A dark and twisted crime novel, this is the eagerly anticipated follow up to Dead Ground.

This is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life...

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have a finger and thumb left. There's Tilly Bradshaw, of course. And he's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for a good few years.

And then there's Estelle Doyle. Dark and dangerous and sexy as hell. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street, but has she gone too far this time? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'

Meanwhile, a poisoner called the Botanist is sending the nation's most reviled people poems and pressed flowers. Twisted and ingenious, he seems to be able to walk through walls and is able to kill with impunity.

Poe hates locked room mysteries -- and now it appears he has two to solve...

'Breath taking' My Weekly

'Superior' The i

'Jaw dropping' Woman and Home

'Gloriously dark and twisted' Daily Express

'This series really is something special' Morning Star