Wiltshire is a county of ancient beauty - rolling chalk downs, wooded valleys and chocolate-box villages. Famous for its 'big' skies and breathtaking scenery, it seems tranquil. But looks can be deceiving.

Katarina Raslova, a young British archaeologist, is found dead in a secluded cabin on a powerful local landowner's estate. Her body has been carefully posed.

She looks like an exquisite sculpture. Except for the bruises circling her neck.

The only potential witness is a terrified girl who waited at the scene for the police to arrive . . . then vanished without a trace.

Detective Craig Wild, formerly of the Metropolitan police, is called in to investigate. He quickly discovers there's no shortage of suspects. An obsessive ex-boyfriend with no alibi. The landowner's evasive son, who knows more than he's telling. And someone on the estate is growing something far more deadly than wheat.

Even his own partner, Acting DC Marnie Olsen, has a troubling personal connection to the victim.

Wild is determined to crack the case - and quickly. But this is rural Wiltshire, not inner-city London. Here, everyone knows your business, and miles of countryside offer countless places to hide the truth.

And then another young woman's body is discovered . . .

A gripping British crime thriller full of twists and turns, dark crimes - and a detective with a relentless drive for justice. Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, L.J. Ross, Angela Marson, J.D. Kirk and Biba Pearce.

Readers love the Detective Craig Wild Mysteries:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'More, I want more, could not read these books fast enough. Brilliantly written, did not turn telly on for two days, got wrapped in these books.' Kindle Customer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story.' Ginger Book Geek

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Superb read, which was not surprising after Derek's other books the Thomas Bladen series. Looking forward to DS Craig Wild's next investigation.' R Waldron

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This author is very, very good at throwing you off the scent. I had my suspicions of who I thought might be the perpetrator but as the story flowed I kept changing my mind! I didn't want to put my Kindle down.' Sarah L.

Meet The Detective

Detective Craig Wild is a former Metropolitan Police officer who finds himself trading city streets for the English countryside. The move isn't entirely by choice, but he's determined to prove himself. He's a good copper who trusts his instincts and gets results, even if his blunt manner sometimes puts him at odds with colleagues and superiors. But his partnership with promising young copper Marnie Olsen proves a turning point. Together, they make a formidable team - and the country lanes and close-knit villages of rural Wiltshire will put them to the test.

The setting

Wild's police station is in Mayberry, a quiet Wiltshire market town surrounded by ancient woodland, sprawling estates and working farmland. It's the kind of place where everyone knows your business - and criminals have miles of rural wilderness to hide in. For Detective Wild, it's a culture shock: a world away from the anonymity and pace of city policing, where reputations stick, secrets run deep, and fitting in can be as challenging as solving the crimes.

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