Serpent's Point

Wesley Peterson #26

by Kate Ellis

The unmissable new mystery in the bestselling DI Wesley Peterson crime series
'A beguiling author who interweaves past and present' The Times
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Serpent's Point in South Devon is the focus of local legends. The large house on the headland is shrouded in an ancient tale of evil, and when a woman is found strangled on the coastal path DI Wesley Peterson is called in to investigate.

The woman had been house-sitting at Serpent's Point and Wesley is surprised to discover that she was conducting an investigation into unsolved missing persons cases. Could these enquires have led to her murder?

While the case takes Wesley to Yorkshire and the Cotswolds, archaeologist Neil Watson is making a dramatic discovery of his own in the fields near the house.

When a skeleton is uncovered, the pressure rises to find a killer, and Wesley and Neil realise that Serpent's Point holds more secrets than anyone could have imagined.

Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering Kate Ellis's DI Wesley Peterson novels for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner if you love reading Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.

Praise for Kate Ellis . . .
'Clever plotting hides a powerful story of loss, malice and deception' Ann Cleeves

'Haunting' Independent

'The chilling plot will keep you spooked and thrilled to the end' Closer

'Unputdownable' Bookseller

'A fine storyteller, weaving the past and present in a way that makes you want to read on' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Archaeology, Detective

368 pages, Hardcover

Published December 13, 2022

About the author

Kate Ellis was born and brought up in Liverpool and she studied drama in Manchester. She worked in teaching, marketing and accountancy before first enjoying writing success as a winner of the North West Playwrights competition. Crime and mystery stories have always fascinated her, as have medieval history and archaeology which she likes to incorporate in her books. She is married with two grown up sons and she lives in North Cheshire, England, with her husband. Kate was awarded the CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY award in 2019

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another totally absorbing murder mystery in South Devon featuring Wesley Peterson and "pals" doing what they do best in their own ways. A predator is finding vulnerable women, draining their resources and disposing of them in various ways. Of course the width and breadth of this evil only becomes evident after the team begins investigation of one death near a very busy location where a Regency script is being acted and filmed. Busy because it also is a site of suspected Roman habitation discovered by two young girls using their metal detectors. Thus, Neil is folded into the rich mix of activities, adding archaeology to the busy plot.
A very good read! I have enjoyed all 26 DI Wesley Peterson books.

[Karen Chong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 / 5 stars!

I’ve not read a book from Kate Ellis or heard of the DI Wesley Peterson series before. But I was surprised at how well the book went, how easy it was to pick up the plot considering this series has been going on with this book being number 26.

The plot is simple really and gradually builds up where over the last 100 pages of the book there’s a slow unravel of information. Which is a massive bonus! I can’t count the number of books I’ve read and the plot is over in 50 pages, where the author is cramming the ending like a pack of sardines in. The book unfolds naturally and everything feels cohesive rather than forced which is rare to find now! I felt as though it was hard to predict what could happen and was on my toes! There’s two plots that run alongside one another, one of the main investigation but another of a historical Roman archeological dig that’s occurring, which at first I didn’t like. Purely because I have no interest in history or anything to do with the 19th century. But I was thoroughly surprised on how easy it was to understand and pick things up.

I did knock it down one star because I felt as though there was too many characters involved and I was having a hard time trying to remember who was who and how it related to the plot. But nevertheless, I really enjoyed the book, it’s one of my watch list, and a plot I won’t forget!

[Marilyn Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Ellis never disappoints. I was so engrossed in the story I hated to stop. It kept drawing me in. I enjoy the characters and their side stories. The mix of past an present is well woven into the story line. If I’m in a hurry to see what happens next I feel a little bit resentful of the step into the past. It’s a reminder to stop and slow and enjoy the book. The number of potential suspects and the work Gerry, Wesley and the rest of the team have to put into whittle them down keeps you guessing to the end.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable mystery featuring DI Wesley Peterson and his archaeologist friend Neil. I always enjoy the way Ms. Ellis connects archaeological studies of the past with present-day crimes, and the setting in Devonshire along with the other characters in the police station are also well-done.

[Ivana Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd really good book in a row.

[Bruce Mewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book. amazing ending

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series because of the way the present story and the past tie in together. I especially liked the crimes as well as the dig and what they found. The characters are always interesting, if pretty much the same. They’ve been together a long time and are somewhat predictable, which works for me.

[Valerie Campbell Ackroyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve just read this for the second time, not remembering I read it in January of this year. There were elements in the story as I read that seemed familiar but it still felt as if I hadn’t read the book. Perhaps I wasn’t well when I read it. However I’ve also seen that I reviewed it before too so I am completely flummoxed. It was still an entertaining read again.

[Sue Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series

[Peter Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling case

Great story with many twists and turns. Kept me in suspension until the end. I will remember the story for a long time

[Lizzie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The enticing opening of this the 26th book in the DI Wesley Peterson series set in Devon has you hooked with the first line ‘The Bridegroom had strangler’s hands.’

Then we move forward five years to the discovery of the dead body of a woman probably in her early thirties lying on a costal path. Wesley Peterson is assigned to the case.

Two young girls with metal detectors were looking for treasure in a nearby field but wearing headphones and concentrating on their metal detecting they were unable to offer any useful information. However, they have found some coins in the field and when Wesley sees them, he immediately contacts his university friend Neil Watson, with whom he had studied archaeology at Exeter university. Neil now works for the County Archaeology Unit. Despite his interest in archaeology Wesley took the decision to join the police force, although he still retains his interest in archaeology and also his friendship with Neil.

As Wesley delves into the life of the dead woman, he learns that she has been house sitting at Serpents Point, a large house near where she was found. Also, that she had been conducting an investigation into unsolved missing person cases, in various parts of the country. Did she discover something that got her killed?

Meanwhile Neil is excited at the possibility that there is a link to a settlement from Roman times. When a skeleton is uncovered, it appears that Serpent's Point could hold many secrets.

Interspersed with Wesley’s investigation there are several diary entries dating from May to June 1921 from the journal of Dr Aldus Claye, who at that time was also excited at a possible Roman settlement in his field.

DS Rachel Tracey is now in an advanced stage of pregnancy and not taking it well. DCI Gerry Heffernan, is keen to have her on light duties, but Rachel is champing to get out and about

As in all previous novels Ellis presents the reader with not just one mystery but two. How do they link? Fascinating and intriguing, both stories unfold providing a thoroughly satisfying read. Most highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a devoted fan of this series since the first book, and by this time, the entire cast has become family. I love the dual timeline aspect of each book. In Serpent's Point, readers follow along with Wesley and Neil in the present day, but they're also treated to the journal entries of wannabe famous archaeologist Dr. Aldus Claye who lived at Serpent's Point in 1921. Claye's journal entries gave me delicious little shivers because they reminded me so much of Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess".

I really enjoyed Serpent's Point because Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, has a larger role. When two teenage girls take their metal detectors to a field close to the old manor house, their find brings Neil into what could very well be a monumental discovery. Neil not only gets to dig around in the attic for old documents, but his work in the field also garners the attention of nighthawks, and that leads to a stay with Wesley and Wesley's wife, Pam, who gave me the biggest laugh in the book. The three have been good friends since their university days, and it doesn't take much for Pam to realize that she chose the right man: "...at least Wesley left his work behind once he was home. If she'd opted for Neil, she'd have taken permanent second place to a hole in the ground."

While it's great to catch up with what has been happening with all the characters and get down and dirty in Neil's trenches, I always love trying to put all the pieces together to solve the mystery. This is extremely difficult to do because author Kate Ellis is one of the best at supplying some first-class misdirection. No matter how hard I try, I never figure it all out when I read one of her Wesley Peterson mysteries, and that makes the entire experience such a joy.

If you're a fan of Elly Griffiths' Dr. Ruth Galloway series, I think you'd really enjoy Kate Ellis' Wesley Peterson. Although I recommend starting at the beginning, I can see where doing that with a (so far) twenty-six-volume series could be daunting. You could easily slip into this series with Serpent's Point because Ellis does a good job of supplying enough backstory to answer questions without bogging down the plot. Either way, I do hope you'll consider giving this series a try. It's a winner!

[Larraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Kate Ellis does NOT disappoint. This one was her 2023 offering and it is terrific. As always there's a surprise twist at the ending. The book starts with the friend of a woman getting married at the courthouse without family or friends attending. Susan is sure that her friend Avril's husband, Ian, is up to no good but Avril doesn't want to hear it. Then she is found dead. Fast forward to Susan walking along a pathway until someone kills her.

When Gerry & Wesley start investigating there isn't much to go on. They are intrigued by her "evidence" room - photos of women who have disappeared. It turns out that Susan is on a quest to learn more about her friend's husband who has disappeared completely. Susan was quite attractive and empathetic and, at one point, had an admirer who she thought of as a stalker.

Gerry & Wesley find the whole thing frustrating but little by little they unravel the mystery. Meanwhile Neil, Wesley's friend from his days as an anthropology student, is excited to find what looks like the remains of a Roman village and we learn, through letters, that this is not a new discovery. It's a rare find because there wasn't a big Roman presence in Devon on the south coast of England.

This was so interesting and really got exciting at the end as they rescue a friend of Wesley's wife, Pam, who has apparently been taken advantage of it by a murderous con man. The ending is very sweet as well. I won't spoil it though. This was such an interesting read. I was checking this blog and learned that I hadn't read one from 2011 so I'll be getting to that eventually but right now I have a shelf full of books from the library. I need to stop putting holds on multiple books!

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 26th novel in the Devon based Wesley Peterson series, and this time Wesley and his team are investigating the murder of a woman on a coastal path near the area in the book's title, which is a house, where a Regency-set film is being made. The house is also home to a small artist's colony, so there are lots of potential suspects and witnesses. But it looks like the murder could be linked to a couple of cold cases and disappearances in other parts on the country,as the victim seemed to be conducting her own investigation, following the murder of one of her best friends a few years ago. We also get some of the history of Serpent's Point, when two schoolgirls with metal detectors uncover a hoard of Roman coins and other artefacts, which brings in Wesley's best friend Neil, an archaeologist whose investigations always cross over with the more modern police storyline, especially when a relatively recent skeleton is discovered at the site, although it's soon dated to be about 100 years old, but this gives us the parallel story of another archaeological dig which took place a century ago. As the police continue unearthing clues to their current murder, another woman disappears and they realise they are in a race against time. I did actually suspect who the killer was fairly early on, but there's a later twist which gives this case a suitably serpentine feeling. Another easy read, possibly two many coincidences but it's fiction after all! 7.5/10

[Deborah Ingham · Rating 2 out of 5]

When the body of Susan Brown turns up dead, DI Wesley Petersen is set the task of finding her murderer. As he delves into the case, he starts to notice that there are other murders from around England that could be linked to why Susan had been killed...

Please note - if goodreads allowed half star ratings, I would have given this book 2.5 stars.

I got this book from my local little free library and I was so excited to get stuck into it.

The writing was done well and it was clear what the author's intentions were whilst writing but I felt that the story was a little slow. Even at the end with the book answering the primary question of "whodunnit?", It still felt a little slow and lacking excitement.

The intermittent excerpts from the 1921 archaeological dig team didn't feel too relevant throughout the book and it didn't have too much impact on the ending which was disappointing. I think if those little pieces hadn't been included, I may have enjoyed it more. They broke up the story leading to a less enjoyable read.

Overall, it was an ok read and I may be inclined to give Kate Ellis's works another go as the style of her writing is enjoyable.

[John Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy cadoli! #26 in Wes Peterson series. He's still just an Inspector, Gerry is still DCI, and I guess that will never change. "Sorry, you're too good where you are. Too bad about the salary." - said the chief NOT.
These novels are completely formulaic, and yet whenever I see one I haven't read, I grab it. They are a quick read, although they tend to be over-long (this one 350 pages). You can easily skim over some of the boring bits and not miss anything important. I don't class these as whodunnits. There are so many characters being introduced as the police make their enquiries, it is extremely difficult to keep track. Sometimes the perpetrator will not make an appearance until late in the story, or else their earlier appearance will have provided no clues to their guilt. Despite the above-mentioned faults, I still enjoyed this one - perhaps there were fewer personal relationship distractions than usual.
I rate this 3.8.

[Carol Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book No. 26 and, once again, an amazing plot and the connections made between archaeology and the present time and crime are enthrauling. Kate Ellis's writing draws me in and the problem with that is that her books only take a few days to read and I am then on pins until the next in the series of 'DI Wesley Peterson' and his colleagues, family and friends.
Such a gripping tale that, as well as Wesley and Gerry being in Devon, where their the first murder takes place, takes us to The Cotswolds and Yorkshire on the track of a what they now know is a serial killer.
Lovely to be with old friends, again, even if it was only for a few days and thank you to Kate Ellis being able to transport me there....know what? I still didn't guess who it was!

[Sally Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy all the novels in the Wesley Peterson series, and this was no exception.
When a woman is found strangled on a coastal path in South Devon, the police suspect at first that she's the random victim of a stranger. But as they investigate Susan Brown's life, they discover she was investigating the disappearance and murder of two other women. Had her interest in these missing person cases triggered her own death ?
As in every book of this series, there's a parallel story involving Wesley's archaeologist friend Neil Watson, who's excavating a possible Roman site near the scene of Susan's murder.
A complex story, involving the detectives travelling to Yorkshire and the Cotswolds in their efforts to find out the reason for Susan's death.

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like Wesley Peterson and his team at the cop shop. This story seems to follow right on from the one I just read, which is purely coincidental. Rachel seems to be pregnant for ever and Michael is still recovering from his Mono that he had last book. This one kept me guessing right to the end. Who killed Susan Brown? How are the cases she seemed to have been tracking related, if at all, to her death. And what about the Roman remains Neil Watson has uncovered in the field next to the murder site? In this book, Ellis once again uses the technique of an old diary to relate a parallel path to the one Wesley and Garry are pursuing. I enjoy this style because I feel like I’m getting two books in one.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 26th DI Wesley Peterson story and as great as ever. This time there’s missing women, a murder on a cliff top, a film crew and a search for a Roman villa all told with the author’s usual flair. A modern murder mystery combines usual with a historical murder mystery, perfect!

These stories are set in the fictional town of Tradmouth, based on my once hometown of Dartmouth and the local area, it feels so familiar and the usual twists and turns, red herrings and dead ends ensue until the break that solves the crimes, such fun!

[Meg Ainsworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Spoiler Included**
I feel like I just never got into this book. There was just a lot of nothing going on in the background, and I found my mind just wandering elsewhere. Even in the scene that was a bit more tense when they were trying to find Jan, the pace was just really slow. I never truly got invested into the characters or the plot, and I think that's why I struggled with the book as a whole.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always such a treat to revisit the characters who are now, after 26 books in the series, cosily familiar. I wouldn't say this story gripped and intrigued me as much as some of the others but still a solid, very readable instalment. Looking forward to the next one to see how Rachel adjusts to being a mother...

[B A Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to reunite with the detectives of Tradmouth once again. I felt this was less satisfying than others in the series, but in the postscript the author acknowledges that it was a product of lockdown and so lacked the depth of research of historical fact which underpinned other books in the series. Nevertheless, an enjoyable read which kept me guessing until the end.

[Debbie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

As ever Kate combines, ancient mysteries, with past riddles and current murders to produce an addictive read. I love how the three stories combine to produce a very satisfying ending with all the loose ends tied up and no questions left in my mind. I have enjoyed in other books in the series and hopefully will continue to have the opportunity to read more

[Sophie Hodgins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly this book didn’t grip me in ways others have and I found it to be a bit boring. The characters felt a bit stereotypical and the adjacent story 100 years before wasn’t necessarily needed for me. I did like the main character, Wesley and felt his colleague Gerry provided a bit of comic relief. Neil as a character was abhorrent. Was an ok read.

[Scott Torok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent

The Story is Interesting. I would expect fans of European Crime Dramas would enjoy this Book. USA and European Police operate differently so I enjoy reading Books like this one that are European Police Crime Fiction. I like the differences. I am a fan of Good Crime Novels from anywhere...

[Anne Fenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite ok police procedural of a baffling nature about about strangled women. Set in modern day Devon, with an historical thread from both ancient times and 100 years ago. It takes a while to unfold events. Main character Wes is accompanied by many others trying to figure it out. He hasn’t got the depth of his literary peers yet for me eg Rebus or Jimmy Perez.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all books in this series and this one didn't disappoint, though I did get a bit confused with the number of characters appearing and had look back sometimes to remember who was who. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A real who is who they claim to be mystery. And who is the skeleton Neil finds in the Roman villa excavation? Not a heavy amount of dread or creepiness to this tale, but full of the drama and historical interest readers have come to expect from Ellis.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A easy read mystery with several intertwined plots and a whodunnit that grows as the book progresses into a complex and exciting case. Kate Ellis has done a very good job of writing a well paced, exciting mystery with bits of history and archaeology woven in to spice it up.