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DCI Daley #8
Jeremiah's Bell
When rich American hotelier Alice Wenger arrives in Kinloch, some eyebrows are raised and memories are rekindled. Meanwhile, the secretive Doig family live a solitary existence on a remote part of the Kintyre peninsula, without even the basic amenities of modern life.
After the family's patriarch plummets to his death, secrets of stolen gold, whisky smuggling, shipwrecks and brutal events going back decades begin to emerge.
With emotions running high in Kinloch Police Office, the team must put aside their own problems and get to the bottom of a sickening crime.
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2020
115 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
About the author
Denzil Meyrick
37 books532 followersDenzil Meyrick was a Scottish bestselling novelist. Prior to that, he served as a police officer with Strathclyde Police then a manager with Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, Argyll. Since 2012 Denzil Meyrick had worked as a writer of Scottish crime fiction novels. He was also an executive director of media production company Houses of Steel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 16, 2020
I love Denzil Meyrick's Scottish Noir series, based at Kinloch, featuring DCI Jim Daley and DI Brian Scott, but unusually for me, I have listened to the audio for all them until now, and that is because the narrator, David Monteath, is simply fabulous, and when I get hold of the audio for this, I will listen to it too. Jim is apprehensive about returning to work after the fall out from the previous book, he is lucky to not be prosecuted. However, whilst boss, Chief Superintendent Carrie Symington is delighted to have him back, it's only on the proviso that Brian has to fulfill a task he really doesn't want to do, but cannot get out of. In a story that goes back and forth in time from 1925 and the present, it all begins with the return of the now wealthy American Alice Wenger, coming back to confront the horrors of her past and her isolated and reclusive Doig family, a family known for its history as wreckers.
Jim's return to work is anything but quiet as he finds himself caught in dark, complex, and disturbing case, worried about how Liz, his wife, is coping after her traumatic experiences. Liz is aware that Jim no longer loves her as he once did, and she knows this is all down to her, seeking help and support from Ella, Brian's wife. The inhabitants of Kinloch are under a cloud of gloom and depression, particularly Annie, as the hotel is under threat, it has not been doing well and the owners are planning to turn it into flats, to fund their move to Florida. Alice turns up at Thomson's Hill, a place that features on her father, Nathaniel's regular daily walks, only to find her meeting with him ends in him committing suicide in front of her by falling off the cliff. There are multiple threads in the narrative, including an American ex-mobster hitman, a senior lawyer willing to cross lines to enrich himself, a number of murders and assault, the harrowing practice of trans-orbital lobotomies, all of which begin to connect in this most dangerous of cases.
One of the joys of Meyrick's series is his wide range of characters, eccentric and offbeat, such as the wonderful elderly Hamish. The author also manages to skillfully combine the darkest and grisliest of stories with humour, the often comic and witty banter, along with some terrific dialogue. This is a brilliant Scottish crime series, I must admit Brian Scott is a particular favourite for me, it is entertaining, engaging, and I love catching up with the regular Kinloch characters that I have come to know so well, although I, like so many others, am less than keen on Jim's wife, Liz. If you haven't come across this series, and love Scottish crime, then I think it is highly likely that you will love it too.
Jim's return to work is anything but quiet as he finds himself caught in dark, complex, and disturbing case, worried about how Liz, his wife, is coping after her traumatic experiences. Liz is aware that Jim no longer loves her as he once did, and she knows this is all down to her, seeking help and support from Ella, Brian's wife. The inhabitants of Kinloch are under a cloud of gloom and depression, particularly Annie, as the hotel is under threat, it has not been doing well and the owners are planning to turn it into flats, to fund their move to Florida. Alice turns up at Thomson's Hill, a place that features on her father, Nathaniel's regular daily walks, only to find her meeting with him ends in him committing suicide in front of her by falling off the cliff. There are multiple threads in the narrative, including an American ex-mobster hitman, a senior lawyer willing to cross lines to enrich himself, a number of murders and assault, the harrowing practice of trans-orbital lobotomies, all of which begin to connect in this most dangerous of cases.
One of the joys of Meyrick's series is his wide range of characters, eccentric and offbeat, such as the wonderful elderly Hamish. The author also manages to skillfully combine the darkest and grisliest of stories with humour, the often comic and witty banter, along with some terrific dialogue. This is a brilliant Scottish crime series, I must admit Brian Scott is a particular favourite for me, it is entertaining, engaging, and I love catching up with the regular Kinloch characters that I have come to know so well, although I, like so many others, am less than keen on Jim's wife, Liz. If you haven't come across this series, and love Scottish crime, then I think it is highly likely that you will love it too.
June 19, 2020
I really like the DCI Daley books. I love the locations, I enjoy the characters, the plots are clever and well written, but I do have a small problem with the Jeremiah's Bell, it is the same problem as the last book 'A Breath on Dying Embers' - these books don't finish properly. You read them and the story builds nicely, several interlocking strands to the plots, and then you get to the end and its all over in a very few pages leaving lots of unanswered questions. I just find this very unsatisfactory, I like my crime novels to actually finish and not leave you hanging about waiting for the next book.
June 5, 2020
I’ve been having a major reading slump recently, taking ages to read a book, not able to focus as well as I normally do. All part of social isolation I guess. But to my huge relief, this book cut through all of that and I devoured it.
Any new Kinloch book is hotly anticipated but this one more than most. Regular readers of this series will know that Meyrick’s last book, A Breath on Dying Embers ended on a major cliff-hanger and we’ve all been holding our collective breath waiting to find out what happened.
Well, I can confidently tell you that I’m not about to divulge spoilers, but what I will say is that a funereal like pall is hanging over Kinloch. It’s everywhere you go, and not least in the County Hotel which is facing a death knell all of its own.
Brian Scott isn’t very cheery, either. Still on the ginger and limes, he’d really been hoping that he could hang up his shiny new D.I. uniform and get back to what he loves best, policing without the paperwork. But Carrie Symington needs him now so he has no choice but to get on with it.
Liz Daley is depressed and drinking too much and trying to get on with things for little James’ sake, and it’s really only a surprising friendship that helps her face the future.
Meanwhile, out on the bleak promontory, overlooking the jagged rocks, a solitary old woman is ringing a hand-bell calling her menfolk back from the sea.
Jeremiah’s Bell is a finely honed, dark work by Denzil Meyrick. One of the darkest I have read in this fine series. Even the dry humour of Hamish and the banter between Hamish, Annie and Brian are tinged with bleakness for the future. The humour is still there, as large as life and as funny as ever, but with an edge to it. All of which just adds to a sense of foreboding that hangs over this sometimes savage book. And I loved it!
The dark foreboding, sleekit lawyers and an American woman who has come back to Kinloch to make sure her family face up to what they have done, all bring their own troubles to Kinloch and it’s not long before there’s a vicious attack, followed by a murder.
The deepest and darkest of family secrets, holding a fascinating and brutal story that is decades old and crosses continents, lie at the heart of this thrilling police procedural which caught me up in its story from the opening pages. Meyrick excels in his astute characterisation, his ear for dialogue that sparkles and of course his beautiful and highly atmospheric settings. That sense of place is so important to these books and Meyrick uses it to maximum impact. It’s always fun to see the pompous having their bubbles burst and no-one does that better than this author. Coupled with a plotline that thunders like the sea against the rocks on a choppy day, and you have the perfect combination for a spellbinding, tense and completely propulsive read.
Verdict: There’s just the right proportions of light and shade in this gripping Scottish noir novel. I love the way Meyrick mixes fact and fiction to give readers a tense and thrilling story where the plausibility lies in well researched but little known facts. Another fabulous must read from a writer who understands his readership very well.
Any new Kinloch book is hotly anticipated but this one more than most. Regular readers of this series will know that Meyrick’s last book, A Breath on Dying Embers ended on a major cliff-hanger and we’ve all been holding our collective breath waiting to find out what happened.
Well, I can confidently tell you that I’m not about to divulge spoilers, but what I will say is that a funereal like pall is hanging over Kinloch. It’s everywhere you go, and not least in the County Hotel which is facing a death knell all of its own.
Brian Scott isn’t very cheery, either. Still on the ginger and limes, he’d really been hoping that he could hang up his shiny new D.I. uniform and get back to what he loves best, policing without the paperwork. But Carrie Symington needs him now so he has no choice but to get on with it.
Liz Daley is depressed and drinking too much and trying to get on with things for little James’ sake, and it’s really only a surprising friendship that helps her face the future.
Meanwhile, out on the bleak promontory, overlooking the jagged rocks, a solitary old woman is ringing a hand-bell calling her menfolk back from the sea.
Jeremiah’s Bell is a finely honed, dark work by Denzil Meyrick. One of the darkest I have read in this fine series. Even the dry humour of Hamish and the banter between Hamish, Annie and Brian are tinged with bleakness for the future. The humour is still there, as large as life and as funny as ever, but with an edge to it. All of which just adds to a sense of foreboding that hangs over this sometimes savage book. And I loved it!
The dark foreboding, sleekit lawyers and an American woman who has come back to Kinloch to make sure her family face up to what they have done, all bring their own troubles to Kinloch and it’s not long before there’s a vicious attack, followed by a murder.
The deepest and darkest of family secrets, holding a fascinating and brutal story that is decades old and crosses continents, lie at the heart of this thrilling police procedural which caught me up in its story from the opening pages. Meyrick excels in his astute characterisation, his ear for dialogue that sparkles and of course his beautiful and highly atmospheric settings. That sense of place is so important to these books and Meyrick uses it to maximum impact. It’s always fun to see the pompous having their bubbles burst and no-one does that better than this author. Coupled with a plotline that thunders like the sea against the rocks on a choppy day, and you have the perfect combination for a spellbinding, tense and completely propulsive read.
Verdict: There’s just the right proportions of light and shade in this gripping Scottish noir novel. I love the way Meyrick mixes fact and fiction to give readers a tense and thrilling story where the plausibility lies in well researched but little known facts. Another fabulous must read from a writer who understands his readership very well.
August 28, 2020
Very good plot. Love the location and use of history as well. I have a small problem with the jokiness of the two main characters. It seems jarring in contrast to the seriousness of the action in the story. That said, it wouldn’t stop me from reading another in this series.
July 18, 2020
3.5*. While a good book, it didn’t compare to the rest in the series.
September 2, 2024
Number 8 in the DCI Daley police series - this was another great rollercoaster ride in the town of Kinloch - the plot was fast and didn’t feel as over the top as some of the previous stories …as ever the Daley and Scott dynamic is brilliant and very funny and good old Hamish is present with his wry observations
Number 9 awaits
Number 9 awaits
April 28, 2020
Intriguing, Compelling.and complex to say the least. Jeremiahs Bell Jeremiahs Bell sees the continuing story of DCI Daley with his right hand man Brian Scott acting DI.. Loved this story, somewhat gruesome in places but very enjoyable. Another brilliant instalment of this great series.
June 22, 2020
I think this 8th book in the Daley series is quite possibly my favourite one to date. DCI Daley returns to work, which is a great relief for Acting DCI Brian Scott. Almost immediately he is drawn into a complex investigation involving an American Alice Wenger, recently arrived in Kinloch, and the reclusive Doig family. As ever the setting of Kinloch adds atmosphere and a genuine sense of place. The characters are so well drawn and it's a pleasure to catch up with old friends like Hamish and Annie. I always enjoy the banter between Brian and Ella as it always makes me smile. I know people like that! There are plenty twists and turns in the plot which kept me engrossed from the start and as the tension built, I could hardly put the book down. I do love the research that goes into the Daley novels. There are some fascinating historical details about the time when Campbeltown was the Whisky capital of the world cleverly woven into the story. Brilliant stuff! It’s another winner.
July 6, 2021
It's a remarkable achievement on Mr Meyrick's part. I thought this series was perfect when I listened to book 1 but somehow every successive book is better. What kind of wizardry is this? I have no idea but when you combine Denzil Meyrick and David Monteath you get magic. Simple as that
June 13, 2020
I have enjoyed the Kinloch series and this story saw DCI Daley return to action after some months of medical leave. I found the different strands of this story caused a sluggish start and I struggled a little to get into it. so only 3 stars.
October 29, 2020
Best one yet!
June 7, 2020
How Good Can a Series Be?
It's probably not worth reading my reviews of this series any more. I just enjoy them so much, all I need to hear is the words 'County Hotel' or 'Hamish eyed his empty glass' from the excellent David Monteath and I am transported to Kinloch and it's wonderful atmosphere. In fact so much have a fallen for this quaint Scottish town that just happens to be the centre of half the world's mystery and intrigue that the potential fate of one of Kinloch's prize institutions had me gripped as much as the latest Daley adventure!
That story is another clever mystery, one of the more laid back ones but it still involves some interesting people coming into Kinloch from abroad. It's slightly more of a slow burner than some of the others but it has a real kicker of an ending that will have you reaching for your own wee dram before the conclusion.
If you've read the previous books then you know what to expect from Daley, Scott and those who inhabit Kinloch. If not, then you could reasonably read this one first and enjoy it but you would be doing yourself a disservice. There is so much joyous character to this series that it should probably be an arrestable offence to not take it all in from the beginning and watch as this grim yet beautiful Scottish town and its characters come to life.
Meyrick has created something very special and I hope he can keep this up for a long time yet, Add in the silky David Monteath as narrator and you have what is clearly one of Audible's winning combinations.
It's probably not worth reading my reviews of this series any more. I just enjoy them so much, all I need to hear is the words 'County Hotel' or 'Hamish eyed his empty glass' from the excellent David Monteath and I am transported to Kinloch and it's wonderful atmosphere. In fact so much have a fallen for this quaint Scottish town that just happens to be the centre of half the world's mystery and intrigue that the potential fate of one of Kinloch's prize institutions had me gripped as much as the latest Daley adventure!
That story is another clever mystery, one of the more laid back ones but it still involves some interesting people coming into Kinloch from abroad. It's slightly more of a slow burner than some of the others but it has a real kicker of an ending that will have you reaching for your own wee dram before the conclusion.
If you've read the previous books then you know what to expect from Daley, Scott and those who inhabit Kinloch. If not, then you could reasonably read this one first and enjoy it but you would be doing yourself a disservice. There is so much joyous character to this series that it should probably be an arrestable offence to not take it all in from the beginning and watch as this grim yet beautiful Scottish town and its characters come to life.
Meyrick has created something very special and I hope he can keep this up for a long time yet, Add in the silky David Monteath as narrator and you have what is clearly one of Audible's winning combinations.
June 1, 2021
It took me forever to finish, it just couldn't hold my interest. I'm not sure I will read the next book.
July 8, 2025
Another complex historical connection to modern day horrible crimes. As I read the next one in the series before this one in error some events have been slightly marred. I continue to be amazed that Brian Scott can survive so many beatings/assaults and that Daley is increasingly depressed. I feel the series should conclude but that probably means they will all need to die.
December 7, 2020
You can picture the beauty of the Scottish countryside vividly from the wonderful description
Another great story
Another great story
May 19, 2024
Audio book. Another excellent instalment in the series. Good mystery with an unexpected end. The narrator makes these stories so engaging.
July 21, 2020
Denzil Meyrick just gets better and better. Another ripping yarn in that dark centre of Scotland, Kinloch. Excellent characters, a good story and a continuing back story makes this a much waited forever and enjoyable treat.
March 19, 2021
Have read all of Denzil Myrick’s books and really enjoyed them. This was just so-so for me. I did not think there was enough “detecting” in it. Seemed like bad things just kept happening and James and Brian would react to it, but they did not seem to do much investigating and crime solving. Found the whole story about the Doig family to be a bit too far-fetched. But in looking at the reviews, most people loved it! Well that’s the thing about mysteries, there is something for everybody in this genre.
November 13, 2020
Have not enjoyed this book and the last one in the Daley series as much as the six that went before.
March 27, 2024
This amazing Scottish crime novel is the 8th volume, and hopefully this author will get more recognition, of the formidable "DCI Daley" series.
At the end of the book you'll notice "A Note from the Author" with some interesting facts concerning this crime story, while at the beginning you can find a short phrase by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Storytelling is top-notch, all characters come vividly to life in this tale about revenge, greed and murder, while the storyline is superbly structured and executed by the author.
In this tale DCI Jim Daley after recuperating after his latest ordeal concerning his wife and her ex-lover, he is now hoping to come back to work in a somewhat easy environment, but he will be disappointed because soon enough everything will come into full swing with the death of father Nathaniel Doig, and so for him, his friend and now acting DI Brian Scott and his boss Superintendent Carrie Symington this will become a case with many complications.
This crime novel is about the lethal history of the Doig family, from the past (1925) until the present, from their ruthless activities as wreckers of ships towards mutilating family members, and so after the death of Nathaniel Doig, several more deaths will follow, and at the heart of this destruction and death is someone with the lethal hunger for much needed money and revenge.
The main person of interest is Alice Wenger, then Alison Doig, daughter of Nathaniel and Ginny and sister of three brothers, who has now come back to Kinloch, after fleeing under mysterious circumstances over thirty years ago, to say hello to her father but not to the rest of her family, while at the same time the police forces are being played at by a certain pensioned Italian/American gangster who is hired to kill and a law firm acting in a very unlawful fashion, and thus creating a lot of havoc and murder.
What is to follow is an ingenious and captivating crime thriller, in which DCI Daley and DI Scott will have to do their utmost to come to terms will all they encounter, and after quite a few twists and turns, this superbly structured story will reveal in a most fascinating fashion and suspenseful ending an unforeseen but determined culprit.
Highly recommended, for this is another excellent addition to this terrific series, and that's why I like this episode: "A Tremendous Turn Of Events"!
At the end of the book you'll notice "A Note from the Author" with some interesting facts concerning this crime story, while at the beginning you can find a short phrase by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Storytelling is top-notch, all characters come vividly to life in this tale about revenge, greed and murder, while the storyline is superbly structured and executed by the author.
In this tale DCI Jim Daley after recuperating after his latest ordeal concerning his wife and her ex-lover, he is now hoping to come back to work in a somewhat easy environment, but he will be disappointed because soon enough everything will come into full swing with the death of father Nathaniel Doig, and so for him, his friend and now acting DI Brian Scott and his boss Superintendent Carrie Symington this will become a case with many complications.
This crime novel is about the lethal history of the Doig family, from the past (1925) until the present, from their ruthless activities as wreckers of ships towards mutilating family members, and so after the death of Nathaniel Doig, several more deaths will follow, and at the heart of this destruction and death is someone with the lethal hunger for much needed money and revenge.
The main person of interest is Alice Wenger, then Alison Doig, daughter of Nathaniel and Ginny and sister of three brothers, who has now come back to Kinloch, after fleeing under mysterious circumstances over thirty years ago, to say hello to her father but not to the rest of her family, while at the same time the police forces are being played at by a certain pensioned Italian/American gangster who is hired to kill and a law firm acting in a very unlawful fashion, and thus creating a lot of havoc and murder.
What is to follow is an ingenious and captivating crime thriller, in which DCI Daley and DI Scott will have to do their utmost to come to terms will all they encounter, and after quite a few twists and turns, this superbly structured story will reveal in a most fascinating fashion and suspenseful ending an unforeseen but determined culprit.
Highly recommended, for this is another excellent addition to this terrific series, and that's why I like this episode: "A Tremendous Turn Of Events"!
August 25, 2020
After the, "Kinloch Goes To Hollywood", that we got last time, I was not too sure whether Denzil Meyrick had had his day.
But a new adventure with Daley and co. is always worth a read, and I'm very glad to say this WAS a good read. But with some "buts".
For much of the book, it looks like this is the end of the County Hotel and, more importantly, the end of our very own DCI Daley! And at the end maybe Brian Scott would get it too!?
Thankfully none of that happened so I hope more is on the way. But...
I'm afraid to say that, as happens to all the best, Denzil Meyrick is past his best. Yes this was a really good read, but not as good as others earlier in the series. Quite a few inconsistencies and bits that didn't add up or make sense.
I don't mind that too much. If a book is a good read, you can forget these things. But more picky readers will not be so forgiving.
But as always, a good old Kinloch yarn with new places and tales of the sea, of hidden treasure, of murder of course and of pretty nasty people. And many good old subplots connected and not connected with the case itself. And the significance of the Bell was not made much of considering it was in the title.
Things kind of move forward with Daley and his wife, though not much. Brian too has a few personal issues. Hamish is just Hamish! A few new police faces. And ongoing health issues for our DCI Daley which may do for him in the end. I actually thought he was going to be killed off together with the County Hotel. Him and/or Brian. But neither was! Thankfully!
In summary, a really good return to form for Our Denzil! Definitely to be read!
But a new adventure with Daley and co. is always worth a read, and I'm very glad to say this WAS a good read. But with some "buts".
For much of the book, it looks like this is the end of the County Hotel and, more importantly, the end of our very own DCI Daley! And at the end maybe Brian Scott would get it too!?
Thankfully none of that happened so I hope more is on the way. But...
I'm afraid to say that, as happens to all the best, Denzil Meyrick is past his best. Yes this was a really good read, but not as good as others earlier in the series. Quite a few inconsistencies and bits that didn't add up or make sense.
I don't mind that too much. If a book is a good read, you can forget these things. But more picky readers will not be so forgiving.
But as always, a good old Kinloch yarn with new places and tales of the sea, of hidden treasure, of murder of course and of pretty nasty people. And many good old subplots connected and not connected with the case itself. And the significance of the Bell was not made much of considering it was in the title.
Things kind of move forward with Daley and his wife, though not much. Brian too has a few personal issues. Hamish is just Hamish! A few new police faces. And ongoing health issues for our DCI Daley which may do for him in the end. I actually thought he was going to be killed off together with the County Hotel. Him and/or Brian. But neither was! Thankfully!
In summary, a really good return to form for Our Denzil! Definitely to be read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2020
Jeremiah's Bell by Denzil Meyrick is book eight in the DCI Daley Thriller series. We are transported to the beautiful Mull of Kintyre in Scotland - the scenery and setting is brought so alive by Denzil Meyrick. DCI Daley is back and is working on a very complicated case which revolves around a new arrival to the area, American Alice Wenger who is connected to the reclusive Doig family. DCI Daley and his team have to unlock and expose secrets and lies to solve the case.
The setting and the dialogue in the book is superb - added to this the mystery and the suspense from a fantastic storyline, the book is just pure brilliance.
The characters are given such immense depth to them. DI Brian Scott made me laugh! Extremely funny, especially the relationship between him and his wife Ella. You are totally immersed into the characters and their lives. My favourite characters are DI Brian Scott and Hamish.
Full of twists, turns and surprises, Jeremiah's Bell is a page turner, that you will find so hard to put down. Just when you think you are close to solving the case, you then have to rethink! You never want Denzil Meyrick books to end because they are so good! He is such an accomplished and clever writer – this would make a fantastic detective series on TV! Roll on book nine in this incredible series - hopefully we will not have to wait too long! Thank you for a superb read.
The setting and the dialogue in the book is superb - added to this the mystery and the suspense from a fantastic storyline, the book is just pure brilliance.
The characters are given such immense depth to them. DI Brian Scott made me laugh! Extremely funny, especially the relationship between him and his wife Ella. You are totally immersed into the characters and their lives. My favourite characters are DI Brian Scott and Hamish.
Full of twists, turns and surprises, Jeremiah's Bell is a page turner, that you will find so hard to put down. Just when you think you are close to solving the case, you then have to rethink! You never want Denzil Meyrick books to end because they are so good! He is such an accomplished and clever writer – this would make a fantastic detective series on TV! Roll on book nine in this incredible series - hopefully we will not have to wait too long! Thank you for a superb read.
August 18, 2025
A successful American businesswoman, Alice Wenger, returns to Kinloch on the wild Scottish coast, having disappeared as a teenager over 30 years ago. Her return sets wheels in motion, a mobster arrives, and the bodies soon start piling up. Her father is the first to die and, although it’s clearly suicide, DCI Jim Daley and DI Brian Scott are puzzled about the motive. Everything centres around Alice’s strange isolated family, especially her hardbitten mother. Meanwhile, Brian has been acting in Jim’s position while Jim has been on mandatory leave pending an investigation into his conduct.
This police procedural sits firmly in Scottish noir territory, it’s absorbing but utterly bleak and dark—much bleaker and bloodier than Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series—this is not for the faint of heart and I wasn’t quite prepared for the squeamish bits. Having said that, it’s a masterclass in multiple-character chess and misdirection, it was so hard to see how the pieces fit together for so long, but utterly made sense in the big reveal. Strangely, I quite like how Jim worries about his health and growing waistline, how Brian and his wife constantly snipe at each other, and how the whole town seems to have a drinking problem, it gives the characters a realistically vulerable touch and lightens the unrelenting stories with small humorous touches. 🎧 Glaswegian actor David Monteath handles belligerent brogues and snooty toffs with ease on the audio, you definitely know you’re in Scotland!
This police procedural sits firmly in Scottish noir territory, it’s absorbing but utterly bleak and dark—much bleaker and bloodier than Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series—this is not for the faint of heart and I wasn’t quite prepared for the squeamish bits. Having said that, it’s a masterclass in multiple-character chess and misdirection, it was so hard to see how the pieces fit together for so long, but utterly made sense in the big reveal. Strangely, I quite like how Jim worries about his health and growing waistline, how Brian and his wife constantly snipe at each other, and how the whole town seems to have a drinking problem, it gives the characters a realistically vulerable touch and lightens the unrelenting stories with small humorous touches. 🎧 Glaswegian actor David Monteath handles belligerent brogues and snooty toffs with ease on the audio, you definitely know you’re in Scotland!
August 24, 2020
We open not too long after the end of the previous novel, and soon after there’s plenty of upheaval in the lives of Jim Daley and Brian Scott even before Meyrick stirs in rich hotelier Alice Wenger on a visit to her roots – a far cry from her expensive new American life – and the peculiar Doig family tucked away on a remote part of the peninsula. Of course it’s all connected, with tragic incidents and mysterious goings-on that keep us eagerly turning the pages.
The prologue caught my interest immediately, and the historical scenes – beautifully realised from the weather through to the visceral horrors – really set me up for the rest of the book. And when the links between past and present are revealed… well, I shall say no more other than you will be horrified and fascinated in equal measure.
Meyrick’s weaving of the plot strands, and the shifts in perspective between Alice, the Doigs, the police and the locals, is deftly done. And his character work in Daley and Scott, and in particular in the relationship between their wives, is to me stronger here than in some of the previous novels in the series, which really holds the attention in the quieter moments.
And then, with one final disaster averted, there is something of a happy ending – unusual perhaps in a crime novel, but after the cliff-hanger of A Breath On Dying Embers perhaps we’ve earned it.
The prologue caught my interest immediately, and the historical scenes – beautifully realised from the weather through to the visceral horrors – really set me up for the rest of the book. And when the links between past and present are revealed… well, I shall say no more other than you will be horrified and fascinated in equal measure.
Meyrick’s weaving of the plot strands, and the shifts in perspective between Alice, the Doigs, the police and the locals, is deftly done. And his character work in Daley and Scott, and in particular in the relationship between their wives, is to me stronger here than in some of the previous novels in the series, which really holds the attention in the quieter moments.
And then, with one final disaster averted, there is something of a happy ending – unusual perhaps in a crime novel, but after the cliff-hanger of A Breath On Dying Embers perhaps we’ve earned it.
June 5, 2020
Jeremiah’s Bell is the 8th outing for DCI Daley and the now Acting Inspector Brian Scott . Jim Daley has been given the go ahead to return to work following his misadventures at the end of his last case and although he’s keen to get back to his job, he’s still haunted by thoughts of his own mortality. His faithful sidekick Brian Scott can’t wait to have him back, desperate to rid himself of all the bureaucracy and paperwork the role of inspector brings.
Before long the two are embroiled in the mystery of whether a newly arrived, wealthy, American business woman Alison Wenger is connected to the disappearance of a young woman, Alison Doig, 30 years earlier. As the team begin to investigate, someone is very keen that past secrets should not be uncovered and will kill to ensure they remain hidden.
This series of books is superb. The characters are richly drawn, the landscape of the kintyre peninsula so evocatively described, and the stories so intricately woven.
Once again David Monteath puts in a stellar performance as narrator and he brings a superb story to life.
A resounding 5 stars from me.
Before long the two are embroiled in the mystery of whether a newly arrived, wealthy, American business woman Alison Wenger is connected to the disappearance of a young woman, Alison Doig, 30 years earlier. As the team begin to investigate, someone is very keen that past secrets should not be uncovered and will kill to ensure they remain hidden.
This series of books is superb. The characters are richly drawn, the landscape of the kintyre peninsula so evocatively described, and the stories so intricately woven.
Once again David Monteath puts in a stellar performance as narrator and he brings a superb story to life.
A resounding 5 stars from me.
July 22, 2020
This is the first book I've read in the DCI Daley series but that doesn't in any way cause a issue. You very quickly get to know these characters and, whilst there are flashbacks to the past, this book works excellently as a stand alone.
DCI Daley is coming back to work (much to the relief of his acting stand in - and sidekick) and ends up hitting the ground running when a series of connected deaths/murders starts playing out in Kinloch.
These have all started following the return of Alice Wenger - formally known as Alison Doig who disappeared from the area many years before. To say that she comes from a "strange" family is an understatement but it not until the story really begins to unravel that you realise just how dysfunctional the Doigs are. There have always been rumours but nobody could ever have started to guess at the sheer number of secrets hidden behind the walls of their isolated croft.
Add to the mix a gangster from New Jersey and a corrupt and greedy solicitor and you have the perfect ingredients for the perfect crime thriller - that really will keep you guessing until the end.
This may have been my first DCI Daley novel - it won't be the last!
DCI Daley is coming back to work (much to the relief of his acting stand in - and sidekick) and ends up hitting the ground running when a series of connected deaths/murders starts playing out in Kinloch.
These have all started following the return of Alice Wenger - formally known as Alison Doig who disappeared from the area many years before. To say that she comes from a "strange" family is an understatement but it not until the story really begins to unravel that you realise just how dysfunctional the Doigs are. There have always been rumours but nobody could ever have started to guess at the sheer number of secrets hidden behind the walls of their isolated croft.
Add to the mix a gangster from New Jersey and a corrupt and greedy solicitor and you have the perfect ingredients for the perfect crime thriller - that really will keep you guessing until the end.
This may have been my first DCI Daley novel - it won't be the last!
June 8, 2020
Jeremiah’s Bell is the eighth DCI Jim Daley novel set in and around Kinloch and is another fabulous belter of a read.
Alice Wenger returns home to Scotland after many years living in the USA. Her family has a dark and clouded history going back many years, however, Alice is harbouring secrets of her own. But of course, as we all know, secrets never stay hidden... hold on tight, lives are about to be shattered.
Oh, I have really missed Brian Scott; he should be bottled, and put on sale in health and wellness shops. DI Scott is an absolute hoot. The loveable Hamish is back with his tales of yore. Unfortunately, Liz is also back. I can honestly say that I do not think I have ever disliked a character, in any book, as much as I do her; she really rattles my cage.
If you enjoy a beautifully crafted police procedural that is well researched (except the Langley reference) and comes complete with an intriguing plot, a heart stopping, call the author names, moment and bags of laughing out loud then Jeremiah’s Bell is definitely a book worth tucking into.
Alice Wenger returns home to Scotland after many years living in the USA. Her family has a dark and clouded history going back many years, however, Alice is harbouring secrets of her own. But of course, as we all know, secrets never stay hidden... hold on tight, lives are about to be shattered.
Oh, I have really missed Brian Scott; he should be bottled, and put on sale in health and wellness shops. DI Scott is an absolute hoot. The loveable Hamish is back with his tales of yore. Unfortunately, Liz is also back. I can honestly say that I do not think I have ever disliked a character, in any book, as much as I do her; she really rattles my cage.
If you enjoy a beautifully crafted police procedural that is well researched (except the Langley reference) and comes complete with an intriguing plot, a heart stopping, call the author names, moment and bags of laughing out loud then Jeremiah’s Bell is definitely a book worth tucking into.
November 1, 2020
I enjoyed this book but it took to about 3/4 of the way though until I really understood what the events in 1925 was going to figure in the present time. I had an inkling (but certainly wasn’t sure) that Alison Doug (who ran away from home to America and became Alice Wengler) but I had definite suspicious thoughts that she was a baddy!!!!
I think it was exceptionally fortunate (if not necessary) to have read the previous book “A Breath on Dying Embers” to understand why Jim Daley had been off work, was just cleared of the PCI and what had happened between him and his wife Liz. I’m not sure what you would think if you hadn’t read book #7.
I’m not sure it was really clear to me who or exactly how Chiase (the American sent to carry out the murders) was killed or if the heart attack was the real cause of death. I’m also not clear who the person was the who bought the County House Hotel or why that aspect of the story was really included.
I think it was exceptionally fortunate (if not necessary) to have read the previous book “A Breath on Dying Embers” to understand why Jim Daley had been off work, was just cleared of the PCI and what had happened between him and his wife Liz. I’m not sure what you would think if you hadn’t read book #7.
I’m not sure it was really clear to me who or exactly how Chiase (the American sent to carry out the murders) was killed or if the heart attack was the real cause of death. I’m also not clear who the person was the who bought the County House Hotel or why that aspect of the story was really included.
April 20, 2021
DCI Daley is returning to work after the incident with the dentist who hurt Liz and he's walking into quite the case. Alison Doig has returned from America where she's become wealthy and successful to see the family she ran away from thirty years ago, a bunch of ne'er do well loners and wreckers.
All the usual characters show up which is always fun. I love Brian, Hamish, and the rest of the crew though I still have my doubts about Liz. Mr. Meyrick does such a great job in detailing the Kintyre peninsula and the Scottish landscape. I also love the dialect, though once it a while it gives me pause while I figure out what the person is saying.
The story is a tightly woven mystery and I honestly had no idea who the villain was until the very end. Jeremiah's Bell an excellent addition to the series, full of bootleggers, wreckers, Mafia, and other various assorted criminals.
All the usual characters show up which is always fun. I love Brian, Hamish, and the rest of the crew though I still have my doubts about Liz. Mr. Meyrick does such a great job in detailing the Kintyre peninsula and the Scottish landscape. I also love the dialect, though once it a while it gives me pause while I figure out what the person is saying.
The story is a tightly woven mystery and I honestly had no idea who the villain was until the very end. Jeremiah's Bell an excellent addition to the series, full of bootleggers, wreckers, Mafia, and other various assorted criminals.
July 7, 2023
Spoiler alert. I have a question (for those who have finished the novel only!) and I’m hoping someone here can answer.
I loved this book, as I have the entire series so far, but one thing is really bugging me: What were Nathaniel Doig’s ‘long-standing instructions’ and ‘services’ he had arranged with the solicitors, in the event of his death?
I’ve read & re-read to find the answers but I can’t find an answer, and it’s driving me nuts! There is even a line near the end that states he ‘wanted to make sure that the bloodline stopped’. But my understanding is that it was Alison/Alice who had planned this, for reasons of her own.
Could anyone make sense of this? Or am I missing something obvious? Thanks
I loved this book, as I have the entire series so far, but one thing is really bugging me: What were Nathaniel Doig’s ‘long-standing instructions’ and ‘services’ he had arranged with the solicitors, in the event of his death?
I’ve read & re-read to find the answers but I can’t find an answer, and it’s driving me nuts! There is even a line near the end that states he ‘wanted to make sure that the bloodline stopped’. But my understanding is that it was Alison/Alice who had planned this, for reasons of her own.
Could anyone make sense of this? Or am I missing something obvious? Thanks
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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