From The Ashes By Deborah Masson

‘From The Ashes’ is the third book in the ‘DI Eve Hunter’ series by Deborah Masson.

In the dead of night someone starts a fire in a home for underprivileged children in Aberdeen. The flames spread quickly, and one person doesn’t make it out alive. But the victim wasn’t found in their bedroom; they were discovered locked inside a secret basement underground. As DI Eve Hunter and her team search the blackened ruins, the case takes them into even darker territory. Soon Eve unearths a horrific discovery at the heart of the property – one that turns the whole investigation on its head. Everyone in this home has something to hide, but who has a secret worth killing for?

Although this book is the third book in a series, it’s actually the first one that I’ve read and if you’re a fan of police procedural books then the ‘DI Eve Hunter’ series is for you.

The story is about a fire that takes place at a children’s home and one little boy tragically dies. Whilst investigating this case, DI Eve Hunter’s partner DI Scott Ferguson sees an accident with a homeless teenage boy that’s left him in a coma and is determined to find out his identity.

This story is a terribly sad one, about a place where children are offered sanctuary and a second chance only for it to be cruelly taken away. And as DI Hunter delves into the dark and grisly history of the home, they discover murky secrets that were never wanted to be found. As well as the current investigation around the fire, the accident, there is also the inclusion of a back story about previous residents in the home and this is quite interesting reading as it’s seen from the perspective of an unknown person.

Set against the bleak and poverty stricken backdrop of Scotland, Deborah has written a taunt, police procedural novel that really tugs on the reader’s heartstrings, the death of a child, children without a home and this cleverly crafted plot line makes for gripping reading with regular twists along the way that hooks your attention.

Packed with tension, suspense and an underlying sadness throughout, ‘From The Ashes’ is a pacy thriller and great introduction to a new crime series.

You can buy ‘From The Ashes’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.