Martha Strangeways was an investigative reporter, but that career ended when a tragic house fire killed her young twin children. Struggling through life one day at a time, her sole focus is her teenage son, Dougie, until his close friend Fraser disappears. When she stumbles across the body while walking in the woods, she can’t help but be drawn into the situation – not just because the missing boy was her son’s friend, but the fact that for some reason, the killer has written a verse of a poem on Fraser’s back – a poem about crows.

When a second teenager, also with links to Dougie, disappears, darkness and paranoia spread across the village of Strathbran as the Crow Moon approaches. What is the killer’s ultimate goal – because the poem in question has four verses. And given that Fraser had verse two written on his back, where is verse one?

So, if you follow me on Twitter, Blue Sky or Instagram (it’s @classicmystery on the last one), you’ll know I’ve been up in the wilds of Scotland for the past week or so, surrounded by sheep, buzzards, eagles and Merlin. Sorry, a merlin – it’s a small bird of prey. Almost certainly not an ancient wizard in disguise. Anyway, on the trip, we stopped at Fort William and obviously visited The Highland Bookshop because, well, it’s a bookshop. I picked up a couple of books at random that were set relatively locally. Both were from authors that I’d not heard of and the second book… well, maybe I’ll get into it one day, but the first chapter did not inspire me. However, the first chapter of Crow Moon… well, I could not put this book down.

There is so much to praise about this book. The characterisation of Martha, as she finds a way out of her grief, is beautiful, and her relationship with her outspoken best friend is a highlight too. The atmosphere hanging over everything is almost tangible. We see bits from the killer’s point of view, but nothing about it is prurient. The insights into the killer’s point of view and the voice in their head (or is it?) adds a level of threat and bewilderment about the tale. And it also raises the issue about whether there is a supernatural element at play.

That idea might put some readers off, but let me say, as with Kate Ellis’ Joe Plantagenet series, anything questionable only enhances the book. Because this is also a meticulously plotted book with everything being there for a reason, everything tying together. I spotted the killer, but only at the point where I think I was supposed to spot them, but it’s not really a puzzle whodunnit. But that’s hardly important.

In case you couldn’t tell, I loved this book – why has no one been shouting (near me at least) about this one? Well, I’ll start now. If you want an atmospheric creepy mystery with strong leads and satisfying themes, then why not give this one a try? It’s an absolute cracker.