The Scorched Earth

Set in a small English village near St Albans at the height of the 2018 heatwave. Ana must prove her boyfriend's innocence in the wake of his brother's murder.

Nothing stays buried forever... 'A blistering mystery' Erin Kelly 'Supremely atmospheric' Daily Mail 'Gripping and original' Clare EmpsonTwo years ago, Ben Fenton went camping for the night with his brother Leo. When Ben woke up, he was drenched in blood, and his brother had gone. Days later, Ben was facing a charge of murder. Ben's girlfriend, Ana Seabrook, has always maintained Ben's innocence. And now, on the hottest day of a sweltering heat wave, a body has been unearthed in Ana's village. A body that might be Leo's. DCI Jansen is sure that Ana has something to hide. Will her secrets stay buried forever? Or can Jansen bring them to light?Praise for Rachael Blok: 'A blistering mystery; the dark secrets lurking in the short summer shadows kept me turning the pages long into the night' Erin Kelly'You will suspect everyone in this unbearably tense tale of betrayal and revenge' A.S. Hatch'Poetic writing with an eerie suspense that builds with each page' Nikky Mackay'Beautifully told, the stifling heat and tension crackle through every page' Victoria Selman'This atmospheric tale of guilty secrets revealed during a scorching summer is twisty, evocative and suspenseful' Roz Watkins'Assured and compelling... The author is as deft about human relationships as she is about creating an increasingly foreboding atmosphere' Elly Griffiths