WHEN Paul Wood found the body of a Canadian walker with his head smashed in and a knife in both eyes it was a terrible shock.

It was more so because this was the Himalayas, and Paul had found a similar body in Cameroon in Africa some years before.

How Paul, a computer geek with a penchant for adventure holidays, and his friends resolve the mystery makes for a riveting read.

Author Evans has based Paul Wood on himself - an IT consultant who travels - and, as such, has been able to explain the mysteries of the Internet in a way that keeps it interesting as a tool for amateur detective work.

The detail of trekking in the Himalayas and truck travel through Africa is equally interesting.

What is more than a little worrying is the fact that the reasons for the murders, and the way in which they are committed is also possible. It is to be hoped that it does not give anyone ideas!

Evans fleshes out his characters well - he has an enviable ability to give us a pen portrait of even the most secondary characters in just a paragraph or two.

This is not a racing, pacy action story that you can't put down, but it is a clever, interesting read that you can take your time over.

One can only hope that this, the first novel by Jon Evans, is not the last.

Trail Of The Dead by Jon Evans (Hodder & Stoughton, £6.99)