Today I’m joining the blog for Holy Island. I’m resharing my review from December 2020 with thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the tour.

Blurb:

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide 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.

Review:

I’ve heard so much about DCI Ryan, so it seemed like high time I found out what I was missing, and boy, have I been missing out! I love LJ Ross’ writing and her ability to bring me in to the story and keep me engaged is brilliant.

DCI Ryan is a very well depicted character. Ross makes it clear from the beginning that he has lived through some tragic circumstances. I was interested to see what had happened in his past and how it affected his actions during the course of the investigation. I think there is definitely more to come from him in future instalments and I look forward to seeing how his character develops.

Holy Island takes its title from the location in which it is set. I went on holiday in this area when I was younger and it is a beautiful part of the country. Ross describes this beauty wonderfully and really conveys the character of the place and its potential as a crime scene. I could picture every scene and I really enjoyed being transported to Lindisfarne.

The investigation into the deaths on Holy Island is incredibly tense and there are a number of suspects. I was very intrigued by what had happened and I loved the twists and turns as the plot reached a head.

I chose to listen to Holy Island through Audible. The narration was one of the best narrations I have ever heard as Jonathan Keeble added expression and tension, as well as brilliant characterisation, including local accents.

Holy Island is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: