#TheBodyonScafellPike #NetGalley. This is a new author for me and I believe the first in a series. I really enjoyed the setting of the beautiful Lake District and initially found the murder storyline interesting and exciting. it then became a bit of a slow burner until later in the book. The "partnership" between Jess, The Detective Inspector and Margot, the fell guide, seemed a little odd but this may develop in future installments. Without giving too much away, I found the timing of the introduction of the murderer a little strange with no real lead up to the motive. I also thought it odd, that in a middle of a double murder case, Jess would go to meet an unknown person who sent her a weird text, without mentioning it to her team and leaving both her work and personal mobile on the desk. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the action and the setting and I definitely warmed to the characters of jess and Margot. I will be interested to see how future books in the series develop.

I love a well-crafted police procedural, and this one didn't disappoint. With an atmospheric and scenic Lake District setting, an interesting protagonist, and a mysterious murderer, it ticked all the boxes.

D.I. Jess Chambers was personable, flawed, and her backstory is obscure. I'm eager to delve into in further books in this fledgling series to discover some snippets of her past in order to understand her better. Fingers crossed. We know that she is middle-aged, single, and has just moved to the rural Lake District from the urban posting of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Inexperienced in the weather and customs of her new locale, she befriends a local woman, Margot Voyce, to help her navigate her new terrain. Margot, is of a similar age, and also has an interesting backstory.

The story takes place in late November, when temperatures drop and the rainy weather seems to permeate the soul. When an expert fell runner is found dead on Scafell Pike, it is first believed to be an accident, but on closer examination Jess is sure that the man was murdered. When a second body, with connections to the first, shows up on her patch, she knows that this case will be challenging indeed. She has a minuscule staff of two police officers under her watchful eye and those two men are local and haven't yet gotten to know their new D.C.I. who is younger than either of them. Jess, herself, is her own worst critic and she hates to makes mistakes.

The growing rapport of the police team and the fledgling friendship between Jess Chambers and Margot Voyce were a joy to read. I didn't guess who the murderer was, and the ending of the book was dramatic and tension-filled.

I very much enjoyed this novel and would definitely like to read more books featuring D.C.I. Jess Chambers.

A solid police procedural set in the Lake District, with a likeable detective, supported by a local mountain guide. I liked the setting and there was a good level of suspense. Not particularly original and does not stand out in this genre but interesting enough to sustain a series.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I'm a sucker for books that are set in my neck of the woods so when I heard of a new series set in the beautiful Lake District, I wasn't going to pass up the chance and I'm pleased I didn't because this is a great start to a new series and one I am looking forward to getting my teeth into.

There is plenty of atmosphere in this book and the excellent descriptions of the Lakes countryside only add to this. I really liked the characters and am keen to find out more about DI Chambers' back story and watching the developing friendship between her and Margot and between Chambers and her small team.

The mystery of who the killer was kept me guessing and there were enough twists to keep me returning. I liked the different points of view which helped to give a rounded picture from Chambers', Margot's and the killers point of view.

Overall, a really successful start to a series and one I am looking forward to reading the next.

Thanks go to the author, Headline, Wildfire and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Body on Scafell Pike.

3.5 upped to 4
I think there's a lot of potential in this series and I loved the descriptions of the places.
Jess and Margot are good couple of investigators but I would have to know more about Jess background.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I will surely read the next book.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

SJ Brooke is a new writer to me and this is an enjoyable introduction to her work. The setting is excellent as a backdrop to murder, the writing is very good and the plot satisfying enough. However, I am not yet convinced by the lead detective, nor by the combination of policewoman and fell walker to solve the crimes. However, I will be reading the second instalment.

This book is ok. It certainly won't set the publishing world alight. There is no real drive to the narrative and there is a curious obsession with mentioning the right clothing at every opportunity.

Our detective here is an archetypal fish out of water, struggling with the weather, a new team and some murder. Whether it will develop in the net book in the series remains to be seen but the book gives an overall feeling of being less than satisfying. The involvement of the murderer is so minimal there is little where the reader can make a guess for themselves leaving the author to tell us in a 'reveal' at the end.

Bit pedestrian and little to get excited about, not for me really.

I really hope this will be the first of many set in the beautiful Lake District and featuring Jess and her trusty team. This first novel was a really good read. I won’t be spoiling it when I say the murder on the fells was quite spectacularly described and then the subsequent police investigation was well plotted. There were quite a number of red herring that made the book even more exciting. Loved the characters of Margo and Tom who hopefully will appear in future novels

This is the first in SJ Brooke's Lake District crime series featuring DI Jess Chambers, a newcomer to the district, struggling to find her feet after leaving Northern Ireland with her background in urban policing. Local councillor, Robert 'Bob' Newman has taken it upon himself to introduce her to the area, which is how she ends up with her first case. After an alert about a body, Chambers is with a shocked Newman when she discovers the dead man is related to him, and there is enough that does not feel quite right for her to take a strong interest in discovering what happened. The victim is James Garfield, a adventurous fell runner, a famous influencer with a big and constant social media presence.

Jess is lucky enough to have Margot Voyce's help on a case where it proves to be difficult to find hard evidence of murder, although we as readers know it is. Additionally, Margot, who is preparing to become a local mountain guide, makes sure that Jess has the necessary all year round outdoor clothing to do her job, although Chambers is shocked at just how expensive it all is. As Jess and her team of DS Tony Evans and DC Bill Harper start to dig into the ambitious Garfield's life, it soon becomes clear he is far from the good guy portrayed in social media. As SIO, Jess becomes more closely acquainted with the local terrain and settles into her role as she starts to develop a good relationship with Evans and Harper. When a suspicious RTA results in a death with a obvious connection to Garfield, it becomes certain that Garfield was murdered.

This is a great start to what promises to be a terrific crime series, it has a wonderful location in the Lake District, and Jess Chambers turns out to be a feisty central protagonist you cannot help but root for. She has a lot on her plate, by the end she has begun to love her new role and location. Jess has made significant community links, particularly with her close friendship with Margot who plays a crucial role in the concluding finale. This has me looking forward to the next in the series! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This is a promising new series, set in the Lake District and featuring DI Jess Chambers. She has recently relocated from Northern Ireland and I would have liked some more background detail. That aside, the book is well plotted and moves at a steady pace with good characterisation. I liked the setting and the plot and hope there is a follow up but with a bit more suspense. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

The Lake District is a fantastic location for a crime series, and DI Jess Chambers is a likable, effective but impulsive detective. She makes mistakes and one of them nearly costs her her life.
Investigating the murder of a well-known fell runner with a strong social media presence is Jess's first SIO role in her new post in Cumbria.
We're given a satisfying number of red herrings as suspects, and the police investigation and technology is impressive.
Jess is an intriguing character and we know very little about her, except that she was transferred to Cumbria from Belfast, and has been single for a long time. No doubt SJ Brooke, a former newspaper crime reporter, will fill in some of the gaps in subsequent books.
An enjoyable and well written crime thriller. Vivid imagery around the murder will stay in my mind for some time to come.

I loved this, I loved how it was written which really explained the detail of the area of Scafell Pike without over-detailing it. The storyline had me intrigued and I just had to keep reading to find out what exactly had happened. Some tense moments throughout but a brilliant read.

I enjoyed this book but would describe it as a slow burn. Bit strange that the killer doesn't really appear as a character till the end. I really liked the characters of Jess and Margo thought they blended well. I would definitely read the next instalment. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

This gripping thriller has everything you want in a great mystery. Suspense, landscape, the complete atmosphere of the book leaves chills down your arms. I loved it.
I just reviewed The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. #NetGalley
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The Body on Scafell Pike by S J Brooke


I look out for books set in Cumbria as it is the place where I live , through in a police procedural and a woman detective and it's a win win.
A fell runner is found dead in a gully on Scafell , after announcing he is about to break the record for running quickest on all the lake district summits.
DI Jess Chambers , new in the job is sent in to investigate . She is helped out by Margot a mountain guide I enjoyed finding out about Jess and her backstory which I felt gave us an insight to the woman who we will be following in further books in the series.
The plotline was good , I would describe it as a slow burn , but there is enough action and a twist or two to keep us reading.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing where it goes.

1st in a new series, so a lot of time is needed to get to know the main characters. Jesse is new to head the police department in the rural area, and Margot is a wilderness hiking guide. When Margot finds a body she ends up stepping in and helping Jesse. Good story overall, but must admit I did skim a bit in the middle. Still though, enjoyed this one (except the creepy narrative by the killer), and look forward to the next in the series. Would recommend.

Unfamiliar Terrain..
The first in a new mystery series set in the Lake District featuring DI Jess Chambers and the detective’s very first case in the area throws out more problems than she was anticipating. A well known mountaineer and fell runner has been found dead in somewhat mysterious circumstances and Jess needs to navigate her own new found but unfamiliar terrain as she investigates a suspicious death. A slow burn mystery with nicely drawn characters, an atmospheric backdrop and an interesting narrative. A promising start to a new series.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it and as it is the first in a series of books I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

I'm a big fan of British police procedurals, so I was excited to read the first in a new series taking place in the Lake District. While the author did a wonderful job of setting the scene, I didn't really enjoy the characters or the plot, which moved slowly. And while the book as billed as a partnership between DI Jess Chambers and civilian Margo Voyce, that relationship didn't really work for me. The book did do a good job of highlighting the constraints placed on investigations, both financial and otherwise, and seemed very realistic in that regard. I will check out the next book in the series, as The Body on Scafell Pike definitely shows promise.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of The Body on Scafell Pike, the first novel set in the Lake District to feature DI Jess Chambers.

The body of endurance athlete James Garfield is found on Scafell Pike. Nobody is sure if his death is accidental or murder, so Jess’s first case in Cumbria after a transfer from Northern Ireland is to investigate the circumstances. Being new to the district she feels overwhelmed and enlists local trail guide, Margot Voyce to help.

I enjoyed The Body on Scafell Pike as I always like a new character, series and author, although it isn’t without some teething problems. It is told from various points of view, mostly Jess and Margot with some interjections from “the stranger”, who is obviously the killer. There is no doubt for the reader that James Garfield was murdered as the novel opens with the events surrounding it. The stranger’s identity is thus the main mystery for the reader.

Jess’s investigation is slow and doesn’t have much momentum. I understand the attempts at realism from the author, by stressing budgetary constraints and only having a team of three detectives including her investigating, but it doesn’t work as fiction. There is no depth and precious few of the startling revelations that animate both the reader and the read. It feels circular at times as if it’s going nowhere. Obviously this changes as the finale approaches with the reveal of a motive, but even the final showdown feels rather lacklustre as it lacks tension and relies on a move a professional like Jess would never make.

I like Jess Chambers as she is smart and ready to question any assumptions she may make. It is interesting to make her a fish out of water by moving her from the urban policing of Belfast to a rural setting. I think more could have been made of that, rather than her simply not having the right clothing.

Having said all that there are bright spots in the novel, like the burgeoning friendship between Jess and Margot and the efforts to understand Garfield’s life, business interests and character.

The Body on Scafell Pike is an interesting enough start to a new series to make me think about reading a follow up before deciding if the series suits me or not. 3.5*