When the ancient waters of Lady’s Well in the rural village of Holystone begin to run red, it seems to be a nasty Hallowe’en prank and nothing more. But things take a sinister turn when the entire village suffers severe poisoning, and one old man turns up dead.
Accusations abound in the small, close-knit community, and ‘old’ religions spar against ‘new’ while fear runs like wildfire through the streets. With so many potential motives and countless opportunities, there’s only one man who can help solve this particular mystery…
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit, set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.
LJ Ross is an internationally bestselling author, whose books have sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, a further eighteen of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.
Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.
The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.
In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.
If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:
This eventful crime mystery is the 20th volume of the overall wonderful "DCI Ryan" series.
First of all I at the start of the book you'll find an appropriate poem concerning this crime story made by Sir Walter Scott.
Secondly at the end of the book, within the Author's Note you'll read some very fine documented details concerning the History of the Lady's Well and its near surroundings.
Storytelling is excellent, and this book is another winner after a few mediocre outings, all characters come vividly to life in this tale about family disputes, jealousy, greed and murder, and also the scenery of this part of Northumberland is wonderfully described and pictured by the author.
The story starts off with a prologue that is situated twenty years ago, in which a woman is being murdered, and this murder will form the heart of the matter within the main story when lethal actions will take place twenty years later, and those latest killings will concern Fred Humble and Zachary White, and for DCI Ryan and his team two separate cases to investigate within the community of Holystone near Lady's Well, and these cases will be solved and reveal two different perpetrators in the end, while within DCI Ryan's team someone will need time out professionally as well as personally.
What is to follow is an intriguing crime mystery, with interlinking cases throughout that need to be solved, and those investigations are brought to us with a great storyline, accompanied with a very well executed plot in the end.
Highly recommended, for this is again a superb addition to this, at times, great series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Excellent Well Done Job"!
Lady’s Well, near Holystone village, Northumberland. Hallowe’en. Present day. LJ Ross’s Lady’s Well (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #20) is another winner. I absolutely love this series, and Northumbria, England is one area of England which I have not visited very often, but these characters are so real to me, I feel that they are my friends. I hope to go back to England, and one place I hope to see as soon as I land is Holy Isle or Lindisfarne. LJ Ross’s first book in the DCI Ryan Mysteries is entitled Holy Isle. I would feel as though I was going home even though I am an American. Now about Lady’s Well - DCI Ryan and his partner and best friend, DS Frank Philips who at the moment looks like Uncle Fester (It is Hallowe’en after all.), and they are on their way to Holystone as there has been a reported death of a man from Holystone.A result of contaminated water? The investigation begins. I read this book from beginning to end without stopping as I have done with all DCI Ryan Mysteries. I enjoy them that much! Highly recommended! 5 stars.
I’d looked forward to this additional book to add to series for some time But was left disappointed by lame plot where the guilty party was obvious from early stages The supposed comedy between main characters is both lame and over done
Come a long way from brilliant early books with great plots
I have become a fan of the Ryan series and had been disappointed at the delay of this latest book. I saved it for my flight home from holiday so I could read in one go. I enjoyed it like most books, however the storyline felt a little thin as this just seemed to be a prelude to something more. There are loose ends which point towards the next book. Anna’s book just disappeared. Mel walking away but not definitively. Ryan’s feelings about his house. Phillips possible move. All loose ends. I’ll wait and see what happens next but has this character run it’s course? Possibly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
You never disappoint. Often when I read crime fiction I can work out whodunit by halfway but in this story I only realised when Ryan did. You give a wonderful description of the area and we will be visiting soon while I await the next instalment. (No pressure, they are well worth the wait!)
Hellooooo Ryan and Frank - I have certainlymissed these two. I cannot even explain how happy I was for book 20 of the DCI Ryan series to be released. As many people know - I’m a huge fan of L.J. Ross and I absolutely LOVE these books! It was a superb read 👏🏻
When I settle down with these stories I feel like I’m just catching up with some old friends, they’re absolutely wonderful characters and having learnt so much about them along the journey of these mysteries, I feel like I actually know them.
Lady’s Well is so enjoyable to read, I was certainly devouring these chapters. It’s an addictive whodunnit mystery, great descriptions. I laughed so much throughout with Frank’s one liners, he is 100% a character that I will forever love!
Another masterpiece, full of suspense and I’m super excited for the next book and what comes next with these characters and of course some more murders to solve!
Another great story from L J Ross. Reading her DCI Ryan books feels like being with friends. The characters of all of Ryan's team are well drawn and believable making her books a joy to read.
In Lady's Well there are new murders and old mysteries to be solved. Fred Humble is a cantankerous man with no friends so when he is found dead in his cottage in Holystone no-one mourns him. The question is whether the problems with the village's water supply caused his death and did Eco-protestor kill himself because he felt guilty for Fred's death? Fred's wife Diane disappeared 20 years ago, should she be contacted about her husband's demise? As always Ryan is quick to spot the clues and ably assisted by Frank and McKenzie the culprits are brought to justice.
Lady’s Well is another perfect book in the DCI Ryan series. Once I started it I couldn’t put it down. Another well paced, fun, captivating mystery for DCI Ryan and our favorite team of detectives to solve. I count down the days each and every time I know a new book in this series is coming out and this was not exception!
LJ Ross has done such an amazing job with this series, it feels like picking back up with old friends each and every time she writes a new book. I can’t wait until the next one!
So good to meet up with Ryan and co again. This is a longer novel, less dramatic and more mellow. As much about the police team as the crime itself. Almost a very enjoyable cosy crime !
Wasn't going to review but now feel I need to... The book was delayed due to myriad health issues of the author. That's an important factor for which to account when reading and commenting. A solid addition to the beloved DCI Ryan series.
This book goes for the most part to the standard no major overlap with another book from the series, but if you did not read the previous two, I do strongly suggest to have a go before going for this one, or you will know one of the murders in this one. Otherwise, the story is set in a small village and the start of the story is some 20 years ago with a murder of a young woman. And it is then moved to the future, when the first murder happens early in the book and the second soon after. Everything is complicated by demonstrations about fracting in the area, as well as lack of authopsy for a long while in the book. But the story is still enjoyable. Lot of focus is on Melanie Yates, who is struggling with the events of the previous books and there is lot of her internal dilema in this book, but it does not overpower the main story. And personal development in the characters is one of the reasons why I enjoy the series. Overall, I liked the book and cannot wait for the next one, although revisiting the past again? We will see...
It's definitely worth the wait. L J ross does not disappoint with this her latest novel. Every time I read her books, I'm left craving the next in the series. Here's hoping they go on for years to come thankyou Louise 😊
Another DC Ryan book. This time 3 murders in Holystone. Lots of loose ends to tie up. Are the circle involved. What will happen to Mel. Has Anna’s book idea been stolen ?
Lovely to catch up with Ryan and co. A usual the plot was great and the twists clever. It makes you want to visit Northumberland and immerse yourself in the world described so well by the author. Can’t wait for the next one!
This was the first proper detective novel I have read. I bought it after travelling through Northumbria, and seeing a sign for Lady's Well on Google maps. After reading a bit about the Well that day, I walked into Tesco and saw this book on a shelf. It was cheap, and the cover looked nice, and I had read about the Well so I thought I may as well read it.
To be honest, I'm not convinced. I guessed a fair bit of the mystery before I was halfway in, which was slightly disappointing. I love a good plot twist, and this book didn't really have one.
I found Ross's writing irritating at times, and I'm not sure if it's because I am unfamiliar with the series and its idiosyncrasies, but there were a few things that grated on me, personally.
Firstly, the obsession with DCI Ryan?! Yes, we get it, he is tall and handsome and upper class and white and privileged, but why does this need to be reiterated so many times?! Why do we need to be reminded that he's tall all the time? Why do people need to be told that he's the spitting double of Superman?! Why do we need to lust over memories of him getting out of a river? Why does his wife of years need to swoon when he comes in the door?! It just seemed a bit cringy. What are his faults? What makes him interesting? Granted, I haven't read the rest of the series, but from this he seemed quite a tedious person whose best features were just a happy coincidence, and that said little about his character (does he have one?! Is it just Posh Upper Class Boi?).
The banter he had with Philips was occasionally amusing but more often a bit overworked, and seem to fall flat. Also, there were a few times where the author seemed to be complementing herself on her own humour, or deliberately setting up a joke only for it to be a bit crap. Meh.
The environmentalism and fracking debates were interesting, but I would have liked these to have been more of a focus than the repeated worshipful paragraphs about Ryan. Also the paganism at the heart of Holystone seemed intriguing, and I would have liked to have learned more about this. (Also - why was the witchy pagan character called Sabrina? A bit on the nose...) Weirdly, Ross seemed more interested in mocking environmental activists and veganism, which seem to be less about the characters' opinions and more about Ross's own thoughts on these matters. There were several long and very didactic paragraphs about (supposedly) the characters opinions on these topics. Yaaaawn.
On that note, the worst bit for me was undoubtedly the writers group. To put it mildly, after reading what seemed to be several pages of self-justification and self-congratulation, I was pretty sure that the author must self-publish... and she does. It's a fair enough thing, and I get why someone might be insecure about it if people are being snobby, but this seemed overkill, and the entire scene seemed to be there to justify self-publishing, and then absolutely nothing happened about that whole storyline...? Maybe it's to be followed up in another book.
The other thing that irked was the book being so deliberately set in such a precise time. This is probably a matter of personal taste, but I disliked the constant references to Trump, Liz Truss, TikTok, influencers, etc. Granted, these are part of everyday life and so I can understand them being included, but it seemed a shame to me that, in a place of such amazing ancient history, these allusions to contemporary life were given so much focus. I would have liked to hear more about the Well, the village of Holystone, The ancient Pagan and Christian past, and the surrounding landscape. As I said, these are all there, but they seem to be somewhat eclipsed - or at least interrupted - by references to tedious aspects of modern life.
Lastly, there was just SO many cliches. So many phrases that just grated because yes, they do the job, but isn't there a fresher way to say them?! Some of them (quite literally) interrupted the flow or reading because I just had to roll my eyes! This might be personal taste, too, but I found them detracting from the story. And what is going on with the italics?! Are they thoughts? Sentences? Stage directions? What do they MEAN?! They seem to be used for such different purposes and, again, they broke my focus because they were so unnecessary and confusing.
Anyway, all in all I'm glad I read it, and I might venture to read another at some point, but it wasn't exactly gripping. I do, however, want to read up more on Lady's Well and maybe visit, so that was definitely a plus. The brief sections on the Northumbrian landscape were really interesting - it's definitely an area of the world I'd want to find out more about. And the opening scenes were pretty cool.
I was a fan of this series in the beginning, but I think it has long had its day. I feel like the first few books had a bit more grit and interesting crimes to solve, whereas now the main focus is on the relationships between the characters with a very thinly plotted mystery in the background.
In this instalment we see the ongoing development of the relationships between Ryan and Anna, Frank and Denise and Mel and Jack. And we are left with a cliff hanger of an unsolved murder for the first time in a while. Some great characters in this story and some unlikely murderers, an enjoyable mystery.
Lady's Well is book twenty in the DCI Ryan Mysteries Series by L. J. Ross. DCI Ryan and his team caught a mysterious case of Well turning red, and the entire village of Holystone suffered from poisoning, which caused an older man to die. During their investigation, DCI Ryan's team found many people with motives for the murder. DCI Ryan's team started to whittle down the list of suspects. The readers of Lady's Well will continue to follow DCI Ryan to discover what happens.
Lady's Well is another fantastic addition to this tremendous series. I always enjoy engaging with the stories of L. J. Ross, and Lady's Well did not disappoint. I sometimes had to laugh with the characters and how they interacted throughout this book. I love L. J. Ross's portrayal of his characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. Lady's Well is well-written and researched by L. J. Ross. I like L. J. Ross's description of the settings of Lady's Well, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Lady's Well will understand the consequences of jealousy. Also, Lady's readers will learn about trauma's effects on law enforcement officers.
Ryan and Frank are called out to Holystone when a man is found dead in his home. Has he died of natural causes or is something more sinister going on?
With the water at Lady’s Well having turned red and the residents being affected after drinking some of the water, Ryan realises pretty quickly that all is not right.
With another death, which could be suicide, the team have got to work hard and quickly to get to the bottom of just what is going on.
Thank goodness for Ryan and Frank, two of my favourite crime fighting duos. There were snorts galore here, I love the banter and camaraderie between these two.
With Denise threatening anyone and everyone in the building to not let Frank have any treats as he’s supposed to be on a diet, the wily ways of the two of them is something to behold.
My heart went out to Melanie Yates and Jack Lowerson, both trusted and valued members of the team and so much baggage, will they get through this difficult time?
I always enjoy the author’s descriptive writing in this series, I like to take myself off to these wonderful parts of Northumberland in my mind.
If you enjoy humour as well as the serious side of policing, then I would say that this is a series for you.
The latest book has become too formulaic,with little New development of the main characters.
I appreciate that the author has been unwell,which caused a delay in publication. It may have been better to further delay publication to give herself time to work on the story.
Pity,all the previous books were excellent.so much so,I read one after the other.
I have read all her books and this one is a disappointment. If you compare her earlier books they have a stronger storyline whereby this one just feels weak in the storytelling.
I have to say I’ve read the books in this series’s and this was kind of boring .Not that I don’t like the characters I do but everything feels so settled and nice like an old cardigan.we know Ryan Anna Mackenzie Philips and co so well there aren’t any surprises.I read it to end but it was a struggle.
Three and a half stars. Without the already easy brilliant characters this book is very much run of the mill. The characters elevate it through their interaction and process. The 20th in the sequence (I am a fan and have read them all) and if it was the premier league it’d be about 15th - safe from relegation but certainly no where near some if the excellent books in this series. Always worth a read and I look forward to the next (improved) instalment.