can he trust!!

I’ve got to admit I did chuckle at the mention of Fluke despite the author’s adamant no to further outings for his other detective. Go on…. you know you want to…. please Mr Craven 🙏🙏🙏

Craven has crafted yet another seriously fast paced, addictive read. I raced through it, internally annoyed when real life came knocking. Why would I want to put my kids to bed when Poe is solving a case???! The amount of smoke and mirrors Craven built up around the various characters and different agencies with hidden agendas made Dead Ground ooze with intrigue and that hook to keep me reading. An absolute stonking crime thriller from the Craven keyboard!!!

Dead Ground is the fourth instalment in the DS Washington Poe series and it's every bit as riveting as expected. Poe and Tilly Bradshaw of the Serious Crime Analysis Unit of the National Crime Agency have joined forces again for this tale of revenge, murder and stolen heirlooms. Poe is currently in a court battle to save his beloved, sequestered Herdwick Croft and is being defended by tenacious Tilly when they are seconded by MI5 to investigate a grisly murder that has serious national security implications in relation to an important international trade summit taking place at the heavily guarded Scarness Hotel in which delegates from all over the world will be in attendance. Joining the two to form a team are FBI Agent Melody Lee and Hannah Finch, who is present to represent American interests at the summit and also a member of MI5. The murder victim is Oliver Bierman, a British Ex-military ex-pat currently living in the US, who was operating a helicopter taxi service with his business partner, Patrick McDaid. They were responsible for flying the delegates to the summit and his body was discovered in a strange and desolate part of town inside a pop-up brothel. His face had been smashed repeatedly with a baseball bat and once pathologist Estelle Doyle takes a look at him at the post mortem she finds he's been brutally tortured just before his death.

They also find a ceramic rat that had been on the windowsill but Finch had taken it from the crime scene. The rat leads them back to a bank heist from 3 years earlier by guys wearing James Bond masks. Oddly they took nothing but one of the robber's bodies was found shot dead and next to it was the same ceramic rat, both inside the security vault of the bank. The team find themselves in the midst of their most challenging investigation to date, and it'll take them from the States to Europe and the events happening in the Middle East. This is another scintillating addition to a brilliant series written by an award-winning crime writer who knows exactly how to provide the thrills and chills the reader desires. It makes for compulsive reading and the case is a complex one full of sabotage but the team's banter offsets the dark plot. The action never stops, there are no dull moments throughout and I admit I was flying rapidly through the pages. There are twists and turns aplenty and the plot is dramatic, intense and exciting, add to that characters who are exceptionally painted and you've got yourself a 5-star thriller/procedural. This will undoubtedly have long-time fans riveted but will also appeal to new readers too. A totally engrossing and compulsively readable story, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Roll on book five.

The “Poe and Tilly” series is hands down my most recommended thriller series to date. The formidable duo are incredible and whilst I am aware that Mike has written or is currently writing book 6 from his social media, I for one hope he continues to write about these characters for many more years to come!

“Dead Ground” is another great read and one I will be encouraging other readers and bloggers to pick up this Summer. The wonderful thing about “Dead Ground” is that it could be read as a standalone story. Whilst the storyline occasionally dips into previous events, there is nothing to stop a brand-new reader picking up this title and indulging in the world of Poe and Tilly.

Every year when the latest release drops on our doorstep, it knocks the last book out of the water. Unfortunately for me “Dead Ground” didn’t quite live up to the unbelievable storyline of “The Curator”. “The Curator” is still my favourite storyline from the series so far and it is going to take something outstanding to knock it from top spot.

Poe and Tilly are genuinely my all-time favourite characters. There is something quite special in the way Mike captures their relationship in each story and the development of their characteristics and attributes are as much a part of the storyline as the crime that is being solved itself. These two characters are what make this series so special. #TeamTilly #TheMolePeople #TeamPoe

The final 100 or so pages are pure crime thriller brilliance and I raced to the end like a possessed reader! I loved the open ending and cannot wait to see how the continuing backstory plays out.

Finally, I would like to give a nod to Mike’s sense of humour, as it is completely my cup of tea! I look forward to reading his author acknowledgements each year, almost as much as the book itself! Maybe one year I will persuade him to pop my name in there 😉 #BloggerGoals #SomethingToWorkOn #BuggerRumble

Cracking Read – #TeamCraven – 4.5 Stars

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Constable, #LittleBrownBookGroupUK, and #MWCraven for an ARC of #DeadGround in exchange for an honest review.

@MWCravenUK | @LittleBrownUK | @BethWright26 | @TheCrimeVault

UK Publication Date: 3rd June 2021

My thoughts about M.W.Craven’s brilliant nail-biting 4th book in the Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw series Dead Ground, is wow an edge of your seat spectacular thriller, that is different from the first 3 books Dead Ground is M.W. Craven’s best one yet. The story of Dead Ground starts where we see Detective Sergeant Washington Poe is in court, fighting eviction from his beloved and isolated croft, when he is summoned to a backstreet brothel in Carlisle where a man has been beaten to death with a baseball bat. Poe is confused – he hunts serial killers and this appears to be a straightforward murder-by-pimp – but his attendance was requested personally, by the kind of people who prefer to remain in the shadows.As Poe and the socially awkward programmer Tilly Bradshaw delve deeper into the case, they are faced with seemingly unanswerable questions: despite being heavily vetted for a high-profile job, why does nothing in the victim’s background check out? Why was a small ornament left at the murder scene – and why did someone on the investigation team steal it? And what is the connection to a flawlessly executed bank heist three years earlier, a heist where nothing was taken which blew me away the past event of what happened in Afghanistan is also brilliant,the way Craven has pulled off the story and suspense is brilliantly well written and portrayed which deserves appreciation.With Dead Ground M.W.Craven has proved that he truly is a masterclass story teller, he is indeed one of the best crime writers in crime fiction has ever witnessed, a gifted talent and rising star and with Dead Ground, he has taken his writing it to new heights. Characters Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw are always a delight to read as there chemistry between them is always brilliant, a dynamic crime fighting duo. Dead Ground is a real treat for all fans of crime fiction fans,and is one of the best thrillers this year, I’ve enjoyed reading. Dead Ground is well written and well crafted that blows you away with its suspense and mystery and the return of the FBI agent from The Curator is also incredible,Dead Ground is going to break all records this year. I would like to say thank you to author Mike Craven and Beth Wright from publishers Little Brown, for kindly gifting me a proof copy of this unique thriller, for me to read and review whice has been an honour, I’m truly grateful.I have been a fan since Mike’s first book in the series The Puppet Show.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Poe and Tilly are back!

The story begins 3 years earlier with a bank heist, and it's a heist like no other because nothing is taken, but a deposit is made. Fast forward three years and Poe is in court fighting against eviction from Herdwick Croft when he receives an urgent call to attend a murder scene, a man has been beaten to death with a baseball bat in a brothel, this isn't Poe's usual type of case but he's been personally selected to head it up by the powers that be, it's now left to him and the infamous Bradshaw to solve it, but what is the link between this and the heist?

Dead Ground is the latest in the Washington Poe series and Craven has surpassed himself once again! Poe who struggles to follow orders and the socially awkward Tilly Bradshaw, who delivers the best one liners ever, make an inimitable duo, bringing much needed light humour to the dark plots that Craven produces and this latest one is no exception. This brilliantly crafted story is jam packed full of action from beginning to end, chapters flowing seamlessly throughout, with more twists than a rollercoaster, this one definitely kept me guessing till the end. I have read all the books in this series so far and have loved watching the incredibly unique relationship develop between Poe and Tilly, they are my favourite crime-busting duo by a mile. Pure genius Mr C, oh and Bugger Rumble, what a brilliant name!!

I'd like to thank Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Now, I rarely read a book series because I have so many books awaiting my attention that I don’t want to be tied in to one author. However, not only do I make an exception for M. W. Craven, I think I’d probably walk over hot coals to get my hands on his latest book. This time, Dead Ground, the latest in the Washington Poe series convinces me that Craven is one of the most brilliant story tellers around. Dead Ground is an absolute corker.
Dead Ground opens with a dramatic, if seemingly unconnected scene to the ensuing narrative, that ensnares the reader from the very first moment. As Tilly and Poe find themselves involved in an unconventional murder, the threads of the story interweave in a thrilling and dynamic manner that makes me wonder just how devious this author’s own mind really is. I found Dead Ground plunged me into a world of conspiracies, drama and events that I found convincing, disturbing and utterly mesmerising. As usual with M. W. Craven, short, fast paced chapters with tantalising cliff hangers imbued with humour, drama and some deliberate obfuscation mean that it is impossible not to read on. Obviously I can't say too much about the plot for fear of spoiling the read for others, but it is breakneck and exciting.
The relationship between Poe and Tilly is pitch perfect for those who’ve read the whole series, settling into familiar patterns, but M. W. Craven ensures anyone coming to the series afresh can understand and appreciate it easily because of the throw away asides to new or returning characters. This is such skilled writing. What I always find unsettling is the world Tilly inhabits. She makes me question my own online habits so that whilst reading Dead Ground is fabulous entertainment, it does raise questions for the reader about their own behaviour too, making it educational as well as thrilling.
Beware if you pick up a book by M. W. Craven. Your life will no longer belong to you. He will hold you spellbound until you’ve read every brilliantly crafted word. He is, without question, one of the most captivating crime writers around and Dead Ground is a fantastic addition to the Washington Poe Tilly Bradshaw series. I thought it was fabulous.

WOW M W Craven has truly surpassed himself. There’s not many authors who can write a crime series and make each book better than the last, but that’s the case here, Dead Ground is an imaginative, all-consuming read that’s not be missed if you consider yourself to be a crime thriller lover. Craven always comes trumps and delivers a plot that’s innovative, and veers towards the dark side, but it’s the characters that make this series unforgettable. Poe and Tilly are the modern day Batman and Robin! 

The relationship between the dynamic duo Poe and Tilly is stronger than ever. Their unique personalities compliment each other perfectly. Poe is complex, and charismatic, whereas the wonderful socially awkward Tilly is naïve, and brutally honest. The dialogue between the couple is charming and full of humour, but it’s these moments that add light to the darkness of the plot. They are both such fabulous depicted, compelling characters they are one of the reasons this series is a must read for me. As to the plot, all you need to know is in the book description, as I don’t want to give anything away but I will say it’s devilishly clever and intricately plotted, with more twist and turns than the proverbial roller coaster.

I totally devoured this latest story in the absolutely outstanding Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw series. It's fast paced and twisty with lead characters I absolutely adore.

Poe is in court, with Tilly defending him fighting against eviction from his beloved Herdwick Croft. Just when the judge is going to throw the case out, in their favour they are whisked away to help a secret Government agency with a case of a murder in a brothel. For Poe, it seems open and shut but it seems that there is more to the case as well as to whom the victim is, his current job and history. They'll have to delve deeper. Why was the ornament left and why would it have connections to a bank heist a few years ago?

As ever, the story is littered with lots of humour which had me laughing out loud in parts (the pasta comments esp). I did have my suspicions as to who the killer was but even that had a twist which took me by surprise. Absolutely brilliant, I so highly recommend.

Poe and Tilly are back for the fourth instalment in this wonderful series. Poe is in court fighting to keep his Croft with Tilly acting as his solicitor when they are summoned by superiors to assist with a case. A case that has them working with others and as we know Poe never works well with others!
Yet again another top read. Two of my favourite characters who make me laugh with their one liners and have me gripped totally.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

In the space of a few months, M.W. Craven has become one of my favourite authors. I don’t know where to start when blowing his proverbial trumpet.

His characters are so authentic, they’re just a joy to read. I love Tilly and Poe, and would honestly read a 400 page book with them doing nothing more but sitting in Poe’s house having a chat.

This itself tells you how highly I rate Craven’s writing. He’s phenomenal. His writing is witty, sharp and honest. The pages fly by, and there’s not one wasted line.

Dead Ground itself is the 4th book in the series, and continues a trend with every book being better than the last. The storyline is so clever (as I’ve come to expect), with continuous twits and turns.

This was just a genuine pleasure to read, bring on whatever Craven writes next.

Well Mr Craven, you have done it again. Brilliant book, brilliant series. Poe and Bradshaw the formidable duo. These books just get better. Can’t recommend this author enough. Best books ever. Keep them coming please.

Nothing brings me more joy (well, with the exception of my children) than a new Tilly and Poe! This is by far my favourite series and duo and this could well be my favourite book in the series so far!

It all begins with Poe in court fighting to protect his beloved Herdwick Croft from ruins but just as the judge is about to rule in his favour, MI5 operatives storm the court room to demand Tilly and Poe leave with them. The International Trade Summit is due to take place but when a man connected to the summit is found murdered in a nearby brothel, it is up to Tilly and Poe to save the day.

This book can only be described as a rollercoaster, it is complex story and it is filled with twists and turns and leaves you totally unable to put it down! What I find most impressive about this book is the amount of characters. Now, normally a book with as many characters as this would be totally mind boggling but Craven writes in a way where you know who everyone is, what they are doing and your opinion of them!

Obviously we have our beloved duo Tilly and Poe working together with their witty one liners and comical conversations. When you add this to a fast paced thriller, its nothing short of a winner!

Dead Ground could be read as a stand alone novel but if you haven't read the rest of the series, I urge you to get hold of them by any means necessary!!! You will not be disappointed!

Easily another 5 star read for MW Craven! It's just bloody brilliant!

Thank you to @mwcraven @thecrimevault @bethwright26 and @netgalley for the advanced copy of the book and allowing me to be part of the tour (due to post on all other outlets on 2nd June).

#deadground #teampoe #teamtilly #teamcraven #netgalley