A Shadow on the Lens

Sam Hurcom (Orion)

This book would be epic if I didn’t know any of the locations, but as a Cardiffian my familiarity with the places mentioned just adds another special dimension to it. It’s 1904 in the village of Dinas Powys and London-based forensic photographer Thomas Bexley, a straight-laced Sherlock Holmes type, realises he is out of his depth as he investigates the death of a local girl. Smalltown paranoia, local superstition and a host of unsavoury characters come together to create a gothic murder mystery with a healthy dose of horror that will add a cold, creeping uneasiness to your thoughts when you go to bed at night. Well researched and superbly paced, there’s a touch of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about Sam Hurcom. CA

Price: £14.99. Info: www.orionbooks.co.uk