Member Reviews

Let me please just start with, I absolutely love this series of books. I can't believe here we are at book 9. I love everything about this series, the characters, the plot, the writing. How easy the books are to follow, yet totally gripping and unputdownable.
I love the characters, the main characters NIkki and Joseph have grown so much over the 9 books, It's been an amazing journey with them so far. Never have I known two characters so different yet so alike. The working relationship between them is first class, there is laughter and frustration along their paths but they plod on and get through it.
This is an intense story, a real page turner that will have you gripped from the opening pages.
When someone is burned alive, its Nikki and her team that have a race on their hands to find out who has done this and why? It soon becomes clear a serial arsonist is out there and it's only a matter of time before someone else is hurt. The case sends them on roller coaster of a ride that will certainly leave you holding on tight.
Anyone looking for a damn good police procedural series really needs to start reading these books. First class story telling. I can't recommend these enough.

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Intense, riveting and downright captivating, a well-written story with an excellent storyline and great characters. DI Nikki Galena and Joseph were following the trail of a sadistic killer who seems to be in love with fire, this seems to hold a personal meaning for them. A deeply engrossing, puzzling mystery that grabs your attention and embraces you tightly into its deep morbid trail. A book you can’t put down until you have read the last page, it's mesmerizing and totally intriguing.

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I love Joy Ellis’ novels, which all have such intricate and interesting plots woven together with great characters to create an excellent novel. And this book is no exception.

What starts as a series of small fires escalates when someone is deliberately burned alive. Nikki and her team are locked in a mental game of cat and mouse as the body count rises, but no connections can be found between the victims. Meanwhile, a new religious group with some...interesting...beliefs has moved into town and trouble follows. Can Nikki, Joe and the gang figure everything out before the fens completely burn?

I really enjoyed this latest chapter in the Nikki Galena series, which is creepy and gruesome, while not terribly graphic. I was suitably creeped out and intrigued at the same time. The ending was pretty complex and I really liked it - it pulled at my heartstrings a little bit. Plus the personal storylines of the detectives continued, I can’t wait to see what happens next with Nikki and Joe.

There was one disappointing element to this whole thing, however. One of the plot elements - I’m trying not to spoil anything here - was a bit of a let-down. It had some great build up and I was really excited to see where it was going, but then it really just....fizzled. I was a bit let down there. But seeing as it was only a sub-plot, I still highly recommend the book.

Joy Ellis’ two Fens series are some of the best police procedurals out there and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. This book is a great addition to the line-up.

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Thankyou to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Joy Ellis for the opportunity to read a copy of Fire On The Fans in exchange for an honest review.
I have enjoyed previous novels penned by Ms Ellis in the past which is why I jumped at the chance to read this book. And in true Ms Ellis style, I was not disappointed. As usual, the storyline was well thought out and fast paced. This book kept me up all night so I could finish it.
Definitely a positive recommendation for reading this book.

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As usual Joy Ellis does not disappoint. I love this series of books. The characters are great, the story line is always fast paced and I can't wait for the next in the series.

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Another awesome read from Joy Ellis in the series with Nikki Galena. A series of fires, great setting and some very descriptive writing. The team are back together and nice to see Rory being happy. I don't know about the Spitfire ending though! This series just keeps improving and I would recommend it. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.

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I really liked this book, I know its part of a series but i havent read any of the others and it worked well as a stand alone book. The murders are unusually being committed by burning the victims. This brings a retired fire investigator into the team. Di Nikki Galena is refreshingly normal although its obvious she has a traumatic past (maybe reading the previous books would help with this). The charachters are very likeable and the story flows really well. I'll be buying the previous books.

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This is the third Nikki Galena book I have read and they keep getting better the more you get into the series.  This book can be read as a standalone but to get most enjoyment out of it I would suggest reading from the start.

The book starts off with a fire on a farmstead, where someone has set fire to some wood crates and, after the fire is put out an ex fire investigator comes round to have a look as it would appear there have been more fires in the area recently and they have got him intrigued.

The book then goes on to Nikki as she is introduced to her new boss, but not the one she was expecting.

The story revolves around a serial arsonist who starts off with setting fires in 'safe' places away from people and buildings but, as with most arsonists, a body soon ends up in one of the fires so Nikki and her team go off to investigate.

There are is nothing linking anything to start with in the book, which made guessing who did it and why that much harder.  Even when I was sure I knew there were still some red herrings and twists that I was left doubting my reasoning all the way through until the end.

Overall it was a brilliant read which I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.

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This is book 9 of the international best-selling books featuring Nikki Galena and I have to say that the series just keeps getting better and better!!

The pace in this book was brilliant and I loved how the suspense built up towards the end. It is very well written and I was guessing which way the story was going to go more than once. I love the characters anyway but they were just as good as always in this book and it is a very enjoyable story.

Five stars from me, don't know how Joy does it but it is (again) her best so far! Very highly recommended and a great addition to a fantastic series!!

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5

By the time I get to book nine in a series, I am usually starting to flag. Characters have become too familiar, storylines too predictable, and the “wow” factor I had when I picked up the first book has long since gone.
It’s why I’m always slightly anxious when I pick up a new book by a favourite author featuring a character I love. I’m never sure if this will be a book that leaves me wanting more or leaves me cold.
I am pleased to say that the former applies when it comes to Fire on the Fens. Once again, Joy Ellis has left me with a feeling of total satisfaction. This is a great story, one with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing but not enough to stretch my credulity.
Here, an arsonist is on the loose, one who doesn’t fit the normal profile but who, instead, is on a deadly mission, one that finds people trapped in burning buildings, unable to escape. A fire must be one of the most scary things to find yourself in and Ellis uses that to her advantage here, building the tension with each blaze. One of the things I like about her books is that they aren’t too gruesome. There is enough to create an image in my mind without making my skin crawl.
Then there’s Nikki, the central character, who is as wonderful as ever. Spiky enough to make her interest but not so spiky I find her unlikeable. It’s great to see her relationship develop with her friend and fellow detective Joseph, something I’ve been wanting to see for a while, though I have to say I would have liked to have seen more of her team. They’ve been front and centre the last few book and here I felt they didn’t get enough of a look in apart form one (Vonnie).
As you might have been able to guess, I can’t really fault this book, or the series, which I feel is a bit of a hidden gem. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys good crime writing. Liked it a lot.

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I just love the way Joy writes her books. She writes with so much love and detail in everyone of her books.
So Fire on the Fens by Joy Ellis did not disappoint! Once I opened her book and started to read it, I was hooked.
This is the 9th in the Nikki Galena series and it was Just as good as her first book in this series. You could possibly read this as a stand alone which is good However, you will then want to read the rest of this brilliant series. I find with all Joy's books, once you start to read and turn the page, you want to read more and more.
"A Word of warning"........ Don't pick her books up to read especially if you read before you go to sleep, because you will want to see what happens and before you know it....Your alarm is sounding!!!!
In Fire on the Fens, an arsonist is on the loose, they first set fires to structures then moving on to murder. They then start to target
a particular individual, with no apparent links between the victims. These victims lived a spotless lives and are all known as generous and caring individuals of the community. Then, the town is facing a very peculiar threat from a group of sinister Satanists led by a charismatic businessman.
DI Nikki Galena, Joseph Easter and the rest of her team, they've become like family within this series of books. They come across a good close knit team who care about the job and each other, plus, they get the job done.

Will DI Nikki and her team stop the murders before anyone else dies?

I received a copy of Fire on the Fens from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

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Thrilling & fabulous read I loved it. Fast paced, full of action and suspense it kept me on the edge of my seat hanging on to every word. I love this series and I think it gets better with every book, this is Joy Ellis at her best. Totally deserves 5 stars it was brilliant.

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Sometimes you can judge a book by the cover. As a fire/arson investigator anytime I see a book with flames as cover art I make sure to take a second look.

Fire on the Fens by Joy Ellis is about a community being hit by a serial arsonist. At first, it is only property being burned but soon people are killed. At the same time, locals are having issues with a new cult-like church group that is forming.

Investigator Nikki Galena can't find the links between the fires and is in a race to prevent the next arson. Without spoiling the story links are eventually found but that just speeds up the pace of trying to figure out who the next victim could be and prevent that fire.

According to the Author's bio, she is in a relationship with a retired police officer. This shows in some of the some of the small details and dialog added to the story. I always enjoy when a story has good depictions of police.

Fans of police procedure type mystery novels will enjoy this story. It keeps at a good pace and never felt bogged down in unnecessary details. The ending is enjoyable. Not cliche monster twist ending, a well written final that keep me mostly guessing till the final reveal.


https://youtu.be/Ar7UQPBNPRQ

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Former fire investigator John Carson believes that the seemingly random attacks of arson aren’t down to the local youth like everyone thinks. Fearing the person is escalating he contacts his old friend DCI Cameron Walker who is now acting superintendent. Their worst fears are confirmed when a badly burnt body turns up in a caravan. The victim seems to be a citizen with no criminal record and goes out of his way to help people, why would someone want him dead?

Meanwhile a group calling themselves Luciferians have come to the attention of Nikki’s team. They seem charming and charismatic but are they hiding something darker?

More bodies turn up and its a race against time to find this deadly killer.

So this is the second in the Nikki Galena series I’ve read, the first being Thieves On The Fens. This book works perfectly well as a stand alone but I would recommend reading a few of the earlier books first. Having read the previous book I feel like I know the characters a lot better this time around and it didn’t take me as long to get to grips with the story.

As with Thieves On The Fens, there is not a dull moment in this book! It’s fast paced, with plenty of mystery and intrigue with a murderer is that is extra diabolical, the thought of being burned alive is makes me shiver.

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Nikki in the last book but she has really grown on me, I can see a really caring yet compassionate character. Another stand out in this book for me was PC Yvonne Collins, a smart and intuitive police woman but she’s about to retire, leaving a bit of gap in the team. Also eagle-eyed fans of Joy Ellis’ Jackman and Evans series will be thrilled to see a little guest appearance from profiler Laura Archer.

I don’t want to say too much more, in fear of giving away spoilers, but this has to be one of Nikki’s toughest cases yet and the end, well wow, heart pounding doesn’t quite cover it.

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This is a well written mystery book.
Detective Nikki Galena and her team and chasing an arsonist. After each fire, they gather more clues as to the identity of the person. Each time there is a fire, someone is killed.

It seems the person is setting fires in order to fulfil a need for revenge. The question is - what is the vendetta and who is it against?
There's a mystery in the past that Galena must unpick. With the help of a fire expert, she will find the clues and get closer and closer to the killer.

I found the beginning of the book a bit slow and predictable. As it progressed, I began to like Galena more. I'd have liked a bit more tension in the plot and a few more surprises. Overall a decent read with a good quality of writing.

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Joy Ellis’s newest novel Fire on the Fens demonstrates why she is one of the foremost authors of British police procedurals.  The cases that challenge Nikki Galena and her team are believable but never formulaic or repetitive. As you read the Nikki Galena novels and come to know her, Joseph Easter and the rest of her team, they become like family.  They care about their job and readers care about them.


In Fire on the Fens, an arsonist is on the loose, first tackling structures then moving on to murder.  Each fire targets a particular individual, and there are no apparent links between victims. Moreover the victims appear to have lived spotless lives and were known as generous and caring.  Meanwhile, a group identifying themselves as Luciferians has settled in town, led by an affluent and charismatic businessman.


Eminently readable and far from straightforward, Fire on the Fens is a terrific police procedural with a strong human element.  


5 / 5


I received a copy of Fire on the Fens from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


— Crittermom

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Another great read in this fantastic series, lots of twists and turns and you feel as if you are working alongside the team trying to solve the murders. Joy Ellis is a brilliant crime author and always produces an enjoyable nail biting read

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This is the first book I've read by Joy Ellis. It is the ninth book in the Nikki Galena series, though I had no issues with the fact that I hadn't read the prior books. There was enough background information so I never felt lost in the story, but I have to say I enjoyed Fire on the Fens and plan to read the series from the beginning.
Retired fire inspector John Carson believes that a series of fires that are being set are the work of a budding arsonist hoping to hone his/her craft. DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter are called to the scene of a horrific crime and it appears John Carson may have made the right assumption. A man with seemingly no enemies has been locked inside his caravan and dies when it is set on fire. More victims follow each suffering agonizing deaths by fire. There are few clues and no apparent connection between the victims. DI Nikki and her team battle the clock to uncover the identity of this murderous arsonist before another victim is found.
I was drawn to this fast-paced and well-written story from page one. I especially liked DI Nikki Galena though I thought all of the characters had distinct and sometimes quirky personalities and I definitely would like to get to know them better. I didn't come close to connecting the dots and figuring out the whodunit and why and that was fine with me as I was engaged, challenged and satisfied with the ending. No spoilers here but all is revealed by the end of the book and though there is loss, there is also love and good friendship between the main characters. This won't be the last Joy Ellis book I read.
Thank you, Joy Ellis, Joffe Books and NetGalley for the complimentary digital ARC. Finding a new author thrills me and it is even better when I discover a new series.

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Another great novel from Joy Ellis in the Nikki Galena series. The writing just gets better with every book. The only slight criticism is that the story gets wrapped up swiftly with no twists at the end. Just lacks that bit of suspense. Will still look forward to the next one!

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Another thoroughly good book by Joy Ellis who really is an author who rarely fails to keep me gripped to the end. These characters I have read so often are like old friends but as ever the plot was original and lots of twists to keep me guessing.

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