The Cursed Road by Laura McCluskey

I loved The wolf tree by Laura McCluskey and was keen to read another by this clever author. Once again, I became immersed in a gripping mystery featuring DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart who are sent to investigate the murder of a young woman found on a lonely road in the Scottish mountains. Local legends suggest that the road has a dangerous history and the young woman has a name carved on her arm which opens questions about a missing girl from the past. Were there links to the hunting lodge nearby where wealthy clients were taken out to shoot deer? Did the feud between the owners of the lodge and the men in the old crumbling mansion have any connection to the missing girl or the young woman found on the road?

The suspense is breathtaking as George and Ritchie investigate, uncovering secrets in the community and the local area. The brooding atmosphere of the rugged landscape, the terror of gun shots from hunters following deer in the forest and the brooding menace of the old mansion kept me glued to the page, wondering if George and Richie would survive. Another dimension is added with the exploration of the impact that trauma has on individuals. Richie has been ignoring George since the events in The wolf tree, and it has taken George many months to realise the impact that her actions had on him. In The cursed road it is George who must remain calm and keep the investigation on an even keel and Ritchie who examines his commitment to policing as distressing events unfold.

Fans of the detective genre will welcome the return of George and Ritchie and eagerly wait for the next book from Laura McCluskey.

Themes: Murder, Detectives, Scotland.

Pat Pledger