A fearless female cop, an Iowa town, tension between small farmers and Big Agriculture, and a body in the field. I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for The Fields by Erin Young!

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The Fields by Erin Young

To be published on January 25, 2022 by Flatiron Books

Synopsis: Some things don’t stay buried. It starts with a body—a young woman found dead in an Iowa cornfield, on one of the few family farms still managing to compete with the giants of Big Agriculture. When Sergeant Riley Fisher, newly promoted to head of investigations for the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, arrives on the scene, an already horrific crime becomes personal when she discovers the victim was a childhood friend, connected to a dark past she thought she’d left behind. The investigation grows complicated as more victims are found. Drawn deeper in, Riley soon discovers implications far beyond her Midwest town.

About the author:  

ERIN YOUNG is the pseudonym of acclaimed historical novelist, Robyn Young, author of eight internationally bestselling novels. She has been published in 19 languages in 22 countries, selling two million books worldwide. She lives and writes in Brighton, England. Erin Young’s debut thriller, The Fields, was inspired by an article she read about the menacing power of Big Agriculture. A decision to set the novel in Iowa, corn-capital of the world, led her to make a fascinating journey across the state – from chance encounters with cops and farmers, and an audience with a local mayor, to shooting Glocks and getting caught in supercell storms. Having grown up in a fishing village in Devon, Erin feels drawn to the claustrophobic dramas of rural small-towns and the secrets they hide.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks so much to the publisher for providing me a free e-copy of the book and inviting me to join the blog tour!

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My Thoughts on The Fields by Erin Young

I love police procedurals, especially those featuring female detectives and written by female authors. A couple of my favorite recent books in this vein have included Long Bright River by Liz Moore, and And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall.

So I was very excited to try The Fields by Erin Young. This book, about Riley Fisher, the new head of investigations in the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s office, also reminded me a bit of Mare of Easttown, a recent HBO show about a female detective in small Pennsylvania town.

I loved Riley. I was instantly gripped when the discovery of a body of a childhood friend sent her spiraling back to a traumatic event from her past. Another plus for me? The small town Midwestern setting (most of my family hails from the Midwest). I found the mystery suspenseful and the writing well-done and evocative.

Two things to keep in mind if you’re deciding whether to try this. First, it’s pretty high on the graphic violence and also high on the blood and gore. (I’m a little squeamish, so this was a bit of a sticking point for me, but I did okay.)

Second, the book had a strong political bent, looking at things like the far reach of big agriculture and the sinister side of genetic engineering. This was interesting to me … to a point. But for me, this aspect of the story cast too large a shadow over the entire book.

The overall vibe of the book was definitely a bit Long Bright River, for the small town procedural vibe and excellent writing. The Fields also reminded me of another favorite female crime fiction writer, Karin Slaughter. Her books are often tough reads and tackle difficult topics (like violence against women) with a political slant.

If you’re good with gore and are interested in the geopolitical side of farming, you should definitely give The Fields a try!