The Burial Circle

Wesley Peterson #24

by Kate Ellis

The twenty-fourth mystery in the bestselling Wesley Peterson series by acclaimed crime writer Kate Ellis.

On a stormy night in December a tree is blown down on an isolated Devon farm. Only when the fallen tree is dragged away is a red rucksack found caught amongst the roots - and next to it a human skeleton.

The discovery of the body and the rucksack jolts some memories for DI Wesley Peterson. A hitch hiker who went missing in 2008, and was never found, was last seen carrying a similar backpack. A half-forgotten cold case has suddenly become red hot.

Meanwhile, in the small Devon village of Petherham, Damien Lee, a famous TV psychic, is the main attraction at a supernatural weekend. The event is held at the Mill House, a guesthouse that was once home to the owner of Petherham's water-powered woollen mill, now the subject of a study by Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil Watson

The Mill House has a sinister history and it was the scene of several mysterious deaths back in the nineteenth century. When the psychic dies in suspicious circumstances Wesley discovers a connection between the dead man and the vanished hitch hiker. But was he responsible for her murder? Or has a shady organisation called The Burial Circle, which was connected with those strange deaths over a hundred years before, been revived in the present day?<

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Procedural, Audiobook, British Literature, Book Club

352 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2020

About the author

Kate Ellis was born and brought up in Liverpool and she studied drama in Manchester. She worked in teaching, marketing and accountancy before first enjoying writing success as a winner of the North West Playwrights competition. Crime and mystery stories have always fascinated her, as have medieval history and archaeology which she likes to incorporate in her books. She is married with two grown up sons and she lives in North Cheshire, England, with her husband. Kate was awarded the CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY award in 2019

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I confess to skipping ahead in the series up to #24 because I wanted to check in to make sure Wesley and his wife were in a happier place. This entry delivers a complex web of murders not apparently related that requires concentrated investigations, discovering connections over the years and arriving at the true solution at last. In this book there is again a connection with archaeological study by Neil uncovering Victorian era murders connected to a "burial circle."
I can now go back and catch up with other books.

So...years later I got tricked into buying this again since it was on sale. But Amazon won't refund since I was stupid enough to buy it again. Oh well.
I enjoy the Wesley Peterson series whether it is first or second read. I don't think much of my memory problems, but you win some, lose some, eh? 12/30/2025

[Mick Dubois · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with an unknown man that comes into the church of father Fitzpatrick in rural south Devon. The stranger tells him that he was responsible for a murder and that it’s going to happen again because he can’t stop it. The worried priest contacts his brother-in-law Wesley Peterson who’s a DI. But without any other information, there’s nothing that can be done.
After a storm with heavy rains, a tree falls at the farm of DS Rachel Tracy’s parents and they find a body of a young woman that was buried underneath. It turns out to be that of a hitch-hiker that went missing 12 years earlier.
In the same area stands a restored wool mill that’s owned by the couple from the local B&B. Both are said to be haunted. This couple organises a ‘ghost’ weekend with a real, famous psychic attending. This TV-celebrity has an actual affinity with the supernatural and the deceased, something that’s not always a blessing. But if there’s no sign of the dead, he’s not averse to smoke and mirrors. One of the guests at the weekend happens to be the best friend and neighbour of the hitchhiker and she has a box with old photo’ from the area.

The story is regularly interrupted by excerpts from the diary of Dr Cruikshank from 1882 where he describes life in the town and district back then. There was a lot of death at that time and burials were very expensive. So, they came up with burial circles where each member put in a little amount each week and when someone dies they cover the costs of the funeral. But to our modern eyes, it looks as if several suspicious deaths occurred back then.
The author mentions several supernatural events and talents; ghosts, seeing and feeling entities, receiving vibes. But it never gets ridiculous. There's no ghost in this book that solves the crimes. All things mentioned in that particular field are well researched and plausible. You can laugh if you want but I do think there’s more between heaven and earth than we see and notice. TV-shows like ghost hunters proved their existence multiple times. As these phenomena exist, it’s logical that some people have a higher affinity with these things than others.
It’s amazing how many book- and TV- policemen don’t seek or even refuse a promotion because they dislike paperwork. I wonder if real-life cops feel the same way but I think that most of them will welcome a pay raise and take the paper-pushing with it.
There’s a lot of name changing and deceit going on in this story. Sometimes it became hard to follow the narrative and keep up with the characters and their whereabouts. There are also a lot of people that die or get murdered when their partner is away somewhere, in the present but also in 1882.
The constant switching between character’s POV and the different storylines was annoying in this book. I don’t know why as I usually don’t have a problem with it but here it happens sometimes after just 1 paragraph. Just when you want to settle into the story, they’re already gone. It’s for the same reason that I can’t relate to any of the characters, they feel a bit flat. I think it would have been better for the flow of the story if several of those tiny fragments would be combined into a longer thread instead of jumping right, left, and centre.
You know that this book is part of a series due to the amount and the nature of relations between the various characters. This is not a problem as there’s little reference to earlier cases so you don’t have to know all of the backstories.
Although Christmas is getting near in this story, I had the feeling that they have the same dreary and wet weather I’ve been ‘enjoying’ lately.
Hitchhiking gets badmouthed in this book but it shouldn’t be seen as an invitation for violation and it’s certainly not the victim’s that should be blamed. Despite my name, I’m female and when I was younger I travelled all over Europe in this manner and hardly ever met with a problematic driver. Unfortunately, society has changed. When I was 13 or so and started to hitchhike with my brothers, my parents thought it was a neat way to see the area where we spent our holidays and I kept doing it till well into my 30’s. It was an acceptable way to get from A to B in those days. I hereby thank all of those unselfish drivers that helped me out back then and I hope that there remain enough good Samaritans on the road today.
The storyline and the narrative are suspenseful with enough new twists and red herrings that I didn’t have a clue who the murderer was until the very last. I had a theory towards the end (the same one as Wesley had) but that turned out to be wrong as well.
I thank Piatkus and Netgalley for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every summer, I choose to get caught up with a few of the mystery series I've fallen behind in reading. This summer, I chose Kate Ellis' Wesley Peterson police procedural series, although I've often used it as a GGR (Guaranteed Good Read) after I've read things that weren't my cup of tea. I've enjoyed the time I've spent in Devon with Wesley and the other members of Ellis' excellent cast. Through twenty-four books, these people have become friends, and I always enjoy catching up with what's going on in their lives. It takes a talented writer like Ellis to turn characters into family without weighing down the plot.

In The Burial Circle, Ellis uses Devon's early history of mills and the cloth industry, and early forms of insurance and photography to weave an atmospheric tale that kept me guessing. There is a very light touch of the paranormal in this book which shouldn't turn off anyone who's against "woo-woo" in their reading because it's easily explained by logic. More than anything else, the paranormal is used to heighten the eeriness of the story surrounding the old mill.

As with most Wesley Peterson series, it's fun to see how all the various parts of the mystery fit together. If you're put off at the thought of reading a (so far) twenty-four book series, The Burial Circle stands alone quite well. Longtime fans will agree-- Kate Ellis's series fits in well with other crime writers like Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves. It's one of my all-time favorites.

[PAUL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 24 in the series and Rachel has still not persuaded Wesley to let her play with his truncheon. Much to her disgust she now finds herself with a belly full of arms and legs, courtesy of her newly acquired boring husband. Come, come Ms. Ellis you have teased us enough. In book 25 I expect her to get her just rewards, via the aforementioned truncheon, and then please kill her off.

[Charlotte Pawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great storm blows down a tree on a isolated Devon farm will be the start of a baffling and exciting murder mystery for D I Wesley Peterson. Expertly weaved in is a series of deaths in the Victorian era where the the fascination with death is an obsession. There are suspects abound but also murder follows close behind leaving this small village like an episode of Midsomer Murders. You are hooked from the start as you follow in DI Wesley’s footsteps. Part of a long running series you will have no problem with reading this one as a stand alone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had a great pace but oh so many characters! It probably seems so to me having jumped into the last book of the series first. Undoubtedly had I started at the beginning of the series, most of them would be familiar. I will be reading more of this particular author though and may even start at the beginning!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant.

[Karen Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although an individual case, didn’t really stand alone, need to have read previous books to get to grips with the characters.

[Sonia Laurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve not read a book from this series before so that may be a reason why it wasn’t as enjoyable for me. I’m a bit of a sceptic too so the paranormal side wasn’t interesting for me. I did feel the story jumped around unnecessarily which dragged it out. I would try another book by this author though as something made me keep reading, just can’t quite put my finger on it

[Jana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Police procedurals set in the UK are my thing and I keep trying all series I can get my hands on but this one is absolutely not for me. The main characters are flat and not likeable, the story was boring. I did not have a good time getting through this one and I’m not keen to get any further into this series.

[Ed Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a few of the Wesley Peterson novels, and always find them enjoyable – not enough to make me want to read them all, but definitely at a level where I'm pleased to find a new one. This particular book, the 24th in the series, does not break that pattern. Despite being so far into the series, this can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel – the author doesn’t assume any previous knowledge of the main protagonists and is adept at dropping in enough spoiler-free back story to allow new readers to understand the relationships and encourage them to go back to the earlier books whilst not overdoing it for the old hands.

Others have discussed the plot in detail in their reviews so I will only give a brief outline. In short, the body of a missing person is found, there are a few deaths to investigate and there is a corresponding strand 140-odd years in the past; the police investigate the modern day murders, the county archaeologist (a regular character in the series) is interested in the older cases. I was intrigued by what promised to be the addition of a supernatural/paranormal element to the book, and was disappointed that more wasn’t made of that facet of the novel – I would have liked to have seen it investigated further. Maybe this is something that could be built on in a future entry in the series.

The action takes place just before Christmas in a not very well disguised Dartmouth (“Tradmouth”) and Totnes (“Neston”) with brief mentions of Kingswear (“Queenswear”(!)). Lovely places where I have spent many happy hours, days and weeks. From a personal perspective, this helps me to picture the area as the author describes it, which she does very well indeed.

I can’t really describe the book as a “whodunnit” because there is no real suspense, but the teamwork between Wesley and his boss, and the interplay between Neil and Corinne are both explored very well. In fact, I would almost say that the novel was more about friendships and relationships than it is about the police investigation, a lot of which seems to be based on massive coincidences. However, it is none the worse for that. A slight downside is that although the book is set in 2020, there is no mention of the pandemic. I realise the author would have had to be a psychic herself to predict that, but perhaps a slight tweak before publication to move everything back by twelve months - to 2019 - would have been possible.

Overall, an enjoyable book and ideal to while away the time on a dark evening – not quite hitting the five star mark but very worthy of four stars – probably four and a half, in fact. Highly recommended for previous readers and newcomers to the series.

[Sharon Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual in this series, Kate Ellis combines the contents of a notebook kept in 1882 with a series of murders in the here and now. Wesley Peterson receives an anxious phone call from his brother-in-law, the Reverend Mark Fitzgerald, who has been visited by a man claiming to have committed a murder and saying more are to come. After his confession, this man gets cold feet and leaves. Then, after a violent storm brings down a tree on the Devon farm of Wesley's colleague, Rachel Tracey, the skeleton of a young woman is found tangled in the roots, together with a red rucksack. This discovery reopens the cold case of a hitchhiker who went missing in 2008 and was never found. Wesley and his team immediately concentrate on this reopened case, interviewing people who may have known the girl.

Meanwhile, Jeremy and Selena Quayle are hosting a "psychic weekend" at their upmarket, luxury B&B, Mill House. A famous psychic, Damien Lee, is to conduct the sessions to a small group of paying guests, including Corrine Malin, who used to know the dead hitchhiker and is currently researching the role of the supernatural in everyday life. The plot then thickens considerably as a series of murders take place, involving Mill House and the Petherham area.

The 1882 notebook also details some strange deaths that occurred around the time it was written and reveals the existence of the "Burial Circle": an organisation started by well-meaning folk who wanted to contribute to a fund to help the poor bury their dead. It seems this group could have become polluted...

The two stories are finally woven together with all of Ellis's consummate skill and the murders are resolved. The supernatural element is not overdone; Damien Lee does seem to respond to an atmosphere, at Mill House, that he finds ominous, but this can also be explained psychologically. He is also not beyond using guesswork and presumably body-language-reading if the "other side" doesn't seem to be coming through. Unfortunately, he cannot predict his own future.

The one unresolved thread concerns Rachel Tracey, whose marriage doesn't seem to be a dream come true. In previous Wesley Peterson tales, Rachel has carried a torch for Wesley, but this has not been allowed to develop. I'm hoping this means there'll be another in the series!

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a review copy of The Burial Circle, the twenty fourth novel to feature DI Wesley Peterson, set in the fictional Devon town of Tradmouth.

On a stormy night a tree is uprooted and bones are found in its roots. Could this be Erica Walsh, a hitchhiker who disappeared 12 years ago? The red rucksack buried with the bones suggests so. Hardly have Wesley and the team started investigating when a body is found in suspicious circumstances in the nearby village of Petherham. Meanwhile Wesley’s friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, is working at the Petherham mill and uncovers a series of unexplained deaths from the Victorian era.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Burial Circle which is an absorbing read with a plot that weaves the various strands together intricately. There is never a dull moment. This is not a series I have read much of (to my shame) but I think this novel may change that as I admired the author’s skill in making the disparate elements become one whole story by the end.

The narrative is split into various points of view but also includes excerpts from the 1882 diary of the local doctor. This is neither as confusing or disruptive as it may seem. Each point of view has a point to it and enlarges the reader’s understanding of events. The diary entries portray a different mystery in a different era and yet eerily mirror the present day events if you’re smart enough to see it - I wasn’t at the time but see it now. Clever.

I like a good police procedural and this is a good example. They start with nothing and thus, an unlimitless field of suspects and motives but smart thinking and painstaking investigation start to narrow this field. Some of it I could guess, much of it I couldn’t and if I have one complaint about the investigation it’s that, as it draws to a close, the author has Wesley undertaking a series of undisclosed communications. It’s annoying not to be in full command of the information at the vital juncture.

There is a supernatural vibe to this novel with various characters feeling it and taking it seriously. The author has an explanation for it in her afterword but, really. Not my thing.

The Burial Circle is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Lizzie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was amazed to discover that this is the 24th book in the series featuring DI Wesley Peterson, and they just get better and better. In this story, following a storm, a tree has been uprooted on a Devon farm revealing in its roots a human skeleton along with a rucksack which brings to Wesley’s mind the investigation twelve years previously of a missing young hitchhiker who was last seen in the area with a rucksack. A cold case is now a murder investigation.

As Wesley starts tracing and interviewing the people that were around at the time the hitchhiker went missing, just a few miles away from Tradmouth in Petherham is Mill House, a Georgian property which has been turned into an upmarket B&B. The owners have engaged the services of psychic Damien Lee to run a psychic weekend. As the story progresses it becomes apparent that there are possibly more oddities amongst the attending delegates than the paranormal can compete with. Then there is a murder.

Running alongside of Wesley’s investigation are extracts from the notebook of Dr Christopher Cruckshank written in the 1880’s, mainly concerning an organisation set up to help poorer people with funeral costs called the Burial Circle. It was a good thing it existed as there seems to have been a high number of mysterious deaths, or maybe not a good thing?

With wonderful characterisation and two intriguing cases to follow this is a twisty well-plotted tale that will keep you turning the pages. It is both fascinating and satisfying as the threads are skilfully drawn together

Long term followers of this highly acclaimed series will be pleased to learn that DS Rachel Tracey has finally tied the knot with her farmer Nigel Haynes. Of course, also in evidence is Wesley’s university friend archaeologist Neil whose love life never seems to get properly off the ground. And Wesley’s boss DCI Gerry Heffernan, he of the crocodile smile, who to Wesley’s dismay has started talking about retirement.

Most highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

[Larraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the latest in the Wesley Peterson series. DI Peterson is an interesting character. He graduated from university with a degree in archaeology but decided to become a police officer much to the surprise of his family. He comes from a family of doctors but had rejected that. His family emigrated to England from Trinidad and he grew up in England. The series takes place in Devon and this is the 24th in the series. I've skipped around and not read them in order like I usually do. Now his son is a teenager and he has a daughter as well. So I have some catching up to do. Meanwhile, the author's other series, Albert Lincoln, a limited series of 3 books, according to what I've read is due out in November. That is a historical mystery series that takes place after WW1.

However, this book is in line with the Wesley Peterson series in that there is some archaeology involved and Wes's old friend, Neil, is, as usual, right in the middle of it.

When the body of a young girl is found at the base of a tree at a farm owned by Wes's coworker's family, they soon discover it is the body of a young girl who disappeared 12 years before. However, the book actually opens with a young woman going to a psychic weekend at Mill House. She is doing a doctoral thesis about psychics. Of course the cases are connected. Then the psychic is found dead. At first it's thought it was an accident but the pathologist discovers that it was, indeed, murder.

Alternate chapters in script are portions of a diary written by Dr. Christopher Cruckshank who was a physician in the village. He describes the unusual number of violent deaths all of which he attributes to accidents except for one which is murder. However, a local ruffian has been apprehended and nobody pays attention to his protests of innocence.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out where this was going, but there were still plenty of surprises as the modern murderer is apprehended by the police and the long dead murderer is revealed.

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K./Piatkus for an eARC via NetGalley of Kate Ellis’ ‘The Burial Circle’ in exchange for an honest review.

“The Dead Can’t Always Rest in Peace.” - cover tag line.

This is the twenty-fourth in Ellis’ DI Wesley Peterson series of police procedurals. I have read all but three of these and given all 4-5 stars. As a result I began reading with confidence in Ellis’ storytelling and her well rounded characterisations. Background is provided for readers new to the series.

As for the story - during a stormy night in December, a tree is blown down on the farm belonging to the parents of DS Rachel Tracey. As it’s dragged away, a rucksack is found caught amongst the roots. Alongside it is a human skeleton. Twelve years ago a young hitchhiker went missing carrying a similar backpack. This half-forgotten cold case is now a murder investigation.

In the nearby village of Petherham, a renowned TV psychic holding a weekend retreat is found dead under suspicious circumstances. Meanwhile, Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, is studying Petherham's ancient mill and is slowly uncovering the village's sinister history.

Could the string of mysterious deaths in Petherham over a hundred years ago be somehow connected to these recent killings?

This proved quite a complex case for Wesley and his team with multiple suspects, many witnesses, and lines of investigation. With hindsight I should have kept a note of characters as a few times I had to check back to clarify who was who.

One of the many things that I enjoy about this series is that there is always a link to local history that becomes clearer as the story progresses. In the Author’s Note Ellis provides details of the real life historical influences that informed this tale.

Again, a highly engaging police procedural in a long running series that continues to impress.

[V.E. Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One stormy night a tree is knocked down on an isolated Devon farm revealing the skeletal remains of a female as well as a red rucksack, bringing to mind for the police the long ago and, until now, unsolved disappearance of a young hitchhiker. Meanwhile in a neighbouring village, the noted psychic Damien Lee is the star attraction at a supernaturally themed weekend being held at the Mill House, an old building with a sinister reputation. When Damien Lee winds up dead, it is discovered that he had a connection to the murder of the hitchhiker. Is someone eliminating the witnesses from that formerly cold case or are they re-enacting the activities of the 'Burial Circle', a 19th century group with a very dubious reputation? As ever, DI Wesley Peterson is on the case.
"The Burial Circle" is another highly enjoyable murder mystery set in Devon featuring all the characters we have come to know and love: Wes and Pam, Gerry Heffernan, the newly married Rachel Tracey and, of course, Dr Neil Watson and his archaeological investigations. Even though this is now a very long running series, I feel this story could quite easily be read as a stand-alone, as the plot does not require foreknowledge and the characters are easy to come to grips with and relate to. It was nice to see more of the Tracey family and their life in this book though there is already trouble brewing on the Rachel front (again). The subplot of the celebrity psychic was a nice addition in this novel too and actually quite thought-provoking in its own way. Another strong outing for Kate Ellis, I award four big stars.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Burial Circle" by Kate Ellis - the current Wesley Peterson novel goes a bit creepy on us when a psychic who is taking part in a themed weekend at a local hotel is murdered, and no he didn't see it coming! Though guests at the weekend did think seemed genuinely spooked during one sitting, and seemed terrified. When his body is discovered draped over the mill wheel at the tourist attraction of a restored wool mill, it's at first thought to be an accidental death, then the coroner discovers a stab wound.... Meanwhile things are turning personal for Wesley's 2nd in command, Rachel, whose new marriage isn't too happy, and she has further worries when a storm blows over a tree on her parents' farm, to reveal the body of a teenager who'd gone missing several years ago. Are the girl's death and the recent killing of the psychic somehow connected? As Wesley and his boss Gerry delve deeper, it does look like the answers lie in the past history of both victims. As usual, there's a historical sideline too, as Wesley's friend Neil, who's writing a book about the old mill, discovers a series of murders way back in the 1800s, when a doctor, newly arrived from London, discovered the local Burial Circle, an organisation set up to help the poorer give their loved ones a fitting burial, but also might mask a series of killings made to look like accidents, which seem to be mirrored by the events that are being investigated in the present day. This was another enjoyable mystery, with an exciting chase at the end, and which was intriguingly plotted. 7.5/10.

[Louise Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Ellis is one of my favourite authors. I've read all her books but have a particular fondness for her detective series about DI Wesley Peterson.

The title of this story is The Burial Circle and I had got it into my head that this was something to do with an ancient stone circle. It actually refers to a 19th century basic insurance scheme covering the cost of funerals!

The Burial Circle has a slightly gothic vibe, which I loved, and is a perfect autumn/winter read. Central to the story is an old mill, where a suspected murderer once hid, and the house alongside it where a psychic weekend is being held. I really felt for the poor psychic, who felt bombarded on all sides from the restless spirts. This being a murder mystery, someone is soon murdered and everyone is a suspect. On top of this investigation, the body of a hitchhiker is found buried on farmland several years after she went missing. Can Wesley connect the two cases?

I love Kate Ellis's books because the mysteries are so twisty it is practically impossible to guess how they are going to end! They are so cleverly and perfectly plotted, it is incredible how she ties all the loose ends so neatly. The story's setting in a village where a series of unexplained deaths once took place, along with the spooky old mill, is very atmospheric. I especially love that her books always have a past mystery running through them, echoing the one in the present.

This was a five-star read for me. Recommended for all readers of traditional murder mysteries, particularly fans of authors such as Elly Griffiths and Kate Rhodes.

Thank you to Kate Ellis and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

[Richard Gadsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent dark thriller which entwines the tales of two serial murderers - one contemporary and one from Victorian times. The two stories run alongside each other and are connected to the same location. I enjoyed the way these were dealt with distinctly - there's no blurring of the lines until the novel reaches its climax.

Other plus points are short chapters which keeps the pace up, unembellished language and crisp dialogue. The gritty characters are brought to life well.

This was my first Kate Ellis novel so I was intrigued by the relationship between DI Peterson and his DS. It's not covered in great depth but the two clearly have history.

In common with similar detective novels, the conclusion of the contemporary tale all falls into place rather too neatly. Telephone calls are returned promptly, evidence turns up conveniently, everyone is as helpful as they could possibly be. I thought the last chapters were a bit by-the-numbers, but it was saved by the appealing twists at the end which add a touch of spice to both the contemporary and historic killings. 4.5 stars overall. I'll definitely read further novels by this author.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great. The usual element of historic cases, in this case with a notebook from the period (late Victorian - there are also intriguing contemporary photographs), a case from the recent past, and some new events set in train by an accidental discovery. There are hooks between all the stories, in particular an old mill building in a picturesque but sinister village, being surveyed by Neil the archaeologist and his team. There's a supernatural element too, reflecting the interests and obsessions of the later Victorian period, but the stories do not depend on it for any plot revelations. I worked out who the 1880s murderer was, but otherwise the twists of the plot (the central idea of how to achieve the murder of an inconvenient relative is the same for both old and new cases, and then there is quite a lot of collateral damage) make this hard to unravel and kept me guessing. Wesley as always is a great part of the attraction of this series, as is the Devon background and atmosphere, here seen in winter without the tourists.

[Beachcomber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. The plot itself was quite good, and I debated about giving the book 4* - but two main gripes made me mark it 3*. Firstly, Gerry calling every women “love”. It took until 87% into the book for one of them to object. Don’t give me that line about it being a Scouse thing... he didn’t call men by any such term, and it came across as patronising as hell to me. Secondly - the place names. If you’re going to set a book in clearly real places, just call them by their real names. It won’t hurt them, plenty of successful authors do it and it might even boost tourism. Or if you’re going to make names up, make them plausible. What Ellis did here was just lazily tweak, as if “oh, I’m so clever” - Tradmouth (Dartmouth), Morbay (Torbay), Neston (Totnes), etc. Every time I saw one, it would pull me out of the narrative flow while I’d get annoyed. Sadly these two things put me off and I can’t say I’d be in a rush to read any more novels - this was #22 in the series, and my first and last.

[Julie Curran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I have read in the Wesley Peterson series.I must have missed a lot of books between the two.DS Rachael Tracey is a newly wed(she wasn’t even involved with anyone last one)and Wes”s wife Pam has done a 360 about face and become a half decent human being in this.The story is intriguing and a real page turner.The Skelton of a young hitch hiker who disappeared 12 years ago,is discovered buried on Rachael’s parents farm.There are so many different characters that I found it quite hard to keep track of who was who.There is a further 2 murders plus an old suicide that may be suspicious.There is also letters from a Doctor from the 1800s scattered throughout multiple chapters.I found these the least interesting part of the story but the author always has to have some old history in this series.As ever I loved Wes”s character,his warmth,kindness and sense of justice elevates these books from very good to excellent.I really like his rapport with his boss DCI GerryHefferman.Their contrasting personalities work so well together.

[Genevieve Paquette · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this series, you know exactly what you're going to get. Present day killings linked to long ago killings, with a historical document that explains everything but no one reads until the end. And dreadful depictions of female characters.
Usually I'm ok with (most of) that, they're light, fun reads, but this time the historical aspect/theme/gimmick wasn't interesting to me.
Also, the author sucks at writing women. Pam is completely unsympathetic, passive-agressive, needy and unsupportive. And just really bloody annoying. Rachel is a sullen teenager, even though she's in her 30s and newly married. She resents her life and is still pining after Wes and I hate it. She wasn't always this bad! Ellis did her dirty. I was hoping marrying Rachel off would put that storyline to bed, as it were, but no. I suspect that the author's going to string out the inappropriate URST (and Wes's tepid marriage) indefinitely, and despite liking the series (I own every book, even), it's pur me off.

[DocGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read in what appears to be a lengthy series of Wesley Peterson murder mysteries, and I must admit that, on the evidence of this one, I will now go back and read some more my this author! The Burial Circle is a meticulously thought out story, in which the facts match, the characters are realistic and actually have hidden depths and inspire some empathy. I'm not saying that lightly, because more often than not recently, that's not the case with contemporary novels. Here we are slowly and intriguingly introduced to a village and its community which holds secrets hardly any of the inhabitants know about. Ellis weaves a fascinating web, which is very well done and always leaves you needing to concentrate, while looking forward to seeing how the plot resolves itself. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's full of depth and Ellis is an excellent writer.

[Leanne Cramond · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there is one thing I love but unfortunately makes my 'to read' pile much bigger, is discovering an author I haven't previously read before and realising she has a whole string of back list titles!

I am a crime/mystery fan and read a lot in this genre, but especially like it when they include a touch of gothic suspense about them. I have read everything Phil Rickman has written and parts of this reminded me of his books.

This is a very clever story written through the eyes of several people and including excerpts from an old diary. It is page-turning and holds the reader's interest the whole way through, not really giving anything away till the end. Not having read any of the previous books in this series I didn't find a disadvantage, though now I will go back to the beginning and catch up on the detective's back story.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read by this author and I'm sure it won't be the last because i loved it.
It's a complex and gripping mystery, a police procedural with a paranormal side that kept me hooked and turning pages as fast as I could.
The plot is fast paced and tightly knitted, I loved how the author mixes the present mystery with a past story making them work and creating an enthralling story.
The characters are interesting and well thought, the mystery is solid and it kept me guessing till the end.
The solution was complex and I was satisfied by how all pieces fell into place.
An entertaining and engrossing story that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Nick Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twentyfourth part of the series about Devon police inspector Wesley Peterson, and one of the best of the series. The series is special, because not only it tells a single story about a current crime, it also tels the story of a similar or linked crime in a distant past. Understandable, as Wesley once trained to be an archaeologist, as did his best friend Neil. And thirdly, in a storyline arcing the whole series we share the stories of Wesley's family, friends and colleagues that develop over the series. Top of the bill reading, and books the word "unputdownable"seems to have been invented for.

[Oundle Crime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tree is blown down on a stormy night on an isolated Devon farm and when it’s dragged away a human skeleton and a rucksack are found. Twelve years earlier a young hitchhiker went missing and had been seen carrying a similar rucksack, so now a cold case turns into a murder investigation for DI Wesley Peterson. This series always has a police investigation running alongside an archaeological mystery, and that’s where the Burial Circle comes in. This is the first book by Kate Ellis I've read and I really enjoyed the mix of mystery and archaeology. Although it’s Book 24 in the DI Wesley Peterson series this could easily be read as a standalone novel.
Mo, Oundle Crime