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DI Nikki Galena #11
Hidden on the Fens
Detective Joseph Easter’s daughter discovers a cottage hidden in some trees on a large fenland farm. Someone has been living there. The farm-owner’s wife has been receiving sinister pagan artefacts, including a witch’s knife. Are they some sort of warning or message? Joseph and his daughter search the cottage and find an old satchel. Inside are photos of a beautiful girl, Jennifer Cowley. She went missing fifteen years ago. She had been stalked by a young man, who was convicted of her murder, even though her body was never found. WHEN DI NIKKI GALENA EXAMINES THE COTTAGE, SHE FINDS SOMETHING FAR WORSE. And in the satchel is a more recent photo of a girl who looks just like Jennifer. The man who killed Jennifer is recently out of prison. Has he struck again? At the same time, DC Cat Cullen and Dave Harris are trying to get evidence against a man who preys on widowed older women. Vernon Deacon is seemingly a pillar of society, with very influential friends. His victims are often not believed, so their job is not easy.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2020
2709 people are currently reading
743 people want to read
About the author
Joy Ellis
54 books2,400 followersJoy Ellis grew up in Kent but moved to London when she won an apprenticeship with the prestigious Mayfair florist, Constance Spry Ltd. Having run her own flower shop in Weybridge for many years, Ellis then worked as a bookseller until a trip to the Greek island of Skyros, where she took part in a writer's workshop with Sue Townsend, encouraged her to write her own books. Joy soon after moved to the Lincolnshire Fens, where she has spent many of years living among the countryside accompanied by her partner, Jacqueline, and her variety of springer spaniels. After many years of writing, Jasper Joffe, from Joffe Books, discovered Joy's work and approached her with the offer of becoming her new publisher. This new relationship introduced Joy's work to the fascinating world of ebooks and audible listening. Since their partnership, Joy's success has grown further than she could have ever imagined. She has recently celebrated her 10th UK No.1 book on the Amazon 'Best Sellers' chart, with her 9th instalment in the Jackman & Evans series, Solace House. Joy boasts a staggering estimated total over 3.4 million copies sold worldwide, and became a short-listed nominee at the British Book Awards, 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
April 3, 2020
Another excellent installment in the Nikki Galena series, in this book we have Nikki and her team investigate some photos found in a satchel in a hidden cottage. The photos are of a young girl who has been missing for fifteen years. A man has been imprisoned for her murder, but this new evidence may prove his innocence. Meanwhile the owner of the farm the cottage was found on has been receiving wiccan artifacts left lying around her farmhouse. Are these a warning? Or is someone trying to leave her a message?
This is one of my favourite series, the characters are now like old friends. Joy Ellis always weaves intriguing plots, and brings the setting of the Lincolnshire fens to life. If you like crime fiction and police procedurals I urge you to give this series a go. Recommended.
This is one of my favourite series, the characters are now like old friends. Joy Ellis always weaves intriguing plots, and brings the setting of the Lincolnshire fens to life. If you like crime fiction and police procedurals I urge you to give this series a go. Recommended.
October 10, 2024
Written in the style we have come to expect after 11 books, the team, led by DI Nikki Galena pursue several different cases which come together by the end of the book.
I have followed this series since book one and this has made me very familiar with all the major characters. They are all very likeable and worth following. I did enjoy the extra page time given to Rory in this book. I love his black humor.
A major red herring led me to suspect the wrong person and there was a great twist at the end. I always like it when that happens. If you enjoy a good police procedural then try this one. I do not think you will be disappointed.
I have followed this series since book one and this has made me very familiar with all the major characters. They are all very likeable and worth following. I did enjoy the extra page time given to Rory in this book. I love his black humor.
A major red herring led me to suspect the wrong person and there was a great twist at the end. I always like it when that happens. If you enjoy a good police procedural then try this one. I do not think you will be disappointed.
February 8, 2021
My thanks to Joy Ellis, Joffe books and Netgalley for the ARC , in exchange for an honest opinion.
The previous book was the first one I had read from the author, I loved it so much that I have read most of the series now. I eagerly anticipated this, the next in the series. It was well worth the wait.
This could be the best yet, of an already fantastic series. There has been so much development out on the Fens since the last book. I lost track of how many story lines there were in this book. Bur each one was written and developed so brilliantly that it all flows superbly.
Really cannot wait till the next one.
The previous book was the first one I had read from the author, I loved it so much that I have read most of the series now. I eagerly anticipated this, the next in the series. It was well worth the wait.
This could be the best yet, of an already fantastic series. There has been so much development out on the Fens since the last book. I lost track of how many story lines there were in this book. Bur each one was written and developed so brilliantly that it all flows superbly.
Really cannot wait till the next one.
February 21, 2020
I have fallen in love with the Nikki Galena series. I just started reading it and was only up to book three. But I couldn’t resist the chance to get book 11 through netgalley. So, of course, I had quite the shock to the system in the first few pages realizing what has transpired on the relationship side of things, not just for Nikki and Joseph but also Tamsin.
Here, Tamsin discovers an abandoned cottage on the estate right down the road from her home. Inside is a satchel with photos of a long dead girl and more recent photos of another girl that looks like her. Meanwhile, someone is leaving weird mementoes for the woman who lives on the estate. And an ex-military man is preying on military widows. So much going on and not a down moment for Nikki and her crew. This one moves at a rapid pace. Ellis does an excellent job of weaving these storylines all together with a great ending. I highly recommend this book and series to anyone that values a good police procedural filled with interesting, real life characters. This is one of those “work families” where you find yourself caring for each and every one of the team.
Now, having finished this just prior to publication, I can happily return to listening to this series in order. And yes, this can be read as a standalone but if you have the option, much is to be gained by at least having read the first book in the series first so you get a glimpse of the “old” Nikki and see how far she has come.
My thanks to netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of this book.
Here, Tamsin discovers an abandoned cottage on the estate right down the road from her home. Inside is a satchel with photos of a long dead girl and more recent photos of another girl that looks like her. Meanwhile, someone is leaving weird mementoes for the woman who lives on the estate. And an ex-military man is preying on military widows. So much going on and not a down moment for Nikki and her crew. This one moves at a rapid pace. Ellis does an excellent job of weaving these storylines all together with a great ending. I highly recommend this book and series to anyone that values a good police procedural filled with interesting, real life characters. This is one of those “work families” where you find yourself caring for each and every one of the team.
Now, having finished this just prior to publication, I can happily return to listening to this series in order. And yes, this can be read as a standalone but if you have the option, much is to be gained by at least having read the first book in the series first so you get a glimpse of the “old” Nikki and see how far she has come.
My thanks to netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of this book.
November 9, 2024
Helping the owner with pointers on removing non natural trees and growth in among the strangled woods, Tamsin was shocked when she came across an old cottage, rundown and possibly having been there since the turn of the century. She immediately rang Niall, her policeman husband, and the beginning of a new and horrific case was on its way. Detective Joseph Easter and DI Nikki Galena were in the middle of it all, along with their highly competent team, and with a dead body, a missing girl, a deviant predator and his followers - Nikki and Joseph were up to their eyes in it, with little sleep. Would they solve the cases and find the killer? Or would someone else lose their life?
Hidden on the Fens is the 11th in the DI Nikki Galena series by Joy Ellis and this one was a doozie! I'm loving this series with the exceptional characters; Nikki's team are like a big family, always having each other's backs, with the boss always on their side (unusual in a police procedural!) An excellent series which I highly recommend.
Hidden on the Fens is the 11th in the DI Nikki Galena series by Joy Ellis and this one was a doozie! I'm loving this series with the exceptional characters; Nikki's team are like a big family, always having each other's backs, with the boss always on their side (unusual in a police procedural!) An excellent series which I highly recommend.
January 30, 2022
My thanks to Joffe Books, Netgalley, and Joy Ellis. I've been waiting for ever.. "Or maybe, just a few months," for the newest Ellis book. Finally, it's here! And, yep! I loved it! I had a feeling something good was coming, mostly because I disliked her last book or 2. I also know that whereas we readers lag and get burn out, so do authors. This book hit all my mystery spots! Also, Hob' end? Perfect. Soon as I saw 👀 that and the description, I was running on all cylinders! This was one of those books that you figure out fairly early, but then realize there's still 70% of the book left! So, I knew I was right, but also not completely right at all. Twists and turns!😳 Damn, I do enjoy that! Most excellent job, Ms. Ellis.
February 8, 2020
Hidden on the Fens is the eleventh instalment in the DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter series, set in the fictional town of Greenborough, Lincolnshire, UK, however, each can be read as a standalone without any issues. The team are called to Sedgefield Farm to investigate when DS Easter’s daughter Tamsin Farrow, who had been employed by the farm’s owner Richard Howard to provide her advice on a particularly overgrown copse of trees on his land, makes a surprising discovery. They soon realise that there is a derelict cottage hidden in the undergrowth and even stranger is the fact that it appears to show signs of having recently been inhabited. When they venture inside they discover a collection of photographs of Jennifer Cowley, a girl who disappeared 15 years ago. These aren't the only weird happenings in the local area though as someone seems to be preoccupied with scaring the community with voodoo. Could these incidents be linked?
This is a complex, convoluted police procedural with numerous interlinking plotlines and a plethora of twists, red herrings and reveals. There is plenty of drama and action so it is incredibly easy to tear through this in an afternoon. The unfolding of the novel is full of exciting happenings and once I read the first few pages it had me hook, line and sinker. Joy Ellis is adept at driving your thoughts over what is going on in one direction before ripping the rug right from under you leaving you gobsmacked in the process. It's a compulsive, gripping and thoroughly engrossing read from beginning to end and the most enjoyable of the whole series so far in my opinion. The author truly creates a foreboding atmosphere and illustrates just how far-reaching the consequences of long-held secrets can be. Each new instalment feels somewhat like reuniting with old friends, and I love that; it's one of the reasons I keep coming back for more. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.
This is a complex, convoluted police procedural with numerous interlinking plotlines and a plethora of twists, red herrings and reveals. There is plenty of drama and action so it is incredibly easy to tear through this in an afternoon. The unfolding of the novel is full of exciting happenings and once I read the first few pages it had me hook, line and sinker. Joy Ellis is adept at driving your thoughts over what is going on in one direction before ripping the rug right from under you leaving you gobsmacked in the process. It's a compulsive, gripping and thoroughly engrossing read from beginning to end and the most enjoyable of the whole series so far in my opinion. The author truly creates a foreboding atmosphere and illustrates just how far-reaching the consequences of long-held secrets can be. Each new instalment feels somewhat like reuniting with old friends, and I love that; it's one of the reasons I keep coming back for more. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.
February 6, 2020
While investigating a woman's claim that someone was leaving pagan artifacts at her house, DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter stumble across an old abandoned cottage. The biggest surprise comes when they find a body stuffed down the chimney ... a teenage girl that's been missing for 15 years.
The girl's boyfriend was charged and convicted of her death even though at the time there was no body. He has just recently been released from prison.
They also find more recent pictures of another teenage girl .. one who looks eerily like the girl they just found. They also discover the girl and a friend have gone missing.
Has the man struck again? Or was the actual killer never caught? Nikki and her team are going to dig deep into the past to find a killer who may still be active.
For suspense/mystery, you just can't go wrong with a Joy Elllis book. The suspense maintains its intensity from the very first page to the very last unpredictable ending. The plot is tightly woven with characters that will not soon be forgotten.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this outstanding crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 10, 2025
This is a DNF at 55%. I really hate doing this as it's one of my favourite authors. I should listen to my gut though when I "temporarily" put books down. I mean, I've read 4 other books while trying to plod along on this novel. It's probably a "me" problem rather than the book itself - I just found it incredibly boring.
A plus is that I can now mark it off my "Putting Down For Now" Goals List.
A plus is that I can now mark it off my "Putting Down For Now" Goals List.
February 12, 2020
DI Nikki Galena #11
The remains of a young girl who disappeared several years ago, have been discovered. DI Nikki Galena and her team are investigating the case. DS Joseph Easter and Nikki discover a derelict cottage within a copse of trees. There had been someone living there, but who was it? Two of Nikki's detectives are also investigating attacks on elderly widows.
Set in the fictional Greenborough. These books are quick and easy to read. The pace is fast and the characters are true to life and believable. I was drawn into the story after the first couple of characters. This series just keeps getting better. There's plenty of twists but I did feel the ending was a bit rushed. These book can be read as a standalone but it's always best to read a series in the order they were written in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Joy Ellis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
DI Nikki Galena #11
The remains of a young girl who disappeared several years ago, have been discovered. DI Nikki Galena and her team are investigating the case. DS Joseph Easter and Nikki discover a derelict cottage within a copse of trees. There has been someone living there, but who was it? Two of Nikki's detectives are investigating attacks on elderly widows.
Set in the fictional Greenborough. These books are quick and easy to read. The pace is fast and the characters are true to life and believable. I was drawn into the story after a couple of chapters. This series keeps getting better. There's plenty of twists but I did feel the ending was a little rushed. These books can be read as standalones, ut it's always better to read a series in the order that they were written in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Joy Ellis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The remains of a young girl who disappeared several years ago, have been discovered. DI Nikki Galena and her team are investigating the case. DS Joseph Easter and Nikki discover a derelict cottage within a copse of trees. There had been someone living there, but who was it? Two of Nikki's detectives are also investigating attacks on elderly widows.
Set in the fictional Greenborough. These books are quick and easy to read. The pace is fast and the characters are true to life and believable. I was drawn into the story after the first couple of characters. This series just keeps getting better. There's plenty of twists but I did feel the ending was a bit rushed. These book can be read as a standalone but it's always best to read a series in the order they were written in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Joy Ellis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
DI Nikki Galena #11
The remains of a young girl who disappeared several years ago, have been discovered. DI Nikki Galena and her team are investigating the case. DS Joseph Easter and Nikki discover a derelict cottage within a copse of trees. There has been someone living there, but who was it? Two of Nikki's detectives are investigating attacks on elderly widows.
Set in the fictional Greenborough. These books are quick and easy to read. The pace is fast and the characters are true to life and believable. I was drawn into the story after a couple of chapters. This series keeps getting better. There's plenty of twists but I did feel the ending was a little rushed. These books can be read as standalones, ut it's always better to read a series in the order that they were written in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Joy Ellis for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2025
*A Tangled Web*
**4.5 Stars**
This is the eleventh book in the Detective Nikki Galena Mysteries, a series of fifteen novels so far. In this instalment, we meet DS Joseph Easter’s daughter, Tamsin, a passionate environmentalist. Tamsin is working with a farmer whose family owns the land to advise him on planting trees and optimising the farmland. However, during their investigation, they stumble upon a hidden, crumbling cottage that suggests someone has been living there. But why? It’s clearly unsafe.
Tamsin calls her husband, a uniformed sergeant Niall and DS Joseph Easter his father-in-law, to investigate. Initially, it appears to be a minor matter, but photographs emerge of a missing girl who vanished fifteen years ago and was being stalked. Furthermore, someone has been paying for crimes in prison, and a shocking discovery might just connect these dots, raising questions about a possible link. He was convicted without a body.
As the investigation unfolds, they encounter roadkill and sinister deliveries to the farm owners’ wife. The reasons behind these events become increasingly puzzling, and they soon uncover a perpetrator who is hiding in plain sight as an upright citizen. Despite their efforts, arrests prove elusive, leaving Nikki and Joseph with a lot on their plate. They also have someone close who narrowly escapes a close call. ________
**4.5 Stars**
This is the eleventh book in the Detective Nikki Galena Mysteries, a series of fifteen novels so far. In this instalment, we meet DS Joseph Easter’s daughter, Tamsin, a passionate environmentalist. Tamsin is working with a farmer whose family owns the land to advise him on planting trees and optimising the farmland. However, during their investigation, they stumble upon a hidden, crumbling cottage that suggests someone has been living there. But why? It’s clearly unsafe.
Tamsin calls her husband, a uniformed sergeant Niall and DS Joseph Easter his father-in-law, to investigate. Initially, it appears to be a minor matter, but photographs emerge of a missing girl who vanished fifteen years ago and was being stalked. Furthermore, someone has been paying for crimes in prison, and a shocking discovery might just connect these dots, raising questions about a possible link. He was convicted without a body.
As the investigation unfolds, they encounter roadkill and sinister deliveries to the farm owners’ wife. The reasons behind these events become increasingly puzzling, and they soon uncover a perpetrator who is hiding in plain sight as an upright citizen. Despite their efforts, arrests prove elusive, leaving Nikki and Joseph with a lot on their plate. They also have someone close who narrowly escapes a close call. ________
February 16, 2020
I loved this book and I became more and more absorbed with every page, as it edged closer to the magnificent climax. The story flows at a fast pace and Nikki, Joseph and the rest of the team are busy, to say the least! A freshly made path into the Copse, an old crumbling Cottage that nobody seems aware of, a skeleton, photographs of young girls, a tent and some digestive biscuits are all discovered and my interest peaked - I couldn't wait to find out how the story would progress. With a cold case from 15 years ago where a local girl has gone missing, a weirdo targeting vulnerable mature widows, a wiccan-worshipping elderly lady who is being spooked and is receiving unwanted pagan type gifts, the disappearance of a young girl and a recently released perpetrator - plus more going on - there is more than enough to keep us turning the pages! I think the plot very clever and I never had to go back and recap, always another bonus as I don't want to be wasting precious reading time reading a mumbo-jumbo. No, it was smooth reading all the way through. I wondered if the girl who had recently disappeared was in the hands of serial killer? ... We have yet to find out who the perpetrator was from 15 years ago. Even though a man was charged and brought to 'justice', there have been some doubts and the charged has always been insistent of his innocence. Nikki and her team are working every available hour in the hope of finding this latest girl who's disappeared, alive, before it's too late! I like the strong, believable characters and it was nice to see a bond strengthening between two of the characters. I felt fearful at times, in a good heart-racing type of way, and also excited that I might have worked out some of the plot, but no, this author is far too clever! I have always been interested in all things paranormal and wiccan, witch, pagan etc. and so this story was an added bonus. The setting was perfect and could hide many a perpetrator and with the villagers vulnerable, stuck in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal half the time and nobody around to hear them if they called out for help, it did make me feel a little bit anxious - but again, in a thrilling way! It really was an exceptionally good read. I was satisfied with the nicely tied up ending and an ending which I never could have foretold! I highly recommend this great book! It really deserves more than 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
November 27, 2020
Thanks to #NetGalley, #Joffe Books and #Joy Ellis for a advanced review copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
This was my first book by this author and in the Nikki Galena series. It definitely works as a stand-alone, although I have heard from other reviewers that it's good to read the other books as well to learn more about the characters histories. (I will be doing this retroactively.)
I found this book very enjoyable and entertaining. The characters were well written and the plot moved along swiftly. The story begins with a hidden cottage being found in an old copse of woods that is to be cleared and the dead body found within. The story continues with many plot twists and turns culminating in an ending that you will not see coming! I highly recommend this title and this author!
4.5⭐
This was my first book by this author and in the Nikki Galena series. It definitely works as a stand-alone, although I have heard from other reviewers that it's good to read the other books as well to learn more about the characters histories. (I will be doing this retroactively.)
I found this book very enjoyable and entertaining. The characters were well written and the plot moved along swiftly. The story begins with a hidden cottage being found in an old copse of woods that is to be cleared and the dead body found within. The story continues with many plot twists and turns culminating in an ending that you will not see coming! I highly recommend this title and this author!
4.5⭐
February 19, 2020
One day I might be able to start reading a book by an author that's the first in a series rather than my usual find an author where I end up having to go back through their back catalogue. As usual this is one of those times.
This was really enjoyable. There was enough little titbits of back story that I didn't feel like I missed out on not having read the previous books. It works well as a stand alone but those little bits whet the appetite to read the other books to see how the detectives got where they are now. I enjoyed all the characters and each has their own well grown personality (as a result of the other 10 books probably)
The story itself is fascinating. Two crimes that don't seem to be linked soon have a common denominator and we soon have a long history of cruelty, abuse and grooming. Being a mother to a son it really had me thinking what I would do if my own child came to me with the events that unravel here. I liked having that moral conundrum.
The story jumps of the page. It captivated me from the minute I started it and would have read it in one sitting if I hadn't had to do annoying work related things. Loved it.
This was really enjoyable. There was enough little titbits of back story that I didn't feel like I missed out on not having read the previous books. It works well as a stand alone but those little bits whet the appetite to read the other books to see how the detectives got where they are now. I enjoyed all the characters and each has their own well grown personality (as a result of the other 10 books probably)
The story itself is fascinating. Two crimes that don't seem to be linked soon have a common denominator and we soon have a long history of cruelty, abuse and grooming. Being a mother to a son it really had me thinking what I would do if my own child came to me with the events that unravel here. I liked having that moral conundrum.
The story jumps of the page. It captivated me from the minute I started it and would have read it in one sitting if I hadn't had to do annoying work related things. Loved it.
October 27, 2021
This might be the best of the series. A very compelling story. Joy Ellis has a gift for maintaining tension on every page; I don't know how she does it, but I am going through her books as I would a bowl of candy. :)
January 25, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Hidden on the Fens, the eleventh novel to feature DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter, set in the fictional Lincolnshire town of Greenborough.
In the course of her conservation work for a local farmer Joseph Easter’s daughter Tamsin finds a derelict cottage with signs of recent occupation. Further investigation finds a satchel full of pictures of Jennifer Cowley who disappeared 15 years previously. What is the link between the satchel and weird events at the farmer’s parents’ house and who is the other girl whose photos are mixed in with Jennifer’s?
I thoroughly enjoyed Hidden on the Fens which is an exciting read with plenty of twists and action. The novel is told from the investigative point of view through various voices with the exception of the prologue which hints at a homecoming but not much more. I like a novel that allows me to guess along with the investigation and this certainly provides much food for thought as Ms Ellis twists the reader this way and that. There is so much going on in the hunt for the intruder that you would think that would be enough but there is a subplot of the effort to nail a sexual predator. On reflection I’m not sure how believable I find the plot but there is no time to think about that as the reader rushes from one development to the next. It makes for compulsive reading.
With so many books in the series the characters are becoming like old friends. Nikki is the strong decisive leader while Joseph is the hand that steadies her. I was disappointed not to see more of Nikki’s mother, the delightfully subversive Eve, a woman of many talents.
Hidden on the Fens is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
In the course of her conservation work for a local farmer Joseph Easter’s daughter Tamsin finds a derelict cottage with signs of recent occupation. Further investigation finds a satchel full of pictures of Jennifer Cowley who disappeared 15 years previously. What is the link between the satchel and weird events at the farmer’s parents’ house and who is the other girl whose photos are mixed in with Jennifer’s?
I thoroughly enjoyed Hidden on the Fens which is an exciting read with plenty of twists and action. The novel is told from the investigative point of view through various voices with the exception of the prologue which hints at a homecoming but not much more. I like a novel that allows me to guess along with the investigation and this certainly provides much food for thought as Ms Ellis twists the reader this way and that. There is so much going on in the hunt for the intruder that you would think that would be enough but there is a subplot of the effort to nail a sexual predator. On reflection I’m not sure how believable I find the plot but there is no time to think about that as the reader rushes from one development to the next. It makes for compulsive reading.
With so many books in the series the characters are becoming like old friends. Nikki is the strong decisive leader while Joseph is the hand that steadies her. I was disappointed not to see more of Nikki’s mother, the delightfully subversive Eve, a woman of many talents.
Hidden on the Fens is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
October 16, 2021
3 stars.
I know there are a lot of twists and turns in this one but unfortunately I don't buy it. To me, a lot of it seems to be very sloppy police work and I question the credibility of some of the plot points.
Apart from the atmospheric description of that house in the corpses, I had to really suspend disbelief to finish this one.
I know there are a lot of twists and turns in this one but unfortunately I don't buy it. To me, a lot of it seems to be very sloppy police work and I question the credibility of some of the plot points.
Apart from the atmospheric description of that house in the corpses, I had to really suspend disbelief to finish this one.
January 29, 2020
Totally addictive is what it says and oh my word it doesn't lie. I love this author's style. We join D.I Nikki Galena once again. And Sergeant Niall Farrow is sent to pay a visit to the couple the Howard's after they seem to have been targeted after been left a ritualistic knife ( witchcraft) the place sedgebrook house is amazing and someone is watching the big estate. They stumble on a cottage delirious that's like something out of a fairy tale occupying a squatter and unearth evidence of a missing girl so who's been living here? I was well and truly hooked , so fast paced, your unable to put it down. Characters that draw you in their lives. Author 100% spot on with details. Creepy stuff that will fill you up. Loved every page to the end.
February 16, 2020
Another brilliant addition to the series
Hard to believe this is book 11 in this brilliant series. I have read them all and every one is a gripping read so I was expecting great things from this one and I wasn't disappointed.
Tamsin take a bigger role in this book as her environmental skills are utilised. Richard Howard is now running his parent's farm and is eager to do so in an environmentally friendly way so has asked Tamsin to advise on how to tackled a very overgrown copse. As they are looking and discussing the copse they notice a pathway has been made and further investigation reveals a hidden derelict cottage. What they don't know is that the cottage holds dark secrets that span years and continents.
This is a very complex story with many different things going on from an evil man preying on vulnerable women that seems to be so slippery that even Nikki's brilliant team seem unable to make charges stick. Then there are witchcraft items that are being left at Sedgebrook Farm causing a lot of worry for Auriella so when the cottage begins to give up its secrets nobody considered that the different cases could be linked.
I love how Joy Ellis always manages to come up with such unique stories and stretch the characters further you would think after 10 books we would know all there is to know about them but apparently not as their personalities develop ever further. I feel I have watched Nikki grow and loved how she showed both vulnerability and compassion for others in this book. The characters are sheer perfection the story is gripping and keeps the reader guessing all the way to the end. An awesome read.
I spend a lot of time walking around remote countryside and I will always wonder what secrets the hidden derelict buildings may be hiding.
Definitely 5 stars from me.
Oh I didn't mention Eve and the case of the missing artist. That would make a brilliant side story I do love the little bits that we learn each book but an opportunity to delve into the case with more focus would be amazing.
Hard to believe this is book 11 in this brilliant series. I have read them all and every one is a gripping read so I was expecting great things from this one and I wasn't disappointed.
Tamsin take a bigger role in this book as her environmental skills are utilised. Richard Howard is now running his parent's farm and is eager to do so in an environmentally friendly way so has asked Tamsin to advise on how to tackled a very overgrown copse. As they are looking and discussing the copse they notice a pathway has been made and further investigation reveals a hidden derelict cottage. What they don't know is that the cottage holds dark secrets that span years and continents.
This is a very complex story with many different things going on from an evil man preying on vulnerable women that seems to be so slippery that even Nikki's brilliant team seem unable to make charges stick. Then there are witchcraft items that are being left at Sedgebrook Farm causing a lot of worry for Auriella so when the cottage begins to give up its secrets nobody considered that the different cases could be linked.
I love how Joy Ellis always manages to come up with such unique stories and stretch the characters further you would think after 10 books we would know all there is to know about them but apparently not as their personalities develop ever further. I feel I have watched Nikki grow and loved how she showed both vulnerability and compassion for others in this book. The characters are sheer perfection the story is gripping and keeps the reader guessing all the way to the end. An awesome read.
I spend a lot of time walking around remote countryside and I will always wonder what secrets the hidden derelict buildings may be hiding.
Definitely 5 stars from me.
Oh I didn't mention Eve and the case of the missing artist. That would make a brilliant side story I do love the little bits that we learn each book but an opportunity to delve into the case with more focus would be amazing.
April 2, 2020
This is a delightful British police procedural that has realistic coppers (sorry too much masterpiece theater) who are neither super heroes nor so flawed that you wonder why anyone took them on a force.
What starts out as simple mystery of a hidden house that's been abandoned for 100 years twists and turns back upon itself until everything ties up in a tight bow. I will admit to getting several things wrong in my guesses to solve the case.
What is especially lovely is a detailed British slang dictionary in the back of the book.
I am only left with one unsolved acronym OBO which I just learned means Observation https://www.acronymfinder.com/OBO.html which makes total sense but I was trying to solve as On Behind Outside?
This is a series where I jumped in on the latest book but will not be going back to fill in the pieces.
What starts out as simple mystery of a hidden house that's been abandoned for 100 years twists and turns back upon itself until everything ties up in a tight bow. I will admit to getting several things wrong in my guesses to solve the case.
What is especially lovely is a detailed British slang dictionary in the back of the book.
I am only left with one unsolved acronym OBO which I just learned means Observation https://www.acronymfinder.com/OBO.html which makes total sense but I was trying to solve as On Behind Outside?
This is a series where I jumped in on the latest book but will not be going back to fill in the pieces.
March 30, 2024
Convoluted, far fetched story that made no sense whatsoever on any human scale. And do the two story lines have to be connected????
And Nikki and Joseph”keeping their relationship a secret” is absolutely ridiculous.
The dialogue is awful in this book.
And let’s talk about Tamsin! She is TSTL(Too Stupid To Live) and acts like she is a pouty teen.
I’m really disappointed and I’m done with this series.
And Nikki and Joseph”keeping their relationship a secret” is absolutely ridiculous.
The dialogue is awful in this book.
And let’s talk about Tamsin! She is TSTL(Too Stupid To Live) and acts like she is a pouty teen.
I’m really disappointed and I’m done with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2020
Dear Reader,
A buried satchel containing photos of a missing girl,long believed to have been murdered.
An elderly woman receiving symbols of witch craft which may hold a personal meaning.
An upstanding member of society refuting evidence of his miscreant behaviour.
Such ate the cars facing Nikki,Joseph,Niall,Cat and Dave as they endeavour to untangle the multi layered mysteries that have suddenly come to light.
I loved this story,found it very addictive and I highly recommend it. I’m off to start book one in this series.
A buried satchel containing photos of a missing girl,long believed to have been murdered.
An elderly woman receiving symbols of witch craft which may hold a personal meaning.
An upstanding member of society refuting evidence of his miscreant behaviour.
Such ate the cars facing Nikki,Joseph,Niall,Cat and Dave as they endeavour to untangle the multi layered mysteries that have suddenly come to light.
I loved this story,found it very addictive and I highly recommend it. I’m off to start book one in this series.
November 18, 2024
Hidden on the Fens by Joy Ellis is the 11th book in the D.I Nikki Galena mystery series. A hidden cottage is discovered on a farm where witches warnings are being left and photos are discoved in the cottage of a girl that had gone missing 15 years earlier, while the team also investigate a predatory serial rapist with influential friends. A superb fast paced mystery with plenty of excitement. I love how the team works well together and it is sad that this is Dave's last case with them. It was interesting to see the various cases come together. A thrilling and suspenseful mystery.
February 6, 2020
Tamsin Farrow is visiting a local farm to discuss woodland regeneration when she discovers a derelict cottage hidden in a copse - she and the others working there also discover a body. DI Nicky Galena and her team, which includes Tamsin’s father DS Joseph Easter, believe the body is that of Jennifer Cowley who went missing years ago. The man convicted of her murder has just been released from prison. Pictures of Jennifer are found in the cottage along with more recent ones of a young woman with blond hair. She is identified as a local girl who hasn’t been seen for some days . The cottage lies on the land of Sedgebrook Farm, home of the Howard family and it appears that someone is trying to frighten Aurelia Howard by leaving Wiccan tools around the property for her to find. The rest of Nicky’s team, Cat and Dave, are still trying to gather evidence on a man who sexually assaults older women but as it’s always his word against theirs they don’t seem to be getting anywhere with the case until they are given the name of a woman who has recently moved into the area; she may be the breakthrough they need.
This was a great read from start to finish. Absolutely love this series.
Thanks to Joffe Books and Joy Ellis for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
This was a great read from start to finish. Absolutely love this series.
Thanks to Joffe Books and Joy Ellis for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
February 15, 2020
From the first page a reader knows “revenge for a life wasted” is coming. Ah, but whose life and whose revenge will take some time to reveal, in Hidden on the Fens, the 11th book in the English police procedural series by Joy Ellis. Revenge is never a good thing in a murder mystery, well, in anything, really, and in not too many pages the foreboding proves correct.
The series is obviously well established, but the author does a good job of “filling in the blanks” as to who’s who, for a new reader who might somehow pick this book up without realizing there are many more preceding. A reader could start with this one, but you shouldn’t – this is a very entertaining group of fictional people, who have grown with each book. The setting is the coastal plains of eastern England, a character all by itself, one that draws you to it and infuses the book with life. The isolated spaces lend themselves to trouble.
The policemen of DI Nikki Galena’s station (Greenborough Police Station, to name it) soon find themselves investigating from the get-go. And it leads to a missing person case – a young girl that has been missing for a very long time. This revelation may mean that a man that is in prison may not be guilty.
There’s always a second case in these books, and this one involves someone assaulting widows, and getting away with it. A couple of Nikki’s detectives are determined to take down this scum bag.
That missing person case involves an eerie, hidden cottage, strange gifts being left around that have ties to pagan beliefs, and an all-around aura of something supernatural that may have you scratching your head. Along the way the author drops hints that all is not well in a certain family’s background – you can draw your own conclusions as you read along.
And as the investigation(s) progress, a connection is (conveniently) found. Could have done without that little plot device. Seems to me it just made everything way too complicated. Everything becomes rather unpleasant very quickly, and somewhat confusing. Plus, the book bogs down in the middle, an unfortunate happenstance of many a police procedural as the evidence is gone over time and again. True to life, I suppose, but it does tend to slow things down.
People that are presumed guilty have their stories told… and innocent ones, too. The book becomes thrilling and there’s quite a few surprises at the end. It is sort of a creepy story, and I confess I was glad to see it end. Not sure that that beginning actually fits the ending, come to think of it, though. Almost seems like a red herring.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.
The series is obviously well established, but the author does a good job of “filling in the blanks” as to who’s who, for a new reader who might somehow pick this book up without realizing there are many more preceding. A reader could start with this one, but you shouldn’t – this is a very entertaining group of fictional people, who have grown with each book. The setting is the coastal plains of eastern England, a character all by itself, one that draws you to it and infuses the book with life. The isolated spaces lend themselves to trouble.
The policemen of DI Nikki Galena’s station (Greenborough Police Station, to name it) soon find themselves investigating from the get-go. And it leads to a missing person case – a young girl that has been missing for a very long time. This revelation may mean that a man that is in prison may not be guilty.
There’s always a second case in these books, and this one involves someone assaulting widows, and getting away with it. A couple of Nikki’s detectives are determined to take down this scum bag.
That missing person case involves an eerie, hidden cottage, strange gifts being left around that have ties to pagan beliefs, and an all-around aura of something supernatural that may have you scratching your head. Along the way the author drops hints that all is not well in a certain family’s background – you can draw your own conclusions as you read along.
And as the investigation(s) progress, a connection is (conveniently) found. Could have done without that little plot device. Seems to me it just made everything way too complicated. Everything becomes rather unpleasant very quickly, and somewhat confusing. Plus, the book bogs down in the middle, an unfortunate happenstance of many a police procedural as the evidence is gone over time and again. True to life, I suppose, but it does tend to slow things down.
People that are presumed guilty have their stories told… and innocent ones, too. The book becomes thrilling and there’s quite a few surprises at the end. It is sort of a creepy story, and I confess I was glad to see it end. Not sure that that beginning actually fits the ending, come to think of it, though. Almost seems like a red herring.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.
June 4, 2020
I’ve enjoyed Joy Ellis’s DI Nikki Galena police procedurals before. Hidden on the Fens, the 11th in the series, has a promising premise. A mysterious derelict cottage in the woods appears to hold clues to an old crime – and the threat of a new one, both involving teenage girls.
The cottage was hidden for decades until the landowner began clearing the wood. Meanwhile his parents, two agreeably eccentric academics, say they know nothing of its history but his mother is receiving odd ‘offerings’ on her doorstep, which appear to be linked to witchcraft, her field of study.
The nature of the crime, the remote location, the juxtaposition of the forward-thinking landowner who is intent on conservation and the setting, which is unchanged for decades, conjure an atmospheric world. Added to that, there is a personal angle. The environmental consultant working with the landowner is married to another officer, and is the daughter of Galena’s sergeant and partner, Joseph Easter.
Galena and the team are interesting characters, there are lots of connections and developing relationships (although you can dip in and out of the series, as I have, and the books still make sense). I was initially really enjoying this one too, but around the middle my interest started to sag.
I think there are a couple of reasons. First, there is a lot of extraneous detail that slows the book down. It matters to Galena (and to Ellis) who is doing what shift, and what task they have outstanding, and a little bit of detail can add flavour to the reader, but there is too much housekeeping and it weighs down the pace for the reader.
I also felt disappointed by the eventual resolution of the story. It wasn’t as twisty as I’d hoped and the behaviour of some of the secondary characters strained credulity.
So, Hidden on the Fens is not, for me, Joy Ellis at her best, but it was still good to catch up with Galena and the team and I’d be happy to read another.
The cottage was hidden for decades until the landowner began clearing the wood. Meanwhile his parents, two agreeably eccentric academics, say they know nothing of its history but his mother is receiving odd ‘offerings’ on her doorstep, which appear to be linked to witchcraft, her field of study.
The nature of the crime, the remote location, the juxtaposition of the forward-thinking landowner who is intent on conservation and the setting, which is unchanged for decades, conjure an atmospheric world. Added to that, there is a personal angle. The environmental consultant working with the landowner is married to another officer, and is the daughter of Galena’s sergeant and partner, Joseph Easter.
Galena and the team are interesting characters, there are lots of connections and developing relationships (although you can dip in and out of the series, as I have, and the books still make sense). I was initially really enjoying this one too, but around the middle my interest started to sag.
I think there are a couple of reasons. First, there is a lot of extraneous detail that slows the book down. It matters to Galena (and to Ellis) who is doing what shift, and what task they have outstanding, and a little bit of detail can add flavour to the reader, but there is too much housekeeping and it weighs down the pace for the reader.
I also felt disappointed by the eventual resolution of the story. It wasn’t as twisty as I’d hoped and the behaviour of some of the secondary characters strained credulity.
So, Hidden on the Fens is not, for me, Joy Ellis at her best, but it was still good to catch up with Galena and the team and I’d be happy to read another.
March 3, 2020
Real sense of place
I enjoyed the level of detail in the plot and but what I really enjoyed most of all was that sense of place. I could imagine the expanse of the sky and the scattered communities in which life is not always as idyllic as it might seem.
I enjoyed the level of detail in the plot and but what I really enjoyed most of all was that sense of place. I could imagine the expanse of the sky and the scattered communities in which life is not always as idyllic as it might seem.
December 21, 2020
Really enjoyed this one. Lots of pointers to the culprit, except you later doubt your deductions and decide on someone else and so it goes on. it's only in the last few chapters you know for sure - or do you?
November 18, 2023
Reread 11/2023 review- 3.7 stars??
Original 12/2022 review- 3.9 stars?? Better than I expected, but also much darker 🫣
Original 12/2022 review- 3.9 stars?? Better than I expected, but also much darker 🫣
February 22, 2020
Nikki is based in the Lincolnshire Fens and covers a huge area with her team including partner and ex soldier DS Joseph Easter, and DCs Cat Cullen and Ben Radley. They are ably assisted by ex copper Dave Harris and PC Yvonne Collins, a highly experienced veteran, and also have new faces DC Sean Pickford and PC Kyle Adams to help them. There is just so much to enjoy in this, the eleventh book in the highly popular series, and I swear each one gets better and better. The story starts with several strands. An elderly farm-owner's wife starts to receive strange wiccan offerings on her doorstep. She has a good knowledge of these things which can be viewed as kindly or sinister, and appears visibly shaken when visited by the police after her son reports them. The son is also trying to run the fenland farm whilst looking after the environment, and enlists help from Tamsin, wife of Sergeant Niall Farrow and daughter of DS Joseph Easter. Whilst exploring Hobs End Copse, a terribly overgrown mass of tangled trees and bushes, they make the startling discovery of an old derelict cottage right in the middle. Someone, possibly the gift leaver, has clearly been there recently, cutting a pathway through and setting up a tent. They've even brought their own biscuits!! Incredibly as Tamsin shows the cottage to Joseph they unearth a satchel containing photos of a girl who went missing, presumed murdered, many years ago. A young man, recently released and still protesting his innocence, even went to jail for 15 years for the crime but with the disturbing addition of recent photos of another look-alike, doubts are cast on whether they got the right man and possibly a new girl is now in danger. Meanwhile Cat and Dave, who is due to retire again soon, are working hard on the case of a nasty sexual predator who has been assaulting elderly ladies and so far has escaped justice every time. everyone wants Dave to bow out on a high note by bringing down this repulsive individual but when their star witness goes missing, it appears this man is determined to evade custody by whatever means it takes. So all in all the team, led by Nikki and Supt Cam Walker, have their hands full to bursting. As all their cases start to converge and take a much darker turn, the team are stretched to breaking point and lives are risked in an effort to catch a killer amidst all the lies and hidden family secrets. No words are ever wasted by this author. They all mean something, whether they be setting out the beautiful backdrop and scenery, describing horrible crimes and heart-stopping action or delivering the clever and often witty dialogue between the detectives. This story is full of the wonderful characters that have grown to be so popular as the series has progressed and much of this is due to how warm and human they are. Even the dogs have great personalities! The plot is clever and beautifully planned, and draws the reader through a dark trail of clues and suspects to the final exciting chapters as the culprit is revealed in an ending that is bound to shock and yet will make perfect sense to the reader. Outstanding and definitely a book not to be missed. 5*
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