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Escape the rat race. Join our commune. Don't worry, it will be fine…
Luke Stonebride flees London for a fresh start in a remote, off-grid commune. Nine days later, he is found in a coma. His fellow commune members lie lifeless in the forest.
Was it the work of a brutal intruder or something darker lurking within?
To find out, we need to go back to the beginning: a rainy day in July, a clearing in the forest, thatched cabins and woodsmoke – and the ominous signs of the dangers to come.
What did I think?
Whoosh! That's the sound of me being blown away by Danny Dagan's fantastic novel The Commune. Danny Dagan is a local author based in Northumberland and I totally missed his debut novel The Game but I will definitely be adding it to my TBR after reading this outstanding book.
I was riveted by the dual timeline of before and after the tragic events in the Northumbrian countryside. There's a continual sense of unease and life in the commune is not as idyllic or simple as new resident Luke expects. Luke is also running away from something and he's not the only character with secrets to hide.
Sandra Saint-John, the sister of the commune leader is quite a character and I don't mean that in a good way. She's more bothered about her inheritance than the death of her sister Dorothy and nephew Joel. Dorothy's will leaves the commune to the fellow members and with one of them still alive Sandra hires a private investigator to prove that that Luke killed the others and therefore can't profit from a bequest.
I really liked Alex Czerniak who Sandra hires to investigate the deaths at the commune. His wife Mary is a Detective Chief Inspector and there seems to be a decent amount of pillow talk going on regarding this case. Alex and Mary do work well together off the books, whilst keeping it professional in the public eye.
The rugged Northumbrian countryside is almost a character in its own right and it is very easy to imagine living off grid up in the sticks. Without giving away any spoilers, I loved the nod to a local landmark in such an unusual way that it made me smile. Simply brilliant!
Unputdownable, unpredictable and unmissable, clear your schedule when you pick up The Commune as you won’t be able to put it down until you’ve devoured every single word. Danny Dagan is clearly a very talented writer and he’s certainly one to watch. Very highly recommended.
I received a gifted paperback to read for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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