Title: Copycat

Author: C.S. Barnes

Blurb: When the body of a young woman, Jenni Grantham, is found abandoned in the
playing fields that sit at the centre of a small town, DI Melanie Watton and her
team are called to investigate. If the discovery alone wasn’t disturbing enough, it
soon becomes apparent that the murder, the method and the appearance of the
victim, is something they have seen before.
With the help of Medical Examiner George Waller, DI Watton uncovers the case
history of Michael Richards – a local murderer who put this small town on the
map when he killed five women before turning himself in.
Further investigations reveal that the most recent victim, Jenni, was recently
reported missing by her parents. And when Jenni’s personal effects are
introduced into the investigation, shocking discoveries are made about the
victim’s fascination with the original killings.
However, when the ME makes a surprise discovery, things appear even more
complicated than the team originally believed, and DI Watton realises that Jenni
was perhaps not the only local with a fixation on these infamous killings.
With a copycat killer on the loose, the team know it is only a matter of time
before another body is discovered. But when a second murder does take place,
the team find themselves questioning everything they thought they knew…

Review:

I have to say I genuinely enjoyed Copycat. I was interested in the characters from the start and liked the variety that Barnes portrayed with them. The plot kept me hanging on and guessing. I would definitely read more from this author. 

About the Author:

C.S. Barnes (Charley to her long-time pals) is a Worcestershire-based writer and poet who has recently achieved her Doctorate degree in Creative Writing, and now spends a lot of her time wondering what to do with it. She is a lecturer, content writer, tea-drinker and book-reader with a passion for psychological thrillers that shines through her own work.

Barnes is also one of three directors of Worcestershire LitFest and Fringe literary festival and, independently of this, she runs her own monthly open mic/spoken word event in Worcester City Centre, titled Dear Listener.

She published her debut short story collection in May 2017, titled The Women You Were Warned About (Black Pear Press), and her debut poetry pamphlet, A Z-hearted Guide to Heartache, will be published be in July 2018 (V. Press). Never Forget Your First will be Barnes’s debut novel, due for publication with Bloodhound Books in 2019.

For writerly updates you can follow Barnes on Twitter: @charleyblogs