The Dunes

The Dunes by JJ Richards is the fourth book in the DCI Walker Crime Thrillers and a gripping crime thriller that follows DCI Walker as he investigates a series of chilling murders occurring in a strange pattern along the coastal dunes of Lytham St Annes. The story begins with the discovery of human remains—three young women buried in the dunes, each with distinctive necklaces featuring a deathstalker scorpion. As Walker digs deeper into the cold case, he uncovers a pattern linking the victims, their ages, and the gruesome trophies left behind. The narrative intensifies with the mysterious abduction of DC Briggs, a key team member, by an elderly suspect with a terminal illness, Kevin Lawson, a deranged killer with a twisted fascination with insects and a dark compulsion to kill women fitting a specific profile. The story escalates as the team races against time to locate Briggs, uncover the killer’s identity, and stop him from striking again during the next thirteen-year cycle.

Richards skillfully develops a cast of intriguing characters, infusing the narrative with suspense. Walker, haunted by past failures and motivated by a desire for justice, is portrayed as a dedicated but emotionally vulnerable detective. Brave and resourceful, Briggs puts herself in grave danger by going undercover, risking everything to catch the perpetrator. The setting of the coastal dunes, with its bleak, windswept landscape, creates an ominous atmosphere that mirrors the dark themes of the novel. Richards explores the disturbing psychology of a serial murderer driven by ritualistic motives and personal trauma, making the story not just a police procedural but a chilling exploration of evil rooted in trauma and madness. The Dunes is well-paced, imaginative, and utterly disturbing. This suspenseful tale grips you from the start and keeps you turning the pages until the end. I enjoyed the timely paragraph breaks, the short chapters, and the sparkling dialogues that make reading this novel even more enjoyable.