Detective Inspector Kyle Tremayne is nearing the end of his career investigating homicide out of the Bemerton police station in a small English city near Stonehenge. His new partner, Clare Yarwood, is tall, pretty, and full of enthusiasm. This first book in the DI Tremayne series establishes the characters well and thrusts them into a twisted murder investigation involving the resident of a tiny rural village. For hundreds of years, the village of Avon Hill followed the old ways and paid tribute to the old gods. Now, the elders of the town must shield their secrets from the police, after two residents turn up dead – one burned in his chair and one drowned in a water trough. Tremayne and Harwood dig in, and the story gets more bizarre the more they investigate.

It becomes clear that the chief elder of the town, a doctor with a practice in the larger town, and the descendant of the ancient leader who first spoke the sacred words to summon the three powerful gods, is the uncontested leader of all the villagers. They will do his bidding, no matter how cruel. This includes murder. Tremayne and Yarwood cannot believe what they find, and obviously cannot give any credence to the stories of ancient pagan gods. But people have been killed and the murderers must be brought to justice.

The story leads the heroes to the tiny village, where things happen that defy logic and reason. Is it possible that the old gods really do hold sway in this secluded village? Or is it just the blind belief of the villagers and their faith in their malevolent leader? The reader – and the police – must grapple with that question as the facts unfold. In the end, the identity of one of the town elders comes as a huge surprise, and the existence of the gods is an ambiguity that may never be resolved. But Tremayne and Yarwood are undoubtedly in mortal peril as the villagers realize that their crimes are being uncovered that that justice will find them – unless they can kill anyone who knows their secrets.

This is a compelling story that starts fast and builds to the conclusion in a way that will not allow you to put the book down. Don’t make any plans for the last fifty pages. The writing is crisp and uses dialogue, with only minimal narration, to keep the pace up and gives the book a cinematic feel. You and “see” the scenes as if part of a gripping movie that combines horror and mystery with the police procedural. The editing is very good, and while there are a few spots where the fast-paced dialogue can leave you a bit muddled and there are a few places where the time line is unclear, on the whole the pacing and dialogue keep you flying forward and anticipating the next development. The side plot of Clare’s budding romance adds just enough of a break from the murder investigations and adds depth to both characters. I would have liked a few more personalities in the story to add more variety to the narrative (aside from the villains), that’s a tiny quibble in an excellently crafted book.

Death Unholy is not for the weak of heart, nor for anyone looking for a cozy mystery. If you are a devout Christian, you may be uncomfortable. Buckle up, keep the lights on, and enjoy the ride. It’s a marvelous beginning to a series that will certainly make you want to rush out to get book #2. An excellent read and highly recommended.