Was nice to read a book set in an area I was familiar with. Enjoyed hearing the descriptions of places I’d regularly visited. Thanks for the opportunity to read

I look forward to new books by this author. I love the North Yorkshire setting, and we are really beginning to know DCI Oldroyd. I hope he writes more soon!

Thanks to NetGalley and to Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of The Quartet Murders by JR Ellis.

This is the second in the series of Yorkshire murders for JR Ellis, and once again I really enjoyed the setting. It's nice to see DS Carter settling into his new surroundings.

There was still quite a lot of head-hopping in this sequel. It's okay to swap out viewpoint characters, but it's usually best to give the reader a clue. This can be by changing chapter or by using section breaks between paragraphs. It's confusing, though, to suddenly see something from the point of view of someone else when you're already inside another character's head.

I was pleased to see that the investigation wasn't repeated over and over again in this story. There was much more quick recapping or mentioning the recap in passing before learning something new. I was also happy to see the author stick to fewer storylines.

My only real bugbear this time was when the cat, Godetia, did some of the police work for them. That didn't sit well at all with me. I didn't like having to suspend disbelief. It could have been written much less clumsily.

But it's another good tale, and I'd like to see more.

A thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery. Certainly an intriguing tale, with little hints to keep you guessing along the way. The best element for me is the relationship with Yorkshire Oldroyd and London Carter. Just love it the way it's developing from book 1 to this book. I'm looking forward to the next book for that alone, the mystery is an extra scoop of ice cream on the top. Definitely worth a read.

A very enjoyable read. Interesting characters and suspenseful plot. Not quite as riveting as the first book in the series, The Body in the Dales, but definitely worth reading, nonetheless.

#TheQuartetMurders #NetGalley

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Amazon Publishing UK in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

The second installment in Yorkshire Dales' detective series (Yorkshire Murder Mysteries #Book 1 did not disappoint. 
DCI Oldroyd comes back again to solve a crime of love, greed, hatred, passion and... music (thus, the quartet). Yes, it is to do with quartet - musical collective of 4 musicians, string quartet at that.

Two murders, missing Stradivari violin, Chamber Orchestra Society, Music school in London, East versus West, broken lives and blinding greed - all find their way into Yorkshire dales just before Christmas.

Oldroyd does his job in his own slow 'Oxford-educated' way. He is magician of sorts, pulling out ideas and suggestions out of thin air. He has helpers, a lot of helpers, from his assistant Carter to a group of stolen art hunters.

Crimes get solved by the end of the book. But there are no clear borders between good and evil. Oldroyd has done his job and can celebrate Christmas... until the next case.

This book was a slow joy to read. A very good change to the fast-pace of modern crime-fiction. Just what doctor ordered.

I truly hope you take the time to seek out this little treasure. It is jam packed full of suspects so you might want to take notes along the way if you like to try and figure out the "who dun it" or just sit back and watch it unfold. Great trilogy so far!

DCI Jim Oldroyd of West Riding Police is attending a concert by the famous Schubert String Quartet in Halifax. Just as the second movement comes to an end the lead violinist is shot dead. The shooter escapes and in the panic afterwards the famous and rare Stradivarius he was playing is stolen. The only motive Jim and his team can come up with is that a collector was after the violin. Shortly after the violin thief is also murdered. A really enjoyable read from start to finish - I look forward to reading more about Jim Oldroyd and his team soon.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and J R Ellis for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

A priceless Munsterhaven Stativarius violin. Collectors will do anything necessary to possess it. Including murder.

DCI Jim Oldroid is a connoisseur of classical music, frequently attending chamber concerts at every opportunity. Tonight, not even a wet, and cold November evening can dampen his spirits as he's in Halifax for a chamber concert in the Red Chapel Arts Centre. The internationally renowned Schubert String Quartet will be performing
Schubert's, greatest quartet: the one in D major known as Death and the Maiden, with its famous second movement, one of Oldroyd’s favourite pieces of music.


'The hall was hushed in expectation of a special performance of Schubert’s masterpiece. There followed an intense and dramatic first movement handled with masterful technique and power. And then the slow movement.
Oldroyd had always thought that the opening was like a funeral march; Death is stalking the maiden as in the old legend and Schubert’s earlier song. She pleads with him in a poignant and plaintive series of variations –‘Ich bin noch jung!’– but he is implacable. The music increases in menace and drama. Death draws near, enveloping her in a dance and then striking her down. A turbulent passage of agony climaxes in death throes but then subsides slowly into quietness and calm. The final bars convey transcendence; the opening themes are repeated but transformed, uplifted.

Oldroyd sat transfixed until the final chord faded out. There was utter silence. The quartet slowly lowered their instruments, and Muller gently placed the Munsterhaven Strad on to the little table.
As he did so there was a tiny thudding noise high up behind Oldroyd. A small circle of red appeared on the right side of Muller’s forehead and his eyes widened. He appeared to try to stand up, still holding his bow, then plunged forward, knocked over his music stand and crashed to the floor, where he lay still. The sheets of his score were scattered around him.
There were a few strangely still seconds of complete incomprehension in the hall, before it was realised that Death had claimed more than the Maiden that night in Halifax.'

********
The Quartet Murders by J.R. Ellis is the second book in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series.
We were first introduced to DCI Jim Oldroid and his partner, DS Andy Carter, in the enjoyable and intriguing debut The Body in the Dales.

***The Quartet Murders begins with a introduction into the factual history of the legendary Munsterhaven Stratavaruis instruments made in 1709, provided for us by the author, J. R. Ellis. I've included it in it's entirety as it speaks to the uniqueness and beauty of the storyline. For anyone interested, you can find it at the end of this review.

The books in this series are located in and around the small village of Harrington in the Yorkshire Dales.
Mr. Ellis takes full advantage of the setting by adding factual information surrounding the history and diverse landscapes that make up the Yorkshire Dales, working it seamlessly into the storyline. The factual elements and creativity give his stories a unique, fresh, and dynamic quality, and the overall effect creates more of a mysterious, cryptic, puzzling, and sinister nature as a backdrop as the story plays out. The characters are genuine and it's easy to grow fond of them in a short time.
I'm really been enjoying this series and am looking forward to reading the next book in the near future!
What could possibly happen next?!!


***'Legend

It is said that Count Munsterhaven’s messenger arrived at his famous destination in Cremona –No. 2 Piazza San Domenico –dusty and exhausted on a hot August afternoon in 1709. He was immediately admitted and given a refreshing glass of wine.
Having recovered a little, he was escorted up some rather rickety stairs to the workshop, seeing the apprentices at work and smelling the wood and the varnish. He passed violins and violas lined up in various stages of completion, like butterflies slowly forming in the chrysalis, before entering a tiny office where a man was sitting on a high stool at a desk looking at detailed drawings and diagrams. This was the genius himself: Antonio Stradivari, the most famous musical instrument maker the world has ever known.
The messenger bowed reverentially and handed a sealed envelope, borne hundreds of miles from Germany, to the master, who opened it and read the enclosed letter. Even though he knew of the count’s wealth, his eccentric pride and his love of music, what the master read still surprised him. It was a grand commission, not for one or two or even three instruments, as he had been expecting since the count’s recent visit, but for all the violins, violas and cellos of a chamber orchestra: nine instruments in all! Every string player would play a Stradivarius. The count was prepared to pay a fabulous price. Towards the end of the letter there was a neat, coloured drawing of the count’s coat of arms followed by a curious request expressed in an oddly formal style:

So that these instruments will be forever associated with me, you will receive my everlasting gratitude if, on the back of each one, you will cause to have painted my coat of arms as it here appears. Thus they will become the ‘Munsterhaven’Stradivarii and, I believe, a wonder of the world for evermore.

Stradivari gazed abstractedly into the distance for a moment, before taking up the letter again and studying the coat of arms.
Well, my friend, he thought to himself. What a request you have given to me! He smiled and nodded. Yes, you shall have your ‘Munsterhaven’Stradivarii –and I hope they will be, as you say, a wonder of the world.'


With thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer, and J. R. Ellis for giving me all three books in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series for me to read in return for my honest review.

DCI Oldroyd is attending a concert when a famous violinist is murdered and his rare violin is stolen. The culprit is no where to be found and it's an intriguing puzzle, how did they escape without anyone seeing them?

The characters are likeable and DS Carter helps with the investigation despite being on holiday in London. The plot moves along really well and there are plenty of sub plots to keep you interested.

An enjoyable police procedural.

This suffered a bit from a sophomore slump. The British procedural set in Yorkshire concentrates on DCI Oldroyd this time when he personally witnesses an assassination at the performance of a renowned string quartet in a nearby town. He pulls in DS Carter to assist him, leaving Steph far in the background. The "how" it was done is as stumping as who and why, and when it is discovered that a near priceless Stradivarius violin was taken in the chaos, the situation becomes even more muddled. Unfortunately the story does a bit as well, and the denouement is an old chestnut out of left field. Interesting information on Stradivari instruments and "Nazi gold" add distinction to the story. Good read, but not as good as the first in the series.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author J R Ellis for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Quartet Murders in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I found the storyline to be well thought out, written and very easy to follow. The descriptive setting makes the Yorkshires come alive.
Well worth a read. 3.5 stars.

Once again Oldroyd is in the right place, at the right time, when a murder takes place. Only this time it's a variation on a closed room mystery, with international twists. What seems like a murder, soon turns into a million dollar theft, and as the bodies start piling up, it takes officers in 3 different locations, to come up with enough information to even think about finding a solution. And then when the solution is found, the reader may just have to go back and reread where they might have missed some important clues in the beginning! This is a solid British procedural and if you haven't checked out this series, you should!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. DCI Oldroyd is back again and saving the day. Another great read, roll on book 3

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this partnership.

History tells us that the Stradivarius violin is priceless and that people would kill to have it in their hands.

It all began when the famous violinist Hans Muller was shot dead in the middle of a concert and his violin disappeared, of course, the police could not find the killer. Oldroyd will investigate the world of musical instruments and discover many dark secrets. He will do everything to find the violin and the murderer.

A second book read before the first, I had not paid attention in my netgalley library. A very interesting story, being a fan of classical music, captivating filled with suspense and twists. I begin the first book of this step.

This is the second installment of the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries. Detective Chief Inspector Oldroyd is known to solve the odd cases that dumbfounds his peers, but he is actually present as this murder takes place in an arts center with the Schubert Quartet playing. One of the members of the quartet is murdered and the case is difficult from the beginning with no one seen leaving the building and all present in full view of each other. Complications begin immediately with the theft of a Stradivarius violin from the murdered man, also in full view of the audience yet without anyone seeing the theft. As another member of the quartet turns up murdered the race to find the lost priceless violin and the murderer intensifies. This plot is not quick to unfold but very clever when finally revealed. This is a must read for fans of good British murder mysteries.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

This is the second book that I’ve read in this series. I enjoyed it just as much as the first one, maybe even a bit more. The story proceeded at a leisurely pace, sometimes maybe slightly too slowly. There wasn’t any overt violence, sex or bad language. The mystery was a good one, a bit twisty and with a satisfying ending that I couldn’t begin to figure out, even though I correctly suspected who the murderer was early on in the book.

The author really researched the musical instruments involved in the case, and I enjoyed the chapter lead-ins that described the history of various Stradivarius violins. Although they weren’t neccesary to the story, they were interesting and produced a sense, almost of awe, about these instruments.

This is a novel that will appeal to those who enjoy police procedurals, British mysteries and cozy mysteries.

This is the second in the DCI Oldroyd/Yorkshire Murder Mystery series, although could easily be read as a stand-alone. This was recently re-published but has kept the same title, unlike the other two in the series. They are mysteries set in modern times, but with a wholesome old-fashioned style which makes a nice change from the nastiness of some crime series. (I read and enjoy those too, but need a break from time to time.)

It’s early December and Jim Oldroyd is attending a string quartet performance in a converted chapel in Halifax, when the senior violinist is shot dead, and his priceless Stradivarius instrument stolen in the confusion that follows. Leaping into action, Oldroyd secures the scene, and finds the abandoned rifle, but the killer is nowhere to be found and no one saw him leave. Asked to join the investigation by his old mate DCI Sam Alderdice, they find a large pool of suspects who may have been desperate enough to get hold of the rare violin, worth millions, but none who could’ve fired the fatal shot. A second murder leads them to London, allowing DS Andy Carter a chance to re-visit his old patch, and discover links to violent gangs, wealthy collectors, and Nazi Gold.

The author has a wonderfully atmospheric way of describing the Yorkshire scenes, both town and country, and introduces lots of intriguing characters, some returning from the first book, like Oldroyd’s sister, Alison the vicar.
The plot was detailed enough to be interesting without becoming overly complicated, and I certainly didn’t guess the perpetrator but was entirely satisfied by the reveal - there were clues enough to not feel cheated. The third book has also just been published and I look forward to reading it very soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Chief Inspector Oldroyd is at a chamber concert when the violinist is murdered. Someone also takes off with the violin which is a Stradivarius. He gets help from Detective Sergeant Andy Carter.
This is the second in the series. You do not have to have read the first book to enjoy this one. I really enjoy the author"s style of writing. He makes you feel like you a character in the story.

The Quartet Murders by J. R. Ellis is another in the DCI Oldroy series. Violinist Hans Muller is murdered and guess who gets the case? Oldroy must seek out the answers he needs to solve this one. The writer does a wonderful job with keeping the information together and not jumping around. The chapters are fairly short. I felt like the characters were likeable weaved throughout well. This is a compelling story that will have you gripped waiting to see what happens.

Thank you to netgalley as well as ththe author/publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

5 stars ⭐️ out of 5