Black Wood

By SJI Holliday

Something happened to Claire and Jo in Black Wood: something that left Claire paralyzed and Jo with deep mental scars. But with Claire suffering memory loss and no evidence to be found, nobody believes Jo's story. Twenty-three years later, a familiar face walks into the bookshop where Jo works, dredging up painful memories and rekindling her desire for vengeance. At the same time, Sergeant Davie Gray is investigating a balaclava-clad man who is attacking women on a disused railway, shocking the sleepy village of Banktoun. What is the connection between Jo's visitor and the masked man? To catch the assailant, and to give Jo her long-awaited justice, Gray must unravel a tangled web of past secrets, broken friendship, and tainted love. But can he crack the case before Jo finds herself with blood on her hands?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black & White Publishing
• Release date: Feb 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781845029692

Reviews for Black Wood

[purplequeennl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you are looking for a modern day ‘who done it’ then this book is for you.

The story introduces all the characters in the first half, developing the main ones and bringing in others, all with potential motives. Then it twists and turns, going back and forth between past and present, before coming to the final double crescendo, both of the confession and the reveal of past events.

Trying to work out who is responsible for the attacks in the present, as well as the one in the past, is compelling and makes this a must read. SJI Holliday creates interwoven personal histories and a couple of red herrings, leaving the reader to suspect pretty much everyone at some point. The writing is concise yet detailed, dripping with sinister undertones, and builds tension, pulling the reader in and holding them. The characters are written in different points of view to bring the reader closer to them, and for some who aren't used to that it can be challenging, but oh so worth it!

But don't take my word for it. Go and read it.