Black Dog

By Stephen Booth

Book Overview

The award-winning first novel in the Cooper & Fry crime series, set in England's beautiful and atmospheric Peak District. "Dark, intense and utterly compelling", Black Dog was an extraordinary debut from a writer who has rapidly become one of the UK's most successful crime novelists. It's been a long, hot summer in the Peak District national park. But summer comes to an end when the body of missing teenager Laura Vernon is found. For young police detective Ben Cooper, the work has just begun. His community is hiding a girl's killer, and a past as dark as the Derbyshire night. It seems Laura was the keeper of secrets beyond her years and, in a case where no-one is innocent, everyone is a suspect. But Cooper's local knowledge and instincts are about to face an even greater challenge. The ambitious DC Diane Fry has been transferred from a nearby city, a woman as ruthless as she is attractive... *Winner of the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel *Finalist for the Anthony Award for Best First Mystery "Suspenseful and supremely engaging. Booth does a wonderful job." - Los Angeles Times "Simultaneously classic, contemporary and haunting." - Mysterious Bookshop, New York "An atmospheric, psychological stunner." - The Bookseller

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0957237901
• ISBN13: 9780957237902
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: Westlea Books
• Length: 388 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Remarkable Debut

In Stephen Booth's debut novel, we are taken to the Peak District of England. It's in this setting that a 15-year-old girl, Laura Vernon, has gone missing only to be found later, murdered. She is from a wealthy family who are new to the district, and so are known as `comers-in' by the locals, meaning they will consequently be treated as outsiders. It is because of this that the locals are not particularly helpful when questioned by the police.The beginning of the book is very reminiscent of A Place of Execution by Val McDermid. In both books a young girl is missing from a small rural community, the locals are not particularly helpful with the police and the detectives working on the case are young with their eyes cast to furthering their career.Mystery not only surrounds the murder of Laura Vernon, many of the integral characters in the book are harbouring secrets. The main character, DC Ben Cooper is dealing with his mother's schizophrenia, his new partner DC Diane Fry has just arrived in Edendale and has brought personal problems of her own. Laura Vernon's parents are both harbouring secrets that they are keen not to let out and Harry Dickenson, the man who found Laura, is being very close-lipped as well. Even Laura Vernon herself was leading a secret life that would have shocked her parents had they found out.The surrounding Derbyshire countryside of the beautiful Peak District is described with exceptional clarity giving us an insight into countryside that must be simply breathtaking to behold. Although not being overly dwelt on, scene after scene is given a wonderful backdrop of the surrounding land, which gave me a strong sense of actually being there.The local townsfolk are wonderfully portrayed with the standouts being the three old friends, Harry, Sam and Wilford who amuse each other and the reader with their wry observations of the police to one another. The mood of the story lifts each time one of these men is involved and at times, stole each scene they were involved in.The length of this review is testament to my enjoyment of this book. I'm usually a 3-paragraph per review man. A quick overview and my impressions usually suffice. This book moved me more than most and my feeling of satisfaction has been reflected here. I strongly recommend you read this book, if you're after a terrific police procedural I don't think you'll be disappointed.

"Black Dog"

Black Dog 5 stars (plus)Black Dog is one of the most amazing books that I have read in a very long time.Stephen Booth's characters come alive on the first page and only get better as you go through the book to the last page. He actually takes you through the entire story making you feel as if you are there. And the people are real.Laura Vernon is missing. An innocent, well liked, quiet, and well mannered 15 year old girl, according to some. To others, who seemed to know her better, quite wild.As the helicopters fly overhead, and the police look desperately for this young girl, an old man sits on a rock, at the edge of the dark woods of England's brooding Peak District, watching and listening to the activity overhead. Suddenly his black Labrador, Jess, comes running up with something in her mouth.From this minute on you will not be able to put this book down. The object that Jess retrieves takes you into the lives of everyone in the village. Secrets are divulged that have been hidden for years. Just when you figure you have this whole story figured out, you are led down another path. And then another.Stephen Booth has written a story that will grab you, and not let you go. The only thing bad about this book is that you don't want it to end. You want to know more about the people, their lives and what will happen to them. You will defiantly have "The black dog's on your back". And you will not want it any other way.Susan Hartigan Riverside, California USA

SOMETHING for the JADED READER

I loved this book, because it gave me something that's been missing in a lot of recent Crime Novels. It has a setting that you are led into with incredible skill, one that reminds me of Sherlock Holmes novels set in the country. The second amazing part of this book, that kept me reading with such enjoyment, were the characters. Stephen Booth has created people that feel real, have unexpected flaws and strengths, and who you can't wait for the next time you meet. I am looking forward to the next book because there is real talent here.

A Remarkable First Novel

Stephen Booth is a new British author and "Black Dog" is his first novel. It is set in England, in the Peak District, an area known for hiking and overrun by tourists in the summer.Laura Vernon, aged 15, of Moorhay Village disappears and foul play is suspected. The police launch a search, but it is a villager who turns up the first real evidence. Laura Vernon's family had only recently moved to the area and does not blend in well with their neighbors. And there seems to be something else no one is willing to talk about.DCs Diane Fry and Ben Cooper are part of the investigating police force. Diane had only recently transferred to the district, Ben is the local boy, "Sergeant Cooper's lad", trying to live up to the shining example his father set. Both are competing for a promotion and there is more to both of them than meets the eye. The interaction between these two is what makes up most of this book's charm. Stephen Booth does a very good job here to portray two very different characters and to show how deceiving appearances can be.This is not your usual police procedural. There is a lot more to the book than just an investigation and a criminal. The solution to the mystery is almost secondary and, to be honest, feels a bit rushed. It is the two main characters that drive the book. You get to know them very well and I would love to read more about them.I highly recommend this book. Fans of psychological mysteries like Minette Walters' will not be disappointed.