The Serpent Dance: A Twisty Murderous Midsummer Read

(Paperback)

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'The Wicker Man meets Rebecca, with darkly beautiful surroundings and mysterious, brooding locals - this is the perfect summer holiday read' - Fiona Leitch, bestselling author of the Jodie 'Nosey' Parker cozy crime series

On the Feast of St John the Cornish villagers of Trevennick dance around midsummer bonfires and make offerings to the river. It's not the sort of thing that appeals to Audrey Delaney, who is very much a city mouse. But when her (sort of, almost) boyfriend Noah whisks her away on a surprise trip to the West Country, she's determined to do the best she can to enjoy herself, if that's what it takes to remove the question mark from their relationship.

Then their first night ends in tragedy, and Audrey finds herself stuck in the back of beyond, embroiled in a police inquiry, and unsure who to trust. Not Noah, who obviously had an ulterior motive for bringing her here. And certainly none of the villagers: brooding mussel farmer Trevor, weirdly intense vicar Lamorna, and infuriatingly cocky and omnipresent jack-of-all-trades Griffin. She'll have to untangle the mysteries of this insular community quickly, though, because people are dying fast. The river will have its due...

Reviews

The Wicker Man meets Rebecca, with darkly beautiful surroundings and mysterious, brooding locals - this is the perfect summer holiday read, although it might unnerve you if youre spending it in deepest, darkest Cornwall I thoroughly enjoyed it!' - Fiona Leitch, bestselling author of the Jodie Nosey Parker cozy crime series

Like the famed serpent dance itself, Sofia Slaters story writhes its way to its climatic conclusion. Beguiling, well-written, with keen characterisation and moments of quiet humour, I recommend Karen Taylor, author of Fairest Creatures

Intriguing contemporary whodunnit ... author Slater creates a profoundly unsettling atmosphere ... mix of past and present, culture and calamity is quite charming' - Crime Fiction Lover

'Steeped in the traditions of Cornwall a novel with snippets offestivals and traditions, with tension and romancethrown in' - The Book Trail

The Gothic environment, at times evocative of some of the tales of Daphne du Maurier, is powerfully etched A curious blend of romance and crime, folk horror and John Dickson Carr-like meticulous mystery and sleuthing makes for a hybrid novel with much to enjoy - Crime Time

Praise for Auld Acquaintance

A strongly atmospheric book, with echoes of the conventions of the past, back beyond Christie ... Very well constructed, set, peopled and written' - Jeremy Black, The Critic

'Creepy and claustrophobic, it never loses its spell' - Geoffrey Wansell, Daily Mail

'Pretty much the perfect modern murder mystery' Ellery Lloyd, author of The Club

Author Bio

Sofia Slater was raised in the American West, and lived in France, Scotland and Oxford before settling in London. As well as writing fiction, she translates from French and Spanish.Her debut novel, Auld Acquaintance, was publisehd in 2022 to great acclaim; The Serpent Dance is her second.