Body in the Woods (Carlos Jacobi #1)

A peaceful village. A buried secret. A gripping new crime novel for 2020.

"Beyond brilliant as usual from the inimitable Ms Brookes. Highly highly recommended." Anne, Goodreads.

When private investigator Carlos Jacobi arrives in the Peak District to spend Christmas with his sister, he doesn't anticipate his ex-police dog unearthing a body in the local woods. Why would someone murder a seemingly harmless old man?
The dead man's wife hires Carlos to investigate the murder after the police had fobbed her off when she reported him missing. Carlos soon discovers fractured relationships, family secrets and villagers with something to hide.

To top it all, the man in charge of the investigation is someone Carlos had hoped never to meet again. Memories of their time in Afghanistan still haunt him. Bad blood between the two men threatens to cloud the investigation as neither can bury the past. DCI Terry Masters is livid when Carlos is hired, and takes it personally. He orders his sergeant to make sure the private investigator is kept out of the loop or face consequences.

Meanwhile, Carlos unravels lies and motives among the seemingly innocuous village population. When his dog, Lady makes another grisly discovery, the suspense heightens.
Carlos teams up with an old friend to get to the bottom of this frustrating case.

Fans of Faith Martin, Joy Ellis, LJ Ross, Damien Boyd, Frances Evesham and David Blake will love this new series.

What readers say:
"This is a story that had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. It has twists and turns that I didn't see coming."
"I could not put this one down. I loved the characters and found this a fast paced book with lots of twists."
"That ending!"
Murder and lies in the Peak District.
Bestselling author, Dawn Brookes does it again. The book is packed with rich characters, a deep and engaging plot that keeps you turning the pages.
"A classic crime masterpiece from a gifted author."
"Brilliant insight into coercive control."