Just like red buses: wait ages and 2 come at once

The Hermitage and Longstone released on the same day? LIke so many, I read any new DCI Ryan book as soon as it comes out, and none have disappointed yet. Waiting for the audio version is another thing, but providing it is going to be read by Jonathan Keeble, it's well worth the wait. Please don't ever change the narrator!
This is another cracker, with the much loved cast of Ryan, Anna, Frank Phillips and Denise McKenzie. Oddly enough, Elly Griffiths took a recent Ruth Galloway novel to Italy for a change - and here goes Ryan on the same route, this time on the trail of Nathan Armstrong, last seen walking scot free at the end of Dark Skies. As a story it has it all, twists, an ending that I really didn't see coming, and more development of all these familiar characters.
So why 4 for story rather than 5 across the board? Because there's one small aspect of it that seems a little too much like a plot contrivance. With a murder on the go in Northumberland would Morrison really have allowed Phillips and McKenzie to jet off to Italy to join Ryan, who was making waves with the Florence police department? Would Ryan really have been able to crash around Florence annoying the local force to quite such an extent? Hmm... not sure about that bit. That is the only, and minor, quibble though.
And not one, but two, lovely endings - one beautiful one in Florence, one satisfying one back in England.
Overall, it's another great read, and in Jonathan Keeble's hands, a pleasure to listen to. Long may this series continue.

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2 people found this helpful

excellent

not my favorite in the series but still
good enough to listen all the way through in one sitting.

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Superb

I really enjoyed this book. The narrator is excellent. I find the characters come alive with Jonathan Keeble.

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Wonderful

Yet another great story and again I found it difficult to find culprit. Also it brought back memories of my visits to Florence and could follow the story as it wended its way round the beautiful city. Roll on book 10

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loving these books.

Yet another gripping story with a twist at the end. Really good that the team follows through the books.

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Fabulous!

yet another great triumph really enjoyed the story the performance and looking forward to reading the next book

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Curiously unsatisfying

I'd given up on this series some time ago as I never felt drawn in to the stories or the character of Ryan. I found the same with this book. I did listened to the end of the book and he story had potential and is intriguing at times but didn't hang together in a satisfactory way. It's a bit tiresome to keep hearing how handsome Ryan is and his devotion to his beautiful fiancee. I felt the resolution of the crimes was rather pulled out of the hat. The Georgie accents at times are caricatures and difficult to understand and didn't differ much from character to character even from male to female voices.

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2 people found this helpful

The hermitage

As ever a good crime story. This time set in two countries. L j Ross brings her stories to life helped by the narrator

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An excellent read

Can’t wait for the next Ross book. The Hermitage has everything you require for a good read, Intrigue, murder, violence, romance, friendship, and more. I really enjoyed it and shall be reading the next one.

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Another winner!

Another good yarn set in Northumberland and Florence which kept us interested and guessing to the end. The characters come alive in Jonathan Keeble's performance.

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