"The best in the series so far… Booth achieves the most satisfactory fusion yet of those elements which make him distinctive - atmospheric intensity, living landscape, strong central characterisation, all put at the service of that sine qua non of the crime novel, a powerful well plotted story… Readers will finish the book with that contradictory sense of delight and disappointment - delight at having enjoyed such a complete and rounded experience, and disappointment that it's over! With Blood on the Tongue, Mr Booth is fully into his stride… This is one dark star we will see burning ever more brightly in the crime-writing firmament for years to come."
- Reginald Hill, creator of the Dalziel and Pascoe series

"Stephen Booth is one of the hottest crime writers around. Brilliantly mixing a baffling mystery with a psychological edge, this terrifying, twisting tale is sure to win him even more fans."
- Kate Mills, Mystery and Thriller Club

"Blood on the Tongue by Stephen Booth, and Dancing with the Uninvited Guest, by J Wallis Martin, two leading lights of British crime writing, tread similar psychological ground. In both novels, mood and character are as important as plot. Booth's Peak District-set thriller sees three bodies discovered in mysterious circumstances, initiating a painstaking investigation through an icy northern winter."
- Maxim Jakubowksi, The Guardian

"This is a book of retribution and reconciliation, of revenge and forgiveness. Blood on the Tongue is powerful and atmospheric and Stephen Booth does a wonderful job of describing the stark, cold landscape of the Peak District in January... Despite the fact that this is a dark book, there are touches of warmth and humour to melt the ice. Stephen Booth is excellent at characterisation. Whether these are series characters or just one sentence sketches, they are memorable, and none more so than the setting which becomes a living, breathing character in its own right. The plot is an intertwining of past and present that is really well done. Only at the very end does it become clear how all the threads interweave, and they are tied up in a very satisfying way. This is a series which started out well and just gets better."
- Mystery Addicts

"Excellent description, extremely strong characterisation, a superb plot and the whole book has more than a touch of "everydayness" that allows the reader to become involved from the first page to the last. A first-class crime thriller, 424 pages of superb writing. Stephen Booth doesn’t write fast enough – having finished "Blood on the Tongue", I can’t wait to read his next book."
- Phoenix Book Reviews

"Plotting and characterisation to the full in a murder mystery which effortlessly manages complex lines of development. A delicious exercise in nervous nostalgia… I’d highly recommend this book for readers who are looking for the more literate crime thriller."
- The Scotsman

"Another very good novel, with the bleak background of the Peak District playing its part in creating an atmosphere of tension and isolation."
- Susanna Yager, Sunday Telegraph

"Intricately plotted and teeming with singular, fully formed secondary players, Blood on the Tongue is arguably Booth's most ambitious and mature work to date -- a novel that compares favorably with those of his fellow Brits Ian Rankin and Val McDermid."
- January Magazine

"A complex and fascinating tale. The subtlety of characterisation, density of plot, powerful distillation of atmosphere, intimate local knowledge and the author’s serious exploration of issues, both moral and philosophical, elevate this book into the realms of the serious novel."
- Nottingham Evening Post

"It haunted my dreams all night. I found myself deeply affected by the mood, the history of the Peak plane crashes, the growing vulnerability of the characters. The ending totally blew me away. A truly good and "genuine" book."
- rec.arts.mystery

"Booth’s story is steeped in danger and darkness, and you can’t help but be lured in."
- Northern Echo

"A gripping tale which further enhances Stephen Booth’s reputation as a top-notch thriller writer."
- Derby Trader

"Mysteries and murders, past and present, interweave in this much better than average detective tale."
- Irish News

Read the reviews of 'Black Dog'

Read the reviews of 'Dancing with the Virgins'

Back to Stephen Booth Home Page