The plot is full of red herrings, a number of locals come under the spotlight and their alibis and possible motives are tested. Back at headquarters members of the investigative team search newspapers and websites for background to the list of suspects, and eventually this strategy is what makes the break through.

I don't know if reading the other books in the series would have mattered. This book was a hard read for me. It seemed to talk repeatedly about issues that could have been said and moved on.

Another great entry in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series, Murder at St. Anne's is a classic cozy mystery/police procedural set in a lovely area of Britain. DCI Dan Oldroyd and his team set out to find out who murdered the Rev. Clare Wilcox. The book features a good plot, the requisite red herrings, and an intelligent policeman to figure it all out.

This 7th book in this British/Yorkshire police procedural series, introduces a new series to me.....& I really liked it! Being the 7th into the series didn't affect the reading of it at all, to my notion anyway! It sort of seems like it could be considered a 'cozy mystery', in that the main returning characters are kind of interesting, easy, likeable people. The atmospheric descriptions of the Yorkshire area are quite nice too! There isn't any overt sex or gore, nor any vulgar language. It really was a nice easy/fun to read/story/mystery. But it also reads like a British police procedural, following a close group of officers....getting to know each of them & how their office works. Finishing this murder mystery doesn't leave you exhausted or scared, but instead maybe with a smile & the thought, "Yeah, that was good!" I really liked this group of characters & definitely look forward to reading from the beginning of the series.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, in return for reading it & posting this, my own fair/honest review.

Murder At St Anne's is the latest (7th) book in the series of Yorkshire Murder. DCI Jim Oldroyd and his partner Sergeant Andy Carter from the West Riding Police are back in this installment.

The body of Rev Clare Wilcox, the rector of St Anne's, was found on Wednesday evening by Mr Donald Avison, churchwarden at St Anne's. She had been bludgeoned to death.

Not even a week, another body have been murdered, Violet Saunders, a janitor at St Anne's in a similar way. Both crimes were planned, neither was a random, spontaneous attack.

A rumour has surfaced that people think Clare was killed by a person who is fanatically opposed to woman priests. Another speculation is everyone believes it was a phantom that haunts the church.

I give 4 ⭐

High recommend for readers who enjoy of cosy mysteries and police procedurals. Thanks to @netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for arc inexchange of honest review. 🖤

📚

The Reverend of a rural Anglican Church, hits home for Oldroyd and his family. Rev Clair had trained as a Curate at Oldroyd's sisters church and as a one of her mentors when she moved onto her own Church. She is well liked by her congregation, in fact she may be promoted to Bishop.

Like any ancient Church, Clair's is purported to be haunted. Those who know the church, say that they have seen the ghost of a churchman who was killed hundreds of years before. There are stories of how the man's ghost was considered to have had his revenge in the killing of those who had participated in throwing him into the gorge near the church.

People (including Oldroyd) have been seeing the ghost in recent years. He is dressed like a monk with a large hood over his head blocking out his face. Is the ghost real or is someone using the history of the spectre to commit murder? With the help of an unexpected helper, Oldroyd sets out to prove that the murderer is a flesh-an-blood member of the Church.

A nice mystery with plenty of suspects. Kept my interest throughout. I stayed up way to late a couple of nights to find out if it was the ghost or someone else that was the murderer. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery story.

I have read all of the books in this series. It is not a break-through series but reliably entertaining.

DCI Oldroyd and his team are called in following the brutal bludgeoning death of the well-respected vicar of St. Anne's church. Investigators are stymied by what must be an unusual murder weapon.. Superstitious locals believe that the ghost of a murdered heretic monk haunts the church and has caused other deaths. Oldroyd, erudite and reflective, begins to search the area's historical archives for answers and is stunned by what he finds. I have read and enjoyed other entries in this series. I appreciate that each is set in a different Yorkshire location and the author provides information about the history and landmarks of the setting. The characters are well developed individuals and the plot and investigations are plausible and engaging. This is a well rounded golden Age style crime thriller series that I would recommend.

Murder at St. Anne's is the seventh book in the Yorkshire Murder series and can be read as a standalone .This classic murder mystery starts out with the bizarre murder of Reverend Clare Wilcox by a figure dressed as a monk. DCI Oldroyd and his assistant, Sergeant Andy Carter are called upon to solve this strange case. Suspects abound as they piece together the clues-could it be the misogynistic church members or the members with personal secrets or perhaps the ghost of Thomas Rawcliff? I thoroughly enjoyed the Gothic ghost story part of this mystery-not being familiar with M. R. James I loved the beginning of each chapter. Another interesting aspect was the underlying theme of tolerance, inclusiveness and diversity. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy, I honestly recommend it to lovers of old-fashioned mysteries.. #MurderatStAnnes #NetGalley

There is nothing I like more than a good old mystery. This story fits the bill from start to finish. When a female rector is murdered in her church at St. Anne’s, DCI Jim Oldroyd and his loyal DS Andy Carter are called in to solve the case. They cannot figure out what killed her, and clues are non-existent during their preliminary investigation. This is an excellent police primer, showing the steps taken and the people talked to so they can come to the final answer. This is my first book in the series but will not be my last. Well plotted and great characters throughout. Thanks to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my copy of Murder at St. Anne’s

I found this one hard to engage with. Maybe it’s the long chapters, maybe the slow pacing early on, maybe the overload on number of characters. Interesting premise. Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my opinion!

‘St Anne’s’ is a tight well written story that carries the reader to England and wraps you in the local culture. A female vicar is found dead in her church and the police work hard to determine motive. Is it something very simple or was it some unfathomable reason? And are other vicars in local churches in danger?

The book winds through several possible culprits who all have partial stories and of course they all have their own theories of the reasons behind the murder. Murder at St Anne’s holds your attention and makes it worth your time. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Once again I travel to Yorkshire England to observe the work of DCI Jim Oldroyd as he and his team solve the brutal murder of a rector in her own church. It was mid January and the weather was bitterly cold with snow storms to hamper their efforts. The author, who has spent most of his life in Yorkshire, is able to take the reader there as if it was their own home ground. This is an excellent British Police mystery which will keep even the most jaded reader interested. I have previously read and reviewed The Nidderdale Murders and The Whitby Murders by this author. This is an author which should be on your reading list if you enjoy British Police Mysteries.

I have rated this book 5 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This is the first Yorkshire Murder Mystery that I have read and I really enjoyed it. The author paints a vivid description of the Yorkshire area of England. There are several characters who could have committed the murder. Each suspect had an issue with the church's direction vis a vis women's rights and gay rights. In addition, there was a monetary motive, as well. They had the means and opportunity. But, who did it?

I look forward to other books in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a Yorkshire girl myself, I couldn't resist this book. I wasn't disappointed. A really interesting read with a touch of gothis. A recommended read.

This is a new to me author and the first book I've read in this series. I don't feel I've missed anything by starting out with the 7th book in this series. I plan to read his other six books. I like the characters, DCI Jim Oldroyd and his loyal DS Andy Carter. The other characters are realistic and many are likeable. I love the setting of this story and how the investigation was proceeding while learning about the church where the murder took place and a little background history of the church. While I had some inkling of who the suspect was, I've had some doubts while several suspects were presented. This book was smart and enjoyable to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading.

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. I really like this series and the main character, DCI Jim Oldroyd. I love the settings.....around Yorkshire and the plots are always relevant to today. This kept me guessing until the end and now I will have to wait for the next book in the series. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Normally I love the series but this one was not up to the normal standard. I found it a bit drawn out especially at the end.

"Murder at St. Anne's" by J.R. Ellis is part of a series featuring Inspector Oldroyd, along with his police support team solving a case. Since this is the first of the many works of the author I have read, I cannot elaborate on the series beyond this offering, but I will say that I enjoyed it immensely.

There is a definitive sense of place around this novel. A priest is murdered in her parish, and the reader is quickly and constantly introduced to possible suspects. While investigating, the detectives move thrououghout the wider parish conducting their interviews, and in a way that I do not find in many books, the author draws the reader so fully into this locality of the novel, that it was easy for me to imagine the realm he presents.

In all the ways one expects 'Murder at St. Anne's" is a wonderfully engaging, carefully evolving English mystery. I enjoyed it and look forward to my next foray into the series. As one can surmise from this review, you do not have to read these in order for the purpose of enjoyment.

Murder at St annes by J.R. Ellis.
A Yorkshire Murder Mystery Book 7.
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…

Well accustomed to unusual murder investigations, DCI Jim Oldroyd takes on the case, along with his assistant, Sergeant Andy Carter, but they are hampered at every turn by the deepening snow and the threat of the supernatural. Even as possible motives and opportunities begin to reveal themselves, Oldroyd struggles to find a better suspect than the hooded phantom.

A brilliant read. I love this author. Great story and characters. 5*.