Hunted on the Fens

DI Nikki Galena #3

by Joy Ellis

A vicious criminal is targeting DI Nikki Galena and her team. One by one he will hunt them down and destroy their lives, unless she can stop him first

DI Nikki Galena faces her toughest challenge yet. Can she save her team and herself from a cruel and determined adversary who will stop at nothing to harm Nikki and her colleagues? First she must work out who wants revenge against her or one of her detectives.

And what is the connection between the series of attacks on the police and the mystery of woman found dead in a seemingly impregnable locked room?

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Fiction, Thriller, Procedural, British Literature

302 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2014

About the author

Joy Ellis grew up in Kent but moved to London when she won an apprenticeship with the prestigious Mayfair florist, Constance Spry Ltd. Having run her own flower shop in Weybridge for many years, Ellis then worked as a bookseller until a trip to the Greek island of Skyros, where she took part in a writer's workshop with Sue Townsend, encouraged her to write her own books. Joy soon after moved to the Lincolnshire Fens, where she has spent many of years living among the countryside accompanied by her partner, Jacqueline, and her variety of springer spaniels. After many years of writing, Jasper Joffe, from Joffe Books, discovered Joy's work and approached her with the offer of becoming her new publisher. This new relationship introduced Joy's work to the fascinating world of ebooks and audible listening. Since their partnership, Joy's success has grown further than she could have ever imagined. She has recently celebrated her 10th UK No.1 book on the Amazon 'Best Sellers' chart, with her 9th instalment in the Jackman & Evans series, Solace House. Joy boasts a staggering estimated total over 3.4 million copies sold worldwide, and became a short-listed nominee at the British Book Awards, 2021.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in this series and it was action packed!

Someone is exacting vengeance on the police with Nikki Galena as the primary objective. Some of the attacks are vicious, some are psychological, but all of them are aimed at hurting Nikki by hurting her team, and presumably have the final intent of killing her. Just about everyone suffers in some way as the team try desperately to discover who the enemy is.

There was some great police work, a lot of very stressful moments, and a huge surprise (to me anyway) when the guilty party was finally exposed. And there was even time for a little bit of romance for Nikki which was nice.

This has the makings of a really, really good series. I am looking forward to #4.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is my new favorite series. I adore Nikki and her team. They are complex characters and I love watching them bond and grow as a team. In this book, someone is targeting them, doing his damnedest to pick them off. And leaving gruesome evidence for Nikki to find. At the same time, she’s got a murder to solve, one in which no one can figure out how the murderer gained ingress or egress to the murder scene. It’s a fast paced story and it grabbed me from the get go. There is so much going on in this book, it was just crazy. I didn’t have a clue as to who was behind it all.

I’ve been listening to this series and I have to say that the narrator, Henrietta Meike is the perfect choice to channel Nikki.

I’m so glad I still have so many of these mysteries ahead of me!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When inexplicable events began occurring - DI Nikki Galena's shed caught on fire and it was DS Joseph Easter who noticed it from his own home - then a horrific hit and run when one of her team was killed and one badly injured, Nikkie realised that one by one, it seemed she and her team were being targeted. Was it an old adversary who had been seen in the area? Or was it related to someone who Nikki's team had put away, years before. Little sleep and huge amounts of stress saw Nikki and Joseph pushed to the brink. Would they discover the person out to get them, before someone else lost their life?

Hunted on the Fens is the 3rd in the DI Nikki Galena series by Joy Ellis and it was brilliant! Gripping tension and a fast pace, I had trouble putting it down. I'm loving this series, and looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.

[Li'l Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Smokes!! So terrifying and chilling that it turned my blood to ice! And the massive, shocking, and twisted conclusion stopped my heart in it's tracks! Oh, and don't forget to breathe!!

⁣A different noise filled the air, one that Cat didn’t have time to understand.
She just knew that her head had become a kaleidoscope of fragmented reality.
And Danny was gone.
In one blurred second, one screaming moment, he had been hurtled forward through glass and wood and metal. Somehow he seemed to be riveted to the heavy grill of the massive vehicle that had mounted the pavement, and then he was lying at the back of the decimated shop, a limp and lifeless body in a heap of glass, broken display cabinets, blood and a myriad of colourful crushed cakes and pastries.
Instinct made Cat drag herself from the wreckage to see what had rammed them.
But all she saw was black. Everything was black. Paintwork, windows, and the plate where the license number should have been.
‘Bastard!’ she screamed. ‘You bastard!’ But the vehicle had already reversed away from the carnage it had caused and was screaming off down the road.
Sobbing, Cat ignored the sea of shattered glass that was tearing into her flesh, and crawled towards Danny Wilshire. She knew it was useless, but she needed to be with him, to beg him not to die, or to reassure him that if he did, the cute kid called Connor would know what a great guy his father had been.
Cat stayed for what seemed like an eternity, then she felt arms around her and a thermal blanket encasing her.
‘Bastard,’ she whispered, then let go, and allowed the screaming noises in her head to swallow her up, and all was darkness.

********
Hunted on the Fens by Joy Ellis is the third book in the DI Nikki Galena series and it's the best one yet! And that's really saying something as all the books have been stunning thus far!
This series is fast paced, laced with tension and terrifying events that chilled my blood, stopped my heart, and made me forget to breathe! Right off the start, the events that take place had me completely absorbed and I loathed to pause the story when life rudely interrupted me!
The characters in this series are rich, vibrant, & full of life! I quickly became attached to Nikki and her team in the first book and my fondness grows stronger with each installment in the series!
The stories take place on the Fenland islands in eastern England. Joy Ellis takes full advantage the unique, naturally marshy region to enhance the backdrop for each book.

I'm listening to the audiobooks for the entire series, which are all narrated by Henrietta Meier Oakley. Her 5★ performance enhances the books to a whole new level of enjoyment! I do wish that the characters voices could be a bit more distinguishable from each other but it doesn't take away from the overall performance.
Whether you choose to read or listen, this is a series not to be missed!

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book of the series. In what starts out as a classic mystery case, a dead woman is found in an impregnable locked room. Then the story takes a twist and someone is out to destroy Nikki and her team. Her team consists of Joseph, Cat, David and the boss is Inspector Bainbridge. Nikki’s daughter, Hannah, has just died and Joseph’s daughter is tricked into showing up and is put into danger. It appears the enemy knows about each of their lives and how to hurt them the most. Just as I thought I had the case solved, the author makes an abrupt change and I am sent off in another direction. Needless to say, the ending is a surprise.

The book is full of suspense, intrigue and enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The characters are interesting and Ellis continues to develop them in each book. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours long. Henrietta Meire does an excellent job narrating the series.

[Alan Cotterell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment, in this series. The team is working better together and some interesting character traits appearing. Several contenders for the culprit this time, but my first guess was correct

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunted On The Fens is a third book in DI Galena series and it delivers on all fronts. Twisted culprit, complex story, twists and turns a plenty - Joy Ellis knows how to write a gripping story for sure!
I love that series and looking forward to reading more Galena stories.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ripping through this series now! It helps that each book is fairly concise and tightly plotted.

Some time has passed since the events of the previous book. Joseph is not just renting the cottage closest to Nikki's, out on the Fens, but has had the time to purchase it and redecorate it as his own, including a tranquil guest room with his estranged daughter in mind. But as it turns out, it won't be the young woman who gets to use the room first, as Joseph offers it to Nikki as a refuge after a suspicious fire in one of her outbuildings has her fleeing her own home in the middle of the night.

Then one by one, each member of Nikki's team is struck by a devastating event - including one death - and the team has to quickly switch its focus from the murder they had been investigating, to working out which of their previous cases has left someone with such a strong sense of vengeance that they would resort to murder.

I think this was my favourite story to date, with the crime/s being so personal to the Lincolnshire cops. They were really under the pump, trying to prevent any further devastation, and I had my heart in my throat, convinced one of the regulars was going to be leaving the series...

Despite that, I did find myself drifting as I listened to the final few chapters. I don't think this is a reflection of the story, rather a sign for me to take a little break before I move on to #4.

Until we meet again, Nikki & Joseph.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Targets*

**4.5 Stars**

In this gripping instalment, DI Nikki Galena and her team find themselves in a perplexing case of murder in a locked room. The exclusive apartment boasts top-notch security, making it a baffling mystery. A criminal on the loose seems to have a vendetta against Nikki and her team, leaving them questioning how this murder occurred.

PC Danny Wiltshire, a policeman from a long line of officers in his family, is eager to join CID. Tragically, this is his first and last day on the job… is there a link between this case and the lockdown room murder?

As more attacks on Nikki’s team occur, she must pull out all the stops to stop the perpetrator. Each crime is meticulously planned, leaving no trace of DNA. The most unsettling aspect is the identity of the killer, who was not only in plain sight but has been playing a long game. When it becomes evident that a specialised set of skills is required, DS Joseph Easter, a former special forces o
soldier, is the perfect choice.

This instalment is incredibly addictive, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

[CL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of the DI Nikki Galena stories. I like her and her team's ability to work so well together. This story starts a little slow while they try to solve a locked room murder before it actually becomes apparent that the team is being targeted. DI Galena's garage is torched, a young policeman on loan to the team looses his life and they are not sure if the target was one of the team or just policemen, another team members bank accounts are drained, and DS Joseph Easter's daughter is used to manipulate him. Who is behind these incidents? Is it from a case they all worked on together and will they be able to solve this case before they loose another person of their team. Great Read!! I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunted on the Fens by Joy Ellis is the 3rd book in the D.I Nikki Galena Mystery series. Still griving over the recent death of her daughter, D.I. Nikki Galena returns to a locked room mystery of a professional killing of a wealthy innovator, only to find her team targetted by an unknown, crazed killer seeking vengeance.This series just gets better and batter. Plenty of suspense and heart-stopping action, but the team only get more determined and stronger. This book sees the last case for Superintendent Rick Bainbridge as he steps out to retirement. There is a hint of a relationship building between Nikki and Sergeant Easter. A superb and captivating thriller.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply thrilling!

This is my favourite by far of the series. (I have read number 4)
I read the whole novel on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. This book ran you right through the gamut of emotions - heartbreaking with a shocking death at the start of the novel, fear at the team being stalked by a madman leaving no clues and joy at the possible beginnings of a new relationship and the tenderness that surrounds it.
I won't give spoilers away but I SO hope the author has another DI Nikki Galena in the wings, (after 4) I don't think I can hang on for too long.
I'm off now to read more of the author's other novels.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This series just gets better and better. A impossible murder gets the ball rolling - one of those 'locked room' scenarios where no-one can work out how the killer got in and out of the apartment. Then an unfortunate hit-run accident that leaves one officer dead and another wounded. But was it an accident?

There is a developing sense of menace as Nikki Galena's team realise they are all targets of a ruthless and vindictive killer. But who is he? It appears he knows their every move and is always one step ahead of them. The team is genuinely frightened as this killer can seemingly strike at will.

There is great tension throughout. Nikki's team is just fantastic, you feel as if you really know and like these characters. And is that a budding romance developing between Nikki and Joseph Easter? Hmm, I'll have to pick up the next one before too long.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Galena and DSgt Easter are faced with a murder, a hit and run where a young PC is killed and a DC is seriously injured. There are threats and their personal space is invaded. All this on top of Nikki having just returned to work following her daughters funeral.

By far the best in this series. Plenty of action, methodical police-work and help from friends. Lots of techie stuff. The whole book centres upon the fictional town of Greensborough in the East Anglian Fen country. Lots of atmospheric description of this area, which is just creepy for me.

A very good read but if you are tempted start at No.1. Only slight issue is the proof reading which could be better as at the start Nikki was called a DCI and not DI and there are a few duplicated words.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

[Vicki - I Love Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fast becoming one of my favourite series of detective books. I just love the characters in this book.
​So I need to say a super big thank you to Netgalley, the author and Publishers for allowing me an ARC of this book.

​I recently read the first two books in this series, and here we are at book 3, and I have to say the books get better each time. I didn't think it would be possible.
The story really drags you in, and I find myself rooting for the characters all the way through.
​DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter just make the best partners ever. I love the way they interact, have banter but are a shoulder for each other when it's needed.
Another of the characters I really enjoy reading about is Cat. I loved her.

​I know its said too often about books, but by god this really is one hell of a page turner. As soon as you start it, it's obvious that nothing else is getting done. Read, read and read. Because all the way through you need to know what is going to happen next, then you are hit with another twist, which then stops you from putting the book down.

If I could have one complaint about this book then it would have to be that it wasn't long enough, but in fairness I don't think 1000 pages would have been long enough for me.
​I love it when reading a book that you manage to connect with the characters, and each individual one is different in their own right.

​So enough of me waffling on, As I said this is the 3rd book in the series, and personally I would say you need to read them in order to be able to get a good feel for the characters, and a back history of their lives.

​This book sends the team on one hell of a ride, their toughest case yet. Someone is out to harm them all in one way or another, the only problem is we don't know why. We get an idea of who they think it could be from early on, but the thing is have the team got it right, or are they chasing the wrong leads.

​A first class page turner and a must read for anyone who likes to follow a brilliant series of detective thrillers.

​I am so ready now for the next one, and I'm lucky enough to have it all ready on my kindle awaiting me starting it.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a page turner. I still like the team focus of this series. I also like the balance it achieves between the sophisticated use of technology and face-to-face human interaction, recognising the importance and contribution of both. Reading another in the series has not changed my view that the plots needs simplifying. I accept that police procedure of necessity involves dead ends and false leads. I think in this case, the last twist is a little ho-hum - clever, but more in the puzzle-solving tradition than the relationship/human observation and collaboration base that the series attempts to establish.

There is a lot to be said for an exploration of how personal issues impact on policing. It requires, I think, a bit more subtlety than this series has established so far.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Reader,

A stalker hell bent on the ultimate individual destruction and a locked room mystery all add to a compelling plot,carefully embroidered with enough twists,turns and red herrings to make even the most imaginative sleuth second guess their initial findings.

Yes,I loved seeing the lives and times of these wonderful characters and what befell each one of them as they ploughed the murky pasts of serious criminals to discover who was waging war against them in a deadly battle of wits.

While I’ve really delighted in this group,their camaraderie and their tunnel visioned exploits to stop evil in its tracts,I’ll be taking a short break to cleanse my palate. I’ve treated myself to the entire series so I’ll definitely be back. 😊

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite of the series, so far. Even though I'd hoped beyond hope that it wasn't him. :(

[AndrewP · Rating 4 out of 5]

The interesting thing about this series is that they seem to span the gap between small town British police procedural and the more sensational international thriller. The villains all have more wide reaching goals and motivations that just the local crime scene.

Some revelations and events at the end of this book mean there will be some changes going forth with the series.

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This is book 3 in the 'Fens' series by Joy Ellis. The suspense starts at the beginning and continues right to the end.

Joseph is on high alert when he smells smoke and springs into action in time to warn Nikki her garage is on fire. That is only the beginning of a chain of events that has the whole of her team watching each other's backs.

Nikki is still reeling from the death of her daughter and now she feels responsible for a young officer losing his life and another badly injured. Someone is after revenge but who and why is the question everyone is asking.

In addition they are trying to solve a murder where a woman is found dead in a locked room with state of the art security. The assassin is killed in a road accident leaving no clues and certainly no answers just more questions.


We learn more about the characters and their pasts in this book as well as following a complex case with multiple events that create an adrenaline pumping read that had me turning page after page.

Another gripping addition to a brilliant series with a totally unexpected ending - 5 golden stars from me

[die_lesende_Nachteule · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mittlerweile habe ich alle Bücher der Reihe, die bisher erschienen sind, gelesen und ich hatte nicht eins was mir nicht gefallen hat. Das Cover passt wieder sehr gut zum Inhalt und der Klappentext ist sehr vielversprechend.

Wie immer ist der Schreibstil flüssig zu lesen und die Story folgt einem roten Faden. Es gibt viele unerwartete Wendungen und es ist spannend von der ersten Seite. Wie immer hab ich das Buch relativ schnell beendet.

Die Protagonisten sind mir wieder sehr sympathisch und es sind einige nicht das was sie vorgeben zu sein. Das Ende war mal sehr überraschend mit dem Täter hätte ich definitiv nicht gerechnet.

Zusammenfassend gibt es für diesen Band 5 von 5 Sterne und eine Leseempfehlung. Ich bin sehr gespannt auf die weiteren Bücher der Autorin.

[Theweebarrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read an ARC of this book thanks to Netgalley for making this possible

wow this series gets better and better with each new book i read. This was another well written storyline that had me engrossed all the way through. Instead of slowing down the story picked up pace and had me turning page after page and not wanting to put it down.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very good read in this Fen series. The twists and turns in the plot keep the reader guessing right to the end. The relationships between DI Galena's team and their histories are becoming more interesting with each novel. I read the book in two sittings and am now really looking forward to the fourth in the series.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a disappointing first book, I'm getting to like DC Nikki Gallena more and more. She's a bit abrasive but mellowing by the minute! A bit of a shocker at the beginning, its a good story and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[Dawn Lawrence Read_with_Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, the whole series is great but each one gets better and better.

[Breia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoying this serious very much, even the possible love interest.

Onto book 4 after I race through a library book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series seems to be getting better and better.

[Sue Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series. My only complaint about this book is, why does the print have to be so tiny?