A Twist in the River, the fourth Jake Jackson thriller by Stig Abell, follows the pattern of the previous three: Jake, a former cold case expert with the Metropolitan Police and now a reclusive farm dweller, is drawn into one more local mystery. A woman in her thirties goes missing from the riverbank, believed to have been swept away in a tragic accident. The community, amidst a huge social media circus, rallies to search for her — or her body, at least. Days later, a female corpse turns up, only to be followed by another, and another — far too many to be written off as coincidence. Adding to the mystery is the fact that the victims show no signs of abuse or injury, their deaths appearing to be straightforward drownings. As much as he wants to stay away, Jake becomes involved, and with the help of his techno savvy associates, comes close to solving the mystery — only to find himself and his soon to be wife under the malevolent gaze of the murderer.

Stig Abell, as always, captures the atmosphere perfectly: the river, the community, and the surrounding landscape come alive in his poetic prose. Jake remains a likeable protagonist, living a life many office goers can only dream about. His romance with the local vet adds tenderness to the story, though at times it edges towards the cringeworthy. The recurring characters – Jake’s associates and acquaintances – are familiar and easy to return to. The plot moves at a smooth pace, and while novelty in the killer’s method is intriguing, the reveal and the killer’s motive are functional rather than surprising. The climax is well executed, save for one unsavoury bit that could have been avoided.

Overall, A Twist in the River is readable more for its immersive descriptions and a handful of characters than for its plot. Music lovers may enjoy the playlist of classical and jazz pieces that provides a background score to the narrative. Having read the first two books and skipped the third, I find the fourth doing little to compel me to keep up with the series. Let’s see what the next instalment brings.

I am grateful to HarperCollins UK for the digital review copy of A Twist in the River through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.