
Between the devil and the deep blue sea…
Viking treasure is discovered beneath the icy waters of the North Sea and local historian Doctor Anna Taylor is called in to help catalogue the most exciting hoard in living memory. But when a shipwreck diver washes up dead, she’s soon out of her depth. Luckily, she knows just the person to call…
When DCI Ryan arrives at the picturesque fishing town of Seahouses, he's faced with an impenetrable wall of secrets and lies. As he juggles marine archaeology and the cutthroat world of shipwreck diving, another murder blows the case wide open. To uncover the truth, Ryan must delve deeper into the hearts of those around him to find what lies beneath…
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.
'Longstone' is book 10 in the astounding DCI Ryan series by the brilliant Louise Ross. This mystery series is absolutely one of the best out there and I highly recommend it to all lovers of crime fiction. Once again, in this book, the author has taken me to an enchanting spot in Northumberland, this time to one of the natural highlights of the Northumbrian coast - the Farne Islands.
The day after claiming to have made the discovery of a lifetime - the wreck of an ancient Viking longboat - the body of an expert marine archaeologist is found washed up on the rocks at the foot of Longstone lighthouse. Was it an unfortunate accident, a suicide possibly, or did someone hear of the discovery and wanted to keep the treasure for themselves? DCI Ryan and his team are called in to the village of Seahouses to start the investigation. They start from the family running the inn where the man had rented a room and it's soon apparent that not everything is as it seems. There are tensions and currents beneath the surface and echoes of an old mystery can be strongly felt. Ryan is aware that the small village is a magnet for many salvage divers and marine archaeologists, all keen to explore and loot the wreck, so he knows that the possible suspects may be numerous. When a brutal murder takes place soon after in the streets of Seahouses, Ryan must first determine whether the two deaths are connected or not in order to catch the killer.
Well, I really had a great time reading this book and I think Longstone is actually one of my favourites in the series so far. I absolutely loved the setting of the story and I could clearly visualise the small fishing village with its harbour, the rough seas around the islands, the seabed peppered with old shipwrecks, the islands home to many birds and seals, and the boats fighting the huge waves as they come crashing down on the rocks at the foot of the lighthouse. One thing I love in this series in general, apart from the beautiful, vividly described locations, is the author's ability of mixing and balancing drama, humour and romance throughout. In this book, the author gives us an interesting insight on what goes on in wreck salvage operations.
Thanks to her crisp, clear writing and the mystery she has so cleverly woven in the plot, the author kept me glued to my kindle, entertained and interested till the end. I felt especially intrigued by the family running 'The Cockle Inn'. All members of this family seem to be hiding secrets. As I was reading, I had countless questions in my mind and I was desperate to have them all answered. Mostly, I wanted to know who the killer was as I had a suspect in mind from the very beginning and I was curious to find out if I would be proved correct or not by the end. Well, I'm not saying anything more other than the author left me open-mouthed more than once by the time I read the last chapter. One shocking surprise after the other!
With a picturesque setting, fantastic lifelike, intriguing characters, a well-thought out plot and an engrossing mystery that keeps you guessing till the end, Longstone is an outstanding addition to the series and I highly recommend it. Fantastic book!! Well done to the author!
With thanks to the author for a review copy of the book which I voluntarily accepted to read and review.
LJ Ross is the author of the international #1 bestselling series of DCI Ryan mystery novels. Her debut, Holy Island, was released in January 2015 and reached number one in the Amazon Kindle UK best sellers chart.
Since then, she has released a further seven full-length novels in the DCI Ryan Series, all of which have been top three bestsellers. Cragside, Dark Skies, Seven Bridges and The Hermitage (due for release 20 October 2018) were all #1 in the UK on pre-orders alone.
The novels are available to purchase in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats on the Amazon store, as well as in selected independent bookshops. Holy Island is also available in German translation.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King's College, University of London and studied abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a regulatory lawyer for a number of years before taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write.
Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland. She enjoys reading all manner of books, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:
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