This is my first time reading the work of M.J. Ford and “The Hiker” has guaranteed that I will be on the lookout for more by this author.

The pace was perfect, just fast enough that you wanted to keep reading and reading. The setting, a somewhat peculiar village in the Pennines in Northern England, was vividly described and, truth be told, just a tad unsettling – especially when the mist rolled in.This is the tale of two sisters, both of whom are in their early thirties. The eldest, Sarah is a successful lawyer working in London who is to be married very soon. The youngest, Gemma, has always been a bit of a loser in life and has become estranged from her sister after a fallout at their mother’s funeral. The girls had a dysfunctional upbringing, with a single mother who drank heavily.

When Gemma goes missing in the Pennines, Sarah travels north to help find her. Once there, Sarah finds many eccentric people and a story of another missing girl who vanished without trace sixteen years previously. Dubious characters, an old abandoned manor house, and some questionable police officers all add to the feeling of menace.

Alternate chapters give the point of view of Gemma, and the events that led up to her disappearance.

With a gripping narrative and a high-octane ending, this is a thriller that I can wholeheartedly recommend to all lovers of the genre.

This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Avon Books UK via NetGalley.      

ISBN: 9780008453350 – ASIN:‎ B08VS2MVM6 –  400 pages

Note: I read a digital advance reader’s copy of this novel which was riddled with typos and mistakes. I have to trust that the final proof has all of the corrections made.

M.J. Ford is a British mystery author from the North of England that is best known for his series of novels featuring Detective Jo Masters. Ford was born in 1980 and as a teenager, he went to Oxford University from where he studied English and the Classics. Over the years, he has worked at several editorial jobs.

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