The Night Man by Jorn Lier Horst

January 27, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Night Man by Jorn Lier Horst
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Gruesome happenings in the quiet town of Larvik. Only one man is capable of solving Chief Inspector William Wisting.

Before long, more bodies are found. Media frenzy sweeps the locals into panic. And when Wisting’s investigation leads him to a deadly underground crime ring, he fears the whole town may be in danger.

But at the heart of it is the gang’s elusive The Night Man. Who Wisting must find if he wants to stop the murders.

That is, if The Night Man doesn’t get to him first . . .

Two bodies are found in a distressingly gruesome manner in the small, quiet township of Larvik, Norway. William Wisting and his police team immediately investigate the shocking murders, but when that leads them to a highly organized crime ring Wisting fears for his small town, and in particular his journalist daughter.

I have been a great fan of this William Wisting series, the first ever Scandinavian Noir series I found many years ago and it has always been a great annoyance to me that the English translations only began at the sixth book. So, when I recently found that the fifth book had been translated, I quickly scooped it up. Even knowing this book was actually written before every other novel in the series which I had read, I still found myself greatly enjoying this earlier story and I sincerely hope the first four are soon also translated.

Even though this book was originally written back in 2009 I really feel like it has held up remarkably well. It didn’t feel dated to me and indeed many of the core elements to this police procedural plotline – trafficking, drugs, local crime that is made harder and more brutal by larger gangs and even international elements – all is still very much in the forefront nowadays as well. I really feel this book is equally relevant now than when it was published nearly fifteen years ago.

In many other respects this is a well written, but very normal type of police procedural story. I did enjoy William Wisting’s character as always and I equally enjoyed the strong storylines – almost a second plotline – as his adult daughter, Line, followed the same murder inquiry but from a journalistic perspective. The way the two definitely fed each other information while trying to keep their professional boundaries and not cross any lines was quite emotional and very well balanced, I felt.

With some strong secondary characters and a very interesting, and still strongly relevant, plotline this was a good book.

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Serpent’s Point by Kate Ellis

January 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Serpent’s Point by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus (Little, Brown Book Group)
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Serpent’s Point in South Devon is the focus of local legends. The large house on the headland is shrouded in an ancient tale of evil, and when a woman is found strangled on the coastal path, DI Wesley Peterson is called to investigate.

The woman had been house-sitting at Serpent’s Point and Wesley is surprised to discover that she was conducting an investigation into unsolved missing person cases. Could these enquires have led to her murder?

While the case takes Wesley to Yorkshire and the Cotswolds, archaeologist Neil Watson is making a dramatic discovery of his own in the fields near the house.

When a skeleton is uncovered, the pressure rises to find a killer, and Wesley and Neil realise that Serpent’s Point holds more secrets than anyone could have imagined.

Serpent’s Point house in South Devon is shrouded in ancient tales of evil, so when a woman house sitting there is found strangled on the coastal path DI Wesley Peterson and his team are called in to investigate. Can they sort out what is trapped in the past and what is very much in the present day?

I’ve been enjoying this British police procedural mystery series for over a year now and found this book to be an excellent addition to the series. While there’s a bunch of previous books, readers should feel comfortable picking this one up even if the author and series is new to them. The police team have quite a history together, but they work well enough that no real prior knowledge is needed. Also the plot line and simultaneous archaeology plot are both fully contained in this story and can easily be picked up.

Readers who prefer an action-oriented story might find this a little slow – but I personally thoroughly enjoy the slower unwinding of the mystery and piecing together of the clues. I admit I found parts of the mystery plot easy to guess but there were still a few twists I didn’t see coming so I was invested and interested the whole way through the book. I also really like how the historical and archaeology aspect winds together so well with the mystery and that’s a driving force keeping my attention for such a long running series.

Readers who enjoy mysteries and/or historical books should check this book and this series out.

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The Stone Chamber by Kate Ellis

January 13, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Stone Chamber by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

On a summer evening, Robert and Greta Gerdner are shot dead at their home in the Devon countryside.

DI Wesley Peterson suspects the execution-style murders might be linked to Robert’s past police career – until Robert’s name is found on a list of people who’ve been sent tickets anonymously for a tour of Darkhole Grange, a former asylum on Dartmoor.

Wesley discovers that other names on the list have also died in mysterious circumstances and, as he is drawn into the chilling history of the asylum, he becomes convinced that it holds the key to the case.

When his friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, finds the skeleton of a woman buried in a sealed chamber dating back to the fifteenth century at his nearby dig, Wesley wonders whether there might be a connection between the ancient cell and the tragic events at Darkhole Grange.

With the clock ticking, Wesley must solve the puzzle, before the next person on the list meets a terrible end . . .

DI Wesley Peterson and his team are called in to investigate when Robert and Greta Gerdner are shot point blank in their Devon country home. Wesley suspects the execution like murder has ties back to Robert’s previous career in the Met – but Wesley and his team find Robert’s name along with others who have suffered from mysterious deaths all linked to a ghost tour of Darkhole Grange. Can Wesley and his team find what’s really going on?

I have been enjoying Ellis’ Wesley Peterson and Neil Watson’s Archaeology/British police procedural crossover books for over a year now. While there are nearly 30 books in the series, I feel that the writing and plotting is still going strong – and best of all this book definitely can be read as a standalone mystery/archaeology story. While there are things happening in the secondary character’s lives – Wesley’s colleague Rachel and with his son, Michael – these sub-plots can be easily picked up and understood and really no prior books need to be read to thoroughly enjoy this story.

I also really enjoyed the fact that the Archaeological side of the story with Neil and his newest excavation linked in strongly to Wesley and the murder mystery. Often these two parts to the book run side by side and don’t necessarily overlap or really link together. While I don’t mind this – I did find myself highly enjoying the fact that this time the two stories were solidly woven together and interacted a lot more strongly than I recall in the last few books.

I definitely feel readers should feel comfortable with picking up this book to see if they like Ellis’ writing style or if they want to see if the series would interest them. Like any long-running series individual books rise and fall – but I feel this is one of the stronger plotted and written books and would be a good place to dip your toe into the long series if you’re not certain and didn’t want to necessarily go right back to the start to have a go.

With an interesting murder mystery plot well woven around an archaeological dig and a strong historical plotline this is a different and interesting book that I enjoyed.

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Dark Objects by Simon Toyne

January 8, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Dark Objects by Simon Toyne
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

How do you catch a killer if the victim doesn’t exist?

A glamorous woman is murdered in her ultra-luxurious London mansion and her husband goes missing. But according to public records, neither of them exists.

The only leads police have are several objects arranged around the woman’s body, including a set of keys and a book called How to Process a Murder by Laughton Rees—a book that appears to have helped the killer forensically cleanse the crime scene.

Laughton Rees is an academic who doesn’t usually work live cases after the brutal murder of her mother as a teen left her traumatized and emotionally scarred. But the presence of her book at this scene draws her unwillingly into the high-profile investigation and media circus that springs up around it. As the dark objects found beside the body lead her closer to the victim’s identity, a dangerous threat to Laughton and her daughter emerges, as well as painful memories of her past related to the man she has always blamed for her mother’s death: John Rees, Laughton’s father, the current Metropolitan Chief Commissioner and a man she has not spoken to in twenty years.

Laughton’s family was destroyed once and she built herself a new one. Now, she has to face her darkest fears and help catch a killer before this one is destroyed too.

DCI Tannehill Khan is a rising member of North London Murder Squad’s Homicide Assessment Team. While every homicide scene is different – he has never quite encountered one like this though. Amongst three other unusual objects carefully placed around the victim’s body, Laughton Rees’ “how to” instructional book about crime scenes and forensics was a glaring addition. With both Laughton and DCI Khan drawn deeper into the evolving mystery, can they overcome their own demons to find out what the murderer is really trying to achieve?

I found this to be a gripping police procedural/thriller story. I’ve read Toyne’s previous series revolving around Solomon Creed and greatly enjoyed them, so when I noticed he’d begun a new series I was quite happy to give it a crack – and I’m definitely glad I did.

Readers who enjoy British style police procedural stories should find this really appeals to their tastes. While the pace is a little slower and less action-orientated than other genres, I loved the slow build up – and really felt the tension and thriller aspect to the case was particularly well written by the author. I also greatly appreciated how there were multiple different threads running through and slowly tying together a number of the main characters, and by almost halfway in it because clear to me that many – or most – of these threads would soon form one much larger picture that I hadn’t been expecting.

The pieces of the puzzle start to come together as we work through the case from almost a half dozen different perspectives of those involved, and I really felt this helped build both the plot and the tension. I found this to be a really interesting and fresh thriller and by the last quarter or so I simply couldn’t put the book down and needed to binge it into the evening. There were a few twists – some I had guessed (or half guessed) and some took me completely by surprise. I find for me this is a mark of an excellent book; well written enough I could guess some things but still fresh and novel enough that it gave me a few surprises all the same.

Readers who can appreciate a slower pace but more complicated and layered plot with a solid mystery/thriller thrust and a strong police procedural aspect should find this a thoroughly enjoyable book. I’m quite eager for the next of these. Recommended.

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Murder On The Oxford Canal by Faith Martin

January 3, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Murder On The Oxford Canal by Faith Martin
Publisher: Joffe Books, London
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

MEET DI HILLARY GREENE, A POLICE WOMAN FIGHTING TO SAVE HER CAREER.

Not only has she lost her husband, but his actions have put her under investigation for corruption.

Then a bashed and broken body is found floating in the Oxford Canal. It looks like the victim fell off a boat, but Hillary is not so sure. Her investigation exposes a dark background to the death.

Can Hillary clear her name and get to the bottom of a fiendish conspiracy on the water?

DI Hillary Greene has lost her husband and her home, but she’s determined to cling to her police career. Under internal investigation to see if she was linked to her husband’s corruption, Hillary knows she has an uphill battle ahead of her. So she’s determined to give her best when she’s put in charge of a murder investigation into a dead body found floating in the Oxford Canal. Can Hillary clear her name and the case without any further damage?

This was a new to me author and series and I was delighted with how much I enjoyed it. Hillary is not a young woman – past forty – and having separated from her now-dead husband months ago having to reshuffle her entire life around what was proving to be a very acrimonious divorce as well as maintain her position as a DI as a woman in the local police force this main character had a number of differences to the usual British murder mystery books I enjoy but still was thoroughly relatable. I found myself quite invested in Hillary within the first few chapters and with a number of interesting – both good and bad – characters in the main cast I was pleasantly hooked quite early on in the story.

I also greatly enjoyed how the two main plotlines were written with equal weighting. The internal investigation into Hillary to find out if she knew of any corruption, but also the murder investigation. These two plots were separate but I thought the author did an admirable job of weaving them together in the storyline so neither one really overshadowed the other. I feel this also helped keep the pace of the story moving along at a good pace.

Like many British police procedural stories this isn’t an action-orientated story. Readers looking for thrills and a fast pace might not be satisfied here, but equally at no point did I feel this story was slow or dragged. I didn’t need to skip ahead to hurry things along so that was a pleasure too. For a first book in a series I enjoyed this and before the half way mark I had ordered the next two books to have ready.

With interesting characters, a relatable and enjoyably different main character and a solidly written murder mystery plot I found this a lovely book and am eager to continue in the series.

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No One Near by Rhys Dylan

December 30, 2024 By Leave a Comment


No One Near by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

What do you do when there is No One Near…

High in the Welsh hills, a honeymoon getaway takes a dark turn when a rotting corpse is discovered in the rental property’s bedroom.

In a dark, cold and damp December, DCI Evan Warlow and his team head out to investigate.

They find a victim who may not be as innocent as he first seems, and a rural community harbouring the worst kind of secrets.

When a second victim is attacked and a third goes missing, Evan knows he’s up against a rogue killer with a Christmas list of his own.

And it’s a deadly one.

Can he unmask the culprit before the season’s festivities turn into a bloodbath?

When newlyweds stumble upon a dead body in their rented cabin far away from everything, DCI Warlow and his team are called in to investigate. While the landlord initially looks like a pillar of the community Evan and his team barely scrape the surface back before they have exposed quite a few secrets and lies. What seems like a simple murder quickly gets complicated. Can the team sort everything out before someone else gets hurt?

I have been thoroughly enjoying this Welsh police procedural crime series. A little grittier than many British murder mysteries I feel this series should appeal to most mystery readers, but particularly those who like a little more edge to their mystery – like readers of Scandinavian noir and Scottish noir style stories. While this book is well into the series, I also feel readers should definitely be able to pick this up and thoroughly enjoy it without having read any of the previous stories. The team is quite close and long-standing so I feel they work very well together and have a good vibe going – but their interactions are well written and so I do feel new readers should be able to catch up quite quickly.

The place of the plot unfolding is definitely more of a small town style of mystery – not necessarily an action-orientated pace. I feel readers who want something fast moving or with more explosions/car chase style of action probably won’t find this pace really suits their tastes. But I did feel with a solid plot and a number of red herrings this was a thoroughly enjoyable and traditional style of “who dun it” and I really enjoyed following along with the team as they put everything together to solve the crime.

An enjoyable and well written Welsh police procedural I am loving this series and can recommend all the books including this one. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

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Lines Of Inquiry by Rhys Dylan

December 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Lines Of Inquiry by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

One of our own…

DCI Evan Warlow believes that murder is a cardinal sin. Even when the victim is a drug dealing, money-laundering criminal. But when a police officer is shot in the same incident at a tranquil beach near Tenby in South Pembrokeshire… Suddenly it’s personal. What appears, on the surface, to be a falling out between partners in crime soon spirals into an operation involving gang warfare and a great deal of money.

But even Warlow is not prepared for what lurks beneath the surface of this most terrible of crimes. The truth, hidden under a tangled knot of lies, will lead him to a terrifying conclusion, and that most dangerous of beings; a killer with nothing left to lose.

Another fast paced, gripping police procedural that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Two police officers are shot following up what at first appeared to be a minor phone call. DCI Evan Warlow and his team are called in to investigate and what superficially looks like a simple matter quickly becomes murky and intricate. Can Warlow and his team untangle what quickly becomes quite a dangerous situation?

I’ve been greatly enjoying this Welsh-based police procedural series and found this to be an excellent addition. While the team has quite a history of working together now and they’ve formed quite a solid routine and pattern I still definitely feel readers should be fine to pick this book up and read it without having read any of the previous history. The plot and workings between the team are quite clear and the depth of connection between them all is quite a pleasure to read to my mind.

I was interested that there were a few longer-running story arcs that popped up in this book and clearly there’s a thread with Molly – the daughter of one of the detectives – that progressed a nice amount in this book. I thought the author did a really good job balancing between the police procedural aspect to the case and the plotline of the murder mystery but also showing the private lives of the team and moving some of their emotional growth forward as well. I thought this showed a good balance and a lot of talent on the author’s part.

Readers looking for an action-orientated story or a faster moving pace might not find this quite fits the bill for them, but for readers who enjoy a solid murder mystery with quite a few roaming parts should find like I did that this is a well written and well-paced book with interesting characters and an enjoyable plot. A good book in an interesting series and I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment.

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Deep Into That Darkness by M S Morris

December 17, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Deep Into That Darkness by M S Morris
Publisher: Landmark Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A cold case to solve. New truths to uncover. A killer to catch.
When the body of one of his own colleagues is found in Scarborough harbour, DCI Tom Raven throws himself into finding out what led to the young man’s death.

The killing shows similarities to the unsolved murder of the victim’s own mother. Might his off-the-books investigation into her case have got him into deep water? Or could his death be related to the attacks on women that are taking place at night? The dead man left a trail of cryptic clues to his final movements that might lead Raven to the truth.

Drawn into Scarborough’s shady night life in his quest to find the killer, Raven faces temptations of his own.

When the body of one of their own is found floating in Scarborough Harbour, DCI Raven and his team know they need to pull out all the stops. Fairly certain from the beginning this tragic death is linked to a cold case from almost a decade ago, DCI Raven knows reopening the case will open fresh wounds for a number of people. But links between the cold case and a recent spate of assaults is soon hard to ignore, and the more the team investigate the previous cases, the more questions they find unanswered. Can they solve this before it’s too late for another of their own?

I have been enjoying these Yorkshire British mysteries and found this to be a really good addition. I definitely feel these two authors are starting to hit their stride and I really enjoyed this story. I found the team is really beginning to pull together and work cohesively together, I thought the plot was complicated enough to keep me guessing well into the story – and I was thrilled when, for the first time so far, the ending of this book didn’t directly hint or lead into the next one. I found that very refreshing.

A well plotted British police procedural style of book, I thought this plot had enough hooks and twists it should appeal to a wide range of mystery readers. While seeming very simple at the beginning I enjoyed the fact there were layers and complications that made the mystery a lot deeper than I had originally expected. I also enjoyed that while there were parts of the story I easily guessed, other parts took me by surprise so I think this book certainly should keep many readers guessing well into the story.

With interesting characters, a great police team and plenty of plot this was a good book.

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The Burial Circle by Kate Ellis

December 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Burial Circle by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A skeleton discovered. A murder to be solved . . .

On a stormy night in December, a tree is blown down on an isolated Devon farm. When the fallen tree is dragged away, a rucksack is found caught amongst the roots – and next to it is a human skeleton.

The discovery of the body and the rucksack revives memories for DI Wesley Peterson. A young hitchhiker who went missing twelve years ago was last seen carrying a similar backpack. Suddenly a half-forgotten cold case has turned into a murder investigation.

Meanwhile, in the nearby village of Petherham, a man is found dead in suspicious circumstances whilst staying at a local guesthouse. Wesley’s friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, is studying Petherham’s ancient mill and uncovering the village’s sinister history. Could the string of mysterious deaths in Petherham over a hundred years ago be connected to the recent killings?

As Wesley digs deeper into the case, it seems that the dark whisperings of a Burial Circle in the village might not be merely legend after all . . .

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When a storm knocks down a tree an old red rucksack – and the bones of a young woman – are found. After confirming the remains belong to a missing young woman from 12 years ago Wesley is determined to find out what really happened to her. The case is complicated by Neil also uncovering more than they bargained for at Petherham’s old mill and when a man is then found dead at the mill linking the two cases together Neil and Wesley both need to find the answers they seek.

I have been thoroughly enjoying this British police procedural which is very effective at weaving together the current day murder plot and a historical murder/crime and reflecting the two off each other. While this book is well into the series, I do feel mystery readers can pick this book up and thoroughly enjoy it on its own merits. The team is very cohesive together and the long-standing friendship between Neil and Wesley are both quite well explained.

Readers looking for a high-action style of mystery or one with a relentless pace might find themselves disappointed. While I do feel the pace of the mystery and the various elements weaving together is well timed this is certainly more of a police procedural style of gradual unfolding and not a more action orientated breakneck speed. The historical plotline weaving around also might be seen by some as slowing the current day murder mystery, but I have to admit I enjoy these two elements being given equal attention and it’s one of the big things I thoroughly enjoy about this whole series. It sets this series apart from the many other British police procedural novels out there and adds another enjoyable element to the mix.

Mystery readers looking to try something new should find this an enjoyable and modern story with good characters and a different and compelling plotline.

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Tracking Justice by LT Ryan

December 9, 2024 By 2 Comments


Tracking Justice by LT Ryan
Publisher: Liquid Mind Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A college girl is found dead
A grieving mother searching for answers
Castle sets out to uncover the truth
Tracking Justice comes at a cost

When a college girl is found dead, the investigation leaves a distraught mother in a desperate quest to find out what happened. Dissatisfied with the conclusion drawn by police, she continues to hunt for the truth behind her daughter’s untimely death.

Retired K9 handler Maddie Castle is brought in to assist the family. With the help of her partner Tempest, Castle finds a lead. She begins to peel back the layers, and discovers the evidence points to murder. Proving it will take all of Castle’s investigative effort. Surviving the fallout comes at a price.

With Tempest at her side, Castle is on the trail of a murderer who’s willing to stop at nothing to keep the truth from being exposed. If she can solve the case, it will be the biggest payday to date. But the cost for Tracking Justice comes at price. And if she’s not careful it could be her life.

Join Maddie Castle and her K9 Tempest on their latest heart-pumping adventure.

Private investigator Maddie Castle is called in to investigate the sudden death of a college aged girl. While the police have closed the case as an accidental overdose, the young girl’s mother is convinced her daughter couldn’t have committed suicide nor accidentally overdosed. As Maddie peels back the layers of the nineteen year old’s death, things quickly become murky and Maddie is positive the mother is correct and this is no ordinary overdose but something far more suspicious. Can Madder and her K9 Tempest answer their questions before their time runs out?

I greatly enjoyed the first book in this series and found this to also be a really strongly plotted and written mystery/suspense novel. While the book stands well on it’s own I admit the history weaving around the main characters made a lot more sense to me having read the first book. The plot and characters around the murder of the young girl, however, were all clearly defined in this book and absolutely can be picked up with just this story.

I also really enjoyed how the plot was more complicated and layered than I originally expected. While I guessed part of the plot right near the start, there were a few twists I absolutely wasn’t expecting and hadn’t managed to guess until they were unveiled. While not an overly complicated murder mystery I did feel this was a solid story and I greatly enjoyed the characters and K9 as well. I thought the action was well paced and realistic, and I felt it certainly helped make the plot feel like it was moving along at a good clip.

Readers who enjoy dog-related mysteries or PI style of books should really find this series enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

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