What do you think?
Rate this book
In The Shadow of the Reaper
The second book in the Digby Rolf Mystery series finds Digby in the role of incumbent Vicar in his home village of Wickham Bumpstead.
The villagers are shaken by a series of unexplained murders, and Digby resumes his role of amateur detective. The victims are for the most part local men, and the police are baffled; there is no apparent motive behind the killings.
Digby travels to France in an effort to connect the murders to the assault of a young woman, Simone Dubois, in the second world war during the Dunkirk evacuation.
He meets Auguste, a mysterious young French girl, and becomes embroiled in a tale of vengeance stretching back over the years since the end of World War II
The villagers are shaken by a series of unexplained murders, and Digby resumes his role of amateur detective. The victims are for the most part local men, and the police are baffled; there is no apparent motive behind the killings.
Digby travels to France in an effort to connect the murders to the assault of a young woman, Simone Dubois, in the second world war during the Dunkirk evacuation.
He meets Auguste, a mysterious young French girl, and becomes embroiled in a tale of vengeance stretching back over the years since the end of World War II
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2018
2 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Raymond M. Hall
16 books23 followersRaymond M Hall's books have been described by reviewers in glowing terms as a mixture of Thriller, Mystery, and Romance; indicating that readers find their individual tastes in his writing.
As one reviewer commented on his novel, "The Haunting":
Tremendously satisfying writing and character/time interplay make this a book to treasure. Think Poe, Doyle, King….......
The comedic side of the author is displayed in "The Importance of Being Roger". The subject of the book, Roger Sidebottom, can be seen either as a downright villain or a modern day anti-hero. However, within his character, you are bound to recognise somebody you know!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 10, 2018
‘God is calling me, Digby; he has seen fit to bestow on me a blessed life and now it is time to leave.’
Australian author Raymond M Hall, born in Essex, England and lived in Mistley, and spent his evolving career in various occupations including the police force. He now lives and writes in New South Wales, Australia.
Raymond writes with a style that demands admiration and commands our attention. The manner in which he has created a protagonist in Vicar Digby Rolf (this is Book 2 of that series) presents and unusual and very effective foil for the traction of his episodes. He offers a Preface that opens the dark curtain on his mystery – ‘Tom Waites focuses on the cold staring eyes, ‘Why, please tell me why, I don’t understand, what have I done?’ The face behind the eyes remains impassive as a cold voice whispers, ‘This is for Simone Dubois.’ Tom stares into the muzzle of a gun he recognises from the war, a German Luger, ‘I don’t know any Simone Dubois, there’s been a mistake,’ he stammers. The voice speaks again, ‘Yes, during the war you made a big mistake, with a young girl but you were not alone, were you?’ The eyes are staring at Tom, unblinking, giving him no edge to make a run for it. He is kneeling as if he were in church, but the person standing before him is no priest, and the absolution offered does not involve redemption. Tom begins to cry; the memory of the young French girl has never left him, has always haunted him. He begs for mercy not only for himself but for his wife and children. The gun barrel, never wavering, flashes and a bullet enters Tom’s forehead exactly between the eyes leaving a neat 9 mm hole. However, the exit path is far from neat. Tom’s skull together with his brain splatters against the wall in a crimson curtain, running slowly down to meet the floor. His body slumps as his executioner quietly exits through the door, closing it softly.’
For those of us only now being introduced to Digby Rolf, Raymond establishes his identity quickly – ‘The Reverend Digby Rolf studied his small congregation from the lofty height of the raised lectern. The numbers never seemed to change, the same faces week after week, sometimes staring up at him, but often looking away as if in a daydream or simply with eyes closed and nodding off. He had been the parish Vicar for two years, ever since that time in London, in Pentonville prison where he served as prison Chaplain. In that capacity, Digby had witnessed the execution of a young man, convicted of the murder of a girl from the East End of London. Divine intervention led him to the firm belief in the hanged man’s innocence and that he had been set up. Digby had been determined to prove his innocence, even leaving the prison service in order to pursue the matter privately. Now though, Digby was becoming bored to distraction by the sameness of life in his small parish, fearing that if he didn’t do something about it he would go quite mad. In his quest to solve the crime behind the hanging, he had found and lost the love of his life, Summer. She was now at rest in his father’s parish graveyard, which Digby visited weekly. The crime rate was low in the area and although Digby appreciated the desirability of this fact to his parishioners, he sometimes wished for the excitement that London had to offer….etc’
But for a very brief summary the following synopsis captures highlights – ‘The second book in the Digby Rolf Mystery series finds Digby in the role of incumbent Vicar in his home village of Wickham Bumpstead. The villagers are shaken by a series of unexplained murders, and Digby resumes his role of amateur detective. The victims are for the most part local men, and the police are baffled; there is no apparent motive behind the killings. Digby travels to France in an effort to connect the murders to the assault of Simone Dubois during the second world war, at the time of the Dunkirk evacuation. He meets Auguste, a mysterious young French girl, and becomes embroiled in a tale of vengeance stretching back over the years since the end of the war. Encountering danger at every turn, Digby once again puts his life on the line to solve the mystery.’
Tremendously satisfying writing and character/time interplay make this a book to treasure. Think Poe, Doyle, King…
Australian author Raymond M Hall, born in Essex, England and lived in Mistley, and spent his evolving career in various occupations including the police force. He now lives and writes in New South Wales, Australia.
Raymond writes with a style that demands admiration and commands our attention. The manner in which he has created a protagonist in Vicar Digby Rolf (this is Book 2 of that series) presents and unusual and very effective foil for the traction of his episodes. He offers a Preface that opens the dark curtain on his mystery – ‘Tom Waites focuses on the cold staring eyes, ‘Why, please tell me why, I don’t understand, what have I done?’ The face behind the eyes remains impassive as a cold voice whispers, ‘This is for Simone Dubois.’ Tom stares into the muzzle of a gun he recognises from the war, a German Luger, ‘I don’t know any Simone Dubois, there’s been a mistake,’ he stammers. The voice speaks again, ‘Yes, during the war you made a big mistake, with a young girl but you were not alone, were you?’ The eyes are staring at Tom, unblinking, giving him no edge to make a run for it. He is kneeling as if he were in church, but the person standing before him is no priest, and the absolution offered does not involve redemption. Tom begins to cry; the memory of the young French girl has never left him, has always haunted him. He begs for mercy not only for himself but for his wife and children. The gun barrel, never wavering, flashes and a bullet enters Tom’s forehead exactly between the eyes leaving a neat 9 mm hole. However, the exit path is far from neat. Tom’s skull together with his brain splatters against the wall in a crimson curtain, running slowly down to meet the floor. His body slumps as his executioner quietly exits through the door, closing it softly.’
For those of us only now being introduced to Digby Rolf, Raymond establishes his identity quickly – ‘The Reverend Digby Rolf studied his small congregation from the lofty height of the raised lectern. The numbers never seemed to change, the same faces week after week, sometimes staring up at him, but often looking away as if in a daydream or simply with eyes closed and nodding off. He had been the parish Vicar for two years, ever since that time in London, in Pentonville prison where he served as prison Chaplain. In that capacity, Digby had witnessed the execution of a young man, convicted of the murder of a girl from the East End of London. Divine intervention led him to the firm belief in the hanged man’s innocence and that he had been set up. Digby had been determined to prove his innocence, even leaving the prison service in order to pursue the matter privately. Now though, Digby was becoming bored to distraction by the sameness of life in his small parish, fearing that if he didn’t do something about it he would go quite mad. In his quest to solve the crime behind the hanging, he had found and lost the love of his life, Summer. She was now at rest in his father’s parish graveyard, which Digby visited weekly. The crime rate was low in the area and although Digby appreciated the desirability of this fact to his parishioners, he sometimes wished for the excitement that London had to offer….etc’
But for a very brief summary the following synopsis captures highlights – ‘The second book in the Digby Rolf Mystery series finds Digby in the role of incumbent Vicar in his home village of Wickham Bumpstead. The villagers are shaken by a series of unexplained murders, and Digby resumes his role of amateur detective. The victims are for the most part local men, and the police are baffled; there is no apparent motive behind the killings. Digby travels to France in an effort to connect the murders to the assault of Simone Dubois during the second world war, at the time of the Dunkirk evacuation. He meets Auguste, a mysterious young French girl, and becomes embroiled in a tale of vengeance stretching back over the years since the end of the war. Encountering danger at every turn, Digby once again puts his life on the line to solve the mystery.’
Tremendously satisfying writing and character/time interplay make this a book to treasure. Think Poe, Doyle, King…
September 17, 2018
Within the sleepy village of Wickham Bumpstead a killer emerges. In the Shadow of the Reaper, Vicar Digby Rolf offers his services not only consoling the family that remains, but also as an amateur detective. He is known in some London areas for his skills in some high profile cases, though his involvement was forced because of the woman he loved. One common thread slowly emerges, all the men killed where in France during the war. In fact, they were all in Dunkirk together. Digby scrabbles to find out what happened in this war wrecked village that would erupt such an outcome as murder, and to find if more deaths are expected. One thing is clear, the two new French residents could be more than a coincident.
I found In the Shadow of the Reaper very compelling as this little village brings about the excitement Vicar Digby was needing, just without the murders. Raymond Hall gives him a complex personality, though very quick to find flaws within the murders, failed to see what was in front of him.
I found In the Shadow of the Reaper very compelling as this little village brings about the excitement Vicar Digby was needing, just without the murders. Raymond Hall gives him a complex personality, though very quick to find flaws within the murders, failed to see what was in front of him.
September 20, 2018
You’ll be sucked in and held captive to the very end.
In the Shadow of the Reaper: A Digby Rolf Mystery Book II (Digby Rolf Mysteries 2) by Raymond M Hall is the second book in the Digby Rolf Mysteries Series. Digby finds himself investigating a series of murders that seem to target local men around his small village of Wickham Bumpstead. As he investigates Digby discovers that all of the men murdered were linked by the fact they were all in France together during the war and that maybe the new French residents of his village are there for more than just the atmosphere. True to form Raymond Hall writes a story full of personable and well written characters, the plot was fantastic and perfectly paced. I found myself drawn in and completely invested in the story. I couldn’t stop reading once I got into it. I really can’t wait to see what else Raymond Hall has up his sleeve and where Digby will end up next.
In the Shadow of the Reaper: A Digby Rolf Mystery Book II (Digby Rolf Mysteries 2) by Raymond M Hall is the second book in the Digby Rolf Mysteries Series. Digby finds himself investigating a series of murders that seem to target local men around his small village of Wickham Bumpstead. As he investigates Digby discovers that all of the men murdered were linked by the fact they were all in France together during the war and that maybe the new French residents of his village are there for more than just the atmosphere. True to form Raymond Hall writes a story full of personable and well written characters, the plot was fantastic and perfectly paced. I found myself drawn in and completely invested in the story. I couldn’t stop reading once I got into it. I really can’t wait to see what else Raymond Hall has up his sleeve and where Digby will end up next.
October 15, 2018
This book by Raymond M. Hall is the second in his Digby Rolf Mystery Series and takes the reader on a thrilling journey as Digby Rolf tries to solve a series of recent murders in a village. In this novel, Digby is serving as a Vicar in his hometown village, but soon finds himself also working part-time as a detective to solve the grisly murders suddenly occurring around it. To help stop them, he travels to France where he meets a young woman who could hold the answers to everything.
If you’re a mystery lover, you’ll enjoy this book quite a bit. It’s filled with suspense and will have you constantly flipping through the pages to find out what happens next. Hall writes with a creative writing style and has developed some memorable characters that help to add even more tension to the story. This book is about 322 pages, so it will require some time to read, but it’s definitely worth doing.
If you’re a mystery lover, you’ll enjoy this book quite a bit. It’s filled with suspense and will have you constantly flipping through the pages to find out what happens next. Hall writes with a creative writing style and has developed some memorable characters that help to add even more tension to the story. This book is about 322 pages, so it will require some time to read, but it’s definitely worth doing.
September 11, 2018
In The Shadow of the Reaper: A Digby Rolf Mystery Book II (Digby Rolf Mysteries 2) by Raymond M. Hall is a charmingly written whodunit featuring the Vicar Digby Rolf, an almost reluctant, but always intrigued, sometimes skilled detective. After his father dies of cancer, Digby takes over the parish in Wickham Bumpstead, his home village, but soon becomes embroiled in solving a murder mystery. This is a classically rendered story with a quaint style, and an amusing cast of characters. The setting is perfect, there is a touch of danger, Digby speaking with his deceased flame Summer is an offbeat touch, and the murder mystery itself is substantial with a solid background. Overall an enjoyable read as the second book in the series; looking forward to more from this talented author. Highly recommend.
October 16, 2018
In the shadow of a reaper is a mystery set in a charming English village. There are a few murders and along with a sexual assault of a young girl. There are few finger pointing with police more concerned with solving the crime to add feathers on its cap than to catch the real criminal. It is a time when science had not advanced to the current stage, so the resources to catch the criminal is low. However, it is the wit and common sense of our hero Digby that helps in finding the villain and acquitting the innocent.
Here while the story itself was interesting, I liked the old world charm that the author had expertly captured in the narration. There were some funny moments too (which I cannot share for they would spill the beans). On the whole the write up was clean and suspense maintained till the very end.
Here while the story itself was interesting, I liked the old world charm that the author had expertly captured in the narration. There were some funny moments too (which I cannot share for they would spill the beans). On the whole the write up was clean and suspense maintained till the very end.
September 12, 2018
Loads of Suspense!
A truly interesting murder mystery with full of suspense and guess work on readers’ behalf. Enough of sudden events to keep readers attached to the book. The story revolves around the amateur detective Digby, who is on the mission to solve the series of murders in his home village. He travels to France and face many challenges before he get close to the facts. A fast paced read with well-placed characters.
A truly interesting murder mystery with full of suspense and guess work on readers’ behalf. Enough of sudden events to keep readers attached to the book. The story revolves around the amateur detective Digby, who is on the mission to solve the series of murders in his home village. He travels to France and face many challenges before he get close to the facts. A fast paced read with well-placed characters.
September 16, 2018
Having not read the first book in the series I worried that I might have missed vital information about the characters however I don’t feel that I did. Diving straight into the book I noticed that the author Raymond Hall has created some brilliant and charming characters. The storyline flowed nicely and the classic "who done it" plot is complimented with many twists and turns. I now need to get book number one and read through that too.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews