The Snowdonia Killings: A Snowdonia Murder Mystery Book 1 (A DI Ruth Hunter Crime Thriller)

Product Information

Teaming up with an obstinate deputy, Ruth struggles to eliminate suspects from a long line of . But she’s forced to tear up her shortlist when they discover another slain victim with the same cryptic markings… A small-town murder. A big city detective. Can she unravel the grisly trail of clues before the killer strikes again? Book three in the Laura Hart series is already written, and will be published in June 2023. Simon’s deal is for six Laura Hart outings: her Anglesey sleuthing is set to throw a national spotlight on the island in ways it could never have imagined.

The first two books in the Anglesey crime series written by Wrexham author Simon McCleave and featuring hostage negotiator Laura Hart I was flattered when Harper Collins called my agent. It turned my head! There’s a lot of snobbery in the publishing world – the big book festivals won’t have independents. I’m now getting plenty of bookings, which is very welcome.” Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter lives with the pain of her partner’s unsolved disappearance. Now pushing fifty, the veteran police officer trades in the crime-ridden streets of London for a more peaceful post in rural North Wales. But Ruth has barely settled in when the body of a teacher is discovered… with strange symbols carved into her skin.

Starting a new life in Snowdonia was always DI Ruth Hunter's dream. Until a twisted killer turned it into her worst nightmare. All were independently published by Simon, 53, a former Hollywood scriptwriter who has worked on TV shows such as Silent Witness, Midsomer Murders, EastEnders and The Bill. After moving to Worthenbury, near Wrexham, he worked as a teacher before writing his debut novel, The Snowdonia Killings. With such a complex case, and all the red herrings the author sends your way, guessing who the killer is turns out to be very difficult. The ending is surprising, moving and hard hitting. However, after the reveal there’s a long section of exposition which didn’t quite fit the rest of the storytelling. Perhaps Simon McCleave wanted to tie up as many loose ends as possible, but he could easily have left some of them hanging.

Love North Wales as much as we do? Sign up to our newsletter for all the best stories from the region. With film projects, everything always remains in development until the last minute," he said. "When it comes together, things suddenly go a bit crazy." In under three years, his books have collectively sold 1.5 million copies, an impressive feat for an independent publisher. Simon’s deal with publishing giant Harper Collins was a game-changer, giving him much greater reach. “My books are now in Waterstones, WH Smith and independent stores,” he said. “It’s given me access to a new and bigger audience.Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter lives with the pain of her partner’s mysterious and unsolved disappearance. About to hit fifty, the veteran police officer trades in the crime-ridden streets of London for a more peaceful life in rural North Wales. But Ruth has barely settled into her new position in North Wales Police, when the body of a brutally murdered woman is discovered…with strange symbols carved into her skin. Teaming up with an obstinate deputy, Ruth struggles to eliminate anyone from a long line of suspects. When another slain victim is discovered with the same cryptic markings, she’s forced to re-think the investigation.