A Cursed Inheritance

Wesley Peterson #9

by Kate Ellis

The brutal massacre of the Harford family at Potwoolstan Hall in Devon in 1985 shocked the country and passed into local folklore. And when a journalist researching the case is murdered twenty years later, the horror is reawakened. Sixteenth century Potwoolstan Hall, now a New Age healing centre, is reputed to be cursed because of the crimes of its builder, and it seems that this inheritance of evil lives on as DI Wesley Peterson is faced with his most disturbing case yet.

As more people die violently, Wesley needs to discover why a young woman has transformed a dolls house into a miniature reconstruction of the massacre scene. And could the solution to his case lie across the Atlantic Ocean, in the ruined remains of an early English settlement in Virginia USA?

When the truth is finally revealed, it turns out to be as horrifying as it is dangerous.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Archaeology, Suspense, Historical Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Kate Ellis was born and brought up in Liverpool and she studied drama in Manchester. She worked in teaching, marketing and accountancy before first enjoying writing success as a winner of the North West Playwrights competition. Crime and mystery stories have always fascinated her, as have medieval history and archaeology which she likes to incorporate in her books. She is married with two grown up sons and she lives in North Cheshire, England, with her husband. Kate was awarded the CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY award in 2019

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

In each Wesley Peterson- book there has to be some Heffernan-bashing, usually a casual remark about his dresscode not being up to requested standard for an Inspector, and I have come to feel it is just a bit tiresome. And sexist to boot, as it is usually followed up by the same offhand mode statement that if only there was a woman in his life to help him dress properly…..

Apart from that, I still enjoy the plot, the dual timelines with some diary entries from some local historical person and present day’s murder, which usually somehow mirror each other. In this case there is the added murdercase of a few decades back, a massacre which was treated as an open and shut case at the time, but as per usual Wesley finds out there is more to it than the original investigation revealed.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 Words: Procrastination, family, resentment, murder, secrets.

Let me introduce you to the number one procrastinating detective... Wesley Peterson!

Seriously. It's not endearing, it's just annoying. There's only so many times that I can look past the fact that yet ANOTHER essential witness/suspect has been pushed to the back of the queue for something not so important like afternoon tea or lunch at the pub.

As much as I love this series, Wesley just needs to actually interview these people before they, and more people, die. Because it's just getting old. And he needs to go home to his wife and help her with the two kids, because he's just being a dick avoiding her and the house.

And Rachel needs to get a grip and realise that Wesley is married and has two freaking kids. Either that or they need to get it on already and add some drama.

The whole history link was very tenuous this time, which was a shame. It had sounded like it would be pretty interesting.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to keep buying, as I so enjoyed the first ones, however, the women in these books are so selfish and so into themselves.

Pam and Wesley have another child, a girl this time, though for the life of me why, when she can not handle the first child, and a full time job, (like the rest of us) and constantly resents her husband Wesley doing his job (he is a policeman), you wonder why she married him. Any military wife will tell her, you have gravy Pam, with mashed potatoes! What is your problem!

Rachel, still whining as she is asked to make tea, and she still has set her cap at Wesley, (a married man).

Wesley is in a biracial marriage, with a real selfish ditzy mother in law. I am looking forward to the introduction of the sister, maybe we will have a women in these books we can like!

Steve, (cop) still not grown up. Gerry the boss, still no love life. Neil and Pam (who use to be an item) getting close, but then he is off to the US of A and gets a new love interest. On a dig in Virginia, which has roots in the UK, and also the house where murders have happened, and still happening. He finds out he is the grandson of one of the American G.I.s from WWII, however although the grandfather is pleased to meet him, the rest of the family make him very unwelcome.

Murders abound, and the surprise of who dun it is good. I have ordered a few more of these books, but I am getting weary over these characters, and I am hoping the women stop whining and also that Wesley shows more thought to his family, than his job!

On to the next one!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wesley's work on a murder investigation dovetails with Neil's discovery in "the new world" as he is recruited to assist on a dig in Virginia where he finds details on his own heritage as well. It all plays out in a very long and detailed tangle of people with many crimes to solve. A house at the center of the action was the scene of brutal family massacre wrongly attributed to a kitchen maid rather than the true murderer. There are so many people to interview and eliminate and or provide protection for that Wesley has little time for his wife and two children.
The investigation was challenging to keep up with over so many pages, but getting dragged down by looming domestic troubles for Wesley added a depressing dimension to the reading experience.
There were many possible perpetrators at the core and I was surprised at the discovery of who was behind the many murders,

Loan from Friend - Thank You!

[Valerie Campbell Ackroyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book was rather like a rollercoaster ride. Parts of it I really enjoyed, parts of it I rolled my eyes and thought, "Really?"

I won't go into all the character introductions; if you read the series, you will know the characters and if you don't, well, I don't think this is the one to start with anyway. You will be further confused as to who does what and why and that will add frustration to an already very confusing mystery. Whereas I usually like Wesley Peterson, the main character, he really annoyed me in this book. First by his neglect of his family while he supposedly focused on a case--but didn't really. He missed quite obvious clues, didn't follow up with crucial background checks so that it took over a hundred pages for the reader to slowly sort out who was really who. Shouldn't have taken that long. It also became laughably implausible that so many characters from a 30 year old murder would return to the scene of the crime for completely different reasons. I was pleased with myself that I had made a link to one part of the mystery that it took Wesley and Heffernan (who actually does very little in this book) 150 pages to make. But then that got further muddied at the end of the book when a completely new tangent opened up. A sad one at that.

And the usual historical link that characterizes the Peterson books--Neil the archaeologist who uncovers a centuries old mystery that parallels the modern one--is a real stretch, involving the early settlement of Jamestown, Virginia. Ellis' historical note at the end of the novel, about why the settlers died in such high numbers there in 1607 and the supposed reason she used Jamestown, is just rumor and conjecture and, as far as I can tell, not widely accepted by historical researchers. Which disappoints me because I usually enjoy Ellis' historical details.

All in all, I am glad that I read it because, despite my criticisms, I do like this series and am eager to start the next one. I think I like it because the characters, even the "good guys," are ordinary people with weaknesses who can still solve the riddles. And convoluted as they are, the riddles are still very interesting.

[Cheryl Stephenson]

I'm only at the start of chapter three, and yet I feel compelled to express how frustrated I am by the male characters of the Wesley Peterson novels. They are so 'old-fashioned' and not just a little misogynistic, though they try not to be. I feel bad for Wesley's wife, Pam, whom he has functionally abandoned for his job. Of course, some will say that she should have known what she was getting into, marrying a police officer, etc, but it's not that that irks me. It's his expectation - however fleeting or fantastic - that Pam will always have dinner made for him, and otherwise keep the house running in "domestic harmony". You're a grown man, Wesley. She already has two children to take care of - you can take care of yourself, mate.

However annoying this trait is, though, it's what makes him believable. In fact, none of Ellis' characters are entirely likeable. None of them are entirely unlikeable, either, and so they're all compulsively readable. You can relate to them, sympathise with them, and feel interested and invested in what happens to them. Sometimes the mysteries are a bit implausible, and always tie in so very neatly with the historical mystery embedded in each book, but the characters become delightfully, messily real.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Take a mysterious massacre at a stately hall, add a speight of thefts from conferences, and an archaeological dig in the US state of Virginia and you get one unholy mess.

This is my least favourite book of the series so far. It's messy and the plot elements don't tie in well together.

There is also too much soap opera-esque background material.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Ellis is fond of pairing a modern story with historical events.
In 1607 we have an imaginary settlement in Virginia near Jamestown, although this settlement is called Annetown (James' wife.) In the present time our archaeological friend Neil Watson has had a chance to join an excavation in Virginia where they are looking into the early days of Annetown. In Wesley's life there is a series of murders which seem connected to a mass murder that took place in 1985. You really have to concentrate on the characters to avoid getting mixed up in the three times .
This was particularly interesting as Wesley is over thinking his police case and being very laate getting home where Pam, his wife is getting run down looking after the two children while she also prepares to go back to her teaching job after her maternity leave.
It all blends rather well, although one wonders about the motivation.

[Belle Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the Wesley Peterson series, you get two sets of clues, one from the parallel archaeological mystery and one from the main mystery. I figured out the archaeological mystery about two thirds of the way into the book, so I knew who the murderer was before Wesley. It was a tad unfair, because in this book he actually didn't have access to all the information the reader did, not until later.

But in spite of knowing who did it and why, I still stayed up late into the night finishing this one.

[Christopher Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting better as they progress in this series. Another very good one.

[Heather Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit disappointing. Aside from the built up suspense, the book was a bit of a let down. The writing was simple, not a huge deal. But the characters were basic. Wesley was the meekest detective I've ever read. He refused to interview key suspects because they were in a fragile state. The loveless marriage between him and Pam was boring and anti-climatic. At times it felt as if the story was being dragged out. Too much back and forth between characters made it hard to keep track of who was who. The ending was so-so. If this were made into a TV series, it wouldn't be half bad. But as a book it lacks key aspects that i like/expect in mystery & crime novels.

[Jean Munroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like the plot and the historical connection, but hate the marriage issues

Kate Ellis knows how to weave a story but the undercurrent of sexism and martyrdom gets on the nerves after a while. I think Wesley and his wife are two dimensional and lack insight and therefore are not sympathetic at all. Who told Wesley that his wife bears most of the responsibility for caring for the children. Boohoo he's feeling guilty and then gets resentful to his wife for making him feel guilty. This is the last book in this series I will read for this reason.

[Katy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read!

This is the 9th book I’ve read in the series. I really enjoyed the storyline and the links with Virginia - kept me guessing until the end. I’ve given it 4 stars because although I liked the plot and the historical storyline, I don’t particularly like the characters. I like them in their police role but they annoy me in the personal aspect. Rachel is irritating in the way she is with Wesley and Wesley and Pam’s relationship is very annoying. They don’t seem to really like each other!!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading this series in order, and this book is my favorite so far. I didn't like the implausible convergence of all those people who had changed their names or appearances since playing a role in the 1985 bloodbath, but overall I thought that the story was more imaginative and compelling than the previous ones. Looking forward to #10 in the series.

[Roshni · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Ellis' best, the historical mystery and current mystery kept pace with each other, leaving the murderer a surprise in both. I have always liked the concept of Ellis' books, and she executed well in this one.

[Theresa Conte · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, the dual converging plots---a modern murder and one unearthed by Wesley's archeologist friend Neil---are fascinating, but Peterson's domestic troubles are a yawn. More murder and less of Pam's whining would have made it a better read.

[John Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that I had this one solved but the final twist beat me.

[Bettie · Rating 1 out of 5]

http://bettie.booklikes.com/blog

[Eadie Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The brutal massacre of the Harford family at Potwoolstan Hall in Devon in 1985 shocked the country and passed into local folklore. And when a journalist researching the case is murdered twenty years later, the horror is reawakened. Sixteenth century Potwoolstan Hall, now a New Age healing centre, is reputed to be cursed because of the crimes of its builder, and it seems that this inheritance of evil lives on as DI Wesley Peterson is faced with his most disturbing case yet. As more people die violently, Wesley needs to discover why a young woman has transformed a dolls house into a miniature reconstruction of the massacre scene. And could the solution to his case lie across the Atlantic Ocean, in the ruined remains of an early English settlement in Virginia USA? When the truth is finally revealed, it turns out to be as horrifying as it is dangerous.
The mass murder at Potwoolstan Hall in 1985 has a lot of characters that have changed their name in this modern day mystery which was never solved in 1985. The characters are a bit confusing and hard to keep straight. Wesley and Pam's marriage is going through a tough period as she is taking care of 2 children by herself and her husband is always at work. I'm hoping their marriage gets straighten out and Wesley and Pam stay together. If you like murder with lots of characters then you will love this book. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this Wesley Peterson book!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is coming along nicely with the characters really developing - well in some cases - Steve appears to be the same ego driven fool. If you haven't read the series before then I would suggest going back and reading from the beginning to follow the developing relationships within each story.

This time Wesley & Co are investigating the murder of a journalist and it soon becomes apparent that his murder is linked to a decades old crime where an entire family were killed at home, supposedly by the housekeeper. Various people linked to the crime are involved in the modern investigation and more deaths follow. The historical/archaeological links usually found in this series are less apparent this time - Neil is off on a dig in the USA - but there is a link none-the-less.

The plot is quite twisty and involved with lots of people to keep track of, as Wesley finds himself investigating both the current murder and the decades old killings. The side story of Wesley and his wife's strained relationship is moving on a pace - I have to say I hope it is resolved soon as it is becoming a somewhat tedious addition to the series. Other than that another page turning read and I look forward to the next offering.

[MaureenAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 9th book in the Wesley Peterson series. It can be read as a standalone novel but it certainly helps to have the background from previous novels in the series.

As usual for this series, there is a dual timeline with a present-day murder and a fictional historical mystery. This time, the historical mystery is among the early 17th century pioneer settlers in America, where Wesley's friend, Neil, is a member of an archaeological dig.

Wesley and his police team work in Tradmouth, loosely based on Dartmouth in Devon. A Cursed Inheritance starts with the body of a man found in the river. Most of the action centres on Potwoolstan Hall, which has a dark history, being the scene of a brutal family shooting in 1985. The Hall is now a New Age healing centre and retreat.

I'm a fan of this series and enjoyed the novel, although not the best in the series. I've got to know the characters over the years with all their annoying traits. I like to see the progression of their lives from one book to the next. For me, in this book there were too many possible suspects with many of those linked to the original bloodbath at the Hall coincidentally turning up again at the scene 20 years later.

[Siobhan Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not normally one to pick up a series in the middle, but a lot of these detective series aren't super connected, so when I picked this one up at the used bookstore not knowing it was #9, I wasn't too fussed about finding the rest of the series to read first.

That being said, I'm glad I didn't try to read all the books leading up to this one. I didn't dislike it, but if the rest of the books are the same as this one, I could see them getting tiring pretty quickly since there was just so much happening in this book and so many people to keep track of. It felt like every chapter had new characters being introduced. I liked the connection between what Neil was doing in Virginia and what was happening in Devon, but at the same time, I don't know if the book would have been worse off without that plotline. (Although I should add, that since I haven't read books 1-8, I don't know the significance of Neil, so maybe I'm missing something).

This was an ok read - I wouldn't say no to reading another book by Ellis, but I don't know if I'll be scrambling to buy her books next time I see them. But who knows really.

[Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I didn’t love this book but I didn’t hate it either. I was given it as a gift & I didn’t realise that is was 9th in a series about the detective.

It was perfectly fine to read as a stand alone novel, however I can’t help but wonder if it would have made for better reading if I had read previous books? The characters are obviously well developed & I was unsure why there was so much tension between DI Wesley Peterson & his wife or the sexual tension that was alluded to with his colleague, Rachel.

I enjoyed the main mystery, although I found some of it quite protracted. I didn’t enjoy the 2nd historic timeline though. Possibly because I have never been a fan of history or historical fiction. It felt like 2 totally different stories being told with a building as a rather tenuous link.

I think I would give this series another chance & would be interested to go back to the beginning but I’m not in a rush to do that yet. Please let me know if you have read them & you think I should.

[Bud Mallar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story line in this series.

More character development, some marital issues, some love issues, where will it all end up?

As in the other books, a dual story line - three hundred years or so apart which played out in similar fashion - along with the dual story lines in the present. Way too many things to keep track of methinks.

Good police procedural, and I had no idea of the whodunit, or whodunits as the case might be.

A few too many characters for this old brain to keep up, some played significant roles, some pulled you in other directions, some meant to confuse.

I have every intention of continuing the series, even tho it goes into 20 or so books if I recall correctly. But start with #1 or you won't understand a lot.

Most of us jump right over the comments at the end written by the author. Who cares who gets thanked. But in this case she ties together historical events and possible causes at Jamestown events into the basic story line here, so interesting reading.

[Bbtacoma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been reading these for a bit now—maybe because they’re easy and light? I’m still not sure how I feel about the Peterson family (sometimes I really want to shake some sense into Wes and his wife, but neither seem human enough, real enough). Nor am I sure how I feel about the sometimes lackluster detective performance. I do enjoy the plots—they’re interesting. But the author keeps forgetting she’s gone over one tidbit of this or that—and a few pages on she talks about the subject matter as though what she had just said before hadn’t happened. So I’m thinking: am I getting senile, did I misread something, or did the editor not care? This book held no real surprises from the onset, which was discouraging as that never happens! I’ll take a break for a bit. And see if the author knocks some sense into the characters.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series was recommended to me as apparently the subject matter (a mixture of crime, history and archaeology) is similar to the Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway books which are a favourite of mine. There's a long list of them and I probably should have started with the first (which makes character development easier to follow) but that wasn't in the library :( I wasn't disappointed. This was an entertaining read with an intriguing plot line with twists and turns and all set in beautiful Devon specifically 'Tradmouth' based on Dartmouth where I used to live so the scenes really came alive in my mind.

[Carol Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soaked up every chapter both historic and current and loved every page of this book. Kate Ellis is an amazing story teller and the way she combines and associates the past and the present is compelling.
I am up to book ten, in this ‘Wesley Peterson’ series, published in 2005, and not been bored by one. Author recommended to me on by an independent book store while on holiday in Dartmouth and I started reading the series in 2018 with two of the then current books and was so impressed by them had to start from the beginning if the series and it is a well worth journey.
I am now continuing my journey with Book No. 11.

[Terri Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ninth book in the Wesley Peterson series sees Wesley investigating the death of a journalist who is digging in to the past of a murdered family at their home in the 80's, only the daughter of the family and the daughter of a house worker survived that night. But someone clearly doesn't want him looking and as more bodies start to turn up, the more Wesley's job gets harder.

Once again, Kate Ellis has created another amazing book in the series, blending history, crime and murder together to create a wonderful tale that captures the imagination of its readers.

[Arielle Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

I have never had the pleasure to read any of the Wesley Peterson series, but had this one downloaded. I never read a series out of order, but after reading the first page, I ended up read this in one sitting - it was that good. The characters were very solid, and the pace was perfect. I almost felt like I was watching it instead of reading... I loved it and I'm excited to read the others!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many murders! There is a lot going on in this one, trying to keep track of who is who and has what links to the other characters is tough. Then throw in the historical story lines, both ancient and more recent, with the current murder. Plus Neil has gone to America on a dig which, not surprisingly, ties back to the sites Wesley is investigating. There is also more tension at home between Pam and Wesley as they try to navigate jobs and parenting.