She was going to die. She could feel it, her life ebbing away as surely as fine sand through fingers. France, 1963. It s a time of great change, not least for Inspector Lucas Rocco. As part of a nationwide initiative to broaden police operations, he finds himself moved from the Paris metropolis to a small village. His new patch might be rural, but it s certainly not uneventful: on his first day, he finds a murdered woman wearing a Gestapo uniform lying in a British military cemetery. When the body is removed by order of a magistrate from the police mortuary before Rocco can finish his investigation, he realizes he s up against a formidable enemy. An enemy who will go to any lengths even murder to stop his investigation.REVIEWS "Brilliant - you just cannot put it down...The gloomy, somber, atmospheric landscape of Picardie is brilliantly evoked and characters really come to life through the pages of this story...Magson is clearly onto a winner with this series. 5 stars!"Monsters & Critics"This book is so much fun...Magson is an experienced writer in this genre, which shows in the sheer, slick enjoyability of the read. From the opening, I was happy to place myself in his hands and allow him to manipulate my imagination."Historical Novels Review 'Taut and atmospheric - the fog that settles over the marsh land seeps into every corner of the narrative with its cold and faintly menacing presence. Magson has a spare and unfussy writing style that perfectly complements both the story and the location. Magson controls the pace of the story well and in Rocco he has a convincing and interesting protagonist.'Material Witness "The village and its inhabitants rapidly come alive. Magson's supporting cast of characters are well-drawn The book has an authentic French feel about it Magson skillfully draws the various threads of his story together in a very satisfactory manner. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next appearance of Lucas Rocco."Reviewing the Evidence"This first instalment of a planned series is a marvellous start...With rare panache, Magson weaves a complicated tale; simply told and very well written. A brilliant beginning...5 stars"Crime Squad"This book [is] special...With the war still fresh in local memories, there is a menace that underlines the story from the beginning. Not an in your face menace, but menace that builds inexorably a structured sense of unease that keeps the pages turning...For me this was a delicious read. I had no urge to turn the page too quickly, because every sentence was so carefully crafted that I wanted to relish each one. Adrian has captured the essence of the time and the place so perfectly that I swear I could smell Gauloise on the air each time I picked the book up almost to the point of expecting Inspector Maigret to turn up to discuss the case. But Rocco is no Maigret. He is edgier, harder. His own jungle war experiences have set him apart from others. A lone man, but not lonely, reliant on and confident in his own skills, he has an assuredness and honesty that you just know that whatever is thrown at him, he will win through...I don t often re-read books, but I ve already read this one twice and I suspect the pages will become worn with continuous use in the future."Mystery Women"Rocco is a likeable character. I took to him straight away...The lovely contrast between city slick and basic, rural living is played up time and time again to good effect. And as is befitting of the novel's title, we visit the marais area quite a few times and Magson gives his readers a sense of the place - its beauty but also its eeriness...The reader is kept hanging till the very last moment for all of the pieces to fall into place and the crime solved. A few red herrings and then all is revealed. The ending is excellent. 4-stars"The Bookbag"Reminiscent of Maigret, this book captures perfectly the rural atmosphere of France with nothing much changed since the end of the war. Rocco is a terrific character,