The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill

The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill

Year Published: 2011

My Rating: 5 stars

528 pages

I got this book from NetGalley as an ARC from the publisher Harper Collins.

Sir Wilfred Hadda or Wolf Hadda as he is nicknamed was a woodcutter's son. He was living a fairy tale life.

He was handsome, filthy rich, had a gorgeous upper class wife, houses in different countries and a wonderful daughter.

After 14 years in this fairy tale, he wakes up one night to the authorities at his door with a search warrant to search his premises for accounts of fraud and child pornography.

When he contacts his solicitor he finds that the accusations will not be easily reversed and innocence is not likely so in a panic he bolts only to get into an accident that almost kills him but instead he is badly disfigured and gets in a coma for 9 months.

In those 9 months a lot of things happen, including his wife divorcing him, and losing his money and title.

When he woke up from the coma unexpectedly, he was sent to jail to serve his sentence. Still claiming his innocence all the while.

Then a Swedish-Nigerian psychiatrist Dr. Alva Ozigbo took his case. She tried to make him realize that he is in denial until he broke down.

After that she is convinced that he is finally rehabilitated and could be released from prison

.   

Now he is back to his birth home in Cumbria, trying to live as a simple woodcutter, although the towns people are not so happy with him returning and living amongst them since he is a convicted pedophile.

He then hires a private investigator to search for answers, because he wants to know who framed him and why?

This book was so interesting, although it was long and I was worried at the beginning that I wouldn't finish it, I discovered the pages turning so fast. The writing was incredibly amazing! The story line and plot was incredible and the characters were so alive.

Hadda was just charming, you just have to love him, he creeps up on you in a good way :)

I tried not to give too much away in this review because it has so many twists and turns and surprises I don't want to ruin for whoever wants to read it.

I will definitely read again for this author, he is on my top favorite after this book!!

Highly recommended psychological thriller!!