DI Ashley Knight investigates a series of murders set around Fakenham Racecourse and those involved in racing, raising horses and betting on the horses. There is so much information for DI Knight to process and investigate that suspects and red herrings abound. Hector Fade is back and he’s a great addition to the team. I loved reading about the horses but all the ins and outs of betting were skimmed over by me. Even with the plethora of suspects and interested parties, Greenwood was able to keep them all distinct.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this DRC.
#DeathatFakenhamRaces #NetGalley

Ross Greenwood's "Death at Fakenham Races" is a thrilling addition to The Norfolk Series, featuring DS Ashley Knight. Despite being the second book in the series, it feels like a stand-alone novel, allowing readers to dive right into the heart of the mystery without feeling lost or disconnected. I had not read the first book.

The characters are well-crafted, each one feels real and relatable. Greenwood has a knack for creating personas who resonate with readers, making their struggles and triumphs all the more impactful. DS Ashley Knight is a compelling protagonist, and her journey through the twists and turns of the plot kept me turning the page.

The plot itself is constructed, with numerous twists and turns that keep the suspense high. Intrigue and tension is woven throughout the narrative, ensuring that readers are constantly guessing and re-evaluating their assumptions about the unfolding mystery.

One of the standout features of this book is its setting. The Norfolk countryside, with its unique charm and nuances, adds a rich layer of atmosphere to the story. The competitive world of horse racing is depicted with authenticity and depth, making the backdrop as engaging as the plot itself.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

DI Ashley Knight and her team are called to a murder at a nearby horse racing track. The victim was well-liked and it seemed that no one would have any reason to want him dead. When a second body, and then a third are found, DI Knight is racing to discover a motive linking the three before the killer can flee or strike again.

Though the plot of this book is good, there were a lot of technical details related to placing bets and determining odds that I never did fully grasp and that weren't essential to understanding the crimes or the motives. This slowed the book down a lot, and it was already barely moving. I've enjoyed other books by this author, and I would have enjoyed this one a lot more had it been about 30% shorter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is #5 in the DI Ashley Knight series but can be read as a standalone.

A call comes in to report arguing voices at Fakenham Racecourse, so two PCs go out to investigate. They can’t find anything except a parked vehicle, so they split up to cover the last sections. One of the PCs, Frank, is seriously assaulted and hospitalised and, later, the body of a trainer is found nearby.

Ashley and her team are thrown into the complex, and sometimes mysterious, world of horse racing and are faced with a lot of lies and misinformation. Then, a second body is found; Johnny, who was a bookmaker at the course. The race is on (no pun intended!) to pin down the killer before they strike again.

A brilliant police procedural that kept me gripped to the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Ross Greenwood, and Boldwood Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always excited to get my hands on the work of Ross Greenwood, I grabbed for this ARC, the latest in the DI Ashley Knight series. Full of action and strong police work, Greenwood takes readers on another homicide investigation in Norwich, where DI Knight must work to discover who murdered a man at a horse racing facility. While there are many layers to the story, Greenwood never lets his great characters stand in the shadows, as the series is progressing nicely. Another winner from one of the great British police procedural authors I have read.

A panicked call comes in to emergency services, citing an argument at the Fakenham Racecourse. When officers arrive to check it out, one is attacked and left unconscious. DI Ashley Knight and the Norwich MIT are sent to follow-up, hoping to get to the bottom of things. A body is found on the grounds, but the recent snow has covered up any clues that could help.

As DI Knight and her team begin their investigation, they discover that there is more to Fakenham than horses travelling from one side of the course to the other. Large sums of money exchanging hands, where fortunes are won and lost proves to be the perfect motive to kill someone. The more they explore, additional layers of trouble emerge to stymie MIT and the course of the investigation.

While trying to find a killer, new and troubling truths come to light, though a handful of suspects also appear worthy of additional exploration. DI Knight plays her cards carefully, in hopes of luring the reader out of the shadows. It will take time and dedication to discover the killer and their motive, which proves harder than it appears. Ross Greenwood delivers a strong addition to the series that never wanes in its presentation.

I have always been eager to see what Ross Greenwood had to say when he pens a new novel. The narrative is well-developed and keeps the reader on edge until all is revealed for the reader to enjoy. The momentum helps push things along and keeps the reader guessing. Characters prove great in their delivery and prove able to flavour the larger piece to add depth to the story. The plot moves along and keeps the reader without a clear understanding of what the end result might be, keeping a needed suspense to leave the reader eager to solve the case for themself.

Kudos, Mr. Greenwood, for another great police procedural.

Death at Fakenham Races Ross Greenwood

5 stars

The intrigues of the horse-racing world!

I have read a lot of this author's books and always enjoy them. I was unaware that this was the second in the DI Ashley Knight series but it is easy to read as a stand alone.

I am not a great fan of horse racing but have been to a few courses and always enjoyed the atmosphere and the thrill of having a winning horse. However I was unaware of how the whole racing world fitted together and just how much goes on behind the scenes just to get a race put on.

DI Ashley Knight is called to Fakenham Racecourse when a body is discovered. It is Glen Gordon one of the local horse owners. There appears to be no apparent motive for his murder but when shortly afterwards another body is found of one of the local bookmakers, Jonny Lowe , Ashley and her colleagues begin an investigation that slowly encompasses everyone working or connected with the racecourse. It becomes apparent that this crime is connected to a race that had happened many years before and nearly everyone involved in the day to day running of Fakenham could be a suspect.

DI Knight has to involve all the members of her talented team to work out what the motive is of the murderer or murderers. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to work out for myself what had happened and as in all the best thrillers I was wrong.

I also really enjoyed learning more about how a racecourse such as Fakenham puts on its meetings and how many people and tasks are involved . This was a very good story involving very interesting characters and written in an easy to read style. I will be looking out for any more books in this series.


Karen Deborah
Netgalley

Oh, I loved it!! Not only because of the intricate and complex plot, but also because it was hugely interesting! I knew next to nothing about horseracers and the world they navigate in. Even though I am not a fan of horseracing, I delved into this world with wide eyes. I loved the love and relationships shown to the elegant animals that horses are. I might not agree with this kind of harsh training, but it felt very impressive.
The plot remains suspenseful up to the end. The numerous suspects (keeping adding on !) heat up the tension....
As always I enjoyed the investigating team , particularly the warm relationship which bond them. I loved their intern little jokes and always wait to meet them again on a perilous journey against evil people! A brilliant police investigation!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

This is my first DI Knight story and what an introduction. We follow the MIT as they investigate the death of a trainer at the racecourse. Plenty of information about the horseracing scene which makes a good background to the murder and subsequent investigation. It really makes me want to go to the races to soak up all the atmosphere described in the book. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading more of these stories. With thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley.

What can i say another great book by Ross Greenwood.
This book is set around Fakenham race course where a body is found and a police office is also attacked.
It was great reading about Ashley Barry and Hector again.
A well-written mystery.
This is the 5th in the Norfolk Murders series and I enjoyed every one of them.
Recommended.

When a body is found at the racecourse, DI Ashley knight knows it likely to be something to do with that world. The majority of murders are carried out by someone the victim knows, the motive usually being love, money or hate/revenge. The racing world is careful these days of insider dealing/betting but in a world where fortunes are won and lost in a heartbeat, there will always be the dark side. Can Ashley and her team find the killer before more damage is done?

Ross as ever has done his research well (unless of course he is a secret jockey or owner!) and this shines through in this intriguing plot. The racing/horse world can be complex to an outsider but anyone who knows these magnificent, beautiful creatures will appreciate the words of the ex jockey which touched me. It’s clever and captivating, just how I like a crime book. No way could I guess the perpetrator even well into the book. The descriptions put the reader in the heart of things and the characters are likeable and there’s a little humour to ease things along. A wonderful, highly entertaining read I thoroughly enjoyed

For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog
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Police procedural meets Dick Francis.
Who bashed the owner to death with a hammer? Who assaulted the policeman? When will the list of suspects and motives ever end? Are there going to be any more murders?
Totally unputdownable investigation into a world that few of us can afford but those involved find truly addictive. I certainly got caught up in the investigation and the backstories of the investigators as I was greedy to read this one after each of the earlier ones in series.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected digital galley from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Avail Jun 05, 2025
##DeathatFakenhamRaces #TheNorfolkMurdersBk5 #DSAshleyKnightBk4 by @rossg555 #NetGalley #goodreads #bookbub #librarythingofficial #barnesandnoble ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #England #Procedural @theboldbookclub #murders #gambling #horseracing @the.storygraph #steeplechase #bookmakers #racefixing

I was really looking forward to this as you can always rely on Ross to write a magnificent tale and this is not an exception. I was initially very slightly sceptical when I realised quite how pivotal the horse racing element was to the plot but I quickly embraced a world alien and unknown to me and didn’t feel out of my depth. Ross cleverly introduced us to all the idiosyncrasies of the racing world and I was genuinely interested into the relationships between trainers, owners, bookmakers and stable hands. I feel suitably enlightened to a whole world I didn’t know existed. It was also refreshing to see how (largely) the welfare of the horses was fiercely protected by those around them and how loved and revered they are, more so than the catalogue of murdered humans indeed.
The cast of characters was as colourful and richly woven as I’d usually expect from the author and I felt I knew them all well and was engaged with their individual viewpoints. The action is quick moving and draws you in and it’s a superb race to the finish line. A good read.

Death comes to the racecourse.

DI Ashley Knight isn't familiar with this world. The stakes are always high, and everyone always has something to hide.

But how exactly are you meant to catch a killer when everyone is lying?

This series just keeps getting better and better

This is an intriguing police procedural. It’s an incredibly complicated case, involving the racing community. I have learned a considerable amount about horse racing and betting, which was fascinating. Although part of series, it could be read as a stand alone book. The relationships between the police officers are realistic and the story moves at a good pace.

ones, this works as a standalone. To help with identifying characters, the author provides a directory of the cast of players at the beginning of the novel. I really like that!

A police officer investigating a call at Fakenham Racecourse is attacked. When a dead body is found at the site, Ashley, a novice to the sport, and her team investigate the world of horse racing, where owners, trainers, jockeys, and bookies all have a role in this risky business. How far will any one of them go for a win? There is no shortage of suspects.

A solid police procedural, I like this investigative team with their close personal relationships and sarcastic humor. There are twists and turns. Atmospheric, the descriptions of the Norfolk surroundings, particularly in the snow, are vivid and evocative. I am not a big horse race fan, but did appreciate Greenwood’s sharing knowledge of all aspects of the steeplechase as operated in the UK.

If you enjoy police procedurals featuring capable female detectives, I encourage you to check out this book. This author/series has been added to my “must read” list.

With no horsey hurdles pun intended I leapt at the chance to read an early copy of this book, the 5th in the Norfolk Murders series by Ross Greenwood.

DI Ashley Knight and the team are back, and it was great to see Hector Fade taking a more confident role in the proceedings.

You will need your wits about you if you want to keep up with the case as the team battle to unmask (unsaddle?) a serial killer from within this world immersed in all things equine. Much like the earlier books in this series, there is a lot going on and there are several mini-mysteries to keep the reader on their toes. It is evident the author has done their homework to make sure the rich, exciting, dangerously glamorous side of horse racing is brought to life, and death.

How to sum up this book... think Riders by Jilly Cooper and add lashings of murder and intrigue!

My thanks to the author, Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for letting me be a part of this book tour.

A Murky World..
The fifth outing in the Norfolk Murders series finds DI Ashley Knight thrown in at the deep end when a brutal attack occurs at Fakenham Racecourse. It soon becomes clear that - far from being a glamorous world - murky secrets, lies and revelations lie in wait around every corner. An accomplished addition to this excellent series with a well drawn and credible cast and a pacy plot littered with twists and surprises.

Again, I enjoyed reading about the team made up of Ashley, Barry, and Hector. There are always a few petty jokes, but the dynamics between these people working together, knowing each other's strengths and all of them being passionate about solving the murders were a fast-paces and pleasant read.

However, unlike before, this puzzle was a bit complicated when it came to schemes. And the suspicion on the characters kept going back and forth. For the first time when reading a book by Ross Greenwood I am only giving it three stars :( But that doesn't mean I am not looking forward to the next in this series :)

I really enjoy this series and enjoy Ross Greenwood's way of writing. The characters are complex and are brought to life during the story, great storyline and interesting characters.
This is the fifth in the series of the Norfolk series with DI Knight and her group of colleagues, which include Barry, Hector, Sal and Emma, who are part of the MIT at Norfolk. It can also be read as a stand alone if others haven't read previous books.
This book is set around Fakenham races and the characters set around racehorse owners, trainers, a bookmaker and retired jockeys. It revolves around murder, suspects and an ongoing case running alongside of it for race fixing.
I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

An enjoyable well-written mystery that will interest Dick Francis fans and other interest in mysteries that are set around the horse 🐎 racing scene.

Although I enjoyed this book, I didn't find it quite as captivating as some of the mysteries I have recently read, the ones I couldn't put down until I finished reading them but it is a 4 star informative mystery novel.