DI Washington Poe is on suspension after committing an error that puts his entire career in jeopardy. Having recently moved to remote and rural Cumbria, he has made peace with the possibility that he may never work in law enforcement again. Meanwhile, the Lake District’s notorious serial killer, The Immolation Man is making headlines, ritualistically burning people alive against the backdrop of ancient stone circles.
When Poe’s name is brutally carved into the chest of the killer’s latest victim, the NCA temporarily lifts his suspension and enlists his help on the case. Supported by neurodivergent tech whiz and bona fide genius, Tilly Bradshaw, Poe doggedly tracks down the Immolation Man in the hopes that he doesn’t end up as victim #5.
The Puppet Show is an enthralling, creepy and heart-wrenching thriller that so captivated me that I read it in less than a day! I was wholly absorbed, unable to come up for air.
Everything about this book was on point…
- the desolate and craggy hilltops of Cumbria with its impenetrable fog
- the irreverent and justice-minded DI Poe and his brilliant companion Tilly
- the pervasive tone and dread and unease like a prickle on the back of your neck
- the morally complex baddie whom you can’t help but have empathy for and
- the sinuous and perplexing plot that’s full of surprises!
One thing I really wasn’t expecting was the novel’s implicit commentary surrounding the suppression of truth and how it is molded, distorted and warped to serve the interests of those in power. I personally think this happens more often than we’d like to believe and I applaud the author for bringing up this timely theme. The Puppet Show is the most impressive and engrossing thriller I’ve read in quite some time. Do yourself a favor and don’t sleep on this one.
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
You can grab a copy of The Puppet Show here at a bookseller near you.
