Tuesday, 5 April 2022
Review: The Stone Chamber (#25 DI Wesley Peterson) by Kate Ellis
Monday, 3 May 2021
Review: The House of the Hanged Woman (Albert Lincoln #3) by Kate Ellis
While The House of the Hanged Woman can be read as a standalone, there are spoilers for the first two books, so you would have a better reading experience starting with book 1 (A High Mortality of Doves). It is also the last in the series, so it wraps up the loose strands of the earlier books. It is a shame this series is ending, because I've really enjoyed it. The House of the Hanged Woman is a fascinating mystery, completely engrossing and hard to put down. There are lots of twists, including a very clever one at the end, which I loved. A perfect read for anyone who loves historical mysteries and for fans of authors such as Elly Griffiths.
Thank you to Kate Ellis and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.
Thursday, 8 October 2020
Review: The Burial Circle (DI Wesley Peterson #24)
Kate Ellis is one of my favourite authors. I've read all her books but have a particular fondness for her detective series about DI Wesley Peterson.
The title of this story is The Burial Circle and I had got it into my head that this was something to do with an ancient stone circle. It actually refers to a 19th century basic insurance scheme covering the cost of funerals!
The Burial Circle has a slightly gothic vibe, which I loved, and is a perfect autumn/winter read. Central to the story is an old mill, where a suspected murderer once hid, and the house alongside it where a psychic weekend is being held. I really felt for the poor psychic, who felt bombarded on all sides from the restless spirts. This being a murder mystery, someone is soon murdered and everyone is a suspect. On top of this investigation, the body of a hitchhiker is found buried on farmland several years after she went missing. Can Wesley connect the two cases?
I love Kate Ellis's books because the mysteries are so twisty it is practically impossible to guess how they are going to end! They are so cleverly and perfectly plotted, it is incredible how she ties all the loose ends so neatly. The story's setting in a village where a series of unexplained deaths once took place, along with the spooky old mill, is very atmospheric. I especially love that her books always have a past mystery running through them, echoing the one in the present.
This was a five-star read for me. Recommended for all readers of traditional murder mysteries, particularly fans of authors such as Elly Griffiths and Kate Rhodes.










