Missing on Ilkley Moor

Yorkshire Detective Mystery #3

by Ric Brady

When a girl disappears, a retired cop makes it his mission to find her…

It’s a cold winter day when ex-DCI Henry Ward and his terrier Tessa come across a girl’s hat on Ilkley Moor. Not an uncommon find, but this one is covered in blood, and Henry immediately senses a child is in danger.

Meanwhile, local social media is buzzing about an eight-year-old girl gone missing from her well-to-do home that very morning. But it is only the babysitter who is convinced she has been taken.

The family themselves don’t seem concerned about her apparent absence. And the police are not willing to spare resources searching for a child who’s not been reported missing.

Shocked by her cool reaction to his find, Henry suspects the mother, Sofia, has something to hide, and decides to investigate.

The weather is turning, and the girl might still be up on the moor. Weighed down by an ominous feeling something is very wrong, Henry must get to the bottom of the mystery, and find the child before it’s too late.

MISSING ON ILKLEY MOOR is the third standalone mystery in this captivating series by Ric Brady

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2023

About the author

Ric Brady is a British crime writer known for infusing his novels with heavy doses of dark humour. Hailing from Yorkshire, his writing vividly captures the essence of northern England, a trait prominently featured in his 'The Yorkshire Detective Mystery Series'. This series centers around the character of former-DCI Henry Ward, bringing the mysteries of Yorkshire to life.

Published Works: 'The Yorkshire Detective Mystery Series':

1. 'Murder on a Yorkshire Moor'
2. 'Butcher on the Moor'
3. 'Missing on Ilkley Moor'
4. 'Detective on the Moor'

Published by The Book Folks, these novels have not only reached the top 100 in their genre on Amazon but have also cultivated a growing fan base.

Beyond novels, Ric has explored other creative avenues including theatre and interactive fiction, demonstrating his wide-ranging storytelling skills. Drawing inspiration from renowned authors like Ian Rankin, John Grisham, and Dean Koontz, Ric crafts books that blend suspenseful narratives with his distinct brand of humor.

Currently residing in France, Ric's storytelling continues to be influenced by his Yorkshire heritage, setting his captivating crime tales amidst its rich landscapes. When not immersed in writing, he teaches English and frequently returns to the UK to seek inspiration, savor Yorkshire tea, and brainstorm ideas for future works.

Learn More: To keep up with Ric Brady's ongoing writing journey and discover his upcoming projects, visit ricbradywrites.com.

Reviews

[Linden]

Henry, a retired DCI, is walking his dog when they find a child's pink hat. Could it belong to a little girl who is missing? The police are not investigating because the mother insists her daughter is all right, but Henry's not buying it. His concern is dismissed by the local constabulary, and the head of the department who is on a power trip threatens to arrest Henry if he interferes. Henry, however, persists because of his concern for the missing child.

[MargieAnn Phelps]

Missing on Ilkley Moor

I really liked all the talking , kept me very interested so many novels have to describe every plant and tree. And this one was just perfect for the time

[George]

#3 in the retired DCI Henry Ward mystery series. Henry Ward, once a senior detective with West Yorkshire Police has been retired for 10 years and pretty much keeps to himself and interacting with his widowed neighbor. But murder brings him back into a world he thought he’d left behind as he once again finds himself investigating mysteries with his wheezing dog and a nosy neighbor as his sidekick.

On a cold winter morning, Henry Ward and his dog come across a girl’s hat on Ilkley Moor. Not an uncommon find, but this one is covered in blood, and Henry immediately senses a child is in danger.

Meanwhile, local social media is buzzing about an eight-year-old girl gone missing from her well-to-do home that very morning. But it is only the babysitter who is convinced she has been taken. However, the family don’t seem concerned about her apparent absence. And the police are not willing to spare resources searching for a child who’s not been reported missing.

Shocked by all of this, Henry suspects the mother, Sofia, has something to hide, and decides to investigate because he is seriously concerned about the welfare of the girl.

[Jim Bean]

Addictive series

The main characters remain the same; all well developed an predictable. Each story is fresh and unpredictable.

Henry is a retired DCI and has been for ten years. He misses the mystery and thrill of investigation involved in solving crimes. He knows he can still serve and protect his community. He is bored with staying home and really doesn't have a lot of faith in the police of today.

This is a fun read suspense series that will keep you entertained. I hope you will enjoy the stories as much as I.

[Erik Empson]

The ex-cop in this book, Henry Ward, cracks me up. He is a bit of an old codger before his time. He goes around solving crimes with his unlikely sidekick, his lil ol lady neighbour. In this book he hunts for a young girl who has apparently been abducted by her father, but there is a lot more too it.

[Mary Rowe]

another delight

Henry, going about his bachelor life, finds a wee bairn’s pink bobble hat on the moor, sniffed out by Tessa - with what looks like blood.

Spurred by care for a child possibly lost on the moor, in the cold, hints of a missing child become known, yet the mother seems oddly detached.

[Lee Brothers]

I had a real hard time wrapping my head around this mother. I thought she was insane. And it didn't get any better as I read through the book. And she was just one of the confusing things. This author has a way of writing things so that he has to unravel what's really going on and he takes his sweet time doing it. Well done.!!

[G Turton]

Great story

Who'd have thought Ilkley and Addingham were such crime spots. Real fun read with former DCI Ward. The only downside was the women police who all seemed like "antiheroes"

[Kristina Creighton]

We’ll Done

If you want a gory, exciting story, you don’t want Ric Brady’s books. They are well-thought out, with good plots and characters, and satisfying twists and endings. If you like the British genre, read these.

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen]

Another Excellent Story

Another excellent story in the Yorkshire detective mystery series by Ric Brady. Good string characters and an exciting storyline that moved at a fast pace.Looking forward to reading more.

[Pam]

A really good book, though whenever a child's involved I'm always on edge, I love the character called Henry, He's a really nice man.

[Annepickles]

Good Yorkshire country setting

Good read hope there are more books to come as we need to find out what happens next to the csst

[Jean Jefferiss]

Addingham mysteries

As I come from Addingham, I am
really enjoying Ric Brady’s books ! They are fun and a rip roaring mystery!

[Susan]

Ex-DCI Henry Ward, finds a pink child's hat with blood on it. Later he discovers that eight year old Elisa Rhodes has gone missing. Has she even kidnapped. Her mother seems unconcerned.
An enjoyable mystery

[Carole Gourlay]

I have to say I love this series, I’ve read them all back to back and I think they’re fabulous. Remind me a bit of the tv series Heartbeat. There’s nothing really horrible in them and while I find some of the police officers a bit underhand, Henry and Barnes make a good team.

This time a young girl is missing on the moor and nothing, once again, is straight forward. Henry gets involved because he finds a hat with blood on it, the higher echelons are not too bothered but Henry is soon on the trail. The girls family couldn’t seem to care less, which is worrying, but it all slots into place with Henry’s help. I’m off now to read book 4