All That Lives Must Die

The coastal setting is beautiful - great protagonist and twist towards the end. I read this because I love the Suffolk coast, and the stretch near Aldeburgh in particular. The sense of place and descriptions of nature are beautiful, the area is almost a character in itself. I enjoyed the story as well: it's a real page-turner. Max, a retired Doctor carrying some personal weight, finds a body on the cliffs. When the police don't take it seriously, he ends up investigating himself. It's an enjoyable, pacey read not heavy literary fiction — perfect for a holiday or reading in the garden. I also learned a good amount about birdwatching from the book (giss!) - it reminded me a little of the way Joe Harkness writes about birds and mental health in Bird Therapy. I loved the balanced look at the issues around Sizewell, and how that feeds the underlying tensions. There is a big event towards the end, really surprised me how it was done - I won't spoil, but it was new to me in crime novels and really wraps the book up. If you enjoy light crime with a strong sense of place — the Shetland series comes to mind, and even the TV show Ludwig — this is well worth your time.

Love the book - it leaves the reader guessing ‘who done it’ right to the end. The description of the Suffolk coast is so accurate setting off wonderful memories of walking in the area enjoying the benefits of nature. Definitely written by a keen bird watcher. A real joy to read.

For those of us who have enjoyed the beautiful Suffolk coast and its surrounding areas, this book reminds us of the healing power of nature as it encourages us to to look up and out at nature, particularly when we are weighed down by our mental thoughts. Interspersed with this, is an interesting and at times surprising murder mystery which explores some of those difficult subjects which plague us all - anxiety, what are we capable of doing, does past trauma play itself out, can we recover after loss. It certainly kept me reading right to the very last page.

Had me hooked from the very first page, could not put the book down, read in four days. Excellent thriller which had me guessing trying to figure out "Who Done It". I have a lodge near the sea in beautiful Suffolk which made the book more intriguing which I could really relate to. Also learning so much about the wildlife and Suffolk folklore. Had me guessing - well I never would have thought it was........... Brilliant, bought a few more books for family and friends. Waiting for next book. Gilly Davies

An intelligently written mystery which kept me guessing right up to the end. The characters were very believable and I looked forward to picking up the story each evening. I particularly enjoyed the setting and the knowledgeable reference to birdlife.