The discovery of a mutilated body of a young woman in a cornfield causes both concern and excitement in a quiet rural community in Idaho. When Sergeant Riley Fisher, newly promoted head of Black County Sherriff’s Department investigations division in Idaho arrives on the scene, she recognises the victim as a childhood friend, Chloe with whom she had lost contact. Will this cause the troubling memories of a trauma from her past, which nearly destroyed her life but which she’d kept at bay, distract this intuitive investigator?
Riley’s investigation grows more and more complex as each new victim is found with more harrowing injuries. Not only is she unwavering in her efforts to find this cannibalistic serial killer to prevent further murders but she is also determined to prove her worth as the first female investigator. It is a race against time. Is Riley equipped to handle this pressure?
What is the connection with the slow takeover of individual farms by the large conglomerate, Agri-Co, which not only dominates the market in hybrid seeds, pesticides and fertilizers, but which also employs Chloe’s husband?
‘The Fields’ is a procedural thriller which is set against political corruption and agricultural espionage. With its intense plot, many twists and turns and plethora of characters, some readers may have problems keeping track of the storyline as it unfolds. Others may find some of the descriptions of the victims unnecessarily violent and graphic; too much blood and gore.
Erin Young is a pseudonym of the acclaimed historical novelist, Robyn Young, who has many international bestselling novels. Many readers will hope that ‘The Fields’ is the first of many contemporary thrillers, featuring the investigative prowess of Riley Fisher.
