The Bone Garden

Wesley Peterson #5

by Kate Ellis

An excavation at the lost gardens of Earlsacre Hall is called to a halt when a skeleton is discovered under a three-hundred-year-old stone plinth, a corpse that seems to have been buried alive. But Detective Sergeant Wesley Peterson has little time to indulge in his hobby of archaeology. He has a more recent murder case to solve. A man has been found stabbed to death in a caravan at a popular holiday park and the only clue to his identity is a newspaper clipping about the restoration of Earlsacre.

Does local solicitor Brian Willerby have the answer? He seems eager to talk to Wesley, but before he can reveal his secret he is found dead during a “friendly” game of village cricket, apparently struck by a cricket ball several times with some force. What is it about Earlsacre Hall that leads people to murder?

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Procedural, Archaeology, Detective

240 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2007

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

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a solid soft crime series that offers character-driven plots, good writing and interesting plots, look no further than Kate Ellis' Wesley Peterson series. In addition to be police procedurals set in rural England, there's always an archaeological aspect as the primary or secondary plot.

Peterson, who gets a well-deserved promotion to Detective Inspector in this fifth book of the series, is something of an anomaly to a small town police force in that he has a degree in archaeology that brings him into contact with an archeology team headed by his friend, Neil. With England's long history, there's always something in the works near Tradmouth, where Wesley lives and works.

In The Bone Garden, Neil and his team unearth two skeletons while unearthing a former garden. Peterson and his team, meanwhile, have their hands full with two current murders. Peterson's wife, Pam, is set to return to school teaching after her six-month maternity leave and romance is in the air for several of the main characters. All in all, a thoroughly entertaining and suspenseful story.

These books can be read as stand-alones.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wesley Peterson books by Kate Ellis are always a good read for me. The main draw for me is the continuation of the characters from book to book. This police procedural series is character driven. As a reader, I care about the characters and want to continue with them on the job and in their lives. The series also contains two mysteries-past and present. They have an archaeological theme to them also.

In The Bone Garden, an historical garden is being restored to its original splendor. As they dig to unearth artifacts, they find more than garden artifacts. Skeletons are discovered that are from the early1700's. At the same time, a current murder is discovered in a caravan park. Many secrets both past and present are uncovered in the book. The mystery portion was very good.

Readers who enjoy police procedurals that are character driven should enjoy this series. Added bonuses to the series are the past/current crimes with an archaeological theme.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another fantastic Wesley Peterson novel.

It says on the cover of these books that they're addictive, and that statement is not wrong.

Again, we're still learning about the characters. The chemistry between them all is still bubbling away.

I have to say, the ending was a bit of a shocker! The hints had all been dropped and in hindsight I'm all "oooooh, I get it!" but when I read it I actually read the final pages twice just to digest everything. That twist was MARVELLOUS.

This series is very easy to read and yet it deals with so many issues. Racism, feminism, love, hate, family, the world around us... I don't think there's a subject that isn't touched upon and if it isn't then I'm sure it will be in the next book.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bone Garden is the 5th book in the Wesley Peterson mystery series by English author Kate Ellis. The stories have an archeological backdrop normally that somehow impacts the story. In this one, work is being done at Earlsacre Hall, to excavate the old building and gardens. A body (skeleton) is discovered in the dig, bringing out DS Wesley Peterson and his boss, DI Gerry Heffernan. It turns out the body of a young woman, who seems to have been buried alive, is part of the history of the Hall. Another skeleton is discovered below the first one and later, in a trailer park, a murdered body is found.

Now a criminal investigation is also instigated. A lawyer with some involvement in the archeological dig has called Wesley and let him know that he needs to see him. Arrangements are made to meet at a cricket match where both will be participating but before they can meet, the lawyer, Brian Willerby, is also discovered dead in the woods near the cricket ground. Was he murdered as well?

The investigation is an interesting one as well as the historical aspects of Earlsacre Hall. The beginning of each chapter leads off with either correspondence from the past by people from the Hall or also chapters of a book about an old visitor to the Hall in the 1700s. There are links between the current murders and the archeological work that makes the story more interesting. Wesley has a degree in archeology so has an interest in the work being done. His boss and the other members of the police department; Rachel and Steve all are well-fleshed out and all have important roles in the story.

It makes for an interesting mystery, with nice twists and turns and an interesting group of suspects and witnesses. I liked the historical aspects of the story and also the overall tale. Most enjoyable. (4 stars)

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Sentence: The man stared at the shape lying beneath the faded cover on the ancient iron bed and took another sip of wine.

Not only weeds are dug up during the restoration of a 17th century Devon garden at Earlsacre Manor, but skeletons. The first is of a woman who was buried alive, standing up. While not of investigative concern to the Tradmouth police, the body in the caravan is. The only clue to the identity of the victim is a link to Earlsacre. And what about the murder at the cricket pitch. Is that linked as well?

It’s the characters which keep me coming back to Kate Ellis’ books. With each book, we learn more about the main characters and we see their lives change and develop.

In this book, Wesley is a new father and both he, and his boss Gerry Heffernan, are promoted. Although the books are marketed as “A Wesley Peterson Crime Novel,” in some ways I find Heffernan the more interesting character, but they balance each other nicely. I love some of Heffernan’s expressions and he’s the kind of boss you’d love to have.

Add to the characters, the plot which is well done and contains excellent twists. I am never able to anticipate where the story is going or how it will end up. That’s always a very good thing.

A series containing both ancient mysteries and contemporary ones could be formulaic. Yes, the threads of having the present mirror the past are contrived. But they are also, beautifully woven, interesting and, in this case, cleverly related to one of the principal characters.

With each book, I look forward to learning of the murders in each time period and how they will tie together. With ten more books and counting in the series, I am a happy reader, indeed.

THE BONE GARDEN (Pol Proc-Insp. Wesley Peterson-England-Cont) – VG
Ellis, Kate – 5th in series
Thomas Dunne Books, ©2001, US Paperback – ISBN: 0312300379

[Robert Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to confess that I had to struggle to finish this book. The characters were so flat that I could just not get into it. In addition, the writing was mediocre at best and the mystery not so mysterious. I had the perp figured out after the fourth chapter. The rest was just fill-in-the-blank murder who-done-it, with very little action or suspense. The largest reason for that I feel is that the main character is never in danger. He is an observer who lacks true observational skills, a relic-hunter that is totally distracted by a historical murder that just 'happens' to follow the same pattern and motive of the modern murder on the same property. All action, murder, and suspense happens off screen, so to speak.

I found it odd that the best writing came in the form of the correspondence between the Lantrist's and others from the 17th century at the beginning of each chapter. It was more compelling than the modern day capers.

I can't say that I can recommend this book except to maybe a died-in-the-wool mystery lover. And, perhaps even they would find it blase. I considered giving it three stars because it wasn't horrible, it just failed to shine. In the end, I decided that two stars was fair because I have marked much better books than this as three stars. It is a consolation. Read this to say my rating would be 2.5 stars. Better than dreck, worse than good novels that disappoint in some small way.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5

This is a really good mystery series. You will need patience as it's not fast paced. Kate Ellis is an expert at pulling the storyline along at a pace that presents the facts in such a manner that you are almost sure that you know who the murderer is only to have your theory shattered in the next chapter. However...you rebuild and then find that you may not have it yet. No matter how long it takes, or if you are not successful at all...you will find that you have had a great time just trying. The characters are not always all likable...but they are always human. There is also always a bit of history that provides a clue from the past that usually relates to the present. Again you just have to be able to put 100 -200 years together. From the first sentence..."The man stared at the shape lying beneath the faded cover on the ancient iron bed and took another sip of wine." ... the fun begins.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I accidentally skipped over #4 of the Wesley Peterson series, but that should not make a great difference. I will back up.
Wesley is advancing to the next level as acting Inspector here and he has plenty of mysteries to deal with, both current and ancient. Archaeologists are digging up a garden site at old Devon estate and are delayed in their project by the discovery of two skeletons.
The current action is also lively with discovered body in abandoned caravan with continuing bad acts by the perpetrator hard to uncover/decipher. One of their police team is nearly lost during the investigation.

Loan from Friend - Thank You!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still enjoying this series on the whole, though I found the parallel mysteries in this one unrealistically similar, and some of the descriptions of characters and their behaviors (especially women) felt dated. Wesley's boss, Gerry Heffernan, was the most interesting in a somewhat stereotypical cast.

[Reggie Billingsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Ellis is such an accomplished 'effortless' writer that a reader can relax, not endure any faux and too often gratuitous 'suspense' in which other writers breathlessly indulge...instead one can watchfully take great pleasure as the puzzle unfolds.

The main character and his life is thankfully extremely normal. His colleagues are typical without being stereotypical. No melodrama or heavy sturm and drang there thankfully. "Steve" is an entertaining pillock without question but then, there is always a "Steve" in any gathering of workers no matter what the environment.

The Bone Garden delivers a doubled tale of fascinating circuitous history...puzzle layer after puzzle layer with a few apparent side bar mysteries into the mix. In some quarters one's suspicions are more obviously confirmed but it's the double perspective: the archeological one underneath the contemporaryy one that really entertains. An excellent addition to this series.

I am mightily enjoying the whole canon.

[Spuddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another entry in this series featuring Sgt. (or now, Acting Inspector) Wesley Peterson, in which somehow miraculously archaeology ties into a modern murder mystery. The books are enjoyable but the further on in the series I get, the more I find the premise rather implausible. Also, Wesley's character seems to me just not fully developed yet. I don't really get a sense of who he is, his emotions and wants and dreams are all sort of damped down. He has a wife and child whom he does not really seem overly fond of, and everything he does seems somehow tied to a sense of duty rather than anything else. I feel like I know his boss, Gerry Heffernan, better than I really "know" Wesley, and character development is a big deal for me in ongoing series.

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner in this series. Though somewhat formulaic the historical parts really make for interesting reading and I find myself trying to put the puzzle together from the snippets at the beginning of each chapter, how it relates to the current case.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Slow and for me a little dull.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wesley and Gerry Heffernan are called to the Easrlsacre Manor Gardens when archaeologists are excavating an old garden that there is hope to restore to its former glory, when a skeleton of a young woman is discovered, quickly followed by a man buried beneath. Both are under a heavy garden feature put in place in the early 1700s. A young man is found dead in a static caravan, a local solicitor is murdered, and another skeleton is unearthed. Wesley's friend Neil is part of the archaeological team and is surprisingly reluctant to engage with Wesley.Lots of historical interest going back to the Monmouth Rebellion and the notorious Judge Jefferies.

Wesley's wife, Pam, is fretting about her imminent return to work and her mother, Della, is causing problems. Painstakingly, the detectives sift through the evidence, making some surprising discoveries along the way as the case takes some unusual twists and turns. A good novel, although not memorable. Does grow on you a bit. 3 stars.

[Pgchuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid instalment, well-plotted with the historical/archaeological mystery mirroring the present-day one. It is irritating the way Pam is expected to bear the brunt of the childcare and housework, despite the fact that both she and Wesley have jobs...

[Duncan Prior · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this . Read it a few years ago and it stays in the brain !

[Helene Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read and I like the historical parts but the author seems have run out of ideas and suddenly the crime was solved within 1 chapter.

[Sam Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this book. I didn’t know it was part of a series till I finished it but can be read as a stand alone novel.
I love crime thrillers but the fact that the author added architect work in it was amazing my favourite two mixes combined into one.
For anyone who gets the chance to read this will love it.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once you get going on these it is easy to get swept along. This time, Wesley and Neil are working parallel on cases that only seem to share a general location. But once again history is repeating in unexpected ways.

[Rob Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excavations at Earlsacre Hall reveals some old skeletons. Meanwhile a man is murdered at a caravan park. A local solicitor ends up dead after a cricket match. The modern murders appear to bare similarities to the old murders at the hall. Good read.

[By Book and Bone (Sally) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I dnf'd at 93 pages. I don't care whodunnit. One of the most dreary mystery books I've bought. There isn't even one compelling character.

[AL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like everything about this book was just average. I'm guessing we were supposed to really like Wesley but I really had mixed feelings about him. There was times when the author was trying to show the modern husband that doesn't leave every house chore to the wife but then in the next chapter he was back to contributing nothing.
The climax and resolution of the murders in the book were again, average. There was nothing that really blew my mind, I kind of just thought to myself, 'Okay that's the end'.
Another thing that annoyed me was how the author portrayed Rachel. Maybe I need to read the other book in the series to understand the relationship between her and Wesley better but it felt like in the beginning that she was hitting on him,and then she also, goes and cheats on her boyfriend with Charles. Could the author not just have let her be single, it would have worked out the same.
All in all, the only word to really describe this book is average.

[Geraldine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth in the series and it entirely met my expectations based on the previous 4. So far, there's no evidence this series will set the world on fire - although there's about 21 in total, so far, so things might change.

Very readable, although quite slow paced. Likeable characters, even though the insight into them is quite superficial, and they don't seem to develop. Very good at depicting the location - in and around Dartmouth, although annoying that well known towns are very thinly disguised.

I'll keep reading this series because I love the historical/archaeological juxtaposition and its connections to the present day. This makes this different from all the other police procedural series I have on the go. Without the historical side it would be quite dull.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wesley Peterson and the Devon police were having a quiet spell, until an unidentified body is discovered in a holiday rental. Meanwhile, Wes's friend Neil is involved in an archaeological dig of a Renaissance garden, when the diggers find a skeleton. As is usual with Ellis, the two mysteries progress as the police, in one case, and the archaeological team (with Wes's occasional help) in the other look for clues and find more bodies. In this fairly early Ellis, the parallels between the cases are a bit too evident, but it's still an enjoyable, tense read.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find these books enjoyable reads (and despite others apparently easily working out who the villain was, I didn't). Tension was good. The author, however, seems to churn them out so the writing is mostly blah. Or worse. A couple of basic mistakes: one I can't remember now but the other was "grizzly" secrets - really? Whingeing? Or something to do with bears?

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I missed doing the review on this one.

[Caroline Ingvaldsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifth Wesley Peterson police procedural is another thoroughly enjoyable crime story with an archeological twist.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many subplots, not enough focus, to the detriment of character development. Bordered of tedious. More superficial than the previous books and less enjoyable and compelling.

[Igenlode Wordsmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounded interesting from the blurb, and indeed the plot is interesting in theory. And although the 'past' strand felt pretty cursory compared to the 'present' strand - nothing like the compelling glimpses of history in Mary Stewart's Touch Not the Cat, for instance - it does eventually produce a meaningful parallel with the 'present' case.

Unfortunately it didn't really click for me. The characters didn't engage me and felt pretty flat or else stereotyped (one can draw on a stock type without resulting in caricature, e.g. the sexually voracious middle-aged woman or the Lancashire housewife), and the writing varied from vaguely pedestrian to slightly clunky, with too much 'explaining' of the dialogue, as if the writer didn't trust her readers to pick up on the tone of what was being said.

Claire smiled coyly. "So you're a bit of a detective yourself, then?"
"I've had my moments," Neil said modestly, studying his feet.
There was an awkward pause, then Clare broke the silence. "Have you seen where I work yet?"

Wesley took the photograph from her as Garry Heffernan waded in. "We'll have to examine your husband's car, love. We've arranged for it to be done before lunch. Okay?"
Martha Willerby looked at him with distaste. "I don't suppose I've got much choice in the matter," she said with a first, tentative show of defiance.
"Could you tell me if you've had a garden fire recently?" asked Wesley politely, trying to make up for his boss's lack of finesse.

There were a couple of obvious howlers that had slipped through the proofreading ('grizzly' for 'grisly' and 'Brain' for 'Brian') but nothing else too egregious. My main problem with the book was that nobody was particularly interesting; the minor characters are all carefully introduced with a rather laboured couple of lines of description, e.g. Mr Fielding the caravan park owner "was in his late thirties and almost bald apart from a few wisps of reddish hair at the back" and Jane the archaeologist only appears in about one paragraph, but is nonetheless detailed as being "a classy blonde in tattered jeans and a white shirt tied at the waist" - did we really need to know that about her in lieu of any memorable characterisation? - but few of them make any impression as actual people. I didn't find the main characters very distinctive either, and really couldn't keep track of who was sleeping with who; meanwhile the various members of the police force were pretty much just names to me.

The result was that I didn't care much about anybody, which is always fatal so far as I am concerned, unfortunately. I certainly wouldn't describe the book as per the cover as "a powerful story of loss, malice and deception". It just felt rather cardboard throughout, despite the efforts to shock with the idea of people being buried alive. (Telling us that the protagonist has a vivid imagination and feels horrified by the concept is not the same thing as actually making us picture his reactions about it....) Ironically enough, the various con-man characters - including the one who rather improbably turns out to be genuine after all- were the most memorable and vividly created!

[Simon Fenwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sixth DS Wesley Peterson novel from Kate Ellis. As with the first five, it's another current crime novel but with a historical twist. As usual, while DS Peterson and the rest of the team are investigating several murders, there is an archaeological dig happening in the gardens of a local manor house. Unfortunately, this is becoming a bit 'samey' for me so I will be taking a break from the series which currently totals some 24 books.

One thing that is really starting to bug is the setting. For those of us in the UK, many will know the West Country possibly through living there or visiting or perhaps through other detective series. Now, to my mind if an author is going to set a series in a real area but in a fictional town, then that town should be fictional, not an anagram of a real place. These books are set in Tradmouth on the River Trad. A landmark of Tradmouth is a Royal Naval College (some who know the West Country will be thinking "I recognise this place!" - read on!). There is a small ferry that takes you on a short journey across the River Trad to somewhere called Queenswear which has a station with a steam railway. Many of the characters commute to Tradmouth from their homes at Morbay often going via somewhere called Bloxham. So, this is all fictional?

In South Devon, there is a town called Dartmouth which is on the River Dart and is overlooked by the Britannia Royal Naval College. Across the river and reached by a small ferry is Kingswear, the final stop on the local steam railway. Nearby are the towns of Torbay and Brixham. So, the setting for this series is not really fictional at all. In which case why are some of the towns, but not all, renamed in a vague way, in fact so vague that they are instantly recognisable?