There is however an excavation underway at Temples former home, Strangefields Farm, where Wesley's friend, Dr Neil Watson, is in charge. It fleshes out the narrative for the reader without giving any hint of how the novel will develop or be resolved. I have really enjoyed DI Wesley Peterson's books previously, especially when they are full of archaeological finds from his friend Dr Neil Watson.

Even from here, beyond the daisies scattered along the hillside, and hidden in amongst the trees of the valley, I could see Netherbury. I had my suspicions as to who the murderer was and it was confirmed, but it was interesting to see how the author gets us to that conclusion. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. A killer on the loose isn't the only problem Wesley is facing: his childhood sweetheart, Grace Compton, has turned up in Tradmouth and she wants his help. This idea of a Revenant seems mirrored in the present story as various characters have seen people they believed to be dead in Tradmouth.There are a lot of characters, but there is a good reason for this, and murder mysteries do need a good choice of potential suspects and victims! The misdirection served it's purpose as I wondered how the past and the present would collide, and which of the shady characters killed the girls. And when a local florist is found murdered in an echo of Temples' crimes, DI Wesley Peterson fears that a copy-cat killer is at large. Some areas of Derby still carry names that record the 1665 visitation such as Blagreaves Lane which was Black Graves Lane, while Dead Man's Lane speaks for itself.

I also enjoy catching up with the regular characters and getting a glimpse into how their lives are progressing. I have read and liked several books from this series, and in general they are a good read, but sometimes there are also too many annoyances.So there is the old case against which the new occurs, with the venue of Strangefields, where Temples had killed multiple girls, and the method of killing, as well as numerous individuals who had a connection to him, including his half sister. The central plot is intriguing and beguiling as it paints the tranquil South Devon, with a ‘bad things don’t happen here’ flavour.

The usual mixture of an old historic case, a modern series of crimes and the discovery of a diary which explains the historic case. Deadman's Hole Lane passed over Deadman's Hole Bridge then headed northeast, fording the River Don and continuing northeast to Holmes Farm, the site of which is now part of Blackburn Meadows Nature Reserve. Twenty years ago, an artist by the name of Jackson Temples murdered four beautiful young girls before he was caught and sent to prison - protesting his innocence all the way. The Simon Jardine series is based on his memories of the early 70s - the time of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll - when reporters relied on word of mouth and there was no internet, no mobile phones, not even a fax machine. From a previously happily married man he is now tempted by not just Rachel but now an old flame who surfaces in this story.Perhaps the girl didn’t imagine her father only a few feet below her, perhaps she didn’t think about the future. Just think, next time you touch wood or cross your fingers, you’re joining in with this long tradition.