Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: Tate and Bell Mystery #8
Publication Date: 7/28/26
Period: Victorian
Number of Pages: 274

The prologue opens with a worried dairy farmer setting out on his usual pre-dawn walk through the bitter cold and thick, fog-shrouded countryside. He has always enjoyed these early morning walks—at least he did until this one led him up Devil’s Ridge, where he discovered the mutilated body of a young child lying atop the ancient stone at its summit.

Gemma and Sebastian are enjoying a visit with Sebastian’s brother, Simian, and his family at the Bell farm in Suffolk when a loud, insistent knock interrupts their morning.  Peter, the dairy farmer who found the body, begs Sebastian to accompany him to Devil’s Ridge because, as an investigator, Sebastian would surely know how to proceed.

The murdered child’s father, Viscount Augustus Ravenel, arrives determined that Sebastian will investigate his son’s death. Faced with such a heartbreaking request, Sebastian has little choice but to accept.

As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that nearly everyone in the household is hiding secrets. The challenge lies in uncovering which of those secrets could possibly provide a motive for the brutal murder of an innocent seven-year-old child. Fortunately, Gemma and Sebastian each possess their own unique talents for wringing out the truth. As they draw closer to solving the mystery, the danger escalates, and they soon find themselves in peril as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Tate and Bell series, from its atmospheric opening to its shocking conclusion. The mystery is exceptionally well crafted and kept me guessing until the very end. In fact, I was completely surprised by the killer’s identity. Every time I thought I had solved the case, another twist sent me in an entirely different direction.

As much as I enjoy the mysteries, it is the characters who keep me coming back for each new book. Gemma and Sebastian are wonderfully developed protagonists who have found love despite the tragedies they have both endured. I’d love to invite them over for dinner just to hear about all of their adventures—but since that’s impossible, I’ll simply have to impatiently await their next book.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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