Murder on the Lake

DI Skelgill Investigates #4

by Bruce Beckham

BY THE TIME Detective Inspector Skelgill becomes the tenth person to be stranded on secluded Grisholm (Pigs’ Isle in Old Norse) where a writers’ retreat is taking place, one of the assembled literati is already dead.

Though natural causes seem to provide the explanation, a second apparently accidental death and a series of inexplicable experiences convince Skelgill that a cold and calculating killer is at large.

Set around Derwentwater in the English Lake District, this traditional whodunit sees Skelgill and his team striving to fathom a mystery that his superior officer suspects may be no more than his imagination at play.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Ebooks, Procedural, Amazon, British Literature

258 pages, ebook

First published January 4, 2015

About the author

BRUCE BECKHAM brings a lifelong love of the outdoors to the contemporary crime novel. An award-winning, Amazon best-selling writer and member of the UK Society of Authors, he pens fiendish plots, vivid wild scenes and compelling dramas.

His series 'Detective Inspector Skelgill Investigates' now extends to 24 standalone murder mysteries and 8 boxsets, and sells across five continents, from Japan and India to Brazil and the United States of America. Over one million copies have been downloaded worldwide.

Murder at Blind Beck (#25) was released in May 2025 and can be ordered at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK2XQ46Z

You are welcome to contact Bruce directly through the Goodreads message system or via his publisher, at this address: lucius-ebooks@live.com

To sign up for his monthly newsletter please click the website link above, or send a friend request or click 'follow' - to receive updates of free Kindle downloads and Goodreads giveaways.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love a good British mystery. Even crimes seem to be described in more polite, nicer terms. I like the manner of the detectives, and in this one, I liked Inspector Skelgill's ever-apparent air of distraction and sort of ineptitude that throws the suspects sort-of off, so their guard is kind-of down. I liked his obsession with fishing and completing a bet to catch a record pike, and how, his ability to attempt to win the bet was distracting him from the murder investigation-- but not really. He just made it seem that way, and it seemed to make him just a bit more clever. I liked the suspense both of "is he going to solve the crime" and "is he going to win his bet", and how the murderer ended up being the least likely of the bunch, for motives unthought of. I will definitely be reading more by this author. I received this book from the author for an honest review.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skelgill is fishing for pike on a lake during a storm. It seems he's made a bet to catch one weighing over 25 pounds inside of a month, and he's starting to run out of time, so he's out late. On an island, he sees a woman , and rows over as she appears to be signalling for help. There's a writers' retreat, and someone has died. Skelgill comes to the usual manse to investigate, and just about the time you're thinking this is going to be an Agatha Christie type deal, along come the police, and much of the rest of the book is set in London.

It all works pretty well, even though you know what's going to happen when Skelgill interrogates a redhead.

[J.B. Hawker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic British Detective Romp

Happily, this author obviously ignored current advice to aim writing to the fifth grade vocabulary. Although the first few complicated sentences required a shift in reading gears, once into the rhythm I was hooked like a pike and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delicious mix of murder and adventure, topped with a big fish story. Skelgill is out trying to catch that big one due to a bet against a deadline when he is heralded by a damsel in distress. That leads him to being stranded on an island in a large house where writers have come together for a workshop and murder is on the menu. Colorful characters and lively action for the team as they investigate the deaths of two in the group, one before Skelgill lands in the house and one after. His boat was sent off in the stormy waters with his phone, so this group is stuck there left pondering who in the group could be the murderer. After police rescue due to his found boat, the team makes a trip to London where interesting events unfold. A photo of Skelgill slugging a mugger hits the newspapers and another one showing him in a trendy restaurant with one of the suspects takes him off the case. Well, we know how that will end. Will he win the bet? Read the book to find out.

Kindle Unlimited

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Inspector Skelgill begins to head back in after a day of fishing, a young woman on an island flags him down. She came for writing retreat held on the island's mostly abandoned country home, and now a publisher attending the retreat died. Because she and the others agreed to leave technology behind, their means of contacting the proper officials suffers. The inspector introduces himself as the authority. He views the body and expects nothing suspicious until his secured boat disappears from the island. Too late to do anything else, he spends the night on the island with them. By morning another member of the party dies, and officials find Skelgill's boat and show up at the island. This cross between a country house locked-room mystery and police procedural presents an interesting case, but its telling needs some work. It needed better editing. The use of em dashes for commas in many places drove me crazy.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway, thanks to the author, Bruce Beckham and Goodreads for my my copy. This was an "out of the box" mystery read for me and I was leaning more towards a 3.5 star rating. I enjoyed how the mystery started immediately and each chapter kept it moving with showing the days and times along with the "whodunnit" that kept me guessing until the end. I just got bogged down in the English terminology and not knowing what some of the words meant. I do like series with re-occurring characters, so I would probably like trying another book in the Inspector Skelgill series since this one seemed to work as a stand-alone book and the mystery aspect held my attention to the end.

[Italo Italophiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully entertaining. Turn off the TV and pick up a Skelgill book!

The author has created a very entertaining protagonist for his police procedural series in police inspector Skelgill. If you enjoy the Dalziel from Yorkshire police procedurals, you'll certainly enjoy the Skelgill from Cumbria stories. There is lots of local flavor from Cumbria's Lake District, especially in the person of Skelgill, a native, heart, soul and tongue.

In this book, the first I've read in the series (but it will not be my last!), I found well-defined characters, an interesting country-manor murder plotline, polished and erudite English, and a clear, direct style that puts the focus on the reader's fly-on-the-wall perspective of the events and ensuing investigation. You need to be familiar with British culture to get the most out of the story, however.

To get a bit technical here, the author uses expertly the 3rd person objective narrative style, that presents the story as if we were watching a film. However, he expands the narrative at times using a very creative solution for integrating an omniscient viewpoint of the events, usually with a humorous tone, which adds to the entertainment of the novel. The author uses beautifully the present tense for his storytelling, and skillfully works in events from the past, never faltering in his verb use. The editing is expert.

This is a book for intelligent, active readers, ones who know how to read between the lines. It is not for passive readers who need everything spelled out for them. For perceptive readers, there is so much to enjoy in this book, especially the humor that runs through the entire story, often centered around Skelgill, who is usually oblivious to how much amusement he leaves in his wake, adding to the fun.

Wonderfully entertaining. Turn off the TV and pick up a Skelgill book!

[Tony Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Daniel “Dan” Skelgill (Cumbria CID) & 10 other PPL are stranded on the secluded Grisholm Island (Pigs’ Isle in Old Norse).
Grisholm Hall is hosting & housing a writers’ WE Wordsworth Writers’ Retreat.
Lucy Hecate (26, aspiring writer) is the 1st. 1 Dan meets.
Dickie Lampray (59, literary agent) introduced: Abel Thurnwyke (boatman) Linda Gray (46, chef, cook books), Rich Buckley (45, book publisher), Gerald Bond (retired GP, Inspector, guide books) Angela Cutting (37, literary critic), Bella Mandrake (39, actress, aspiring writer), Burt Boston (42, ex-SAS, war writer), Sarah Redmond (34, aka Xara, mystery writer) & Dr. Gerald Bond (62, aspiring writer).

Rich Buckley (aspiring writer) was found dead.
Harry Cobble had found a boat adrift.
Bella had OD & too much alcohol.
What did DS Leyton (m) & DS Emma Jones (26, f) learn from Ms. Constance Belgrave (mgr. director Rich Buckley Publishing Limited)?
All those who survived the retreat were interviewed.

Were the 2 victims murdered?

Mr Mrs Dr (.)

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written mystery book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.

Thank you for the free Lucius; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Karen Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stayed up most of the night finishing this one... just couldn't wait to find out not only the name and motive of the murderer, but also to work through the case with Inspector Skelgill.

Skelgill is out fishing during a raging storm, hoping to catch a huge pike and win a bet, when he sees a woman running along the island's edge. She beacons him in and tells him there's been a death. Skelgill, of course, rows over, ties up his boat and enters into the strange world of writers, publishers, literary critics, and literary agents. The death of a small time publisher appears to be natural and with Skelgill's boat adrift upon the lake, he and the Writer's Retreat members are stuck on the island until the storm dies down. Luckily, they have food and a chef (who's a cookery book writer) so they settle in for a good meal, conversation, drinks, and a killer game of Scrabble. Skelgill heads to bed first, as he's not feeling well which is unusual for him, and wakes to find DS Leyton and DS Jones trying to wake him and telling him there's another death.

The cast of characters are interesting, and the writing is lovely as always. I'm a little bit in love with DI Skelgill... he's a very different kind of detective.

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast becoming one of my 'go-to' authors and after a short break it was back to number 4 in the author's series set in the Lakes.

Daniel Skelgill is the kind of policeman that you enjoy reading about. The stories arent too heavy, there is no glorification of violence and the nearest to sex that he gets in this book is an appreciative glance at tight female attire and a little cleavage.

This story starts and finishes with Skelgill in his boat on Derwentwater , in search of an illusive pike. There is a classic setting of a party of literary folk on retreat on an island without any contact with the outside world. Then there is a death and the fishing is over.

As usual a nicely worked plot with clearly defined characters, ( I wonder if the authors habit of always mentioning both christian and surname of the people helps in this respect), with a bit of good humour thrown in too.

Also from spending almost 10 years nearby, I knew the word 'Bumfit' although I have never managed to get it onto a scrabble board , let alone scoring so many !

Bring on the next.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

In book 4 we again have Skelgill stumbling onto a crime scene rather than being assigned. This time is it a writer's retreat in an isolated home. He along with his trusty DSs will delve into the participants backgrounds and history to ferret out the killer.
Reading these in series the DI Smart will take over your case if you can't keep up. Is already tiresome. Thus the 4 stars.

[Beaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

didn't think i would enjoy this but it was very good. Had no idea who the murderer was

[Cornerofmadness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Technically a 3.5 read but I rounded up a little because I'm more lenient on self pubbers because everything is on them. I did win this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review but that in no way affected my review.

I do, however, want to break this into two pieces for the review because I liked the mystery more than the style so let me tackle them separately.

Inspector Daniel Skelgill is not just a homicide detective but also a highly dedicated fisherman. He is out on the titular lake trying to land a monster pike in order to win a massive bet. He is flagged over to Grisholm island by a young girl braving the storm. She takes him to an old estate there where someone has died at an author's retreat. Skelgill learns that publisher, Buckley has died, maybe of a heart attack. Others at the retreat include three other pros, Angela Cutting, wealthy book critic, Dickie Lampray, agent and Sarah Redmond, mystery writer along with wanna-be authors, Lucy Hecate, who flagged him down, Burt Boston, a self-proclaimed SAS agent, Dr Bond, Linda Gray, chef and Bella Mandrake, actress and would-be author.

As he goes back to his boat and get his cell phone (the retreat has no electricity or phones), Skelgill finds his boat has become unmoored and is gone (he suspects someone did it). As the body count rises, Skelgill and his team have to run down all the players in this strange game.

I liked the mystery part and the dialog was good. I will say I didn't think it possible really to solve it fully. I figured out who but you couldn't figure out why since that piece really isn't out there until after the fact.

Now as to style, I have to say the characters weren't that well developed well Skelgill was but not so much his two underlings Jones and Leyton (and I could have done without the vaguely homophobic references to the type of men who drink Earl Grey tea). But this is book four and maybe I'm supposed to know them already.

That aside, it is hard to get to know the characters because of the style of writing which could use...I'm not sure what really. It's a close third person on Skelgill most of the time but it's also distant. It's like the narrator is a step removed from the characters and adds a level of distance to it all. It's also present tense which leads to a lot of awkward phrasings. There's plenty of telling instead of showing which really almost made me knock it back a star but I felt generous tonight. Over all though, I enjoyed it.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

While out fishing on the lake, Inspector Skelgill is drawn into an unfolding mystery: sudden death, or is it murder? Well, the title is probably a bit of a clue.

This is the first book I've read in this series and it worked well for me as a standalone novel. It's a quiet sort of mystery. It's based largely in the world of publishers, agents and aspiring writers, making the book a reflection on the circumstances of its own creation.

It was a lot of fun to read. The mystery unravelled effectively, although we aren't given sufficient information to be sure of our conclusions until the Inspector lets us into the details. Skelgill's ongoing fishing preoccupation also contributed to a satisfying conclusion.

A few things jolted a little. Notably, the author's London seems very small compared to the city I know, although it probably has to be otherwise the characters would spend half their time in transit. Also, I'm impressed by the amount of money that characters seem to earn given the lifestyles they keep (one-bedroom flats in Zone 1 on retail pay?), but these are minor quibbles brought on by bitter experience.

The police officers in this book do seem to eat out a lot. This book has left me craving a pie and a pint, but then, that's probably the effect of spending Sunday lunchtime reading. If it hadn't been a good book, I'd have put it down when I got hungry...

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the 4th of 8 Inspector Skelgill murder mysteries which is set in the English lakes district (use google maps for reference if you are as unfamiliar with English geography as am I), with additional travel to London and Edinburgh. Inspector Skelgill is like fishing when a storm forces him to seek shelter on an island. Unfortunately, there's been a deal at a writer's retreat and there's no means of communication. After joining the writers for a meal and a parlor game, Skelgill falls asleep under suspicious circumstances. Upon awakening, he's confronted by one of his investigations team and finds not one, but two corpses are at the retreat. Fast paced, populated with interesting characters, Bruce Beckham leads the reader through the English and Scottish countryside to a satisfying conclusion with surprises along the way. I enjoyed this book and will be looking for others of the series. Once again as a lucky winner of a free copy via goodreads giveaways, thanks to goodreads for introducing me to yet another outstanding author.

[Evelyn Grabas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune to pick up and read. It was tedious, confusing, boring and did nothing more than lead the reader, blindfolded and in the dark, through the inane meanderings of Inspector Skelgill, until, the blindfold was taken off, the lights turned on and lo and behold the Inspector pulls the rabbit out of the hat and says , here is your murderer and here is the motive. Not a clue, not a mention of anything that he was observing, thinking or deducing, just BAM, here's the solution and how it was done. When have you ever seen Holmes, Poirot, Wolfe, etc. pull that kind of stuff. It takes all the fun out of reading a mystery. I read a book in a day or, max, two, but this took me forever, as I had to force myself to pick it up and read it, if for no other reason but curiosity. But you can bet I will NEVER read an Inspector Skelgill book again.

[Amy Peck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing in comparison to first 3 books in series

The first three books in the Inspector Skelgill series were pure joy to read. Each was better than the one before. Well developed plots and very detailed yet nuanced quirky characters and relationships - adding that extraordinarily special dimension to the stories. Who done it almost becomes secondary to what will happen to Skelgill and Jones. Compared to those, this story is flat. Yes, the plot is okay, but that's all. It's missing the character development and their relationships that differentiates an okay mystery from a great story. This one could have been investigated by DI Joe Shmoe. The more I read, the more I felt like Mr. Beckham was only phoning it in. Hopefully this is just an aberration and that book 5 will continue where book 3 left off. Thanks.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this, my first D. I. Daniel Skelgill murder mystery. I read it on a plane from Melbourne to London on my way to an embroidery retreat in the Lakes District. In other circumstances I’d have given it 3.5 stars. It was a good choice. The Lakes District is more than a setting. It has the force of a character , helping to shape events.

The use of the present continuous was initially odd but I adapted quickly.

I reread this book 9 months later, having failed to remove it from my ‘to read’ list. While it seemed familiar, I did not remember any of the details, so engaged with the repeat read. The intense focus on Skelgill’s actions and thought processes is both the strength and weakness of the book. It is the counterbalance of the Lakes District itself that prevents the reader getting bored with Skelgill. The plot is a little too sketchy to engage the reader.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mystery story but I had a little trouble getting into it but once I did I really enjoyed the mystery. Some of the language is overwhelming and I think more every day language would have worked better and would be easier to understand.
This book reminds me of Agatha Christie's 10 Little Indians or later called Than There Were None.
On an isolated island are 9 writers, publishers or agents for the book industry. One of them ends up dead which seems to be normal circumstances. Inspector Skelgill who was out fishing when a storm came about ended up on the island. When a second death happens he gets suspicious and thinks there is a killer on the island. Read the book to see how the mystery unravels.

[Harry Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot seems to be a variant of Christie's "And Then There Were None." Skelgill, in improbable circumstances, finds himself on an isolated island with nine other people, one of whom is dead. The death appears natural, but is followed by another, which also looks to be accidental. But the events cause questions, and Skelgill and his team are off to find answers. There is a bit of coziness to Beckham's narrative, also some interesting details about life in the north of England. Skelgill's thought processes are far from transparent, and the byplay among the characters occasionaly strikes me as obtuse.

[Dee Cash · Rating 2 out of 5]

BORING

The most boring murder mystery I have ever attempted to read. I actually stopped reading two or three times and read something else to conclusion. It was that boring. I can't start a book without finishing it therefore I did so. It was difficult. The two stars are for proper English and puncture.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent entry in this series. I enjoy following Detectives Skelgill, Leyton, and Jones through the trials of a murder investigation. This time there are two murders for them to work through. As always, Skelgill's two favorite pastimes, fishing and eating, play their parts.

[Becky Almon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good yarn

The plot is pretty good, but the prose style is awkward. There could also have been more development of the characters.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder on the Lake had me guessing and kept me reading. Very good. I quite enjoy Skelgill and his crew. I hope there will be many more books to read. Waiting for the next new book!

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable yarn from Bruce Beckham.
DI Skelgill almost finds himself in a plot by Agatha Christie, namely And Then There Were None. While fishing he finds himself in the middle of a storm. Rowing to shelter on a small island he finds himself summoned for help by a lone woman. She takes him to the big house on the island. Inside are people who have come to a writers retreat and one of their number is dead. There is no electricity, no one has a mobile phone and just when Skelgill thinks he may be able to row off for help he finds his boat (expertly tied up) has gone. So he settles in to get to know his housemates and, wouldn���t you know it, there is another death in the night.
So far no one is talking murder but Skelgill knows something is not right.
Eating his way around Britain from the Lakes, to London and up to Edinburgh (that man does like his food) Skelgill and his crew interview the remaining guests to try to unravel a devious plan.
Skelgill is an interesting character, obviously fit and attractive though more in tune with fish than people but very intuitive when it comes to solving crimes. He is ably assisted by DS Jones (with just a little frisson between them) and the faithful DS Leyton.
If you like the characters that’s half the battle. I’m ready for book five now.

[Jacki Beights · Rating 4 out of 5]

A difficult read for me

Although I enjoyed the storyline, I had a difficult time following the clues and humor of this novel. Eventually I determined I didn't understand the British idioms and other verbiage to be able to completely trace any connections that would be apparent to someone British. The dictionary used by my kindle almost never provided a definition for words that puzzled me. Close to the finish I thought it would have been better if I had graphed it like a family tree from the beginning but I by then was confused enough I didn't think it was worth the time needed. By then I just wanted to quit reading and go on to something that didn't tax my poor brain, like a joke book. Really sorry. A big plus for the text in general. The visuals engendered by the words used in the text were wonderful. Those I understood and were generously sprinkled throughout the book. So the visuals were great, the clues not so much.

[LeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a little different from the others in this series. This time, Inspector Skelgill became a part of the murder scene. He was out on the lake when a storm blew up and was flagged down from his boat to help a group of people trapped on an island with no electricity and no way to communicate with the outside world. There had been a death of one of them there. When his boat mysteriously floated away with all of his gear, including his cell phone, Skelgill found himself stuck on the island with them. Then another person was found dead the next morning. Once the storm past and contact was made, the investigation began from there. This took the Inspector and his helpers to London to interview all the attendees. Was it murder or two accidental deaths? Murder, of course. A good resolution to the mystery.

[Peacejanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from a Goodreads contest in exchange for an honest review. This is one of a mystery series featuring a delightful detective inspector in the Lake District in England. Daniel Skelgill is a detective by profession but a fisherman by desire. While he is out fishing in a great storm (to catch a big fish to win a bet) he sees a young woman on a small uninhabited island. He gets closer to her and she asks for help saying someone has died on the island.
It is a writers' retreat and eight people are still alive. Skelgill has no choice but to land his boat and investigate. While the storm rages, the boat is set loose by someone, leaving Skelgill on the island. A second person is found dead and Skelgill has to wait for additional people to arrive. This complex mystery has unusual clues and suspects - reminds me of Agatha Christie.

[Netti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der coole, schnippische Präsens-Stil ist gewöhnungsbedürftig. Er wirkte anachronistisch auf mich, am Anfang schien mir die Handlung in den 70ern oder sogar 50ern angesiedelt... als DI Skelgill das Kaminzimmer von Grisholm Hall betritt, hatte ich das Bild auf der Verpackung meines uralten Clue Game vor Augen...

...und musste bald darauf eine geistige Vollbremsung machen, als der Begriff "mobile telephone" auftauchte.

Nachdem ich mich in den ungewöhnlichen Stil "eingelebt" hatte, war es ein netter britischer Krimi mit sarkastischem Unterton. Der Leser sitzt jedoch im Zuschauerrang und kann sich nicht an den Ermittlungen beteiligen, denn es werden ihm entscheidende Informationen vorenthalten. Ich mag lieber Krimis, in denen ich miträtseln kann.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I typically enjoy British mysteries, but this one disappointed me. I had a hard time with the way it was written in the present tense. It seemed awkward. For the most part, it was a boring read but I kept plunging on to find out who the murderer was and what the motive could have been. When the reveal finally came it was anti-climactic as I suspected the person right from the start and the motive did not make much sense. There were some minor things, like the constant use of 'Guv' and the boring fishing details that were annoying. I do appreciate that the author offered the book for free on Bookbub, and I was really glad that it was free because had I bought it, I would have felt it was not worth the money.