The House in the Woods: The Richard & Judy Book Club pick 2023 (Atticus Priest) Paperback – 27 April 2023

I absolutely adored this book, incredibly well written, proper truly plausible characters so real that you feel like you have met them, particularly Atticus.The plot twists and turns are completely believable, unlike so many other novels where you feel like the author is trying to be too clever and it loses you because it becomes overly complex.I am going straight on to book 2 😊

The problem with new series is the book takes longer for it to gel for me as I assume everything I read is important going forward. Not just to build the plot in the story I’m reading but the characters who will continue in the books.Now Atticus Priest is an absorbing but complex character and the main protagonist in this series. His skill set isn’t unique but he is quite unique with the composite intelligence of many detectives who have passed before while having a quite individual back story. Black sheep of the family; high-end functioning person with Aspergers. Yet with poor social skills and unable to adequately demonstrate empathy.Brilliant, creative, a natural problem solver with an inability to let matters rest without solutions. Unfortunately, he has lost his job with the police and is now down on his luck. Low on money, desperate to find something to satisfy his natural talents he opens a detective agency.Like in an American PI novel a beautiful woman enters his office/home with a job offering money he could only dream of and a challenge he could use his skills to bring hope.Her husband is on trial and the case against was brought by his former team and led by his previous boss / “lover”.The court case is just about to start and the evidence seems to point to his guilt. Can he find anything to raise reasonable doubt?A good premise to read on but just too much like hard work when I wanted to be carried away into escapism rather than pore over every word and intellectually relate to a compelling series where the author was working so hard to set the scene in character, back story and locations.So I set the book aside and read other things, less demanding.Trouble is I love the author from his many action thrillers; love his pacing, craft in setting out stories and ability to write 3D characters with real language and fresh ideas.So once my mindset was less escapism I devoured this book.It was worth it and rewarded me with what I anticipated it could be. It’s potential was realised and the series is well set to read on and explore the world of Atticus Prime.So please pick up this book when you have the time to read it; it isn’t a dipper. It is intense at time with high-octane action and covers many dark aspects of family life and the desires that provide motives for murder.Well worth reading. Additive, absorbing and introducing us to the wonderful Atticus Prime.

Reading this’s book at the moment, Good intriguing plot for myself then husband will read it after. Value for money

The book is so gripping, was hard to put it down. Hopping to buy more . Loved the quirkiness of Atticus Priest.

Mark Dawson has put his years as a lawyer to good use by meticulously describing the legal process. This crime novel ticks all the boxes: Strong female lead in a dodgy relationship and Asperger detective. what more can we want? All three survive on Mc Donalds, take aways, booze and too little sleep. The plot unfolds satisfactorily with a few premonitory hints and, after a few twists, ends on a gasp. Mark Dawson has got the formula down to a T. There is even a dog. You are in good hands. Buy the whole series!

When a family, father, mother ,son and daughter are found murdered in a house in the woods, the police needs to investigate the mysterious killings. The only surviving relative, another son, quickly becomes the main suspect. The police gather their evidence. However, the suspect ‘s wife, desperate to clear her husband’s name and stop him from going to jail for life, decides to employ a private investigator, Atticus Priest, a talented but disgraced ex-police officer , who now works for himself. Atticus is an awesome character, charismatic, funny, pays great attention to detail. He can appear slightly quirky, possibly due to being autistic. Where will Atticus’s enquiry lead him? Will he be able to discover things the police were not able to find? Some awesome characters in this story full of twists. A real page turner. Cannot wait to read more books with Atticus as the lead investigator ! An excellent read!

Amazon keep offering me Mark Dawson books in the Kindle Daily Deal, and as he seems to have many high ratings, I thought I'd give him a go. I understand the high ratings on this one, as many readers love police mystery/thrillers with enigmatic protagonists, but it averaged out as a 3 for me. It was a fascinating plot, which initially pulled me in, but things started getting out of hand when nearly everyone had a turn at being the murder suspect. I liked the main characters, Mack and Atticus, and their see-saw relationship, although there was a bit too much of J K Rowling's Cormorant Strike in Atticus for me. Although it was an easy and entertaining read, there were a couple of things about Mark Dawson's style that I find off-putting. He has a habit of telling the reader something (Atticus felt lonely) and then hammering the point home by showing it too (he looked wistfully at families Christmas shopping). These examples aren't word for word, but you get the idea. Also, Dawson tries to show off by throwing in the occasional over elaborate word that sticks out like a sore thumb. Not a bad story, with decent characters, but as many cons as pros for a nit-picker like me. Not that Mark Dawson or his fans will care what I think!

A fantastic legal thriller with amazing plot twists.I was torn between 4 stars or 5. I’ve given very Few five stars and Mr. Dawson has two—This engrossing tale and a Milton tome.There’s a lot I could say here: beautiful Salisbury Plain with its majestic cathedral and distinctive town bringing fond memories of my visits.I must be difficult to write a novel such as the House in the Woods with a protagonist like Atticus , In comparison to an equally compelling character such as a John Milton . The assumption being that Milton and the spy genre must be easier to portray.I highly recommend this book and Mark Dawson in particularA big fan of

The book gets off to a slow start with way too much unnecessary descriptive detail, but after a few chapters, the pace picks up, and by the midpoint of the story, we are hooked! Great plot and a surprise ending.

Light reading with a number of twists and turns. Good book to read in a sunbed but, you must like police stories

The House In The Woods is a great read. Atticus Priest is a wonderful protagonist full of intelligence, wonderful flaws and an innate ability to read people and problem solve in very unique ways. The many twists and turns are riveting while you find yourself wanting to get to know more about what makes Atticus tick. Mark Dawson has a way of grabbing your attention and curiosity right from the first page making it very difficult to put down. I can hardly wait for the next Atticus Priest novel, Mark!

As usual crisp and well put together but whike Atticus is not quite as compelling a character as Milton or Beatrix he is intriguing in his own way