Doom Creek

Nick Chester #2

by Alan Carter

Keine Ruhe am Marlborough Sound. Sergeant Nick Chester und Constable Latifa Rapata haben gleich doppelten Ärger. Eine Horde US-Amerikaner fällt in Neuseeland ein und kauft Land, um dort eine Luxusfestung für einen superreichen ultrarechten Amerikaner zu etablieren, der nebenbei ein kleines Reich für »Arier« errichten will. Ganz Doomsday Prepper will er hier den erwarteten Untergang der übrigen Menschheit aussitzen. Unter seinen bis an die Zähne bewaffneten Helfershelfern ist ein besonders fieses Scheusal, das Nick Chester und seine Kollegin aus dem Spiel nehmen müssen. Aber dann taucht eine Leiche auf, die auf einen cold case verweist oder vielmehr auf mehrere ungelöste Mordfälle …

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Thriller

Paperback

Published August 16, 2021

About the author

Alan Carter is an award-winning crime author and sometimes television documentary director. His Cato Kwong series – Prime Cut, Getting Warmer and Bad Seed – has been published in the UK, France, Germany and Spain. His latest novel, Marlborough Man, is set in New Zealand. Alan was born in Sunderland, UK and immigrated to Australia in 1991. These days he divides his time between his house near the beach in Fremantle and a hobby farm up a remote valley in New Zealand. In his spare time he follows a black line up and down the local swimming pool. Alan Carter has won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel (2018) and the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction (2011).

Reviews

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a doomsday prepper story and having one set in New Zealand was super exciting! Sergeant Nick Chester is dealing with some pretty aggressive gun-toting American survivalists who are preparing for the end of days in the Marlborough Sounds. There is nothing they are doing to break the law but something doesn't feel right with the facility they are creating and some vandalism happening in the area. I found the story to be really engaging but would have liked to see a different ending. Still really entertaining.

CW: suicide, sexual assault

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I have previously enjoyed Alan Carter’s writing in his Cato Kwong series and Doom Creek, the second book in the Nick Chester series, didn’t let me down.
I was pulled into the story from the first few pages. The action never stops in this gritty crime novel and just when you think Carter has thrown everything at his main character he throws in another murder and a couple of personal tragedies for Nick to cope with.
Doom Creek is a must read for crime fans. Real characters, dark humour and the beautiful scenery of Havelock in the Marlborough district of New Zealand make this an entertaining read.
Thank you to Beauty & Lace book club for my copy to read

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this current political climate, the rise of the ugly, radicalised individual is all too real, and the reflection of this in quiet, idyllic New Zealand somehow more shocking. Drafted originally before the appalling Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, Alan Carter has chosen to (in his words from the acknowledgement) foreshadow the the inevitable consequences of toxic ideology and the ready availability of military style weapons. Likewise for the rural Australian location that I live in, he comments that you can't help but be aware that guns are everywhere, but luckily for us and New Zealand, there doesn't seem to be the fetish about them. Again in his words, they are tools, plain and simple. A necessary requirement for farmers, but always available for anybody who is prepared to take advantage of that. It's an issue that needs constant awareness and consideration.

Given the sub-text and the issues that are addressed in DOOM CREEK, readers will find that there is nothing preachy, heavy-handed or overt about the messaging. With his normal careful hand, clever pacing, and nicely pitched combination of personal and professional, Carter is the sort of author who can deliver a well-timed reminder without having to resort to lecturing. Built into the nastiness of the ideology and idiocy, there's a compassionate family story of a couple with a disabled son, and a man in law-enforcement for all the right reasons. There's what appears to be run of the mill murder and mayhem, disappearance and random acts of vandalism. There's also an undercurrent of something really peculiar going on, something very threatening and disturbing. Nick Chester is fond of the quiet life, but not enough to step away when wrongs are committed or being planned. He's a person that's trying to do right by his family and his community, occasionally blundering his way into a heap of pain that he probably could have avoided. This time there's something a bit more going on with him as well, something that really does make you wonder sometimes if author's hate their central protagonists, or just want to give them the rounds of the kitchen every now again to remind them who is in charge.

Nick's life, his family, the crew he works with, his neighbours and the beautiful place that he works in were introduced to readers in the first book in the series, MARLBOROUGH MAN and it would definitely help if readers had read that book. Chester's got a complicated backstory, and the reasons why he is in New Zealand, and what happened to him and his family once he arrived is useful to know about (and it's an excellent book).

Having said that, you don't need to worry too much though, DOOM CREEK will mostly stand on its own. There's plenty of issues to chew over when reading this book, and there's enough hints about the backstory and recent past to keep new readers from getting lost. Having said that, if you're new to any of Alan Carter's books then you're in for a treat. Start with this Nick Chester series and then track down the Cato Kwong series. Then you can join the rest of us, standing by for wherever he takes us next.


https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...

[Anne Fenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best read of 2021 so far, this is a further chapter in the story of Detective Nick Chester, on flight from UK crims, ending up in the top of the South Island, NZ. Book 1 had some wildly funny moments in it, Book 2 is more straight out danger for quite a few people involved. There are very nasty bits I skimmed over, not too many. The plot involves incomers to the valley, dodgy high powered US figures, deaths and disappearances. The author lives in Tasmania but rustles up a very compelling dose of NZ noir here.

[maskedbookblogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bei dem Thriller „Doom Creek“ handelt es sich um den zweiten Fall für Chester und Latifa. Spielend in Neuseeland erwartet das Ermittlerduo gleich doppelter Stress. Ein Horde US-Amerikaner entscheidet sich dazu, Land in Neuseeland zu erwerben, um auf diesem Land ein kleines Reich für Arier zu errichten. Dort wollen die Menschen bis zum Ende der Menschheit aussitzen. Als wäre dies nicht schlimm genug, taucht zudem noch eine Leiche auf, die Indizien hinsichtlich eines Cold Cases sowie zahlreicher weiterer Morde aufweist. Ein doppelter Stress beginnt.
Australische Thriller sind schon was Besonderes. Mit neuseeländischen Thriller hatte ich bisher sehr wenig Kontakt, sodass ich mit viel Begeisterung diesem Thriller begegnet bin, da Neuseeland als Land noch auf meiner Reiseliste steht.
In das Buch bin ich mit leichten Startproblemen eingestiegen. Schon ein gutes Viertel des Buches habe ich gebraucht, um mich mit den Figuren vertraut zu machen. Teilweise hatte ich auch das Gefühl, dass mir enorm viel Hintergrundwissen zu den Figuren sowie Beziehungen gefehlt hat, sodass es bei meinem Lesefluss des Öfteren zu „HÄ? –Momenten“ kam. Deswegen schlage ich Euch direkt jetzt vor, sich mit dem ersten Band vertraut zu machen, damit ihr keine Probleme mit den Figuren wie ich habt.
Vom Schreibstil her fand ich das Buch aber grandios. Der Autor beschreibt die Szenerie von Neuseeland sehr bildhaft und atmosphärisch, sodass ich enormes Fernweh schon hatte. Aber auch Spannung gelingt es dem Autor gut hervorzubringen, indem er auf kurze, schnelle Sätze zurückgreift. Dadurch entsteht auch ein gutes Tempo, welches zum gesamten Plot gut passt. Außerdem fand ich den doppelten Fall spannend, da es einerseits um den cold case, aber anderseits auch um den Konflikt mit den US-Amerikanern. Indirekt wird hiermit auch ein gesellschaftlicher Konflikt angesprochen, welcher in diesem Buch interessant umgesetzt worden ist. Schlussendlich kann ich sagen, dass das Buch mir ganz gut gefallen hat und ich mir bald den ersten Band nochmal zur Gemüte ziehen möchte.
Fazit: Insgesamt ist der Thriller „Doom Creek“ ein guter Thriller, welcher besonders durch den Schreibstil aber auch Plot bei mir punkten konnte. Das Problem mit den Charakteren geht somit auch auf meine Kappe. Somit bewerte ich das Buch mit 3,5 Sternen, Tendenz nach oben.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This follow-up to Carter’s award-winning Marlborough Man (2017) has everything: from a moving family drama through backwoods feuding to international conspiracy, all set in a quiet backwater (?) of the glorious Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. You would think this would be stretching the envelope of credibility, but no, this book really does press all those buttons. It’s a thoughtful view of the world from a charmed place in it while also being a thoroughly gripping page-turning thriller.
Thanks to the publishers, Fremantle Press, for an advance copy of this book, a title that was already high on my list of Must Reads for this year.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these novels set in Marlborough, nz. Great mystery to solve, easy to read and a real connection for me with the book mentioning Pelorus, canvas town, and blenheim!

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in New Zealand, in what should be an idyllic back water, the plot proves that not even New Zealand is safe from the underworld and those who use money to get what they want. Several plot strands intertwine to prevent Nick Chester from focussing just on local issues and local policing.

I think it helps to have read the first in this series, which I had.

[Karyn Tait · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doom Creek – Alan Carter

Set in the Malborough Sounds on the South Island of New Zealand, Sergeant Nick Chester is investigating a multifaceted crime.

This is the first novel I have read from Alan Carter, but it is his fifth published novel and his second Nick Chester novel.

Set in rural New Zealand, Nick Chester is a policeman from the UK who has moved across the world with his wife and Son to escape a violent criminal. In this novel, he certainly encounters more of the same, although some in unlikely places. The book includes gold prospectors, Doomsday preppers and a religious sect.

The story starts slowly and I found it hard to get in to until about the last 75 pages, and even then, although the actual “crime” part of the novel concludes, it is certainly left open for further character development.

Alan Carter is a descriptive writer who is able to paint a picture well and allow the reader to fully immerse themselves in the scene. For me, it was a little too descriptive, but this is personal preference.

As a reader who enjoys crime novels, the plot of this novel was interesting and evolved gradually, however I personally would not describe it as a page turner.

The reader is certainly introduced appropriately to all the characters, although I found it difficult to follow some of the conversations, often having to re-read the paragraph to figure out who was talking. This was perhaps due to unfamiliarity with the authors style of writing.

Overall, I would rate this the 3/5.

[Averil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Carter's second book in the Nick Chester series, and like the first it is set in and around Havelock in Marlborough Sounds, at the top of New Zealand's South Island.
I really enjoyed the first book, and this was just as good. Chester runs the Havelock police station. In this book, he's battling some new residents in the area from the US who have brought in some militia thinking and bullying tactics. Of course, bodies soon start turning up…
The book is so wonderfully Kiwi, and my familiarity with the region makes it even more enjoyable (we camped in the Sounds every summer). I love how Nick and his sidekick Latifa are always closing up the station to pop to Havelock bakery for a hot drink and some sort of baked treat. In fact, food kind of dominates the book, with casual police interviews held over beers, mussels, pizzas, baked slices, coffees, date scones…it was a lovely feature of the book that made it feel very real. I don't know if this reflects the true nature of small-town policing in NZ, but it's a nice thought nonetheless!
There were a few plot points I guessed fairly early on but mostly it was very well written and kept me reading.
You don't need to have read the first book, Marlborough Man, to enjoy this, but the extra depth in the character arcs does add to it. Carter has a decent backlist published by Freemantle Press so that's next while I wait for him to turn out another Chester story.


Please shop at your local independent bookstore.
Follow me at www.instagram.com/avrbookstuff.

[Kathy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second Nick Chester book set in N Z. Action packed reading, very topical ( doomsday, far right conspiracy theorists) set in beautiful New Zealand. A page turner.

[Suzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Some muddled links towards the end of the story but overall an enjoyable crime read

[Mike Taverner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot gets a bit complicated at times, but I enjoyed the Kiwi-ness of the book. Again it is a local cop with an extraordinary work load

[Martyn Tilse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why does it thrill? But it does! Reading a fictional story set in the real world. Set in your real world. Somewhere you've actually been. So when the story took me to "The Mussel Pot", a cafe in Havelock, New Zealand, the "Green Lipped Mussel Capital of the World", I was thrilled with delight. My brain was shouting, Oh my god I've been there! I sat at those tables! I ate those mussels! And by cracky, I did. My wife and I were tourists in the Marlborough Sound region of the South Island of New Zealand back in 2006.

We were there long before Sergeant Nick Chester moved in with his wife Vanessa and son Paulie. My wife and I spent two leisurely weeks exploring Nelson, Blenheim, Canvastown, Picton and Havelock. All charming, peaceful, law abiding little towns. We even skipped round the fairy-like walk at Pelorus Bridge. A wonderful and beauteous stay in a sweet little country where the biggest pest was the foolishly introduced Australian possum.

Alan Carter is a dab hand at detective thrillers and his latest, "Doom Creek" reflects his natural talent. Alan, like Nick, was born in Sunderland in the United Kingdom but, unlike Nick, emigrated by choice and not to avoid being targeted by gangsters. Alan currently lives somewhere south of Hobart in Tasmania while Nick's whereabouts, at the end of "Doom Creek", is less certain.

Sergeant Nick Chester works in a vastly different Marlborough Sound to the one my good wife and I motored round all those years ago. Things have changed and for the worse. A hunting lodge of redneck, madcap Americans has moved in, just up the road, in Nick's own exquisite home valley. Part of the real-life influx of cashed up Americans who see New Zealand as safer than God's Own Country, post-Trump, and good soil in which to plant their guns and selfish libertarianism. Nick's not thrilled by them but live and left live. High level politics seem to be one ingredient of the mash.

And out of the blue a bizarre cold case pops up in this pristine wilderness. Nick gets the case but only because he's a small town cop and the big guys from Nelson have bigger problems on their minds. Perfect! And on and on the complex and well written story whirs.

All the characters fit nicely into our expectations of an off-the-grid rural, and feral, New Zealand with a jostling mix of Maori and Pakeha. Not all are good, not even the heroes, and, of course, not all the evil doers are entirely bad. Way it should be!

Sergeant Nick Chester is not without his own saddle-bags and as you might expect in a cop who doesn't always refer to his rule book, he does make life hard for himself at times. Still there's an underlying tough love that does seem to be part of the matrix in life in small places.

After I had finished "Doom Creek", I had to watch our CD of photographs from our New Zealand holiday just to convince myself that what I had just read was pure fiction. It was. Just that. Good pure fiction.

[Martin Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is pretty obvious from the number of awards he has won that Alan Carter knows how to write good crime fiction. Doom Creek is no different, with an escalating body count and a mix of new and interesting ways for people to die coupled with some historical similarities. It will keep you guessing, and although this is #2 in the Nick Chester books it stands alone and nothing is lost if you have not read the first.
One thing that did irk me was why? Not why the murder, but why the particulars of it. To avoid spoiling I won't elaborate, but after you have read it consider this when planning your own murders. There are two types. One, to make a public statement and leave the bashed body on display in a public place. And the second, to bury them in the backwoods someplace and hope they are never found. A writer needs to be sure which is which.
What Alan Carter does exceptionally well is to create a sense of place, and it is done without being overly descriptive. In a scene where late in the day they are outdoors the sandflies are so real, but are mentioned only in passing. Likewise the forest, the rain, the brilliant sunshine that can occasionally make life in places of rain, sandflies and forest worth living.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this as much as the first Nick Chester. I had to plough my way through it, tempted to give up a few times. Nick is a local cop in the north of New Zealand's South Island. Because I've spent time in the area I could visualise the beautiful scenery but I didn't think that the author used descriptions very well to create a sense of place. The main emphasis seemed to be on Nick himself and his family and how they have been and continue to be affected by the evils that some people inflict on others.

There are two main crimes - one in the present (it is particularly gruesome) and one cold case. There is also a group of Americans who have arrived in the area to set up some kind of hideaway. It is unclear until a fair way through the novel whether they are or are not involved in the murders. I found the behaviour of characters in this group inconsistent and therefore unconvincing.

As is often the case, what I've just read before influences my response. My previous crime novel was Mischance Creek by Garry Disher. A similar title but in all important ways very different. Carter can't compete with Disher in his creation of setting or convincing plots and his writing style is much more ponderous. Yes, I'm being harsh, I know others have enjoyed this.

[Lesley Shears · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really is unputdownable – I finished it at 3 am one night. Alan Carter was born in Sunderland and lives in Australia but he is equally adept at a New Zealand setting - the landscape, the small town mentality, the ‘backwoods’ settlers, the gold miners, the Mãori people and their culture. Best of all, he has a great ear for dialogue which brings the characters to vivid life.
Sergeant Nick Chester is already disgruntled by the get-rich-quick chancers hoping to find gold in the valley where he lives with his wife and son. Add to this a film crew, a landslide, old scores to be settled, revenge for cold crimes and a survivalist cult with big plans. What begins as a minor run-in with an entitled American becomes a full-scale conflict with an end-of-days group.
Along the way the author touches on the environmental damage in New Zealand due to logging – he describes the landscape as ‘yin and yang: paradise around one corner, Mordor the next’.
This is the first book I have read by Alan Carter but joy oh joy! There is an earlier Nick Chester novel and four books set in Australia yet to be read.

[Jo | Booklover Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doom Creek is an engaging combination of small-town policing, grisly murder investigation and family-life drama, with a hefty dose of stinging geopolitical and social commentary.

Alan Carter’s lead character Nick Chester is a rough-diamond that really appealed to me. Despite being jaded by what life has thrown at him, the instinct to right wrongs still burns strong. Nick is stubborn and pig-headed, usually to his own detriment, which makes for some tense moments and page-turning passages. Admirably though, he owns his personal failings and cares deeply for his family; conversations with his son who has Down’s syndrome, often providing much-needed perspective. Chester’s feisty Maori cop shop colleague Constable Latifa Rapata and her propensity to call a spade a shovel was a breath of fresh air also. Continue reading >> https://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/...

[Marj · Rating 4 out of 5]

A body is found in a cool room, part of a body is unearthed after a landslide and Sergeant Nick Carter is facing some health issues.

Alan Carter is a really good writer. I am immersed in the places he describes, the dialogue is on point, characters interesting, layered and well developed. I just find he pushes the boundaries of believability too far or this would be a 5 star for me, particularly in respect to Nick Carter. There is no way Nick would be investigating incidents that he is personally involved in. Still, I don't mind hanging out with Nick, along with his sarcasm, humour and fallabilities. Am wishing him a speedy recovery so we can continue tramping the moutains of New Zealand,

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and fast paced follow up to Marlborough Man. It brings the charms of the Marlborough and Nelson regions face to face with the ugliness of right wing christian end of days American preppers with a love of guns and far too much money using New Zealand to build their dystopian dream, feuding neighbours and brutal crimes. Nick Chester and his colleague Constable Latifa Rapata continue to spar with wit and a solid underlying friendship while trying to deal with a hell of a lot of violence directed at their community, themselves and their families. A very exciting, tense read with a good underlying social / political commentary and reflection that what is going on in the world right now affects us all.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think these two were worth reading, but despite them seeming from the surface like something right up my alley, I didn’t altogether *like* them all that much. They were different, which is nice. But there was an uneasy feeling looming behind even the more positive interactions and relationships. I never really warmed up to the lead character, or even felt I could place much trust in him. Most of the feelings the books inspired were somewhat negative ones. So it was a bit of a strange experience. But, for all I know that was the author’s intention to keep the reader uneasy. I would rather read these than poorly written and predictable books. But I would also prefer to actually enjoy a few more aspects in a story.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received my copy of Doom Creek by Alan Carter from a Better Reading giveaway. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Carter's two main characters were believable and likeable. Sargeant Nick Chester and Constable Latifa are stationed in the usually quite Marlborough Sounds town of Havelock. Their mundane duties are suddenly upended by the arrival of a group of unpleasant Americans who make their presence known by upsetting both the police and the general population.
When an earthquake uncovers the top half of partially decomposed body Nick and Latifa are joined by their Nelson colleagues. Where is the remainder of the body, and when did this murder occur? As the hypotheses change so too does the focus of the investigation.
Meanwhile Nick must face his health and marital problems. When his family is dragged into the investigation he relocates to Nelson and then the police house in Havelock. Latifa also is targeted by the murderer.
Carter brings all the contemporary issues into this novel from gun control to environmental concerns, gangs to cults, development versus sustainability, sexual abuse to neighbourhood disagreements. An excellent police procedural! Looking forward to reading carters other novels.

[Anna Loder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was such a shame for the book to have been created independently from the Christchurch mosque shootings. I assumed it had been inspired by them, but I read the first draft had been written beforehand. I completely loved the armchair romp through the Marlborough Sounds, ‘the dark dead world of pines giving way to native vegetation and trees...’ I loved all the cups of tea and coffee, all the bakery treats, I was so jealous of all the biscuits and pies they were eating! There were a lot of characters to keep ahold of, and I did have to keep reminding myself of them all- there’s one cold case and so many present details..crime isn’t really my bag unfortunately, but I did enjoy it!

[James England · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doom Creek is another great crime fiction from Western Australian author Alan Carter. I have followed his books since his first novel Prime Cut and I believe he continues to grow as a writer. His strength is his settings. Having lived both in Perth and spent time on the South Island of New Zealand, i really appreciate the details and idiosyncracies which define these places. In Doom Creek I get that same sense of place, which includes the strange and unique characters that inhabit them. The plots are fast paced and challenging, with enough clues and red herrings along the way to engage the reader right up until the end. I look forward to his next book.

[Gunnar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick Chester, ein Cop aus Sunderland, hat inzwischen aufgrund massiver Bedrohungen in der Heimat einen Job als Polizist in einer vermeintlich beschaulichen Gegend auf der Südinsel Neuseelands. Doch auch in seinem zweiten Fall wird es alles andere als beschaulich. Ein Goldsucher wird ermordet aufgefunden und Nick ist nicht unverdächtig, hatte er doch einen Streit mit dem Mann. Des Weiteren stört eine merkwürdige Doomsday-Prepper-Gruppe aus den USA die Ruhe und eine alte, vergrabene Leiche taucht auf.
Insgesamt gut geschrieben, der Plot vielleicht eine Spur zu komplex, mit zu vielen Strängen. Aber interessante Figuren und ein überzeugender Schauplatz.

[Ayesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd never read any Alan Carter books before, but now I've been introduced to ( Sergeant ) Nick Chester I'm gonna have to go back and read Marlborough Man...
"Doom Creek" - what an amazing title! This is an intriguing story well told with believable characters, which left me wanting to know more about Nick and his life.
My favourite character was Nicks' son Paul ( not Paulie!) who helps to humanise an otherwise somewhat (emotionally) cool cop.
I'll definitely be checking out more by Alan Carter

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, and what an unexpected little gem this was. Nick Chester #1 was a very good read but this even better. The writing style of this author is excellent - it's very easy / familiar and a very clever plot that carefully reveals itself right up until the final chapter. This book had 2 strong loosely interconnected plots interwoven with the family of Nick Chester. It concluded well but the sub-plot was left open for another sequel (which I'll eagerly await). Great read and highly recommended. And before you ask, yes you should read Chester #1 first.

[Giovanna Walker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well that was quick. For me it was the sense of humour that fell SO flat. I wasn't laughing, it was annoying. The inner voice of the cop, ugh. ...'Rai Valley - it was a one-horse town but the horse bolted years ago.' There are numerous other comedy 'gems' that just weren't funny & didn't help the narrative.
The writing itself, for me it was rather verbose, I felt like it needed another edit to make it tighter.
A NZ setting which is why I wanted to read it, the premise sounding interesting. The execution. Ooof.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doom Creek by Alan Carter is a follow-up novel to Marlborough Man featuring Sergeant Nick Chester. I haven't read the first novel, but I will certainly be looking for it.
This read well as a stand-alone novel, enough information was given to keep new readers in the loop. This was a cracking novel set in New Zealand and I'll certainly be looking for more of this author's books.
Thanks to BetterReading for an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Shirley Mckinnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

We loved Marlborough Man, one of the best New Zealand detective novels I have read. It really captures the essence of the New Zealand country-side. We have been waiting for the next in the Nick Chester series to arrive and here it is, Doom Creek. Same characters, same country side, different villains and a few more interesting locals. Excellent series. Fun plot and good twists. And you really connect with all the characters. And here we are again, waiting for the next one.