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Ishmael Jones #10
Buried Memories
Returning to the small town where he crash-landed in 1963, Ishmael Jones is in search of answers. But his investigation is de-railed by a brutal murder.
"I think something very bad and very dangerous has come to your little town, Inspector . . ."
As long-buried memories from his hidden past begin to resurface, Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny feel compelled to return to the small country town where Ishmael crash-landed in 1963; the place where his memories began.
Norton Hedley is no ordinary town. Apparitions, sudden disappearances, sightings of unusual beasts: for centuries, the place has been plagued by a series of inexplicable events. Ishmael's first task is to track down local author Vincent Smith, the one man he believes may have some answers.
Ishmael and Penny aren't the only ones seeking the mysterious Mr Smith. When their search unearths a newly-dead body in the local mortuary - a body that's definitely not supposed to be there - Ishmael becomes the prime suspect in the ensuing murder investigation. His only hope of discovering the truth about his origins lies in exposing a ruthless killer.
"I think something very bad and very dangerous has come to your little town, Inspector . . ."
As long-buried memories from his hidden past begin to resurface, Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny feel compelled to return to the small country town where Ishmael crash-landed in 1963; the place where his memories began.
Norton Hedley is no ordinary town. Apparitions, sudden disappearances, sightings of unusual beasts: for centuries, the place has been plagued by a series of inexplicable events. Ishmael's first task is to track down local author Vincent Smith, the one man he believes may have some answers.
Ishmael and Penny aren't the only ones seeking the mysterious Mr Smith. When their search unearths a newly-dead body in the local mortuary - a body that's definitely not supposed to be there - Ishmael becomes the prime suspect in the ensuing murder investigation. His only hope of discovering the truth about his origins lies in exposing a ruthless killer.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2022
21 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Simon R. Green
310 books3,219 followersSimon Richard Green is a British science fiction and fantasy-author. He holds a degree in Modern English and American Literature from the University of Leicester. His first publication was in 1979.
His Deathstalker series is partly a parody of the usual space-opera of the 1950s, told with sovereign disregard of the rules of probability, while being at the same time extremely bloodthirsty.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
His Deathstalker series is partly a parody of the usual space-opera of the 1950s, told with sovereign disregard of the rules of probability, while being at the same time extremely bloodthirsty.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 11, 2021
I haven't read much science fiction mysteries so far, but I found the whole idea for this story very interesting. The main character, Ishmael Jones, is an alien locked in the body of a human who tries to discover what happened to him and how he came to Earth. To do this, together with his partner Penny, they go to the small town of Norton Hedley, where his spaceship crashed and where his story began.
The author very efficiently gives us all the information we need to understand this world. And there are quite a few of them. The story is well thought out and coherent. We find some interesting twists and turns. The ending fits the whole story very well, although I wasn't surprised by it. But I liked how the mysteries were explained.
The atmosphere of mystery and danger, as well as the fact that no one can be trusted and everything you see and know may turn out to be untrue, has been perfectly captured. Especially the forests around the town make a really scary impression. The author did an excellent job of building a creepy atmosphere.
The main characters, Ishmael and Penny, make a very good pair. I liked the dynamics of this duo. I think they have a lot of potential. I really appreciated their intelligence, personality, and the way they deal with problems.
This book is rather on the verge of what I usually read, so I was surprised by how much I really liked it. I would describe its genre as a science fiction mystery with elements of fantasy and horror. This is a very successful mix. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to go a little beyond what they usually read and try something new in the mystery genre. I will for sure keep an eye on this author's other books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The author very efficiently gives us all the information we need to understand this world. And there are quite a few of them. The story is well thought out and coherent. We find some interesting twists and turns. The ending fits the whole story very well, although I wasn't surprised by it. But I liked how the mysteries were explained.
The atmosphere of mystery and danger, as well as the fact that no one can be trusted and everything you see and know may turn out to be untrue, has been perfectly captured. Especially the forests around the town make a really scary impression. The author did an excellent job of building a creepy atmosphere.
The main characters, Ishmael and Penny, make a very good pair. I liked the dynamics of this duo. I think they have a lot of potential. I really appreciated their intelligence, personality, and the way they deal with problems.
This book is rather on the verge of what I usually read, so I was surprised by how much I really liked it. I would describe its genre as a science fiction mystery with elements of fantasy and horror. This is a very successful mix. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to go a little beyond what they usually read and try something new in the mystery genre. I will for sure keep an eye on this author's other books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2023
I like the Ismael Jones series, however, the very first books were the best. Probably because by now, if you like me have read many of the books or all so far published have noticed that they are pretty much the same. Ismael Jones and Penny go away to some isolated town, house, train etc. and try to find out what the heck is going on. On the plus-side, I do enjoy the books because of that, They are quite fun to read and I like that Ismael is an alien who has forgotten his past and is trying to remember it The book was good, an interesting mystery and we learned more about Ismael.
October 3, 2021
The latest Ishmael Jones book from Simon R. Green is, in some ways, a coming home story for Ishmael. After some developments in recent cases, he has learned more about his background here on earth and now believes there may be another being like him to be found. To accomplish this, he has called in favors from The Organization who have provided a dossier on Norton Hedley, the village of his earliest earth memories. An what a dossier it is, reflecting a village that outshines the country in sheer weirdness, in odd events. And somehow has eluded discovery by the major government and private agencies.
In that village, lives a man that Ishmael suspects may be able to give him information on his origins so, together with his constant companion, Penny Belcourt, he takes off to explore this village and, hopefully, his past. The rest is such a good story you should read it for yourself.
This episode was the most exciting so far, with virtually nonstop developments on the weirdness or action level. Ishmael and Penny are such a tight knit duo at this point. I would recommend beginning earlier in the series to learn more about Jones and The Organization and Jones’s work, as well as his growing relationship with Penny. If you should begin here, Green does provide some back story which will help guide you along.
Highly recommended along with the series as a whole. Be open to the “other.”
A copy of this book was provided by Severn House through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
In that village, lives a man that Ishmael suspects may be able to give him information on his origins so, together with his constant companion, Penny Belcourt, he takes off to explore this village and, hopefully, his past. The rest is such a good story you should read it for yourself.
This episode was the most exciting so far, with virtually nonstop developments on the weirdness or action level. Ishmael and Penny are such a tight knit duo at this point. I would recommend beginning earlier in the series to learn more about Jones and The Organization and Jones’s work, as well as his growing relationship with Penny. If you should begin here, Green does provide some back story which will help guide you along.
Highly recommended along with the series as a whole. Be open to the “other.”
A copy of this book was provided by Severn House through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
September 1, 2021
For those who have not read any of this series ... just a little background. Ishmael crash landed here on Earth in 1963. The capsule he was in when landing, turned him into half alien/half human ... and he has very few memories of his former life.
But as those memories start to surface, Ishmael and his girlfriend Penny (100% human) decide to return to the small town where he crashed.
Book Blurb: Norton Hedley is no ordinary town. Apparitions, sudden disappearances, sightings of unusual beasts: for centuries, the place has been plagued by a series of inexplicable events. Ishmael’s first task is to track down local author Vincent Smith, the one man he believes may have some answers.
While seeking out Mr. Smith, a body is found in the mortuary ... a newly dead body that shouldn't there. He becomes the prime suspect, leaving Penny and himself the only people looking for a cold-blooded killer.
A blend of mystery and sci/fi, it's well-written with a few twists. I don't normally read sci-fi so it was a bit harder for me to stretch my imagination. I would recommend reading this series in order, if you are a sci-fi fan. Ishmael and Penny are very likeable and I enjoyed how they related to each other
Many thanks to the author / Canongate Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this occult fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
But as those memories start to surface, Ishmael and his girlfriend Penny (100% human) decide to return to the small town where he crashed.
Book Blurb: Norton Hedley is no ordinary town. Apparitions, sudden disappearances, sightings of unusual beasts: for centuries, the place has been plagued by a series of inexplicable events. Ishmael’s first task is to track down local author Vincent Smith, the one man he believes may have some answers.
While seeking out Mr. Smith, a body is found in the mortuary ... a newly dead body that shouldn't there. He becomes the prime suspect, leaving Penny and himself the only people looking for a cold-blooded killer.
A blend of mystery and sci/fi, it's well-written with a few twists. I don't normally read sci-fi so it was a bit harder for me to stretch my imagination. I would recommend reading this series in order, if you are a sci-fi fan. Ishmael and Penny are very likeable and I enjoyed how they related to each other
Many thanks to the author / Canongate Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this occult fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 14, 2021
Buried Memories is the 10th book in the Ishmael Jones series. I've been a big fan of this series since book one, and definitely onboard for more books! In this newest adventure, Ishmael is delving into his strange history. He has no memories prior to 1963 when his ship crash landed and made physical changes to him so he could blend in on Earth. He wants to know more....who and what he is, where he came from, and what he was doing when he crashed. He travels to Norton Hedley, a village where one person might have some of the answers he seeks. But when he arrives, there has been a murder....and he ends up being the main suspect.
Great new story in this series! I started reading my digital review copy....then snagged a copy of the audiobook on release day. I started over again to listen to the entire story! The audio, narrated by Gildart Jackson, is just over 7 hours long. Jackson does a great job of voice acting. It was an entertaining listening experience.
I love this series....it's creepy, suspenseful and unusual. Simon R. Green is one of my favorite authors. Never disappointed! Can't wait for the next Ishmael Jones story!
**I voluntarily read a digital review copy of this book -- and bought the audiobook. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Great new story in this series! I started reading my digital review copy....then snagged a copy of the audiobook on release day. I started over again to listen to the entire story! The audio, narrated by Gildart Jackson, is just over 7 hours long. Jackson does a great job of voice acting. It was an entertaining listening experience.
I love this series....it's creepy, suspenseful and unusual. Simon R. Green is one of my favorite authors. Never disappointed! Can't wait for the next Ishmael Jones story!
**I voluntarily read a digital review copy of this book -- and bought the audiobook. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
July 26, 2021
I have not read any of the previous Ishmael Jones books; the NetGalley description doesn't make it clear that this is part of a series. However, I am a long-time fan of Simon R Green, and as with many of his other books he provided enough background - without it being a massive info-dump - that I was able to carry on my merry way and enjoy the book regardless.
Ishmael Jones arrived on Earth in 1963; his dying spaceship turned the sole survivor into a human and wiped his memory of what had come before. Over the next few decades - covered, I assume, in the books I haven't read - Jones has both tried to hide his identity from nefarious groups who would like to exploit aliens/their technology, and also investigated mysteries himself - because Simon R Green never missed an opportunity to do clever things with mysteries and whodunnits. In this narrative, Jones has realised he was not, in fact, the only survivor of his crash, and he's going back to where it all started to try and get some resolution.
There's banter, a spooky rural English village, murders, twists and turns and double-crosses, and ultimately a fairly satisfying conclusion.
Also, any book that opens with "Call me Ishmael" (except for the original) is going to get an appreciative eye-roll from me.
This was fun. Fans of Simon R Green know what they're getting. Possibly not the place for those new to Green to begin their adventures (I would say that's the Nightside books; the Blue Moon stories are a different kettle again).
Ishmael Jones arrived on Earth in 1963; his dying spaceship turned the sole survivor into a human and wiped his memory of what had come before. Over the next few decades - covered, I assume, in the books I haven't read - Jones has both tried to hide his identity from nefarious groups who would like to exploit aliens/their technology, and also investigated mysteries himself - because Simon R Green never missed an opportunity to do clever things with mysteries and whodunnits. In this narrative, Jones has realised he was not, in fact, the only survivor of his crash, and he's going back to where it all started to try and get some resolution.
There's banter, a spooky rural English village, murders, twists and turns and double-crosses, and ultimately a fairly satisfying conclusion.
Also, any book that opens with "Call me Ishmael" (except for the original) is going to get an appreciative eye-roll from me.
This was fun. Fans of Simon R Green know what they're getting. Possibly not the place for those new to Green to begin their adventures (I would say that's the Nightside books; the Blue Moon stories are a different kettle again).
March 5, 2024
Buried Memories
By Simon R Green
This follows Ishmael and Penny immediately following the last book. They get the information on the possibility of the other survivor of the crash besides Ishmael. They go to the town, and murders start happening. There are mysteries and twists involved. Good read!
By Simon R Green
This follows Ishmael and Penny immediately following the last book. They get the information on the possibility of the other survivor of the crash besides Ishmael. They go to the town, and murders start happening. There are mysteries and twists involved. Good read!
October 16, 2021
While this is the 10th book in the Ishmael Jones series, Simon R. Green shares enough backstory - with a delicate touch and not an infodump in sight - that you can absolutely read this one without having read the rest of the series. This might actually be a closer for the series, as Ishmael comes full circle back to his beginnings… the alien ship which crash-landed outside a small town in England in 1963.
Norton Hedley was weird even before a UFO crashed there, and it hasn’t gotten any less strange in the last half century. From the moment Ishmael and his partner Penny arrive, they can sense Something watching them… and then the bodies start turning up.
Ishmael is occasionally a bit too smug to be likeable, and the murderer was very strongly telegraphed - seriously, there was nobody else left standing - but Green tells a ripping yarn and I can forgive a great deal for the sake of his gorgeous, descriptive prose. I’ll be honest and say I hope this does wrap up the series and Green moves on to focus on the Gideon Sable series instead because I am in love with that series, but honestly I’ll gladly read anything he writes. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
Norton Hedley was weird even before a UFO crashed there, and it hasn’t gotten any less strange in the last half century. From the moment Ishmael and his partner Penny arrive, they can sense Something watching them… and then the bodies start turning up.
Ishmael is occasionally a bit too smug to be likeable, and the murderer was very strongly telegraphed - seriously, there was nobody else left standing - but Green tells a ripping yarn and I can forgive a great deal for the sake of his gorgeous, descriptive prose. I’ll be honest and say I hope this does wrap up the series and Green moves on to focus on the Gideon Sable series instead because I am in love with that series, but honestly I’ll gladly read anything he writes. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
July 8, 2021
I love Ishmael Jones series and I think this is one of the best as it's quite complex, full of twists, but also the one that gives us some information about Ishamel's past and the shadow organisations he worked for.
I hope there will be a lot of other books i this series and it somehow sounded like a "final" one and this would be sad.
The world building is excellent and Ishamel/Penny are at their best, loved their banters.
The plot is fast paced, I simply ihnaled, and there's a lot of twists and a great solution.
I can't wait to read another book in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I hope there will be a lot of other books i this series and it somehow sounded like a "final" one and this would be sad.
The world building is excellent and Ishamel/Penny are at their best, loved their banters.
The plot is fast paced, I simply ihnaled, and there's a lot of twists and a great solution.
I can't wait to read another book in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
May 3, 2022
Definitely feels as though the previous nine books was just a prep for this one. Best of the bunch for sure.
September 23, 2021
Ooh, homecoming
Ishmael goes back to the town he landed in, and starts to find some answers. Combination murder mystery, horror story, and procedural. Just as fun as the rest of the series, with lots of answers!
Ishmael goes back to the town he landed in, and starts to find some answers. Combination murder mystery, horror story, and procedural. Just as fun as the rest of the series, with lots of answers!
March 6, 2023
If it's the last book in a series it's a nice place to stop. But I do hope there will be more to come.
July 16, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to read and review the new Ishmael Jones and Penny Belcourt book from Simon R. Green.
I have read all of the previous books in this series, along with most of Mr. Green's other series, and I expect to be royally entertained (and a little bit spooked) from each one. "Buried Memories" did not disappoint.
Welcome to Norton Hedley, where it all began; and one of the weirdest places on earth. This is where Ishmael and Penny have come for answers to Ishmael's past - and perhaps their future. This is where 'the other' has lived since 1963 in the person of a best-selling author of books about the weird - UFOs, hauntings, A Door To Another World, multiple disappearances.... and Ishmael wants to find out what he knows.
But Ishmael and Penny are on their own this time - the visit is unsanctioned, and while the research was done by both the Organization and Black Heir, neither group will be involved in their investigations.
The witty repartee between Ishmael and Penny is there, right from the outset, along with their unflinching love and respect for each other, no matter what. And boy is there a lot of 'what', including mysterious deaths, a mansion that may or may not exist, mind control, a forest that scared the bejeezus out of this reader and - finally - maybe the answers to all of Ishmael's questions.
If you're a fan of this series, or a newcomer (and I strongly recommend you read the other books in the series first) you will not be disappointed in this instalment. I look forward to future adventures.
I have read all of the previous books in this series, along with most of Mr. Green's other series, and I expect to be royally entertained (and a little bit spooked) from each one. "Buried Memories" did not disappoint.
Welcome to Norton Hedley, where it all began; and one of the weirdest places on earth. This is where Ishmael and Penny have come for answers to Ishmael's past - and perhaps their future. This is where 'the other' has lived since 1963 in the person of a best-selling author of books about the weird - UFOs, hauntings, A Door To Another World, multiple disappearances.... and Ishmael wants to find out what he knows.
But Ishmael and Penny are on their own this time - the visit is unsanctioned, and while the research was done by both the Organization and Black Heir, neither group will be involved in their investigations.
The witty repartee between Ishmael and Penny is there, right from the outset, along with their unflinching love and respect for each other, no matter what. And boy is there a lot of 'what', including mysterious deaths, a mansion that may or may not exist, mind control, a forest that scared the bejeezus out of this reader and - finally - maybe the answers to all of Ishmael's questions.
If you're a fan of this series, or a newcomer (and I strongly recommend you read the other books in the series first) you will not be disappointed in this instalment. I look forward to future adventures.
July 17, 2021
Buried Memories is the 10th installment of Simon R Green’s Ishmael Jones mysteries for Severn House, and I have to admit, I was very excited to read this one. Throughout the rest of the series, teasing elements of Ishmael’s past have cropped up. Ishmael himself has no memory of his earlier years due to [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] and so this novel promised to bring some of those memories to the forefront.
Well, this book didn’t have the big Ishmael back history reveal, but it did bring to light a traitor in the Organization, and they did resolve the plot that Nemo brought up in the earlier entry to the series. Ishmael isn’t the only [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] around now.
After helping Whisper last time, Ishmael receives information pertaining to his origin from The Colonel. Off he goes, with trusty partner Penny Belcourt in tow, to the quaint, yet exceedingly spooky village of Norton Hedley. Once he arrives, the usual mystery shenanigans ensue, and people start dropping dead with no visible wounds.
Along the way, we get a hippie librarian I wish I had, a truly truly set of horrific set pieces (in the woods, and with the people in the village), and plenty of snarky banter.
So not entirely what I was expecting, but quite enjoyable. Recommended for any fans of Simon R Green, and a must read entry for anyone who has been following the Ishmael Jones mysteries. Not a good entry into the series though. Start with book 1: Dark Side of the Road.
Well, this book didn’t have the big Ishmael back history reveal, but it did bring to light a traitor in the Organization, and they did resolve the plot that Nemo brought up in the earlier entry to the series. Ishmael isn’t the only [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] around now.
After helping Whisper last time, Ishmael receives information pertaining to his origin from The Colonel. Off he goes, with trusty partner Penny Belcourt in tow, to the quaint, yet exceedingly spooky village of Norton Hedley. Once he arrives, the usual mystery shenanigans ensue, and people start dropping dead with no visible wounds.
Along the way, we get a hippie librarian I wish I had, a truly truly set of horrific set pieces (in the woods, and with the people in the village), and plenty of snarky banter.
So not entirely what I was expecting, but quite enjoyable. Recommended for any fans of Simon R Green, and a must read entry for anyone who has been following the Ishmael Jones mysteries. Not a good entry into the series though. Start with book 1: Dark Side of the Road.
November 1, 2024
Ishmael Jones is as he has always been. The problem is that he’s been the same, absolutely unaging, for 60 years now. And he doesn’t remember who – or more likely what – he was before that. Before 1963, when his alien space ship was blown out of the sky over Earth and crashed in a field near the tiny village of Norton Hedley.
Which doesn’t seem to have changed much either in the intervening 60 years.
A situation that is quite a bit more worrying than Ishmael’s own unchanging face, because he at least knows why THAT’s happening. Or not, as the case may be.
But Norton Hedley, a place where people come and go and live in hope for a good tourist season every year, seems to be a haven for the uncanny. After all, that’s what has brought Ishmael and his partner Penny to the village.
Because Ishmael and his unchanging appearance began – at least as far as his memory goes – with the crash landing of his alien spacecraft in the woods surrounding Norton Hedley in 1963. He’s returned because his previous two cases, Night Train to Murder and The House on Widows Hill, have provided him with some scattered but ominous clues about who and what he used to be.
And he needs to know. Because he needs to know if he’s a danger to Penny. Or anyone else on Earth who doesn’t deserve it.
In his research about Norton Hedley, or the research the coyly named black ops group, the Organisation, has done on his behalf, he – and they – have learned that Norton Hedley has been weird central for years. Not just the years since his ship crashed in 1963, but for centuries. Millenia even.
Something in, on, or more likely under – like the thing that was under The House on Widows Hill – has been creeping its creepy way along into the lifeblood of the town for eons uncounting. It might have the answers he’s been searching for for decades.
And it might not want to let him know.
Escape Rating B: This series has been one of my Halloween reads since I first discovered it, so it seemed appropriate to finish it up this Halloween. As I’ve already read the final book in the series (so far), I’ll have to pick something else horror-adjacent next year.
The author is an acquired taste – one that I acquired decades ago. It’s the snark. It’s always been the snark no matter what the ostensible genre or subject of ANY of his many series might be. If you like his voice, then when you’re in that mood nothing else will do. But if you’re not, you bounce off, and bounce hard. Your reading mileage may vary.
The concept of this particular series throws a whole bunch of speculative fiction tropes into one hell of a blender. The series began, back in The Dark Side of the Road, as English country house mysteries where the supernatural agencies turn out to be merely human – but with a touch of the paranormal or extraterrestrial for spice and added bodies.
Over the course of the series it has turned into Ishmael’s quest to learn enough about who or what he used to be to figure out just how he can continue to stay one step ahead of all the various secret agencies that would like to use him up in one way or another. Even more important, he’s thoroughly invested in keeping Penny safe – if necessary from himself.
At first, what made this series work as well as it does – at least for this reader – was the revelation in each case that no matter how weird things got – often very – that the enemies were always human after all.
What has kept me going this far have been the questions about Ishmael’s past and Penny’s future. While Ishmael has been unchanging for 60 years, the series has been set in a sort of ‘perpetual now’. Days and weeks pass but seemingly not years. This entry in the series is one of the first that confronts head on the problem of Ishmael and Penny’s relationship.
Not that they have problems, but that together they have a problem. Penny is an ordinary human, she will age, and Ishmael will not. Short of a deus ex machina – and not that there haven’t been plenty of powerful machina around over the course of the series – this can’t end happily. Howsomever, I already know that it does not end in the next book, Haunted by the Past. And in spite of the ominousness of that title, it doesn’t dive nearly as deeply into Ishmael’s past as Night Train to Murder, The House on Widows Hill and Buried Memories have done.
So, I have begun to wonder if the author is planning to end this series at all. I wonder even more whether or not he should. I’d rather just think of Ishmael and Penny in that perpetual now, continuing on their quest to find evil humans at the heart of supernatural hoaxes, raging together against the dying of their light.
Originally published at Reading Reality
Which doesn’t seem to have changed much either in the intervening 60 years.
A situation that is quite a bit more worrying than Ishmael’s own unchanging face, because he at least knows why THAT’s happening. Or not, as the case may be.
But Norton Hedley, a place where people come and go and live in hope for a good tourist season every year, seems to be a haven for the uncanny. After all, that’s what has brought Ishmael and his partner Penny to the village.
Because Ishmael and his unchanging appearance began – at least as far as his memory goes – with the crash landing of his alien spacecraft in the woods surrounding Norton Hedley in 1963. He’s returned because his previous two cases, Night Train to Murder and The House on Widows Hill, have provided him with some scattered but ominous clues about who and what he used to be.
And he needs to know. Because he needs to know if he’s a danger to Penny. Or anyone else on Earth who doesn’t deserve it.
In his research about Norton Hedley, or the research the coyly named black ops group, the Organisation, has done on his behalf, he – and they – have learned that Norton Hedley has been weird central for years. Not just the years since his ship crashed in 1963, but for centuries. Millenia even.
Something in, on, or more likely under – like the thing that was under The House on Widows Hill – has been creeping its creepy way along into the lifeblood of the town for eons uncounting. It might have the answers he’s been searching for for decades.
And it might not want to let him know.
Escape Rating B: This series has been one of my Halloween reads since I first discovered it, so it seemed appropriate to finish it up this Halloween. As I’ve already read the final book in the series (so far), I’ll have to pick something else horror-adjacent next year.
The author is an acquired taste – one that I acquired decades ago. It’s the snark. It’s always been the snark no matter what the ostensible genre or subject of ANY of his many series might be. If you like his voice, then when you’re in that mood nothing else will do. But if you’re not, you bounce off, and bounce hard. Your reading mileage may vary.
The concept of this particular series throws a whole bunch of speculative fiction tropes into one hell of a blender. The series began, back in The Dark Side of the Road, as English country house mysteries where the supernatural agencies turn out to be merely human – but with a touch of the paranormal or extraterrestrial for spice and added bodies.
Over the course of the series it has turned into Ishmael’s quest to learn enough about who or what he used to be to figure out just how he can continue to stay one step ahead of all the various secret agencies that would like to use him up in one way or another. Even more important, he’s thoroughly invested in keeping Penny safe – if necessary from himself.
At first, what made this series work as well as it does – at least for this reader – was the revelation in each case that no matter how weird things got – often very – that the enemies were always human after all.
What has kept me going this far have been the questions about Ishmael’s past and Penny’s future. While Ishmael has been unchanging for 60 years, the series has been set in a sort of ‘perpetual now’. Days and weeks pass but seemingly not years. This entry in the series is one of the first that confronts head on the problem of Ishmael and Penny’s relationship.
Not that they have problems, but that together they have a problem. Penny is an ordinary human, she will age, and Ishmael will not. Short of a deus ex machina – and not that there haven’t been plenty of powerful machina around over the course of the series – this can’t end happily. Howsomever, I already know that it does not end in the next book, Haunted by the Past. And in spite of the ominousness of that title, it doesn’t dive nearly as deeply into Ishmael’s past as Night Train to Murder, The House on Widows Hill and Buried Memories have done.
So, I have begun to wonder if the author is planning to end this series at all. I wonder even more whether or not he should. I’d rather just think of Ishmael and Penny in that perpetual now, continuing on their quest to find evil humans at the heart of supernatural hoaxes, raging together against the dying of their light.
Originally published at Reading Reality
November 12, 2023
Buried Memories, by Simon R. Green
Ishmael Jones, 010
★★★★☆
192 Pages
1st person, single character POV
Themes: murder, science fiction, aliens, secret organisations
Triggers: mentions of gore, violence and supernatural beings
Genre: Contemporary, Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Crime
Buried Memories – the tenth book in the Ishmael Jones series – begins 'several weeks' after the events of the previous book. Ishmael has finally received the information about the second survivor of the alien ship crash which leads him to a tiny town of Norton Hedley, full of mysterious events. As a Mecca for UFO enthusiasts Norton Hedley has its own secrets as well as some revelations to let slip.
The cast include some of the usual suspects: Ishmael and Penny, as well as an appearance by the Colonel and Mr Whisper. It also introduces a host of new faces:
Lucy Parker – a Black Heir agent
Frank Kendall – the town librarian who is 'the only gay in the village'
Detective Inspector Violet Silver
Ellie Markham – owner of the Pale Horse hotel
Vincent Smith – local author of the mysterious and creepy, but also suspected to be the second survivor
There are a lot of spooky goings on in Norton Hedley – a house that appears and disappears, often in different locations; people who act like zombies with one mind; ley lines crossing right in the centre of the village; and lots of tales of ghosts and missing people.
Ishmael and Penny arrive in Norton Hedley to find that Vincent Smith – the person they suspect of being the second survivor – has died, but when they go to check the body for possible cause of death, they find the body missing and the mortuary man dead instead. As more bodies show up, it becomes clear that they've caused a disturbance in the quiet town that can't go unnoticed any longer.
I loved the mystery of it all, never sure who to trust, who to believe and what might be real or psychic contamination from the legends around the town. I also loved how steadfast Ishmael and Penny were, sticking together through all the difficulties and doubts, the suspicions and uncertainty. It's been a long time coming, but I was so excited to finally learn more about what Ishmael really was, where he came from, and the circumstances that brought him to Earth. I was also thrilled to finally discover the truth about the Organisation and what it really existed for. That was a surprise I definitely didn't see coming.
Although I guessed the killer pretty early on, again I didn't mind because there was so much else going on to interest me and keep me reading. And as always, there was always that niggling doubt that I'd missed something that might be revealed at the last minute. With aliens and weird creatures on the go, you never know what might pop up next.
While I could see this being a pretty decent ending to the series, I'm glad there's another book.
~
Favourite Quote
“Mr ship crashed in a field right outside Weird Shit Central,' I said, 'That can't be a coincidence.'”
Ishmael Jones, 010
★★★★☆
192 Pages
1st person, single character POV
Themes: murder, science fiction, aliens, secret organisations
Triggers: mentions of gore, violence and supernatural beings
Genre: Contemporary, Murder Mystery, Science Fiction, Crime
Buried Memories – the tenth book in the Ishmael Jones series – begins 'several weeks' after the events of the previous book. Ishmael has finally received the information about the second survivor of the alien ship crash which leads him to a tiny town of Norton Hedley, full of mysterious events. As a Mecca for UFO enthusiasts Norton Hedley has its own secrets as well as some revelations to let slip.
The cast include some of the usual suspects: Ishmael and Penny, as well as an appearance by the Colonel and Mr Whisper. It also introduces a host of new faces:
Lucy Parker – a Black Heir agent
Frank Kendall – the town librarian who is 'the only gay in the village'
Detective Inspector Violet Silver
Ellie Markham – owner of the Pale Horse hotel
Vincent Smith – local author of the mysterious and creepy, but also suspected to be the second survivor
There are a lot of spooky goings on in Norton Hedley – a house that appears and disappears, often in different locations; people who act like zombies with one mind; ley lines crossing right in the centre of the village; and lots of tales of ghosts and missing people.
Ishmael and Penny arrive in Norton Hedley to find that Vincent Smith – the person they suspect of being the second survivor – has died, but when they go to check the body for possible cause of death, they find the body missing and the mortuary man dead instead. As more bodies show up, it becomes clear that they've caused a disturbance in the quiet town that can't go unnoticed any longer.
I loved the mystery of it all, never sure who to trust, who to believe and what might be real or psychic contamination from the legends around the town. I also loved how steadfast Ishmael and Penny were, sticking together through all the difficulties and doubts, the suspicions and uncertainty. It's been a long time coming, but I was so excited to finally learn more about what Ishmael really was, where he came from, and the circumstances that brought him to Earth. I was also thrilled to finally discover the truth about the Organisation and what it really existed for. That was a surprise I definitely didn't see coming.
Although I guessed the killer pretty early on, again I didn't mind because there was so much else going on to interest me and keep me reading. And as always, there was always that niggling doubt that I'd missed something that might be revealed at the last minute. With aliens and weird creatures on the go, you never know what might pop up next.
While I could see this being a pretty decent ending to the series, I'm glad there's another book.
~
Favourite Quote
“Mr ship crashed in a field right outside Weird Shit Central,' I said, 'That can't be a coincidence.'”
October 5, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Buried Memories is the 10th book in the Ishmael Jones SF mystery series by Simon Green. Released 5th Oct 2021 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a humorous and well written mystery with a strong SF element (the titular protagonist is an alien in more or less human form). His sidekick and partner is a human espionage agent and despite the occasional necessary badassery and alien tech (and weapons), they drink tea, eat scones, and reprimand baddies with the best traditional classical sleuths. If readers can stretch to imagining a mashup where Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence are set down in Stross' world of the Laundry Files by a cinematographer from the X-Files, they'd come remarkably close.
I've been impressed with Green's masterful control of the tension arc in his other books and this one is no exception. He has a wonderful way of making the most mundane occurrences seriously *creepy*. I devoured this installment in one sitting. All of the books work well as standalones (there's an intro back-story to get readers up to speed). Some of the main plot points in this book are dependent on back history from previous books, so there will be some pretty major spoilers if read out of order, but readers won't be lost or have trouble following along if they choose to read them that way.
The dialogue is often sarcastic and slyly humorous. The book is populated by weird and bizarre characters (and some of them are even human). I found myself grinning often and chuckling out loud a few times. The denouement and resolution were exciting and satisfying and I am really really looking forward to What Comes Next.
Four stars. SF mystery weirdness at its creepy best.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Buried Memories is the 10th book in the Ishmael Jones SF mystery series by Simon Green. Released 5th Oct 2021 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a humorous and well written mystery with a strong SF element (the titular protagonist is an alien in more or less human form). His sidekick and partner is a human espionage agent and despite the occasional necessary badassery and alien tech (and weapons), they drink tea, eat scones, and reprimand baddies with the best traditional classical sleuths. If readers can stretch to imagining a mashup where Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence are set down in Stross' world of the Laundry Files by a cinematographer from the X-Files, they'd come remarkably close.
I've been impressed with Green's masterful control of the tension arc in his other books and this one is no exception. He has a wonderful way of making the most mundane occurrences seriously *creepy*. I devoured this installment in one sitting. All of the books work well as standalones (there's an intro back-story to get readers up to speed). Some of the main plot points in this book are dependent on back history from previous books, so there will be some pretty major spoilers if read out of order, but readers won't be lost or have trouble following along if they choose to read them that way.
The dialogue is often sarcastic and slyly humorous. The book is populated by weird and bizarre characters (and some of them are even human). I found myself grinning often and chuckling out loud a few times. The denouement and resolution were exciting and satisfying and I am really really looking forward to What Comes Next.
Four stars. SF mystery weirdness at its creepy best.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
October 21, 2021
I thoroughly enjoy Green’s clever mix of real tension and creepiness, along with touches of dark humour that at times have me laughing out loud. Ishmael is not human – he’s an alien that crashed to Earth in 1963 and has been trying to stay under the radar ever since. This has very much affected his choice to work for a number of shady organisations and consequently he mixes with some very dangerous people. These books could have been gritty and bleak – but Ishmael has been lucky enough to fall in love with the adorable Penny, who is now his sidekick and her company considerably lightens his violent adventures. Their teamwork and snarky interchanges particularly brightened things up during this creepy exploration into Ishmeal’s past. I was especially pleased to pick this one up, as Buried Memories addresses Ishmael’s origins on Earth. Due to the damage sustained by his spaceship, his memories of that time are very fragmentary. But he now believes that he wasn’t the only survivor and feels impelled to try to find his companion and learn more of why they visited Earth in the first place.
I think it’s really clever to have left his origin story so late in the series, as I’m now thoroughly invested in dear old Ishmael and Penny. So I was brimming with curiosity to discover exactly where he came from and why. It also is a nifty entry point if you haven’t had the pleasure of the previous adventures, which is always helpful for readers in a long-running series. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. As well as the spooky parody of the idyllic English village, peopled with some nicely eccentric characters, I very much appreciated the additional insights into what makes Ishmael tick. Recommended for fans of quirky paranormal creepiness that doesn’t take itself too seriously. While I obtained an arc of Buried Memories from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
I think it’s really clever to have left his origin story so late in the series, as I’m now thoroughly invested in dear old Ishmael and Penny. So I was brimming with curiosity to discover exactly where he came from and why. It also is a nifty entry point if you haven’t had the pleasure of the previous adventures, which is always helpful for readers in a long-running series. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. As well as the spooky parody of the idyllic English village, peopled with some nicely eccentric characters, I very much appreciated the additional insights into what makes Ishmael tick. Recommended for fans of quirky paranormal creepiness that doesn’t take itself too seriously. While I obtained an arc of Buried Memories from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
October 5, 2021
“I think something very bad and very dangerous has come to your little town, Inspector . . .”
My thanks to Canongate Books Severn House Publishers for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Buried Memories’ by Simon R. Green in exchange for an honest review.
This is Book 10 in Green’s Ishmael Jones series of paranormal mysteries. Ishmael is an alien, who has hidden among humans for decades. Until recently he has had no memory of his former life. He currently works for The Organisation, solving inexplicable mysteries with his partner, Penny Belcourt.
Following the events of Book 9, Ishmael travels to Norton Hedley, the small town close to where his ship had crash-landed in 1963. He is in search of answers. Yet Norton Hedley is no ordinary town and for centuries has a reputation of inexplicable events including apparitions, disappearances, and sightings of unusual beasts. Is there a reason that his stricken spaceship had landed there?
Ishmael is especially keen to speak with local author Vincent Smith, the one man he believes may have some answers. He and Penny are only just settling in when there is a murder. No further details in order to avoid spoilers.
‘Dead Memories’ was a chilling mystery with some interesting twists. Its thrills were tempered with wry humour. I am hoping that the series continues.
This has proved a consistently outstanding series in which Green skilfully combines science fiction, supernatural horror, and classic Golden Age Detective mystery tropes. In addition, Green is very good at providing concise background details for new readers to the series.
They was quite a short novel and so I was able to read in a single sitting.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
My thanks to Canongate Books Severn House Publishers for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Buried Memories’ by Simon R. Green in exchange for an honest review.
This is Book 10 in Green’s Ishmael Jones series of paranormal mysteries. Ishmael is an alien, who has hidden among humans for decades. Until recently he has had no memory of his former life. He currently works for The Organisation, solving inexplicable mysteries with his partner, Penny Belcourt.
Following the events of Book 9, Ishmael travels to Norton Hedley, the small town close to where his ship had crash-landed in 1963. He is in search of answers. Yet Norton Hedley is no ordinary town and for centuries has a reputation of inexplicable events including apparitions, disappearances, and sightings of unusual beasts. Is there a reason that his stricken spaceship had landed there?
Ishmael is especially keen to speak with local author Vincent Smith, the one man he believes may have some answers. He and Penny are only just settling in when there is a murder. No further details in order to avoid spoilers.
‘Dead Memories’ was a chilling mystery with some interesting twists. Its thrills were tempered with wry humour. I am hoping that the series continues.
This has proved a consistently outstanding series in which Green skilfully combines science fiction, supernatural horror, and classic Golden Age Detective mystery tropes. In addition, Green is very good at providing concise background details for new readers to the series.
They was quite a short novel and so I was able to read in a single sitting.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
September 16, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley, Severn House and Simon R Green for my arc of Buried Memories in exchange for an honest review.
Publishing: 5th October 2021
Ishmael and Penny are off on another adventure but this time it’s personal. The Organisation has agreed to investigate the little town of Norton Hedley where Ishmael crash landed in 1963 as a favour for him. But they’ve made it clear that if he wants to investigate further he’s on his own. It’s clear right from their arrival that this is no normal Town, with ghostly sightings, disappearances and weird goings on the place is a tourist trap in the summer, but out of season it’s just downright creepy. As dead bodies start to pile up Ishmael and Penny must work their hardest case yet to discover the secrets of Ishmael’s past as well as finding the killer and the secret at the heart of Norton Hedley.
I was so excited to get back into Ishmael and Penny’s world. This is one of the most underrated series’ ever and I haven’t found one book in the series yet to disappoint. This one is no different, humorous, interesting, spooky and full of mystery. The pacing is fast and the book not very long so it’s a delight to race through. I can’t recommend this book and this whole series enough!
Publishing: 5th October 2021
Ishmael and Penny are off on another adventure but this time it’s personal. The Organisation has agreed to investigate the little town of Norton Hedley where Ishmael crash landed in 1963 as a favour for him. But they’ve made it clear that if he wants to investigate further he’s on his own. It’s clear right from their arrival that this is no normal Town, with ghostly sightings, disappearances and weird goings on the place is a tourist trap in the summer, but out of season it’s just downright creepy. As dead bodies start to pile up Ishmael and Penny must work their hardest case yet to discover the secrets of Ishmael’s past as well as finding the killer and the secret at the heart of Norton Hedley.
I was so excited to get back into Ishmael and Penny’s world. This is one of the most underrated series’ ever and I haven’t found one book in the series yet to disappoint. This one is no different, humorous, interesting, spooky and full of mystery. The pacing is fast and the book not very long so it’s a delight to race through. I can’t recommend this book and this whole series enough!
September 20, 2021
In 2015, Green introduced readers to Ishmael Jones. Jones is an alien in disguise, remade into human form by his ships AI. Human on the outside and alien on the inside, Ishmael has not aged since his crash landing in 1963. He and his partner/companion Penny Belcourt work for a deep undercover organization. Green established in Book One (The dark side of the road), that Ishmael had lost all of his memories. Several books back, he began to recall bits and pieces of his life.
In Buried Memories, Ishmael and Penny return to the location of Ishmael's crash landing. Rural towns in England can become insulated. In Norton Hedley, the location of the crash, things have moved beyond insulated to the uncanny. Corpses turn up unexpectedly, a ghost mansion materializes then disappears, the nearby wood seems more of a wailing wood; things like this. Green is in fine form as he spins a tale that is both hilarious (the banter between Penny and Ishmael) and spooky.
Once again this was an all night read. Write quickly Mr. Green, I want to know what happens next.
Highly recommended for readers of the supernatural. Most violence appears off stage, making this suitable for readers of all ages.
In Buried Memories, Ishmael and Penny return to the location of Ishmael's crash landing. Rural towns in England can become insulated. In Norton Hedley, the location of the crash, things have moved beyond insulated to the uncanny. Corpses turn up unexpectedly, a ghost mansion materializes then disappears, the nearby wood seems more of a wailing wood; things like this. Green is in fine form as he spins a tale that is both hilarious (the banter between Penny and Ishmael) and spooky.
Once again this was an all night read. Write quickly Mr. Green, I want to know what happens next.
Highly recommended for readers of the supernatural. Most violence appears off stage, making this suitable for readers of all ages.
March 12, 2026
Some thoughts on Buried Memories by Simon R Green
Again, we pick up nearly where we left off, making this basically part three of a continuing story with Ishmael Jones’ alien heritage as the focus. We await the final report on the investigation he had the Organization start at the end of the last novel and go deeper into his first few days as human. There’s bound to be a twist here…
Well, Ishmael’s investigation turned up the town he first landed in—Norton Hedley as well as a person of interest, author Vincent Smith. Naturally, there are complications with meeting Smith and the town is giving off serious vibes of “The Village” from the tv series The Prisoner. So far no roaming large balloons that kidnap people and bring them to undisclosed locations, but it’s still early days yet
So far very different than the usual formula—a few deaths occur but there are no supernatural red herrings to distract. On the whole this brings a not unwelcome new tension to the story and on top of that, Green starts pulling out tons of twists that change one’s entire perspective of how people and things all fit together (and I’m loving them!). I wish I could remark more on them but it would be all spoilers if I tried to say more
Again, we pick up nearly where we left off, making this basically part three of a continuing story with Ishmael Jones’ alien heritage as the focus. We await the final report on the investigation he had the Organization start at the end of the last novel and go deeper into his first few days as human. There’s bound to be a twist here…
Well, Ishmael’s investigation turned up the town he first landed in—Norton Hedley as well as a person of interest, author Vincent Smith. Naturally, there are complications with meeting Smith and the town is giving off serious vibes of “The Village” from the tv series The Prisoner. So far no roaming large balloons that kidnap people and bring them to undisclosed locations, but it’s still early days yet
So far very different than the usual formula—a few deaths occur but there are no supernatural red herrings to distract. On the whole this brings a not unwelcome new tension to the story and on top of that, Green starts pulling out tons of twists that change one’s entire perspective of how people and things all fit together (and I’m loving them!). I wish I could remark more on them but it would be all spoilers if I tried to say more
July 30, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Severn House for the eARC.
This was my 2nd Ishmael Jones book and another fun and exciting read.
Ishmael and Penny are in Norton Henley, a pretty, but strangely spooky country town, where Ishmael landed in 1963. He has found out that there's another man (The Other), who survived along with him and has stayed in Norton Henley as an author, writing books about the strange happenings there: the creepy woods, the Door To Another World, UFOs, and the many disappearances from the village. But when Ishmael and Penny arrive in the village, The Other has died. The local librarian, a great character, was his best friend and has many loving and eye-opening stories about him.
I love Ishmael, but my favorite is Penny, love her feistiness and the banter and love between the two is a joy to read.
I found this an easy read as a standalone, but wished I had read the series from the beginning.
Recommended!
This was my 2nd Ishmael Jones book and another fun and exciting read.
Ishmael and Penny are in Norton Henley, a pretty, but strangely spooky country town, where Ishmael landed in 1963. He has found out that there's another man (The Other), who survived along with him and has stayed in Norton Henley as an author, writing books about the strange happenings there: the creepy woods, the Door To Another World, UFOs, and the many disappearances from the village. But when Ishmael and Penny arrive in the village, The Other has died. The local librarian, a great character, was his best friend and has many loving and eye-opening stories about him.
I love Ishmael, but my favorite is Penny, love her feistiness and the banter and love between the two is a joy to read.
I found this an easy read as a standalone, but wished I had read the series from the beginning.
Recommended!
April 21, 2025
And so on to the next and for a while last title in the series (there is another which I have not started yet). So the hope is not only do we get to solve the mystery of the week but also find out once and for all the past of Ishmael Jones.
However that is not the case - as this time it transpires that mystery IS Ishmael. So now we have a hunt on to find his past and his reason before numerous other parties find it first as it seems for all his hard work at keeping to the shadows and avoiding all sorts of unwanted attention his past is now very much on everyone's agenda.
So does it delivery - in many ways it does - as it certainly wraps up a number of questions and story threads but I felt at a bit of a pace however what is the alternative? So yes very much pleased to have finished the series just would have been the way I would have done so I am not sure. One thing I do know is that there is another book in the series and I have no idea how that will work
However that is not the case - as this time it transpires that mystery IS Ishmael. So now we have a hunt on to find his past and his reason before numerous other parties find it first as it seems for all his hard work at keeping to the shadows and avoiding all sorts of unwanted attention his past is now very much on everyone's agenda.
So does it delivery - in many ways it does - as it certainly wraps up a number of questions and story threads but I felt at a bit of a pace however what is the alternative? So yes very much pleased to have finished the series just would have been the way I would have done so I am not sure. One thing I do know is that there is another book in the series and I have no idea how that will work
October 10, 2021
Ishmael Jones is back, and this time the mystery he and Penny are trying to solve is all about his alien origins (that he cannot remember). They return to the small town of Norton Hedley, where Jones' spaceship crashed in 1963. But this isn't your typical small English village - a wicked woods on the edge of town, disappearing houses, ghosts, UFOs, and a series of disappearances stretching back centuries.
Our heroes are looking for local author Vincent Smith, another alien that may have some answers for Ishmael. Unfortunately, Smith dies right before Ishmael and Penny arrive, although his body goes missing and instead we have another corpse in the morgue.
Can Ishmael and Penny solve the mystery of Ishmael's past before the sinister forces put an end to their meddling? A nice ending to this story arc.
Our heroes are looking for local author Vincent Smith, another alien that may have some answers for Ishmael. Unfortunately, Smith dies right before Ishmael and Penny arrive, although his body goes missing and instead we have another corpse in the morgue.
Can Ishmael and Penny solve the mystery of Ishmael's past before the sinister forces put an end to their meddling? A nice ending to this story arc.
March 11, 2026
I’ve really enjoyed the Ishmael Jones series by Simon R. Green, but Buried Memories was a bit of a disappointment for me. The story had an interesting premise, especially with Ishmael searching for answers about his past, but the pacing felt slow. There were a lot of repetitive questions and similar paragraphs that made the narrative feel like it was going in circles.
At times, it honestly felt like being stuck in the same strange town as the characters, without the plot moving forward much. While the mystery and atmosphere were still there, the repetition made parts of the book a little boring compared to the earlier installments in the series.
That said, I still like the characters and the overall concept of the series, so I’m hopeful that the next book will bring back the excitement and stronger pacing that made the earlier books so enjoyable.
At times, it honestly felt like being stuck in the same strange town as the characters, without the plot moving forward much. While the mystery and atmosphere were still there, the repetition made parts of the book a little boring compared to the earlier installments in the series.
That said, I still like the characters and the overall concept of the series, so I’m hopeful that the next book will bring back the excitement and stronger pacing that made the earlier books so enjoyable.
October 4, 2021
I can’t believe that we are already at the tenth book in this series. The one thing I’ve always depended on with this series is that I know exactly what I’m going to get with one of these books. They are always well-written, have an interesting plot, and there is a satisfying conclusion. I’ve always liked Ishmael and Penny, but these are pretty simple mysteries, and they are easy to read. In this latest, we learn a little more about Ishmael’s past, and we learn a secret or two. I kinda hope we learn more as I wasn’t quite satisfied with what we did learn. I do admit that I’m getting a little burned out on this series, but the books are still fun to read. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
December 17, 2021
I liked this because I got what I expected, a short paranormal read with a simple mystery. Would I recommend it to a new reader? Well, I'd recommend starting with the first book and get it from the library (like I have gotten all 10). I definitely would not have continued with the series if I had to pay for it.
The basic setup remains the same from book to book. Ishmael even says he's not new to old building or house (something to that effect). He even states there's only one option for the killer, which he's done before. He's right, for the same reason as in at least one previous book.
I did find more character development in this one. The door to Ishmael's secret past and that of other things is cracked a bit more.
The basic setup remains the same from book to book. Ishmael even says he's not new to old building or house (something to that effect). He even states there's only one option for the killer, which he's done before. He's right, for the same reason as in at least one previous book.
I did find more character development in this one. The door to Ishmael's secret past and that of other things is cracked a bit more.
December 31, 2021
This was the next step in the story that I've been waiting for. When you read a series like this there's always the little tidbits that each story tells about the greater story behind it. With each story you get closer and closer to the grand story. But there is usually one part that fills in the story more then the previous ones. This was that story for this series. While I've been reading this series since it's beginning it's given the reader a little taste with each novel. Finally with this book we have a story that focused on the larger mystery of who the lead character is. It didn't solve the mystery, yet, but it did show that it's going to do so someday.
I read this book via NetGalley. I thank them for this book.
I read this book via NetGalley. I thank them for this book.
May 5, 2023
Ishmael Jones and Penny Belncourt travel to Norton Hedley to contact the other survivor of the spaceship crash. But when they arrive in town, they are greeted with news that the survivor, Vincent Smith had just died. Then more bodies started piling up, the townsfolk were acting really, really weird and members of Black Heir and The Organization kept showing up. Ishmael and Penny finally get to the core of the weirdness and solve the murders. A very nicely paced mystery centered in a very strange location that closes out an arc in the Ishmael Jones story. It will be interesting to see where the pair will head next!
P.S. If you enjoy audio-books, take a listen to the Graphic Audio version with a full cast. It was a great listen!
P.S. If you enjoy audio-books, take a listen to the Graphic Audio version with a full cast. It was a great listen!
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