The Drowning Ground

James Marrison's chilling debut, The Drowning Ground, will plunge readers into of the secrets, fears and lies of a small community. Perfect for fans of hit TV series Broadchurch and The Missing. 'DARK, GRIPPING AND UNEXPECTED' LINWOOD BARCLAY *** A man is found dead near his home with a pitchfork through his neck. When DCI Guillermo Downes is called to the scene he realizes the victim is well known to him. A decade earlier, Downes made a promise to the families of two missing girls that he would find their daughters. Although cleared of any involvement, the dead man had been a suspect in their disappearance. And as the ripples from his death spread through the local community it happens to offer fresh hope that the detective might finally make good on his promise. But as Downes, tormented by his own troubled past, pursues the case alongside a new partner, Sergeant Graves, it soon becomes clear to them both that there's a darkness at the heart of the investigation more dreadful than either could ever have imagined. As past and present bind ever more tightly, Downes and Graves are forced to confront a terrible truth that lies just beneath the surface. *** Praise for The Drowning Ground: 'An Argentinian DCI in the heart of middle England brings a thoughtful outsider's viewpoint to a murder that has troubling links to unsolved crimes from the past. Guillermo Downes's intelligent, intuitive policework keeps the pages turning' Sunday Times 'An intriguing debut ... the plot [has] a strength and texture that help set it apart ... Taut and told with panache, it ushers in a suitably spiky police hero' Daily Mail 'Marrison's tense début expertly evokes a sense of place ... the highly unusual denouement will catch most readers by surprise' Publishers Weekly