The Shroud Maker

Wesley Peterson #18

by Kate Ellis

A  grisly find, a faceless enemy—will history repeat itself once again in the 18th Wesley Peterson crime novel?

A year after the mysterious disappearance of Jenny Bercival, DI Wesley Peterson is called in when the body of a strangled woman is found floating out to sea in a dinghy. The discovery mars the festivities of the Palkin Festival, held each year to celebrate the life of John Palkin, a 14th century Mayor of Tradmouth who made his fortune from trade and piracy. Now it seems like death and mystery have returned to haunt the town. Could there be a link between the two women? One missing, one brutally murdered? And is there a connection to a fantasy website called Shipworld which features Palkin as a supernatural hero with a sinister, faceless nemesis called the Shroud Maker? When archaeologist Neil Watson makes a grim discovery on the site of Palkin's warehouse, it looks as if history might have inspired the killer. And it is only by delving into the past that Wesley comes to learn a truth that will bring mortal danger in its wake.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Procedural, Thriller, Historical Mystery, Archaeology

374 pages, Hardcover

First published January 2, 2014

About the author

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

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

We are treated to a Medieval theme running through this modern day police procedural, woven in by the yearly medieval festival held in Tradmouth, a dig being conducted by Neil unearthing skeletons and written diaries, the music being prepared and presented by group including Gerry's daughter Rosie and a fiendish on-line game where the shroud maker rules. Bodies are showing up and young women are at risk. Several prominent candidates are offered as the fiend behind the murders and Gerry is shot whilst in pursuit of one, though not fatally. There are a good many characters to track and literary references including nod to Chaucer.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my least favourite of the series so far. It is as if Kate Ellis had too many plot ideas and couldn't decide which ones to use so she threw them all into the mix. She should have honed her storyline and characters down into something less complicated and outlandish. Sometimes less is more!

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked this one.

Interesting plot, very little of Wes' wife Pam being a petulent pain in the arse, but somehow lacking that certain something that keeps me reading a book long past the point where I should be doing something else.

A pretty good book all the same.

[Larraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

After spending time with Stuart Macbride and his latest, rather bloodthirsty book, it was nice to get back with the traditional British DI that I enjoy. Wesley Peterson is an interesting character. His parents are from Trinidad. He's an expert in art and antiquities and a trained archaeologist who decided that he preferred to become an policeman. I started reading this series in the middle. Some day, I might find the time to go back and read the early ones. The books always feature at least two murders: one from the past and one in the present. They take place in Devon and include Wesley's former associate, Neil. In Britain, if antiquities are found at a building site there is often a requirement to bring in a team of archaeologists. (Ellie Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series runs in a similar vein although the two characters are VERY different. In the latter series, the main characters if the archaeologist, Ruth.) In this most recent Wesley Peterson mystery, Neil is digging at the site of an old bungalow that was apparently atop the remains of a famous merchant and seaman's warehouse. Very little is known about him except for a biography written by a Victorian who claimed to be his ancestor. Neil has been asked by the owner of the property, a wealthy entrepreneur who runs a fantasy website called Shipworld that is based on the character, John Palkin. The town where this is taking place, Tradmouth, holds a festival in honor of Palkin every year. People dress up in medieval costumes - probably very similar to the Renaissance Festivals that take place in the USA. Last year a young woman disappeared. This year another young woman is found dead. One detail I found hard to accept is that the owner of the web company, Chris Butcher, has no idea who Palkin, the person feeding the main story line is. He thinks it could be one of the enthusiasts since a lot of members also feed the story lines. There are a lot of loose ends and red herrings in this book. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read. In the afterword, the author explains some of the historical references she uses and changes around. This is definitely and interesting and worthwhile series for those who prefer thinking over blood!

[Valerie Campbell Ackroyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not riveting but okay

This is the 18th Wesley Peterson and contains many of the usual characters and themes. Wesley’s wife, Pam, has a very small part in this book but there is the resurrection of Wesley’s awkward relationship with his colleague Rachel. As in all Kate Ellis books, the various ups and downs of the police officer’s relationships are as important as the mystery.

The plot of The Shroud Maker involves two missing girls, one of whom is found dead early on in the book. Wesley and Gerry are certain that the disappearances/murder have something to do with a mysterious online game called Shipworld. They track down both the creator of the game and its illustrator early on but can’t connect them to either the murder or the disappearance. Things become more bloody when another body, this one of a middle aged man, is found floating in a caravan site pool.

I found both Wesley and Gerry moved a bit slowly in this book. Wesley himself admits this about 3/4 of the way through the book when he says to himself that he had missed some important clues. Once he does figure things out, however, things come to a rather quick—I think too quick—end. The ending is a bit complex and confusing because,in my opinion, Ellis, doesn’t really lay the ending out properly.

All in all, it’s a standard Wesley Peterson mystery, not the best, not the worst.

[Spuddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid entry in this series that mingles history in the form of archaelogical digs with current crime, typically in the form of murder. The author does a great job tying historical events to modern events, although at book 18, many things about the series has become somewhat overly predictable. That said, it's enjoyable to read and re-visit the recurring characters to see what's been happening in their lives as well as what interesting crimes they're investigating.

[Lesley Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Kept me guessing throughout and past and present interlinking was good. The historical aspect is always interesting for me.
The two main police characters , Gerry and Wes, are realistic and complement each other. The extra archaeological dimension added to the plot effectively.

[Sally Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story interwoven so cleverly the past and the present…….with a puzzling case to solve……love the history in it and will continue with the series as lots more books ahead!

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Ellis deftly handles the complex plot spread across three time periods. Ingenious and eminently readable.

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received my copy from the publisher through Nudge

I’ve read most, although not all, of the previous Wesley Peterson mysteries and have to admit that even after almost twenty books I’m still intrigued with these stories. The way in which Kate Ellis manages to combine historical mysteries with present day crimes never fails to impress me. Of course it is a stretch of the imagination that every crime this police force investigates happens to bear striking similarities with crimes committed in the past but it is a conceit that works very well and gives the story added interest.

The mystery in this book intrigued me and kept me on the edge of my seat although I have to admit that there were times when the sheer number of characters and suspects confused me. In fact, even now that I’ve finished the book I have to think long and hard before I’m able to explain exactly what happened and why. In fact, it almost feels as if the author went a bit too far when she plotted this story. There are too many different angles that are too similar to each other. I’d like to expand on this point but since I’m unable to do so without spoiling the story for others I’ll refrain. Having said that, while the resolution may have been convoluted, it did work and fit the story perfectly. My issue is not with an unsatisfactory ending rather than a not clear cut enough one.

One of the things I enjoy about long running series is the opportunity they give the reader to really get to know the characters and watch them as time passes. Having said that, some plot points have been dragged out a bit too long for me by this stage. I just don’t buy Rachel still being obsessed with Wesley after all this time and while I appreciate it gives the story added spice I really think that particular storyline has been milked for all its worth.

I do appreciate Kate Ellis painting a more or less realistic picture of police work and the frustrations involved. While the mysteries are solved and the reader is given all the answers, it doesn’t always mean that those who need to be punished are also caught. And I like the way these books are written. The style is unhurried, almost leisurely, and yet there isn’t a boring or uninteresting sentence in the book. The star attraction in these books has always been and still is the very clever link between past (be it distant or recent) and present.

I am still glad I discovered this series several years ago and know that I will continue reading these mysteries for as long as the author continues to write them.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a festival going on in Tradmouth and the place is packed with festival goers. A year ago a young woman, Jenny Bercival, disappeared and her mother has returned to the area to try and trace her daughter because she has been receiving anonymous letters saying Jenny is still alive. A body is found floating in the harbour dressed in Medieval costume. The young woman has been strangled. Wesley Peterson and his boss are investigating the case and the anonymous letters about Jenny.

Wesley’s friend, Neil – an archaeologist – is conducting a dig at a property which is about to be renovated by a local businessman, Chris Butcher when a skeleton is found. Ancient or modern? Could it be the missing girl from a year ago? Missing people in the twenty first century, Medieval goings on and a Victorian historian whose private life seems a little odd – not to speak of a suspicious website which has a large cult following – provide plenty of mysteries for the reader of this latest offering in the Wesley Peterson series.

I enjoyed reading this book but I had the feeling that there were just too many strands in the mysteries and the ending was a little rushed as though the book should have been longer – which is why I have not given it five stars. It is well written and the main characters are well drawn but there were too many characters which remained undeveloped – or that is how I felt about the book. It has not put me off the series but I felt a little disappointed by this book.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read, with the usual mix of old and new - two historical mysteries (one medieval and one late Victorian), one missing person and a modern murder (and, it turns out, a murder a few years ago) - all linked, and lots of potential perpetrators. There's also a whiff of some disturbing real-life modern cases, and a potential complication in the personal life of Wesley and a member of his team. The solving and uncovering of ancient crimes is a big part of the attraction of this series (if only there were always documents and evidence to back up one's theories, as always seem to turn up in and around Tradmouth!) I think this series would be visually very appealing as a TV adaptation, with its pretty Devon locations and historical/archaeological interest as well as some interesting characters in the police team.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I read Books 1-17 of this series and so it was lovely to return to South Devon with Wesley and Company for the latest in this series of intelligent, complex police procedurals.

Again, there are plenty of suspects, twist and turns, a stack of bodies and both a present day and historical mystery to solve.

I continue to feel sorry for DS Rachel Tracey, who obviously still has a thing for her colleague Wesley. I really want her to be swept off her feet and happy rather than settling because the man she wants is unavailable.

[Martina Lennon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like this series. I think it would make a good tv series.

[John Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I'm a fan of this series by Kate Ellis. In the last few days I read "The Shadow Collector", "The Armada Boy" and then this one, and I have read the first two earlier. One review is enough. Ellis is a great writer, and the books in this series are always exciting, even if they do follow a common pattern. There is a mix of a historical plot thread with other current events. While the letters or writings from a past time can sometimes be annoying and distracting, they are well constructed, and of course have some bearing on the present. Wesley Peterson is a black detective, Gerry Heffernan is his boss. They have been promoted at some point to DI and DCI respectively. These characters are fully fleshed out, each with strengths and weaknesses and personal feelings. Wesley's friend Neil is an archaeologist and all the mysteries have an archaeological connection. Wesley himself has a strong interest in archaeology, and sometimes seems to spend too much time at the dig when there are more important things he should be doing. This relationship is maybe slightly unbelievable, and yet who knows?
Each of the books has multiple threads, and the focus switches frequently as we share the thoughts of whichever character is in the spotlight. It's usually a bloodthirsty path as follow-up murders occur to remove witnesses, or earlier murders are discovered.
From a whodunnit perspective, there is usually a long list of possible suspects. I like that the author doesn't use the tired cliche of the victim being someone that everyone hated. It is unwise to place too much credence in the evidence presented which appears to involve any particular character. There are many twists and turns on the way to the final denouement.
The historical threads are fiction, but are usually based on research the author has done about a place or a period. It's really well done.
Each book can be read as a stand-alone, there are only passing references to the past of the main characters. The later books tend to be a bit longer at around 350 pages, but they are definitely not boring. Highly recommended. I rated this 4.6.

[Alan Denham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good . . . But!
This is the eighteenth book in the D.I. Wesley Peterson series, and so far I have read most of them and reviewed a few (and will do more) and I have strongly approved of the series, it is very much to my taste - so far! And to be fair, this one is still good - but not up to earlier standards. The continuing characters in the series are now well established, and need only perfunctory introduction for the sake of any new readers who happen on this book first, and that is nicely done; the characters specific to this book are introduced well, and properly developed and fleshed out as the story develops - but again, the work is not up to this author's usual standards.
And the story line,and the puzzles . . . I get the feeling that the author has been using these main characters and this background for too long, and is now putting too much complexity and too many twists into the stories for them to retain credibility. Its all still good, but showing the first hints that the series may be getting stale. Sorry, but the earlier ones were better. Down to four stars this time. Let's hope this is not an indicator for the future.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual for Kate Ellis there is a modern day narrative related to an historical narrative. The connection lines are made, as usual, by Neil the archaeologist. The modern day narrative is investigated by a team comprising of Gerry, Wesley, Rachel and a female detective whose name begins with T. The archaeology team investigate the historical murder. As in all Kate Ellis's books at some point both strands converge. The story lines are very inventive and this one is well thought out.

Despite being 18th, I think, in the series the author still has not learnt how to show not tell or how to fully flesh out out her characters. Character description is poor throughout. Only two characters were described as plump in this book! Surely, Gerry owns something which is not old, battered, ill fitting, food stained or too small. Wesley, the main character, is supremely uninteresting. Rachel continues to be in thrall to Wesley and still undecided about her wedding. The T detective, can't remember her name, barely exists and barely does any work - she seems to be there to make up numbers.

A good read but I do wish Kate Ellis would learn to "show" not "tell" in her books.

[margaret chalmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Master mystery maker.

Kate Ellis gives a superb thriller/mystery as usual. Set in a Devon town with a colourful festival celebrating a mediaeval business man/rogue, a girl goes missing and then is found. Who dun it? What is the link with the man at the heart of the festival and a later devotee of his? Kate Ellis has carefully built up a cast of regulars with whom we have become familiar, from the main detective - the very human Wesley - to his family, grumpy boss, colleagues, archaeologist friend and the spectacular location. She also uses the device of evidence from ancient times showing light on a modern crime to great effect. The formula works. We are intrigued by the past and worry over the familiar characters. Will that minx of a lady cop draw Wesley off the moral path? We, okay , I, care. Roll on the next in the series. Beautifully written, highly enjoyable, confidently recommended. A good read in every sense of the phrase.

[Charles Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Kate Ellis's 18th novel depicting the police detective, Wesley Peterson and set in Devon.

This novel follows the familiar formula of this series where modern murders have some connection with similar events in the past. The past is usually revealed as discovered manuscripts (in this case a series of letters between sisters in the late 19th century).

The parallel timelines sets these novels apart from what could be regarded as Misdsomers Murders territory. The setting in a relatively small and peaceful coastal area does reminds me of Bergerac.

As with those series, you do have to suspend disbelief at the unlikely numbers of murders that occur in such a place and the frequent involvement of or links they have with Peterson's friends (particularly his best friend, Neil, the archaeologist).

I was kept guessing until the end as to the identity of the main perpetrator.

I enjoy reading these novels.

[Virginia Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tradmouth is in the midst of the annual Medieval Palkin Festival held to honour John Palkin, a 14th century local Mayor who made his fortune from trade and privateering. Last year a young girl named Jenny Bercial mysteriously disappeared during the festival. This year, the body of another young girl is found strangled and floating out to sea in a dinghy. Is there a connection between the two women and to Shipworld, a fantasy website which has Palkin as a supernatural hero battling a sinister, faceless creature called the Shroud Maker? Just as Di Wesley Peterson is involved in the case, his friend , archaeologist Neil Watson, who is excavating the site of Palkin's warehouse, comes across some old bones. Has history might inspired a new killer. The 18th book in this series continues to combine archaeology and murder with appealing characters and a complex plot. For fans of classic mysteries.

[Carol Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed every page. Continual surprizes. One day I shall get the correct culprit before I am told. One of the best and most exciting mystery/detective writers I have come across in years, never been bored in any of the twenty books I’ve read.
Reading from the very beginning of the Wesley Peterson Murder Mysteries has given such a detailed insight into him, as a man, his family his friends and colleagues from the time he and his wife moved for London to work in South Devon. Every tale is interwoven with a mystery in the past, part based on true evens in the history of that area. So cleaver and so interesting.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's never a dull minute in this instalment of the series. The reader must keep track of many intriguing strands and connected characters and plots from the 1300s, 1800s and present day. The novel starts with a murdered girl in a long velvet gown set adrift in a dinghy during a Tradmouth medieval festival, a crime which may be linked to the disappearance of another girl a year before. There are many red herrings before all becomes clear. As regards the on-going frisson between Rachel and Wesley, there is a development!

[Kathleen Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my 2nd Wesley Peterson novel. It's about an old case of a missing girl who has never been found but which is brought back to the fore when more girls start of disappear during a week long festival in coastal harbour town. The plot moves along at a cracking pace and, as usual with these novels, there is a historical/archeological element with the discovery of a skeleton in the grounds of an old house and factory.

Well worth a read.

[Debbie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I have read this author and I was utterly hooked. I rate books in the number of baths it takes me to read them. Three in this case that got very cold as I desperately wanted to know more. As an ex investigator I love books that I don’t work out who the killer is. I didn’t here. Multiple murders over centuries end with the question I my head “does evil run in the blood?” The end explains every page in the book including the prologue. I will buy more of this series

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how Kate Ellis does it. The Shroud Maker is the eighteenth-- and one of the best-- in her consistently high-quality series. I'd no more miss one of these books than I'd forget to put my glasses on when I get up in the morning. Ellis knows the perfect way to combine a present-day murder investigation with a fascinating bit of history.

The chapters in the book begin with either an excerpt from a biography of John Palkin or a letter written by the biographer's wife. It is a very effective way of allowing readers to form their own ideas as to what's happening because-- as it usually does in a Wesley Peterson mystery-- history is having a decided effect on the present day. However, Peterson's investigation is hampered by the Palkin Festival because it's bringing in all sorts of criminals, making it difficult to match the right crime with the right bad guy.

Ellis always has a fascinating combination of crime and archaeology, but her characters are what make this entire series shine. Through eighteen books, these characters have grown and changed, and I've been witness to many of their life-changing events. The Shroud Maker is no exception. Wesley's wife Pam seems to have grown into the role of policeman's wife. One of Wesley's detectives, Rachel, is suffering from pre-wedding jitters, and Wesley's boss, Gerry Heffernan, is worried about his headstrong daughter, Rosie.

If you have the slightest interest in British police procedurals that combine strong mysteries with archaeology, history, and a fine cast of characters, I urge you to sample one of Kate Ellis's Wesley Peterson novels. You can read them as standalones with little or no confusion, but what's the fun in that? Do what I did and begin with the very first book, The Merchant's House!

[Lesley Goodhew · Rating 1 out of 5]

The characters are 2 dimensional. If the atmosphere and plot were to be shown as graphs, they would be flatlines.

2 dimensional characters and the plot and atmosphere of the book are flatlines rather than peaks and dips. As for character development, there isn't any!

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first KE novel and enjoyed it when I read it, but it took me a while to read it, as there was no pull when the adverts came on. I enjoyed the historical connections but for me I found some parts a bit slow. Not sure if
I’d read another but I did finish it.

[Karen Kruckenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series!

Working my way through this series and enjoying every book! Interesting historical tie and clever mysteries with just the right amount of yes and turns. Highly recommended.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Online or offline gaming isn't of any personal interest, but the historical and archeological aspects are always fascinating in their connection to the current murders. The never ending tension between Wesley and Rachel is tedious.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

#18 in Kate Ellis' marvelous series of books featuring Wesley Peterson. Combining police work and archaeology pushes a lot of my buttons. I love this series and it's good to start the new year reading a Kate Ellis! Finished the book today and it was somewhat complex with the intricacies of an on-line game which mirrored murders from the 18th century as well as current time. Still, it was a very good read to start the new year. I may jump on the next one in the series.......