Holy Island by LJ Ross

 

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.

I’ve always fancied these books by LJ Ross, I’ve heard brilliant things about them and love that they’re all set around my neck of the woods. I spotted Holy Island in a local Charity shop so had to grab it. So ok, first off I love DCI Ryan, and I’m really looking forward to reading more about him, I want to know a bit more about his background. The book starts off with a gruesome discovery of a body, always a good start in my opinion, and goes on to keep you guessing whats happening. The background story of the cult and paganism was different, but played a good part in the story.

I love holy Island, I’ve only been once, and it was a bit of a rainy day, but this was about 16 years ago. I’d love to go again.

I really enjoyed this, and I’m looking forward to buddy reading the second book in 2024 with my friend.