Chief Inspector Cameron Fergus, known as Cam to family and friends, and his wife, Helen, are about to enjoy a relaxing picnic when he discovers a young man’s body in a shallow grave in the Forest of Dean. With the help of friend and retired criminal profiler, Sue Parsons, Cam and his team believe they have the right suspect on their list. Unfortunately, another body has been found, forcing the team to reassess their clues.

Murder in the Royal Forest of Dean, by Frances Powell, is the second book in the Chief Inspector Cam Fergus Mysteries, where the sleepy market town of Ross-on-Wye is rocked by devastating events once again. This time the Forest of Dean, a 110 square kilometres of ancient woodland, becomes the tragic resting place for two people.

Frances knows the area well and despite living the United States of America, makes regular visits to Ross, which give her stories a solid sense of place. She first visited Ross 25 years ago and Wilton Castle was the inspiration for her first mystery featuring the Chief Inspector, the page-turner, ‘Lady of the Wye’, a gripping tale of murder and intrigue set in the Wye Valley.

Scottish-born Chief Inspector, Cam Fergus, is the main character who accepts a transfer from the Met to Ross to wind down his career.

He believes that the sleepy market town will be the perfect place to escape the crimes that he has dealt with daily in London. Everything seemed to be idyllic, until the lazy summer afternoon when the Lady of the Wye surfaced.

Murder in the Royal Forest of Dean gives readers another cosy, but thrilling mystery story. There are plenty of clever red herrings, so it’s not an easy whodunit. The story also explores the relationships which develop between the detective and his team, as well as the relationship between Cam and his wife.

Murder in the Royal Forest of Dean is available as an ebook. The ending hints at another great mystery awaiting the no-nonsense investigator and his colleagues. Fans of the series will not be disappointed, and new readers will find Murder in the Royal Forest of Dean a solid standalone, which will probably make them want to search out Lady of the Wye which is available at Ross Library. Simply put, this is another good read from Frances Powell.