Book Review: Death at Fakenham Races by Ross Greenwood

We are so pleased to be welcoming Ross Greenwood back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his latest book, Death at Fakenham Races. 

When everyone is lying, how do you catch a killer?

A brutal attack at Fakenham Racecourse plunges DI Ashley Knight into the competitive world of horse racing, where fortunes are won and lost in the blink of an eye. As the investigation unfolds, a chilling discovery reveals a darker side to this glamorous sport. In these high-stakes arenas, where winning is everything and everyone has something to hide, a few are willing to cross the ultimate line.

Can Ashley, an outsider in a world of whispers and long-held grudges, unmask the murderer before they kill again?

Ross Greenwood is back with a brand new, heart-pounding case for DI Ashley Knight, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Ian Rankin and Peter James.

*****

A brutal murder in the depths of winter, a man beaten to death at a major racecourse. Newly promoted DI Ashley Knight has her work cut out for her to get to the bottom of things before the body count grows.

This is the 5th book in the Norfolk Murders series and it doesn’t disappoint. I read Death at Horsey Mere for review a few weeks ago and since then I have devoured the back catalogue. Ross Greenwood has an uncanny ability to keep you guessing right until the end, throwing in just enough information to keep multiple characters in the running for the spot as number one evil doer. While I confess I have read all the others in the series you don’t need to read them first if this is the first book you come across – it stands alone really nicely, filling in backstory as needed in a way which provides the information you need without boring people who already know the canon.

One thing that really stood out for me is that this novel is a departure from the previous ones in that although geographically located in Norkfolk, it’s not bound to the location in the same way; it could be any racecourse in the country. This really helped to sell it to me as I was able envisage a racecourse and stables I used to frequent as a boy.  My first thoughts upon opening the book were that it kindled memories of reading my way through my Dad’s Dick Francis collection as a teenager, but the similarity ends at the racecourse.

I find Ross Greenwood’s writing to be really easy to read, his grasp of the narrative is masterful. The characters are vivid and clear in my mind and I find myself staring at the clock realising that somehow I have spent another three hours reading when I was just going to do one more chapter.

I would recommend this book and the rest of the series to anyone who likes a good whodunit.

About Ross Greenwood –

Ross Greenwood is the author of crime thrillers. Before becoming a full-time writer he was most recently a prison officer and so worked everyday with murderers, rapists and thieves for four years.

He lives in Peterborough.

Say hello to Ross via Facebook, X, Instagram and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to his newsletter.

Death at Fakenham Races is book five in the Norfolk Murders series and it was released by Boldwood Books on 5th June 2025. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Kobo, Waterstones, Amazon US and Barnes & Noble. 

by

Chris Parish