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Mersey Murder Mysteries #5
A Very Mersey Murder
1966. England wins the soccer World Cup. The same night, a barmaid's body is discovered near an abandoned lighthouse. Two more murders follow; all remain unsolved. 2005. D.I. Andy Ross is called in when a disturbingly similar series of murders begins in the same location. If their estimates are correct, Ross and his team have one week to solve the case before the next Lighthouse Murder takes place. D.I. Ross and Sergeant Izzie Drake seek to apprehend the vicious killer. But with few clues and even less evidence, can they catch him in time? ★★★★★ - "Will keep you on the edge of your seat." ★★★★★ - "Kudos to Porter for continuing to deliver quality stories with powerful messages and imagery."
- GenresMystery
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2018
About the author
Brian L. Porter
75 books72 followersFormerly a member of the Royal Air Force, Brian L Porter is an award-winning author, and a dedicated dog rescuer, with the distinction of having more than twenty Amazon #1 bestsellers to his name. He has written under three pseudonyms, with bestsellers coming under each of his writing guises. The majority of those have come under his Brian L Porter name with four coming under his Harry Porter and Juan Pablo Jalisco names.
Nowadays, he divides his time between writing his popular Mersey Murder Mystery series of books, and his immensely successful true-life Family of Rescue Dogs series, all featuring the dogs that form part of his own family, and all having been Amazon #1 bestsellers.
Nowadays, he divides his time between writing his popular Mersey Murder Mystery series of books, and his immensely successful true-life Family of Rescue Dogs series, all featuring the dogs that form part of his own family, and all having been Amazon #1 bestsellers.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 9, 2018
One thing's for sure, I'm a fan of mystery series. When I find a new one I like, such as the Mersey Murder Mysteries, I have to devour them all. I usually read in order, but I found this one after several books had been published, so now I'm backtracking to catch up before #6 comes out soon. Today, I'm reviewing A Very Mersey Murder by Brian L. Porter.
The series focuses on a core group of British policemen and policewomen who handle special crimes--usually ones with complexity and longevity. In this edition, the first series of crimes happen in 1966 when three women were brutally attacked and killed. We read in the first few chapters what happens to one of the victims after she leaves a pub to walk home in a very quiet town. It's not so quiet anymore. Then we jump 39 years later to when the murders start happening again in the same exact method and order. If what happened in the past rings true again, the third victim will be a policewoman. Will one of our beloved Mersey heroines say a final goodbye? Add in a few chapters where someone in the current time frame has found the killer's old journal... and shares a little about the creepy nut's imagination and emotional state. Is it the killer reading from the journal, or just someone else who found it? You'll never guess until the very end!
Of the three I've read, this is by far my favorite in the series. Porter adeptly creates a believable and charismatic set of characters who work together to solve major crimes. Sometimes they fight, sometimes they bond. But they always try to find the killer in as little time as possible. When we meet some of the victims and her friends, colleagues and acquaintances, we feel a connection to the story and the lives being impacted by the crime. Add in some side stories with adoption, illegitimate children, gender identity issues, unrequited love, and friendship, the entire book is so well-rounded, I found it hard to put down.
At times, Porter's story is visceral and graphic, but also tasteful. Some readers may shy away from the gory details and delicate topics being covered, but if you can handle them, you'll be thrilled with how this comes together. Just when you think you've figured out who the culprit could be 39 years ago and who it is today, you're thrown another curveball. Up until the very end, you're not sure if it's the same person, two different relatives, a copycat, or just a random series of events. That's good writing, plot development, and suspense!
I encourage everyone to read Porter's books, but I must say... I'm old-school and traditional -- read them in order so you can cherish and enjoy all the little nuggets along the way. It's not necessary, as each is a standalone mystery novel, but you'll get to know the characters even better if you see them age and understand their relationships. Regardless, they're well-drawn, complicated, and full of life. You know their likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. Kudos to Porter for continuing to push his readers and deliver quality story with powerful messages and imagery. And if you just want a standalone murder mystery, this will still be a fantastic one to enjoy.
The series focuses on a core group of British policemen and policewomen who handle special crimes--usually ones with complexity and longevity. In this edition, the first series of crimes happen in 1966 when three women were brutally attacked and killed. We read in the first few chapters what happens to one of the victims after she leaves a pub to walk home in a very quiet town. It's not so quiet anymore. Then we jump 39 years later to when the murders start happening again in the same exact method and order. If what happened in the past rings true again, the third victim will be a policewoman. Will one of our beloved Mersey heroines say a final goodbye? Add in a few chapters where someone in the current time frame has found the killer's old journal... and shares a little about the creepy nut's imagination and emotional state. Is it the killer reading from the journal, or just someone else who found it? You'll never guess until the very end!
Of the three I've read, this is by far my favorite in the series. Porter adeptly creates a believable and charismatic set of characters who work together to solve major crimes. Sometimes they fight, sometimes they bond. But they always try to find the killer in as little time as possible. When we meet some of the victims and her friends, colleagues and acquaintances, we feel a connection to the story and the lives being impacted by the crime. Add in some side stories with adoption, illegitimate children, gender identity issues, unrequited love, and friendship, the entire book is so well-rounded, I found it hard to put down.
At times, Porter's story is visceral and graphic, but also tasteful. Some readers may shy away from the gory details and delicate topics being covered, but if you can handle them, you'll be thrilled with how this comes together. Just when you think you've figured out who the culprit could be 39 years ago and who it is today, you're thrown another curveball. Up until the very end, you're not sure if it's the same person, two different relatives, a copycat, or just a random series of events. That's good writing, plot development, and suspense!
I encourage everyone to read Porter's books, but I must say... I'm old-school and traditional -- read them in order so you can cherish and enjoy all the little nuggets along the way. It's not necessary, as each is a standalone mystery novel, but you'll get to know the characters even better if you see them age and understand their relationships. Regardless, they're well-drawn, complicated, and full of life. You know their likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. Kudos to Porter for continuing to push his readers and deliver quality story with powerful messages and imagery. And if you just want a standalone murder mystery, this will still be a fantastic one to enjoy.
June 23, 2018
A Very Mersey Murder by Brian L. Porter is the fifth installment in the British author’s mystery series featuring the acerbic Inspector Andy Ross and his affable sidekick, Sgt. Izzie Drake. They find themselves challenged to establish a connection between a cold case dating back four decades and a similar homicide on Liverpool’s front pages. Joining the hunt are Stan Coleman, the original detective on the Lighthouse Murders case, along with newbies Kat Bellamy and Fiona Morris. Their investigation leads them to the doorstep of the aptly-named Cretingham family. Only Andy Ross has a gut instinct that this gift-wrapped package provides a far too simple solution.
The element of time plays a major role in the author’s whodunit. DNA testing, along with the narrowing focus on the Cretinghams, seem to make it an open-and-shut case. Yet the unreliability of witness and suspects’ recollections create constant imbalance throughout the plot. The sexual aberrations of the Cretinghams make them all the more suspicious. Yet Ross and Drake feel there’s something missing. And it’ll keep you turning pages until they’ve got it all worked out.
Once again, mystery fans and suspense readers won’t want to miss this one. You’ll be wanting Porter to keep those Mersey mysteries coming.
The element of time plays a major role in the author’s whodunit. DNA testing, along with the narrowing focus on the Cretinghams, seem to make it an open-and-shut case. Yet the unreliability of witness and suspects’ recollections create constant imbalance throughout the plot. The sexual aberrations of the Cretinghams make them all the more suspicious. Yet Ross and Drake feel there’s something missing. And it’ll keep you turning pages until they’ve got it all worked out.
Once again, mystery fans and suspense readers won’t want to miss this one. You’ll be wanting Porter to keep those Mersey mysteries coming.
September 30, 2018
Mersey Murder Series
This is the 5th book in the Mersey Murder Series. DI Andy Ross' team is assigned a murder case with similarities to a case from 1966. How the team works the current case and solves both cases makes for an internal interesting story. There is also another murder uncovered that is not related to the main murder case which was a unique twist to the story. A good read, but found a few mistakes so could have been edited a bit better.
This is the 5th book in the Mersey Murder Series. DI Andy Ross' team is assigned a murder case with similarities to a case from 1966. How the team works the current case and solves both cases makes for an internal interesting story. There is also another murder uncovered that is not related to the main murder case which was a unique twist to the story. A good read, but found a few mistakes so could have been edited a bit better.
May 31, 2018
Another hit for Mr Porter. I really love this series. The ongoing story of DCI Ross’s team is really good, I enjoy finding out different things about them. Saying that these books can be read as stand alone books.
I’m usually very good at guessing who did it, but not with these books. Kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. Can’t wait for the next one.
I’m usually very good at guessing who did it, but not with these books. Kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. Can’t wait for the next one.
September 25, 2018
This is an awesome mystery and will leave you on the edge of your seat. The book is based on murders that happened in 1966.
Then years later the murders are starting over again. I kept trying to guess who the murderer was, just couldn’t figure anything out for the life of me. The author does a great job in keeping you in suspense.
I was hooked from the first chapter.
This book definitely deserves more than 5 stars.
Then years later the murders are starting over again. I kept trying to guess who the murderer was, just couldn’t figure anything out for the life of me. The author does a great job in keeping you in suspense.
I was hooked from the first chapter.
This book definitely deserves more than 5 stars.
July 5, 2018
Tick, Tick, Tock goes the clock for both reader and story in this awe inspiring book. For a reader who isn't familiar with the series or the genre that this book hails from, it was a heck of a read! Filled with new details in each chapter and fresh characters; a surprise at the end when the killer is revealed... You'll read far, far past your bedtime with this one, guaranteed! - amazon.com/author/joyjohnsonwrit3r
July 5, 2018
Another Story in the Intense Mersey Murder Mystery Series
A Very Mersey Murder, by Brian L. Porter, is yet another story in the Mersey Series. Porter follows suit with his unique story telling ability. I have read the entire series and will continue to follow it.
This story kept me on edge. Porter has the ability to throw out clues and leads that make you change your mind just when you think you’ve got the killer figured out. This was an intense and twisted plot that I read in one sitting because the words, the plot, flows continually. Not only that, I follow along easily because I once lived in England and have an affinity for the place.
That said, I also understood the various language brogues that Porter presents. Though not being familiar with accents and idiosyncrasies of language according to area or town, it wasn’t difficult to know why a certain character’s dialogue was not the same as some of the other characters.
Porter’s writing draws the reader in until they feel a part of England and the story locales. At least it does for me. This story is edgy and sometimes brutal, but all in line with the type of mystery he presents. He knows how to describe the indescribable, the sign of a seasoned author.
A Very Mersey Murder, by Brian L. Porter, is yet another story in the Mersey Series. Porter follows suit with his unique story telling ability. I have read the entire series and will continue to follow it.
This story kept me on edge. Porter has the ability to throw out clues and leads that make you change your mind just when you think you’ve got the killer figured out. This was an intense and twisted plot that I read in one sitting because the words, the plot, flows continually. Not only that, I follow along easily because I once lived in England and have an affinity for the place.
That said, I also understood the various language brogues that Porter presents. Though not being familiar with accents and idiosyncrasies of language according to area or town, it wasn’t difficult to know why a certain character’s dialogue was not the same as some of the other characters.
Porter’s writing draws the reader in until they feel a part of England and the story locales. At least it does for me. This story is edgy and sometimes brutal, but all in line with the type of mystery he presents. He knows how to describe the indescribable, the sign of a seasoned author.
June 10, 2018
This is the 5th book in the series and my favourite so far. Its set in Merseyside and Detective Inspector Andy Ross and his team are out to solve the latest murders and the murders from 1966 when no one was convicted. Are the murders committed by the same person ? You will have to read this gripping book to find out . Its full of twists and turns and keeps you gripped to the very end .
August 30, 2026
Really enjoyed this book. I was tempted to give it five stars but I virtually never rate something five stars. Always figure it could have been better.
The book starts in 1966, July 30th to be exact. If you know your English Football history you will recognize the date as when England defeated Germany to win the World Cup (it's first and only one so far). We join a crowd celebrating in a pub in Liverpool. Unfortunately one of the barmaids is raped and murdered on her way home, and this is followed by two more rape and murders of young ladies. Case is never solved. We then move to August of 2005. It seems two murders have recently been committed. When the news reports hit the media the officer who presided over the 1966 investigation came forward and pointed out that these murders were carbon-copies of the first two murders in his old case. That means there is likely to be a third murder. Thus the case is assigned to the Merseyside Police Force's Specialist Murder Investigation Team. The briefing for the team is where we get most of the details of the case. We also learn that if the killer follows the pattern the third victim will be a female police officer.
From there we follow the team in their investigation through all the twists and turns that it takes. They are joined at times by the officer who led the initial investigation. As well a profiler who has worked with them before joins them about half-way through the book. As well their superior officer pops in now and again and even his superior shows herself at least once. One aspect ot this case is that they don't know why these murders are taking pace now. Has the original killer suddenly reappeared on the scene for some reason, or is there someone out there that has knowledge of the first killings and has now decided to recreate them.
Of course once all is said and done they not only manage to solve the case, and prevent the third murder but they also solve the original murders as well. They are even able to solve an old murder which no one knew about. Mind you quite a bit goes into all this, after all it is 266 pages so if you want to find out how they accomplish all this you are just going to have to read the book.
A few further comments. I found the characters interesting. They are definitely a varied lot. One of the detectives is German and is mentioned as being on loan. I admit I have heard of that in Football but never in police matters. Speaking of Football, there are a couple of references to the game but it doesn't dominate the story as you think it might, given the opening of the book. Mind you, I will admit that the Football connection is what prompted me to buy it in the first place. There is a reference at the beginning to their most recent case. As far as I can tell that case was not covered in a book. Probably just as well as if you read that one after this one then it is spoiled for you. There are also a few twists and turns that you leave you wondering what is going on. There is for instance a trans character who you wonder if they are connected to the case or not.
So I definitely recommend this one. I am planning on reading more of this series. Happy reading.
The book starts in 1966, July 30th to be exact. If you know your English Football history you will recognize the date as when England defeated Germany to win the World Cup (it's first and only one so far). We join a crowd celebrating in a pub in Liverpool. Unfortunately one of the barmaids is raped and murdered on her way home, and this is followed by two more rape and murders of young ladies. Case is never solved. We then move to August of 2005. It seems two murders have recently been committed. When the news reports hit the media the officer who presided over the 1966 investigation came forward and pointed out that these murders were carbon-copies of the first two murders in his old case. That means there is likely to be a third murder. Thus the case is assigned to the Merseyside Police Force's Specialist Murder Investigation Team. The briefing for the team is where we get most of the details of the case. We also learn that if the killer follows the pattern the third victim will be a female police officer.
From there we follow the team in their investigation through all the twists and turns that it takes. They are joined at times by the officer who led the initial investigation. As well a profiler who has worked with them before joins them about half-way through the book. As well their superior officer pops in now and again and even his superior shows herself at least once. One aspect ot this case is that they don't know why these murders are taking pace now. Has the original killer suddenly reappeared on the scene for some reason, or is there someone out there that has knowledge of the first killings and has now decided to recreate them.
Of course once all is said and done they not only manage to solve the case, and prevent the third murder but they also solve the original murders as well. They are even able to solve an old murder which no one knew about. Mind you quite a bit goes into all this, after all it is 266 pages so if you want to find out how they accomplish all this you are just going to have to read the book.
A few further comments. I found the characters interesting. They are definitely a varied lot. One of the detectives is German and is mentioned as being on loan. I admit I have heard of that in Football but never in police matters. Speaking of Football, there are a couple of references to the game but it doesn't dominate the story as you think it might, given the opening of the book. Mind you, I will admit that the Football connection is what prompted me to buy it in the first place. There is a reference at the beginning to their most recent case. As far as I can tell that case was not covered in a book. Probably just as well as if you read that one after this one then it is spoiled for you. There are also a few twists and turns that you leave you wondering what is going on. There is for instance a trans character who you wonder if they are connected to the case or not.
So I definitely recommend this one. I am planning on reading more of this series. Happy reading.
September 10, 2018
A Very Mersey Murder is the fifth published case of Detective Inspector Andy Ross and Detective Sergeant Izzy Drake. It is also the best, the darkest and the most complex, with a double mystery and sufficient red herrings and bluffs to confuse even the most efficient expert in the detective story genre. The basic outline is deceptively simple, with the possible return of a killer from 1966, an ‘it’s coming home’ rerun of the most unwanted kind.
Compared to the earlier books in the series, A Very Mersey Murder has even more atmosphere, possibly because the clock is always ticking. Without giving too much of the story away, the murderer works to a timetable. The backdrop to the story, the small town of Hale, is as much of a character as the complex selection of characters, with history always looming up as a dark shadow. Has the same murderer returned or is there a copycat killer on the loose. Will Ross and Drake beat the clock? Or will another victim pay the price?
Well, I’m not going to say much more except that this book is very highly recommended.
Compared to the earlier books in the series, A Very Mersey Murder has even more atmosphere, possibly because the clock is always ticking. Without giving too much of the story away, the murderer works to a timetable. The backdrop to the story, the small town of Hale, is as much of a character as the complex selection of characters, with history always looming up as a dark shadow. Has the same murderer returned or is there a copycat killer on the loose. Will Ross and Drake beat the clock? Or will another victim pay the price?
Well, I’m not going to say much more except that this book is very highly recommended.
July 30, 2018
A Very Mersey Murder - Review by Martha A. Cheves
A woman is brutally raped and murdered, her body left close to the old disused lighthouse in Hale. Then came a second and finally a third murder. All being committed by who the police feel is the same person. One was a barmaid, one worked with animals and the third was a policewoman. These murders happened thirty-nine years ago with no arrests being made and the case assigned to the cold case files.
This is the information Detective Inspector Andy Ross has just given to his people that make up the Merseyside Police Specialist Murder Investigation Team. His biggest concern regarding this cold case is that there have been two more recent murders that are very similar to those from thirty-nine years ago. The first being a barmaid and the second being a veterinary student. If the person doing the killings now continues to follow the original murders the third will be taking place within just a few days and that person will be one of their own... a police woman.
I've read every book this award-winning author has written. His Jack the Ripper series kept my nerves tied into knots from beginning to end. I've read this series - Mersey Mystery - and I will admit that the 1st book was good, the second was better and as I read the third and forth they got even better but I must say that book five takes me back to the Ripper series!
As I read murder mysteries I judge their ability to fool me by how quickly I can come up with the guilty party. If I have at least the person figured out by around 20% into the book it is a good book. If it takes me 50% to decide who it might be, that is a very good book. And 75% marks the book as an extremely good mystery. But when it takes me all the way to the end and the author has to finally inform me as to who the murderer is I rate that book one of the best. For me this book fits in with the Best.
Now I'm waiting on book 6! But if I were you, start with the full Mersey Mystery Series which can be seen at http://getbook.at/MerseyMysteries .
A woman is brutally raped and murdered, her body left close to the old disused lighthouse in Hale. Then came a second and finally a third murder. All being committed by who the police feel is the same person. One was a barmaid, one worked with animals and the third was a policewoman. These murders happened thirty-nine years ago with no arrests being made and the case assigned to the cold case files.
This is the information Detective Inspector Andy Ross has just given to his people that make up the Merseyside Police Specialist Murder Investigation Team. His biggest concern regarding this cold case is that there have been two more recent murders that are very similar to those from thirty-nine years ago. The first being a barmaid and the second being a veterinary student. If the person doing the killings now continues to follow the original murders the third will be taking place within just a few days and that person will be one of their own... a police woman.
I've read every book this award-winning author has written. His Jack the Ripper series kept my nerves tied into knots from beginning to end. I've read this series - Mersey Mystery - and I will admit that the 1st book was good, the second was better and as I read the third and forth they got even better but I must say that book five takes me back to the Ripper series!
As I read murder mysteries I judge their ability to fool me by how quickly I can come up with the guilty party. If I have at least the person figured out by around 20% into the book it is a good book. If it takes me 50% to decide who it might be, that is a very good book. And 75% marks the book as an extremely good mystery. But when it takes me all the way to the end and the author has to finally inform me as to who the murderer is I rate that book one of the best. For me this book fits in with the Best.
Now I'm waiting on book 6! But if I were you, start with the full Mersey Mystery Series which can be seen at http://getbook.at/MerseyMysteries .
December 16, 2020
DI Andy Ross with his right-hand person Izzy and his team are tasked with finding a copycat killer who has brutally attacked, raped, and killed two women. He’s left them in the same spot that a killer in 1966 had left his first two victims. Worse, if the killer emulates the 1966 murders, he will rape and kill a female police officer in one week. They have one week to find said killer. The first investigating officer that was in charge updates them on what she has done and gives them her files. Then the retired officer from the 1966 killings arrives and offers them his insights. He is not blamed for not solving the decades old crimes as there was no DNA testing then. Ross and his team start interviewing people from the first killings and those acquainted with the current murdered women. They narrow in on a father and son, then a house that the 1966 killer must have live in and trying to find the people that lived there. This author is superb in building the tensions and making the reader wonder if one could be the murderer. He can even through you a false trail. Do not worry. Ross and his team are after the man. While they are at it, they solve an unknown two murders, then the murders of 1966 one day before the next murder. Will that lead give them time to catch the current killer before he strikes again?
July 20, 2018
I’ve read several of Brian Porter’s other Mersey books, but this was the best so far…he threw out one surprise after another in this mystery that involved the murders of three young women in 1966, and 39 years later (the story is set in 2005) two identical murders were committed, with the third yet to come, in only 7 days, if the pattern is repeated to the date and …and since the third 1966 murder was of a policewoman, not one policewoman is safe now! In 1966, each young girl, raped and murdered, was found near a lighthouse (which actually exists in real life) near Liverpool. Inspector Andy Ross and Sergeant Izzie Drake team up once again to solve these baffling crimes and catch the perp (was it the same person from 1966? Did the original killer mentor someone in 2005? Was the killer a woman?) before murder #3 happens just as in 1966. It’s a ticking time bomb as they interview suspects (and what a crew of characters they are!) and now that DNA testing is available, they’re able to narrow it down—but how soon?
I will reveal that the perp got justice served, and then some! Very satisfying ending, and I closed the book saying “Cases closed!”
I will reveal that the perp got justice served, and then some! Very satisfying ending, and I closed the book saying “Cases closed!”
June 9, 2018
Brian L. Porter has done it again with his latest in the series starring Ross, Drake and a full cast of others. Two murders occur. A former "copper" recognizes the M.O. and contacts the police, saying he thinks it may be the same killer who struck in 1966 with three similar murders. From that starting point the author weaves a tale of a desperate search taking place over the course of a week trying to find the killer before he murders again. They are afraid, as in the 1966 killings, a fellow member of the force in Hale, a town very near Liverpool, might be the next victim. I won't tell you how the author weaves his tale of intense investigation with the involvement of Doctor Bland, a profiler, because to do so would spoil the story for you. If you wish to know more, and you should, you must read for yourself.
This is a well presented novel with many surprises. The author is impeccable in his usage and builds wonderful characters. You should read this one.
This is a well presented novel with many surprises. The author is impeccable in his usage and builds wonderful characters. You should read this one.
January 8, 2022
I have read this series for the local references despite the very leaden writing, but sadly this book is so bad that I won't carry on. It is badly in need of an editor , and I can only assume the author doesn't care any more. As a whodunit it fails because the culprit for one set of murders is only introduced at the end, and the culprit for the other whilst briefly mentioned early on, could not have done it on the evidence described. At one point the elder brother of one character is transformed into his son! Generally there is a complete disregard for time - one set of murders is supposed to have occurred 40 years before the other, but ages don't match.
If it is meant to be a police procedural I can only say that requires something like a procedure rather than randomly assembling characters from previous books and letting them wander off in odd directions.
If it is meant to be a police procedural I can only say that requires something like a procedure rather than randomly assembling characters from previous books and letting them wander off in odd directions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2025
This one got a little preachy, and also too many sexual details not relevant to the storyline. In addition, they never definitively resolved the 1966 murders, although it is implied. I own 4 other books and a short story in the series, so I will read the next and determine if I continue on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2018
It can be a tricky task reviewing Book Five in a series, but I am new to Brian L. Porter’s writing and dived straight into his latest release. A Very Mersey Murder really is a stand alone, the author providing a useful catch up which is brief enough not to drag on the present story, while giving plenty of context. A tricky task for any author and Porter does it well, although I now feel compelled to start back at Book One!
The novel opens with a chilling scene of a murder that took place back in 1966. What unfolds is a gripping murder mystery set in the present as D.I. Andy Ross and his team try to prevent the murder of one of their own, which, if their predictions are correct, will take place in just one week. It is a set up that cannot fail to hit the mark for crime fiction fans!
Porter’s plotting and pacing are excellent. There are plenty of twists and turns. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you are thrown back into doubt. The author knows when to hold back and when to dish it when it comes to the gory details and he evokes a strong setting that puts the reader in amongst the action.
All of Porter’s characters are well-rounded and believable. A Very Mersey Murder has plenty of texture, too, as the various relationships between the police team play out, as well as the stories of the lives of those affected by the murders. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of excerpts from the killer’s own journal.
All good crime tackles pithy social issues, and Porter is no exception. In A Very Mersey Murder, the reader will confront themes of illegitimate children and adoption, and gender identity, alongside tensions in friendships and a dash of romantic love.
Porter keeps his readers guessing right to the very end, in what amounts to a complex, intense and highly intriguing whodunnit. I suspect this whole series would make for good television, something to rival Vera!
The novel opens with a chilling scene of a murder that took place back in 1966. What unfolds is a gripping murder mystery set in the present as D.I. Andy Ross and his team try to prevent the murder of one of their own, which, if their predictions are correct, will take place in just one week. It is a set up that cannot fail to hit the mark for crime fiction fans!
Porter’s plotting and pacing are excellent. There are plenty of twists and turns. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you are thrown back into doubt. The author knows when to hold back and when to dish it when it comes to the gory details and he evokes a strong setting that puts the reader in amongst the action.
All of Porter’s characters are well-rounded and believable. A Very Mersey Murder has plenty of texture, too, as the various relationships between the police team play out, as well as the stories of the lives of those affected by the murders. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of excerpts from the killer’s own journal.
All good crime tackles pithy social issues, and Porter is no exception. In A Very Mersey Murder, the reader will confront themes of illegitimate children and adoption, and gender identity, alongside tensions in friendships and a dash of romantic love.
Porter keeps his readers guessing right to the very end, in what amounts to a complex, intense and highly intriguing whodunnit. I suspect this whole series would make for good television, something to rival Vera!
February 2, 2026
I’ve long had a soft spot for English crime mysteries and thrillers. A Very Mersey Murder by Brian L. Porter, the fifth novel is his Mersey Murder Mysteries series that features the Merseyside Police Specialist Murder Investigation Team. The series is set in and around Liverpool, England, and does a good job of transporting the reader there is terms of both time and place. Atmospherics is a highlight for me when reading this type of book set in the UK, and Porter doesn’t disappoint. The plot combines a notorious cold case from 1966 with a new set of murders that are recreating those three crimes in excruciating detail: the selection of very similar victims, the circumstances of the killings, even staging the bodies in the identical location and position in which the 1966 victims were found. The story opens with the police recognizing the connection between the crimes, and the hunt is on. Only two killings have taken place at this point; the third victim in 1966 was a policewoman, and if the present-day killer is following the old timeline, a third murder is only days away. The timeline itself provides the story with urgency and drama, and the author does a great job of capitalizing on the ticking clock to pull readers into the race. A Very Mersey Murder is well written, has engaging characters, and races to a satisfying conclusion. It’s well worth a read.
January 8, 2019
A VERY MERSEY MURDER is the fiveth book in the Mersey Murder Mysteries Book series.
This time D.I. Andy Ross , D. S. Izzie Drake and rest of the team must look to past to stop a killer, killing in the present.
In 1966 a young bar maid is brutally raped and murdered, her body left close to a old disused lighthouse in Hale, then cames a second and finally a third murder. As suddley as the killing started they stop fast forward, thirty-nine years and two identical murders have been committed has the killer returned,is it a copycat killer, can D.I. Andy Ross , D. S. Izzie Drake and the team stop him or her before it's too late ?
What can the reader expect ? An interesting plot with some fantastic twists, who the killer is it abit of puzzle and the is reader left pretty much left wondering to the very end who the killer .
Readers of previous books in the series won't be left disappointed and something which I enjoy seeing is the author has yet again included personal details about himself in the book.
Recommended reading for of thrillers and murder mysteries
Can't wait to read the next in the series
This time D.I. Andy Ross , D. S. Izzie Drake and rest of the team must look to past to stop a killer, killing in the present.
In 1966 a young bar maid is brutally raped and murdered, her body left close to a old disused lighthouse in Hale, then cames a second and finally a third murder. As suddley as the killing started they stop fast forward, thirty-nine years and two identical murders have been committed has the killer returned,is it a copycat killer, can D.I. Andy Ross , D. S. Izzie Drake and the team stop him or her before it's too late ?
What can the reader expect ? An interesting plot with some fantastic twists, who the killer is it abit of puzzle and the is reader left pretty much left wondering to the very end who the killer .
Readers of previous books in the series won't be left disappointed and something which I enjoy seeing is the author has yet again included personal details about himself in the book.
Recommended reading for of thrillers and murder mysteries
Can't wait to read the next in the series
December 31, 2021
To say that A Very Mersey Murder is the best of Brian L. Porter’s Mersey Mysteries would be harsh because I have enjoyed every one I have read so far. However, I can say that it is the one I enjoyed best. I think that is above all because of the concept. The author might have entitled it A Study in Evil since he hit on the idea of copycat killings, but with a fundamental difference since the new series 39 years later poses DI Andy Ross and his team incredibly tough questions to answer – not least, why now? The time frame of the 1966 killings makes it clear that Ross and his team are in a race against time to save the life of a woman police officer. It makes for a gripping finale as the clock ticks down. I can’t say more for fear of spoilers, especially because, as usual with this author, the plot is intricate with twists not to be revealed beforehand. Brian is a master of this art. 5 stars without hesitation!
February 24, 2019
UK Order Number: D01-3147169-1579862
Another gripping mystery
What I particularly like about this series is that each case study is so convincing you can almost feel you are present while Andy Ross and his team unravel the problems facing them. In the latest offering entitled, ‘A Very Mersey Murder’, the crimes committed seem to be very like a copycat version of an earlier series of murders that had been filed away unsolved as the 1966 Lighthouse Murders. Andy Ross is faced with an almost impossible task of discovering the identity of the murderer in a race against time before the next one occurs. The story is riveting and has you sitting on the edge of your seat until the villain is unmasked. A must read and strongly recommended.
Another gripping mystery
What I particularly like about this series is that each case study is so convincing you can almost feel you are present while Andy Ross and his team unravel the problems facing them. In the latest offering entitled, ‘A Very Mersey Murder’, the crimes committed seem to be very like a copycat version of an earlier series of murders that had been filed away unsolved as the 1966 Lighthouse Murders. Andy Ross is faced with an almost impossible task of discovering the identity of the murderer in a race against time before the next one occurs. The story is riveting and has you sitting on the edge of your seat until the villain is unmasked. A must read and strongly recommended.
October 17, 2019
A lovely Christmas short story based on Brian Porter's Mersey Mystery series. When a department store Santa is murdered, the chief (only) witness is young ("I don't tell lies") Maisie Poole. The usually cynical Detective Constable Tony Curtis believes her when she tells him the murder was committed by 'Bad Santa' and an Elf.
The story unfolds with a quick conclusion, (it's a short story after all), and DC Curtis receives a very unusual Christmas present.
Just right for a short seasonal read, leaves you with a smile and a nice warm, fuzzy feeling
The story unfolds with a quick conclusion, (it's a short story after all), and DC Curtis receives a very unusual Christmas present.
Just right for a short seasonal read, leaves you with a smile and a nice warm, fuzzy feeling
March 1, 2023
I loved it as I have loved all of the series. However, the plethora of typos in the Kindle version I read became so irksome I almost knocked of a star! I like the authenticity, thoroughness, dedication to duty and comradeship of the Murder Investigation Team in this series set in Merseyside. All the characters are now well established and I'm invested in them as they strife to investigate each case
November 11, 2021
Number five in the series.
Each book gets better than the last one. I have never been a member of the police force but if these books are anywhere near the reality I wish I had joined.
Each book gets better than the last one. I have never been a member of the police force but if these books are anywhere near the reality I wish I had joined.
January 23, 2019
Fantastic read.
Only discovered recently and this is my 3rd book. Wow! Great storyline, gripping mystery and love Andy Ross! Can't wait to read more.
Only discovered recently and this is my 3rd book. Wow! Great storyline, gripping mystery and love Andy Ross! Can't wait to read more.
February 1, 2020
I don’t know if it’s the author, or the British legal system, but the people in these books seem to get very lenient sentences for their crimes.
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