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Inspector Ramsay #5
The Healers
IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT AND ERNIE BOWLES IS STEPPING OUT--
TO DIE.
Ernie's big fantasy is that his blind date with a blonde divorcee will end with the two of them back at the farm, cozily shacked up. Alas, Sunday morning finds Ernie on the cold kitchen floor, all alone and strangled.
A simple case of kiss-and-kill? Perhaps, but Inspector Stephen Ramsay can find no one in the entire village who liked the man, certainly not the young couple who rent his caravan nor the respectable folk on the adjoining farm. Another strangling--the even more puzzling murder of quiet housewife Val McDougal--compounds the confusion, leading Ramsay to the local center for alternative healing, where both victims were well known.
Meanwhile, a murderer quietly observes the hunt, as Ramsay pursues a case in which the astonishing finale will catch even the canniest reader by the throat...
TO DIE.
Ernie's big fantasy is that his blind date with a blonde divorcee will end with the two of them back at the farm, cozily shacked up. Alas, Sunday morning finds Ernie on the cold kitchen floor, all alone and strangled.
A simple case of kiss-and-kill? Perhaps, but Inspector Stephen Ramsay can find no one in the entire village who liked the man, certainly not the young couple who rent his caravan nor the respectable folk on the adjoining farm. Another strangling--the even more puzzling murder of quiet housewife Val McDougal--compounds the confusion, leading Ramsay to the local center for alternative healing, where both victims were well known.
Meanwhile, a murderer quietly observes the hunt, as Ramsay pursues a case in which the astonishing finale will catch even the canniest reader by the throat...
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
551 people are currently reading
1092 people want to read
About the author
Ann Cleeves
132 books8,831 followersAnn is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
November 13, 2021
Well this did not end the way I thought it would. Which is a good thing. This takes a few months or even a year after the last book. We have Ramsay settled with Prue and investigating a couple of murders that do not seem tied together. When you eventually get to the who dun it and why it has you going how you could have missed such a thing. But honestly, I thought this was very clever and loved how Cleeves looped everything together.
"The Healers" follows Ramsay as he and Hunter are called in when an older farmer is found dead in his house. Two travelers live on his land and at first suspicions are that one of them had something to do with it. But when a woman ends up dead with ties to the wellness spot in town, Ramsay and Hunter start delving into a world of alternative therapies.
I love how methodological Ramsay is. He won't be rushed. Though Hunter and now another officer at times think he is too slow, they both end up admiring him because he is not going to be rushed. We saw how the events in the first book in the series still affect Ramsay and how focused he is on not rushing to judgement and not ruining people because the police turn up asking questions.
Hunter is still pretty awful though I ended up feeling for him at the end of this one.
The characters we follow in this one are definitely memorable. For once I wanted the book to go on since I was so curious about what happened to a few of the secondary characters.
The dialogue and inner thinking of the characters worked very well as did the flow.
I honestly had no idea at who dun it and why until the very end. Great resolution!
"The Healers" follows Ramsay as he and Hunter are called in when an older farmer is found dead in his house. Two travelers live on his land and at first suspicions are that one of them had something to do with it. But when a woman ends up dead with ties to the wellness spot in town, Ramsay and Hunter start delving into a world of alternative therapies.
I love how methodological Ramsay is. He won't be rushed. Though Hunter and now another officer at times think he is too slow, they both end up admiring him because he is not going to be rushed. We saw how the events in the first book in the series still affect Ramsay and how focused he is on not rushing to judgement and not ruining people because the police turn up asking questions.
Hunter is still pretty awful though I ended up feeling for him at the end of this one.
The characters we follow in this one are definitely memorable. For once I wanted the book to go on since I was so curious about what happened to a few of the secondary characters.
The dialogue and inner thinking of the characters worked very well as did the flow.
I honestly had no idea at who dun it and why until the very end. Great resolution!
December 27, 2025
Ann Cleeves writes great suspense. The narration was outstanding. Highly recommend the entire series.
I was blessed with an audio ARC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an audio ARC. Thank you NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
June 16, 2023
The Healers (Inspector Ramsey, #5) by Ann Cleeves.
An excellent book published in 1995-6, but written in 1988 long before Vera or the Shetland series came into view. This is my 2nd Inspector Ramsey book and I delighted in reading it. My only sad note in passing is that this is the last of Inspector Ramsey. Perhaps I will hold out hope that A.C. may bring him back. I can only hope.
This story brings together hippies of a sort, a new age healing center and murder, which calls for Inspector Ramsey. The ending could have only be created by this marvelou8s and gifted author.
Loved it and most highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
An excellent book published in 1995-6, but written in 1988 long before Vera or the Shetland series came into view. This is my 2nd Inspector Ramsey book and I delighted in reading it. My only sad note in passing is that this is the last of Inspector Ramsey. Perhaps I will hold out hope that A.C. may bring him back. I can only hope.
This story brings together hippies of a sort, a new age healing center and murder, which calls for Inspector Ramsey. The ending could have only be created by this marvelou8s and gifted author.
Loved it and most highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.
April 3, 2012
I really like Ann Cleeves' Inspector Stephen Ramsey Mysteries. The series started out slowly, but it has grown on me. There is only one more in the series. It is on my "Wish List" on www.paperbackswap.com. I am interested to know if Ms. Cleeves closes the series. This book was published in 1995 so not sure where the series goes from here. I will have to "Google" it.
October 6, 2025
Simon and I listened to the audiobook together and agreed that the story was a bit convoluted and difficult to follow at times. I did enjoy getting to know the characters.
Ann Cleeves wrote this series earlier in her career. In some ways, I feel I would have rather read this before her Vera Stanhope series, which is superior, demonstrating how she has developed her skills as a writer.
Ann Cleeves wrote this series earlier in her career. In some ways, I feel I would have rather read this before her Vera Stanhope series, which is superior, demonstrating how she has developed her skills as a writer.
August 21, 2013
another good series from this author, Set in the North East again. Nicely drawn characters and a good plot which kept me guessing.
May 19, 2021
Plot, setting and character are well melded in this fifth Ramsay novel. Isolation and community play off against each other, both with potential for healing but also for destruction.
Ramsay is growing in confidence as Hunter, mercifully, has a tiny self-doubt.
What I most like in this series is the acceptance of human struggle - the fears, desires, hopes and needs that motivate both major and minor characters. The tension lies in the extent to which individuals manage to balance and control these forces for the good of the community - and ultimately their own sanity and wellbeing. The job of the detectives involves understanding the tensions and persuading the community to resolve or release some of them to reveal information, while themselves subject to some of the same.
It’s this core acceptance of human frailty, of moral and psychological struggle which hold me captive. In later series it becomes an undertow. Here it is in plain sight.
Ramsay is growing in confidence as Hunter, mercifully, has a tiny self-doubt.
What I most like in this series is the acceptance of human struggle - the fears, desires, hopes and needs that motivate both major and minor characters. The tension lies in the extent to which individuals manage to balance and control these forces for the good of the community - and ultimately their own sanity and wellbeing. The job of the detectives involves understanding the tensions and persuading the community to resolve or release some of them to reveal information, while themselves subject to some of the same.
It’s this core acceptance of human frailty, of moral and psychological struggle which hold me captive. In later series it becomes an undertow. Here it is in plain sight.
September 24, 2019
This started a little slower than the other books in the series but built up into a good thriller indeed. I never guessed the giuilty party as usual sso Ann Cleeves is still keeping me on my toes.
I like the relationship between the socially inept and self doubting Insppector Ramsey and his all guns blazing, full of himself, bull in a chins shop sergeant, Hunter.
The book centres around an alternative treatment centre and some farm land in Northumberland some 50 miles from Newcastle. There are a few good twists and the reader is kept entertained.
I like the series and this instalment didn't disappoint.
I like the relationship between the socially inept and self doubting Insppector Ramsey and his all guns blazing, full of himself, bull in a chins shop sergeant, Hunter.
The book centres around an alternative treatment centre and some farm land in Northumberland some 50 miles from Newcastle. There are a few good twists and the reader is kept entertained.
I like the series and this instalment didn't disappoint.
June 5, 2021
The 5th Inspector Ramsay that I have read in quick succession, in order, and it has been worth doing that for the character development of both Ramsay and his off-sider Hunter. The setting is once again a small community of fairly tightly knit people.
We start off with a bachelor farmer found dead on his kitchen floor, strangled, after a night when he went out on a blind date.
There is a range of quirky characters in this one, and a lovely lot of red herrings. I had my major suspect but I was wrong!
These are very satisfying reads. I'm just sad there is only one more in the series.
We start off with a bachelor farmer found dead on his kitchen floor, strangled, after a night when he went out on a blind date.
There is a range of quirky characters in this one, and a lovely lot of red herrings. I had my major suspect but I was wrong!
These are very satisfying reads. I'm just sad there is only one more in the series.
January 15, 2026
The healers is book 5 in the Inspector Ramsay series and my favorite of all 6 stories. I just loved the characters and the setting for this particular crime. This one focused really heavily around a group of New age practitioners and the facility that they ran.
I loved the mystery and was honestly surprised to find out who was actually responsible.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the mystery and was honestly surprised to find out who was actually responsible.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 22, 2022
I blundered into another of Cleeves’s detective sagas about half way through the series. Still no worries, it is easy enough to pick up the dynamic. It is set in the NE, the lead detective is the polar opposite of his sidekick and therefore they don’t get on, the sidekick seems too dim to be a copper and definitely too dim to a detective. Oh, then there is the daughter of an MP; is that a Cleeves’ standard or just common character in detective novels? Added to that there is the prototype for Jonathan’s Arts Centre and the killer’s motives are tenuous in the extreme. Any of this familiar? A good enough read but basically ‘bang average’.
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September 23, 2025It's interesting to see how many of the features of the Vera Stanhope novels are developing earlier in Ann Cleeves' career. Having at least one member of the police team be a bit of an obnoxious jerk is an interesting way of creating some conflict within the forces of the good guys. Nature and family continue to play enormous roles.
November 6, 2021
The 'healing' setting was an interesting setting and gave the opportunity for some different perspectives. Enjoyable, and I still can't guess the end of the author's books!
November 11, 2024
another enjoyable entry on this series, well narrated by Sean Mattocks
January 7, 2026
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Healers is the 5th Inspector Ramsay standalone mystery by Ann Cleeves. Originally released in 1995, this reformat and re-release 6th Jan 2026 by Macmillan is 288 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
Back-to-nature "hippies", alternative healing, and a fairly hefty land and property dispute culminates in murder and it's left to quiet, compassionate, intelligent Inspector Ramsay and his team to get to the bottom of the entwined crimes. It's a recurring theme in this series that the stories are quite sad in places and this one is no exception; it deals plainly with mental health issues, ideation/suicide, sexual and physical abuse, housing insecurity/homelessness, and other distressing facts of modern life.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 7 hours 48 minutes and is capably read by series narrator Simon Mattacks. He has a beautifully modulated classically trained light baritone voice and does a great job of delineating a range of characters of both sexes and a number of regional accents, shifting quickly and flawlessly. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.
Although it's the fifth book in the series, it works very well as a standalone. This book is also quite intricately plotted, but there aren't any major spoilers if they're read out of order. The denouement and resolution were exciting and mostly unexpected.
This series is definitely not as polished as her later work, but there are glimpses of the style and development which later gave rise to Vera and Shetland. It has "good bones" and works very well, despite the pervasive melancholy which threads throughout the entire series.
Four stars. Well worth seeking out for fans of moody atmospheric British crime.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Healers is the 5th Inspector Ramsay standalone mystery by Ann Cleeves. Originally released in 1995, this reformat and re-release 6th Jan 2026 by Macmillan is 288 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
Back-to-nature "hippies", alternative healing, and a fairly hefty land and property dispute culminates in murder and it's left to quiet, compassionate, intelligent Inspector Ramsay and his team to get to the bottom of the entwined crimes. It's a recurring theme in this series that the stories are quite sad in places and this one is no exception; it deals plainly with mental health issues, ideation/suicide, sexual and physical abuse, housing insecurity/homelessness, and other distressing facts of modern life.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 7 hours 48 minutes and is capably read by series narrator Simon Mattacks. He has a beautifully modulated classically trained light baritone voice and does a great job of delineating a range of characters of both sexes and a number of regional accents, shifting quickly and flawlessly. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.
Although it's the fifth book in the series, it works very well as a standalone. This book is also quite intricately plotted, but there aren't any major spoilers if they're read out of order. The denouement and resolution were exciting and mostly unexpected.
This series is definitely not as polished as her later work, but there are glimpses of the style and development which later gave rise to Vera and Shetland. It has "good bones" and works very well, despite the pervasive melancholy which threads throughout the entire series.
Four stars. Well worth seeking out for fans of moody atmospheric British crime.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
January 6, 2026
Audiobook Review: The Healers (An Inspector Ramsay Novel) by Ann Cleeves
Narrated by Simon Mattacks
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to continue reading this series with my ears. I’m now on the fifth book in the Inspector Ramsay series, with just one more to go.
Overall, this still hasn’t become a favorite series for me. As with previous installments, I found there to be a lot going on at once, with many new characters introduced beyond Inspector Ramsay. That made it difficult at times to fully grasp who everyone was and what role they played in the story. I also think part of my struggle comes from not being fully invested from the first book, which has made it harder to stay consistently engaged as the series has progressed.
That said, The Healers did have an interesting angle. This mystery centers around a series of murders connected—at least loosely—to an alternative therapy center, bringing in themes of homeopathic remedies versus traditional medicine. That aspect of the plot stood out and added a different layer to the investigation compared to earlier books. I found that element intriguing, even if the overall story didn’t completely pull me in.
One thing I continue to appreciate is Simon Mattacks’s narration. Having the same narrator throughout the series has been a plus for me, and his delivery and accent suit the setting well. I also really like how these books summarize everything at the end, which helps tie together the many threads and clarify how all the pieces fit—especially helpful when there are so many characters and plotlines.
This book also feels like it could be read as a standalone, since it introduces new characters and a self-contained mystery, rather than relying heavily on ongoing series arcs.
While The Healers wasn’t a standout for me, I’m committed to finishing the series and heading into the final book, hopeful that it will end on a stronger note.
Narrated by Simon Mattacks
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to continue reading this series with my ears. I’m now on the fifth book in the Inspector Ramsay series, with just one more to go.
Overall, this still hasn’t become a favorite series for me. As with previous installments, I found there to be a lot going on at once, with many new characters introduced beyond Inspector Ramsay. That made it difficult at times to fully grasp who everyone was and what role they played in the story. I also think part of my struggle comes from not being fully invested from the first book, which has made it harder to stay consistently engaged as the series has progressed.
That said, The Healers did have an interesting angle. This mystery centers around a series of murders connected—at least loosely—to an alternative therapy center, bringing in themes of homeopathic remedies versus traditional medicine. That aspect of the plot stood out and added a different layer to the investigation compared to earlier books. I found that element intriguing, even if the overall story didn’t completely pull me in.
One thing I continue to appreciate is Simon Mattacks’s narration. Having the same narrator throughout the series has been a plus for me, and his delivery and accent suit the setting well. I also really like how these books summarize everything at the end, which helps tie together the many threads and clarify how all the pieces fit—especially helpful when there are so many characters and plotlines.
This book also feels like it could be read as a standalone, since it introduces new characters and a self-contained mystery, rather than relying heavily on ongoing series arcs.
While The Healers wasn’t a standout for me, I’m committed to finishing the series and heading into the final book, hopeful that it will end on a stronger note.
January 6, 2026
I will be honest that I was somewhat torn on this book before I got to the end. However, Inspector Ramsay is one of my favorites from Ann Cleeves, so I knew things would come together eventually.
When Ernie Bowles is murdered, it sets off a string of murders in Mittingford, causing many suspects to come out of the woodwork. And with multiple motives, Inspector Ramsay and his crew are turning round and round in circles. Which leads to my biggest criticism of this book: the sheer number of characters and the fact that it felt like they didn't connect together too well. I didn't mind the lack of connection, but many seemed wayward themselves, and it almost felt like they didn't have much of an anchor to the town or the other characters. This made none of them too memorable, and I kept finding myself wondering who was whom.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Simon Mattacks, and I enjoyed that, as always. The story seemed to jump right into life, even with solo narration.
The ending of this story was what saved it for me. Things really started to fall into place, and I actually felt like one of the inspectors in the story, getting excited as the pieces were working themselves into place. I did not see the ending coming at all, and I was actually impressed that the author went in the direction she did.
Overall, I enjoyed this. These stories do tend to be a little formulaic at times, but on this specifically, the ending just wrapped it all up and made the other parts I may not have loved totally worth it.
When Ernie Bowles is murdered, it sets off a string of murders in Mittingford, causing many suspects to come out of the woodwork. And with multiple motives, Inspector Ramsay and his crew are turning round and round in circles. Which leads to my biggest criticism of this book: the sheer number of characters and the fact that it felt like they didn't connect together too well. I didn't mind the lack of connection, but many seemed wayward themselves, and it almost felt like they didn't have much of an anchor to the town or the other characters. This made none of them too memorable, and I kept finding myself wondering who was whom.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Simon Mattacks, and I enjoyed that, as always. The story seemed to jump right into life, even with solo narration.
The ending of this story was what saved it for me. Things really started to fall into place, and I actually felt like one of the inspectors in the story, getting excited as the pieces were working themselves into place. I did not see the ending coming at all, and I was actually impressed that the author went in the direction she did.
Overall, I enjoyed this. These stories do tend to be a little formulaic at times, but on this specifically, the ending just wrapped it all up and made the other parts I may not have loved totally worth it.
August 12, 2024
'The Healers' is the fifth novel in the Inspector Ramsay series.
The healers in this book are the three owners of the Alternative Therapy Centre, Mittingford, in England’s county of Northumberland. The three are Daniel Abbott, an acupuncturist; his wife, Win, a homeopath; and Win’s mother, who offers healing through rebirthing.
A former patient at the Centre, Cissie Bowles (owner of Laverock Farm) was impressed with the treatment she received for her severe arthritis. She wrote her will so that, on her death, the farm would go to her son, Ernie. Should he die without issue, it would then pass to the Alternative Therapy Centre.
A few months after Cissie’s death, Northumbria police receive a call that Ernie has been strangled. He was in his late 50s, unmarried and without issue. Detective Inspector Stephen Ramsay and Detective Sergeant Gordon Hunter are assigned to investigate.
Although Ernie Bowles was generally disliked and most are pleased ‘he is no longer with us’, no-one thinks the dislike was serious enough to cause him to be strangled. Also, the three owners of the Alternative Therapy Centre have water tight alibis. Ramsay and his team are becoming despondent.
Then, the unexpected happens.
'The Healers' is a cosy murder mystery of 231 pages with twists that surprise and townsfolk who have secrets they are reluctant to divulge to the police.
Ramsay now has colleagues who respect his intelligence, intuition and dedication. Together, they achieve a result where they can all say: I am proud that I’m a police officer.
January 7, 2026
The Healers AUDIO by Ann Cleeves us the fifth in the Inspector Ramsay series and Ramsay is beginning to get his life together. This has had a positive effect on his team. The murder was a cranky middle-aged man who was found in his own “house.” HIs mother had died and he needed a wife, both for sex and to take care of things here. He was found by the young couple who had parked their caravan on his land. It was odd and took Ramsey and Hunter down a rabbit-hole of New Age medicine and “therapies.” As it turned out, the center was more involved that he at first thought.
There was a second murder; an anonymous letter brought an old suicide to Ramsey’s attention. Hunter, as always, found young women to “admire.” The mystery was convoluted, more so than one would anticipate in this out-of-the-way place. Ramsay is a good character and our acquaintance with him expands with every book. How can one go wrong with Ann Cleeves?
Simon Mattacks is once again the reader and does an excellent job. He has just enough accent to make it seem authentic, but not difficult to understand. He has done a credible job with this series.
I was invited to listen to The Healers by Macmillian Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #SimonMattacks #AnnCleeves #TheHealers
There was a second murder; an anonymous letter brought an old suicide to Ramsey’s attention. Hunter, as always, found young women to “admire.” The mystery was convoluted, more so than one would anticipate in this out-of-the-way place. Ramsay is a good character and our acquaintance with him expands with every book. How can one go wrong with Ann Cleeves?
Simon Mattacks is once again the reader and does an excellent job. He has just enough accent to make it seem authentic, but not difficult to understand. He has done a credible job with this series.
I was invited to listen to The Healers by Macmillian Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #SimonMattacks #AnnCleeves #TheHealers
December 4, 2025
Inspector Stephen Ramsey and his oafish sidekick, Sgt Hunter, are called to murder on a farm. While the farmer had been a strange individual, it’s hard to believe anyone would care enough to kill him. The investigation soon focuses on a new age / alternative medicine shop and clinic which had been promised the land upon the farmer’s death. When more bodies surface and anonymous notes cast doubt on what was previously considered a suicide, Ramsey and Hunter have their work cut out for them to make all the pieces fit.
I enjoyed the mix of suspects and other characters in this 5th Inspector Ramsey book, especially the introduction of a quick-witted young female constable who ran rings around Hunter and couldn’t bear his bull-at-a-gate manner. This was largely about the solid police work of chasing down all the logistics to see who could have been where and when at each murder. I would have liked more insight into Ramsey’s background and personality but we did start to see Hunter as a more complete person—I hope that continues. These early works are not of the quality of Ann Cleeves’ later series, but they are clear stepping stones on her way to greatness. 🎧 UK voice actor Simon Mattacks does a good job on the audio.
I enjoyed the mix of suspects and other characters in this 5th Inspector Ramsey book, especially the introduction of a quick-witted young female constable who ran rings around Hunter and couldn’t bear his bull-at-a-gate manner. This was largely about the solid police work of chasing down all the logistics to see who could have been where and when at each murder. I would have liked more insight into Ramsey’s background and personality but we did start to see Hunter as a more complete person—I hope that continues. These early works are not of the quality of Ann Cleeves’ later series, but they are clear stepping stones on her way to greatness. 🎧 UK voice actor Simon Mattacks does a good job on the audio.
March 5, 2023
A mixed bag. As a description of life in a segment of modern small-town society, OK. As a collection of red herrings, yes, quite a scattering of them. However the reason the red herrings were so effective was that the real motivations for three apparent murders were so thin that they could hardly be anticipated.
At the risk of spoilers - (not quite revealing who dun what), it turns out that only one of the three deaths was actually a murder, the other two were a suicide and a concealed justifiable homicide: a woman fighting off a man who was trying to rape her had killed him in the process, but then made off without reporting it. The only real murder was done by a man who feared someone close to him might be wrongly accused of murder in one of the other deaths, and killed someone because he thought that would prevent the said wrongful accusation being brought. I suppose that gains points for novelty as one of the most bizzare motives in detective fiction, but it loses more for implausibility.
At the risk of spoilers - (not quite revealing who dun what), it turns out that only one of the three deaths was actually a murder, the other two were a suicide and a concealed justifiable homicide: a woman fighting off a man who was trying to rape her had killed him in the process, but then made off without reporting it. The only real murder was done by a man who feared someone close to him might be wrongly accused of murder in one of the other deaths, and killed someone because he thought that would prevent the said wrongful accusation being brought. I suppose that gains points for novelty as one of the most bizzare motives in detective fiction, but it loses more for implausibility.
May 5, 2025
Number 5 in the Inspector Ramsey series. Ernie Bowles lives in this ramshackle of a place, in need of renovation and inherited from his mother. A rather difficult man he is found dead by a neighbour, Lily Jackman who lives with her partner in a caravan on his property. A few days later Val McDougal is found dead. There doesn’t seem to be any connection between Ernie and Val. Lily, the neighbour who found Ernie has attended workshops at the Alternative Therapy Workshop along with Val. When a third body turns up, similarly strangled and also with some connection to this therapy centre then Ramsey and his team need to act quickly.
A most enjoyable read. I found Ramsey softening, enjoying his friend Prue, and being prepared to go gentle both in his work and with himself. This was a development in his character that was most attractive. His side kick Hunter, still gets frustrated with Ramsey's
style but he shows a hint of reflection at times. Both men find ways to cope with each other. This makes this novel most interesting and enjoyable.4 stars.
A most enjoyable read. I found Ramsey softening, enjoying his friend Prue, and being prepared to go gentle both in his work and with himself. This was a development in his character that was most attractive. His side kick Hunter, still gets frustrated with Ramsey's
style but he shows a hint of reflection at times. Both men find ways to cope with each other. This makes this novel most interesting and enjoyable.4 stars.
May 26, 2025
This is the fifth in the Inspector Ramsay series by Ann Cleeves.
Written in the 1990s before the Shetland, Vera and Two Rivers series. This is classic police/ crime procedural in a very long line of traditional English whodunnits. Back to a time thirty years ago without mobiles and computers and phone calls and face to face interviews.
This is a story centring around a healing centre and a farming community. Pitch perfect plotting and red herrings abound until the denouement. It’s easy to see how Ann Cleeves rose to the top of her game by 2025 as this series shows her perfecting her craft.
Great characterisation and interplay. The Ramsay / Hunter relationship juxtaposes two characters - a gentle man carefully gathering the evidence and the “old fashioned macho” type of police man ( still living at home with mum) that wants to show testosterone can get the results yet knowing he’s missing things from being less than subtle.
Read the series in order for the best impact.
A rewarding police procedural
Written in the 1990s before the Shetland, Vera and Two Rivers series. This is classic police/ crime procedural in a very long line of traditional English whodunnits. Back to a time thirty years ago without mobiles and computers and phone calls and face to face interviews.
This is a story centring around a healing centre and a farming community. Pitch perfect plotting and red herrings abound until the denouement. It’s easy to see how Ann Cleeves rose to the top of her game by 2025 as this series shows her perfecting her craft.
Great characterisation and interplay. The Ramsay / Hunter relationship juxtaposes two characters - a gentle man carefully gathering the evidence and the “old fashioned macho” type of police man ( still living at home with mum) that wants to show testosterone can get the results yet knowing he’s missing things from being less than subtle.
Read the series in order for the best impact.
A rewarding police procedural
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Getting acquainted with this series has been so much fun. I have high hopes for the future of this series, hopefully on television. “The Healers” (originally released in 1995) is the 5th entry in Ann Cleeves’ Inspector Ramsay series. In each of the novels, we see Ramsay grow as an inspector. I love the little details of this character and depth Cleeves continues to add to him.
This seems like an impossible mystery. Not a locked room mystery that is so common today. No, this one takes place in a wide-open isolated place. This eventually leads to several other murders that Ramsay believes is all connected. Inspector Ramsay is deliberate in his investigation, and the mystery leads to brilliant conclusion.
Simon Mattacks is perfect in his narration and such a joy to listen to.
Only one more book to go in this series and I, for one, will be sad to see it end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
This seems like an impossible mystery. Not a locked room mystery that is so common today. No, this one takes place in a wide-open isolated place. This eventually leads to several other murders that Ramsay believes is all connected. Inspector Ramsay is deliberate in his investigation, and the mystery leads to brilliant conclusion.
Simon Mattacks is perfect in his narration and such a joy to listen to.
Only one more book to go in this series and I, for one, will be sad to see it end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
December 20, 2025
🌞 Audiobook Review - Netgalley 🌞📚
📚 Genre: Mystery📚
⭐️🎧Wonderful Audiobook🎧⭐️
What I loved about this story and audiobook:
🌞 The writer creates a beautiful setting with a mix of murder, intrigue, and drama.
🌞 The character development is well-written, as each character is engaging, full of depth, and relatable.
🌞 The plot is captivating and keeps you interested as you follow each chapter.
🌞 The story draws you in from the beginning, and you are brought into a wonderful and vivid scenic story.
🌞 The narrator was professional, articulate, and brought the story to life with passion and enthusiasm.
What would make this an amazing listen:
📚 Multiple narrators
📚 Would be great with a follow-up with Irish recipes, pictures as a physical book add-on.
Read if you love:
⭐️Ireland
⭐️Mystery
⭐️Suspense
⭐️Detective stories
⭐️ Multigenerational characters
⭐️ Different walks of life and beliefs
My ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 Genre: Mystery📚
⭐️🎧Wonderful Audiobook🎧⭐️
What I loved about this story and audiobook:
🌞 The writer creates a beautiful setting with a mix of murder, intrigue, and drama.
🌞 The character development is well-written, as each character is engaging, full of depth, and relatable.
🌞 The plot is captivating and keeps you interested as you follow each chapter.
🌞 The story draws you in from the beginning, and you are brought into a wonderful and vivid scenic story.
🌞 The narrator was professional, articulate, and brought the story to life with passion and enthusiasm.
What would make this an amazing listen:
📚 Multiple narrators
📚 Would be great with a follow-up with Irish recipes, pictures as a physical book add-on.
Read if you love:
⭐️Ireland
⭐️Mystery
⭐️Suspense
⭐️Detective stories
⭐️ Multigenerational characters
⭐️ Different walks of life and beliefs
My ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Healers by Ann Cleeves is the 5th of her Inspector Ramsey novels originally released in the mid 90s. I was able to get an advanced listener copy of the audiobook that will be released for the first time January 6th. Before reading this book, I had never read anything by Ann Cleeves, but was familiar with her work because of the Vera television series. The Healers is an entertaining procedural mystery with lots of twists and turns. Without reading the first four books, I was able to jump into the story without missing a beat. If you love a British crime show, this one is for you.
Simon Mattacks narration was well done. I enjoyed his accent and the way he differentiated each character. Overall the listening experience was entertaining and easy to follow along with. I will definiteley be looking for the rest of the series when it comes out on January 6th. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Simon Mattacks narration was well done. I enjoyed his accent and the way he differentiated each character. Overall the listening experience was entertaining and easy to follow along with. I will definiteley be looking for the rest of the series when it comes out on January 6th. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 26, 2025
Are they healing, or are they harming? Inspector Ramsay and Sergeant Hunter are called away to another station when a sudden spate of murders appears to be tied to a healing clinic.
The setting is immediately intriguing—a clinic devoted to “healing” that may be anything but. Listening to the audiobook, I found myself smiling once or twice at how the fervor behind natural healing really comes through. Paired with the murders, it creates an unsettling but effective balance.
I loved this fifth book in the Inspector Ramsay series. Ramsay is an excellent investigator, and his kindness and patience with those he questions truly stand out. However, as I mentioned in my review of book four, Killjoy, I am still not a fan of Hunter. That said, Ann Cleeves wrote this series decades ago, and I’ve loved every book so far.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for these ARCs for review. This is my honest opinion.
The setting is immediately intriguing—a clinic devoted to “healing” that may be anything but. Listening to the audiobook, I found myself smiling once or twice at how the fervor behind natural healing really comes through. Paired with the murders, it creates an unsettling but effective balance.
I loved this fifth book in the Inspector Ramsay series. Ramsay is an excellent investigator, and his kindness and patience with those he questions truly stand out. However, as I mentioned in my review of book four, Killjoy, I am still not a fan of Hunter. That said, Ann Cleeves wrote this series decades ago, and I’ve loved every book so far.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for these ARCs for review. This is my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Healers by Ann Cleeves is the fifth Inspector Ramsay novel, and probably her best in the series. I listed to the audiobook that is expertly narrated by Simon Mattacks, who did an excellent job expressing the tone and setting of Northumberland, England. In this edition, Inspector Ramsay and his capable team of detectives are asked to investigate the murder of a farmer who is found strangled in his kitchen. The farmer was a bit of a loner and kept to himself, so it took some time to unravel what happened. The investigation leads the team to uncover some unsavory happenings at an Alternative Therapy Center, as well as some prejudices surrounding gypsies who live in the area. I really appreciate how the author wove the story together and provided interesting diverse characters along the way. I really look forward to listening to the other books in the series! Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy; all thoughts expressed herein are my own.
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February 25, 2021Thoroughly satisfying read
I don't know why it took me so long to discover this book, however I'm glad I did. I read it when the UK was in lockdown did to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a much welcomed distraction. The writing and the characters we're not quite as polished as in her later books but the story was every bit as clever. As the story progressed I thought I had the killer sussed, only to change my opinion later. In the end I didn't get it correct which made a welcome change from the many whodunnits where the plot is obvious fairly early in the book. To be critical by the time I had finished the book I found myself disliking most of the characters; the two I quite liked were underdeveloped and not fully fleshed out. Nonetheless it was a thoroughly satisfying read.
I don't know why it took me so long to discover this book, however I'm glad I did. I read it when the UK was in lockdown did to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a much welcomed distraction. The writing and the characters we're not quite as polished as in her later books but the story was every bit as clever. As the story progressed I thought I had the killer sussed, only to change my opinion later. In the end I didn't get it correct which made a welcome change from the many whodunnits where the plot is obvious fairly early in the book. To be critical by the time I had finished the book I found myself disliking most of the characters; the two I quite liked were underdeveloped and not fully fleshed out. Nonetheless it was a thoroughly satisfying read.
March 10, 2021
"They found middle-aged farmer Ernie Bowles lying on his kitchen floor. He had been strangles, and was not a pretty sight. Inspector Stephen Ramsey fears that this case will not be simple. In his experience, most murders are straightforward: an explosion for family pressure, the loss of control n a fight. But Bowles seems to have kept himself to himself, and Ramsey feels that to solve the mystery of his death he will need all the help he can get. Then another person is strangled, a woman who , on the surface, had absolutely no connection with the dead farmer. Surely two such killings in the same locality are more than just chilling coincidences?"
~~back cover
A nice little English mystery. The usual dissonance between Ramsey and DS Hunter -- the younger, surlier, more arrogant of the two. This one ended exactly as I didn't think it could end. How clever is that?
~~back cover
A nice little English mystery. The usual dissonance between Ramsey and DS Hunter -- the younger, surlier, more arrogant of the two. This one ended exactly as I didn't think it could end. How clever is that?
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