The Llangollen Killings

DI Ruth Hunter #19

by Simon McCleave

DI Ruth Hunter and the Llancastell CID team investigate a murder in Llangollen

Genres: Ebooks

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2024

Reviews

[Hannah Pontin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series but this now constant ramp up of drama is starting to ruin them. At the risk of sounding dull I would enjoy them going back to focusing on the actual crime rather then this constant need to have the team make stupid mistakes - they always were slightly over the top (which I quite enjoyed) however at this point I don't understand how any of them made it to detectives with the messes they keep creating

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calm down and wait for the next one

I nearly read this book in one sitting but at 2am decided I wouldn't get the best impact of the final chapters unless I got some sleep.

Simon is extremely good at shock and awe when he leads his readers to the denouement. I was gutted when Ruth was shot so I thought I was ready.

I am so glad I decided to sleep this morning otherwise I think I would be scraping my kindle off a wall whilst cursing like a sailor.

I will not repeat what I shouted this morning for fear of a term in kindle jail.

Simon McCleave is a damn good writer but with a very nasty streak. I was not expecting a Happy Ever After but is it too much to ask for a wee bit of empathy towards his characters (all of whom he has taken time and effort to make believable) and to his readers who have become invested in them?

[J Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another thrilling Ruth Hunter story.

Simon McCleave has done it yet again! He always manages to bring a freshness to these books, despite the fact that this is the nineteenth in the series. This time, as well as gruesome murders, Ruth and her team have to deal with part of a ruthless organised crime gang, and integrate a new member into the squad, some of whom have their own personal issues to deal with.
This fast pacedbook is well worth a read.

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen]

Another Excellent Story

Another excellent story by Simon in the Ruth Hunter series with all the usual characters. Great storyline with plenty of and some tragic and dad events.Looking forward to reading more.

[janice robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The llangollen killings

What a brilliant read this book was definitely worth five stars plus the story lines just get better with every episode in the series can't wait for next instalment

[Graham Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unputdownable!!

Not a word I know but I couldn't put this book down. The unfortunate thing was that it was concluded in double quick time! Great start brilliant middle and superb ending make this one of the best in the series. Onward and upward to the next installment!!

[Valerie Douthwaite · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, unputdownable if there's such a word. When I've finished a S McCleave story I always think they can't get any better but he's definitely a great author and I get excited when a new book is announced. 👍😊

[Andrea fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing read

Another amazing read but always an ending that keeps you in the edge until the next one . Can’t wait for the next book

[Tracy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have loved every book in this series. Loved the way each book ties up any "loose ends" in the book before. Loved the twists in this book - and the ending.... roll on the next book...

[Maggie SIEVERT · Rating 5 out of 5]

always great!

I can always depend on Simon McCleave to keep me entertained by his Snowdonia series! This was one of my favorites! Now have to wait for #20!

[Susann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not His Best

This one was a bit ho hum. You could predict some of it from the beginning, just the details needed to be worked out. All strands came to interesting endings, some surprising, some scary, some sad. As usual, a cliffhanger to jump start the next in series. I still enjoy reading these and plan to read his other series. I have come to love Wales through these books...so much gorgeous scenery, history and great humor. If only I could pronounce the language which has some real tongue twisters. 😜

[Julian Tremayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very convoluted plotline which ultimately resolves itself. Well written and develops further the personal relationships within the team. Some team members are referred to as DC or DS (for the same character) - a bit better proof checking would assist. As usual there are some storylines left hanging for the next book, which I will read at the first opportunity.
Julian Tremayne, Pocklington, East Yorkshire

[Joanie Hinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the best story in this series, but still a good addition. Ruth and Nick are called to a murder and before they can get started there is another murder and then two more. Are they all by one killer or more than one? As the team hurries to find the killer or killers before more deaths, things take a strange turn for them and they lose one of their own before justice can be served.

[Carolyn Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent read from Simon McCleave

No 19 in the Ruth Hunter police procedure series, following a female Detective in the breathtaking countryside of North Wales. Can be read as a stand alone, but it's definitely worth reading the whole series, where not only do you get a cracking storyline, you also get smattering of Welsh history, folklore and translations.

This particular storyline starts off with a crime which gets tangled in another crime, all while having further unrelated complications affecting it. As usual Simon leaves readers with a cliffhanger and the next in the series can't come quick enough for me.

[Kirsty Hinchliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

One murder leads to another, which the leads to another. After Aaron is shot in a field, witnessed by a family enjoying a train ride, Ruth and team are called into investigate. The family are decidedly cagey, with flaky alibis (at least until they start telling the truth). However, when someone close to the investigation is then murdered, questions are asked about the actual motive. As the real perpetrators are identified, things come to ahead, with one of Ruth’s officers severely injured.

Garrow’s ongoing court case features heavily as a side plot, culminating in a pretty shocking outcome. As does Ruth and Sarah’s journey to adopt Daniel.

A decent plot, and easy read.

4 Stars.

[Maureen Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant Ruth Hunter crime book. I could not put this book down until I had finished it.
Unfortunately it had the murder of one of her team, Dan French.
Ruth and Sarah are still awaiting the outcome of their request to adopt Daniel, guess will get the answer in the next book.
Hope we don’t have to wait too long for the release.
I recommend this book and if you haven’t read any of Detective Ruth Hunter books I really suggest you read them from book 1.

[Helen Donaghey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Right that's it - no more. I'd reserved all this series from my local library so felt obliged to read them but this one has done it for me. I've put up with incorrect facts, repeated paragraphs taken from one book to another ( generally car chases and suspects who always run either escaping or running up a hill and getting caught ) because the storylines were, on the whole, interesting but this book finished on an absolutely ridiculous one. Completely lost interest in this series now.

[Jeannette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pretty sure that I was not the only one who put two and two together and figured out, very early on, who killed Aaron and why. Fast moving story, good characters but I suppose now we will have to put up with an on going story about Jim and what he did. I only hope that it doesn't go on for book after book like it did when Sarah went missing. It needs to be "nipped in the bud."

[Antony Blain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This book is another great read from the pen of Simon McCleave. The story is so good that you can't put the book down , you are stuck between putting the book down or carrying on reading , it is now 3.50 am and I have just finished reading. Its that good of a book. I would recommend this series of books to anyone. Keep up the great job.

[SANDY WARDROPE · Rating 3 out of 5]

Police softies

A great tale, thrilling to the end. But please can we have police officers who can be tough and fight dirty especially when facing real bad guys. Our lot slip, trip and are battered over with feathers and always seem to come second best. Let's have them boot someone in the nether regions now and again.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

As the series progresses the characters seen more and more like people you know and less like people in a story. Now when something happens to them it has more of an emotional impact. A lot happens in this story and I'm looking forward to the next book to see what happens next.

[Sioni Gibbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed, kept me entertained and loved the fact that my home village got a mention. It added to the drama that the places seemed authentic, made me really buy into the story. Quickly believed that this could really happen in the quiet, beautiful place I was born and brought up in 😍Well done Simon - a great book will be looking for others to read now"

[Alli Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

McCleave makes the grunt work of policing interesting

There’s a certain rhythm to police procedurals and McCleave does not succumb to the formulaic pitfalls that hamper other series authors. His cases have enough surprising twists and lucky guesses to keep things moving and fresh but remain believable and continue the personal journeys of the main characters.

[wendy geen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

I love this series and have happily followed all the developments with the characters. The plots always keep you guessing and the setting in Wales brings back many memories.

[Mary B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is great, but I'm just not too sure about Simon McCleave's writing style. It sometimes feels so forced and almost amateurish that it can be a bit off-putting.
Like I said, it's a shame because the actual storyline is good. Hence only 4 stars, not 5.

[julie young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed

Such a gripping read from the start, DI Ruth Hunter and her squad have a murder to solve but the case grows at an alarming rate as they race to stop two incredibly dangerous men. This series never disappoints.

[Julie Devonald-Cornelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite series and this book certainly didn't disappoint. Ruth Hunter is now back at work alongside her team . This series gets better and better. I'm a little in love with Nick Evans Ruth's righthand man. Highly recommend this book and series

[David Levin · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Hunter and her team score again

,The Hunter series always provides an interesting plot and set of characters. The Welsh setting is added spice for the recipe of crime and personal struggles.

[Lynn Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read.

I really enjoyed getting back into one of these books. Ruth, Nick and team tackle a difficult murder which leads to several others but lose Dan in the process of the investigation. A great fast pacing read.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always another excellent read. Love how these move quickly and enough happens but not too much that you lose the plot. Some sad moments and there is enough of a cliff hanger to move on to the next. Having read all 19 of these the characters feel like my 'friends'. Look forward to the next and the possibility of a TV series.