Dark Minster: Coming Home

by Charlie De Luca

DI Gabriel Taverner starts a new job in York having moved from the Metropolitan police in London. He starts work a day early because a young student, Emily Morgan, has been found dead in the River Ouse and initial findings suggest that she was murdered before being dumped into the river. Taverner has his own reasons to move to York, namely to make contact with his birth mother but finds it hard to adjust to Yorkshire initially. At least DS Anna Wildblood appears to be on his side unlike some of his colleagues who baulk at his love of Earl Grey tea, degree and posh accent. The investigation progresses and the team find themselves with several suspects, not least Emily’s tutor, Niall Lynch, her boyfriend, Dan Charlton and fellow student, Ross McAllister. Emily was a model student who helped run literacy classes for struggling school children assisted by a local ex-vicar, but also has an interest in becoming a journalist. She wrote various hard hitting articles which were due to be published, could one of them led to her murder? And what about the young girl from the literacy group that she met on the night that she died? How is she involved? As the investigation develops, it becomes apparent that no one is what they seem and they can trust no one, maybe not even the psychic who promises to assist them. The race is on to capture the killer before they strike again… With the historic city of York as a backdrop, Dark Minster Book 1, Coming Home, is a compelling murder mystery, deftly plotted from the author of several racing thrillers which include Rank Outsiders, The Gift Horse, Twelve in the Sixth, Making Allowances and Hoodwinked. A must read for lovers of crime fiction, and great story telling in a fabulous setting.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 8, 2020

Reviews

[Sandra meaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting plot

Quite different from his racing stories, but a good plot with a degree of Yorkshire humour. Will certainly read the follow up.