Archaeologist Arnold Landon returns for his 13th suspenseful mystery from prolific British author Lewis (An Assumption of Death,
etc.). The marshy peat bogs of Northumberland's Wolfcleugh Woods preserve dead bodies remarkably well. They also disgorge these bodies at an alarming rate. The latest grisly finding is dubbed the "Wolf Man" and draws journalists and historians to the woods at a time when building crews are also in attendance, poised to clear the area for a vacation complex. With the blessing of local landowner Steven Brand-Ruckley, New Age protesters led by the charismatic Nick Semmens take up lodging in the woods, causing trouble and halting construction. Meanwhile, more bodies surface. Landon, working for the department of museums and antiquities, makes the most disturbing fatal discovery—the remains of Sally Burt, a relative of Brand-Ruckley's, a conquest for Semmens and a protester. Landon soon finds himself smack in the center of a romantic triangle, caught between affection for his attractive if distant boss, Karen, and his more lusty leanings toward his coworker Portia. This novel isn't exactly swimming in suspects, and keeping track of the provenance of the catalogue of pristine body parts fished from the peaty swampland is a full-time job. Nonetheless, the pacing is constant, and the revelations are placed with the kind of quiet precision this well-regarded author is known for. (June 1)
