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DI Skelgill Investigates #20-22
The DI Skelgill Series Books 20-22: compelling British crime mysteries
“Bruce Beckham’s DI Skelgill novels are atmospheric, “cozy-rough” British crime fiction set in the picturesque Lake District. They feature an intuitive, rebellious Cumbrian detective, Daniel Skelgill, solving intricate, standalone murders. The brand emphasises stunning rural scenery, witty dialogue, and a focus on character dynamics over graphic violence.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
“I very rarely give 5 stars to works that aren’t considered literary fiction. This series is 5-star-worthy. The protagonist, DI Skelgill, is intriguing and engaging beyond the norm. His assistants and his relationships with them are equally compelling. The mysteries are not easily solved by the reader ahead of time. This makes for avid reading!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2025
Verified Purchase
“If you love mysteries with a great story and amazing background descriptions, then this book is for you. Not blood and guts, but realistic searching for answers - I have really fallen in love with these books and look forward to the next one!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in Australia on July 31, 2025
Verified Purchase
“How does he do it? This is a totally different approach to his usual, and yet just as arresting. Terrific read, a challenge to work out and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you, Bruce.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2025
Verified Purchase
“Bruce Beckham knows how to write gripping mysteries. Detectives Skelgill, Leyton, and Jones work to capture of miscreants. Each of these books is vastly different from the others, but the three characters manage to work together to solve cases. As different as these books are, so are the detectives. Yet their qualities and foibles add what is needed for success. I have yet to read a Beckham book that I did not thoroughly enjoy. I have learned so much about northern England, it’s geography and culture. I hope there are many books to follow.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 July 2023
Verified Purchase
“I look forward to each and every story of DI Daniel Skelgill.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 June 2023
Verified Purchase
“Some tongue-in-cheek humour and a deadly serious undercurrent.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
“What a gem I had sitting in my library!!! Needless to say, I was quickly addicted to Skelgill, Jones and Leyton. I strongly recommend this series to fans of mysteries. Bruce Beckham is a quality author. I don't think you will be disappointed.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
“I have long awaited a series of books that can hold your attention and surprise you at every turn … when the answer is finally given you are only too painfully aware that you have been given all the clues but failed to join the dots. Personally, I find his setting for the books and his descriptive accuracy is amazing. I can honestly say I would recommend these books to anyone who wants a riveting good yarn set in one of the most beautiful places on God’s earth.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
“Such descriptive writing, expansive character development, and unexpected twists and turns! I'm just back from a trip to England and now I want to turn around and head for Cumbria. Delightful, intriguing reading plus I've expanded my vocabulary!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2022
Verified Purchase
“If you are lucky enough that this is your 1st Skelgill book; you REALLY won't be seen much at all. There are many more of these masterpieces for you to enjoy! Happy Reading!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
“I very rarely give 5 stars to works that aren’t considered literary fiction. This series is 5-star-worthy. The protagonist, DI Skelgill, is intriguing and engaging beyond the norm. His assistants and his relationships with them are equally compelling. The mysteries are not easily solved by the reader ahead of time. This makes for avid reading!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2025
Verified Purchase
“If you love mysteries with a great story and amazing background descriptions, then this book is for you. Not blood and guts, but realistic searching for answers - I have really fallen in love with these books and look forward to the next one!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in Australia on July 31, 2025
Verified Purchase
“How does he do it? This is a totally different approach to his usual, and yet just as arresting. Terrific read, a challenge to work out and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you, Bruce.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2025
Verified Purchase
“Bruce Beckham knows how to write gripping mysteries. Detectives Skelgill, Leyton, and Jones work to capture of miscreants. Each of these books is vastly different from the others, but the three characters manage to work together to solve cases. As different as these books are, so are the detectives. Yet their qualities and foibles add what is needed for success. I have yet to read a Beckham book that I did not thoroughly enjoy. I have learned so much about northern England, it’s geography and culture. I hope there are many books to follow.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 July 2023
Verified Purchase
“I look forward to each and every story of DI Daniel Skelgill.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 June 2023
Verified Purchase
“Some tongue-in-cheek humour and a deadly serious undercurrent.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
“What a gem I had sitting in my library!!! Needless to say, I was quickly addicted to Skelgill, Jones and Leyton. I strongly recommend this series to fans of mysteries. Bruce Beckham is a quality author. I don't think you will be disappointed.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
“I have long awaited a series of books that can hold your attention and surprise you at every turn … when the answer is finally given you are only too painfully aware that you have been given all the clues but failed to join the dots. Personally, I find his setting for the books and his descriptive accuracy is amazing. I can honestly say I would recommend these books to anyone who wants a riveting good yarn set in one of the most beautiful places on God’s earth.”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
“Such descriptive writing, expansive character development, and unexpected twists and turns! I'm just back from a trip to England and now I want to turn around and head for Cumbria. Delightful, intriguing reading plus I've expanded my vocabulary!”
☆☆☆☆☆
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2022
Verified Purchase
“If you are lucky enough that this is your 1st Skelgill book; you REALLY won't be seen much at all. There are many more of these masterpieces for you to enjoy! Happy Reading!”
- GenresFiction
1042 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2024
About the author
Bruce Beckham
233 books477 followersBRUCE BECKHAM brings a lifelong love of the outdoors to the contemporary crime novel. An award-winning, Amazon best-selling writer and member of the UK Society of Authors, he pens fiendish plots, vivid wild scenes and compelling dramas.
His series 'Detective Inspector Skelgill Investigates' now extends to 24 standalone murder mysteries and 8 boxsets, and sells across five continents, from Japan and India to Brazil and the United States of America. Over one million copies have been downloaded worldwide.
Murder at Blind Beck (#25) was released in May 2025 and can be ordered at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK2XQ46Z
You are welcome to contact Bruce directly through the Goodreads message system or via his publisher, at this address: lucius-ebooks@live.com
To sign up for his monthly newsletter please click the website link above, or send a friend request or click 'follow' - to receive updates of free Kindle downloads and Goodreads giveaways.
His series 'Detective Inspector Skelgill Investigates' now extends to 24 standalone murder mysteries and 8 boxsets, and sells across five continents, from Japan and India to Brazil and the United States of America. Over one million copies have been downloaded worldwide.
Murder at Blind Beck (#25) was released in May 2025 and can be ordered at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK2XQ46Z
You are welcome to contact Bruce directly through the Goodreads message system or via his publisher, at this address: lucius-ebooks@live.com
To sign up for his monthly newsletter please click the website link above, or send a friend request or click 'follow' - to receive updates of free Kindle downloads and Goodreads giveaways.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 16, 2025
keep ‘em coming
Bruce Beckham knows how to write gripping mysteries. Detectives Skelgill, Leyton, and Jones work to capture of miscreants. Each of these books is vastly different from the others, but the three characters manage to work together to solve cases. As different as these books are, so are the detectives. Yet their qualities and foibles add what is needed for success. I have yet to read a Beckham book that I did not thoroughly enjoy. I have learned so much about northern England, it’s geography and culture. I hope there are many books to follow.
Bruce Beckham knows how to write gripping mysteries. Detectives Skelgill, Leyton, and Jones work to capture of miscreants. Each of these books is vastly different from the others, but the three characters manage to work together to solve cases. As different as these books are, so are the detectives. Yet their qualities and foibles add what is needed for success. I have yet to read a Beckham book that I did not thoroughly enjoy. I have learned so much about northern England, it’s geography and culture. I hope there are many books to follow.
July 21, 2025
a ripping good read
Overlooking a rare typo that spell check didn’t catch and only two proof reading errors I could see, this is an outstanding set of stories that reflect characters, places and events so well reading these has been like watching a movie in my imagination.
So well written, plus it’s clean, there is also humour and the lure of skelgill’s character, that only his DS’s could handle I’m sure, oh and his never ending relatives!
Overlooking a rare typo that spell check didn’t catch and only two proof reading errors I could see, this is an outstanding set of stories that reflect characters, places and events so well reading these has been like watching a movie in my imagination.
So well written, plus it’s clean, there is also humour and the lure of skelgill’s character, that only his DS’s could handle I’m sure, oh and his never ending relatives!
March 26, 2025
Totally enjoyed these books, read the entire series in the last month very sad when I realized I was at the end. Highly recommend these to anyone looking for a great escape to a wonderful place far from home (the good old USA)
February 22, 2026
The DI Skelgill books once again provide excellent bedtime reading. I have read every book from one to twenty-two. The description of the Cumbrian countryside is so good I think I personally know each fell and village. Excellent entertainment without offensive language.
July 14, 2025
Enjoyed these three books, well written descriptive and fun characters. No extreme violence or bad language just plain English police work in a normal setting.
February 29, 2024
Still not finished. Muder at the Bridge is just not up to Beckham's standards. It's long and plodding and has too many characters most just aren't necessary. Not enjoying this at all. I feel like I have been reading it forever. I will finish it...maybe.
Finally finished Murder at the Bridge. Still don't know who did it. Too convoluted and confusing. Did not enjoy this read at all.
Started book 2 Murder on the Farm. So far much better
Finally finished Murder at the Bridge. Still don't know who did it. Too convoluted and confusing. Did not enjoy this read at all.
Started book 2 Murder on the Farm. So far much better
October 15, 2025
Excellent story-telling; excellent characters and character development; surprise twists with every book! I feel like I could walk into one of the pubs mentioned and if Skelgill was there, I’d know him immediately!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews