Angels of Clay

There are two victims, one message, and a truth that has been buried since the war.

At the beginning of summer, a young Lotto millionaire is found dead in the clay pit of a renowned pottery retreat. The body is laid out in the shape of an X, with markings in the earth that resemble an angel—deliberate, unsettling, and inexplicable.

As the investigation begins, Sergeant Bill Granger and Constable Niko Sopoaga find themselves drawn into a case that quickly becomes more complex. The town of Matakana is already under pressure: a youth gang is leaving a trail of fear and fury in their wake—shoplifting sprees, smash-and-grab raids, and brazen dine-and-dashes that are pushing the local shopkeepers to the brink.

At the same time, Annika Granger is immersed in a family history project when she uncovers wartime notebooks and forgotten photographs—remnants of the days when US Marines were stationed in the area during WWII. But one discovery leads to another, and soon Annika is staring down a secret buried for generations.

As Sergeant Granger receives devastating news that the Matakana station may be closing, a second victim is discovered—laid out in the same chilling manner. Links emerge to a historical crime, and the question looms: what dark motive connects the past and the present?

Angels of Clay by Madeleine Eskedahl delves into the complexities of the past and the threads connecting it to the present, weaving a suspenseful narrative that captivates the reader from beginning to end.