Dr Harrison Lane crime mystery series

A breath of sky broke through the canopy of trees in the small clearing. A wooden cross had been pushed into the earth, and four candles surrounded the boy. He looked as if he was sleeping, but the rotting leaves upon which he lay were his grave…

Dawn creeps over the horizon, illuminating the body lying on the marshy ground. He looks peaceful, young, healthy. But there is no bloom of life in his cheeks, his eyes are cold and dead…

The small boat drifts gently down the river, twisting slowly with the current. Lying on the bottom, a still figure is dressed in midnight black robes, holding a single red rose in cold, pale hands…

The curtains were closed and incense burned in a pottery jug. Brightly coloured cloth was draped over pictures on the wall. Out of a bag spilled stones, teeth, bones. Beside them were jars of herbs and ground powders. Was the person who lived here an innocent victim… or a killer?

She was lying across a granite rock surrounded by sea, posed on her side as though she was simply resting. She looked beautiful. Long blonde hair flowed beneath her, and a silvery tail glinted in the pale winter sun…

Night was almost upon her, but the chill in the air wasn’t just a physical one. Although the stones were supposed to protect her family and the village, she’d always found the place creepy. It was as though silently standing among them were a thousand ghosts watching her, waiting for her to join them…

There were three names written down, but the fourth was unknown. A name so painful that it had been scored through. A black scar where once the truth had been spelled out. The Reverend’s role had been clear, but for what he had done, he would have to suffer…

If you go down to the woods tonight, you might not come back alive…