'Deeply layered, fiendishly clever and absorbing' Matt Hilton, author of the Joe Hunter series

The first gritty thriller in the Avison Fluke series by M. W. Craven, the acclaimed author of The Puppet Show.

Detective Inspector Avison Fluke is a man on the edge. He has committed a crime to get back to work, concealed a debilitating illness and is about to be made homeless. Just as he thinks things can't get any worse, the body of a young woman is found buried on a Cumbrian building site.

Shot once in the back of the head, it is a cold, calculated execution. When the post-mortem reveals she has gone to significant expense in disguising her appearance, Fluke knows this is no ordinary murder.

With the help of a psychotic ex-Para, a gangland leader and a woman more interested in maggots than people, Fluke must find out who she was and why she was murdered before he can even think about finding her killer...

Praise for M. W. Craven:

'Dark, sharp and compelling' PETER JAMES

'Fantastic' MARTINA COLE

'Britain's answer to Harry Bosch' MATT HILTON

'Thrilling' MICK HERRON

'Brilliantly inventive' WILLIAM SHAW

'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent' DAVID MARK

About the Author
Multi-award-winning author M.W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. He is an instant Sunday Times bestseller and, for his Cumbria-set Washington Poe series, a recipient of the 2019 Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger, the 2022 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2023. The series has now been translated into twenty-seven languages Instagram: @m.w.craven Twitter :@mwcravenuk Facebook: MikeCravenAuthor

Reviews
Praise for M. W. Craven:
Dark, sharp and compelling -- Peter James
Fantastic -- Martina Cole
A thrilling curtain-raiser for what looks set to be a great new series -- Mick Herron
A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint-hearted! -- David Mark
A book that shines with tension, wit and invention -- William Shaw
Satisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read -- Michael J. Malone
Mike Craven is a forceful new voice in British crime fiction -- Caro Ramsay
Washington Poe is a name destined to be spoken by crime fiction enthusiasts everywhere: Britain's answer to Harry Bosch. The Puppet Show is a wickedly, twisting and turning, mystery that will have readers breathlessly turning the pages until the final shocking conclusion -- Matt Hilton
A brilliant start to what promises to be a fantastic series; get it now or kick yourself for missing out -- Graham Smith
I cannot recall the last time I binge read a novel in 36 hours . . . truly mind-blowing -- A. A. Dhand
I loved this book! -- Jo Jakeman
Dark, thrilling and unputdownable with sharply drawn characters that stride off the page -- Victoria Selman
A tightly-written debut . . . Packed with procedural detail, believable characters and rich dialogue it will keep you turning those pages long after bedtime. Avison Fluke is a fine creation . . . The prose is faultless . . . Mike Craven is one to watch out for * CrimeSquad *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472132642
Author M. W. Craven
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint Constable
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 240g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 126mm * 26mm