The Riddle of the Dunes

Inspector Blades #3

by James Andrew

After a period of calm, a new spate of murders hits a post-war Yorkshire seaside town

Showing a worrying similarity to a past crime, a local woman is found dead in sand dunes near an otherwise sleepy town. Her murder forces the townsfolk to relive events of some years previous.

The difficulty for Detective Inspector Blades is that a man was tried and convicted for the other crimes. Does this mean the killer is still at large and they hung the wrong person?

Diligent investigation of the crime scene and its surroundings produces conflicting witness reports. The Great War having only recently ended, there is an edginess in the air. The population begin to suspect that a conscientious objector is the perpetrator.

The last thing Blades needs is a wrong conviction, so he is desperate to secure a confession. But when a witness is found dead, the stakes are raised.

Who is killing these young women and why? Did they hang an innocent man? Or will the local suspicions about a yellow-belly turn out to be true?

THE RIDDLE OF THE DUNES is the third murder mystery by James Andrew. It can be enjoyed as a standalone, or read alongside the other books in the series: THE BODY IN THE SANDS and DEATH WAITS FOR NO LADY.

Genres: Historical Fiction

186 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2019

Reviews

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that didn't end the way i expected. This book, like the first in the series, really made me ponder the many effects war has on those in the battle and those battling other things. This story also brought in the beginning of women proving their ability in the the workforce, not just as replacements for the men called to fight, but as a valuable worker on their own. But the big take away is that anger leads to many results from suicide, to murder, to trying to make changes to rid oneself of the festering disease.

[Marie Keates · Rating 3 out of 5]

The previous book ended with another murder on the ridges, a blonde girl, discovered by a couple walking. This book starts with a murder on the ridges (supposedly, the first in a long while) yet it is a different girl, discovered by her father.
Not good continuity in a 4 book series.

Once again, although the story is intriguing, there is far too much telling and not enough action, leaving the narrative feeling flat and third hand. Every clue is endlessly pontificated on, even those that don’t bear scrutiny. I struggled to finish this one.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if I were reading this as a reflection on the psychological impact of war, it would have four stars. Coming at the issue through crime is clever and I get the rationale for damaged returned soldiers confessing to crimes they didn’t commit. It seems, however, rather hard on the reader and the psychological profile of the investigator to keep the pattern repeating. Perhaps this will resolve in the forthcoming in the series.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this novel, third of the series, very much. Still dealing with the aftermath of WWI, it was interesting, to also delve into the psychological state of mind of conscience objectors and the attitude of society towards them. As to the plot, the investigation was fascinating when one considers that at the time forensic science was close to non existent! A great read!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birtleby, post WW1 and the killing of young woman has started again. Did DI Blades and Sergeant Peacock arrest the right man who was ten hanged. Or who could the guilty party be and what is their motive.
An enjoyable historical murder mystery

[David Stimpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Blades is a Strange Character But goes about his job in a methodical way .I Often thought He was wrong .. It must have been a really Hard time for the Police only Fingerprints Thought and instinct to get them to there Goal

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Post-war Murder mystery

Blades and Peacock return in third book in this historical crime series, where we see the innovation of Crome scene reconstruction and women Police officers. As much about PTSD and the fate of returned military personnel as it is about murder, this book raises the spectre of disenfranchised service personnel suffering from mental health issues without support.

Blades is a bit irritating as an inspector but the books are a re good read nonetheless.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, the Great War had horrors that revisit far beyond the terrors of the battlefield. You're told the why, but not the who of the murders. Great insight into the psychological scars of WWI.

[Andy Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Return to Blades and Birtleby. In this third book, the career of Detective Blades continues, as does the issue of the murders on 'The Ridges,' an area of sand dunes near Birtleby beach. Readers were left 'hanging,' at the end of, "The Body Under the Sands," wondering if the right man had been convicted for the murders. This book is exceptionally well written, gripping and with unexpected twists and turns right to the end. James Andrew has grown as a writer, since the first book in this series, and this is the best Blades story to date. Can't wait for the next one.

[Erik Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures the atmosphere of Britain after the First World War, showing the legacy of the conflict as it plays out it different people's lives. It's also an intriguing murder mystery.