Dancing with the Virgins

A tense psychological crime thriller, the sequel to Stephen Booth's debut Cooper & Fry novel 'Black Dog', set in England's beautiful and atmospheric Peak District. In a remote part of the Peak District stand the Nine Virgins, a ring of stones overshadowed by a dark legend. Now, as winter closes in, a tenth figure is added to the circle - the body of Jenny Weston is discovered, her limbs arranged so she appears to be dancing. Weeks earlier another woman had been attacked on the moors. Maggie Crew was found by a local farmer's wife, severely traumatized, her face savagely cut open. Is there a maniac on the loose, knifing women at random? Unlocking the memories trapped in Maggie's mind is now a matter of utmost urgency for the detectives of Derbyshire 'E' Division. But while DS Diane Fry attempts to draw out the truth, DC Ben Cooper is left with too many lines of enquiry leading to too few answers. As they struggle to make sense of a murder that seems motiveless, it becomes clear that the moors have witnessed more bloodshed than either Ben or Diane could imagine. And there is more to come before an answer can be found... *Winner of the Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel of the Year *Finalist for the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel of 2001 "An atmospheric, psychological stunner" - The Bookseller "Suspenseful and supremely engaging. Booth has done a wonderful job" - Los Angeles Times "One of our best story tellers" - Sunday Telegraph "Even more demanding, more substantial, and more knowing about the darkest recesses of the heart" - Kirkus Reviews "Highly recommended - a great series!" - Seattle Mystery Bookstore "Booth truly is a master" - I Love a Mystery