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DI Jessica Ryan #1
Killer on the Peaks: A twisting British murder mystery
He watches. He waits, until they are alone.
In the historic Staffordshire market town of Leek, Detective Jessica Ryan, a resilient single mother of two kids, faces life's challenges. It's taken four years to rebuild her family after her husband Darren suspiciously disappeared whilst working undercover for the National Crime Agency.
But when a body is discovered at the picturesque Three Shires Head, troubling memories resurface. A wealthy property developer’s murder shakes the popular walker's haven, thrusting Jessica into an intense investigation that may have links to her husband and organized crime.
Things escalate when a local councilor with a dubious reputation is found hanged at another popular walker’s destination, Lud's Church.
As Jess unravels hidden motives and fractured relationships, more tragedy strikes her life when her teenage daughter Madeleine vanishes. Is there a link between her abduction, her husband's disappearance, and the two disturbing murders?
Jessica confronts her inner demons while navigating the barren Peak District moors.
Set against the stunning but treacherous landscape, this twisting crime thriller pushes Jess to her limits. Racing against time, she must unveil a cunning killer and save her daughter from a fate darker than nightmares.
Killer on the Peaks is the latest crime thriller from J.F. Burgess, the British author of the top-selling Detective Tom Blake murder mystery series, and is perfect for fans of police procedurals and detective novels.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE GRIPPING DI JESSICA RYAN SERIES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Compelling read! Intense and well-written narrative, with great characters! This book will stay with you for a long time, don't miss it!' Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Jon Burgess writes a really great book, all elements needed are here and it’s a great start to a new series set in a beautiful yet now tainted part of the Country.' Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Please tell me you have finished the next one! Loved it!' Lisa Morris Horton. Facebook Reader
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another fast-paced and gripping read. Great to see it being born.' Christine Johnson
In the historic Staffordshire market town of Leek, Detective Jessica Ryan, a resilient single mother of two kids, faces life's challenges. It's taken four years to rebuild her family after her husband Darren suspiciously disappeared whilst working undercover for the National Crime Agency.
But when a body is discovered at the picturesque Three Shires Head, troubling memories resurface. A wealthy property developer’s murder shakes the popular walker's haven, thrusting Jessica into an intense investigation that may have links to her husband and organized crime.
Things escalate when a local councilor with a dubious reputation is found hanged at another popular walker’s destination, Lud's Church.
As Jess unravels hidden motives and fractured relationships, more tragedy strikes her life when her teenage daughter Madeleine vanishes. Is there a link between her abduction, her husband's disappearance, and the two disturbing murders?
Jessica confronts her inner demons while navigating the barren Peak District moors.
Set against the stunning but treacherous landscape, this twisting crime thriller pushes Jess to her limits. Racing against time, she must unveil a cunning killer and save her daughter from a fate darker than nightmares.
Killer on the Peaks is the latest crime thriller from J.F. Burgess, the British author of the top-selling Detective Tom Blake murder mystery series, and is perfect for fans of police procedurals and detective novels.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE GRIPPING DI JESSICA RYAN SERIES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Compelling read! Intense and well-written narrative, with great characters! This book will stay with you for a long time, don't miss it!' Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Jon Burgess writes a really great book, all elements needed are here and it’s a great start to a new series set in a beautiful yet now tainted part of the Country.' Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Please tell me you have finished the next one! Loved it!' Lisa Morris Horton. Facebook Reader
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Another fast-paced and gripping read. Great to see it being born.' Christine Johnson
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2023
55 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
J.F. Burgess
12 books37 followersAbout the author
J.F. Burgess writes addictive, twist-filled crime thrillers that keep readers up all night.
If you love gritty police procedurals packed with shocking reveals, morally complex detectives, and villains you’ll never forget — you’ve just found your next favourite author.
His bestselling DI Tom Blake series is set in the raw, industrial heart of Stoke-on-Trent, where dark secrets hide in plain sight. The DI Jessica Ryan books transport readers to the stunning but deadly beauty of the Peak District, where danger lurks behind every stone wall and misty ridge.
The first Blake novel, The Killer Shadow Thieves, has been downloaded over 10,000 times and smashed into the Amazon UK Crime Top 100.
Both series have grown to twelve novels, accumulating over 1.8 million Kindle Unlimited page reads and a loyal fan base on both sides of the Atlantic.
What readers are saying:
“Page-turning, tense crime mysteries with shocking twists that take you deep inside the criminal mind.”
Jonathan lives in Stoke-on-Trent, England, with his wife and grown-up daughter.
Start reading today — and discover why crime fans can’t put these books down.
Join his *VIP Reader's Club* to ensure you get all the special offers and forthcoming gripping crime stories, only available to VIP Club members. Pop your name on the list here...
https://jfburgess.com/
Facebook — Join him and other crime fans for a chat on his Facebook readers group here: https://www.facebook.com/JonBurgessWr...
J.F. Burgess writes addictive, twist-filled crime thrillers that keep readers up all night.
If you love gritty police procedurals packed with shocking reveals, morally complex detectives, and villains you’ll never forget — you’ve just found your next favourite author.
His bestselling DI Tom Blake series is set in the raw, industrial heart of Stoke-on-Trent, where dark secrets hide in plain sight. The DI Jessica Ryan books transport readers to the stunning but deadly beauty of the Peak District, where danger lurks behind every stone wall and misty ridge.
The first Blake novel, The Killer Shadow Thieves, has been downloaded over 10,000 times and smashed into the Amazon UK Crime Top 100.
Both series have grown to twelve novels, accumulating over 1.8 million Kindle Unlimited page reads and a loyal fan base on both sides of the Atlantic.
What readers are saying:
“Page-turning, tense crime mysteries with shocking twists that take you deep inside the criminal mind.”
Jonathan lives in Stoke-on-Trent, England, with his wife and grown-up daughter.
Start reading today — and discover why crime fans can’t put these books down.
Join his *VIP Reader's Club* to ensure you get all the special offers and forthcoming gripping crime stories, only available to VIP Club members. Pop your name on the list here...
https://jfburgess.com/
Facebook — Join him and other crime fans for a chat on his Facebook readers group here: https://www.facebook.com/JonBurgessWr...
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 27, 2025
Detective Inspector Jessica Ryan polices part of the Staffordshire Moorlands in north staffs and is a keen hiker, she sets off on one of her long walks and comes across a woman who has been strangled with a black and gold rope and her trousers are pulled down to her ankles, her knickers are missing and she has an intact moth in her mouth on her tongue. Nice. Being in a bit of a remote location and with difficult terrain to navigate it takes a while for the rest of the police and the pathologist to reach her. Rather her than me standing out in a very lone location waiting for now was it one hour or two hours, when they all could reach her.
Then not long after, a much disliked local councillor is also found in the same location with the same rope but his clothing is intact and he also has a moth in his mouth. Now I worked out that the property lady was on the take with backhanders, and so was the councillor, so the murderer must be someone who has fallen foul of the tactics of the two dishonourable victims. Then Jess's 18yr old daughter is kidnapped by two foreign thugs who bundle her in a car and take her to a place where she is told by one of the girls held there that this is a brothel and they cannot escape because they are locked in and only come out when men wanting sex and/or rape arrive. Jess is frantic, initially, to find her daughter, and her dad a retired police officer sets out to find her while Jess goes back to work trying to solve the two murders.
The plot thickens but was surprised that Jess didn't take time off to find her daughter or even tell her boss immediately what was going on in her home life. I mean anyone of us mothers would have reported that quick enough, and who was looking after her, now was he 8 or 10yrs old, son when she and grandad are both off the scene? It wasn't a bad story as stories go but there were parts when I kept thinking now why on earth are they wasting time doing that? And the red herrings came cropping up... I am presuming that her husband who was working undercover and vanished 3/4yrs ago is going to crop again in the next book because it left without a real ending. And whilst I didn't particularly take to Jess at all, I did really like her dad! Now he's worthy of a book of his own! I'd definitely read it!! He was by far the best person in the book, the only real grown up!!
Then not long after, a much disliked local councillor is also found in the same location with the same rope but his clothing is intact and he also has a moth in his mouth. Now I worked out that the property lady was on the take with backhanders, and so was the councillor, so the murderer must be someone who has fallen foul of the tactics of the two dishonourable victims. Then Jess's 18yr old daughter is kidnapped by two foreign thugs who bundle her in a car and take her to a place where she is told by one of the girls held there that this is a brothel and they cannot escape because they are locked in and only come out when men wanting sex and/or rape arrive. Jess is frantic, initially, to find her daughter, and her dad a retired police officer sets out to find her while Jess goes back to work trying to solve the two murders.
The plot thickens but was surprised that Jess didn't take time off to find her daughter or even tell her boss immediately what was going on in her home life. I mean anyone of us mothers would have reported that quick enough, and who was looking after her, now was he 8 or 10yrs old, son when she and grandad are both off the scene? It wasn't a bad story as stories go but there were parts when I kept thinking now why on earth are they wasting time doing that? And the red herrings came cropping up... I am presuming that her husband who was working undercover and vanished 3/4yrs ago is going to crop again in the next book because it left without a real ending. And whilst I didn't particularly take to Jess at all, I did really like her dad! Now he's worthy of a book of his own! I'd definitely read it!! He was by far the best person in the book, the only real grown up!!
September 23, 2023
42-year-old wealthy London property developer Alice Westbrook sets off for an early morning walk in the Peak District, leaving behind her younger girlfriend at the cottage they have rented. She doesn’t know it yet but it’s to be her last journey as she soon meets her killer by the water’s edge at Three Shires Head. The post mortem reveals her strangely posed body was strangled with a rope or cord and DI Jessica Ryan from Staffordshire Moorlands CID is charged with investigating the murder whilst also coordinating a long running investigation into the theft of expensive farm machinery. Very quickly two good suspects emerge but the evidence just isn’t there. As links emerge to the disappearance four years ago of Jessica’s husband Darren who was working undercover for the NCA, another body is found in the ravine known as Lud’s Church with striking similarities to the first murder and then their prime suspect goes missing. Could a cryptic message hold the key to these deaths and how many more people are in danger? And will Jess ever find out the truth about Darren’s disappearance?
Jessica, Rose, Jack and Dan are all great detectives who work well as a team, but my particular favourite character has to be Jessica’s father, ex-Marine Mick Ryan, and the invaluable help he supplies in more ways than one. This is an excellent well written police procedural set in a beautiful part of the world which is vividly described. Each book from this author has got better and better and I like the references to DI Blake of Stoke CID from his other detective series. I am most definitely looking forward to book two, Taken on the Peaks.
Jessica, Rose, Jack and Dan are all great detectives who work well as a team, but my particular favourite character has to be Jessica’s father, ex-Marine Mick Ryan, and the invaluable help he supplies in more ways than one. This is an excellent well written police procedural set in a beautiful part of the world which is vividly described. Each book from this author has got better and better and I like the references to DI Blake of Stoke CID from his other detective series. I am most definitely looking forward to book two, Taken on the Peaks.
October 7, 2023
I enjoyed this British crime novel, the first in a series. Jess is a great strong female lead with a budding family marred by tragedy. I enjoyed her father in this book and thought he really added to it. What seems to be a random murder in the wilderness turns to greed and more. The plot is well thought out, evenly paced and detailed. I thought the dialogue was top rate and on point and the side characters well portrayed. There's enough suspense and intrigue to keep the story rolling along with some chilling elements. This is a great start to a new police procedural series and I can't wait to read the next one.
July 27, 2024
This is a very good start to a series. Jess is a mother of two since her husband Darren disappeared a few years earlier while working undercover. Her team is brought into investigate when the body of a local real estate businesswoman is found by some walkers. The discovery of another body later which turns out to be a local businessman and councillor adds to the workload of the team which soon finds the link between the two.
This was an easy read. Jess is a likeable character as is her dad Mick, and the personal events in the book made me root for her even more. The rural setting made it more enjoyable. The ending has me intrigued so I will definitely read the next one.
This was an easy read. Jess is a likeable character as is her dad Mick, and the personal events in the book made me root for her even more. The rural setting made it more enjoyable. The ending has me intrigued so I will definitely read the next one.
July 24, 2024
Excellent read
We start this story with the murder of a wealthy property developer Alice Westbrook . So that draws you in from the start as usual I won't say any more about the storyline as I don't want to give any spoilers. I'll just say it was an excellent read kept me interested and I enjoyed it. Don't know if the author reads these reviews but a word to him kids in stoke on Trent do know what sheep look like , and there are six towns in stoke on Trent ( just saying) anyway I thought it is an excellent read ,on to book Three now . Plus thank you for writing it
We start this story with the murder of a wealthy property developer Alice Westbrook . So that draws you in from the start as usual I won't say any more about the storyline as I don't want to give any spoilers. I'll just say it was an excellent read kept me interested and I enjoyed it. Don't know if the author reads these reviews but a word to him kids in stoke on Trent do know what sheep look like , and there are six towns in stoke on Trent ( just saying) anyway I thought it is an excellent read ,on to book Three now . Plus thank you for writing it
November 1, 2023
Continuing Mystery
Good story but some threads left hanging. Good writing style. A good idea of the characters but not too dimensional. Also it's a continuation series. The crime gets solved but the big question is not going to be answered in this book. Which book though? Enjoyed looking up the places mentioned. If I ever get to England...
Good story but some threads left hanging. Good writing style. A good idea of the characters but not too dimensional. Also it's a continuation series. The crime gets solved but the big question is not going to be answered in this book. Which book though? Enjoyed looking up the places mentioned. If I ever get to England...
September 12, 2025
Just ok read for me. I did not like the main character much and was not a fan of the self harming aspect. It does not inspire confidence in her ability to handle stressful situations.
I already purchased the second book so I will read it but I won't continue with the series after that if it is similar to this one.
I already purchased the second book so I will read it but I won't continue with the series after that if it is similar to this one.
September 21, 2023
Killer on the Peaks
Another fantastic read. Sitting on the edge of my seat, Characters again excellent. I will just have to be patient, and wait for the next book.Always enjoy the storylines.
Another fantastic read. Sitting on the edge of my seat, Characters again excellent. I will just have to be patient, and wait for the next book.Always enjoy the storylines.
November 16, 2025
Loved this
Refreshing to read a novel in a new area instead of the usual London. Very well paced and shorter chapter make it easier to read with a fast paced lifestyle where it’s difficult to fit long reading periods into.
Refreshing to read a novel in a new area instead of the usual London. Very well paced and shorter chapter make it easier to read with a fast paced lifestyle where it’s difficult to fit long reading periods into.
December 19, 2025
This is a real brain teaser which has DI Jessica Ryan facing 3 murders a kidnapping and her husbands disappearance.Set in the beautiful Peak District what's not to like about a book that keeps the grey matter working a great read thanks.
September 21, 2023
Dark and dangerous, beautifully written and easy to get immersed in. A stellar Burgess novel.
Highly Recommended.
Highly Recommended.
March 9, 2024
lots of twists
Apart from so many Grammar mistakes on book 1 and 2 this is a good read, the plots twist here and there.
Apart from so many Grammar mistakes on book 1 and 2 this is a good read, the plots twist here and there.
March 21, 2024
Excellent
You can't help but love Jess, her dad and her dedicated team. The words paint a delightfully accurate picture of the Peak District, buildings and surrounding areas.
You can't help but love Jess, her dad and her dedicated team. The words paint a delightfully accurate picture of the Peak District, buildings and surrounding areas.
October 11, 2023
I have always enjoyed this authors work and for me Book 1 of this new series is his best yet
Set in the wonderful Derbyshire Countryside and the Staffordshire Potteries the descriptive writing re these areas is once again sublime and also once again the knowledge of the areas, its history and its present are interestingly and honestly woven into the story
The story itself is a charged Police Procedural based around a set of killings that are happening in beauty spots and D.I.Ryan is determined to solve, when things take a step nearer home it’s then personal and she will not stop until the crimes solved and perps arrested
I really enjoyed all of it, Jon Burgess writes a really good book, all elements needed are here and it’s a great start to a promising new series set in a beautiful yet now tainted part of the Country
Set in the wonderful Derbyshire Countryside and the Staffordshire Potteries the descriptive writing re these areas is once again sublime and also once again the knowledge of the areas, its history and its present are interestingly and honestly woven into the story
The story itself is a charged Police Procedural based around a set of killings that are happening in beauty spots and D.I.Ryan is determined to solve, when things take a step nearer home it’s then personal and she will not stop until the crimes solved and perps arrested
I really enjoyed all of it, Jon Burgess writes a really good book, all elements needed are here and it’s a great start to a promising new series set in a beautiful yet now tainted part of the Country
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews