What do you think?
D. I. Zig Batten #3
An Easter Killing
Crown of Thorns Hill, clad in April mist, towers above the quiet village of East Thorne .
But on Good Friday, when the mist clears, the villagers wake to a malign vision at the hill's peak - a sight which catapults a flu-ridden Inspector Zig Batten from his holiday bed to a scene of desecration.
Who is the victim? And what vengeful mind would dispose of a body here, like this?
In his search for reasons, Batten finds himself at odds with warring churchmen, lost lovers, ranting conservationists and shady developers. Even Batten and his colleagues struggle with their own mixed motives.
Do the threatened dwellings and apple-orchard of Turks Lane hold the answer? Or is it buried in the victim's past?
As the Easter weekend unfolds, Batten fears the worst is still to come...
But on Good Friday, when the mist clears, the villagers wake to a malign vision at the hill's peak - a sight which catapults a flu-ridden Inspector Zig Batten from his holiday bed to a scene of desecration.
Who is the victim? And what vengeful mind would dispose of a body here, like this?
In his search for reasons, Batten finds himself at odds with warring churchmen, lost lovers, ranting conservationists and shady developers. Even Batten and his colleagues struggle with their own mixed motives.
Do the threatened dwellings and apple-orchard of Turks Lane hold the answer? Or is it buried in the victim's past?
As the Easter weekend unfolds, Batten fears the worst is still to come...
343 pages, Paperback
Published March 23, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 9, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for a review copy of An Easter Killing, the third novel to feature DI Zig Batten of Somerset Police.
When a body is found on the Crown of Thorns hill in the village of East Thorne Zig and the team are stunned at the audacity of the crime scene and struggling not only with the lack of clues but the contradictory nature of the ones they do have.
I thoroughly enjoyed An Easter Killing which is an absorbing police procedural with several suspects and motives. It goes about its business quietly as the team examine all the possibilities and gradually home in on a suspect. There are no stunning twists or major bombshells, just a methodical winnowing out of facts, suspicions and theories unless, of course, you find the conclusion believable. It is unexpected, inconclusive and a bit far fetched which is a shame as it lets down an otherwise good read.
The novel isn’t afraid to to confront the realities of modern rural living, in this case a housing development welcomed by some and opposed by others. It makes for good reading, examining the case on both sides. I found it interesting but simplistic given that the housing stock in my small town has just increased significantly.
The novel is mostly told from Zig’s point of view and takes a bit of getting used to as his thoughts are often sequential to his speech, making it difficult to differentiate. I soon got used to it and came to like it as it provides context in the investigation and a kind of intimacy and immediacy.
Zig Batten is not an easy man to get to know. A Yorkshire transplant he has the stereotypical taciturnity but more than that there is a sensitivity that leaves thoughts unsaid and a certain awkwardness when dealing with the personal.
An Easter Killing is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When a body is found on the Crown of Thorns hill in the village of East Thorne Zig and the team are stunned at the audacity of the crime scene and struggling not only with the lack of clues but the contradictory nature of the ones they do have.
I thoroughly enjoyed An Easter Killing which is an absorbing police procedural with several suspects and motives. It goes about its business quietly as the team examine all the possibilities and gradually home in on a suspect. There are no stunning twists or major bombshells, just a methodical winnowing out of facts, suspicions and theories unless, of course, you find the conclusion believable. It is unexpected, inconclusive and a bit far fetched which is a shame as it lets down an otherwise good read.
The novel isn’t afraid to to confront the realities of modern rural living, in this case a housing development welcomed by some and opposed by others. It makes for good reading, examining the case on both sides. I found it interesting but simplistic given that the housing stock in my small town has just increased significantly.
The novel is mostly told from Zig’s point of view and takes a bit of getting used to as his thoughts are often sequential to his speech, making it difficult to differentiate. I soon got used to it and came to like it as it provides context in the investigation and a kind of intimacy and immediacy.
Zig Batten is not an easy man to get to know. A Yorkshire transplant he has the stereotypical taciturnity but more than that there is a sensitivity that leaves thoughts unsaid and a certain awkwardness when dealing with the personal.
An Easter Killing is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
April 17, 2019
4 stars
Is is Good Friday in the small village of East Thorne. The villagers awake to a shocking sight on the Crown of Thorns Hill. (Those with binoculars that is. )
Detective Zig Batten is forced from his sickbed to investigate the murder. He is confounded by a semi-combative priest, obsfucating villagers and his attraction to a lovely pathologist and a host of other obstructions.
This is well written novel that is at times a little dense. I did enjoy it, however. Zig is not an easy person to get to know. This is my first Zig Batten book and I went to Amazon to look for his other novels.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Is is Good Friday in the small village of East Thorne. The villagers awake to a shocking sight on the Crown of Thorns Hill. (Those with binoculars that is. )
Detective Zig Batten is forced from his sickbed to investigate the murder. He is confounded by a semi-combative priest, obsfucating villagers and his attraction to a lovely pathologist and a host of other obstructions.
This is well written novel that is at times a little dense. I did enjoy it, however. Zig is not an easy person to get to know. This is my first Zig Batten book and I went to Amazon to look for his other novels.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.
April 8, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
It's April and the town of East Thorne is getting ready for Easter. DI Zig Batten is in bed with a nasty case of the flu, but unfortunately is called out to a horrifying scene at Crown of Thorn's Hill on Good Friday.
Who on earth would dispose of a body like that and who is the victim? Tensions and gear rise during Easter weekend - what horrors are still in store for the village and will the killer be caught sooner rather than later?
Previously I was not crazy about Zig, but I guess I got used to his inner musings, which didn't seem as irritating. He has definitely grown on me.
The sense of place is wonderful and the mystery and ending very good. Recommended!
It's April and the town of East Thorne is getting ready for Easter. DI Zig Batten is in bed with a nasty case of the flu, but unfortunately is called out to a horrifying scene at Crown of Thorn's Hill on Good Friday.
Who on earth would dispose of a body like that and who is the victim? Tensions and gear rise during Easter weekend - what horrors are still in store for the village and will the killer be caught sooner rather than later?
Previously I was not crazy about Zig, but I guess I got used to his inner musings, which didn't seem as irritating. He has definitely grown on me.
The sense of place is wonderful and the mystery and ending very good. Recommended!
April 28, 2019
First time reading this author and these characters. I could never quite warm up to the characters and the story line seemed to drag out through the middle of the book before it got active again and almost predictable. A lot of dialogue and. police procedural detail, A little 'cold' for my taste but it is well thought out and a good storyline and plot.
Thanks to the author and publishers for the ARC. I received this book as a complimentary copy for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to the author and publishers for the ARC. I received this book as a complimentary copy for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
April 23, 2019
At first I did not like the writing style of this author - it seemed very bitty, with Batten providing both dialogue and a sort of running commentary to himself.
However, the plot to the story was very good - a village awakes on Good Friday morning to find that someone has been crucified on the wooden cross erected on the hill ready for the Good Friday witness walk. The peace of Easter has been shattered. Suspects abound, and Batten and Ball have to unravel the strands to determine who is guilty.
Suspects include the partner of a police colleague, a whole raft of likely villagers including a deaf woman and her overworked father. Interwoven into the tale is an unscrupulous developer keen to buy their cottages to build a new housing estate.
The story is well handled and enjoyable. I enjoyed this mystery and would read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, the plot to the story was very good - a village awakes on Good Friday morning to find that someone has been crucified on the wooden cross erected on the hill ready for the Good Friday witness walk. The peace of Easter has been shattered. Suspects abound, and Batten and Ball have to unravel the strands to determine who is guilty.
Suspects include the partner of a police colleague, a whole raft of likely villagers including a deaf woman and her overworked father. Interwoven into the tale is an unscrupulous developer keen to buy their cottages to build a new housing estate.
The story is well handled and enjoyable. I enjoyed this mystery and would read more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2019
For the most part, I thought this was a pretty great procedural. The crime aspects of the book were believable enough as was the investigation. Some of the characters come off a bit rough at the beginning and it took me some time to warm to them, but eventually, I did and found that I quite enjoyed most of this book.
There are some parts of this novel that can seem a bit thick and heavy to wade through at times, but then it begins to flow nicely again, thus, the reason I went for four stars instead of five. I liked the suspense in this novel and the certain way the author allowed the tension to build along with the mysteries, before giving any definite answers to the audience. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I like this author's style of writing and look forward to going back and reading what else there is in his catalogue.
The descriptions of the village are excellent and I love that the characters actually seem like real people with human needs and wants rather than one-dimensional paper people as so often happens in mysteries and thrillers.
I would definitely recommend this book to other lovers of crime stories.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
There are some parts of this novel that can seem a bit thick and heavy to wade through at times, but then it begins to flow nicely again, thus, the reason I went for four stars instead of five. I liked the suspense in this novel and the certain way the author allowed the tension to build along with the mysteries, before giving any definite answers to the audience. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I like this author's style of writing and look forward to going back and reading what else there is in his catalogue.
The descriptions of the village are excellent and I love that the characters actually seem like real people with human needs and wants rather than one-dimensional paper people as so often happens in mysteries and thrillers.
I would definitely recommend this book to other lovers of crime stories.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
April 26, 2019
A mystery book with the proper dose of darkness. A crime that borders on sacrilege, a village shaken by the secrets that this crime has brought to light. And an end that is revealed little by little. All this comes together to form an entertaining story and very difficult to stop reading!
May 10, 2019
A great plot peppered with wry humour, and with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. Can't wait for the next one!
April 13, 2019
Murder is reasonably common, in some places people- well men - volunteer to be crucified on Good Friday, but not in an English village, and certainly never a woman. You can imagine the shock and horror when a woman is found fastened to the Good Friday cross on Thorn Hill. What is more, although she is known to the villagers, she lives abroad. Figure that one out!
That is the job of Zig Barret and his team and it seems that the more they learn, the less they know.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
That is the job of Zig Barret and his team and it seems that the more they learn, the less they know.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
April 8, 2020
The intrigue begins when a woman's body is found hanging from a cross, on top of a hill on Good Friday, and continues to the very last page. An Easter Killing is Jam packed with a plethora of believable, but quirky characters. Descriptions of the countryside, in which the story takes place, are terrific and make the reader feel as if they are there, taking part in the action. I love the repartee between the two main protagonists; more power to DI Batten and DS Ball's Elbows, can’t wait to read about their next case. PS. Hope Zig will have recovered from his man flue by then. LOL.
May 20, 2019
DI Batten is not just fighting a cold or man-flu as he says but he and his men are following a trail of mismatched clues that is baffling and makes no sense at all. A distressing sadistic murder mystery with religious intone that gives off bad vibrations to the public, A complex and intriguing story.
September 17, 2021
Full of intrigue, An Easter Killing was very well written. it kept me engaged until the very end, and the well-crafted characters were believable.
Here is find Batten at odds with warring churchmen, lost lovers, ranting conservationists and shady developers. Even Batten and his colleagues struggle with their own mixed motives.
A book I definitely recommend.
Here is find Batten at odds with warring churchmen, lost lovers, ranting conservationists and shady developers. Even Batten and his colleagues struggle with their own mixed motives.
A book I definitely recommend.
July 2, 2019
I really think this series and each book has the perfect mix of murder, mystery, real life, and suspense."
I absolutely enjoyed reading A Easter Killing. It has everything I look forward to in a mystery and once started I couldn't put it down.
I absolutely enjoyed reading A Easter Killing. It has everything I look forward to in a mystery and once started I couldn't put it down.
December 31, 2020
I wish I hadn't put this book off for so long. Really enjoyed it. Loved the setting of a village. You really get a taste of it.
Loved the plot, the characters, and the writing style. Give me more.
Loved the plot, the characters, and the writing style. Give me more.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews