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Wesley Peterson #1
The Merchant's House
Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson's first day in his new posting in South Devon finds him investigating the brutal death of a young woman on a cliff path while his new colleagues are searching desperately for a missing child. Then Wesley's old friend from university, archaeologist Neil Watson, unearths the bodies of a strangled young woman and a new-born baby on the site of a seventeenth century merchant's house: though luckily for the overstretched police force the skeletons are centuries old. But as the search for the missing child intensifies and the true identity of the body on the cliff path is established, Wesley begins to suspect a tragic link, spanning the centuries, between his investigations and Neil's: for motives of jealousy, sexual obsession and desperate longing are as old as time. And when the dark secret of the merchant's house is finally revealed, Wesley must act swiftly to avert a further tragedy.
246 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1998
1019 people are currently reading
2913 people want to read
About the author
Kate Ellis
119 books603 followersKate 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
July 8, 2022
Fantastic!
DS Wesley Peterson is transferred from The Met to Tradmouth. He isn’t sure if he’s made a good decision.
He drove everywhere in London, but he finds himself doing a lot of walking in Tradmouth. He just needs to get in shape for it.
And he still has his love of archeology. His friend Neil, whom he went to uni with is working at a site when the body of an infant is found. Wesley must have a look at the “crime scene.”
Old habits die hard and his investigation has wet his taste buds for archeology. So he spends every second he can at the site. Another body builds a mystery.
And the book is helping the mystery along by retelling the past. With flashbacks from a diary from the original owner of the building on the site, we, the readers, are given a hint about the bodies and other things that are found on the site.
But Wesley can’t spend all his leisure time at the site. He has to spend time with his wife Pam, and she is in a foul mood, so he does what he can to placate her.
But he still has to do police work. And with his supervisor, Heffernan and his partner, Rachel, he is signed to a murder, which is a confusing piece of work.
And another case is entangled with this murder, but will he and his team connect the dots?
DS Wesley Peterson is transferred from The Met to Tradmouth. He isn’t sure if he’s made a good decision.
He drove everywhere in London, but he finds himself doing a lot of walking in Tradmouth. He just needs to get in shape for it.
And he still has his love of archeology. His friend Neil, whom he went to uni with is working at a site when the body of an infant is found. Wesley must have a look at the “crime scene.”
Old habits die hard and his investigation has wet his taste buds for archeology. So he spends every second he can at the site. Another body builds a mystery.
And the book is helping the mystery along by retelling the past. With flashbacks from a diary from the original owner of the building on the site, we, the readers, are given a hint about the bodies and other things that are found on the site.
But Wesley can’t spend all his leisure time at the site. He has to spend time with his wife Pam, and she is in a foul mood, so he does what he can to placate her.
But he still has to do police work. And with his supervisor, Heffernan and his partner, Rachel, he is signed to a murder, which is a confusing piece of work.
And another case is entangled with this murder, but will he and his team connect the dots?
April 21, 2025
The Merchant’s House is an above average detective mystery written by the English author Kate Ellis in 1998. It is the first in a popular series about Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson, and since then Kate Ellis written 22 more novels in this series, many with critical approval. I am most surprised these have not been televised, considering that the immensely popular “Midsomer Murders” series now runs to 95 episodes, sparked by an initial series of just seven books! (by Caroline Graham)
As in those books, the location is very important, yet Kate Ellis does not live in South Devon where the Wesley Peterson books are set, but in North Cheshire. She now spends part of each year in South Devon, ensuring an authentic feel to her books, as her background has been in Liverpool and Manchester—never the West Country. She explains why she chose the area:
“When I began to write crime novels I had to decide where my stories were going to be set. I didn’t feel drawn to a ‘big city’ setting and I found that the South Hams area of Devon with its seafaring connections, historic towns and beautiful countryside populated by all manner of interesting people—locals, incomers, farmers, artists, holiday makers etc, etc—fitted the bill perfectly.”
We certainly do meet a varied group of people in this first book. At the beginning I wondered if I would get this large cast of characters confused, but that feeling passed, and I really enjoyed the mystery. It was much enhanced by having an historical connection, which lifted it above the ordinary whodunnit, without overly complicating the story.
In this first book, Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson has been transferred from London to Tradmouth in South Devon, which is near his wife’s home town. “Tradmouth” does not exist in real life, although it is recognisable as the real Devon town of Dartmouth. Kate Ellis explains:
“I made the decision not to use real place names but to base my fictitious locations only loosely on actual towns and villages. Tradmouth is, of course, loosely based on Dartmouth; Neston on Totnes; Morbay on Torbay; Bloxham on Brixham etc. However, unlike the real Dartmouth my Tradmouth has a police headquarters and a large hospital; and my Morbay is far seedier than the attractive resort of Torquay.”
The book has a similar feel to the Wexford mysteries by Ruth Rendell, although Wesley Peterson is no Reg Wexford. He is, as his name conveys, a black detective and has a degree in archaeology. Wesley is warmly received by his new colleagues, including the rather unorthodox Detective Inspector Gerry Heffernan, and bright Detective Constable Rachel Tracey. Heffernan is an older copper, and widowed. He comes from Liverpool, is keen on sailing and is not afraid to interpret the rules a little loosely on occasion.
Wesley Peterson and his wife are hoping this move will mean a fresh start, as they are hoping to start a family; Tradmouth is near where his wife grew up. Almost as soon as he arrives, in true cosy mystery spirit, Wesley is thrown in at the deep end with the kidnapping of a young boy, and the brutal murder of an unknown young woman on a cliff path. Both individual cases seem puzzling, with no apparent motive. Other skeletons are unearthed quite literally when the local site of a seventeenth century merchant’s house is being excavated, although these are quickly identified as centuries old, and therefore any crime would be historical. Nevertheless, Wesley is interested in following this up, sensing a story behind the ancient remains of a young woman and new-born baby. He is pleased to find that the dig is led by an old friend of his from university, the archaeologist Neil Watson, whom he remembers vaguely being an old sweetheart of his wife’s.
The urgent priority is to find the missing child, as all those involved hope desperately that this will not turn into another murder case. The parents are understandably distraught; the mother in particular. The search intensifies, as alongside this, the identity of the body on the cliff path needs to be established. There are some leads, some red herrings, and a wide variety of individuals are involved, who cover all classes, cultures, professions and types. Wesley begins to suspect a tragic link spanning the centuries, between his investigations and Neil’s, but what the link can possibly be remains a mystery.
The subplots concerning Wesley Peterson’s wife’s anxiety over her inability to conceive a child, plus his boss Heffernan’s barely concealed sense of loneliness and grief, adds emotional depth to the tale. The team is rounded out by a young policeman who seems to have every prejudice going, and an older senior colleague ready for retirement, who seems forgetful as to procedure.
There were two aspects which prevented this absorbing cosy mystery from becoming a five star read for me. Both were when characters’ behaviour did not ring true.
I listened to a complete reading of the book, rather than reading it on the page. The slower speed does allow a slight advantage in analysing a murder mystery and guessing the solution, I find. In fact I did guess the crux of the mystery about a third of the way through, but could not work out the details, and only guessed the murderer very near the end—probably at the point when Kate Ellis had wanted her readers to.
This is a good solid murder mystery, tailor-made to be developed—as it has been—into a successful series. However what lifts it out of the ordinary for me is the inclusion of short excerpts from an old journal, placed at the beginning of each chapter. These had been written by the wealthy merchant who, 400 years earlier, had owned the house being excavated. The entries have an authentic period feel, reading rather like Pepys’s Diary, and we get to know the merchant very well as he commits his most private and increasingly sinful thoughts to the diary. Of course none of the characters are privy to this journal; it is for the readers’ eyes only. When the dark secrets of the merchant’s house are finally revealed, the pieces fall into place. The motives of jealousy, obsession and desperate longing are as old as time, and Wesley Peterson needs to act swiftly in order to prevent a further tragedy occurring.
Kate Ellis says that crime and mystery stories have always fascinated her, as well as medieval history and archaeology, which she likes to incorporate in her books. Her novels in this series combine an intriguing contemporary murder mystery with a broadly parallel historical case. She is meticulous in her research, so that the historical mystery is plausible, saying:
“Although I might take terrible liberties with modern day locations I try to ensure that the historical aspect of the stories is as accurate as possible … [and also] spend some time each year in Devon just getting a feel for the area and what is going on.”
As well as the Wesley Peterson mysteries, Kate Ellis has also written five “spooky” books in the Joe Plantagenet series set in North Yorkshire, and also an historical trilogy set in the aftermath of the First World War, as well as many short stories for crime fiction anthologies and magazines.
Of The Merchant’s House, critics have said:
“A fascinating first novel … mixes a seventeenth century mystery with a present day one to good effect. First of a series and I can see them becoming successful.”—The Bookseller.
“Intriguing mingling of present day and archaeological whodunits in a Devonshire seaside village.”—Yorkshire Evening Press.
As in those books, the location is very important, yet Kate Ellis does not live in South Devon where the Wesley Peterson books are set, but in North Cheshire. She now spends part of each year in South Devon, ensuring an authentic feel to her books, as her background has been in Liverpool and Manchester—never the West Country. She explains why she chose the area:
“When I began to write crime novels I had to decide where my stories were going to be set. I didn’t feel drawn to a ‘big city’ setting and I found that the South Hams area of Devon with its seafaring connections, historic towns and beautiful countryside populated by all manner of interesting people—locals, incomers, farmers, artists, holiday makers etc, etc—fitted the bill perfectly.”
We certainly do meet a varied group of people in this first book. At the beginning I wondered if I would get this large cast of characters confused, but that feeling passed, and I really enjoyed the mystery. It was much enhanced by having an historical connection, which lifted it above the ordinary whodunnit, without overly complicating the story.
In this first book, Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson has been transferred from London to Tradmouth in South Devon, which is near his wife’s home town. “Tradmouth” does not exist in real life, although it is recognisable as the real Devon town of Dartmouth. Kate Ellis explains:
“I made the decision not to use real place names but to base my fictitious locations only loosely on actual towns and villages. Tradmouth is, of course, loosely based on Dartmouth; Neston on Totnes; Morbay on Torbay; Bloxham on Brixham etc. However, unlike the real Dartmouth my Tradmouth has a police headquarters and a large hospital; and my Morbay is far seedier than the attractive resort of Torquay.”
The book has a similar feel to the Wexford mysteries by Ruth Rendell, although Wesley Peterson is no Reg Wexford. He is, as his name conveys, a black detective and has a degree in archaeology. Wesley is warmly received by his new colleagues, including the rather unorthodox Detective Inspector Gerry Heffernan, and bright Detective Constable Rachel Tracey. Heffernan is an older copper, and widowed. He comes from Liverpool, is keen on sailing and is not afraid to interpret the rules a little loosely on occasion.
Wesley Peterson and his wife are hoping this move will mean a fresh start, as they are hoping to start a family; Tradmouth is near where his wife grew up. Almost as soon as he arrives, in true cosy mystery spirit, Wesley is thrown in at the deep end with the kidnapping of a young boy, and the brutal murder of an unknown young woman on a cliff path. Both individual cases seem puzzling, with no apparent motive. Other skeletons are unearthed quite literally when the local site of a seventeenth century merchant’s house is being excavated, although these are quickly identified as centuries old, and therefore any crime would be historical. Nevertheless, Wesley is interested in following this up, sensing a story behind the ancient remains of a young woman and new-born baby. He is pleased to find that the dig is led by an old friend of his from university, the archaeologist Neil Watson, whom he remembers vaguely being an old sweetheart of his wife’s.
The urgent priority is to find the missing child, as all those involved hope desperately that this will not turn into another murder case. The parents are understandably distraught; the mother in particular. The search intensifies, as alongside this, the identity of the body on the cliff path needs to be established. There are some leads, some red herrings, and a wide variety of individuals are involved, who cover all classes, cultures, professions and types. Wesley begins to suspect a tragic link spanning the centuries, between his investigations and Neil’s, but what the link can possibly be remains a mystery.
The subplots concerning Wesley Peterson’s wife’s anxiety over her inability to conceive a child, plus his boss Heffernan’s barely concealed sense of loneliness and grief, adds emotional depth to the tale. The team is rounded out by a young policeman who seems to have every prejudice going, and an older senior colleague ready for retirement, who seems forgetful as to procedure.
There were two aspects which prevented this absorbing cosy mystery from becoming a five star read for me. Both were when characters’ behaviour did not ring true.
I listened to a complete reading of the book, rather than reading it on the page. The slower speed does allow a slight advantage in analysing a murder mystery and guessing the solution, I find. In fact I did guess the crux of the mystery about a third of the way through, but could not work out the details, and only guessed the murderer very near the end—probably at the point when Kate Ellis had wanted her readers to.
This is a good solid murder mystery, tailor-made to be developed—as it has been—into a successful series. However what lifts it out of the ordinary for me is the inclusion of short excerpts from an old journal, placed at the beginning of each chapter. These had been written by the wealthy merchant who, 400 years earlier, had owned the house being excavated. The entries have an authentic period feel, reading rather like Pepys’s Diary, and we get to know the merchant very well as he commits his most private and increasingly sinful thoughts to the diary. Of course none of the characters are privy to this journal; it is for the readers’ eyes only. When the dark secrets of the merchant’s house are finally revealed, the pieces fall into place. The motives of jealousy, obsession and desperate longing are as old as time, and Wesley Peterson needs to act swiftly in order to prevent a further tragedy occurring.
Kate Ellis says that crime and mystery stories have always fascinated her, as well as medieval history and archaeology, which she likes to incorporate in her books. Her novels in this series combine an intriguing contemporary murder mystery with a broadly parallel historical case. She is meticulous in her research, so that the historical mystery is plausible, saying:
“Although I might take terrible liberties with modern day locations I try to ensure that the historical aspect of the stories is as accurate as possible … [and also] spend some time each year in Devon just getting a feel for the area and what is going on.”
As well as the Wesley Peterson mysteries, Kate Ellis has also written five “spooky” books in the Joe Plantagenet series set in North Yorkshire, and also an historical trilogy set in the aftermath of the First World War, as well as many short stories for crime fiction anthologies and magazines.
Of The Merchant’s House, critics have said:
“A fascinating first novel … mixes a seventeenth century mystery with a present day one to good effect. First of a series and I can see them becoming successful.”—The Bookseller.
“Intriguing mingling of present day and archaeological whodunits in a Devonshire seaside village.”—Yorkshire Evening Press.
October 23, 2015
Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson investigates the death of a young woman linked to a missing child case on his first day after being transferred from London to Tradmouth in South Devon. Meanwhile, his friend Neil Watson finds a dead woman in an archaeological excavation. The woman died several centuries ago and it seems that she was murdered. Oddly enough seems it to be strange similarities with the two cases...
I read and loved The Death Season, book 19 in this series at the beginning of this year. And, so I decided to buy the first book in the series to get to know Wesley Peterson and the rest of the characters in the book from the beginning.
The crime in this book was not as complicated as it was in The Death Season, it was easy to figure out how it all had happened. I prefer to read a story with a lot of twist in it. Reading a book and guessing correctly most of what will happen is just not that fun.
What made this story a bit better is that Wesley Peterson also has a degree in archaeology and while he and his colleagues are trying to solve the death of a young woman is he and his friend Neil who is working as an archaeology trying to find out who killed a young woman several centuries ago. I like the fact that Kate Ellis both writes about modern crime and at the same time her books with Wesley Peterson also have some archaeology in it.
This book may not have been as good as The Death Season, but I will continue to read the series!
I read and loved The Death Season, book 19 in this series at the beginning of this year. And, so I decided to buy the first book in the series to get to know Wesley Peterson and the rest of the characters in the book from the beginning.
The crime in this book was not as complicated as it was in The Death Season, it was easy to figure out how it all had happened. I prefer to read a story with a lot of twist in it. Reading a book and guessing correctly most of what will happen is just not that fun.
What made this story a bit better is that Wesley Peterson also has a degree in archaeology and while he and his colleagues are trying to solve the death of a young woman is he and his friend Neil who is working as an archaeology trying to find out who killed a young woman several centuries ago. I like the fact that Kate Ellis both writes about modern crime and at the same time her books with Wesley Peterson also have some archaeology in it.
This book may not have been as good as The Death Season, but I will continue to read the series!
July 3, 2019
It was a pleasant read, but there was no tension and I had my doubts about the plausibility of some of the decisions the police made. Still, I will certainly read no. 2.
August 5, 2022
4,5 stars - English Ebook
Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson transfers from London to Tradmouth in Devon so his wife can be closer to relatives.
His first day on the Tradmouth force brings a murder, a missing child, and a medieval skeleton unearthed by Peterson's archaeologist friend. As he investigates, Peterson learns that the skeleton offers a clue to both the murder and the missing child.
Ellis' first novel is a strong police procedural featuring some distinctly nonstereotypical characters.
Peterson, for example, is a black detective in rural England who is in an interracial marriage and enjoys archaeology as a hobby. Ellis' scenes of southern England and the sea are vivid, and the mysteries are difficult.
DS Wesley Peterson is transferred from The Met to Tradmouth. He isn’t sure if he’s made a good decision.
He drove everywhere in London, but he finds himself doing a lot of walking in Tradmouth. He just needs to get in shape for it.
And he still has his love of archeology. His friend Neil, whom he went to uni with is working at a site when the body of an infant is found. Wesley must have a look at the “crime scene.”
Old habits die hard and his investigation has wet his taste buds for archeology. So he spends every second he can at the site. Another body builds a mystery.
And the book is helping the mystery along by retelling the past. With flashbacks from a diary from the original owner of the building on the site, we, the readers, are given a hint about the bodies and other things that are found on the site.
His wife Pam is no fan of it all. But still he has to do police work. And with his supervisor, Heffernan and his partner, Rachel, he is signed to a murder, which is a confusing piece of work.
And another case is entangled with his murder, but will he and his team connect the dots?
A puzzle in need of solving. Loved to puzzle along with DS Peterson.
Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson transfers from London to Tradmouth in Devon so his wife can be closer to relatives.
His first day on the Tradmouth force brings a murder, a missing child, and a medieval skeleton unearthed by Peterson's archaeologist friend. As he investigates, Peterson learns that the skeleton offers a clue to both the murder and the missing child.
Ellis' first novel is a strong police procedural featuring some distinctly nonstereotypical characters.
Peterson, for example, is a black detective in rural England who is in an interracial marriage and enjoys archaeology as a hobby. Ellis' scenes of southern England and the sea are vivid, and the mysteries are difficult.
DS Wesley Peterson is transferred from The Met to Tradmouth. He isn’t sure if he’s made a good decision.
He drove everywhere in London, but he finds himself doing a lot of walking in Tradmouth. He just needs to get in shape for it.
And he still has his love of archeology. His friend Neil, whom he went to uni with is working at a site when the body of an infant is found. Wesley must have a look at the “crime scene.”
Old habits die hard and his investigation has wet his taste buds for archeology. So he spends every second he can at the site. Another body builds a mystery.
And the book is helping the mystery along by retelling the past. With flashbacks from a diary from the original owner of the building on the site, we, the readers, are given a hint about the bodies and other things that are found on the site.
His wife Pam is no fan of it all. But still he has to do police work. And with his supervisor, Heffernan and his partner, Rachel, he is signed to a murder, which is a confusing piece of work.
And another case is entangled with his murder, but will he and his team connect the dots?
A puzzle in need of solving. Loved to puzzle along with DS Peterson.
January 1, 2022
This was a good read and a series I'll probably continue with.
Wesley Peterson is the new DS in a small, coastal town in England. He comes with a few issues - suffice to say his wife is the biggest one. She wants a baby and can't seem to have one! Ah, yes, it's the detective or constable or investigator trying to do his job while having nagging issues at home. Wesley is also the only black person in the department.
And his first assignment: discover who killed a young woman along a coastal path, bashing her face in beyond recognition. There's also been a skeleton found in the foundation of what was once a rich man's home in the 1400's, and an abducted child case which has been ongoing. This book has rich detail and a lot going on.
Characters are well-drawn and there's a good number of them. Sometimes I'll write myself up a kind of cue card of who's who, with titles, brief descriptions, etc. I didn't have to do that here as I had no difficulties sorting them all out. There's the sort of racist cop and the female detective who's often asked to 'bring coffee' and resents it. The chief inspector is a good guy, but he's mourning his late wife and has a serious attachment to the sea - loves boats. (Wesley does not love boats!) This book has a lot of depth, good detail and description, yet not too much - we don't get lost in the hedgerows - and a complex story which makes sense only near the very end. (I liked that! And I got it wrong concerning who did what and when and how.
Overall, an excellent start to a series IMO
Four stars
Wesley Peterson is the new DS in a small, coastal town in England. He comes with a few issues - suffice to say his wife is the biggest one. She wants a baby and can't seem to have one! Ah, yes, it's the detective or constable or investigator trying to do his job while having nagging issues at home. Wesley is also the only black person in the department.
And his first assignment: discover who killed a young woman along a coastal path, bashing her face in beyond recognition. There's also been a skeleton found in the foundation of what was once a rich man's home in the 1400's, and an abducted child case which has been ongoing. This book has rich detail and a lot going on.
Characters are well-drawn and there's a good number of them. Sometimes I'll write myself up a kind of cue card of who's who, with titles, brief descriptions, etc. I didn't have to do that here as I had no difficulties sorting them all out. There's the sort of racist cop and the female detective who's often asked to 'bring coffee' and resents it. The chief inspector is a good guy, but he's mourning his late wife and has a serious attachment to the sea - loves boats. (Wesley does not love boats!) This book has a lot of depth, good detail and description, yet not too much - we don't get lost in the hedgerows - and a complex story which makes sense only near the very end. (I liked that! And I got it wrong concerning who did what and when and how.
Overall, an excellent start to a series IMO
Four stars
October 5, 2013
It's rare for me to finish a book in just one sitting nowadays when I'm so busy but I managed it with this one. And now I'm desperate to get my hands on the next in the series!
This story is a wonderful blend of modern crime/thriller/mystery and historical conspiracy. And it works so so well.
I couldn't stop turning the pages, reading on. Something about this book just hooked me.
I loved that there was a historical aspect to it. This detective was more than just crime-orientated, he has outside interests and it was a refreshing depth of character to read during my crime binge. And I loved the way his archaeological background related to the story itself and eventually led to its resolve. It made the whole story refreshing and quite addictive.
The characters are strong and I love Rachel's feminist grumbles. It adds an extra layer to her and makes her one of my favourite characters. Why should she get the tea just because she's female?
This story is a wonderful blend of modern crime/thriller/mystery and historical conspiracy. And it works so so well.
I couldn't stop turning the pages, reading on. Something about this book just hooked me.
I loved that there was a historical aspect to it. This detective was more than just crime-orientated, he has outside interests and it was a refreshing depth of character to read during my crime binge. And I loved the way his archaeological background related to the story itself and eventually led to its resolve. It made the whole story refreshing and quite addictive.
The characters are strong and I love Rachel's feminist grumbles. It adds an extra layer to her and makes her one of my favourite characters. Why should she get the tea just because she's female?
May 31, 2010
First Sentence: The child flung his tricycle aside and toddled, laughing, toward the basking cat.
A university graduate in archeology and the first black police officer in Tradmouth, DS Wesley Peterson begins his first day at work with a murder. The body of a young woman has been found off a cliff path, the damage to her face rendering her unrecognizable. Wesley’s university friend, Neill, is heading a team of archeologists on the site of a 17th century merchant’s house in town when the skeleton of a child is found. A fellow officer is dealing with the mother of a missing toddler who is adamant her son is still alive in spite of a lack of clues. Can a clue from the past solve a crime in the present?
To find a book which is a skillful combination of archeology and police procedure is definitely in my ‘happy-reader’ zone. Ms. Ellis does just that and much more. Although the locations are fictional, I was ready to pack my back and go. Those who are familiar would know the differences, but for those who don’t the locations are visual and real.
Not only is there a nice introduction to Wesley, but to all the book’s major characters. One thing particularly refreshing is that the police officers all like one another and work as a team. There is an odd man out, but you don’t feel he’ll be there long. It’s not just the primary characters Ms. Ellis brings to life, but the secondary characters as well. I never had to question who a character was or why there were there.
It can be a tricky business, bringing together four plot lines, but it works. The information from the 17th century is provided in diary excerpts as chapter headings, while fascinating, does not intrude on the present-day investigations. The dig at the merchant’s house plays to Wesley’s background and as an escape from issues at home.
The kidnapping is being primarily investigated by another team, and the murdered girl is Wesley’s primary investigation. Yet Ms. Ellis cleverly designates Wesley as the hub which brings together the various spokes of the wheel in a way I didn’t predict until it was revealed.
“The Merchant’s House” is a very good police procedural in which the plot unfolds not by flash, but bit-by-bit, following the clues. It is filled with great characters, dialogue, humour, and a plot that kept me reading. Happily there are many more books ahead in this series.
THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE (Pol Proc-Wesley Peterson-England-Cont) – VG
Ellis, Kate – 1st in series
Piatkus, ©1998, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 0749904542
A university graduate in archeology and the first black police officer in Tradmouth, DS Wesley Peterson begins his first day at work with a murder. The body of a young woman has been found off a cliff path, the damage to her face rendering her unrecognizable. Wesley’s university friend, Neill, is heading a team of archeologists on the site of a 17th century merchant’s house in town when the skeleton of a child is found. A fellow officer is dealing with the mother of a missing toddler who is adamant her son is still alive in spite of a lack of clues. Can a clue from the past solve a crime in the present?
To find a book which is a skillful combination of archeology and police procedure is definitely in my ‘happy-reader’ zone. Ms. Ellis does just that and much more. Although the locations are fictional, I was ready to pack my back and go. Those who are familiar would know the differences, but for those who don’t the locations are visual and real.
Not only is there a nice introduction to Wesley, but to all the book’s major characters. One thing particularly refreshing is that the police officers all like one another and work as a team. There is an odd man out, but you don’t feel he’ll be there long. It’s not just the primary characters Ms. Ellis brings to life, but the secondary characters as well. I never had to question who a character was or why there were there.
It can be a tricky business, bringing together four plot lines, but it works. The information from the 17th century is provided in diary excerpts as chapter headings, while fascinating, does not intrude on the present-day investigations. The dig at the merchant’s house plays to Wesley’s background and as an escape from issues at home.
The kidnapping is being primarily investigated by another team, and the murdered girl is Wesley’s primary investigation. Yet Ms. Ellis cleverly designates Wesley as the hub which brings together the various spokes of the wheel in a way I didn’t predict until it was revealed.
“The Merchant’s House” is a very good police procedural in which the plot unfolds not by flash, but bit-by-bit, following the clues. It is filled with great characters, dialogue, humour, and a plot that kept me reading. Happily there are many more books ahead in this series.
THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE (Pol Proc-Wesley Peterson-England-Cont) – VG
Ellis, Kate – 1st in series
Piatkus, ©1998, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 0749904542
December 3, 2022
The setting is South Devon, and we are introduced to Wesley as he and his wife have moved down from London to start a new job and have a new setting for attempting to have a child. Babies, in fact, become the ruling theme of this book. All the books of this series also have archaeologist friend of Wesley's adding interest to general crime.
Within this story we start with a lost/stolen child. That takes second seat when a woman's body is found having been brutally killed with destruction of her face making identification a challenge.
Wesley's archaeologist friend is working a site where the remains of infant and female are found in the foundation of house from the 1600's.
Due to what Wesley learned from reading a journal left behind at "The Merchant's House" he becomes suddenly enlightened and motivated to stop yet another murder he anticipates just in time. The creepy journal entries are introduced early on in the book telling a story of lust and murder. It is a slow reveal theme throughout the book.
I edited this review as it did not indicate how much I have enjoyed reading this entire series. I must have been on goofers when I wrote it. Four stars is my usual opinion for books in this series.
December 7, 2017
3.5 Stars.
I can't believe I didn't find this series sooner. It's excellent!
I can't believe I didn't find this series sooner. It's excellent!
June 5, 2022
THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE is the first book in the DS Wesley Peterson series by Kate Ellis. A cozy mystery, it combines a current police procedural with a mystery unearthed by a archaeological excavation. Written in the third person omniscient point of view, it takes a while to sort out the large cast of characters, both those who are part of the police procedural and those from the distant past unearthed by the archaeological dig.
The use of the omniscient literary voice was a welcome relief from all the stories I have recently read that have been written using the first person voice — which seems to be the latest fad right now. I find the first person voice tiresome unless written by a master, and few of the authors currently using the first person voice are proficient enough to hold my attention past the first few chapters.
It wasn’t until THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE reached the 80% mark that I was able to pull all the pieces together and work out who the murderer was and why; thus I plan to read more books in this cozy murder series.
The use of the omniscient literary voice was a welcome relief from all the stories I have recently read that have been written using the first person voice — which seems to be the latest fad right now. I find the first person voice tiresome unless written by a master, and few of the authors currently using the first person voice are proficient enough to hold my attention past the first few chapters.
It wasn’t until THE MERCHANT’S HOUSE reached the 80% mark that I was able to pull all the pieces together and work out who the murderer was and why; thus I plan to read more books in this cozy murder series.
September 5, 2024
I can't believe I had never come across this series before. Reminiscent of Elly Griffith's Ruth Galloway series, which I enjoyed. This has a forensic archeology subplot that mirrors a modern day murder, totally fascinating. I have come to care about Wes, his friend Neil, the archeologist, Wes's wife, Pam, who is struggling with infertility issues. Even his boss, Inspector Heffernan, a widower and sailing enthusiast; and his coworkers come off as compassionate and caring as they go about their grisly murder solving. A solid 4 stars-looking forward to more in this series!
January 2, 2016
Kate Ellis's Wesley Peterson series is one I have wanted to read for a long time so I decided one of my 2016 aims would be to read the entire run of 20 titles. This is the first in the series and I don't feel I will have any problems reading the rest. The combination of police procedural (the murder of a young woman on a coastal path) and archaeological mystery (the discovery of the ancient skeletons of a woman child in the cellar of an ancient building) is handled quite well, although this being the first volume the parallels between the present day and historical cases are presented in rather too close a fashion, occasionally spoiling the flow of the story. All the characters engaged me from the start, with the possible exception of the neanderthal police sergeant, who seems to have been thrown into the mix to represent the racial tension that, frankly, Wesley appears to meet suprisingly little of considering the place and time it is set. In fact, if I had a problem with the book it is that I was more drawn to DI Heffernan than either Wesley or Neil, the supposed heroes. I am sure that I will grow more comfortable with the main characters as the series proceeds and I find out more about them.
September 11, 2019
Our book group had a good and thoughtful discussion of this book even though we all liked it.
This book is about a black policeman, married to a white wife, who has newly arrived to a small English town in Devon. He finds an old friend there doing a archaeological dig at a 17th century home. Wesley, the detective, is working on a case of a body of a woman whose face is unrecognizable, and is found under a bush. Two sets of bones are found in the basement home of the archaeological dig. Each chapter begins with a few paragraphs from the journal of the owner of the home. By the end of the novel, one discovers many similarities between these two stories, as well as the situation between Wesley and his wife. Mothers, non mothers, and children are a focus these tales.
We were pleased to know that there are many more books in this series.
This book is about a black policeman, married to a white wife, who has newly arrived to a small English town in Devon. He finds an old friend there doing a archaeological dig at a 17th century home. Wesley, the detective, is working on a case of a body of a woman whose face is unrecognizable, and is found under a bush. Two sets of bones are found in the basement home of the archaeological dig. Each chapter begins with a few paragraphs from the journal of the owner of the home. By the end of the novel, one discovers many similarities between these two stories, as well as the situation between Wesley and his wife. Mothers, non mothers, and children are a focus these tales.
We were pleased to know that there are many more books in this series.
November 26, 2013
I enjoyed the parallels between a murder mystery in the past with one in the present. The author did a fine job of incorporating both worlds into the storyline without confusing the reader.
I always enjoy a good archaeology tale and this one did not disappoint. However, the subject matter was something I had no interest in so could not get emotionally involved in the story.
However, I have the next in the series waiting for me and will look forward to reading it.
I always enjoy a good archaeology tale and this one did not disappoint. However, the subject matter was something I had no interest in so could not get emotionally involved in the story.
However, I have the next in the series waiting for me and will look forward to reading it.
June 27, 2022
Going retro with this one. A great little crime novel by Kate Ellis which is the first book in the Wesley Peterson series (which I had not heard of) written in 1998 when authors were not vying for movie deals so the plot, characters and settings are intriguingly believable. The story pre-dates Elly Griffith's Ruth Galloway Mysteries with a similar style and theme of archaeology and murder. Threads of past and present are woven together and as complex as the reader wants to interpret. In the port of Tradmouth, a child is snatched, old bones are found at a building site, a woman is gruesomely murdered on a cliff top, and the cop shop boss soothes his nerves by sailing. Protagonist DS Wesley Peterson's wife has a personal problem which is themed throughout the book. Chapters are headed by John Banized's 17th century journal entries, his lustful thoughts add to the mystery.
There are early hallmarks of a good rural UK police procedural here. It's not city slick, no speed cameras, just borderline computers and one reference to a mobile phone. SOCOs are mentioned, the pub after work, and plenty of walking which actually makes the drama more interesting. Referring to his friend Neil's archaeological excavation site, Wesley says with a straight face "Keep digging, Neil. You never know what might turn up." The paperback I have is small in comparison to modern print runs with smaller typeface to the edge of the page. Perhaps better eyesight back last century. The story is written in third person omniscient point of view which is old-fashioned now. It didn't bother me unduly, the plot twists held more interest. Currently in 2022 author Kate Ellis has written 26 books in the Wesley Peterson series so I have a lot of catching up to do.
There are early hallmarks of a good rural UK police procedural here. It's not city slick, no speed cameras, just borderline computers and one reference to a mobile phone. SOCOs are mentioned, the pub after work, and plenty of walking which actually makes the drama more interesting. Referring to his friend Neil's archaeological excavation site, Wesley says with a straight face "Keep digging, Neil. You never know what might turn up." The paperback I have is small in comparison to modern print runs with smaller typeface to the edge of the page. Perhaps better eyesight back last century. The story is written in third person omniscient point of view which is old-fashioned now. It didn't bother me unduly, the plot twists held more interest. Currently in 2022 author Kate Ellis has written 26 books in the Wesley Peterson series so I have a lot of catching up to do.
July 2, 2017
Mi è piaciuto molto! Il protagonista, Wesley, mi è subito stato simpatico, soprattutto per la sua passione per l'archeologia. La storia investigativa contemporanea si mischia alle indagini "archeologiche" su un assassinio del 1624 circa. Questi due fili narrativi si intrecciano, richiamandosi a vicenda.
Lo stile della Ellis mi ha subito preso, per la sua vicinanza alla realtà, allo slang e alla parlata quotidiana.
Le vicende si svolgono nel Devon, un posto che prima o poi dovrò visitare.
La squadra investigativa che accompagna Wesley, appena arrivato nella cittadina inglese da Londra, è ben composita: c'è il capo, che ho subito amato; Rachel, che mi ha ricordato un po' Amelia Sachs di Jeffery Deaver; Steve, un Aragona (dai Bastardi di Pizzofalcone) da strozzare; Stan, un poliziotto dal cuore grande, che sta indagando sulla scomparsa di un bambino.
La Ellis è stata in grado di non farmi perdere la concentrazione, di farmi rimuginare continuamente su i casi di cui tratta il libro. Buon inizio!
Stile: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trama : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Personaggi: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Idea generale: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lo stile della Ellis mi ha subito preso, per la sua vicinanza alla realtà, allo slang e alla parlata quotidiana.
Le vicende si svolgono nel Devon, un posto che prima o poi dovrò visitare.
La squadra investigativa che accompagna Wesley, appena arrivato nella cittadina inglese da Londra, è ben composita: c'è il capo, che ho subito amato; Rachel, che mi ha ricordato un po' Amelia Sachs di Jeffery Deaver; Steve, un Aragona (dai Bastardi di Pizzofalcone) da strozzare; Stan, un poliziotto dal cuore grande, che sta indagando sulla scomparsa di un bambino.
La Ellis è stata in grado di non farmi perdere la concentrazione, di farmi rimuginare continuamente su i casi di cui tratta il libro. Buon inizio!
Stile: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trama : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Personaggi: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Idea generale: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 18, 2021
Favorite quote from this book: "Steve considered himself to be God's gift to women; and if this was the case, thought Rachel, the Lord was seriously short-changing the female sex."
This was my first book by Kate Ellis and it was quite an enjoyable read. I didn't see the ending coming, which is always nice. There are three intertwining mysteries. One is the disappearance of a little boy and the second is the murder of a woman. The third mystery unfolds at the beginning of each chapter through a businessman's journal entries from the years 1623-1624, which is quite clever, I thought.
I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books.
This was my first book by Kate Ellis and it was quite an enjoyable read. I didn't see the ending coming, which is always nice. There are three intertwining mysteries. One is the disappearance of a little boy and the second is the murder of a woman. The third mystery unfolds at the beginning of each chapter through a businessman's journal entries from the years 1623-1624, which is quite clever, I thought.
I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books.
September 14, 2023
Wesley Peterson is a Black Englishman who's recently transferred from Scotland Yard to a small town in Devon, along with his wife, teacher Pam. He expects a quieter policing life, but instead finds himself investigating the murder of a young woman, and on the fringes of a kidnapping case. He also encounters his old college friend, now an archaeologist (Wes's major, too) who has just found a 400-year-old corpse in the basement of a house he's excavating. Excerpts from the diary of the one-time owner of the house retrace the historical crime, which has thematic connections to the crimes Wes is investigating. This is the first of this series, which I read quite a while ago, and which I've decided to re-read and, I hope, introduce to new readers.
November 28, 2018
A nicely written mystery, or rather three: the disappearance of a young boy, the murder of a young woman whose face has been crushed and the discovery of the remains of another young woman in an early 17th century archeological site.
This is an old-fashioned British detective procedural, the one where the interrogations usually happen over a nice cup of tea. I liked the mix of detective work with archeology and the well-developed, mild mannered characters with their own personal background stories (constables Wesley, Rachel and chief inspector Heffernan).
This is an old-fashioned British detective procedural, the one where the interrogations usually happen over a nice cup of tea. I liked the mix of detective work with archeology and the well-developed, mild mannered characters with their own personal background stories (constables Wesley, Rachel and chief inspector Heffernan).
February 2, 2025
I loved the intertwining elements of everything in this story, bits i thought were completely unrelated; ended up being connected. Great murder mystery reading with loveable characters
July 7, 2019
It is hard for a writer to stand out from the crowd with a police procedure series. Kate Ellis has a go at it by giving Wesley Peterson, the main character, a black police sergeant who moves from London to the countryside, a past in archeology and weaving an archeology dig into the story. The result is a nicely paced crime story with a story of crime and passion from the 17th Century mixed in for a bit of variation. Especially those who enjoy a "what happened" and "whodunnit" with plenty of local colour thrown in for good measure without gore or detailed violence but some interesting characters, will like this book. I also liked it but found it a bit too nice and neat in places. One of the policemen already there, grumbles a bit when the new sergeant arrives and makes some inappropriate, racial, comments but it doesn't lead to a lot of tension. The only female constable, Rachel, feels that she is not always appreciated professionally, hint: gender inequality, but it doesn't really lead to any real tension. Everything ties up a little bit too neatly in the end and some of the twists you could see coming. But never mind. This is the first in a series and the archeology link is nicely done and I hope she'll keep that up for the rest of the series. I will certainly read the next one, also because I'm curious how the characters evolve. Three-and-a-half stars.
November 23, 2016
Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson is a new addition to the Tradmouth police force, a recent transplant from London. Before he can even settle in at his desk, the body of a young woman is found in the countryside. With no identification on her and no report of a missing person matching her description, the police have a puzzle to solve. While the murder investigation gets underway, another group of officers are investigating the kidnapping of a two year old boy from outside his family's cottage. Life isn't as quiet as Wesley expected.
The parallel story line to the murder investigation is a historical mystery. Wesley's friend, Neil, is working on an archaeological dig in an old merchant's house. When they get to the cellar, they find the skeleton of a baby. Kate Ellis does a good job of keeping both plot threads moving along without impacting the flow.
The Merchant's House is the first in a series of 19 books. I read a later entry in the series and decided to start back at the beginning. History combined with mystery is a good fit for me. I'm happy to have another series to explore.
The parallel story line to the murder investigation is a historical mystery. Wesley's friend, Neil, is working on an archaeological dig in an old merchant's house. When they get to the cellar, they find the skeleton of a baby. Kate Ellis does a good job of keeping both plot threads moving along without impacting the flow.
The Merchant's House is the first in a series of 19 books. I read a later entry in the series and decided to start back at the beginning. History combined with mystery is a good fit for me. I'm happy to have another series to explore.
October 22, 2012
I found this a very enjoyable mystery. Kate Ellis' book featuring a black police detective newly transferred from London to a small town, is a pleasant and easy read, it's perfect for the long commute to and from work. It has all of the characters that you would expect; a close friend from the past, who also happens to be working in this new town, providing the detective with an escape from work and personal stress; the moody wife; the easy-going and attractive new co-worker (perhaps a change of partners in a future book); the buddy boss and the racist co-worker. Kate Ellis intertwines her present day mystery, with an unsolved mystery from the past, with a present day mystery, and ties it all up neatly in the end.
Although the characters are fairly fundamental, and you will have solved the mystery before the final denouement, sometimes this type of novel is just what I need for relaxation and pure entertainment. I have no hesitation in adding the next book in the series to my reading list!
Although the characters are fairly fundamental, and you will have solved the mystery before the final denouement, sometimes this type of novel is just what I need for relaxation and pure entertainment. I have no hesitation in adding the next book in the series to my reading list!
August 24, 2018
Here we have author, Kate Ellis, channeling Reginald Hill for all she's worth! This book reads like the Daziel & Pascoe met Joe Sixsmith and collaborated! In fact, at one point in the book, I forgot I was reading something else and started looking for "Fat Andy" to make a crack at Pascoe! However, I hasten to say that Ellis's similar style is done with such finesse that it works perfectly and her characters are truly themselves and just as authentic as those more famous. I will read more of her books, if available!
The premise is that a toddler boy has been abducted from his own front yard; a young woman is not only murdered, but beaten to an unrecognizable pulp; Wesley Peterson, a former DS from London is assigned to the case with DI Gerry Heffernan, all in a days work in Tradmouth, Devon. Oh, and let us not forget the archeological dig going on, being conducted by Wesley's BFF from university, at a 16th century merchant's house, complete with two skeletons!
The way these seemingly disparate crimes weave together forms the plot of this clever mystery.
The premise is that a toddler boy has been abducted from his own front yard; a young woman is not only murdered, but beaten to an unrecognizable pulp; Wesley Peterson, a former DS from London is assigned to the case with DI Gerry Heffernan, all in a days work in Tradmouth, Devon. Oh, and let us not forget the archeological dig going on, being conducted by Wesley's BFF from university, at a 16th century merchant's house, complete with two skeletons!
The way these seemingly disparate crimes weave together forms the plot of this clever mystery.
August 19, 2013
A decent if not particularly memorable police procedural
The first in a series.
Very likeable characters, good interactions between them, several threads to the story. There is the case of a woman found bashed to death, a missing toddler and an archaeological mystery.
I liked that the characters had lives outside of work with interests in hobbies.
A few minor quibbles. There are a couple of instances where the detectives seemed to take information given to them and not check it properly. Also found that seemingly unrelated threads all dovetailed neatly into a resolution. Just a little too neat perhaps.
These could be flaws of a first novel. That aside the book was enjoyable enough.
The first in a series.
Very likeable characters, good interactions between them, several threads to the story. There is the case of a woman found bashed to death, a missing toddler and an archaeological mystery.
I liked that the characters had lives outside of work with interests in hobbies.
A few minor quibbles. There are a couple of instances where the detectives seemed to take information given to them and not check it properly. Also found that seemingly unrelated threads all dovetailed neatly into a resolution. Just a little too neat perhaps.
These could be flaws of a first novel. That aside the book was enjoyable enough.
February 12, 2019
The description is a little misleading but those things do happen in the story... they just aren't tied together quite like it reads. That being said...I read a tremendous amount of books in a year so it's not surprising that I don't remember all the details of some. I don't know how I could have forgotten so much of this one. The story is absolutely captivating. It draws the reader in and allows the mind to soar...as one of my reading friends said. You have to like DS Wesley Peterson and his commanding officer DI Heffernan. They are so believable and don't do stupid things. They are extremely competent police officers. We are reading this series as a group read so I am eagerly awaiting book #2.
April 26, 2018
I get that there have to be mediocre books in the world I just don't get how they end up on a bunch of recommended reading lists. This book was so blah, its characters so under developed, I could barely motivate myself to write this review. Every chapter skipped around to different characters but not in a good way and I could not have cared less about any of them. And the ending was incredibly predictable. I guess there was one character I liked but even his motivations were unclear. And I think there are more in this series! Have the people making these lists just not read any good books? Sorry to be mean.
January 21, 2018
Enjoyable police procedural with a historical twist. A good weekend read. I’ll look for more in this series.
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