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Inspector Albert Lincoln #1
A High Mortality of Doves
1919. The Derbyshire village of Wenfield is still reeling from four terrible years of war, and now, just when the village is coming to terms with the loss of so many of its sons, the brutal murder of a young girl shatters its hard-won tranquillity.
Myrtle Bligh is found stabbed and left in woodland, her mouth slit to accommodate a dead dove, a bird of peace.
During the war Myrtle worked as a volunteer nurse with Flora Winsmore, the local doctor's daughter, caring for badly wounded soldiers at the nearby big house, Tarnhey Court.
When two more women are found murdered in identical circumstances, Inspector Albert Lincoln is sent up from London, a man not only wounded in war but damaged in peace by the death of his young son and his cold, loveless marriage. Once in Wenfield, Albert begins to investigate the three recent murders and the Cartwright family of Tarnhey Court and their staff fall under suspicion as their hidden lives and secrets are uncovered.
With rumours of a ghostly soldier with a painted face being spotted near the scene of the murders, the village is thrown into a state of panic - and with the killer still on the loose, who will be the next to die at the hands of this vicious angel of death?
Myrtle Bligh is found stabbed and left in woodland, her mouth slit to accommodate a dead dove, a bird of peace.
During the war Myrtle worked as a volunteer nurse with Flora Winsmore, the local doctor's daughter, caring for badly wounded soldiers at the nearby big house, Tarnhey Court.
When two more women are found murdered in identical circumstances, Inspector Albert Lincoln is sent up from London, a man not only wounded in war but damaged in peace by the death of his young son and his cold, loveless marriage. Once in Wenfield, Albert begins to investigate the three recent murders and the Cartwright family of Tarnhey Court and their staff fall under suspicion as their hidden lives and secrets are uncovered.
With rumours of a ghostly soldier with a painted face being spotted near the scene of the murders, the village is thrown into a state of panic - and with the killer still on the loose, who will be the next to die at the hands of this vicious angel of death?
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2016
195 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Kate Ellis
122 books612 followersKate 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
March 2, 2019
One year after WW1, a murder of a young woman takes place in a village of Wenfield, Derbyshire. When two more murders are committed and no culprit found, Inspector Albert Lincoln from London is assigned not an easy task to find the murderer. The plot sounds familiar, and yet, this novel is written so well that it became a page-turner for me. Very atmospheric, with accuracy with regard to the period details, it is a solid HF murder mystery. Normally, it would be a 3-star read for me, but I added another start for keeping my interest high. My first novel by Kate Ellis, but I'll definitely follow the Inspector Albert Lincoln series.
March 26, 2019
I love finding a new (to me) author! It turns out Kate Ellis writes a series about another detective which has about twenty books in it! Yay - another series for my list as if I need any more!
A High Mortality of Doves (great title) is the start of a new series starring a Scotland Yard Inspector called Albert Lincoln. It is set one year after the end of the first world war, in a North of England village where women are being mysteriously murdered. Albert is an interesting if rather flawed character who in this book gets himself into a very unfortunate situation while trying to solve the crime.
I really enjoyed the story. The characters are well written, the mystery is very mysterious and the police procedure seems to be historically authentic. The identity of the murderer is a shocker and there are possibilities and red herrings all over the place. There is a totally unexpected and very dramatic ending. Highly recommended!
A High Mortality of Doves (great title) is the start of a new series starring a Scotland Yard Inspector called Albert Lincoln. It is set one year after the end of the first world war, in a North of England village where women are being mysteriously murdered. Albert is an interesting if rather flawed character who in this book gets himself into a very unfortunate situation while trying to solve the crime.
I really enjoyed the story. The characters are well written, the mystery is very mysterious and the police procedure seems to be historically authentic. The identity of the murderer is a shocker and there are possibilities and red herrings all over the place. There is a totally unexpected and very dramatic ending. Highly recommended!
February 8, 2017
A brilliant historical police procedural set just after World War 1
A woman is found stabbed in woods with a dead dove stuffed into her mouth just outside the small village of Wenfield in the Peak District. The local police are unable to solve the crime and Scotland Yard detective Albert Lincoln, a scarred veteran of World War 1 is called in when a second identical murder takes place.
Kate Ellis has produced a quick flowing book that brilliantly evokes the atmosphere of a small village reeling in the loss of their menfolk in the aftermath of World War I and the devastating flu epidemic that quickly follows.
Most of the book is narrated by the doctor's daughter, Flora and Inspector Lincoln. The character of Flora, a young woman eager to break the bonds of the traditional place of women on this period is excellently portrayed as is Lincoln whose wartime experiences and loss of his child haunt his thoughts and actions.
I found this book really good and would highly recommend it. I’ll be looking out for other Kate Ellis books off the back of this one.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
A woman is found stabbed in woods with a dead dove stuffed into her mouth just outside the small village of Wenfield in the Peak District. The local police are unable to solve the crime and Scotland Yard detective Albert Lincoln, a scarred veteran of World War 1 is called in when a second identical murder takes place.
Kate Ellis has produced a quick flowing book that brilliantly evokes the atmosphere of a small village reeling in the loss of their menfolk in the aftermath of World War I and the devastating flu epidemic that quickly follows.
Most of the book is narrated by the doctor's daughter, Flora and Inspector Lincoln. The character of Flora, a young woman eager to break the bonds of the traditional place of women on this period is excellently portrayed as is Lincoln whose wartime experiences and loss of his child haunt his thoughts and actions.
I found this book really good and would highly recommend it. I’ll be looking out for other Kate Ellis books off the back of this one.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
October 9, 2019
3.5 stars
January 29, 2018
A stand alone novel from Kate Ellis set in the aftermath of WW1.
Women in a small village are being murdered with a bayonet, their mouths slit open and a dove shoved inside.
Who is doing this? What is his motive?
After a third murder occurs when the local police has a suspect in custody, a Scotland Yard detective is despatched to the village. Will he catch the killer before the death toll mounts higher?
Fabulously atmospheric book that conjures the bleak days of 1919, with it's trail of broken men, shattered families, and the Spanish Influenza epidemic.
When the killer is unmasked, it comes as a real shock.
A rare 5 stars from me.
Women in a small village are being murdered with a bayonet, their mouths slit open and a dove shoved inside.
Who is doing this? What is his motive?
After a third murder occurs when the local police has a suspect in custody, a Scotland Yard detective is despatched to the village. Will he catch the killer before the death toll mounts higher?
Fabulously atmospheric book that conjures the bleak days of 1919, with it's trail of broken men, shattered families, and the Spanish Influenza epidemic.
When the killer is unmasked, it comes as a real shock.
A rare 5 stars from me.
June 29, 2017
Excellent mystery that gradually becomes a police procedural. It's set in a bucolic village in the north of England, just after the Great War. An array of suspects are paraded; my two guesses were wrong. But the ending is so surprising that I couldn't have figured out the plot in a million years.
Which means, of course, it's a tremendous read.
Which means, of course, it's a tremendous read.
June 2, 2021
A superbly crafted mystery thriller with an extraordinary sense of time and place and a superb plot twist which leads to a shocking finale.
May 19, 2019
I enjoyed this murder mystery set in the aftermath of WW1. A series of murders take place in a sleepy country village , the local police feel they have solved the crimes and arrested the perpetrator when another murder takes place, so, Scotland Yard is called in , enter Inspector Albert Lincoln. it’s a well written tale using authentic language of the period and has some very well drawn characters. The ending comes as a surprise, I doubt anyone could guess who the murderer is !
March 6, 2025
Well that was a super surprise 😮
November 10, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a review copy of A High Mortality Of Doves, an intriguing tale of murder in a remote Derbyshire village, set just after the First World War.
Myrtle Bligh receives a note from the brother she presumed dead in the war asking her to meet him secretly in the local wood to help him out of trouble. Unfortunately Myrtle meets a sadistic death, rather than her brother. When a second woman is killed in the same way the police arrest the local misfit but have to release him when a third body is found. Scotland Yard, in the form of Inspector Albert Lincoln is called in. The case is baffling with plenty of suspects but no firm lines of enquiry.
Apart from anything else the novel has a first rate plot with plenty of turns and a spectacular twist at the end. Normally I can have a good guess at the perpetrator but I was clueless right up until the end and found myself eagerly following all Ms Ellis's hints up all the blind alleys she constructed. It is masterful plotting.
Told alternately in the third person from Albert's point of view and in the first from Flora Winsmore, the doctor's daughter the novel seems intimate and has a very readable style. Albert's narrative concentrates on the investigation and Flora's on the wider impact on the village and the way the war has changed the fabric of their lives. These are rounded characters, however, so their hopes, aspirations and feelings are included. Albert is a lonely man because his wife turned her back on life when their young son died and now barely exists. It is no wonder he falls for the lively Flora. Flora is also lonely. Her mother left years ago, her brother died in the trenches and her father is intent on keeping her at home. An auxiliary nurse during the war she longs to go to Manchester and study nursing professionally but her father doesn't see it as the done thing.
The historical detail is fascinating and Ms Ellis does a tremendous job of seeing the issues of heroism and cowardice from the era's point of view, except perhaps Flora who is rather more progressive in her outlook. We shudder nowadays at the way so many young men were sent to certain death but at the time they were seen as heroes and anyone not on the front line was a shirker at best and mostly regarded as a coward to be sent white feathers. The attitude seemed to be if you could walk you could fight.
A High Mortality Of Doves is an amazing mixture of great plotting, well developed characters and and interesting historical detail all woven together seamlessly into a compulsive read. I have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.
Myrtle Bligh receives a note from the brother she presumed dead in the war asking her to meet him secretly in the local wood to help him out of trouble. Unfortunately Myrtle meets a sadistic death, rather than her brother. When a second woman is killed in the same way the police arrest the local misfit but have to release him when a third body is found. Scotland Yard, in the form of Inspector Albert Lincoln is called in. The case is baffling with plenty of suspects but no firm lines of enquiry.
Apart from anything else the novel has a first rate plot with plenty of turns and a spectacular twist at the end. Normally I can have a good guess at the perpetrator but I was clueless right up until the end and found myself eagerly following all Ms Ellis's hints up all the blind alleys she constructed. It is masterful plotting.
Told alternately in the third person from Albert's point of view and in the first from Flora Winsmore, the doctor's daughter the novel seems intimate and has a very readable style. Albert's narrative concentrates on the investigation and Flora's on the wider impact on the village and the way the war has changed the fabric of their lives. These are rounded characters, however, so their hopes, aspirations and feelings are included. Albert is a lonely man because his wife turned her back on life when their young son died and now barely exists. It is no wonder he falls for the lively Flora. Flora is also lonely. Her mother left years ago, her brother died in the trenches and her father is intent on keeping her at home. An auxiliary nurse during the war she longs to go to Manchester and study nursing professionally but her father doesn't see it as the done thing.
The historical detail is fascinating and Ms Ellis does a tremendous job of seeing the issues of heroism and cowardice from the era's point of view, except perhaps Flora who is rather more progressive in her outlook. We shudder nowadays at the way so many young men were sent to certain death but at the time they were seen as heroes and anyone not on the front line was a shirker at best and mostly regarded as a coward to be sent white feathers. The attitude seemed to be if you could walk you could fight.
A High Mortality Of Doves is an amazing mixture of great plotting, well developed characters and and interesting historical detail all woven together seamlessly into a compulsive read. I have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.
November 18, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
A murder is committed in the small village of Wenfield in Derbyshire. A woman is found stabbed in woods just outside the village with a dead dove stuffed into her mouth. The local police are puzzled and call in Scotland Yard when a second identical murder takes place. Inspector Albert Lincoln - disfigured in World War I, with an arid marriage and a wife who has never recovered from losing their only son in the flu epidemic - is sent to investigate.
The events take place in 1919 when everyone in Wenfield has lost someone in the carnage of World War I. Part of it is narrated by the doctor's daughter - Flora and the rest is told from the point of view of Inspector Lincoln. The book is well written and does evoke the atmosphere of the country after the end of World War I and the devastating flu epidemic.
I didn't work out who the murderer was or why the murders were being committed so when it was revealed it was a shock. Looking back over the book, the clues were there but I didn't place the right importance on them. I recommend this book if you enjoy reading crime stories with a historical setting.
A murder is committed in the small village of Wenfield in Derbyshire. A woman is found stabbed in woods just outside the village with a dead dove stuffed into her mouth. The local police are puzzled and call in Scotland Yard when a second identical murder takes place. Inspector Albert Lincoln - disfigured in World War I, with an arid marriage and a wife who has never recovered from losing their only son in the flu epidemic - is sent to investigate.
The events take place in 1919 when everyone in Wenfield has lost someone in the carnage of World War I. Part of it is narrated by the doctor's daughter - Flora and the rest is told from the point of view of Inspector Lincoln. The book is well written and does evoke the atmosphere of the country after the end of World War I and the devastating flu epidemic.
I didn't work out who the murderer was or why the murders were being committed so when it was revealed it was a shock. Looking back over the book, the clues were there but I didn't place the right importance on them. I recommend this book if you enjoy reading crime stories with a historical setting.
October 19, 2018
Just no... I suspect many of these reviews reflect a fondness for Ellis' other books; not this one. The Wesley Peterson series is great --esp the early entries. This book is not. It has a great premise, an interesting time period, and whiny, shallow characters, a plodding plot, plus...it is written at a really elementary level. Plus there's not really any detail, it feels bland and unrooted....like Ellis didn't want to do the research, so just glossed over things like post-mortems of the era, police communication, fingerprinting and evidence, suffragette and education regarding women, soo much is either wrong, incomplete or just ignored. This took me longer to read than a Tana French because it just drug on and on....
December 2, 2016
Interesting! Seemed very different from her other books to begin with. Particularly good at the post-war atmosphere (1919 onwards) - traumatised communities coping with the aftermath of war, with the influenza epidemic and the influence of spiritualism. There are also some interesting historical details such as the use of masks for injured soldiers. The denouement and the identity of the murderer was maybe a little bit too much of a twist, though, and the ending is really sad. So many people with sad secrets!
January 7, 2017
3.5 stars. A well written stand alone historical murder mystery from the author of the Wesley Peterson detective novels. Set just after WW1 and told through the eyes of doctors daughter, Flora, it winds it way nicely to a dramatic conclusion.
I found the present tense narration quite difficult at first but soon got into the character of Flora but was surprised at some of her actions given the time period.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
I found the present tense narration quite difficult at first but soon got into the character of Flora but was surprised at some of her actions given the time period.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
November 18, 2021
My first Kate Ellis book. I wish I was more impressed. I've never been a fan of first-person present tense usage, and the "Flora" chapters seemed particularly awkward in that respect somehow. (To say nothing of the occasional non-sequiter. . ."I reach the bed at the end. The man lying there is quite still and his temperature is high but almost back to normal." Which is it, nurse? Can't have it both ways.) None of the characters felt quite real to me, and the startling ending seemed to come out of nowhere. I'd have taken this for a debut effort if I hadn't seen the list of 20 or more titles credited to the author opposite the title page.
April 21, 2024
The first world war has left deep scars in the English population, and noone is unaffected. This detective story probes the depths of shattered minds, and the ending is unexpected and tragic!
February 19, 2019
This is a very easy book to read, nothing too complicated and characters easily identifiable . It is easy to imagine the location as it is set in a very small northern village in England during the first year after the First World War. Although this is not an era I usually read about, i found I became easily engrossed in the story line. I don't think the writing was particularly great and the author did tend to repeat herself on various occasions and dragged the story out when it could have easily been condensed. A good holiday read which doesn't require much thinking about and the ending wasn't that surprising especially if you are an avid crime reader.
November 17, 2016
An utterly stunning mystery novel making full use of the background while never forgetting to keep the plot moving. Outstanding. Full review at classic mystery.wordpress.com
June 15, 2019
A murder mystery set in the aftermath of World War One, in a village very much mourning it's dead. Among the victims is a nurse volunteer and a local gossip who runs a tea shop. They are lured to their deaths by malicious notes and are murdered in a local wood.
The story is told from the point of view mainly of Flora Winsome, also a nurse volunteer and the daughter of one of the local doctors.
When the local policeman makes no headway a detective is called in from Scotland Yard, but he too has been damaged by the war.
The influenza epidemic is beginning to hit the village, and so there are a number of factors giving a historical flavour to this police procedural, not the least the ghostly figure of a soldier. The identity of the murderer came as a surprise in the last pages, and I am not sure that the author gave us enough clues.
The story is told from the point of view mainly of Flora Winsome, also a nurse volunteer and the daughter of one of the local doctors.
When the local policeman makes no headway a detective is called in from Scotland Yard, but he too has been damaged by the war.
The influenza epidemic is beginning to hit the village, and so there are a number of factors giving a historical flavour to this police procedural, not the least the ghostly figure of a soldier. The identity of the murderer came as a surprise in the last pages, and I am not sure that the author gave us enough clues.
September 11, 2018
After hearing the author speak at a crime conference I looked out for this cleverly written novel set in Derbyshire, England, in the aftermath of the first world war. A small village setting reveals a hotbed of gossip and jealousy when a series of women are found murdered along with dead doves, the symbol of peace. The story is told from a number of viewpoints, chiefly Flora, the village doctor’s sensitive but frustrated daughter, and Albert, a troubled detective from London. A fascinating theme is the use of sinister painted masks created for soldiers who returned with facial injuries. This is a great read for its sensitive exploration of an unusual moment in history, its clever braiding of themes and an unusual final twist. Recommended.
December 19, 2024
I have read another book by this author fairly recently and enjoyed it enough to put this on my shelf.
This one is set very soon after the First World War and memories are still raw as the village of Wenfield struggles to come to terms with its losses.
When the murder of three local girls follow in quick succession Scotland Yard is called upon for help. Inspector Albert Lincoln, a war casualty himself is sent.
Not only is this an intriguing story of village life in that era but a fascinating murder mystery as Albert turns up several secrets that individuals would rather keep buried.
The use of double narrators keeps the story good paced.
After some very clever and subtle misdirection, the ending surprised me as I had the case against another all wrapped up.
Most enjoyable and definitely another author for my list.
This one is set very soon after the First World War and memories are still raw as the village of Wenfield struggles to come to terms with its losses.
When the murder of three local girls follow in quick succession Scotland Yard is called upon for help. Inspector Albert Lincoln, a war casualty himself is sent.
Not only is this an intriguing story of village life in that era but a fascinating murder mystery as Albert turns up several secrets that individuals would rather keep buried.
The use of double narrators keeps the story good paced.
After some very clever and subtle misdirection, the ending surprised me as I had the case against another all wrapped up.
Most enjoyable and definitely another author for my list.
April 23, 2017
Is this a 4-star book or a 3-star book? Honestly, I can't say. Shortly after purchasing the novel, I was looking at GoodReads reviews and there was a two-word phrase in a review that while not directly spoiling the plot, told me all I needed to know. I tried waiting months to see if I could forget the two-word phrase, but nope, I remembered it and knew from the first page where the narrative twist was headed. I'm positive that I would've figured the twist out myself (it is the only solution); but I never had that opportunity. I believe most people will enjoy this very thoughtful murder mystery, pick it up and tell me your thoughts.
August 8, 2024
This is the first book I have read by Kate Ellis. I really enjoyed and did not expect the ending.
January 8, 2021
Set not long after the 1914/19 conflict, the war overshadows the lives of all of the characters in this story, and not least the central character, detective Albert Lincoln. His served on the frontline and has come back to England bearing the scars of his service. As a character I found him interesting, intelligent and yet weighted with a personal sorrow that did not intrude unnecessarily on the investigation.
I liked the period detail of the novel and I found it refreshing that Lincoln had to undertake his police investigation using good old observation, intuition, intelligence and detailed questioning. No DNA or highly scientific test results to help him. In that respect, the progress of the investigation through the story made me think far more than I normally have to with modern police procedurals.
A great story with a detective that is new to me and I will be reading more of this series.
I liked the period detail of the novel and I found it refreshing that Lincoln had to undertake his police investigation using good old observation, intuition, intelligence and detailed questioning. No DNA or highly scientific test results to help him. In that respect, the progress of the investigation through the story made me think far more than I normally have to with modern police procedurals.
A great story with a detective that is new to me and I will be reading more of this series.
July 9, 2020
I came into this book with real excitement. I love stories set in the inter-war period, especially mysteries, so this sounded on paper like something just up my street.
I was left sorely disappointed.
While the actual mystery itself is engaging, a desire to know who was committing the crimes and why was really all that kept me going.
The writing felt clunky and clumsy. Phrasing were repeated, and I felt the characterisation of the main protagonists was pretty two dimensional. At no point did I really feel I connected with either of them, in any way, which was a disappointment.
I know some people have taken issue with the actions of the main characters perhaps not being entirely inkeeping with the era, but that bothers me less. I mean - people who were unstereotypical existed and why not have a focus on them? In fact, that made it slightly more bearable.
Frankly the 'big reveal' at the end made NO sense to me. I almost felt like the author herself did not know who the culprit was, and went rogue at the end just to cause surprise. While motive was sensible, the lead up was entirely lacking and nonsensical.
Over all this was a frustrating read. The basic outline of the story, and its result, should be so good. There was so much more the author could have done with this and the characters to flesh everything out. As it happened, even the descriptions of the village were so lacklustre I could barely imagine anything in my head as I was reading!
Perhaps best saved as an easy read while one is travelling, or something light to dig into while stuck in bed poorly with no energy to engage ones own 'little grey cells' as Hercule Poirot is fond of saying! Not one for serious crime aficionados.
I was left sorely disappointed.
While the actual mystery itself is engaging, a desire to know who was committing the crimes and why was really all that kept me going.
The writing felt clunky and clumsy. Phrasing were repeated, and I felt the characterisation of the main protagonists was pretty two dimensional. At no point did I really feel I connected with either of them, in any way, which was a disappointment.
I know some people have taken issue with the actions of the main characters perhaps not being entirely inkeeping with the era, but that bothers me less. I mean - people who were unstereotypical existed and why not have a focus on them? In fact, that made it slightly more bearable.
Frankly the 'big reveal' at the end made NO sense to me. I almost felt like the author herself did not know who the culprit was, and went rogue at the end just to cause surprise. While motive was sensible, the lead up was entirely lacking and nonsensical.
Over all this was a frustrating read. The basic outline of the story, and its result, should be so good. There was so much more the author could have done with this and the characters to flesh everything out. As it happened, even the descriptions of the village were so lacklustre I could barely imagine anything in my head as I was reading!
Perhaps best saved as an easy read while one is travelling, or something light to dig into while stuck in bed poorly with no energy to engage ones own 'little grey cells' as Hercule Poirot is fond of saying! Not one for serious crime aficionados.
November 21, 2016
This novel is set in 1919, in a small northern village called Wenfield that is still reeling from the loss of most of its young men in World War I. When two women are murdered the local police think they have their man but a third murder soon follows and Scotland Yard are called in.
The story is told in first person by Flora, the daughter of the village doctor whose experience tending to sick soldiers has given her ambitions to become a professional nurse. She's a clever if somewhat naive character. The other side of the story follows Inspector Albert Lincoln of Scotland Yard, a man who has borne the brunt of his own injuries from the war, plus further tragedy at home as he tries to unravel the secrets of Wenfield.
This is an evocatively written story. Even if like me you're not massively familiar with this period of history you quickly get a sense of the era. There is genuine mystery with a great ending....I sort of guessed the ending but more in a "oh wouldn't it be cool if it was ******** " way rather than a smug "yeah I guessed it" way. My only small criticism is that it was hard to get a sense of how much time was passing. A quite big plot point concerning Flora seemed unlikely before I realised much more time had passed between chapters than I realised.
An evocative and compelling story, I'd recommend this to any mystery lover. Even if historical fiction isn't your usual choice this is definitely deserving of your attention.
Thank you Netgalley, Little Brown Book and Kate Ellis for this digital ARC for an honest review
The story is told in first person by Flora, the daughter of the village doctor whose experience tending to sick soldiers has given her ambitions to become a professional nurse. She's a clever if somewhat naive character. The other side of the story follows Inspector Albert Lincoln of Scotland Yard, a man who has borne the brunt of his own injuries from the war, plus further tragedy at home as he tries to unravel the secrets of Wenfield.
This is an evocatively written story. Even if like me you're not massively familiar with this period of history you quickly get a sense of the era. There is genuine mystery with a great ending....I sort of guessed the ending but more in a "oh wouldn't it be cool if it was ******** " way rather than a smug "yeah I guessed it" way. My only small criticism is that it was hard to get a sense of how much time was passing. A quite big plot point concerning Flora seemed unlikely before I realised much more time had passed between chapters than I realised.
An evocative and compelling story, I'd recommend this to any mystery lover. Even if historical fiction isn't your usual choice this is definitely deserving of your attention.
Thank you Netgalley, Little Brown Book and Kate Ellis for this digital ARC for an honest review
December 20, 2016
919. The Derbyshire village of Wenfield is still reeling from four terrible years of war, and now, just when the village is coming to terms with the loss of so many of its sons, the brutal murder of a young girl shatters its hard-won tranquillity.
Myrtle Bligh is found stabbed and left in woodland, her mouth slit to accommodate a dead dove, a bird of peace.
During the war Myrtle worked as a volunteer nurse with Flora Winsmore, the local doctor's daughter, caring for badly wounded soldiers at the nearby big house, Tarnhey Court.
When two more women are found murdered in identical circumstances, Inspector Albert Lincoln is sent up from London, a man not only wounded in war but damaged in peace by the death of his young son and his cold, loveless marriage. Once in Wenfield, Albert begins to investigate the three recent murders and the Cartwright family of Tarnhey Court and their staff fall under suspicion as their hidden lives and secrets are uncovered.
With rumours of a ghostly soldier with a painted face being spotted near the scene of the murders, the village is thrown into a state of panic - and with the killer still on the loose, who will be the next to die at the hands of this vicious angel of death?
Deliciously brilliant - just as all Kate Ellis books are.
Myrtle Bligh is found stabbed and left in woodland, her mouth slit to accommodate a dead dove, a bird of peace.
During the war Myrtle worked as a volunteer nurse with Flora Winsmore, the local doctor's daughter, caring for badly wounded soldiers at the nearby big house, Tarnhey Court.
When two more women are found murdered in identical circumstances, Inspector Albert Lincoln is sent up from London, a man not only wounded in war but damaged in peace by the death of his young son and his cold, loveless marriage. Once in Wenfield, Albert begins to investigate the three recent murders and the Cartwright family of Tarnhey Court and their staff fall under suspicion as their hidden lives and secrets are uncovered.
With rumours of a ghostly soldier with a painted face being spotted near the scene of the murders, the village is thrown into a state of panic - and with the killer still on the loose, who will be the next to die at the hands of this vicious angel of death?
Deliciously brilliant - just as all Kate Ellis books are.
May 12, 2017
This was definitely an interesting novel. The author did a good job of creating a realistic impression of the historical time period, replete with examples of the social issues and prejudices that were prevalent in those days. The writing style was interesting, flitting between different characters. Flora had her own designated chapters that read more like diary entries, and Albert's chapters were in 3rd perspective. At first, I didn't really enjoy this style but it stopped mattering as I focused more on the story. The plot was intriguing and there were many avenues of investigation that the author explored. The ending definitely took me aback, as I wasn't suspecting this direction; however, it wasn't satisfactory for me and felt more like the author chose to do this just to add a thrill element. In other words, it wasn't as well thought out as it could have been. The relationship between the two main characters was also not something I enjoyed; I don't usually like novels where infidelity is accepted and I also felt as if the romance was not too well developed. Overall, a nice historical fiction with an interesting crime twist. This novel didn't wow me but it wasn't terrible, so I would give this a 3/5 stars.
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For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com
February 12, 2017
Thanks netgalley for this ARC.
It's never too late and early for us to forgive, love, and let go. I think that's what this novel tries to teach us. Plus much more besides
It's never too late and early for us to forgive, love, and let go. I think that's what this novel tries to teach us. Plus much more besides
January 15, 2017
An historical novel and mystery in the early 1900's. First a woman is found murdered - stabbed and with a dove shoved in her mouth. The small town police do not know quite what to make of it. They call in the town's doctor - who also has not seen anything like.
The doctor's daughter, Flora, is one of the main characters - and she was a friend of the girl who was murdered
Then a 2nd girl is murdered, and the small town police send for Albert Lincoln, an Inspector from London - he is the other main character
As other women are murdered - while suspects are in prison - everyone is stumped.
The doctor's daughter, Flora, is one of the main characters - and she was a friend of the girl who was murdered
Then a 2nd girl is murdered, and the small town police send for Albert Lincoln, an Inspector from London - he is the other main character
As other women are murdered - while suspects are in prison - everyone is stumped.
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