I greatly enjoyed DI Ford’s first outing in Shallow Ground. Ford possesses my requisites for an interesting literary detective: an interesting personal life and a clearly drawn personality. Shallow Ground started with a bang in the form of the brutal murder of a mother and a child. Land Rites had a somewhat gentler start, although it is not too long until we encounter the first body which has the added fascination of being unidentifiable as the corpse is without head, arms or feet. Ford is called in to investigate the murder and when it becomes clear whose body it is he is on borrowed time to get the case investigated and closed. The spotlight is turned on the local landowning family…There is a lot about this series to enjoy - Ford is a very interesting character. He thinks he caused his wife’s death (and it seems others might agree) and has become overprotective of his teenage son. As a relatively new DI he is learning how to manage his staff and to fit into a structure which is becomes particularly difficult when it is clear someone is leaking information. In Land Rites Ford is further conflicted as his need to protect his son is clearly beginning to compromise how he runs the investigation. Initially I didn’t feel particularly engaged in the story - rich entitled landowners versus local crime gangs didn’t have the hard hit of the first book. However, the pace really builds up in the second half and I felt more drawn in as Ford’s policing became more compromised. The scene is very much set for a return and I cannot wait.