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Buried Above Ground
An original spin on the crime novel in which the race to gain the rights to an author’s backlist proves to be more head-scratching – and deadly! – than the plots in his books.
"Another absolutely brilliant book from Ripley" - Booklist Starred Review
The Librarian
It’s been two decades since mystery writer Duncan Torrens was last published. I should know, I was his editor. So why a blogger would turn up asking questions about the rights to his books is beyond me . . .
The Reader
That librarian Roly is a bit odd. You’d think he’d be happy with my blog’s research into a largely forgotten author, but he’s . . . resistant. If I can get into Duncan’s home – and his mysterious garden shed – I know I’ll find what I’m looking for . . .
The Publisher
Torrens’ books are crying out for a revival. I just need that blogger, Jacon, to work out who holds the rights to his backlist. Then I can acquire them before Duncan’s old publishing house realises they’ve missed a trick!
The Editor
I never worked directly with Duncan before he died, but if someone is sniffing round, there must be money involved. I just need to find out what’s happened to the rights before they do . . .
The Writer
After twenty years, will the sudden interest in this author’s forgotten mysteries reveal a dark – and deadly – twist?
Told from the point of view of five unreliable narrators, none of whom can be trusted – The Librarian, The Reader, The Publisher, The Editor and The Writer – this amusing and darkly intriguing novel is a refreshingly fun, subversive take on the crime fiction genre.
"Another absolutely brilliant book from Ripley" - Booklist Starred Review
The Librarian
It’s been two decades since mystery writer Duncan Torrens was last published. I should know, I was his editor. So why a blogger would turn up asking questions about the rights to his books is beyond me . . .
The Reader
That librarian Roly is a bit odd. You’d think he’d be happy with my blog’s research into a largely forgotten author, but he’s . . . resistant. If I can get into Duncan’s home – and his mysterious garden shed – I know I’ll find what I’m looking for . . .
The Publisher
Torrens’ books are crying out for a revival. I just need that blogger, Jacon, to work out who holds the rights to his backlist. Then I can acquire them before Duncan’s old publishing house realises they’ve missed a trick!
The Editor
I never worked directly with Duncan before he died, but if someone is sniffing round, there must be money involved. I just need to find out what’s happened to the rights before they do . . .
The Writer
After twenty years, will the sudden interest in this author’s forgotten mysteries reveal a dark – and deadly – twist?
Told from the point of view of five unreliable narrators, none of whom can be trusted – The Librarian, The Reader, The Publisher, The Editor and The Writer – this amusing and darkly intriguing novel is a refreshingly fun, subversive take on the crime fiction genre.
261 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 2, 2025
7 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Mike Ripley
65 books51 followersMike Ripley is the author of the award-winning 'Angel' series of comedy thrillers which have twice won the CWA Last Laugh Award. It has been said that he 'paints a picture of London Dickens would recognise' and that 'he writes like the young Len Deighton, wierd and wonderful information and very, very funny'. Described as 'England's funniest crime writer' (The Times), he is also a respected critic of crime fiction, writing for the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times and the Birmingham Post among others.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 2, 2025
I WISH I had found this book as entertaining as the premise- FIVE unreliable narrators, cooperating (or is that competing) to figure out WHO holds the rights to deceased writer Duncan Torrens crime series.
The Librarian, Rory who was once Torrens editor before his publishing house was acquired by another and his position made redundant.
The Reader/blogger, Jacon with a “c” who starts his research into who holds the rights, by seeking out the librarian and showing him Torrens last, unpublished manuscript.
The Publisher who hires Jacon to do the research into the “rights” because Torrens books were never published in paperback, ebooks or Audiobooks so they could reach an entire new market of readers if they could obtain the rights.
The Editor who figures money must be involved wants to find out what’s happened to the rights before anyone else does.
The Writer who may be hiding a secret or two.
Who will solve the mystery?
Who will end up dead?
Advertised as a fresh take on crime fiction-this sounded like it would be so much fun-but unfortunately the execution consisted of a lot of lengthy conversations and ALL TELL-NO SHOW with one of those LONG CONFESSIONS at the end.
I didn’t find this style at all engaging.
I did enjoy the inside look into the Worlds of Publishing and Libraries.
3 GENEROUS STARS -2.5 rounded up
Mike Ripley is a “new to me” author but he is a respected critic of crime fiction writing for The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Birmingham Post and The Times who has called him England’s funniest Crime Writer, with several books under his belt.
So, perhaps you will disagree with me! Did Marilyn ? Please watch for her review!
NOW AVAILABLE
Thank You to Severn House for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always-these are my candid thoughts!
The Librarian, Rory who was once Torrens editor before his publishing house was acquired by another and his position made redundant.
The Reader/blogger, Jacon with a “c” who starts his research into who holds the rights, by seeking out the librarian and showing him Torrens last, unpublished manuscript.
The Publisher who hires Jacon to do the research into the “rights” because Torrens books were never published in paperback, ebooks or Audiobooks so they could reach an entire new market of readers if they could obtain the rights.
The Editor who figures money must be involved wants to find out what’s happened to the rights before anyone else does.
The Writer who may be hiding a secret or two.
Who will solve the mystery?
Who will end up dead?
Advertised as a fresh take on crime fiction-this sounded like it would be so much fun-but unfortunately the execution consisted of a lot of lengthy conversations and ALL TELL-NO SHOW with one of those LONG CONFESSIONS at the end.
I didn’t find this style at all engaging.
I did enjoy the inside look into the Worlds of Publishing and Libraries.
3 GENEROUS STARS -2.5 rounded up
Mike Ripley is a “new to me” author but he is a respected critic of crime fiction writing for The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Birmingham Post and The Times who has called him England’s funniest Crime Writer, with several books under his belt.
So, perhaps you will disagree with me! Did Marilyn ? Please watch for her review!
NOW AVAILABLE
Thank You to Severn House for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always-these are my candid thoughts!
August 10, 2025
This book is about greed. A large publishing conglomerate, Pabulator, acquires the small company of Boothy and Briggs because B&B owns a large number of out-of-print books. However, there is money to be made by rehashing the covers of those books and republishing them as e-books. Now, there is one small problem: no one seems to know who holds the rights to the books of Duncan Torrens, whose books, although not the very best, are crime novels that have a reasonably large fan base.
Roly Wilkes, the erstwhile editor of Torrens’ books, was fired twenty years ago when the overtake happened, and is now earning a meagre salary working in a small library in a dreary little town. One day, Jake Philbin, an intern with Pabulator, knocks on Wilkes’ door to try to find out if Wilkes would know more about Torrens. Yes, Wilkes knows a lot about Torrens, but he’s not planning to share all that knowledge with Philbin and sends him on his way. The second person who comes inquiring is Jacon, a young man who lives with his mother and is very proud of his blog about ‘The Golden Age’ of crime novels. Again, Wilkes denies knowing anything about rights and sends him on his way. But, how did Philbin and Jacon know certain things about Torrens that were not widely known?
And this is only the start. Besides these three people, several others play a role in this story, and without realizing it, they are all connected to this mystery.
I just loved it! Somewhat 35 years ago, I landed, more or less by coincidence, a job with a publishing company, and so much of what Roly and the others tell about how things actually work in publishing, I could relate to. The good and the bad… I could write a book about it, but I won't because Mike Ripley did an outstanding job here, with a nice plot, some good and some bad characters (who are, by the way, all very unreliable).
There is a lot of tell and hardly any show, but for me, this made the story stronger. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last one.
Thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this review copy.
Roly Wilkes, the erstwhile editor of Torrens’ books, was fired twenty years ago when the overtake happened, and is now earning a meagre salary working in a small library in a dreary little town. One day, Jake Philbin, an intern with Pabulator, knocks on Wilkes’ door to try to find out if Wilkes would know more about Torrens. Yes, Wilkes knows a lot about Torrens, but he’s not planning to share all that knowledge with Philbin and sends him on his way. The second person who comes inquiring is Jacon, a young man who lives with his mother and is very proud of his blog about ‘The Golden Age’ of crime novels. Again, Wilkes denies knowing anything about rights and sends him on his way. But, how did Philbin and Jacon know certain things about Torrens that were not widely known?
And this is only the start. Besides these three people, several others play a role in this story, and without realizing it, they are all connected to this mystery.
I just loved it! Somewhat 35 years ago, I landed, more or less by coincidence, a job with a publishing company, and so much of what Roly and the others tell about how things actually work in publishing, I could relate to. The good and the bad… I could write a book about it, but I won't because Mike Ripley did an outstanding job here, with a nice plot, some good and some bad characters (who are, by the way, all very unreliable).
There is a lot of tell and hardly any show, but for me, this made the story stronger. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last one.
Thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this review copy.
May 12, 2025
Instantly engaging.
With a clever turn of phrase Mike Ripley takes us behind the scenes of the literary world to as a long dead mystery unfolds and a one appears.
The format of the book is a bit different. Each section is a first person account from a different point of view. Get into the mind of the editor, the publisher, the reader as the clues piece together. We know what the characters know - or do we?
Thoroughly enjoyed the journey, with lots of references to mysteries from the past that I love and some I need to explore.
Easy reading and clever with relatable characters. This is a mystery readers' mystery. The ending should give book clubs a lot to talk about!
With a clever turn of phrase Mike Ripley takes us behind the scenes of the literary world to as a long dead mystery unfolds and a one appears.
The format of the book is a bit different. Each section is a first person account from a different point of view. Get into the mind of the editor, the publisher, the reader as the clues piece together. We know what the characters know - or do we?
Thoroughly enjoyed the journey, with lots of references to mysteries from the past that I love and some I need to explore.
Easy reading and clever with relatable characters. This is a mystery readers' mystery. The ending should give book clubs a lot to talk about!
July 16, 2025
I am thinking this could be on its way to a five star review.
Edit: yes - I really did enjoy this one - being led up the proverbial garden path at times.
A skillfully plotted mystery that at times leads the reader astray, yet the clues are there to be pieced together, revealing an surprising twist.
Read slightly more here @ Melisende's Library
Edit: yes - I really did enjoy this one - being led up the proverbial garden path at times.
A skillfully plotted mystery that at times leads the reader astray, yet the clues are there to be pieced together, revealing an surprising twist.
Read slightly more here @ Melisende's Library
August 21, 2025
A big thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for access to such an entertaining read!
This was a solid 4.5 stars for me. Mystery novels are my absolute favorite, and I’ve been enjoying a suite of cozy mysteries lately. In this novel, we have the unreliable narrator trope in action with not one, but five unreliable accounts! There was a lot of talking, and a lot of inner thoughts which I think added to the story. It isn’t something that could be made into a TV show (unlike one of the plot points in the book) but it does make for an excellent read. You really get a feel for the characters.
And the characters! One of the first things I took a mental note of was “wow, the author does a great job in making me hate this character so quickly.” And it wasn’t even one of our POV characters. It was a side character through the lens of our first POV, The Librarian. In other words, I was quickly sympathetic to the Librarian but detested the intern. That character, and all others introduced, felt like real people. Not just that, but real, somewhat ordinary people that you’d absolutely encounter in your life.
One of my favorite parts throughout was how, well, unreliable each POV character was. And not in a way that was trying to misdirect from the central storyline of the book, but in how each character recollected the same events. Each was slightly different because each character was different and experienced the world differently. I really appreciated that, and it helped the story feel more real to me. I also enjoyed how each POV flirted with the style of mystery that our central author (Duncan Torrens ) wrote.
This was a fun twist on a murder mystery, layering in classic tropes, and nudging in some new ones as a nod to the modern mystery. I’ll be checking out other books this author has written!
This was a solid 4.5 stars for me. Mystery novels are my absolute favorite, and I’ve been enjoying a suite of cozy mysteries lately. In this novel, we have the unreliable narrator trope in action with not one, but five unreliable accounts! There was a lot of talking, and a lot of inner thoughts which I think added to the story. It isn’t something that could be made into a TV show (unlike one of the plot points in the book) but it does make for an excellent read. You really get a feel for the characters.
And the characters! One of the first things I took a mental note of was “wow, the author does a great job in making me hate this character so quickly.” And it wasn’t even one of our POV characters. It was a side character through the lens of our first POV, The Librarian. In other words, I was quickly sympathetic to the Librarian but detested the intern. That character, and all others introduced, felt like real people. Not just that, but real, somewhat ordinary people that you’d absolutely encounter in your life.
One of my favorite parts throughout was how, well, unreliable each POV character was. And not in a way that was trying to misdirect from the central storyline of the book, but in how each character recollected the same events. Each was slightly different because each character was different and experienced the world differently. I really appreciated that, and it helped the story feel more real to me. I also enjoyed how each POV flirted with the style of mystery that our central author (Duncan Torrens ) wrote.
This was a fun twist on a murder mystery, layering in classic tropes, and nudging in some new ones as a nod to the modern mystery. I’ll be checking out other books this author has written!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2025
***Advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Duncan Torrens was a mid-list mystery writer who died decades ago and fell out of print. When a blogger and a publisher both try to track down the rights to his back catalogue, long-buried secrets start to surface ‒ along with a murder. Told through multiple unreliable perspectives, including the librarian/editor who once worked with Torrens, a publisher, a reader, the blogger, and Torrens himself, the narrative becomes a layered mystery about authorship, legacy, and what people will do for their literary prize. 
I thought this was a solid read. Ripley’s wit and experience shine and the satirical edge of the publishing world adds freshness. The unreliable narrators keep things interesting and make you question what you believe. I felt it lost a bit of steam toward the end, but the denouement is satisfying and clever enough to make you want to look back through earlier chapters with fresh eyes. 
If you enjoy mysteries that play with narrative voice, classics of crime with a metafiction twist, then this will appeal. Good match for readers who liked Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz or The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.
Duncan Torrens was a mid-list mystery writer who died decades ago and fell out of print. When a blogger and a publisher both try to track down the rights to his back catalogue, long-buried secrets start to surface ‒ along with a murder. Told through multiple unreliable perspectives, including the librarian/editor who once worked with Torrens, a publisher, a reader, the blogger, and Torrens himself, the narrative becomes a layered mystery about authorship, legacy, and what people will do for their literary prize. 
I thought this was a solid read. Ripley’s wit and experience shine and the satirical edge of the publishing world adds freshness. The unreliable narrators keep things interesting and make you question what you believe. I felt it lost a bit of steam toward the end, but the denouement is satisfying and clever enough to make you want to look back through earlier chapters with fresh eyes. 
If you enjoy mysteries that play with narrative voice, classics of crime with a metafiction twist, then this will appeal. Good match for readers who liked Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz or The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.
October 4, 2025
I have to admit that I’d never heard of Mike Ripley, and I chose this book purely on the strength of its title. However, I have since discovered that Mr Ripley has a very strong pedigree when it comes to crime and thriller books and this is evident in the sharply written, darkly funny, and cleverly constructed Buried Above Ground which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The story centres around Duncan Torrens, a once mid-list author whose books were popular with library-goers but never made a splash commercially. So why, two decades after his last publication, is there a sudden surge of interest in Torrens and his work? And why does this renewed attention lead to more than one death?
The narrative unfolds through five unreliable narrators, each offering their own perspective on Torrens and the mystery surrounding his final book: Roland Wilkes (the librarian), Jacon Archer (the reader), Stephen Crow (the publisher), Robina Robinson (the editor), and Torrens himself. The question is—are any of them telling the truth?
Mike Ripley uses his many years’ experience of the publishing world to take the reader into the heart of modern-day publishing, where only the bottom-line matters and making profit from an author, dead or alive, is always on the radar.
The story builds with each of these seemingly unconnected narrators adding layers to the overall plot, which is in no way broken or disjointed for doing so - the narratives complement each other and helps keep the pace.
I won’t give anything away with regards to the plot except to say that there are many red herrings. As someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, I often find myself guessing the outcome early on. Not this time. As I finished this book, I realised that I had been totally caught out by one of the red herrings and enjoyed the book all the more for it. The final reveal was satisfying and had me revisiting earlier chapters to piece everything together.
A thoroughly enjoyable read with a clever and rewarding conclusion.
The story centres around Duncan Torrens, a once mid-list author whose books were popular with library-goers but never made a splash commercially. So why, two decades after his last publication, is there a sudden surge of interest in Torrens and his work? And why does this renewed attention lead to more than one death?
The narrative unfolds through five unreliable narrators, each offering their own perspective on Torrens and the mystery surrounding his final book: Roland Wilkes (the librarian), Jacon Archer (the reader), Stephen Crow (the publisher), Robina Robinson (the editor), and Torrens himself. The question is—are any of them telling the truth?
Mike Ripley uses his many years’ experience of the publishing world to take the reader into the heart of modern-day publishing, where only the bottom-line matters and making profit from an author, dead or alive, is always on the radar.
The story builds with each of these seemingly unconnected narrators adding layers to the overall plot, which is in no way broken or disjointed for doing so - the narratives complement each other and helps keep the pace.
I won’t give anything away with regards to the plot except to say that there are many red herrings. As someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, I often find myself guessing the outcome early on. Not this time. As I finished this book, I realised that I had been totally caught out by one of the red herrings and enjoyed the book all the more for it. The final reveal was satisfying and had me revisiting earlier chapters to piece everything together.
A thoroughly enjoyable read with a clever and rewarding conclusion.
August 22, 2025
Mike Ripley’s highly entertaining Buried Above Ground, (Severn House, 25 September 2025), also delights with its play on the classic mystery novel and the presence of five unreliable narrators!
Like Anthony Horowitz’s novels about book editor Susan Ryeland mysteries, Ripley’s Buried Above Ground is both a clever mystery and an amusing send-up of the publishing industry. Five far from reliable points of view tell the story, as the rights to a mystery author’s backlist turn out to be unexpectedly deadly:
The Librarian
It’s been two decades since mystery writer Duncan Torrens was last published. I should know, I was his editor. So why a blogger would turn up asking questions about the rights to his books is beyond me . . .
The Reader
That librarian Roly is a bit odd. You’d think he’d be happy with my blog’s research into a largely forgotten author, but he’s . . . resistant. If I can get into Duncan’s home – and his mysterious garden shed – I know I’ll find what I’m looking for . . .
The Publisher
Torrens’ books are crying out for a revival. I just need that blogger, Jacon, to work out who holds the rights to his backlist. Then I can acquire them before Duncan’s old publishing house realises they’ve missed a trick!
The Editor
I never worked directly with Duncan before he died, but if someone is sniffing round, there must be money involved. I just need to find out what’s happened to the rights before they do . . .
The Writer
After twenty years, will the sudden interest in this author’s forgotten mysteries reveal a dark – and deadly – twist?
It would be a crime to reveal more plot details about this surprising mystery, but let it be said that this is a very engaging and thoroughly captivating murder mystery. There are plenty of in-jokes and mystery references, all told in Ripley’s usual free flowing and engaging style, and the book delights from beginning to end. Highly recommended.
Like Anthony Horowitz’s novels about book editor Susan Ryeland mysteries, Ripley’s Buried Above Ground is both a clever mystery and an amusing send-up of the publishing industry. Five far from reliable points of view tell the story, as the rights to a mystery author’s backlist turn out to be unexpectedly deadly:
The Librarian
It’s been two decades since mystery writer Duncan Torrens was last published. I should know, I was his editor. So why a blogger would turn up asking questions about the rights to his books is beyond me . . .
The Reader
That librarian Roly is a bit odd. You’d think he’d be happy with my blog’s research into a largely forgotten author, but he’s . . . resistant. If I can get into Duncan’s home – and his mysterious garden shed – I know I’ll find what I’m looking for . . .
The Publisher
Torrens’ books are crying out for a revival. I just need that blogger, Jacon, to work out who holds the rights to his backlist. Then I can acquire them before Duncan’s old publishing house realises they’ve missed a trick!
The Editor
I never worked directly with Duncan before he died, but if someone is sniffing round, there must be money involved. I just need to find out what’s happened to the rights before they do . . .
The Writer
After twenty years, will the sudden interest in this author’s forgotten mysteries reveal a dark – and deadly – twist?
It would be a crime to reveal more plot details about this surprising mystery, but let it be said that this is a very engaging and thoroughly captivating murder mystery. There are plenty of in-jokes and mystery references, all told in Ripley’s usual free flowing and engaging style, and the book delights from beginning to end. Highly recommended.
September 22, 2025
Duncan Torrens was a mid-level mystery writer who died twenty years ago. Now someone is interested in obtaining the rights to his books with an aim to rerelease them on audio and as ebooks. Roly Wilkes was his editor and knew him better than anyone. After Torrens died, the publishing company was bought out and Roly was let go. He is now a librarian in a small village. When he is approached by Jacon Archer, a blogger hired to investigate Torrens, Roly is less than open on what he would reveal. Hoping to learn more, Jacon traces Torrens to the town where he lived as Alan Hibbert. When Torrens died he left his home to the town council to be used as a shelter.. There is still the shed where he worked, complete with his antique typewriter. He may have discovered something, because he was murdered shortly after his visit. The investigation of his death leads to the shed, where the police discover the body of a woman under the floorboards. The body has been there for thirty years. In his later years, Torrens had several strokes and developed dementia. Could he have been responsible for the body and who was she?
Mike Ripley’s story is told in alternating POVs. The editor, the publisher, the blogger, the writer and Roly, the librarian, each contribute to the story, but they are all unreliable narrators. Ripley’s writing style is very different from his previous contributions to the Mr. Campion series. The pace is fairly slow until the discovery of the body from the shed. After the police investigation begins, this seems to become Roly’s story to tell. He is careful to reveal few details to the police, but Ripley’s ends his story with Roly’s full explanation of his relationship with Torrens and the body in the shed. Ripley offers his readers a bonus in the form of an interesting look at the publishing industry. I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House for providing this book.
Mike Ripley’s story is told in alternating POVs. The editor, the publisher, the blogger, the writer and Roly, the librarian, each contribute to the story, but they are all unreliable narrators. Ripley’s writing style is very different from his previous contributions to the Mr. Campion series. The pace is fairly slow until the discovery of the body from the shed. After the police investigation begins, this seems to become Roly’s story to tell. He is careful to reveal few details to the police, but Ripley’s ends his story with Roly’s full explanation of his relationship with Torrens and the body in the shed. Ripley offers his readers a bonus in the form of an interesting look at the publishing industry. I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House for providing this book.
August 11, 2025
Duncan Torrence had been dead for twenty years by the time a publishing intern and a podcaster started asking Roly Wilkes questions about him. Duncan wasn’t a huge seller before his death, more of a mid-lister and Roly had edited his latest books. Roly currently works as a librarian.
Roly may be the only person who knew Duncan. The author was very private. Duncan wouldn’t allow an author photo on his book jackets. He lived in a small village where most of the community didn’t realize that he was an author.
Soon after the intern visits Roly, he is found murdered. The intern had decided to go to the small village and do a little research. He found Duncan’s grave and the small house where he’d lived. The home had been left to be used for homing immigrants. The only thing of interest was a garden shed at the back of the house. Through the window, he was able to take a picture of the ancient typewriter Torrence had used. The intern had ridden a bike and was hit by a car as he was leaving the village. His body was hidden and his bike tossed in the river.
The podcaster and the intern were approached to investigate Duncan and report back to another publisher who would like to re-publish some of his books if they can get the rights to them. The podcaster had also found Duncan’s last manuscript that hadn’t yet been published in a recycle bin.
After the intern’s death, the police came round to see Roly who fears he may become a suspect.
During the investigation we learn more about Roly’s connection to Duncan and another body is found but this time one from the past.
The story is told by several characters. There are enough questions that kept me guessing until the end. I would read more from this author.
If you love a good traditional mystery, you should read this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this advance reader copy for my honest review.
This book is scheduled to be released on September 2nd.
To read all of my reviews check out my blog - Book Love Book Reviews at Virginia-Gruver.com
Roly may be the only person who knew Duncan. The author was very private. Duncan wouldn’t allow an author photo on his book jackets. He lived in a small village where most of the community didn’t realize that he was an author.
Soon after the intern visits Roly, he is found murdered. The intern had decided to go to the small village and do a little research. He found Duncan’s grave and the small house where he’d lived. The home had been left to be used for homing immigrants. The only thing of interest was a garden shed at the back of the house. Through the window, he was able to take a picture of the ancient typewriter Torrence had used. The intern had ridden a bike and was hit by a car as he was leaving the village. His body was hidden and his bike tossed in the river.
The podcaster and the intern were approached to investigate Duncan and report back to another publisher who would like to re-publish some of his books if they can get the rights to them. The podcaster had also found Duncan’s last manuscript that hadn’t yet been published in a recycle bin.
After the intern’s death, the police came round to see Roly who fears he may become a suspect.
During the investigation we learn more about Roly’s connection to Duncan and another body is found but this time one from the past.
The story is told by several characters. There are enough questions that kept me guessing until the end. I would read more from this author.
If you love a good traditional mystery, you should read this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this advance reader copy for my honest review.
This book is scheduled to be released on September 2nd.
To read all of my reviews check out my blog - Book Love Book Reviews at Virginia-Gruver.com
July 22, 2025
Like Anthony Horowitz's "Magpie Murders," "Buried Above Ground" is both a crime novel and a send-up of the publishing business. The genteel days of publishing at the London firm of Boothby and Briggs came to an abrupt end 20 years ago, when the company was absorbed by a giant conglomerate called Pabulator International. One of the casualties of the deal was Roly Wilkes, who lost his job as an editor and wound up working at a small library.
One day, a young man named Jake Philbin tracks down Roly in order to ask him about one of the authors he used to edit: Duncan Torrens, whose rather unremarkable run of crime novels has been out of print for years. Jake owns a company that buys the rights to forgotten old mysteries in order to publish them as ebooks, and his attempts to find who owns the rights to the late Duncan Torrens' intellectual property have finally led him to Roly. Unfortunately, Roly has no idea—Torrens died without leaving any heirs, and he left his home to charity—but Jake's search ultimately winds up bringing some old secrets to light... secrets that someone would kill to keep hidden.
"Buried Above Ground" features a revolving cast of narrators, some of whom are more reliable than others. Roly is first, followed by a blogger obsessed with "Golden Age" mysteries, a former colleague of Roly's at Boothby and Briggs, etc. The novel is great fun, even though I felt it lost a bit of steam in the final segment. Ripley is a witty writer whose over 30 years of experience as a published author serve him well in this clever and satirical novel.
One day, a young man named Jake Philbin tracks down Roly in order to ask him about one of the authors he used to edit: Duncan Torrens, whose rather unremarkable run of crime novels has been out of print for years. Jake owns a company that buys the rights to forgotten old mysteries in order to publish them as ebooks, and his attempts to find who owns the rights to the late Duncan Torrens' intellectual property have finally led him to Roly. Unfortunately, Roly has no idea—Torrens died without leaving any heirs, and he left his home to charity—but Jake's search ultimately winds up bringing some old secrets to light... secrets that someone would kill to keep hidden.
"Buried Above Ground" features a revolving cast of narrators, some of whom are more reliable than others. Roly is first, followed by a blogger obsessed with "Golden Age" mysteries, a former colleague of Roly's at Boothby and Briggs, etc. The novel is great fun, even though I felt it lost a bit of steam in the final segment. Ripley is a witty writer whose over 30 years of experience as a published author serve him well in this clever and satirical novel.
October 31, 2025
This is an intriguing crime novel, where for a very long time you’re not even sure what crime – if any – is being investigated. I found it both amusing and absorbing.
This is a novel with many a sly wink towards the publishing industry, and although many of the amusing moments can (and will) be appreciated by any reader, those with an interest in writers or the publishing industry will particularly enjoy this aspect. It’s cynical and acerbic, and I rather suspect there’s a fair bit of truth in it.
In fact, the resolution of the crime plot almost took me off guard. I’d become so distracted by the depiction of the publishing industry that I kinda forgot I was reading a crime novel. It’s a great blend.
This is a well written novel with an unusual angle. I found it a lot of fun – not something I usually say about crime novels. It’s a deceptively light read, with some thoughtful underpinnings.
Chapters are narrated by different characters, and Ripley gives us a strong insight into each through their voice. I was impressed by the strong characterisation, given it’s mostly achieved through what the characters tell us themselves – and it’s not always as positive as they think it is.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel with a clever plot and an extremely well executed narrative style. Highly recommended to those who like good writing, to crime readers, and to those with an interest in the publishing industry or writers.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
This is a novel with many a sly wink towards the publishing industry, and although many of the amusing moments can (and will) be appreciated by any reader, those with an interest in writers or the publishing industry will particularly enjoy this aspect. It’s cynical and acerbic, and I rather suspect there’s a fair bit of truth in it.
In fact, the resolution of the crime plot almost took me off guard. I’d become so distracted by the depiction of the publishing industry that I kinda forgot I was reading a crime novel. It’s a great blend.
This is a well written novel with an unusual angle. I found it a lot of fun – not something I usually say about crime novels. It’s a deceptively light read, with some thoughtful underpinnings.
Chapters are narrated by different characters, and Ripley gives us a strong insight into each through their voice. I was impressed by the strong characterisation, given it’s mostly achieved through what the characters tell us themselves – and it’s not always as positive as they think it is.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel with a clever plot and an extremely well executed narrative style. Highly recommended to those who like good writing, to crime readers, and to those with an interest in the publishing industry or writers.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
November 6, 2025
Mike Ripley's Buried Above Ground focuses on a librarian and his former life as a book editor. Roland Wilkes edited a series of mysteries written by Duncan Torrens, whose real name was George Hibbert. Torrens was not a particularly good writer, but his books sold consistently to libraries. His editor was made redundant shortly after B & B Publishing was bought by Pabulator, a conglomerate. The last Torrens mystery was never published and the manuscript discovered in the trash. Hibbert is now deceased and a question has arisen as to who owns the rights to the Torrens books. A mini media mogul is interested in acquiring the rights for a NetFlix series. He hires Jacon Archer, the man behind Gadabout, a mystery website, to quietly find out. Jacon goes to Hibbert's home town and gets murdered. He interviewed Wilkes first to gather basic background information. Although Wilkes had been Torrens's editor, all communication with the mystery writer had been by fax. Wilkes later married Hibbert's housekeeper. Ripley shares an accepted feature of books in a mystery series- the detective solves the first two murders and prevents the third. A second victim is discovered. Will this part of the Torrens/Hibbert story fit this model? If so, who will investigate? There is a female police officer on the case. Who are the suspects? Readers may start sensing that more is at stake than crime solving. The Appendix identifies and explains historic allusions and references to earlier mysteries going back almost a hundred years.
August 7, 2025
A wonderfully fun, yet poignant story about murder and the love of books.
"Buried Above Ground" is both a pastiche and an homage to those Golden Age detective novels enjoyed by so many. It's about a missing author and a mysterious manuscript, all told by five very different, very unreliable narrators. It starts when librarian Roland is approached by a blogger who has purchased a manuscript, and wants to interview the author, unheard of for twenty years. As his investigations continue, said blogger meets various people who worked for the book's publisher, but have different views of what happened.
The story moves along nicely, the narrative ripe with dry wit and cynical insights into the publishing world. You can rely on Mike Ripley to deliver funny/not funny reflections of life. Fans of true Golden Age detective novels will no doubt work out the "whodunnit" early on, but that's not the point - you're here for the ride as much as the destination. Just enjoy it.
The book, like the Atticus Punt books by Anthony Horowitz, digs deep into the mire and dirt that is the book publishing industry - in particular, the current trend of turning older, less profitable books into e-books which can be sold at a low price, yet still generate income. It's the story of a small, independent publishing house which is taken over by a large multinational publisher, and whose first act is to shed staff and push profits. With the inevitable results.
Heartily recommended.
"Buried Above Ground" is both a pastiche and an homage to those Golden Age detective novels enjoyed by so many. It's about a missing author and a mysterious manuscript, all told by five very different, very unreliable narrators. It starts when librarian Roland is approached by a blogger who has purchased a manuscript, and wants to interview the author, unheard of for twenty years. As his investigations continue, said blogger meets various people who worked for the book's publisher, but have different views of what happened.
The story moves along nicely, the narrative ripe with dry wit and cynical insights into the publishing world. You can rely on Mike Ripley to deliver funny/not funny reflections of life. Fans of true Golden Age detective novels will no doubt work out the "whodunnit" early on, but that's not the point - you're here for the ride as much as the destination. Just enjoy it.
The book, like the Atticus Punt books by Anthony Horowitz, digs deep into the mire and dirt that is the book publishing industry - in particular, the current trend of turning older, less profitable books into e-books which can be sold at a low price, yet still generate income. It's the story of a small, independent publishing house which is taken over by a large multinational publisher, and whose first act is to shed staff and push profits. With the inevitable results.
Heartily recommended.
August 27, 2025
Duncan Torrens was an author of crime fiction, not a best selling author, but as his publishers described him, a mid list author who reliably wrote a new book each year. He was a forgotten author until a couple of publishers came looking for the rights to republish his work as ebooks and possibly audiobooks. But Duncan Torrens has been dead for over twenty years, his publishers taken over by a conglomerate and there is no trail to follow.
Then a young fan of the Golden Age detectives buys the manuscript of Duncan Torrens last unpublished book and writes about it in his website.
He is hired to find out about Duncan Torrens and this, naturally leads to murder.
A really good read which has everything you expect from a crime novel. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.
Then a young fan of the Golden Age detectives buys the manuscript of Duncan Torrens last unpublished book and writes about it in his website.
He is hired to find out about Duncan Torrens and this, naturally leads to murder.
A really good read which has everything you expect from a crime novel. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.
November 2, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.
While the premise of Buried Above Ground is typical of most mystery novels, having the story told through the eyes of five unreliable narrators was clever - with clues sprinkled throughout leading to a not-so-obvious, yet inevitable conclusion. It's a homage to the "Golden Age" mysteries while concurrently being a commentary of the progression of the overall structure of mystery stories in general, with an insight into the publishing industry and its relationship between the editor and the writer.
I enjoyed the overall structure and pacing of the story and would recommend this for fans of classic mysteries.
While the premise of Buried Above Ground is typical of most mystery novels, having the story told through the eyes of five unreliable narrators was clever - with clues sprinkled throughout leading to a not-so-obvious, yet inevitable conclusion. It's a homage to the "Golden Age" mysteries while concurrently being a commentary of the progression of the overall structure of mystery stories in general, with an insight into the publishing industry and its relationship between the editor and the writer.
I enjoyed the overall structure and pacing of the story and would recommend this for fans of classic mysteries.
November 24, 2025
Little smoke and no mirrors
—
A murder mystery that gives you a peek under the hood, with all the parts of a writer’s ecosystem laid bare and everyone a suspect? Sign me up!
Or actually, don’t: having five unreliable narrators, each with their own motives on top of greed, should have made for an entertaining and labyrinthine plot, but instead it was just confusing and, in parts, tedious, and I saw the actual culprit way before anything was confirmed. There’s a simple narrative machine in the underlying plot, and the red herrings never really crossed over with it, meaning that there was a load of obfuscation that was trying to be smoke and mirrors and just ended up being smoke.
—
A murder mystery that gives you a peek under the hood, with all the parts of a writer’s ecosystem laid bare and everyone a suspect? Sign me up!
Or actually, don’t: having five unreliable narrators, each with their own motives on top of greed, should have made for an entertaining and labyrinthine plot, but instead it was just confusing and, in parts, tedious, and I saw the actual culprit way before anything was confirmed. There’s a simple narrative machine in the underlying plot, and the red herrings never really crossed over with it, meaning that there was a load of obfuscation that was trying to be smoke and mirrors and just ended up being smoke.
November 29, 2025
Written in five parts, the story begins when a publishing intern turns up to ask the editor of long dead author, Duncan Torrens, what he knows about the author and the rights to his work. What follows is a funny (and occasionally savage) exploration of the publishing industry as various people try to get hold of the digital rights to a midlist author’s lengthy back catalogue, uncovering more than one mystery along the way. Clever, gripping, and very funny, and with lots of interesting crime fiction facts threaded throughout, it was a really enjoyable read.
August 13, 2025
This book was alright, definitely kind of middle of the road. It's a mystery but with no real suspense to it, however it's told in a way that's interesting enough to keep you reading because you want to know what the truth is and I can honestly say that I didn't see the outcome coming. There were some questions that did remain unanswered though, which was disappointing, but overall, it wasn't a bad read. Just nothing groundbreaking.
Thank you netgalley for the arc.
Thank you netgalley for the arc.
May 22, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Seven House for the eARC.
What a terrific book this is, so unique and great fun, I enjoyed it immensely - the Appendix as well. It reminded me of all the lovely books I read over my many years with all those writers ... quite nostalgia inducing.
I was proud of myself guessing the murderer too. Highly recommended, I'd give it 10 stars if I could!
What a terrific book this is, so unique and great fun, I enjoyed it immensely - the Appendix as well. It reminded me of all the lovely books I read over my many years with all those writers ... quite nostalgia inducing.
I was proud of myself guessing the murderer too. Highly recommended, I'd give it 10 stars if I could!
November 16, 2025
Not a bad little mystery but at times heavily expository especially the conclusion which sees our murderer helpfully break it all down
October 22, 2025
I wanted to like this more than I did. I enjoy multiple points of view in storytelling, and I think unreliable narrators (to borrow a phrase) can be fun, but I just didn’t like this. In reading some of the other reviews it looks like I’ve missed something spectacular about this book. If I were a better writer I would find better words than, “This just really pissed me off.”
September 1, 2025
Buried Above Ground by Mike Ripley
This story is so heavy on exposition that it feels like all exposition. All tell, no show. On one hand, I guess we need to be told so much because things get so intertwined, with so many of the characters wrapped up in other characters (there really aren't that many but it seems like there are too many), and over such a long timeline, that getting told can seem like a good thing. But being told so much keeps us at a distance.
The work of mystery writer Duncan Torrens means something to someone, to several someones, and someone else isn't liking it that someone is digging around and asking questions. Maybe if the story was told...actually SHOWN differently, it would have caught me up in it more. It can be clever with its tangle of twists and turns but by the time we get to the confessions, I've "heard" too much.
This story does make me want to be very wary of digging into books, their authors, whatever is behind the publishing of books, and those who might think they deserve more (money) when it comes to books. Greed can be at the bottom of a lot of things and just might be at the bottom of a grave, above or below ground. Things get messy when Torrens book(s) almost give away the plot of what is really happening in the story. You'll need to pay attention but there will be an appendix that will fill you in on some of what you missed. Maybe it will help if you are a really sharp mystery reader, I was feeling pretty dull reading this one. I read this story with Jayme so be sure to check out her thoughts on the book.
Pub September 2, 2025
Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for this ARC.
This story is so heavy on exposition that it feels like all exposition. All tell, no show. On one hand, I guess we need to be told so much because things get so intertwined, with so many of the characters wrapped up in other characters (there really aren't that many but it seems like there are too many), and over such a long timeline, that getting told can seem like a good thing. But being told so much keeps us at a distance.
The work of mystery writer Duncan Torrens means something to someone, to several someones, and someone else isn't liking it that someone is digging around and asking questions. Maybe if the story was told...actually SHOWN differently, it would have caught me up in it more. It can be clever with its tangle of twists and turns but by the time we get to the confessions, I've "heard" too much.
This story does make me want to be very wary of digging into books, their authors, whatever is behind the publishing of books, and those who might think they deserve more (money) when it comes to books. Greed can be at the bottom of a lot of things and just might be at the bottom of a grave, above or below ground. Things get messy when Torrens book(s) almost give away the plot of what is really happening in the story. You'll need to pay attention but there will be an appendix that will fill you in on some of what you missed. Maybe it will help if you are a really sharp mystery reader, I was feeling pretty dull reading this one. I read this story with Jayme so be sure to check out her thoughts on the book.
Pub September 2, 2025
Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for this ARC.
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