DCI Oldroyd and his team face another murder where the crime carries all the marks of a spirit/ghost killer. It's up to them once again to face down the town's fears and figure out who would kill the rector. With no knowledge of a motive, their work is cut out for them. This is DCI Oldroyd's 7th book in what promises to be a long lived series.

I really enjoy DCI Oldroyd and the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. They remind me of Sherlock Holmes brought into present day.

It’s interesting and intriguing, keeping you hanging on to find the murderer.

I enjoy J. R. Ellis’s books. If you are looking for a quick read that’s got good characters then this is the book for you! Thanks for another great book!

The reader is introduced to a whole community of people in Murder at St Anne’s and because there has been a murder in the very church of this community, they all have their own alibis, knowledge and secrets, which the individuals are fearful of divulging to Inspector Oldroyd. I liked that Murder at St Anne’s had a spooky element to it, with a ghost wandering around the church too.
I felt some of the writing told more than showed and when there were reveals of aspects of certain characters to outline their possible motivation for murder, it wasn’t a huge shock because you could almost tell that something was coming. I thought there was information about church history, and the hierarchy of the church which could have been condensed. There are reflections by Oldroyd too, that meant we got an idea to his character, but wasn’t necessarily relevant to the plot. As was the case when he went home to his girlfriend and had dinner. Those parts of the story didn’t have a bearing on this book, but maybe they do in future books? I don’t know. The dialogue didn’t feel natural at times either. There were parts of this book that felt dated and judgemental, one dimensional etc.
That said, I liked the characters, and I liked the prose in Murder at St Anne’s. I was reading this book until 4 in the morning, I didn’t want to put it down, and it was very compelling.

This was a new to me author, but I'm so glad I took a chance and read it! I went back to the beginning to read the whole series I liked it so much!

Murder at St Anne's is the 7th Yorkshire mystery featuring DCI Oldroyd by J. R. Ellis. Released 7th Dec 2021 on Amazon's Thomas & Mercer imprint, it's 284 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book and the rest of the series are currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This series, along with the ensemble cast of Oldroyd, his colleagues, and family as well as the countryside and settings in Yorkshire and environs are always solidly, dependably, engaging reads. In addition to the well constructed puzzles of the actual mysteries, the author has salient points to make about the nature of humanity (with all our foibles). Lead character Oldroyd himself is quietly intelligent and competent. I enjoy seeing his interactions with his colleagues and his family. His sister Alison features prominently in this installment, and it's always enlightening to see the interplay between the detective and his sister.

There's a convoluted and technical puzzle to the "locked room" aspect of the first murder since there are massive injuries not consistent with a hand-held blunt instrument and Oldroyd has to figure out the physics involved in the crime. Some of the descriptions were difficult for me to envision and I had to re-read the salient passages a couple times to sort of understand what was going on. I'm still not sure I buy it entirely, but fair play on the author, it is cleverly done and I'd never have thought of it in a million years.

Although this is the 7th book in the series, all of the individual mysteries are self contained and can reasonably be read in any order.

Four stars. Well written and worthwhile. Definitely a series for fans of modern British procedurals. This is also a good weekend-binge-worthy series with solid plotting, good characterizations, and satisfying denouements and resolutions.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Murder at St. Anne's is a very atmospheric detective novel, kind off like a crossover between a gothic novel and a cosy old-fashioned styled mystery. Maybe a strange combination but one that works really well. DCI Jim Oldroyd and his loyal DS Andy Carter have to solve the death of the rector of St. Anne's church in Knaresborough, a small Yorkshire community, the Reverend Clare Wilcox. This time Oldroyd had a personal link to the victim because Clare Wilcox is a protégé of his sister. The way the rector is killed is reminiscent of a ghost story, which is heavily reinforced by story's doing the round in the village about the ghost of a monk which is haunting the church.
Jim and Andy even have kind of a meeting with the ghost when they are forced to spend the night in the church due to heavy snow storms and icy roads.

What I really liked about this episodes is that the atmosphere of a ghost story is reinforced by the writing style of the author, almost as if the book was written like a gothic novel from the turn of the nineteenth century. Like the writer adjusts his writing style to the theme of the book..

I was also impressed by the way the author conveyed the feelings and concerns that the DCI felt when his sister was in danger.
I'm really enjoying this series and in my opinion it is getting better with each episode., looking forward to the next episode.
I want to thank Netgalley, the author and Thomas & Mercer publishers for providing met with an ARC of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Murder at St Anne's is the seventh instalment in J.R. Ellis's Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series featuring D.C.I Oldroyd and his Harrogate-based team. Readers yet to discover the series need not worry, though - each book reads perfectly well as a standalone.

Like its series predecessors, Murder at St Anne's is a contemporary mystery written in a traditional style - there's a closed pool of suspects, an evocatively spooky setting and the police investigation follows a broadly familiar pattern. Jim Oldroyd is a sensitive and likeable protagonist, who enjoys good working relationships with his subordinates and a pleasant (though vegetarian!) home life with his partner, psychologist Deborah, in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

Murder at St Anne's opens with the murder of popular vicar, the Reverend Claire Wilcox, inside her church, St. Anne's in picturesque Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. This case has a personal dimension for DCI Oldroyd when he and his team are called in, as the deceased was the friend and protegée of his sister, Reverend Alison Oldroyd, whose parish is at nearby (fictional) Kirkby Underside. Not only that, but Alison was the last person to speak to Claire, by telephone, shortly before her death.

The investigation has barely begun before Oldroyd and his DS, Andy Carter, become aware of the spooky legend pervading the parish of St. Anne's - the church and graveyard are reputedly haunted by the ghost of a fifteenth-century monk, who was executed for heresy. There are stories of previous deaths which have mysteriously echoed the monk's own fatal injuries, as do those of the Reverend Wilcox. Parishioners report sightings of a figure wearing hooded robes, and of inexplicable noises emanating from the church at night. Oldroyd is justifiably sceptical, as was the deceased Reverend during her tenure at St. Anne's, and sets about tracking down a very corporeal murderer.

Oldroyd and Carter's investigations are further hampered by the arrival of some very heavy weather, with the town of Knaresborough blanketed in several feet of snow. Forced to spend the night sleeping in the church vestry with DS Carter, Oldroyd awakes to find that they have company - a shadowy figure wearing a monk's habit, who seems to vanish into nowhere when Oldroyd gives pursuit...

Murder at St Anne's features a multi-layered plot, characteristic of J.R. Ellis's work, a beguiling pool of suspects who all seem to have something to hide, and a superlative sense of setting in Ellis's native Yorkshire. Although I found the mystery and its solution entertaining and satisfying, there were a couple of points during the story where the normally conscienscious Oldroyd seemed inexplicably tardy in pursuing an important lead. While this no doubt enabled Ellis to draw out the plot in order to insert some tantalising twists, it had me scratching my head at times.

Within the context of the mystery, J.R. Ellis explores themes around the misogyny and homophobia that continue to exist within certain socially-conservative pockets of the Church of England. This gave the church-based setting a sense of verisimilitude and raised some interesting issues around the relevance and future of religious institutions within contemporary society. As a "lapsed" Anglican myself, I found these considerations thought-provoking and very well integrated into the plot of the book.

Murder at St Anne's is liberally sprinkled with references to, and each chapter prefaced with excerpts from the works of M.R. James, known for his early 20th-century ghost stories in ecclesiastical settings. I like an appropriately-placed literary homage, and this device also allows J.R. Ellis to explore DCI Oldroyd's personal interest and background in classic literature.

Murder at St Anne's is another engrossing addition to the DCI Oldroyd series, and I'd recommend it to any reader who enjoys a more traditional style of police procedural mystery.

My thanks to the author, J.R. Ellis, publisher Amazon / Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

[Note: This was originally posted 1/22/22]

Murder at St. Anne’s is Book Seven of J(ohn) R. Ellis’ “A Yorkshire Murder” series. It takes place in Knaresborough (a real place) and involves the slaying of a Church of England minister in line to become the next bishop of Kendal. That’s bad enough but the victim is a woman, the Rev. Clare Wilcox, and her head was brutally smashed by the pulpit of her parish church. No discernible weapon is in evidence that could inflict such a crushing blow, nor could any human possibly wield such an object.



Making sense of this is the job of Detective Chief Inspector Jim Oldroyd, whose sister the Rev. Alison Oldroyd was Clare’s friend, former mentor, and the last person to whom Clare spoke before she was killed. Wilcox left behind her husband Jeremy, a doctor, and their two daughters away at university, Jenny and Fiona. It’s all the more baffling given that just about everyone thought Clare was a wonderful person and a fine pastor—even those so old-fashioned that they disapproved of female clerics.



It’s no wonder that many at St. Anne’s entertain the idea that the murderer was a ghost. It seems that many parishioners since the 15th century claim to have seen a monk appear and disappear, he presumably one accused of being a Lollard heretic who was hurled from a cliff into the River Nidd gorge. Before his fatal chucking, the monk uttered a curse that would endure until the church (Roman Catholic back then) acknowledged its crime in executing him. Several gruesome murders subsequently took place, though none since the 19th century. Try telling that to parishioners who’ve sworn they’ve heard strange noises inside the church and have seen fleeting glimpses of a cowled figure.



Ellis fashions his murder mystery in the style of M. R. James (1862-1936), one of Britain’s exemplars of Gothic ghost tales, and each new chapter is prefaced with a short excerpt from James' Barchester stories. Oldroyd is a rationalist who takes his queues from his psychologist partner Deborah. His subordinates Detective Sergeants Andy Carter and DS Stephane Johnson also adhere to logic, though Andy’s more squeamish about ghostly matters, as he admits when he and Oldroyd are forced to spend the night in the old stone church when Biblical snowstorms stall their investigations.



Like many U.K. churches, St. Anne’s has an ageing congregation—also an eccentric one. There is no shortage of persons of interest. Clare’s husband automatically goes to the top of the list–they are the ones most often guilty of a wife’s demise–but Jeremy appears to have been shattered by the news. Church warden Donald Avison freely admits he didn’t think women should administer sacraments, but professes he liked Clare. That’s true also of Maisie Baxter, another person who doesn't cotton to female ministers. Avison advises Oldroyd to look into the shabby hobo and heavy drinker seen hanging around the burial ground; if not he, perhaps organist Harvey Ferguson whom Avison is sure is a “disgusting pervert” (gay). Baxter fingers parish treasurer Olive Bryson, who misappropriated funds and had to answer to Rev. Wilcox. There is also busybody Violet Saunders, who cleans the church and can't possibly be as clueless as she seems, and Oldroyd isn’t too keen on other church officials such as the local bishop, the archdean, or Robyn Eastby, the assistant minister who seems overly eager to help out. Two problems: everyone has an alibi and none of them could have inflicted that much physical damage to the victim. Plus, the drunken hobo, Donald Tanner, isn’t such a bad bloke after all.



Even before the body and assault count rises, Oldroyd pays a visit to local historian and secondhand bookseller Austin Eliot to find out more about the ghost and the church. Before the dust settles a lot of things come into play: a cabinet, a bit of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum,” progressive politics, infidelities, the very modern dark web, and not-new-at-all misogyny and homophobia.



I would call Murder at St. Anne’s as a well-plotted but stylistically inelegant novel. Ellis wisely kept the book short, as the murder motive seems pretty obvious to everyone except the investigators and readers would soon weary of the strip tease. The novel has thrilling moments and strong characters, but Ellis frames everything in ways that are often as old-fashioned as some of St. Anne’s parishioners. But if you were ask me if I’d like to visit Knaresborough if I get back to Yorkshire, my answer is you bet your chains and belfries I would.



Rob Weir

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I requested this book, knowing little about it or the author, and not even realizing that it was the 7th in a series. Normally, I prefer to read a series from the beginning, but in this case, I just jumped in. And you know what? It was just fine! There were a few mentions of events that I imagine came from earlier books, but none that in any way kept me from fully understanding what was happening here - although I do think I'm going to go back and read the earlier books!

Although we begin the book with a rather brutal murder, this is basically a cozy mystery. I was not necessarily on track the whole way with why the murder took place, so I was somewhat surprised as the plot unfolded. The characters were interesting, the setting intrigued me, and I enjoyed the plot. I definitely plan to read some of the other books in the series, since I think the author has an interesting take on things.

Well worth reading!

In the style of Agatha Christie Ellis tells the story of a murder of a woman priest in her church. How she is murdered and why is a question for DCI Oldroyd and his team. Then there are two more murders. Who is the culprit?

A well liked (but female) rector is murdered in a village church. The injuries are hard to explain but fit those recounted in an old ghost story. Inspector Oldroyd investigates is there a murderer in the congregation or is ghost responsible?
This is a review of a digital galley provided by NetGalley.

7th book in the series. Lots of red herrings, beautiful backdrop (Yorkshire area), and lots of characters with secrets. I will definitely be reading more books in this series. They just keep getting better!

This well plotted puzzler set in a church in England, in Yorkshire, is the 7th book in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series but it was my first. I'm already picked up the first book in the series and intend to quickly go back and read all six of the previous British police procedural books.

This book had a wonderfully old fashioned feel about it and I don't mean that at all in a negative way. In fact, it was a refreshing change to my usual amateur cozy sleuths.

I'm very eager to read more of these J.R. Ellis books. Loved it.

Grateful to NetGalley for making this happen, and for the publisher, who gave me a copy in exchange for my honest review. Well...here's honesty: I got through 35% of it (e-book) and just couldn't do any more.

There was way too much head-hopping for my taste. There were times I'd start a scene in one person's POV and end the scene in a different one altogether. I loved the plot itself, but just couldn't enjoy it. I kept going back to it because I liked the plot, but in the end, I gave up.

A female priest was murdered in an English church. There were many suspects, even a possible vengeful ghost could have done it. It was a well written mystery with a few twists that I did not see coming. Very enjoyable.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Clare is going places in the Anglican Church. Not only is she the Priest at St. Anne’s but she is set to become the first woman Bishop. Everyone likes her and wishes her well. So why is she murdered in the Church by an unknown assailant by mysterious means? As Oldroyd is brought onto the scene and he begins his investigation, it is even suggested that the killer might be a vengeful ghost. He, however, believes the person and the weapon were of a more corporeal nature.

As he digs deeper, he uncovers more things that are far more unsavoury than the supernatural. He finds secrets and conspiracies and some very hateful and vicious forces at work. It is personal for him as the deceased had been mentored by his sister who is, in her own right, an influential member of the clergy and a friend of the victim. Little does he realize at the start how much more personal it will become before the villain is brought to justice.

It is a tight mystery with interesting characters and some fascinating social themes. The whole story is filled with atmosphere and the reader can well imagine being right there in snowy Yorkshire. It kept me rooted to the spot. Five purrs and two paws up.

First, thanks (as always) to NetGalley for the opportunity to read, and review, this book.

Although mystery stories aren't really my typical read, I couldn't pass up this story based on the blurb: "Winter, snow, murder—and a centuries-dead suspect. In the chilly depths of a Yorkshire winter, a well-liked rector is found bludgeoned to death in her own church. With no sign of a murder weapon, local superstition quickly pins the blame on the ghost of a medieval monk believed to haunt the building…"

However, that blurb was actually the most exciting part of the story. I was quite bored reading this story, and it took me a very long time to get into the writing style. Then, the anti-Christian, and highly political overtones really ruined it for me. I get that authors use those things for driving their plot, but being bombarded with the same daily on the news, most turn to reading as an escape from reality, not to add to it.

Lastly, the ending was just a little too convenient. Spoiler: Let's be honest, the killer brutally murders two people immediately, without the victim knowing (pardon the pun) what hit them, but the last one is tied up and spoken to in order to give the police time to capture him? I just found that hard to believe, and with all the other twists, could have been wrapped up better.

This one just wasn't for me.

This is a great cozy mystery with a unique spin in the method of murder. I enjoyed all the characters—even though I haven’t read previous installments in the series, the author makes it easy to get up to speed with who the characters are and how they relate to each other. I would definitely be interested in reading other books in this series.

This read was just okay for me, but the only reason was because of the language used. It was a bit difficult for me to stay intrigued in the story line.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to honestly review.