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DCI Finnegan Yorkshire Crime #10
Wicker Girl: Everyone Knows... Smoking Kills: A DCI Finnegan Yorkshire Thriller
She knows who’s going to die next.
And she isn’t the only one.When flames rip through Ravensbane Wood, police discover human remains burned at the base of three ancient standing stones.
The fire wasn’t accidental.
It was constructed.
Wicker. Straw. Intent.
DI Prisha Kumar and DS Zac Stoker are sent to the isolated North Yorkshire village of Ashenby — where the women hold the power, and the men know their place.
A Wicca commune watches from the edge of the forest.
The local lord vanishes without explanation.
And as more bodies surface, the killings begin to echo something far older.
Three deaths.
Three methods.
A pattern rooted in the witch trials of James I.
Then there’s the girl.
Morrigan Penhallow calls herself the Wicker Girl.
She has an unsettling habit of predicting tragedy.
And in Ashenby, tragedy keeps arriving.
As the past claws its way into the present, DCI Frank Finnegan’s team must decide what they’re really dealing with — superstition, manipulation… or something far more calculated.
Because in Ashenby, the fire wasn’t the beginning.
And it won’t be the end.
WICKER GIRL is the tenth novel in the bestselling DCI Finnegan Yorkshire Crime Thriller series — a dark British police procedural set against the brooding landscapes of North Yorkshire.
Perfect for readers who enjoy the grit of Ian Rankin, the atmosphere of Ann Cleeves, and the psychological edge of Tana French.
And she isn’t the only one.When flames rip through Ravensbane Wood, police discover human remains burned at the base of three ancient standing stones.
The fire wasn’t accidental.
It was constructed.
Wicker. Straw. Intent.
DI Prisha Kumar and DS Zac Stoker are sent to the isolated North Yorkshire village of Ashenby — where the women hold the power, and the men know their place.
A Wicca commune watches from the edge of the forest.
The local lord vanishes without explanation.
And as more bodies surface, the killings begin to echo something far older.
Three deaths.
Three methods.
A pattern rooted in the witch trials of James I.
Then there’s the girl.
Morrigan Penhallow calls herself the Wicker Girl.
She has an unsettling habit of predicting tragedy.
And in Ashenby, tragedy keeps arriving.
As the past claws its way into the present, DCI Frank Finnegan’s team must decide what they’re really dealing with — superstition, manipulation… or something far more calculated.
Because in Ashenby, the fire wasn’t the beginning.
And it won’t be the end.
WICKER GIRL is the tenth novel in the bestselling DCI Finnegan Yorkshire Crime Thriller series — a dark British police procedural set against the brooding landscapes of North Yorkshire.
Perfect for readers who enjoy the grit of Ian Rankin, the atmosphere of Ann Cleeves, and the psychological edge of Tana French.
467 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 17, 2025
About the author
Ely North
21 books34 followersEly North writes British crime fiction the way his detectives drink—steadily, seriously, and with the occasional lapse in judgement.
He is the author of the DCI Finnegan Yorkshire Crime Thrillers and the DI Prisha Kumar Yorkshire Cold Case Mysteries, fast-paced police procedurals set in Whitby and across North Yorkshire. His books have amassed tens of millions of pages read on Kindle Unlimited, with readers across the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Europe and beyond.
Ely writes about Whitby because it is the most beautiful and atmospheric place he knows—and he has never trusted anywhere that pretty.
At the centre of the DCI Finnegan series is Frank Finnegan—old, old-school, and not remotely bothered about either. Raised on The Sweeney and seventies cop shows, he still thinks Regan and Carter had the right idea about most things. Finnegan doesn't have much time for procedure, feelings or technology. He'd rather get on with the bit that matters—catching the bastards.
The setting matters almost as much as the murders. Whitby brings the harbour, the abbey, the 199 Steps, sea fret rolling in off the North Sea, cobbled streets, narrow alleys and hidden-away yards. Bodies are supplied courtesy of Ely. Readers have been known to follow the investigations on Google Maps, and a few have even booked holidays inspired by the books. None, so far, have been found unresponsive on the beach—touch wood.
Ely doesn't write cosy crime, but neither does he dwell on gore for the sake of it. He writes about coppers who are good at their jobs and bad at most other things, villains who believe they're the hero, and the kind of gallows humour that gets you through a twelve-hour shift—or a long-running series.
If you grew up with Taggart, Morse, Columbo, Heartbeat and The Professionals, and have spent the years since wondering where all the proper coppers went, you may just have found them.
When he isn't killing people on paper, Ely cooks. Badly, according to his wife. Enthusiastically, according to him. The cats—of which he has none—have refused to comment, as have his daughters, of which he has two.
He is the author of the DCI Finnegan Yorkshire Crime Thrillers and the DI Prisha Kumar Yorkshire Cold Case Mysteries, fast-paced police procedurals set in Whitby and across North Yorkshire. His books have amassed tens of millions of pages read on Kindle Unlimited, with readers across the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Europe and beyond.
Ely writes about Whitby because it is the most beautiful and atmospheric place he knows—and he has never trusted anywhere that pretty.
At the centre of the DCI Finnegan series is Frank Finnegan—old, old-school, and not remotely bothered about either. Raised on The Sweeney and seventies cop shows, he still thinks Regan and Carter had the right idea about most things. Finnegan doesn't have much time for procedure, feelings or technology. He'd rather get on with the bit that matters—catching the bastards.
The setting matters almost as much as the murders. Whitby brings the harbour, the abbey, the 199 Steps, sea fret rolling in off the North Sea, cobbled streets, narrow alleys and hidden-away yards. Bodies are supplied courtesy of Ely. Readers have been known to follow the investigations on Google Maps, and a few have even booked holidays inspired by the books. None, so far, have been found unresponsive on the beach—touch wood.
Ely doesn't write cosy crime, but neither does he dwell on gore for the sake of it. He writes about coppers who are good at their jobs and bad at most other things, villains who believe they're the hero, and the kind of gallows humour that gets you through a twelve-hour shift—or a long-running series.
If you grew up with Taggart, Morse, Columbo, Heartbeat and The Professionals, and have spent the years since wondering where all the proper coppers went, you may just have found them.
When he isn't killing people on paper, Ely cooks. Badly, according to his wife. Enthusiastically, according to him. The cats—of which he has none—have refused to comment, as have his daughters, of which he has two.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 26, 2025
Another good read. Intrigued by the relationship between Zac and Prisha. A bit of a weird storyline and a 'commune' cliché but enjoyed it, but would have liked a proper ending... not a sequel. I don't mind reading long books so would have been happy for it to carry on, but to make us wait for the next book?! I thought it was odd at 98% and still no conclusion! Blows raspberry.
May 21, 2025
This was a great, if somewhat weird, story . . . Until the end, because the end of the book was not the end of the story and that really irritates me. When I pay for a book I want the whole story - beginning, middle and end. I don’t mind the odd thread trailing throughout a series, although I prefer not to have that too much, but for the actual end of the story to be missing is just too much. It says to me that the author doesn’t respect his readers and would prefer to cynically keep them needing closure on the story in order to sell more books!
Not good
Not good
July 30, 2025
A freebie on Kindle Unlimited.
Dinkel is looking into a cold case from 30 years ago. The rest of the team are investigating a foot found on a bonfire.
Reasonably good. It's got a bit of everything thrown in and predictably has tones of The Wicker Man.
As the series has progressed, the characters haven't really developed. In fact, they seem to be becoming caricatures of themselves and it's turning into a farce.
It ended halfway through on a cliffhanger so no doubt I'll be reading the next one. Not sure how much further I'll take this series though.
Dinkel is looking into a cold case from 30 years ago. The rest of the team are investigating a foot found on a bonfire.
Reasonably good. It's got a bit of everything thrown in and predictably has tones of The Wicker Man.
As the series has progressed, the characters haven't really developed. In fact, they seem to be becoming caricatures of themselves and it's turning into a farce.
It ended halfway through on a cliffhanger so no doubt I'll be reading the next one. Not sure how much further I'll take this series though.
June 9, 2026
Fantastic book could not put it down. And it is not often your left with a cliffhanger. I am now onto the next book. They are terrific books and so glad I found Ely North such gripping storylines and a great insight into all the characters that makes it more relevant as you get an understanding of each individual. Thank you so much.
May 6, 2025
Another great read in this series. The characters continue to grow and develop.
May 18, 2025
Wicker girl
This was brilliant read couldn't wait for the end just to find out I have to wait until August to find out what happens
This was brilliant read couldn't wait for the end just to find out I have to wait until August to find out what happens
June 4, 2025
I think these are beginning to lose their way a bit , but still a charming read and as it finished on a cliff hangar so I’ll have to wait for the next one.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews