Are you seeking an enticing new mystery series, filled with first-rate characters and breathtaking twists and turns?
Then meet Arnold Landon, mild-mannered history buff turned amateur sleuth.
GET **FIVE** ADDICTIVE CRIME MYSTERIES IN ONE GREAT-VALUE BOX SET.
Fans of Elly Griffiths, Peter James, P.D. James, Damien Boyd, Helen H. Durrant, J.D. Kirk, Bill Kitson and Peter Robinson will devour this intriguing series of mysteries.
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Praise for the Arnold Landon
“The skillful Mr Lewis has made Arnold Landon an unforgettable character .” New York Times
“A pleasure to pick up .” Irish Times
“Right atmosphere of menace in this highly charged mystery .” Booklist
“This intelligent, nicely textured mystery gathers speed and races to a thrilling conclusion .” Kirkus
“ Good Northern atmosphere and neatly satisfying plot.” Times Literary Supplement
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IN THIS FIVE-BOOK BOX
BOOK 1: MURDER IN THE BARN Rampton Farm, Northumberland, is earmarked for demolition to make way for an amusement park. But Arnold Landon makes a thrilling the Old Wheat Barn. Then and there, he realises he must save it from the developers. Then the barn offers up its most shocking secret yet. A dead body, sprawled in the straw. What other crimes lay hidden in the dark history of the barn? Arnold won’t rest until he uncovers the truth.
BOOK 2: MURDER IN THE MANOR Arnold Landon is drawn to Oldham Manor, an atmospheric medieval house in the middle of nowhere. When he is invited to catalogue the library there, he jumps at the chance. Late one night, he stumbles on a secret passage. Where will it take him? And why was it walled up? When a stranger turns up dead in a ditch, Landon begins to realise that someone is watching his every move. And they have a plan to ensure the past stays buried for good. What did the victim know that was worth killing for?
BOOK 3: MURDER IN THE FARMHOUSE Penbrook Farm might seem like a ramshackle hovel, buried deep in the woods of Northumberland. But to fragile old Sarah Ellis, it’s home. And the developers can have the place over her dead body . Of course, no one ever expected it to come to that . . . Least of all Arnold Landon. Late one night, he calls at the farmhouse to find the place in darkness. By the fire’s dying embers, he can make out a body, lying on the hard stone flags. Who wanted the farm so badly they were ready to kill for it?
BOOK 4: MURDER IN THE STABLEYARD A professor comes calling on Arnold Landon for research assistance. But he’s overlooked an important fact. Landon already has a job at the council — along with a raft of superiors who’d rather he focused on the dispute at hand. Namely, who is the rightful owner of the Kilgour Estates? And the opulent manor house in the grounds? Dashing rake Patrick Yates insists it’s all his. But a black sheep in the family returns to claim otherwise. Who is telling the truth? While Landon’s still grappling with the complexities of the case, Yates turns up dead — an ancient arrow planted firmly in his chest. And Landon realizes his search for answers is leading him down a dangerous path indeed.
BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE CHURCH St Michael’s Church may be derelict but it’s not deserted. Someone still comes here to worship on nights when the moon is full. Arnold Landon should know. He’s seen the grisly evidence for himself. Blood among the roses. The butchered remains of a man, tangled in the undergrowth. The victim was a traveller. How did he come to be in the churchyard? Arnold has a theory that leads back centuries, all the way to the cult of the Raging Wolf. Can he unmask the modern-day killer before anyone else pays the price?
John Royston Lewis, who published his fiction under the name Roy Lewis, was a prominent English crime writer who wrote more than 60 novels. He was also a teacher, and he taught Law for 10 years before being appointed as One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Further & Higher Education. He lived in the north of England where many of his novels are set.
Lewis is also the author of several law texts, which he published under the name J.R. Lewis.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
I would have given these books a three point five rating if half a star was available but I pushed it to four as the grammar, spelling and construction of the stories were unusually good for an author who is not that well known. The story ideas were well done but I found the setting boring after the first two books and the main protagonist was easy to figure out after reading those two. If these were read as single units they are fine, but I am a series reader and I know others like me would have found the same thing. The author shows a deep love for his settings and a good understanding of developing his characters (he keeps them consistent through out the series but without much character growth). His character's employment situation is not a common one for North American readers and adds interest to the stories but could be expanded upon as to work situations and problems. Again - if you like to read a light mystery and only one of a series and leave it at that for a few months before carrying on to the next these are excellent.
I started these books rather unsure of the time in which they were set, having got into the habit of up to date books it seemed rather slow. However, very soon I became totally engaged with Arnold, his cryptic comments about the 'Senior Planning Officer' and the scrapes he gets into. I have learned so much about history and having visited the Northumberland area I was instantly transported. A terrific read, definitely worth a go.
However, I was disappointed in the final book, which I fear was perhaps rushed to the press. I found several typos and grammar glitches that I have highlighted on Kindle. This was such a shame as the topic was excellent and the views very well expressed.
This medley of books by Roy Langdon is a must read. Each follows on to the next with seamless ease. The main character is well thought out and the scrapes he gets in are sometimes funny and others dangerous. All together a collection of books that were a must to read and imagine what comes next. Unforgettable and can't wait to read more from this author. Definitely recommend. 😊❤
Once I started reading I was hooked. Read all five novels in three days. Liked the fact that as an employee of the planning department with no formal education Arnold had in truth become a skilled historian and researched old fragile documents with loving care. Realization at the conclusion was great. Highly recommend.
Dry well written stories combing murder, intrigue and history. History of landscape and building materials, wood and stone, I have never seen anywhere else. Well done.
I wasn’t too sure to start with but Arnold’s character grew on my and I enjoyed the books more and more to the end. It may not be for people who didn’t live in the 80’s but it was refreshing to be reminded how life was so different without mobile phones. All very enjoyable.
This is a fun series and an easy read. Interesting characters some with a real twist. The stories are entertaining and yet not overly tense. I enjoyed the series and the history.
Lewis weaves complex tales with lots of suspects leaving us to try and determine the killer. If we don't get too caught up with the array of suspects we might be able to determine the real killer.
Marple-esque Gently paced, richly detailed, satisfying puzzles, and an unlikely yet likeable protagonist. If you like these in your mysteries then you’ll enjoy this collection.
Unconventional mystery books but strangely compelling. The interests of a planning official and how this interacts with situations and people. Great descriptive skills.
This collection was really not to my taste (as you can probably tell by the start and finish dates). I read one story then read several other books before moving onto to the next one in the series, and so on. The actual murder scenarios and the subsequent discovery of the villains was in fact very well done, however, the books have a lot to do with ancient architecture, and I am sure for anyone interested in that subject these books would be absolutely marvellous, sadly, that isn't me. I like to look at old building and marvel at how attractive many of them are compared to today's offerings, however, I don't need to know what type of joint was used, which wood or stone would have been transported across the country to make a particular structure. Such a shame, because the actual stories are well written and the plots quite clever, but sadly I felt too much like I was attending a lecture in ancient architecture.