“A mutilated body discovered in the woods.
A murderous plan conceived in the past.
A reckoning seventy years in the making . . .

When lawyer Charlie Priest is attacked in his own home by a man searching for information he claims Priest has, he is drawn into a web of corruption that has its roots in the last desperate days of World War Two.

When his attacker is found murdered the next day, Priest becomes a suspect and the only way to clear his name is to find out about the mysterious House of Mayfly – a secret society that people will kill for.

As Priest races to uncover the truth, can he prevent history from repeating itself”

Welcome to damppebbles. Today I am thrilled to be sharing my review of The Mayfly with you. The Mayfly is the first book in the Charlie Priest series, is written by James Hazel and was published by Zaffre Books on 15th June 2017. I chose to read and review an eARC of The Mayfly but that has in no way influenced my review.

Charlie Priest, where have you been all my life? I’m also absolutely kicking myself as this book has been sat on my NetGalley shelf for *ahem* a wee while. Best not to dwell on past mistakes and let’s instead look at the (sort of) here and now. I read The Mayfly. I LOVED The Mayfly.

Ex-detective turned lawyer, Charlie Priest, is unwittingly drawn into a macabre plan, seventy years in the making, when a man in uniform tricks his way into his house. He’s looking for a memory stick. A memory stick Priest has never laid eyes on. The following day the intruder is found grotesquely murdered – Priest’s business card found amongst his clothes, which leads the police straight to his door. It doesn’t help that the detective in charge, McEwen, has it in for him after working together years before. Time is running out for Charlie and the only way to clear his name is to find the mysterious memory stick, and discover what terrible secrets it holds…

The Mayfly is such a brilliant book. I bloody loved it! Charlie Priest is a very likeable character and I was very happy to be swept along into this story with him and his wonderful team. The opening chapters set the tone of this gripping, grisly story perfectly and I was loathe to put the book down for any length of time. Charlie’s career, for a start, makes him an interesting character, but then you discover he suffers from dissociative disorder which is a condition I’ve not really heard about before. It added an extra layer to his personality and I was keen to know more about how it impacted his interactions and day to day life. What absolutely, categorically cemented my love of this book though is that Charlie’s brother is a convicted serial killer. It’s almost like this book was written especially for me!

The supporting cast of characters are all very well written. I was rooting for Georgie, in particular. She reminded of Tilly Bradshaw from MW Craven’s Washington Poe series on several occasions. Vincent Okoro is another character I would like to see more of as the series progresses. And, as you may have gathered, I may be a little in love with Charlie Priest. Moving swiftly on…

Would I recommend this book? I most definitely would, yes. The Mayfly is brilliant and I’ve already downloaded the second book in the series. I loved the chapters set at the end of the Second World War. The unease the author creates is palpable. I didn’t see the big reveal coming but it was perfect and done very well. The entire plot had me hook, line and sinker. If you love tense, gutsy crime novels with just about the right amount of ‘grisly’, you will love The Mayfly. Crime fiction at its finest. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Mayfly. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Mayfly by James Hazel was published in the UK by Zaffre Books on 15th June 2017 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | Book Depository | Goodreads |

Before turning his hand to writing, James Hazel was a lawyer in private practice specialising in corporate and commercial litigation and employment law.

He was an equity partner in a regional law firm and held a number of different department headships until he quit legal practice to pursue his dream of becoming an author.

He has a keen interest in criminology and a passion for crime thrillers, indie music and all things retro.

James lives on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds with his wife and three children.