Haggard Hawk - a new Reebus?

[Connor Moore]

Helloooo fellow crime fans!

Just thought I'd post a quick word about a novel I've just read called 'Haggard Hawk' by Marcus Barr.  Being a MASSIVE fan of Midsomer Murders, I went to have a look around the sets and villages where they shot a lot of the episodes.  I was in heaven!  Walking around the countryside where Barnaby and his various sidekicks brought down 'murderers most foul'... And what's so incredible, is that I survived to tell the tale!  Anyway, I digress.

Imagine to my utter astonishment, and almost uncontrolled excitement, that I discovered that the B&B we were staying in was run by the wife of one of the MM writers!! Yep, I was in his cottage.  It was the most surreal experience ever, but one which allowed me to discover that this fine writer has turned his attention to writing novels now, and Haggard Hawk is the first in a new series.

It is simply superb!  Nathan Hawk is the central character of the story, a retired police detective used to giving orders and having them obeyed.  A widower with four children who have all flown the nest, he now lives deep in the English countryside and struggles with anger management.  One night on the way home he comes across a brutal murder on a dark country road and finds himself right in the middle of a complex murder investigation.  And what with it being on Kindle for a few quid, trust me, just get a copy!

The wonderful thing about this book is that you can tell the author has been doing this a for a long time, and therefore knows what he's doing!  The dialogue is good, the plot great and the characters (especially Hawk himself) are just fabulous.  I could almost see this unfolding on screen as I read.  Barr is so good at painting a picture of where you are, paying such attention to detail that you see everything that goes on, down to the finest points.  I wouldn't be surprised if some production company snaps up the rights to this.  

With just the right amount of gore and humour, Marcus Barr has really produced a cracker here and has invented a great new character in Nathan Hawk.  Dare I say, someone to slot in with the likes of Reebus and Wexford amongst the great british detectives.  I look forward eagerly to the next novel in the series.  

I may have to go back the the B&B and badger him to step on it!