Holy Island
Author: LJ Ross
Published: 1 January 2015
Reviewed: 17 August 2016
4 out of 5 stars
Copy supplied by Maxine at Booklover Catlady Publicity and LJ Ross in return for an honest review
Description:
Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a murder detective. A few days before Christmas, his peace is shattered and he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby Priory.
When former local girl Dr Anna Taylor arrives back on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface making her confront her difficult past. She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a killer who hides in plain sight, while pagan ritual and small-town politics muddy the waters of their investigation.
Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set on the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the English mainland by a tidal causeway.
My Thoughts & Review:
LJ Ross is a new author for me, and one I will definitely be following closely from now on, Holy Island is the first instalment of the DCI Ryan Mysteries and if this is anything to go by you will be as keen to read the rest of the books as I am.
Immediately Ross throws the reader into the abyss, a murder scene is the theme for the opening page. The body of Lucy Mathieson is discovered at Lindisfarne Priory and soon DCI Ryan is on the scene, he takes on the case and is assisted by Dr Taylor in form of Pagan expert. From there the investigation spirals into an intense murder mystery that will delight readers. No spoilers or hints as to the plot, this book is far too good to give anything away!
The characters are superb, DCI Ryan is is flawed, struggling with his demons but still strong and and sensitive. Anna Taylor compliments Ryan’s character well, strong, intelligent and not someone to take for granted. The author writes the blossoming relationship between these characters well, it does not detract from the story or become bits to skip over like you might with others books.
I particularly liked the contrast of the beautiful settings with the horrific murders, incredibly well thought out and executed. Overall, this is a very cleverly written novel, deviating from the well trodden path followed by authors of this genre, so that readers are kept guessing what will happen next. The pace, fast and increasing, just how a mystery novel should be.
The ending……wow, I didn’t see that coming! Now I need to get hold of the sequel Sycamore Gap asap!
You can buy a copy of Holy Island here.
About the Author
Image and author info courtesy of http://www.ljrossauthor.com/
L.J. Ross is the author of the international #1 bestselling series of DCI Ryan mystery novels. Her debut, Holy Island, was released in January 2015 and reached number one in the Amazon Kindle UK bestsellers chart.
Its sequels, Sycamore Gap and Heavenfield are also #1 bestsellers. The fourth in the series, Angel, is available for pre-order and is scheduled for general e-book release on 26th August 2016.
The novels are all available to purchase in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats. Holy Island is also available in German translation.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and studied abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a regulatory lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write.
Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Bath. She enjoys reading all manner of books, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
To find out more about LJ Ross and her books go to her website http://www.ljrossauthor.com/ or follow her on Twitter @LJRoss_author
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