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DCI Walker Crime Thrillers #5
The Castle: A Lancashire Detective Mystery
A body on display
A message written in blood
And a puzzle that defies logic
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From an Amazon #1 International Bestselling series! 📚🥇
Over 185,000 copies of the DCI Walker series sold worldwide.
Over 7,500 reader ratings averaging 4.3–4.4 out of 5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A series that has previously reached #1 in the Amazon Kindle Free Charts (United States, Canada and the United Kingdom), and ranked #1 in multiple paid Kindle crime fiction categories.
"A timely and intense detective thriller" — SRP Editorial Review
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THE
DCI Jonathan Walker thought he’d seen it all—until a case in Lancaster forces him to read old crimes anew. When baffling clues surface in the city’s oldest institutions, Walker must navigate a web of secrets, public fury, and a riddle that won’t stay solved. Every answer seems to raise more questions, and the closer he gets, the more the stakes tighten.
Atmospheric, propulsive and quietly unsettling, The Castle is a masterful police procedural that blends meticulous detective work with a slow-burn mystery. Perfect for readers who love tense, character-driven thrillers where history casts a long shadow.
Step into the dark heart of Lancaster. But beware what you might uncover.
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🎧 Add the audiobook at a significantly reduced price with Amazon Whispersync — just tick the “Add audiobook” box under Buy Now. Read or listen anytime — it always picks up exactly where you left off, or follow along as it’s narrated.
What readers are saying
“A riveting thriller”
“Highly recommended”
“Difficult to put down”
“This is a stunning story”
“Brilliant series!”
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Fans of Ian Rankin, JD Kirk, Matt Brolly, Patricia Gibney and LJ Ross will devour this one.
The Castle is the fifth book in the DCI Walker Crime Thrillers, a bestselling British detective series set across Lancashire and the North West of England.
Also available in paperback and audiobook.
Each book can be read as a standalone case, but the full story is best enjoyed in order.
👉 Stay with Walker as the investigation reaches its most unsettling turn yet.
A message written in blood
And a puzzle that defies logic
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From an Amazon #1 International Bestselling series! 📚🥇
Over 185,000 copies of the DCI Walker series sold worldwide.
Over 7,500 reader ratings averaging 4.3–4.4 out of 5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A series that has previously reached #1 in the Amazon Kindle Free Charts (United States, Canada and the United Kingdom), and ranked #1 in multiple paid Kindle crime fiction categories.
"A timely and intense detective thriller" — SRP Editorial Review
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
DCI Jonathan Walker thought he’d seen it all—until a case in Lancaster forces him to read old crimes anew. When baffling clues surface in the city’s oldest institutions, Walker must navigate a web of secrets, public fury, and a riddle that won’t stay solved. Every answer seems to raise more questions, and the closer he gets, the more the stakes tighten.
Atmospheric, propulsive and quietly unsettling, The Castle is a masterful police procedural that blends meticulous detective work with a slow-burn mystery. Perfect for readers who love tense, character-driven thrillers where history casts a long shadow.
Step into the dark heart of Lancaster. But beware what you might uncover.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
🎧 Add the audiobook at a significantly reduced price with Amazon Whispersync — just tick the “Add audiobook” box under Buy Now. Read or listen anytime — it always picks up exactly where you left off, or follow along as it’s narrated.
What readers are saying
“A riveting thriller”
“Highly recommended”
“Difficult to put down”
“This is a stunning story”
“Brilliant series!”
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Fans of Ian Rankin, JD Kirk, Matt Brolly, Patricia Gibney and LJ Ross will devour this one.
The Castle is the fifth book in the DCI Walker Crime Thrillers, a bestselling British detective series set across Lancashire and the North West of England.
Also available in paperback and audiobook.
Each book can be read as a standalone case, but the full story is best enjoyed in order.
👉 Stay with Walker as the investigation reaches its most unsettling turn yet.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
86 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 11, 2025
The Castle by JJ Richards is book 5 in the DCI Jonathon Walker Lancashire police series. This time the crime is set in Lancaster with a body on display that defies logic.The murders mount up but the puzzle is waiting to be solved. This is a murder scene based on the witches trial in 1612 and numbers and puzzles need to be so solved before everything is made clear and all deaths are accounted for.
A creepy, unnerving and unsettling story about the Lancashire witches but based on murders in the present day.
Highly recommended
A creepy, unnerving and unsettling story about the Lancashire witches but based on murders in the present day.
Highly recommended
February 17, 2026
A riveting thriller
The author has done it again - produced an unique novel. Such a well researched book. I was there following the investigation - totally involved as the story unfolded. Brilliant characterisation and descriptions. Very authentic backdrop takes you there. My only gripe was that there appeared to be too much padding. Several observations in the narrative were repeated again and again but worded different. Otherwise this is an excellent book.
The author has done it again - produced an unique novel. Such a well researched book. I was there following the investigation - totally involved as the story unfolded. Brilliant characterisation and descriptions. Very authentic backdrop takes you there. My only gripe was that there appeared to be too much padding. Several observations in the narrative were repeated again and again but worded different. Otherwise this is an excellent book.
March 23, 2026
I’ve read the first 4 books and enjoyed them all. As with the others, this one had a good pace, easy to read, set in Lancashire where I live and the main characters (police) are ones you want to root for . The plot is interesting, contains topical content eg use of AI. I have book number 6 ready to read. I recommend this series. Good work JJ Richards.
November 13, 2025
Loved this, another great book featuring DCI Walker, this time with his team investigating a series of murders linked to witch trials over 400 years earlier.
Great plot, good pace and well developed characters. What more could you want!
Great plot, good pace and well developed characters. What more could you want!
February 5, 2026
Really good
This was really good. Definitely kept you wanting to keep reading on and on. Quite a surprise to hear the evil doctor rear his menacing persona again. Obviously we haven't heard the last of him. Highly recommended.
This was really good. Definitely kept you wanting to keep reading on and on. Quite a surprise to hear the evil doctor rear his menacing persona again. Obviously we haven't heard the last of him. Highly recommended.
January 21, 2026
I hope JJ Richard continues this series of Lancashire Detective Mysteries and at some point we find out who really killed DCI Walker's sister!
October 16, 2025
A body is found hanging from the Lancaster Castle walls. Now DCI Walker and his team have a murder and a puzzle to solve. Will they do so before the next death.
An entertaining modern mystery
An entertaining modern mystery
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews