The Mayfly
By James Hazel
Published by Zaffre (15 June 2017)
Publisher's description
A mutilated body discovered in the woods.
A murderous plan conceived in the past.
A reckoning seventy years in the making . . .
When lawyer Charlie Priest is attacked in his own home by a man searching for information he claims Priest has, he is drawn into a web of corruption that has its roots in the last desperate days of World War Two.
When his attacker is found murdered the next day, Priest becomes a suspect and the only way to clear his name is to find out about the mysterious House of Mayfly - a secret society that people will kill for.
As Priest races to uncover the truth, can he prevent history from repeating itself?
A murderous plan conceived in the past.
A reckoning seventy years in the making . . .
When lawyer Charlie Priest is attacked in his own home by a man searching for information he claims Priest has, he is drawn into a web of corruption that has its roots in the last desperate days of World War Two.
When his attacker is found murdered the next day, Priest becomes a suspect and the only way to clear his name is to find out about the mysterious House of Mayfly - a secret society that people will kill for.
As Priest races to uncover the truth, can he prevent history from repeating itself?
My verdict
The Mayfly is a fast-paced crime thriller. My interest was piqued from beginning to end and I found myself racing through the final chapters, with no idea how the jigsaw pieces would slot into place.
The author has clearly done his research and developed a multilayered and complex plot. But knowing a lot about Holocaust, I would have liked a few more flashbacks to convey the horrors of that time - particularly conditions in the camp and the experimentation that was at the heart of the book's story. There was some of this in the early chapters, but I felt more background would have helped to explain further the whole 'how and why' of the plot (i.e. the development of the secret society).
Charlie Priest is intriguing, quirky and likeable, clearly shaped by events in his past (including his serial killer brother), plus there were some other great memorable characters too. Although the book covers serious issues, there were a few well-placed lighter moments to break up the darkness.
Overall, The Mayfly was an enjoyable read - an impressive debut and a great start to a new series. Looking forward to the next Charlie Priest book to see how the characters, and series, develop.
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