another witch hunt from this fantastic author.
Book five set in Whitby Yorkshire as we join once again Kitt Hartley and Grace Edwards.
Ruby Barnett finds a purple V on her front door , it's from the vampire killer going to strike again and Kitt and Grace step in they have thirteen days to save her life and it's a race again time.
Whitby is the place of Gothic and Vampires a fantastic excellent cosy mystery that I just loved and enjoyed from the start. so fast pace with red herrings to keep you glued. The author has gone all out with the research for this book that is amazing to read I love this place and have visited many times.
what more can I say excellent

⚰ Book Review ⚰

⚰ A Witch Hunt in Whitby by Helen Cox

⚰ Publication Date - 15th April 2021

⚰ Thanks to @netgally for my free copy to give an honest review.

⚰ A serial killer is loose in Yorkshire, and has claimed three victims in three months. Thirteen days before each murder, a large purple V is painted on the front door of the victim's house. The victims, all of whom have some association with the occult, are found drained of blood with two red marks on their neck.

When RUBY BARNETT comes home one evening to find a large purple V on her front door, it becomes clear she is the so-called Vampire Killer's next victim. Private Investigators KITT HARTLEY and GRACE EDWARDS have just thirteen days to solve the mystery and save Ruby's life. The clock is ticking . . .

⚰ This is book 5 in The Kitt Hartley Mysteries but Cox develops the characters straight away into feeling relatable albeit eccentric. Starting from book 5 it was easy to follow the story.
I enjoyed the characters and their quirks and banter.

⚰ I love a good cozy mystery to read on a quiet night alone and this book did not disappoint! The murderer was a surprise but without coming too out of left field. The motive is clear and the confrontation is great!

⚰ A well written book, with great characters and a plot. Definitely recommend to any cozy mystery lovers!

This was the first book I've read from this series and from this author. It was the title that actually drew me to the book as Whitby is only up the road from me so I was intrigued to read a story set there.
It is not my typical read but I thoroughly enjoyed it and raced through it as I was dying to find out how it would end and who the killer was. Its fast paced, full of great characters and a great plot full of twists to figure out who really is the killer.
I especially loved the detail of the settings. It made it come to life as I could picture many of the places described such as the Museum Gardens in York and the streets and bridge in Whitby. Having also lived close to Middlesbrough, worked in Scarborough and have family in Malton, I loved how all these places that are close to me are in this book. This may have been the first book I have read from the author but it certainly won't be the last and I am so glad I came across it on net galley.

There is a serial killer terrorizing Yorkshire, painting a V on their future victim’s door before killing them eleven days later. When Kitt Hartley’s friend Ruby is designated as the next victim, the private investigator decides to supplement the police investigation, led by her boyfriend DI Halloran, in order to find the killer before they kill Ruby.

This is the fifth book in the Kitt Hartley mysteries series, but the first one I read. It stands alone pretty well, I didn’t feel like I was missing any important information by jumping into it at book five, except for the fact that I didn’t exactly understand who the character of Evie is or what her position is in the team, but as she featured very little it wasn’t that important. The cast of characters works well together, I particularly enjoyed the banter between Kit and her younger colleague Grace, as well as the romantic relationship between Kitt and Halloran.

There are lots of red herrings, and since most of the novel is set in Whitby there’s a goth weekend and a vampire cult thrown into the mix. The mystery is very intricate, and the reveal of the murderer is very satisfying, surprising without coming completely out of nowhere. The conclusion doesn’t leave any loose threads, the killer’s motivations are clear, and the final confrontation is thrilling and genuinely scary. I wanted to read this book because it was set in Whitby, so I was very pleased that Cox really uses the peculiar geography of the town in moments of heightened danger in ways that just wouldn’t be possible anywhere else.

I think this is the best book in this series, it's gripping and highly entertaining.
I was happy to catch up with the characters and loved how Kitt is shown as more human and emotional, a strong woman but also one who cares for the people around her.
The characters are well thought and I was happy that Grace was a bit more grown up.
The description of Whitby made me discover a place I want to visit once the pandemic is over.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and even if I suspected the culprit I couldn't guess the reason behind the killing.
An excellent mystery, can't wait for the next one.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Serial Killer Stalks Yorkshire....
The fifth in the Kitt Hartley mystery series and it appears that a serial killer is stalking Yorkshire. With apparent shades of the occult it’s a troubling time for Kitt and Grace who need to solve the mystery against a ticking clock. With likeable protagonists and a colourful cast of supporting characters this is an entertaining, escapist read.

In A Witch Hunt in Durham Helen Cox has recaptured the spirit of her Kitt Hartley series which, in my opinion, was lacking in the previous book (Death Awaits in Durham). Both DI Mal Halloran and Evie play larger parts which gives the dialogue more bounce. I enjoyed the book very much and read it quickly. My only gripe this time is that the voices of some of the characters have slipped. Kitt's grammar and syntax, for example, have veered away from correct standard English which I don't feel is in keeping. Picky, I know, but consistency in character development is important to readers. We need to believe in how they behave.

Another great book in this series. Quick read, kept me turning the pages.
Kitt Hartley, librarian/amateur sleuth, and her partner, Grace, are drawn into the investigation of a serial killer when the next victim is their "friend", Ruby. The killer seems to be targeting people associated with the occult. The victims doors are marked with a V days before killing them. When he strikes he/she uses animal setitives to sedate the victim, and the victims are found with vials of their blood drawn and strange marks on their neck. The killer is known as the Vampire Killer.
Of course when Kitt and Grace start to get too close to uncovering the killers identity, they become the target. Can they stay alive long enough to solve the case and save Ruby?
Love this series, and this latest book did not disappoint.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a pretty good book. It was a quick, easy read. it was the first time I have read thus author.

This is the fifth entry in a series about Kitt Hartley. She was formerly a university librarian but now is an amateur sleuth. I look forward to reading other entries in this series.

In this outing, there is a serial killer in Yorkshire. Oddly, the victims are all warned eleven days before their deaths. Things really heat up when a friend of Kitt’s is targeted. Kitt and her friend Grace are on the case.

I thought it was interesting to have a serial killer in a series that I had thought was a cozy. Still, readers may well enjoy this title and the earlier titles as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

In the next instalment of librarian-turned-private-detective Kitt Hartley’s adventures, she and colleague Grace are frantically trying to come to the aid of their friend, Ruby Barnett. She has had a ‘V’ shape painted on her front door, the mark of the so-called Vampire Killer who, 11 days after painting the sign, kills their next victim. With Ruby’s life in danger, Kitt and Grace has less than two weeks to discover who is responsible and to ensure they don’t get Ruby in their sights. Couple this with a trip to Whitby – home of Dracula, remember – and a meeting of people who Kitt and Grace don’t know are friend or foe, and this is another enjoyable crime caper, and one that is thoroughly recommended. Kitt is quick and clever and her love of books really does help all the cases in which she’s involved.

Strange, even by Yorkshire standards.

A serial killer who marks their victim's house with a large V eleven days before the killing. And each of the three victims are found with two strange marks on their necks and their blood drained. All victims have had some connection with the occult.

It gets a little too close to home when Kitt Hartley's friend Ruby Barnett comes home to find a V on her door. Can Kitt, Grace, Halloran and the police find the killer before the killer finds Ruby?

This is a great series :)

#AWitchHuntInWhitby #NetGalley
An excellent crime thriller.
A serial killer is loose in Yorkshire, and has claimed three victims in three months. Eleven days before each murder, a large purple V is painted on the front door of the victim's house. The victims, all of whom have some association with the occult, are found drained of blood with two red marks on their neck.
When RUBY BARNETT comes home one evening to find a large purple V on her front door, it becomes clear she is the so-called Vampire Killer's next victim. Private Investigators KITT HARTLEY and GRACE EDWARDS have just eleven days to solve the mystery and save Ruby's life. The clock is ticking
Vampire killer was a great idea.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for giving me an advanced copy.