Great story, thrilling plot that I could not put down. Well worth a read, and would recommend to others. Love Steve Robinson and all his books.

Another great addition to the Jefferson Tayte mystery series, with elements reminiscent of The Moonstone, which sees Tayte investigating a new family line and a treasure stolen from India. Robinson's use of an American main character to explore a very British situation is a good one, allowing him to give a fair approach of what can be a difficult subject. I enjoyed it very much.

This is the 7th book yes 7th book in series but you can read it alone. Steven Robinson is NEVER a let down. I have never had anyone complain.

Really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the ruby and the way that the narrative flipped between the present day murder investigation (that appeared to have links to the ruby) and the 1800s, when the ruby first disappeared. I'm very interested in genealogy so it was fascinating to see how Jefferson used different records in his quest to find out more about the characters involved. The historical aspect was really interesting and I kept wanting to read more about Jane's experiences in India (in the 1800s). A great read that really hooked me in after the first few pages. I'll definitely be reading more of Jefferson as I really liked this character and the fact that he is a genealogist. Highly recommended!

Well, this turned out to be in the style of a good old fashioned country house murder mystery with plenty of clues and red herrings thrown in along the way! I have read all the other books in the series and although gripping, the thing that annoyed me was how much danger Tate, the main character, ended up in. This book is refreshingly different. It still has the same method of separate chapters telling the story from the past and current events but is much more of a pleasingly enjoyable treasure hunt.
It’s hard not to work out who did it before the end but I still had a few doubts until the actual denouement.
All in all, a perfect escape from reality on a rainy Sunday- who doesn’t dream of exploring that rambling old Scottish house, without being responsible for it’s upkeep?

Letters From the Dead is the seventh book in the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery series and is rather intriguing; Tayte accepts an invitation to research the lineage of a client's patriarchal line, but must go to Scotland and reside in an old castle in order to do so as all of the family's papers and research history resides there. Naturally, put the words 'old castle' and 'mystery' together and you've already got me hooked as I love that kind of thing.

The story is actually told in two alternating story lines; one in the present featuring Tayte, his research, and the current mystery and then you have the second story line taking place in the early 1800s in India, the story behind the letters that Tayte kept receiving in order to help with his research. I love alternating story lines, if they're done well, and these two meshed seamlessly, woven into the story quite brilliantly. I don't want to mention how as it is part of the mystery of the story, but it worked rather well and I enjoyed the way it was done. While the story line from India was rather predictable and easy to figure out, it was still enjoyable. It was the present story line, featuring Tayte, that I thought was predictable, but turned out to have one rather huge twist that actually caught me off guard, pleasantly so. I love it when an author can do that to a reader.

As always, Tayte is a favourite of mine and I have enjoyed his personality and character through all of the books, including this one. He is married now, with a child, which adds a different element to his life, although neither really featured much in this novel. Sinclair, the owner of the castle, was a bit mysterious, but was an enjoyable character, one I had a hard time figuring out. But it was Murray, the live-in companion/helper/do-it-all person to Sinclair that I really enjoyed. He was mysterious, but in a nice way, and I really enjoyed his personality and his quirks. I understood how Tayte became suspicious of both of them during his investigation, and became rather guarded in the information he shared; he did have to protect himself, after all. It just added another element to the story and made it that much more interesting. After all, who do you trust when there is a big ruby in the mix of the investigation and people keep getting murdered around you? I think I would have felt the same way as Tayte.

Letters From the Dead was another enjoyable entry to this series. The book was dramatic, there was a rather intriguing puzzle to solve with clues left for Tayte in rather mysterious circumstances, intriguing and likeable characters, and a double story line that I rather liked. As always, the author has a way of drawing you in to the story and I stayed up way too late finishing this book. To be honest though, compared to the other books in the series, I did think it was one of the weaker ones, but that didn't make it less enjoyable. And while it could be read on its own, I do recommend you start at the beginning just to get an idea of why Tayte is in the position he is in as it is not explained but assumed. I recommend the series to anyone who is interested in genealogical mysteries.

This is the seventh in the Jefferson Tayte series of genealogical mysteries, and returns to the format of the early books, with JT investigating a client’s family history, interspersed with stories from the past, so it could easily be read as a stand-alone. I’d enjoyed the first four books in the series, and so was excited to receive this as an ARC, but had to buy and read the 5th and 6th instalments first, so missed the publication deadline by 3 weeks. I figure the author got two sales and three reviews out of this, so don’t feel too guilty.

Set just over a year after the events of the last book, this has JT reluctantly leaving wife Jean and baby son Ben to undertake a commission in Scotland. His client’s younger brother has died under mysterious circumstances, and he has asked JT to look into an illegitimate ancestor, who notoriously went on the hunt for a priceless ruby from India. Guided by a series of letters from plucky Jane Hardwick, a tale of star-crossed lovers in the days of the British raj is revealed, but what happened to the ruby, and who is willing to kill to find it?

This was a great mix of murder mystery, set in a crumbling stately home, with a cast of characters like a modern day Agatha Christie, and historical family drama, reminding us of the cruelty and greed of the British in 1820s India.
I had no idea who to suspect until the reveal, and liked the ending. JT is a wonderfully reluctant hero has grown on my with every book, so I look forward to his next adventure.

My thanks to Amazon UK and NetGalley for the free ARC. My review was given voluntarily.

Book Review: Letters from the Dead (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #7) by Steve Robinson

Most readers' experience with genealogy begins and ends with a foray to Ancestry.com, with mixed results.

The protagonist, Jefferson Tayte, is a professional genealogist; that profession actually exists, though more as a hobby for some or as a tool for building family trees for others. Mr. Robinson draws upon his own family history for inspiration coupled with impressively well-researched historical and contemporary facts and details to lend authenticity to his stories.

The book takes the reader from present day Scottish highlands - a castle of Scottish Baronial architecture grandeur - that has seen better days, back and forth to a vivid depiction of 1822 colonial India in descriptive portrayals of the land and the culture, the terminology and vernacular: Dacoits, Brown Bess muskets, Rajput, Nawab, the sowars of the Bengal Army Light Cavalry, the East India Company and the Resident of Jaipur, the Maharaj of Kishangarh, namaste - colonial mentality, heroism, jealousy, murder and forbidden love.

It begins with a letter from 1869 purporting the possession of several letters from a great-aunt's travels in Jaipur and hints of a gemstone of unparalleled value, soliciting funds with the promise of a handsome return in exchange for equal share upon the retrieval of the gemstone, "The Blood of Rajputana", which by name alone intrigues.

A murder mystery cluedo game then ensues in the highlands village. More ancient letters are found, left behind or discovered in a plot which tries hard and succeeds to thrill and keep the reader in suspense all through the unpredictable ending, but with characters murdered as though in the naughty dice game, lacking the shock, horror and smell of death.

Well-written, a bit overdrawn at times. A good introduction to the genealogy mystery genre, which may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Review based on an advance reading copy presented by NetGalley and Amazon Publishing U.K. and Thomas & Mercer.

Steve Robinson has done it again.

He has managed to write another book in the Jefferson Tayte series that has kept me gripped from cover to cover.

In this story, we pick up JT, married with a 5 month old child on his way to Comrie in Scotland (my Sister in law got married it Comrie)

He is yearning for a little less of a humdrum case to get his teeth into. He should be careful what he wishes for as the body-count begins to rise; each new murder brings a letter from India.

As JT tracks down a precious ruby, it becomes apparent race against time to make sure that no-one else is killed and the killer flushed out.

This is a gripping, beautifully crafted story that is so clearly Steve Robinson through and through!

Yet another gem by Steve Robinson! The setting of this 7th genealogical mystery is a dilapidated castle in rural Scotland, and the historical context is 19th century Rajputana (now known as Rajasthan), the East India Company and the Resident at Jaipur.

Jefferson Tayte's assignment is to find the Blood of Rajputana, an exceptionally large ruby stolen in 1823 from the Maharaja, and the cause of much bloodshed. Like "Midsomer Murders" or Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", bodies turn up all the time, as Tayte tries to piece together the Fraser family's history and help the local detective find the murderer.

I love stories like this, where a tangled web of clues gradually gets untangled by our favourite genealogist, with a few surprises at the end. The historical theme of India under British domination was extremely enlightening too. Altogether a well written and thoroughly captivating story!

Thanks to the author and to Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced readers copy of "Letters From The Dead".

I guess I have to say that writers are getting better and better with each novel they write. Steve Robinson is no different. This is the 7th in the Jefferson Tayte series. While you may not miss much other than some history from only reading this one, reading the others will give you a better idea of the writers abilities to weave characters into his story line and the pace at which he writes. I was so engulfed in this book that I had to know what was going to happen at every turn to the point that putting this down was just not going to happen. I cleared my schedule for the day and read. I am so glad I did. I think that with the other reviews so positive that others will like this as well.

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

5+ stars ⭐️ out of 5

Another exciting Jefferson Tayte novel. This series introduced me to genealogical mysteries so I always read them as soon as I can. This time there is a fascinating blend of Scottish and Indian history with both a mystery to solve in the past that has ramifications for a crime in the present. This author never disappoints and as it is so good I won’t say any more in case I spoil it!

For the seventh outing of Jefferson Tayte, a genealogist now based in the UK with his wife Jean, JT as he is more fondly known, is asked to discover the four-times-Great-Grandfather of his client, Damian Sinclair. His trail takes him from a crumbling, literally, pile in the Southern Highlands of Scotland, Drumarthen, to Rajputana (now known as Rajasthan) with strong links to the East India Company.

If you have followed JT’s previous adventures you will have learnt that genealogy can be a dangerous business, something JT himself seems to forget with a sense of abandon as soon as any juicy mystery comes along.

Damian Sinclair is unlike most of JT’s clients, he and the wider family have done a massive amount of research into their family. It’s soon revealed that this isn’t out of simple curiosity about their family heritage but because wrapped into the history is a missing ruby, one that would significantly change the owner’s life and there is no better motivation than a treasure hunt to help fill in those gaps on the family tree. Damian Sinclair assures JT he is not interested in the ruby and even though the reader can hear the audience hissing, JT puts his scepticism about the truth of this statement aside, and agrees to work on the case.

JT is introduced to the wider family and it is revealed that packet of letters were found that might hold the link to the jewel written in 1820s from a travelling companion in India back to the woman’s brother. These seem to be missing, all apart from one. Do these letters hold the key to the mystery?

The characters are brilliantly portrayed, Steve Robinson has ensured you will be able to tell them all apart by making them distinct, if in the main, individuals that you don’t need to waste a whole heap of sympathy on. After all you don’t want feelings of sorrow for these fictional characters to slow the trail to finding the truth, do you?

While JT is seeking the truth from the past, there are disturbing events in the present with an ‘Golden Age’ type mystery involving a syndicate formed to find the ruby. We therefore have Detective Inspector Alastair Ross being kept busy with the odd dead body too.

As with the previous books in the series, not only are the stories incredibly informative showing the impeccable research carried out by the author, they also have a sense of fun too. The story as it unfolds by letter from life in Colonial India completely transported me to a very particular way of life. The historical part alone was a fabulous story while with the danger in the present and a mystery which seems to hinge on greed provides a puzzle which seems to confound the finest of minds. Steve Robinson created a thoroughly interesting, informative and entertaining read in Letters from the Dead.

I'd like to thank and the author Steve Robinson and the publishers Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read an advance review copy of Letters from the Dead which was published on 14 August 2018. Perfect for lovers of genealogy as the author manages to weave some actual resources into the book without overshadowing either the historical angle or the mystery playing out in the present it also caters for a wide range of interests from history to those who crave a damn good mystery!

First Published UK: 14 August 2018
Publisher: Thomas Mercer
No of Pages: 348
Genre: Crime Fiction - Genealogical
Amazon UK
Amazon US

If you haven’t read the previous books in this series, not to worry, each of the books stands alone with only a very fleeting mention of anything in JT’s private life that has gone before.

I
Previous Books in the JT series

In The Blood

Two hundred years ago a loyalist family fled to England to escape the American War of Independence and seemingly vanished into thin air. American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is hired to find out what happened, but it soon becomes apparent that a calculated killer is out to stop him.
In the Blood combines a centuries-old mystery with a present-day thriller that brings two people from opposite sides of the Atlantic together to uncover a series of carefully hidden crimes. Tayte’s research centres around the tragic life of a young Cornish girl, a writing box, and the discovery of a dark secret that he believes will lead him to the family he is looking for. Trouble is, someone else is looking for the same answers and will stop at nothing to find them.

To The Grave

A curiously dated child’s suitcase arrives, unannounced and unexplained, in a modern-day Washington suburb. A week later, American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is sitting in an English hotel room, staring at the wrong end of a loaded gun.

In his latest journey into the past, Tayte lands in wartime Leicestershire, England. The genealogist had hoped simply to reunite his client with the birth mother she had never met, having no idea she had been adopted. Instead, he uncovers the tale of a young girl and an American serviceman from the US 82nd Airborne, and a stolen wartime love affair that went tragically wrong.

The Last Queen of England

While on a visit to London, American genealogist Jefferson Tayte’s old friend and colleague dies in his arms. Before long, Tayte and a truth-seeking historian, Professor Jean Summer, find themselves following a corpse-ridden trail that takes them to the Royal Society of London, circa 1708.

What to make of the story of five men of science, colleagues of Isaac Newton and Christopher Wren, who were mysteriously hanged for high treason?

As they edge closer to the truth, Tayte and the professor find that death is once again in season. A new killer, bent on restoring what he sees as the true, royal bloodline, is on the loose…as is a Machiavellian heir-hunter who senses that the latest round of murder, kidnapping, and scandal represents an unmissable business opportunity.

The Lost Empress

On a foggy night in 1914, the ocean liner Empress of Ireland sank en route between Canada and England. The disaster saw a loss of life comparable to the Titanic and the Lusitania, and yet her tragedy has been forgotten.
When genealogist Jefferson Tayte is shown a locket belonging to one of the Empress’s victims, a British admiral’s daughter named Alice Stilwell, he must travel to England to understand the course of events that led to her death.

Tayte is expert in tracking killers across centuries. In The Lost Empress, his unique talents draw him to one of the greatest tragedies in maritime history as he unravels the truth behind Alice’s death amidst a backdrop of pre-WWI espionage.

Kindred

Jefferson Tayte is good at finding people who don’t want to be found. For years he has followed faint genealogical trails to reunite families—and uncover long-hidden secrets. But Tayte is a loner, a man with no ties of his own; his true identity is the most elusive case of his career.

But that could all be about to change. Now Tayte has in his possession the beginnings of a new trail—clues his late mentor had started to gather—that might at last lead to his own family. With Professor Jean Summer, his partner in genealogical sleuthing, he travels to Munich to pick up the scent. But the hunt takes them deep into dangerous territory: the sinister secrets of World War II Germany, and those who must keep them buried at any cost.

Dying Games

Washington, DC: Twin brothers are found drowned in a Perspex box, one gagged and strapped to a chair. It’s the latest in a series of cruel and elaborate murders with two things in common: the killer has left a family history chart at each crime scene, and the victims all have a connection to genealogical sleuth Jefferson Tayte.

Hoping his insight and expertise will help solve the case, the FBI summon Tayte back to the capital. But as he struggles to crack the clues, the killer strikes again—and again. Tayte is known as the best in the business, but this time he’s up against a genealogical mastermind who always seems to be one step ahead.
With the clock ticking and the body count rising, Tayte finds himself racked with guilt, his reputation and career in tatters. The killer is running rings around him; is it only a matter of time before he comes for the ultimate target?

So excited Jefferson Tayte is back in his 7th instalment.
Certainly not disappointed, a completely gripping storyline,
And has ever Tayte has his work cut out, this time investigating the Sinclair's family history, which slowly unfolds with letters from 19th century India.

I did not foresee the ending.
Once again a well written, engrossing book by Steve Robinson

Loved it............

Thank you netgalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Steve Robinson for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is a really interesting read. This is the first book that I have read in this series and I really enjoyed it. It is an easy read about what greed can drive some people to do. The historic parts really appealed to me. I found them really interesting and informative. The book is beautifully written and an easy read. I would definitely recommend this book and I will definitely be reading more in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

An eagerly awaited seventh episode in the legendary adventures of genealogist Jefferson Tayte. This one is set in Scotland at Drumarthen, the crumbling ancestral home of Damian Sinclair and takes the reader back over 150 years to India in the hey days of the East India Company.

JT is hired supposedly to prove the true paternity of Sinclair, which in fact turns out to be only part of his task. As the story unfolds we learn of the romance, murder, tragedy and intrigue linking Sinclair to the dark secret past of the resident official of the East India Company and his family.

The past is all brought to life by letters from Jane Hardwick, who at the time was companion to the residents wife and daughter. As the somewhat frequent family murders occur in the present day, one of Jane's letters finds its way into JT's possession, gradually revealing the 150 year old cover up.

Fascinating interwoven story of both past and present betrayals with a surprising ending you will have to read for yourself.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a preview copy.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Steve Robinson for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Letters From The Dead.
This book is the seventh in the Jefferson Tayte series. I have read and enjoyed the previous six novels which is why I jumped at the chance to review this offering.
I love the way Mr Robinson can weave his storyline over different time periods. The book was easy to follow with plenty of intrigue and suspense to keep the reader hooked.
I would definitely recommend Letters From The Dead.

When Jefferson Tayte is tasked to find the identity of his client’s long lost 4x great-grandfather, the genealogist finds himself drawn into the search for a ruby that has been missing for generations. What is already a challenging case takes a murderous turn when others with knowledge of the ruby suddenly start turning up dead. With letters from 150 years ago being left for Tayte after each murder, each providing more information about a horrendous event in the past, can he solve his client’s mystery before he, too, suffers the same fate?

For some years I have been a fan of Steve Robinson’s Jefferson Tayte books, and I look forward to each one with great anticipation. Once again, the author has managed to produce a tense story that will appeal to fans of mystery, historical and genealogical fiction and has definitely become one of my favourite Tayte novels.

If you thought events in previous books would have made Tayte consider the potential dangers of the cases he takes on, you’d be very wrong! Once again, he finds himself taking on a deranged killer in a story that, at times, had more than the touch of an Agatha Christie about it. There was certainly a hint of And Then There Were None as we see each family member getting bumped off one by one, and the gathering of all the suspects in one room was definitely classic Poirot!

Letters From the Dead, in addition to being set in modern Scotland, also takes place in colonial India. Steve Robinson has certainly done his research to paint a vivid picture of life at this controversial time in British history. The characters were realistic and managed to show the contrast between life at the Residency for the British and the Indians. I enjoyed the slow build-up as we finally discovered just what secrets had been covered up and how this continued to affect people today. This gradual retelling of the story complemented the high octane closing chapters as the plot drew to a close.

If you have not read any of Steve Robinson’s work and are a fan of historical and genealogical fiction or merely just love a good mystery story, then you won’t go wrong with this series which is going from strength to strength.

A very interesting story and well worth the read. Will definitely be looking forward to reading more from this author.

Once again Jefferson Tayte has returned with another investigation into a family mystery. This time he has accepted a request for help from Damien Sinclair to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a precious ruby and also the family connections to the stone. Jefferson Tayte has relocated to London in this book but this investigation takes him to a rather dilapidated but grand house in the Scottish countryside. As always things never go easy for Tayte and he finds himself in the middle of a family feud that has evolved over many years. A series of letters reveals each subsequent part of the story and it is up to Tayte to work out the link between the Sinclair family of modern day Scotland with the family in India in the 19th century. The story effortlessly swaps between the modern day and the past and we learn how brutal life could be in bygone days.

This is the seventh book in the Jefferson Tayte series and although some of the finer points (his tan suits and love of Hershey chocolates!) will be recognisable to those who have read previous books, it is not necessary to have read them in order to enjoy this episode. I have read all of the books in the series and this one is just as good as the others. Within a few pages you become totally engrossed in events and wonder if it is possible for Tayte to become any more involved in his cases. He is certainly a lovable character who never fails to get caught up in some very close scrapes whilst solving his mysteries.

I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy both genealogical and mystery books. The book is fast paced and you will undoubtedly love some of the characters more than others.

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of the book in return for an unbiased review.