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DCI Ryan Mysteries #16
The Shrine
A murder for the history books.
After a long and eventful winter, DCI Ryan and his team are looking forward to the joys of spring. But, when one of their colleagues is shot dead on her own doorstep and the brass think it’s an inside job, Ryan finds himself drafted in to investigate.
He’s barely scratched the surface when reports flood in of a terror explosion at Durham Cathedral. Chaos descends on the sleepy, historic city and, when the smoke clears, they find a priceless artefact that once belonged to Saint Cuthbert is missing.
With tensions running at an all-time high, unable to trust the local police, can Ryan and his team bring a killer to justice — and restore Cuthbert’s cross to its natural resting place?
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunit set amidst the spectacular landscape of County Durham.
After a long and eventful winter, DCI Ryan and his team are looking forward to the joys of spring. But, when one of their colleagues is shot dead on her own doorstep and the brass think it’s an inside job, Ryan finds himself drafted in to investigate.
He’s barely scratched the surface when reports flood in of a terror explosion at Durham Cathedral. Chaos descends on the sleepy, historic city and, when the smoke clears, they find a priceless artefact that once belonged to Saint Cuthbert is missing.
With tensions running at an all-time high, unable to trust the local police, can Ryan and his team bring a killer to justice — and restore Cuthbert’s cross to its natural resting place?
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunit set amidst the spectacular landscape of County Durham.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2020
2054 people are currently reading
1233 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Ross
58 books3,289 followersLJ Ross is an internationally bestselling author, whose books have sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, a further eighteen of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.
Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.
The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.
In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.
If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:
https://www.facebook.com/LJRossAuthor
https://twitter.com/ljross_author
www.lovesuspense.com
lj_ross@outlook.com
Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, a further eighteen of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.
Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.
The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.
In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.
Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.
If you would like to connect with LJ Ross, she would be very happy to hear from you:
https://www.facebook.com/LJRossAuthor
https://twitter.com/ljross_author
www.lovesuspense.com
lj_ross@outlook.com
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May 10, 2020Half a book.
Seriously this was looking promising till the 70% Mark
Not a cliff hangar as such but the next book is clearly going to be a continuation and no reason as it's not a long book and just winds up with lots of questions and a whole lot of eh?
Seriously this was looking promising till the 70% Mark
Not a cliff hangar as such but the next book is clearly going to be a continuation and no reason as it's not a long book and just winds up with lots of questions and a whole lot of eh?
September 21, 2025
This half and quite short straightforward crime novel is the 16th part of the "DCI Ryan" series.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a line from Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables".
Storytelling is very satisfactory, the characters are believable and lifelike, but as I said before the author has become lately a writer more of quantity of books instead of quality books, I'm speaking about the quality that she shows in the beginning with Holy Island until book 7/8, at least that's how it feels to me.
The book starts off with an explosion at Durham Cathedral, where an exposition of their collection of valuable relics are shown to the public, and one of those relics has now been stolen, namely Cuthbert's Cross, in which Anna Taylor-Ryan is seriously injured and brought to hospital, while not long after the robbery DCI Tebbutt will get shot dead at her doorstep.
These are the main ingredients which DCI Ryan and his team need to investigate, after being tasked by Chief Constable Sandra Morrison, and soon they will find the inevitable connections and solutions to various crimes, but not the essential crime and person.
What is to follow is a story of investigations in which minor perpetrators will get identified and killed, but the major player behind the robbery of Cuthbert's Cross and its deadly actions will evade the clutches of DCI Ryan and his team, and so half a book for me and not to forget the Shrine, about which this book should be about, will only get a mention at the end of the book.
Very much recommended for fans of this series, but for me this is far from the best (Holy Island) by this author, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Moderate Half Shrine"!
At the beginning of the book you'll find a line from Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables".
Storytelling is very satisfactory, the characters are believable and lifelike, but as I said before the author has become lately a writer more of quantity of books instead of quality books, I'm speaking about the quality that she shows in the beginning with Holy Island until book 7/8, at least that's how it feels to me.
The book starts off with an explosion at Durham Cathedral, where an exposition of their collection of valuable relics are shown to the public, and one of those relics has now been stolen, namely Cuthbert's Cross, in which Anna Taylor-Ryan is seriously injured and brought to hospital, while not long after the robbery DCI Tebbutt will get shot dead at her doorstep.
These are the main ingredients which DCI Ryan and his team need to investigate, after being tasked by Chief Constable Sandra Morrison, and soon they will find the inevitable connections and solutions to various crimes, but not the essential crime and person.
What is to follow is a story of investigations in which minor perpetrators will get identified and killed, but the major player behind the robbery of Cuthbert's Cross and its deadly actions will evade the clutches of DCI Ryan and his team, and so half a book for me and not to forget the Shrine, about which this book should be about, will only get a mention at the end of the book.
Very much recommended for fans of this series, but for me this is far from the best (Holy Island) by this author, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Moderate Half Shrine"!
October 21, 2021
Good. But this ends in a kind of cliffy!
May 24, 2020
A favorite series of mine, but this particular book ( #16 ) contained, I believe, too many simplistic plot solutions. L. J. Ross’ The Shrine (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #16) had DCI Ryan’s team solving parts of the two major crimes very quickly such as Yates’ discovery of a certain cell phone number connected to a colleague’s death. Also, Anna and company are caught inside Durham Cathedral as explosions abound within the cathedral, and Anna and company receive an extremely serious head trauma. Even with an operation on her head/brain, Anna appears to walk out of the hospital in four days. The exact operation is not explained but glossed over which made this reader feel the head trauma was really not that serious. Having had a head trauma, I know how intense and long ranged the problems can be! The solutions for DCI and his team seem ‘too pat’. Then - the ending - which I read three times because I felt that I was ‘missing’ something, but I never found ‘it’. Thus, I still do not know what the author is attempting to convey. I have the feeling that the author rushed to get #16 printed and distributed. I am still a fan of this series and look forward to #17. 3 stars.
May 11, 2020
When an author becomes so sloppy and contemptuous of people who spend money on their books that they can't spell the name of a main character consistently. When the book is obviously either half-finished or half-arsed and has been proofread by a dyslexic chimp. Then it's time to stop buying their books
September 27, 2024
Eina sau jau net 16 serijos knyga apie inspektoriu Rajena🤗🤩😁gera serija, labai gera, bet man ši knyga buvo tokia trumpa ir ties pabaiga toks jausmas, kad biškeli paskubėta, bet žinau, kad kitas serijos dalis būtinai skaitysiu, nes tai viena iš pirmųjų mano pradėtų detektyvinių serijų ;-) su avansu 😀
November 10, 2024
Plona knyga, tai net nesitikėjau kažko ypatingo, nors pradžia buvo daug žadanti ir tikrai įtraukianti. Tačiau, kad gerai išvystyt ir supainiot gerą pirminę idėją 200 psl. tikrai neužtenka.
Tad ir pabaiga buvo nei šiokia, nei tokia: kažkokia dirbtinai pritempta, skubota, sakytum autorei pristigo ūpo sugalvoti painius siužeto vingius ir ji nusprendė kuo greičiau visą istoriją užbaigti.
Nepaisant šito, labai greitai ir gana smagiai "susiskaitė".
Tad ir pabaiga buvo nei šiokia, nei tokia: kažkokia dirbtinai pritempta, skubota, sakytum autorei pristigo ūpo sugalvoti painius siužeto vingius ir ji nusprendė kuo greičiau visą istoriją užbaigti.
Nepaisant šito, labai greitai ir gana smagiai "susiskaitė".
April 10, 2022
Another superb book from Ms Ross, I always know I am guaranteed a fascinating, emotional rollercoaster of a story set in amazing scenery and history.
My first 6 star book of 2022.
My first 6 star book of 2022.
May 13, 2020
This book made me feel cheated. I loved the series to begin with and have stuck with it but the quality of writing varies so much between books, and this is clunky, rushed, short and there is virtually no storyline. If this was the best the author could do it would be one thing, but some of the books in the series are so so much better - well written, engaging and with a totally different tone and voice. Sadly for me I've reached the end of the road - such a shame after the enjoyment the early books gave but it feels like a hurried money making machine now. So dissappointing.
July 21, 2024
#perskaičiau
L. J. Ross "Šventovė"
Kaip buvau pasiilgusi Rajeno knygų 😍 L. J. Ross yra ta autorė, kuri turi talentą sukurti nuostabias detektyvines istorijas pasitelkdama meną, kultūrą, kultus, mistiką, Anglijos žavesį ir dar daug kitų įdomių idėjų galima rasti jos knygose 👌
"Šventovė" ir šį kartą leido nusikelti į apylinkes, kuriose stiprus istorijos, meno ir kultūros akcentas. Puikiai sukurtas siužetas, kuris įtraukia nuo pirmųjų puslapių. Įtampa tikrai išlaikyta, personažų gyvenimai toliau vystomi, Rajenui ir vėl nepagailėta išbandymų asmeniniame gyvenime, kurie tik sustiprina skaitytojo ryšį su knyga. Man labai patinka Ross rašymo stilius, kaskart atsivertusi naują knygą nekantriai keliauju skyriais, nes siužetas visada išpildomas iki smulkiausių detalių, o neretai knyga pasibaigia su dar didesne mįsle sekančioms serijos dalims. Rajeno istorijos nors ir trumpos, tačiau labai įdomios 👌
Nuoširdžiai džiaugiuosi, kad dar liko kelios serijos knygos, nes veikėjus jau seniai pamilau ir kaskart su nekantrumu laukiu naujų nuotykių ❤️
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
L. J. Ross "Šventovė"
Kaip buvau pasiilgusi Rajeno knygų 😍 L. J. Ross yra ta autorė, kuri turi talentą sukurti nuostabias detektyvines istorijas pasitelkdama meną, kultūrą, kultus, mistiką, Anglijos žavesį ir dar daug kitų įdomių idėjų galima rasti jos knygose 👌
"Šventovė" ir šį kartą leido nusikelti į apylinkes, kuriose stiprus istorijos, meno ir kultūros akcentas. Puikiai sukurtas siužetas, kuris įtraukia nuo pirmųjų puslapių. Įtampa tikrai išlaikyta, personažų gyvenimai toliau vystomi, Rajenui ir vėl nepagailėta išbandymų asmeniniame gyvenime, kurie tik sustiprina skaitytojo ryšį su knyga. Man labai patinka Ross rašymo stilius, kaskart atsivertusi naują knygą nekantriai keliauju skyriais, nes siužetas visada išpildomas iki smulkiausių detalių, o neretai knyga pasibaigia su dar didesne mįsle sekančioms serijos dalims. Rajeno istorijos nors ir trumpos, tačiau labai įdomios 👌
Nuoširdžiai džiaugiuosi, kad dar liko kelios serijos knygos, nes veikėjus jau seniai pamilau ir kaskart su nekantrumu laukiu naujų nuotykių ❤️
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
May 15, 2020
A half book. Don’t publish if it’s not ready. Feel duped!
July 5, 2024
Puiki įtraukianti lengvai skaitoma. 📖💗
August 14, 2020
Another enjoyable, if rather short, book about Ryan and team. Not a bad storyline which is obviously going to continue in the next publication
July 10, 2024
Rajanas kaip visada nuostabus. Man si serija viena mylimiausiu, gal noretus siek tiek ilgesnes istorijos, nes jau super trumpa.
February 8, 2025
Kaip visada įtraukianti ir lengvai skaitoma. Ir net nežinau, kaip apibūdinti, šilta ir alsuojanti gerumu, nors ir vyksta baisūs dalykai. Ir tikrai per trumpa.
May 17, 2020
Before we start, let's just clear a few things up. If you are here hoping to find a book that is really gritty, hard core, laced with explicit scenes of violence, bad language, murder and mayhem, well you've come to the wrong place. There are plenty of brilliant books and authors that can give you that but that's not what this series is about. If you are looking for the best of modern day crime writing, tales that draw on character, setting and the story itself to build an experience that is as full of heart and love as it is mystery and tension, then this is the series for you. Still with me? Good. Then let's carry on.
This book is classic DCI Ryan reading. We are treated to a very dramatic opening scene, in which an attack on Durham Cathedral sees one of our favourite team placed in great jeopardy. Follow this up with a very cold blooded murder, a seemingly professional hit, and we find ourselves with two serious crimes that have personal meaning to the team. In this book it is a case of dividing to conquer, with Ryan leading half of the team to investigate the murder, whilst MacKenzie takes over investigating the attack on the Cathedral. I'll say no more than that about the story. It's your job to uncover the rest.
Now the book has all the hallmarks of a Ryan novel. You have the blend of the mystery, the slow unravelling of the investigation, the discovery of vital clues and the sense of some underlying backstory or subplot that is just out of reach and which may, or may not, present itself by the conclusion of the book. There is the clear passion for the setting, in this case predominantly around County Durham, and the exploration of the region's rich history, that sets the story apart and intrigues me as a reader. You also have the brilliant characters that the author has so lovingly developed over the series, cementing them in the hearts and minds of readers worldwide. It was lovely to see Yates playing a larger role in this story, the course of the investigation allowing her to showcase the skills that we knew she possessed. the book does delve deeply into the emotional connections between the team, as couples and as an extended family, and has that romantic and positive air that permeates all of the series. Speaking of family, we finally get to meet Ryan's parents. Ryan and his father share many traits, including the stoicism, and I am looking forward to seeing how their difficult relationship is developed and tested in future books.
The book itself is quite a quick read, and after an emotional beginning, the investigation picks up pace with clues coming thick and fast. This is not a book that draws out the tension, or the investigation, unnecessarily. It is as much about the impact upon the characters as it is the cases in themselves. There are elements of the tale which draw readers back to earlier books in the series, moments where the characters pause to reflect over events that have shaped their lives so far and, in that respect, this serves as a perfect segue way into what look sets to be another exciting period in Ryan's life. Yep. Sorry all. If you want a nice neat conclusion to the story, you won't find that here either. Well - you do to a degree ins as much as you know the what, the how and even, mostly, the who. But there is also a very clear and yet unspoken 'to be continued' vibe at the end. Looks like there is a new villain in town, folks. That has me very excited.
Definitely recommended for fans of the series.
This book is classic DCI Ryan reading. We are treated to a very dramatic opening scene, in which an attack on Durham Cathedral sees one of our favourite team placed in great jeopardy. Follow this up with a very cold blooded murder, a seemingly professional hit, and we find ourselves with two serious crimes that have personal meaning to the team. In this book it is a case of dividing to conquer, with Ryan leading half of the team to investigate the murder, whilst MacKenzie takes over investigating the attack on the Cathedral. I'll say no more than that about the story. It's your job to uncover the rest.
Now the book has all the hallmarks of a Ryan novel. You have the blend of the mystery, the slow unravelling of the investigation, the discovery of vital clues and the sense of some underlying backstory or subplot that is just out of reach and which may, or may not, present itself by the conclusion of the book. There is the clear passion for the setting, in this case predominantly around County Durham, and the exploration of the region's rich history, that sets the story apart and intrigues me as a reader. You also have the brilliant characters that the author has so lovingly developed over the series, cementing them in the hearts and minds of readers worldwide. It was lovely to see Yates playing a larger role in this story, the course of the investigation allowing her to showcase the skills that we knew she possessed. the book does delve deeply into the emotional connections between the team, as couples and as an extended family, and has that romantic and positive air that permeates all of the series. Speaking of family, we finally get to meet Ryan's parents. Ryan and his father share many traits, including the stoicism, and I am looking forward to seeing how their difficult relationship is developed and tested in future books.
The book itself is quite a quick read, and after an emotional beginning, the investigation picks up pace with clues coming thick and fast. This is not a book that draws out the tension, or the investigation, unnecessarily. It is as much about the impact upon the characters as it is the cases in themselves. There are elements of the tale which draw readers back to earlier books in the series, moments where the characters pause to reflect over events that have shaped their lives so far and, in that respect, this serves as a perfect segue way into what look sets to be another exciting period in Ryan's life. Yep. Sorry all. If you want a nice neat conclusion to the story, you won't find that here either. Well - you do to a degree ins as much as you know the what, the how and even, mostly, the who. But there is also a very clear and yet unspoken 'to be continued' vibe at the end. Looks like there is a new villain in town, folks. That has me very excited.
Definitely recommended for fans of the series.
June 1, 2025
L.J.Ross yra absoliuti mano meilė ir atrodo, kad ir ką rašytų, viskas yra nerealu! Gal dėl to, kad tai buvo viena iš pirmųjų detektyvų rašytojų su kuria susipažinau, pradėjusi skaityti knygas 🙂Pamėgau Rajeną ir jo komandą nuo pat pirmos dalies ir vis dar mėgaujuosi kiekviena knyga💙
Labai laukiu kitų serijos dalių, nes šiuo metu jau skaitau Kutberto kelias 😍
Daug nekalbėsiu, tiesiog labai rekomenduoju👌
Labai laukiu kitų serijos dalių, nes šiuo metu jau skaitau Kutberto kelias 😍
Daug nekalbėsiu, tiesiog labai rekomenduoju👌
April 27, 2024
The Shrine is the book Sixteen in the DCI Ryan Mysteries by L. J. Ross. Spring has arrived in Northumbria, and DCI Ryan and his team were happy about that. However, two incidents in Durham rocketed the team, and someone did not want them to rest and enjoy the beautiful weather. When DCI Joan Tebbutt was gunned down outside her home, and because they believed it was an inside job, senior management called DCI Ryan to investigate. However, at the same time, at a local Durham attraction called Open Treasure Galleries, Hellen Taylor-Ryan, DCI Ryan's wife, was hurt during the detonation of smoke bombs and a priceless artefact was stolen. DCI Ryan was torn between the two investigations until his DS Frank Phillips reminded him of his priorities. The readers of The Shrine will continue to follow DCI Ryan and his team's investigation to discover what happens.
I enjoy reading books in L. J. Ross's DCI Ryan Mysteries series because of the stories and the way she intertwines her characters, which never fails to engage me. The Shrine did not disappoint. I love L. J. Ross's portrayal of her characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. The Shrine is well-written and researched by L. J. Ross. I like L. J. Ross's description of the Shrine's settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The Shrine's readers will learn about Saint Cuthbert, the beautiful Shrine in Durham, and a stunning Red Rose called Grand Prix.
I recommend this book.
I enjoy reading books in L. J. Ross's DCI Ryan Mysteries series because of the stories and the way she intertwines her characters, which never fails to engage me. The Shrine did not disappoint. I love L. J. Ross's portrayal of her characters and their interaction with each other throughout this book. The Shrine is well-written and researched by L. J. Ross. I like L. J. Ross's description of the Shrine's settings, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The Shrine's readers will learn about Saint Cuthbert, the beautiful Shrine in Durham, and a stunning Red Rose called Grand Prix.
I recommend this book.
October 2, 2023
Excellent story
September 10, 2020
Another excellent DCI Ryan and friends crime novel.
October 12, 2020
Series: DCI Ryan Mysteries #16
Publication Date: 5/10/20
Number of Pages: 236
OMGoodness – I have found a wonderful new-to-me author and mystery series. I came into the series at the sixteenth book, but I fully intend to go back and start at the beginning because I enjoyed this one so much. I loved the characters; I loved the setting; I loved the mystery; I loved the writing style, and I can’t believe I’m just discovering them.
I used the Whispersync feature with this book, so I listened to the audio of some of it and read some of it. I liked the narrator’s voice as it was very smooth and flowed nicely. However, he didn’t seem to have a very wide range for voices – the females sounded like males with high voices and the male characters just sounded kind of raspy rather than distinctive. That said, I still enjoyed the listen – just not as much as I would have if there were a wider voice range.
Detective Chief Inspector Maxwell Finley-Ryan and his wife, Dr. Anna Taylor-Ryan are happily awaiting the arrival of their first child. As Ryan muses, “For all the tragedies he’d known, Ryan considered himself a lucky man and never more so than the day he’d found Anna—the other, better half of himself.” Now, they are bringing a child into the world.
Never do they expect two tragedies to befall them – almost at the same moment. Are they related, or are they just coincidences? Detective Chief Inspector Joan Tebbutt is brutally gunned down right at her front door. “She heard the motorbike before she saw it and, when she did, there was no time to react. The first shot penetrated the side of her neck and, as the pathologist would later remark, she might have survived that.” At almost that exact same time, Rose is gravely injured in a bombing at Durham Cathedral. “In addition to the head trauma, your wife has several broken bones in her right arm and ankle. She’s also suffering from moderately severe smoke inhalation.” With two of their own dead and injured, DCI Ryan’s team will leave no stone unturned – there will be no hole deep enough to hide, nor any corner far enough away to hide these despicable criminals. The team will find them and see that they are punished – fully – under the law.
The best way to handle both cases is to divide and conquer, so the team divides up and each part takes a different case. Their leads lead them all over the place – from terrorists, to fraud, to vendettas, to – well, you name it and there is some of it in the story.
While we see who the murderer is, we don’t see the mastermind in the wind-up of this story. I assume the next book will see more of his/her machinations and then, maybe his final punishment. So, it isn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but we don’t get a total wrap-up of the story either.
I definitely enjoyed this read and cannot wait to get started on the first fifteen that I missed.
Publication Date: 5/10/20
Number of Pages: 236
OMGoodness – I have found a wonderful new-to-me author and mystery series. I came into the series at the sixteenth book, but I fully intend to go back and start at the beginning because I enjoyed this one so much. I loved the characters; I loved the setting; I loved the mystery; I loved the writing style, and I can’t believe I’m just discovering them.
I used the Whispersync feature with this book, so I listened to the audio of some of it and read some of it. I liked the narrator’s voice as it was very smooth and flowed nicely. However, he didn’t seem to have a very wide range for voices – the females sounded like males with high voices and the male characters just sounded kind of raspy rather than distinctive. That said, I still enjoyed the listen – just not as much as I would have if there were a wider voice range.
Detective Chief Inspector Maxwell Finley-Ryan and his wife, Dr. Anna Taylor-Ryan are happily awaiting the arrival of their first child. As Ryan muses, “For all the tragedies he’d known, Ryan considered himself a lucky man and never more so than the day he’d found Anna—the other, better half of himself.” Now, they are bringing a child into the world.
Never do they expect two tragedies to befall them – almost at the same moment. Are they related, or are they just coincidences? Detective Chief Inspector Joan Tebbutt is brutally gunned down right at her front door. “She heard the motorbike before she saw it and, when she did, there was no time to react. The first shot penetrated the side of her neck and, as the pathologist would later remark, she might have survived that.” At almost that exact same time, Rose is gravely injured in a bombing at Durham Cathedral. “In addition to the head trauma, your wife has several broken bones in her right arm and ankle. She’s also suffering from moderately severe smoke inhalation.” With two of their own dead and injured, DCI Ryan’s team will leave no stone unturned – there will be no hole deep enough to hide, nor any corner far enough away to hide these despicable criminals. The team will find them and see that they are punished – fully – under the law.
The best way to handle both cases is to divide and conquer, so the team divides up and each part takes a different case. Their leads lead them all over the place – from terrorists, to fraud, to vendettas, to – well, you name it and there is some of it in the story.
While we see who the murderer is, we don’t see the mastermind in the wind-up of this story. I assume the next book will see more of his/her machinations and then, maybe his final punishment. So, it isn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but we don’t get a total wrap-up of the story either.
I definitely enjoyed this read and cannot wait to get started on the first fifteen that I missed.
September 24, 2022
To be honest the sanctimoniousness of Ryan is starting to get right on my tits. The fact that it's taken 16 books to get so irritating is probably a good thing and maybe means it's about time that I stopped reading any further books in the series, however I already own the next two, so I feel the need to continue to at least book 18. The other thing is that this was only half a book that had little to no climax so everything is mostly unresolved. Why not combine 16 and 17 if they are complete story arc?
September 21, 2020
Another enjoyable read , but I did have to go back and check some of the threads as I forgot some characters even in this short book. Obviously some further options for this story to continue.
November 27, 2025
16-oji detektyvo Rajeno serijos dalis
Rajeno komandos ramybę sudrumsčia itin skaudi ir asmeniška tragedija - ant savo namų slenksčio nušaunama jų kolegė. Vos pradėjus tyrimą, miestą sudrebina dar viena tragedija - sprogimas Daramo katedroje ir Kuberto kryžiaus vagystė. Rajenui tenka ne tik aiškintis, ar abu nusikaltimai susiję, bet ir spręsti asmenines bėdas, kurių autorė, šį kartą, jam tikrai nepagailėjo.
Nepamenu, kada paskutinį kartą graudinausi skaitydama detektyvą. Bet autorė tikrai nepasikuklino ir vožtelėjo Rajenui taip, kad mažai nepasirodė 🫣 Visada skaudu matyti, kaip pamėgti personažai kenčia. Nors ir žinai, kad jie neegzistuoja 😀 Bet perskaičius šešioliką serijos dalių, jautiesi taip, lyg būtum su jais praleidęs pusę gyvenimo.
Rajenas šioje dalyje dar labiau atsiskleidžia kaip žmogus, o ne tik pareigūnas. Nors jautrių ir skaudžių momentų buvo su kaupu, džiaugiuosi, kad autorė, vis dėlto, neužkūrė meksikietiško melodraminio serialo ir pasitekdama sau įprastą humorą, suteikdavo atokvėpį nuo visų nelaimių.
Ši dalis viena iš tų, kuriose komandos asmeninis gyvenimas yra svarbesnis, nei pats bylos tyrimas. Čia daugiau dėmesio skiriama prisiminimui, kokią kainą kartais sumoka tie, kurie kasdien stoja akis į akį su tamsa. O ir pabaiga sufleruoja, kad su Kutberto kryžiaus dingimo byla, dar tikrai ne viskas išsisprendė.
Rajeno komandos ramybę sudrumsčia itin skaudi ir asmeniška tragedija - ant savo namų slenksčio nušaunama jų kolegė. Vos pradėjus tyrimą, miestą sudrebina dar viena tragedija - sprogimas Daramo katedroje ir Kuberto kryžiaus vagystė. Rajenui tenka ne tik aiškintis, ar abu nusikaltimai susiję, bet ir spręsti asmenines bėdas, kurių autorė, šį kartą, jam tikrai nepagailėjo.
Nepamenu, kada paskutinį kartą graudinausi skaitydama detektyvą. Bet autorė tikrai nepasikuklino ir vožtelėjo Rajenui taip, kad mažai nepasirodė 🫣 Visada skaudu matyti, kaip pamėgti personažai kenčia. Nors ir žinai, kad jie neegzistuoja 😀 Bet perskaičius šešioliką serijos dalių, jautiesi taip, lyg būtum su jais praleidęs pusę gyvenimo.
Rajenas šioje dalyje dar labiau atsiskleidžia kaip žmogus, o ne tik pareigūnas. Nors jautrių ir skaudžių momentų buvo su kaupu, džiaugiuosi, kad autorė, vis dėlto, neužkūrė meksikietiško melodraminio serialo ir pasitekdama sau įprastą humorą, suteikdavo atokvėpį nuo visų nelaimių.
Ši dalis viena iš tų, kuriose komandos asmeninis gyvenimas yra svarbesnis, nei pats bylos tyrimas. Čia daugiau dėmesio skiriama prisiminimui, kokią kainą kartais sumoka tie, kurie kasdien stoja akis į akį su tamsa. O ir pabaiga sufleruoja, kad su Kutberto kryžiaus dingimo byla, dar tikrai ne viskas išsisprendė.
December 24, 2025
I was really getting into this one; fully immersed in the story and then it fell away. It’s as though the next book is being set up within this one. I got a strong feeling of: ‘and then this happened, and then that happened, and now this’ etc. I can’t put my finger on what I specifically didn’t enjoy. I feel almost short changed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2020
In the centre of the room stood a large display case housing the wooden coffin used to transport Cuthbert’s remains hundreds of years earlier, before they were eventually laid to rest in another part of the cathedral that had come to be known as ‘Cuthbert’s Shrine’.
May 12, 2020
Ok so these books are not challenging reads, I managed this one in 1.5 hours. They aren’t the most in-depth, page-turning, suspenseful mysteries, but a) they are free and b) once you are 16 books deep, you kind of want to know what’s going on with the main characters.
This book was better than the last few, although it lacked the intricacies of the first 5 books in this series, I did enjoy it more. I felt more connected to the characters, but there was a distinct lack of information about the criminal - so little that it’s impossible to guess the outcome. It shouldn’t be obvious - but I should at least have a chance. I look forward to reading the next book, and see where the story pans out. However - this book is short, she easily could have finished the story in one book had her editor (?) publishing house (?) just given her more time. To anyone reading this, WE DONT NEED A BOOK EVERY 2 MONTHS. I’m sure the majority of the readers would prefer quality over quantity.
Saying that, the reason this book got 3 stars was because of the OG characters. I enjoy seeing how Anna and Ryan’s relationship has developed, and how Mac and Phillips are dealing with parenthood (I would like to see these storylines a little more fleshed out though!). Overall, if you’ve made it this far, you might as well keep going, I just hope I am pleasantly surprised again by the next addition to this series.
This book was better than the last few, although it lacked the intricacies of the first 5 books in this series, I did enjoy it more. I felt more connected to the characters, but there was a distinct lack of information about the criminal - so little that it’s impossible to guess the outcome. It shouldn’t be obvious - but I should at least have a chance. I look forward to reading the next book, and see where the story pans out. However - this book is short, she easily could have finished the story in one book had her editor (?) publishing house (?) just given her more time. To anyone reading this, WE DONT NEED A BOOK EVERY 2 MONTHS. I’m sure the majority of the readers would prefer quality over quantity.
Saying that, the reason this book got 3 stars was because of the OG characters. I enjoy seeing how Anna and Ryan’s relationship has developed, and how Mac and Phillips are dealing with parenthood (I would like to see these storylines a little more fleshed out though!). Overall, if you’ve made it this far, you might as well keep going, I just hope I am pleasantly surprised again by the next addition to this series.
June 24, 2020
A really quick read but another enjoyable Ryan story. Felt like half a book and we have to wait for next one to find out what happens next.
May 17, 2020
nyone who knows me knows that I adore LJ Ross's DCI Ryan series. It is one of my favourite detective series and I've really grown to love the characters.
This one started out brilliantly with two possibly related crimes for the detectives to solve. I am tired of DCI Ryan's wife being central to every story but I've kind of accepted that is going to be the case now.
I was just getting into the story and then.. it ended. I felt a little short-changed. At 181 pages it was much shorter than most in the series and the main mystery in this book just didn't get solved! Obviously I intend to read the next book in the series anyway because I've come this far but I prefer each book to be able to be read as a stand-alone, it feels a bit like a cheap trick by the author so that you have no choice but to buy the next book in order to get any closure.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this series to anyone who has not read them (starting with the brilliant Holy Island) but the books are starting to feel a bit churned out. I would much rather wait a bit longer between instalments and get back to the quality the series had at the beginning.
One last gripe, Denise's name kept alternating between MacKenzie and McKenzie throughout the book.
This one started out brilliantly with two possibly related crimes for the detectives to solve. I am tired of DCI Ryan's wife being central to every story but I've kind of accepted that is going to be the case now.
I was just getting into the story and then.. it ended. I felt a little short-changed. At 181 pages it was much shorter than most in the series and the main mystery in this book just didn't get solved! Obviously I intend to read the next book in the series anyway because I've come this far but I prefer each book to be able to be read as a stand-alone, it feels a bit like a cheap trick by the author so that you have no choice but to buy the next book in order to get any closure.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this series to anyone who has not read them (starting with the brilliant Holy Island) but the books are starting to feel a bit churned out. I would much rather wait a bit longer between instalments and get back to the quality the series had at the beginning.
One last gripe, Denise's name kept alternating between MacKenzie and McKenzie throughout the book.
June 27, 2020
I absolutely love these characters, but these books just seem to be getting shorter and shorter and as I love these on audible, they are fast not becoming good value for money, which is a shame. However, monetary issues aside, the story was fantastic as ever, full-on, fast-paced and unputdownable. I actually listened in one sitting as I needed to know what happens and stat! Just wished the books were longer.
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