Bamburgh: A DCI Ryan Mystery (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 19)

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The crime and investigation didn't grip me at first, but what held my attention was the fantastic characters. the murderer was never caught and Mel has never given up trying to find who murderer her sister: she feels guilty for having taken her out on the night of her death.

Concomitant with the hunt for Gemma’s killer (who is suspected to have left behind a string of victims over years), is the investigation into the suspicious death of a wealthy and popular old woman who owns a great deal of property and has left it to one of her loyal workers. Nothing wrong with all that – it’s in keeping with her character and the way in which her sister’s murder has not only torn her family apart, and haunted her for years but also set her on her current career path. In fact, when a new character was introduced, I had the fleeting thought, ‘oh, please don’t make this person behave like…’ Well, Ross did.It’s just as well the characters are so damn loveable and, after 18 books, we’re invested in them, and the overall story so gripping you keep reading. unfortunately, i just can’t rate this 5⭐️ — here we have a 3rd DCS that is corrupt (you learn this yourself from chapters from their perspective) and it just feels like the same plot is being recycled over and over again. When I started this series, I loved how the books built up to be one big conspiracy, wonderfully connected. Overall, one star for the whole gang, one star for the engaging storytelling, half a star for the humour, and half a star for the gardener.

I absolutely loved the banter between Ryan and Phillips, and really enjoyed the way that Ryan supported the rest of his team and how they all came together to get this mystery solved. Then another body turns up amongst the sand dunes at the base of the mighty castle fortress, and he decides it can’t be. I love reading about the north east and I have discovered a lot of places in my local area through these books. This time the reader was well aware of who the murderer was which put a different slant on the story.For me L J Ross has let me down as a long term fan because she seems to have forgotten what makes a good murder-mystery/thriller really work. DCI Ryan voices what everyone is thinking “The man’s got all the charm and personality of a rainbow trout. i’d love to see a book that doesn’t focus on past enemies coming to “attack” the found-family they have built between them. Meanwhile, after a recent revelation about her sister, DC Melanie Yates’ quest to avenge her death is becoming an obsession—much to the concern of those around her.

Don’t get me wrong – the writing is still good; the characters interact with each other in familiar and heart-warming ways, making the bonds they’ve developed over the years and many cases rock solid… or are they? Mel has become obsessive since some DNA recently surfaced that matched the DNA found on her murdered twin’s body in 2007. The ending is dramatic and there is always the thought that she may not be able to avenge her sister but could end up dead herself.

However, I have to admit that I found quite a few elements of this installment reminiscent of previous ones. To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’. two plot lines ran side by side - one was brilliant and very reminiscent of Agatha Christie set against the Bamburgh backdrop.