The Killing Ground

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU CAN’T PROVE ANYTHING?

In the far south a young girl goes missing, lost without trace in the wilderness beyond her remote family cottage. A year later her father disappears in the exact same place . . .
Then nothing. At all. Eventually the years grow over the grief. The decades wear away the questions, life flows past the forgotten tragedy.

Until Finn moves into the abandoned home, looking for a fresh start.
A place to heal himself far from his old problems. But rebuilding life is complicated by chance encounters and odd occurrences leaving Finn with the growing suspicion that the people here are harboring a terrible, deadly secret.

Suspicion turns to obsession the deeper Finn digs while also facing steadily escalating dangers in the here-and-now. Soon Finn's own journey of recovery becomes inextricably linked with his need to unravel the mystery. Past and present finally collide when Finn starts to learn the truth about this place and himself.

Now he must choose between exoneration and condemnation, justice and vengeance.

*Please Note: This book was originally titled ‘Dead Lemons.’

The stunning, debut crime thriller from award-winning Amazon bestselling author Finn Bell. A must read for fans of Stieg Larsson’s ‘Girl With The Dragon Tatoo’, Jo Nesbo’s ‘The Snowman’ and Robert Bryndza’s ‘Girl In The Water’ . . . This is a dark, graphic pulp thriller – tense amateur sleuth noir set against the backdrop of the unforgiving underworld of organized crime.

Read what reviewers are saying about THE KILLING GROUND:

‘A highly original, terrific debut’ – Ngaio Marsh Crime Fiction Awards
‘. . . definitely worth reading . . . exudes character . . . a compelling and accomplished story’ – www.Crimefictionlover.com
‘. . . easy to read, almost impossible to put down . . . you will love [it] . . . As a murder mystery, it is great and as contemporary literature, it is also excellent. I highly recommend this book.” – www.Readersfavorite.com
‘. . . an eclectic-yet-satisfying blend of hard-boiled noir and rural gothic . . . there’s no denying Finn Bell is extremely gifted . . . A likable hero, simmering suspense, and odd-ball history make . . . a tangy thriller.’ – www.Indiereader.com
‘This is the strength of [THE KILLING GROUND], as the humour is presented shockingly side by side with all the heartbreaking details of the town’s murders. The dark is balanced with the redemptive light . . . an absorbing and disturbing window . . . A very polished debut novel that any crime fiction enthusiast will enjoy’ – www.Austcrimefiction.org
‘. . . strong narrative voice and perfect pacing . . . effortlessly evokes the Deep South . . . both its array of modern rural personalities and intriguing history. I couldn’t put this book down and would highly recommend it. This is a fantastic contribution to the #yeahnoir genre.’ - www.thebookcouncil.co.nz
‘One of the best books I've read in a long time. Seriously good, and so much more than a thriller . . . fantastic and keeps you guessing – 5 stars from Purple, Reviewer on Amazon.com
‘Great characters. Great plot. Twists and turns. Plots unexpected. Excellent premise. Not just another "quick read", I relished every chapter’ – 5 stars from Reba, Reviewer on Goodreads.com

Awards and accolades for THE KILLING GROUND:

Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Crime Fiction Award for Best First Novel
Winner of the Indie Reader Discovery Award for Fiction
Winner of the Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Fiction / Thriller / General
Amazon Bestseller in International Mystery & Crime