Tag: LJ Ross

Ryan’s Christmas by L.J. Ross

On By BarbaraIn Audiobook, Barb's Reviews, Christmas, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

Ryan's Christmas (DCI Ryan Mysteries #15)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: DCI Ryan Mystery #15
Publication Date: 12/23/19
Period: Contemporary Northumberland
Number of Pages: 158

Brrr! DCI Ryan, DS Phillips, Dr. Anna Taylor (Ryan’s wife), and DI McKenzie (Phillips’ wife) have traveled to Edinburgh to enjoy a rare day off during the Christmas season. On their return, there is a huge snowstorm and they find the A1 highway is closed to through traffic and they must take a detour. With near-whiteout conditions, it is all but impossible to see and follow the detour signs. Just as the last drop of gas passes through the engine and the car comes to a complete stop, they find themselves at the gate to Chillingham Castle. Will they find shelter inside the castle? Is anyone even at the castle? It looks dark and empty.

Inside the castle, they find quite an odd mixture of guests and staff. The castle is old, drafty, and . . . haunted. One of the highlights of a stay at the castle is the ghost tours they offer, but sadly, due to the blizzard, the guests won’t get to partake this time. With the electricity iffy, no telephone service, and the possibility of the fuel running out, it might turn out to be a perilous stay indeed.

Everyone seems to be coping tolerably well – until a body is found outside. How did she die? What happened? There is only one set of footprints leading out to her body – and those are her own. Surely, she didn’t commit suicide by stabbing herself in the neck! Ryan and his crew definitely have their work cut out for them because there is no forensics crew, no uniformed officers, and no coroner – nobody is showing up to help. They can’t even let anybody know what has happened.

I certainly enjoyed this book as the writing is superb, the mystery is well-plotted, and the characters are exceptional. I listened to the audiobook version and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator’s voice and delivery. I’ll definitely listen again.

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High Force by L.J. Ross

On By BarbaraIn Audiobook, Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

High Force (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #5)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: DCI Ryan Mystery #5
Publication Date: 1/30/17
Period: Contemporary Northumberland
Number of Pages: 265

Oh! What an exciting, thrilling, fast-paced story! I started reading this series with the 16th book, and I loved it so much that I’m now reading those first 15 books that I missed. For me, it isn’t a problem to read them out of order because each book has a stand-alone mystery. While there is a core cast of characters whose growth and relationships develop incrementally throughout the series, it tickles me to already where they are heading.

There is a nationwide manhunt in progress because a heinous serial killer has escaped his maximum-security prison. It was an exceedingly daring escape, but nothing out of the ordinary for Kier Edwards, a former medical doctor and serial killer known as the Hacker. DCI Ryan and his crew captured Edwards and put him in prison, but the cost to Ryan was unfathomable. (Read The Infirmary for that story) Now, Edwards is out and has someone very close to Ryan as his captive. Can they find and rescue MacKenzie before Edwards butchers her?

It is all hands on deck for the manhunt – every police department is working together to re-capture Edwards. He outmaneuvers them at every turn and bodies are showing up again. How many will Edwards murder before they catch him this time? This is Edwards’s former hunting ground and he knows it like the back of his hand. He knows every back road, every wooded area, every neighborhood. He is handsome, smart, and sly. How will they ever find him and rescue MacKenzie – or is it already too late?

This author’s books are always outstanding and she is right up there with the best in the genre. She has a way of making you feel as if you are right in the scene with the other characters – yet she isn’t overly wordy in her descriptions. The crimes are believable as are all of the steps in the investigation.

I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it. Jonathan Keeble (narrator) has a smooth voice that is easy to listen to and his delivery is well-paced. I will definitely listen to more of his narrations in the future.

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