Murder by the River Usk

Havard & Lambert Mysteries #3

by Pippa McCathie

A cold case warms up when an archaeological dig uncovers the remains of a student who went missing a decade previously.

It was a missing person case that bugged ex-inspector Fabia Havard long after she left the force. Now she has been asked by her former protégé and ongoing love interest, DCI Matt Lambert, to aid the investigation.

Caleb Morgan went missing whilst studying at a university campus near the ancient Roman city of Caerleon. His friends and family were interviewed and an extensive search carried out, but to no avail.

Now, with his body finally found during an archaeological dig, partly exposed due to the riverbank subsiding after a flood, there is new evidence.

It is clear he was murdered. The question facing the police is who did it and why? As they probe deeper into his background, suspicions arise around a local firebrand preacher, a boxer and the police themselves.

With much of the material being circumstantial it will take excellent detective work to finally put the matter to rest. But Fabia’s unofficial involvement will cause a stir and even threaten the integrity of the whole case.

Murder by the River Usk is the third murder mystery by Pippa McCathie set in South Wales. It can be enjoyed on its own or alongside the other books.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Ebooks, Cozy Mystery, Adult

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2020

About the author

South Wales has played a big part in Pippa's life, two of her three sons were born in Swansea and she visits close friends near Newport as often as she can. Brought up in Mauritius, she's spent a lot of her life travelling, to Guernsey, London, South Africa, South Wales, Iran and back to Guernsey. She began writing in school exercise books to entertain her friends, which resulted in dubious exam results but much laughter. She's had many poems and short stories published and, once her boys had been packed off to school, started on the novels. For the last 17 years she's taught a creative writing class, and in her spare time she's worked as a volunteer with a national charity, helped run Guernsey's local Eisteddfod, and looked after a gorgeous husband and a cowardly cat. All these activities have helped her avoid time wasting activities such as housework and gardening. Murder in the Valleys, published by The Book Folks, is the first in a series featuring Fabia Havard and Matt Lambert, who are currently Pippa's best friends.

Reviews

[hawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

so I skipped from having read book 1 to reading book 3 in the series (just what was available in the library) and it seems like alot has maybe happened... and that little has maybe changed... 😉

I was reading this alongside/in the middle of Phil Rickman's 'Wine of Angels', and it was very clear how OK the writing is compared to the maybe better, maybe just more interesting, writing of his Merrily Watkins series...

...but it's read with Welsh accents 😃 and feels more connected to Wales 🙂

the two are kinda interestingly at different ends of a 'feeling' spectrum, with this novel very much on the friendly and cuddly and caring end 😆 Gezellig comes to mind... perhaps abit cwtch 🙂😉

wrt the overt emphasis on social issues I noticed in the first, this novel feels even more issue focussed, and is very much 'the gay novel'! 😆 VERY unsubtle again 😆 but kinda sweet and pretty well done in many ways... with a smaller spotlight on abuse within the church, domestic abuse, and dementia...

unfortunately the gendered stuff I wasn't sure about in the first book seems abit of a theme 😕 while the main character has been a senior police officer, and is now a successful illustrator... she's kinda involved as a favour/accessory to her now boyfriend, former underling - the guy she trained and took over her job when she left/got kicked out of the police. there's alot of "thanks love" and her insights and expertise still kinda coming over as well intentioned 'meddling', even tho they provide ALOT of the case breaks 🙄😆🙈
so definitely some gendered stuff, tho some interesting explorations of their relationship, including alot of emotional exploration.

I think the writing is for me abit Jean M Auel -like in the highly descriptive style, with nothing much left to the imagination... and having the mundanity of the most boring day narrated to the most detailed degree... 😬😆🙈

I didn't really care who did it... tho made the connection...

I also spotted more overt fatphobia/fat antagonistic stuff than I had noticed in the previous novel in the series 😕 nothing unusual there (and very present in the Phil Rickman novel too), but always disappointing.

🏳‍🌈

accessed as a local library audiobook, ably read by Rebecca Travers 🙂

[Ms D. Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent writer of 'cosy crime stories'

I began with this book instead of the first one in the series, and wish I had read the previous two books in the series before this one because the characters story - line was a bit hard to untangle ( rather like that last sentence)
However I didn't get bored or totally confused which is testament to what a good writer Pippa McCathie is.
The plotting is clear, and the one thing I did like, there is none of the tortuous minute by minute, chronological ordering of who said what to whom, so that the story moves on apace without the intervening drama of personal relationships getting in the way of a good Police 'who dunnit'.
This book is carefully plotted, there are no awkward " how did they find that out? " moments, nobody relies too heavily on lightning flashes of inspiration and the Police are not plodding or unintelligent block-heads.
The book kept my interest, although it wasn't a "staying up until 3am because I had to finish it" type, but I do look forward to reading more in this series and hope the others are as good as this one.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are interesting and well-paced and well written mysteries. My only comment would be the distraction of the often bickering relationship between the main characters. For 40-something adults, the high school-ish arguing and bouts of immaturity come across as silly and not necessary.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a storm bones are discovered at a dig, unfortunately more recent than Roman. It seems that they are the bones of Caleb Morgan, missing for nine years. Back in May 2010, it was Inspector Havard and Sergeant Lambert's first case together. Now Chief Inspector Lambert and his team would like the help of retired Havard in uncovering the motive and guilty party.
An entertaining and well-written mystery

[Vron · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Interesting and quite fast paced mystery book. The background story of the victim is well told although some characters come in and out for the drama never to be seen again.

I found that the author creates at a times artificial conflict between the main characters for no reason. It's no needed to advance the plot and it doesn't match how their story is progressing... ie.: the couple are helping each other in their investigations and suddenly one gets annoyed with the other out of the blue. The conflict gets resolved really fast and it doesn't have any consequence on anything. Some pages later, the same happens again. Like this, a few times along the book.

It doesn't rate higher because of the treatment of the s.a. (trigger warning) and how they deal with it at the end of the book.

[David Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When an archeological dig exposes the corpse of a long dead body, the police open up a cold case. But all is not straightforward. The body is that of a young man who has been murdered - but by whom? There are many suspects, and the inter-relationship between them makes for an intriguing and twisty tale that is not resolved to the very end. I really enjoyed the story, and it is very well crafted by Pippa as usual.

[Terry Polston · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the bones of a missing college student are found, with severe skull fractures, Matt requests help from Fabia because they both worked the missing person case originally. Matt and Fabia are still dancing around their relationship and fighting a lot. Dilys is invaluable to Matt. It's a good thing their suspects confess because a good lawyer could probably get them off. There is always a lot of circumstantial evidence.

[Viragored · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm - overall I didn't very much enjoy this book. I picked it up as a promotion on Bookbub and am glad I didn't spend more on it than the promo price.
In there somewhere is a decent story, but I felt the author spent far too much time on unnecessarily elaborate descriptions that involve feelings and past romances. Police procedural diluted with chick lit just about sums it up for me. I much prefer a well-constructed procedural novel.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star

Beautifully written murder mystery that rises above the many police procedurals that are available to read. This author pulls you into the lives of the characters whether they are the investigators or the suspects. Recommend the three books that have been in this series and hoping there is a fourth.

[Margaret Barford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welsh connection.

Loved reading this book. Have read and enjoyed first two books. Really enjoyed the Usk connections as I Iive just outside Usk and felt I was so involved it it! Please please write some more like this.

[mrs o o'keefe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read

Very easy reading series of books. If you like easy to follow crime novels try these. Excellent plots and characters.

[Nancy]

A cold case warms up when an archaeological dig uncovers the remains of a student who went missing a decade previously.

It was a missing person case that bugged ex-inspector Fabia Havard long after she left the force. Now she has been asked by her former protégé and ongoing love interest, DCI Matt Lambert, to aid the investigation.

Caleb Morgan went missing whilst studying at a university campus near the ancient Roman city of Caerleon. His friends and family were interviewed and an extensive search carried out, but to no avail.

Now, with his body finally found during an archaeological dig, partly exposed due to the riverbank subsiding after a flood, there is new evidence.

It is clear he was murdered. The question facing the police is who did it and why? As they probe deeper into his background, suspicions arise around a local firebrand preacher, a boxer and the police themselves.

With much of the material being circumstantial it will take excellent detective work to finally put the matter to rest. But Fabia’s unofficial involvement will cause a stir and even threaten the integrity of the whole case.

MURDER BY THE RIVER USK is the third murder mystery by Pippa McCathie set in South Wales. It can be enjoyed on its own or alongside the other books. Look out for the first, MURDER IN THE VALLEYS, and the second, MURDER AT THE OLD ABBEY. Both of these books are also FREE with Kindle Unlimited, and available in paperback and audio.

Good

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a storm exposes bones near an archaeological excavation, they turn out to be modern, rather than ancient. The bones belong to a college student who went missing 10 years ago, and Fabia Harvard--now retired from the police and turned artist--was in charge of the search. That's why Matt, now in charge of the murder investigation as well as being Fabia's lover, brings her in to help solve the case. They talk to his friends from uni days, his family--some of it not-so-loving--and people involved in his church youth group. But the investigation is hampered by Fabia's unofficial status and some other cops being seriously unhappy about it, plus her tendency to ask forgiveness rather than permission. On top of everything, Fabia and Matt's relationship has hit a bumpy patch, since he wants to move in but she's afraid of losing her independence.

I mostly liked this one, though I did guess the murderer. The obnoxious nay-sayer in the department who gets in everyone's way with nasty actions or insinuations seems to be a trope in police procedurals? Anyway, it's tiresome and I could have done without it. I thought the relationship tension seemed believable and appropriate--no easy answers there. Once more, the author left some irritating loose ends, which I guess is typical of actual cases, but frustrating in a book (she did try to tie one up, but how that happened was a patch job at best). Kind of the best part is listening to the narrator's Welsh accents!

[Robert Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third novel in the series is another absorbing and entertaining murder mystery featuring Fabia Harvard and Matt Lambert. Flooding and landslip expose the remains of a body. It’s soon clear that this is the body of Caleb Morgan, who went missing ten years ago.

Fabia, who was in charge of the original investigation, is keen to help her lover, Matt, investigate when the cold case reveals a murder. Friends, family and prominent figures come under suspicion as the detectives and Fabia dig into the past to find the motives and circumstances that will lead them to the killer.

The private lives of Matt and Fabia come under scrutiny and strain in the small town setting, bringing additional colour and depth to the story. Like the previous novels, the characters are realistic and fully developed, allowing a thriving backstory to underpin the main plot.

It’s all blended together in an engaging in a story that twists and turns before an exciting climax and unveiling of the killer.

While the novel reads well as a standalone, the background history of the characters and their relationships are best appreciated by going back to the start of the series.

Follow the links to check out my reviews of Murder in the Valleys (Book 1) and Murder at the Old Abbey (Book 2).

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favia and Matt pool their talents

Caleb Morgan’s body is discovered ten years after his disappearance when a lengthy storm causes a small landslide in a field outside of Pontygwyn, Wales near the University he attended at Caerleon. An interview with his mother and sister results in some conflicting information between the two family members and Chief Inspector Matt Lambert and Chloe Daniels, family liaison officer. As the news spreads through the community friends of Caleb discuss their lack of support when his sexual orientation was first revealed and the difficulties he faced in thir community. As the investigation proceeds it seems past investigations of homosexual behavior in the community have been suspect and Matt and Favia are pursuing past evidence regarding Caleb’s death. I am enjoying this series and recommend it.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third in the Havard-Lambert series, which combines the mystery of a disappearance from ten years ago, a cold case, with the complexities of their evolving relationship. Caleb Morgan went missing from the university and his body was found ten years later near an archeological dig. Lambert asks Fabia to help since she was in charge of the initial investigation. Was it Caleb’s abusive father who couldn’t accept that his son was gay? One of his university roommates? A clergyman who may have abused him? Or a young woman with a crush who couldn’t accept that he was gay and not interested in her?

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three reluctant stars. I kept hoping for more substance and less similarity to other "police couple" series, such as the much-better-done, Deborah Crombie series.
While this book had a compelling premise, a cold case of a missing college student from a decade ago, now surfaces as human remains found in the erosion of a river, the writing was mundane and slow. Sometimes the chronology between the present and the past gets confusing. I thought the killer could just as easily been any of the limited number of suspects. There was nothing intriguing or clever to set the murderer apart from everyone else involved. The ending was very anti-climatic. No surprises here.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabia Harvard is once again called into help her boyfriend DCI Matt Lambert with a cold case investigation.
A local boy Caleb Morgan went missing around ten years before near Caerleon.
Now an archaeological dig in that area has revealed his remains.
Tests reveal he was murdered with a blow to the head, questioning family and friends reveal little.
Though a few are in the frame, a local preacher, a boxer and even old friends Matt and Fabia aren’t getting far.
But Fabia has suspicions but will her hunch prove right?
Another great murder mystery in this gripping series.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down because the overabundance of soap opera irritates me. Also, it is very common in police detective stories for the detective in charge to ask for help from a retired detective who has experience with the people involved in the case. But in this story they have to make it all problematical that Matt asks Fabia for help. Also, they argue too much. Still, if you like the boyfriend/girlfriend drama that has nothing to do with detective work, the case is interesting enough so maybe you'd like this book. But for the time being, anyway, I'm done with the series.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read mystery with cozy-ish aspirations. If you don’t like gay relationships, take a pass

I chose this sorta cozyish mystery as a break from hard boiled crime fiction. I prefer cozy-type mysteries with police detectives instead of amateurs, and for a book with cozyish aspirations, there’s NSFW language, taking deities in vain, gay relationships, and a head bashing murder. That said, this is a quick read, because the culprit all but jumps up and shouts “It’s me.”

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first mystery by Pippa McCathie. I learned that it is the third in a series of Havard & Lambert Mysteries. Set in Wales, this mystery had just the right balance of possible evil doers and clues. I like that she didn't lay all the clues / dialogue about the clues to keep one guessing. Interestingly, the clues led to a possible two suspects and the author chose the one that was the more obvious. It was a fun little book although a bit corny on the love interest relationship.

[Joan Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder and abuse come back to haunt Matt & Fabia!

The main characters again work together on a cold case that has been reheated by finding the skeletal remains of a man who disappeared years before. They, of course, work well but their relationship has also developed making for less tension. The characters continue to grow. The reader is also more at ease as the horrible mistreatment of a “really nice guy” comes to light.

[Elva Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder by the River Usk: (The Harvard and Lambert Mysteries Book 3) Pippa McCathie

This was a long book, filled with a Cold Case of Murder along with several enquiries slotted in along the way. Fabian and Matt are still apart but getting closer to moving in together. I love all the characters involved with the books. The way they al collect and collate the evidence and make it all work out. On to the next book. !!!

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome and exciting series!

I have now read all three books in this series and have absolutely loved them. They are very well written and the characters are very interesting. The plots have kept me guessing until the end. I strongly recommend this series and hope the next book comes out soon.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

This author does not disappoint! This mystery is as terrific as the preceding two. The main characters are wonderful and their interactions enjoyable. This police procedural is excellent, thorough, intense, and well developed. The descriptions of the locale are inviting and call for a visit!!

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Ms. McCathie has written a cold case murder mystery about a young man who was missing for nine years only to have his body found and no discernable suspects in hand. Harvard and Lambert have to use all their investigative skills to solve this crime. Good storyline and character development makes this a compelling story.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cosy murder book.
A body is found on a archaeology site but went missing a decade ago so the case is reopened with DCI Matt Lambert on the case and his girlfriend ex inspector Fabia Havard is brought in to help as she was on the original case.
The romance unfolds between the two.
Well written easy to read with good descriptions of South Wales.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent who done it

So many suspects, do little time. Was it someone from his past trying to silence him before he spilled secrets best kept quiet; was it a jealous ex wanting revenge; or simply a small minded bigot. A well written mystery, it flows nicely - easily paced read. The characters are nicely rounded and very interesting. I look forward to more in this series.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very satisfying read. A well written police procedural set in Wales. A man’s body is found in an archeological site but is not from Roman times but much more recent than that, and turns out connected to a missing persons report from 10 years ago and old reports and old issues need to be dug into. From my Kindle book collection.

[Kathy Wivell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable quick read

This was an interesting read with characters I enjoyed. I thought I had identified the villain early, but I was proven wrong with a clever twist at the end. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue which I thought was very realistic and not forced. A good quick read.