Welcome to my review of Dog Rose Dirt by Jen Williams. It took me a while to get into this book but it was so worthwhile, its one of my favourites this year. It’s creepy, exciting and gripping, you just won’t want to put it down!
JEN WILLIAMS started writing about pirates and dragons as a young girl and hasn’t ever stopped. Her short stories have featured in numerous anthologies and her debut novel, The Copper Promise, was published in 2014 to huge acclaim. Jen was nominated in the Best Newcomer category at the 2015 British Fantasy Awards and her following two novels, The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide were both shortlisted for the British Fantasy Awards Novel of the Year. Jen lives in London with her partner and their cat.
This has a slow start and felt a little confusing at times, maybe even a little tedious and boring with some parts to drawn out for my liking but wow, what a book!
Dog Rose Dirt has a fantastic plot, and while it took me a while to get into, I am so glad that I did. It was really one of the best reads this year.
After her mother’s apparent suicide, Heather returns home and discovers a pile of letters from the notorious serial killer, Michael Reave, known as The Red Wolf. She decides to investigate because she can’t understand why her mum would have any connection to a serial killer. Michael has always claimed his innocence. However, it becomes concerning when the murders begin again as he is still in prison.
The plot is exciting and gripping. Once I got into the book, I couldn’t stop turning the pages, desperate to find out what was happening. This kept me guessing to the end, which can only be declared as the perfect conclusion!
The characters are powerful. They have clear roles and are relatable even if you don’t necessarily want them to be. Still, a couple makes a brief appearance that they don’t really add to the story and could probably have been removed.
Heather is annoying, persistent, stubborn and at times really quite irritating. Michael is a bit of a problem. You want to like him, but he’s a serial killer, so it feels very wrong to like him. It makes you question your thoughts and opinions on people, even if they are fictional.
It flips between today and past views. It is gripping and creepy, but a wholly compulsive and horrifying read when you get into it, definitely deserving of its five stars!
| Title | Dog Rose Dirt |
| Author | Jen Williams |
| Series | N/A |
| Format | Kindle |
| Page Count | 357 Pages |
| Genre | Thriller |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Release Date | 22nd July 2021 |
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