Title: Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack #5)
Author: Alex Beecroft
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Publication Date: September 4, 2017
Genre: Contemporary, M/M Romance
Format: eBook, Print
Length: 245 pages / ~66,700 words
Rating: 3.5 Stars
synopsis
A Porthkennack Contemporary Novel
After a massive anxiety attack, Sam Atkins left his high-powered job in the City and committed himself to life on the road in a small van. Six months in, he’s running out of savings and coming to the conclusion that he might have to go home to his emotionally abusive family.
Needing time to think, he takes a walk through a copse by the Cornish roadside, only to stumble upon the body of a ritualistically killed sheep. As he’s trying to work out what the symbols around the animal mean, the sheep’s owner, Jennifer, and her nephew, Ruan Gwynn, come upon him.
Ruan is a kind-hearted young man with a large supportive clan, and since he and Sam feel almost instant attraction, he doesn’t want to believe Sam is a sheep-killing cultist. In fact, the moment he lays eyes on Sam’s miserable solitary life, he wants to rescue the man. But as the killings escalate, he and Sam need to stop whoever is actually to blame before they can concentrate on saving each other.
♦ Personal Thought ♦
I do feel – after reading a few of Alex Beecroft‘s books – that I’m quite familiar with the tone of her story. Foxglove Copse is not a happy book. Sam Atkins is still battling with his anxiety when an accidental walk put him in the middle of local clan’s machination. The incident also bring him face to face with an attractive young man, Ruan Gwynn. Of whom unexpected compassion and friendship gradually bring Sam’s self-confidence and sense of belonging back.
I could practically feel the gloomy air throughout the pages. Not only this book sets in a Cornish fictional town, it also takes time during winter. Combined with Sam’s way of life, the grey veil (and feeling) is pretty hard to ignore. Adding to those are the mystery involving ritualistic killings, notorious clan, cyber bullying, and the famous underground caves and tunnels. I liken this to a darker (and bloodier) shade of Famous Five adventure, with a side of love affair.
The budding romance between Sam and Ruan is inevitable, I get that. And yet, the speed at which it develops is just too rushed. Also, I’m not quite sure if Sam’s ability to tell fortune – for lack of other word – is legit other than lending paranormal feel to the story. I like that Sam’s personal problem’s not just resolved in matter of second, but that the healing process is in progress. However, mystery-wise, the conclusion feels a bit anticlimactic (I mean, after the body count in human and animal form, I was expecting a harsher punishment! blood-thirsty reader that I am). But overall, this book is a nice addition to the books of Porthkennack’s universe I’ve read so far.
Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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