When bones are discovered in a cave, DI Leo Donovan and his new partner Shan Young believe that they have finally found Vicky Mott, missing since 1997. She and friends rented a cottage planning to attend an outdoor festival. Early the next morning, she left a note saying she was off to see the sunrise. She was never seen again. Vicki is believed to be another victim of Terence Bielby, the Fellside Strangler now jailed for life. Bielby denies this and Leo and Shan believe him. But if Bielby didn’t do it, who did? And why?

The Fells, first in a series, is police procedural at its best. Leo and Shan painstakingly investigate every detail from prior reports. They talk to Vicki’s friends, her mother and the last people to see her alive. Their work is balanced by Vicki’s own story. We see her traveling to the festival, laughing with her friends, dreaming of being an actor and director. We see her tragic, painful last moments. We want her to survive, to continue her beautiful, joyous life. As the police investigation moves deliberately and slowly forward, there are glimpses of the detectives’ private lives and the family situations that are affecting them. Their story blends with Vicki’s in the unforeseen conclusion.

With realistic characters, intertwined plots and a atmospheric location The Fells is one of the best police procedurals I have ever read. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Cath Staincliffe for this ARC.

I’d like to thank Joffe Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Fells’, the first book in a new series with Detectives Donovan and Young written by Cath Staincliffe, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In the Summer of 1997 Vicky Mott and her friends arrived at the Yorkshire Dales and were looking forward to the Festival but Vicky disappeared and it isn’t until 2019 that the human remains found in a cave are believed to be those of Vicky. DI Leo Donovan and his new partner DC Shan Young retrieve the old files and look for evidence that Terence Bielby who’s also known as the Fellside Strangler and is currently in prison for killing three women could also be responsible for Vicky.

‘The Fells’ is a police procedural thriller as human remains are discovered in a pothole on the Dales and Leo Donovan and Shan Young reopen the investigation into Vicky’s disappearance. The story is told through multiple points of view including Vicky’s and through new evidence the truth is gradually uncovered as to what happened in 1997. The plot is interesting and although slow at times is easy to read. I like Leo and Shan and look forward to watching their characters develop in what I hope will be the start of a new enjoyable series.

A great read set in the Yorkshire Dales from one of my favourite authors. Set in two timelines, 1997 and 2019, with a new police pairing of DCI Leo Donovan and DC Shan Young this cracking story investigates the discovery of a skeleton found by a caver. Cath Staincliffes way with words brings the characters, atmosphere and settings alive and keeps you engrossed in this police procedural. Hopefully there will be more from Leo and Shan soon. Thank you to the publisher, author and netgalley for an arc of 'The Fells'.

Catch Staincliffe has a way of creating worlds and characters that draw you in. The fella is the first in a new series, delving into a historic crime. Or was it? 4 stars

Cath Staincliffe deserves to be much better known than she seems to be (she doesn't even have a Wikipedia page), because she's a really good writer. The Fells, the first in a series (?) about police detectives Leo Donovan and Shan Young, is a compelling read with a powerful sense of place. Drama student Vicky disappeared at a music festival in the Yorkshire Dales in 1997, presumed - in the absence of any other evidence - to be another victim of serial killer Terence Bielby. Decades later, cavers discover human remains.

We see events both from Vicky's perspective in the past, and the police investigation in the present day, and the narrative never loses sight of Vicky - her personality comes through strongly - and the impact of her loss, particularly on her mother Elizabeth. Elizabeth, surely one of the strongest people it's possible to imagine, has lived decades without knowing what happened to her only child. We see events from her point of view, too, as she finally learns the truth, and it's powerfully written and hugely affecting.

The detectives, Leo and Shan, are both likeable and interesting characters, both with their own issues - in Leo's case, some very difficult to deal with concerns about his son. I'd definitely be up for reading more about these characters, and there's clearly stories to be told about both.

Fantastic read. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Donovan and Young Book 1

Yorkshire Dales, Summer 1997: Vicky Mott slips out the door of her remote stone cottage, and into the pale dawn light. She won't wake her friends. Not after the night they've just had. She scrawls a note, her hand trembling with excitement. Gone to see the sunrise V xxx. That's the last anyone ever hears from vibrant twenty-year-old Vicky. Everyone had warned her of the predator stalking the lush green fells.

Convicted killer Terrance Bielby has strangled three hikers before he got to Vicky. Now he has her blood on his hands too. It's only a matter of time before the evidence surfaces.

2019: A human skeleton is found in a dark and treacherous cave beneath the Dales. The final resting place of Vicky Mott? Detectives Loe Donovan and Shan Young think they've found the key to this decades-old mystery. But every answer they unearth only leads to more questions. All Donovan's instincts tell him that, this time, Bielby is innocent. But if the Fellside Strangler didn't do it, then who?

This story has a dual timeline, 1997 when Vicky Mott went missing - and 2019 when DCI Leo Donovan and DC Shan Young think they have found the key to a decades-old mystery. The plot was complex, and I found it hard to put the book down. The character were well-developed an likeable. The descriptions were vivid and graphic. This is the first book in a new series featuring Detectives Donovan and Young. The Story is told from multiple points of view, plus we aslo get a perspective from the victim. This was as easy read, written in Cath's unique style. It’s also quite emotional.

Published 9th May

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #CathStaincliffe for my ARC of #TheFells in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Cath Staincliffe is an excellent author who writes great character driven thrillers.
I liked the different time lines as we find out just what happened to the group of young people who were staying at a remote cottage to attend a festival. The two detectives were well written and I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I would thoroughly recommend any book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for my copy of The Fells by Cath Staincliffe.
I LOVED THIS.
DI Leo Donovan and D.C. Shan Young make a great team.
A body has been found in a cave on the fells of Yorkshire by a caver checking out a new route.
Leo immediately thinks of Vicky Mott, she went missing in the area over 20 years ago, thought to be the victim of a serial killer.
Could it be her ?
It’s a great story with twists and turns and the two detectives fit well together, with just enough about their personal lives.
I really hope this becomes a series.

I love cold case mysteries, and this one was fantastic! It is the first in a series. Detectives Shan and Leo are called to a crime scene. The skeleton of a woman was found by cavers.
The story is told in 4 different POV’s.: Shan, Leo, Vicky (the victim), and Elizabeth who is Vicky’s mom. The alternating POV’s do not detract from the story. Instead, they add clues and nuance to the characters. We get to see every character thoroughly- their faults, joys and struggles. I fell in love with Vicky’s character. And as the story was told through her voice, I kept hoping that she would make it out alive (silly me!).
The unfolding of what happened kept me up well into the night reading. The investigation leads to a serial killer that is in prison, the friend group that went to the festival together in 1997, and even the local bar owner.
I also loved how we got to see the personal lives of the detectives in a very realistic way. There is a side story type connection with one of them, and it interweaves with the main story in an unexpected way. And when Elizabeth is telling the story, it is very heartbreaking.
My only problem is the ending. It is left slightly hanging, and I wish we could see what happened next. We are told what certain characters plan to do- but not the result. I am hoping that this might be addressed in the next book.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you like cold crime mysteries and fleshed out characters!

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest review.

A skeleton is found in a cave. This made me interested. Multiple PoVs, which made me connect to the investigators and the victim's mother, but come on, the fact that we get a PoV from the victim, too, is a bit... extra. Had it been useful, I would have said it's ok. As it is, though, I didn't like it.
A detail that bothered me is the idea of cremating a skeleton. If they'd found the whole body, it would have made sense. But bones don't burn much. When a body gets cremated, they remain. People sift the ashes for metals, that get removed, and then they grind the bones and that's what gets put in an urn: tiny bone fragments. Moreover, have you checked if the law allows scattering human remains? In my country, that is not allowed. Urns can't be opened and they need to stay either in a designated place at the crematory, or buried in a grave... Or kept at home. I've seen people throwing "ashes" in the wind in films, but that's not legal everywhere. Even if it is legal there, I still find burning bones pointless. Moreover, if a new theory comes up later and they need to study the skeleton again for new info, ground bones will be, most likely, useless.
Anyway... All in all, I don't hate this book, but I don't love it, either. It's somewhat forgettable.

When 20 year old Vicky Mott disappeared on the fells nearly 2 decades ago, no one could understand why she would risk going out on her own when everyone was aware of the serial killer on the loose. That too, to see a sunrise.

The Fells Strangler had already taken the lives of three hikers. So it was no surprise that Vicky would become his his next victim. But is that actually what happened?

When human remains are found in a cave in 2019, almost 20 years after Vicky vanished, the police officers on the case feel that they might be able to close the case on her disappearance. But as it turns out, the truth is way more complicated than anyone expected...

This is a well written police procedural, that tells a gripping story with a number of twists. It gets 3.5 stars.

The Fells by Cath Staincliffe.

A great read. Full of intrigue , twists and an ending I didn't see coming. Set in the dales and a caver makes a discovery which sets off a cold case and the question of whether the right person is in jail .
First time read for this author and going by this book , not the last .

It's been a while since I warmed to new characters as much as I did Leo and Shan.
They have their baggage, issues and families that make them human, but they just came across as really decent people.
An interesting investigation into something that may or may not have been a crime, they worked well, left no stone unturned ,and made me feel a bit sad for Vicky.
Definitely looking out for book 2, and if it came with a flapjack recipe on the inside cover, I would not complain.

Lovely to find another Cath Staincliffe book so quickly. I love her writing. It is so easy to read while her plots are clever and well planned. The Fells is a real cracker. With new team Leo Donovan and Shan Young it deals with a number of issues but also shows the police as real people with everyday problems as well.....and not just the alcoholism or burn out that seems to affect a lot of police procedural books these days. I loved the way Vicky's story was revealed gradually in alternating chapters with Leo and Shan's investigation. This seemed to keep the tension alive for longer. I will certainly be watching out for more from this team and happily recommend The Fells and all Cath Staincliffe's books if you're looking for a satisfying read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
Great read, couldn't keep my eyes off this book ... it's so good
A caver in 2019 finds a skeleton which belongs to a young woman missing since 1997. DCI Leo and DS Shan catch the case.
There are several suspects, one already in jail, but it was a shock to find out who the killer was and why. Superb ending!
I really liked both Leo and Shan and hope for many more in this new series. The writing is so good and reading about the girl's mother's heartbreak and suffering brought me to tears, that part was so poignant..
Highly recommended!

Good book! A bit heart breaking but a great read! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, serial killer, a fantastic who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my kindle! Thank you NetGalley and Joffe books for sharing this book with me!
A missing woman. A cold case. A dark secret, buried deep beneath the Yorkshire Dales.

This was a very suspenseful read overall. I loved Leo Donovan and Shan Young and definitely felt on edge as they worked to find out the truth. The creepy factor is definitely there with the idea of someone lurking around. Great read overall.

Cath Staincliffe is one of my favourite writers, I’ve read everything she’s written over the years and so was thrilled to see that The Fells is the first in a detective series featuring Detectives Leo Donovan and Shan Lewis. It’s set in the Yorkshire Dales where a caver discovers a skull and when Donovan and Young are called in it’s immediately linked to missing Vicky Mott who disappeared whilst in the Dales for a music festival 22 years ago, in 1997. At the time Vicky’s disappearance was linked to serial killer Terence Bielby currently serving life in Wakefield prison and this is where Donovan and Young begin their investigation.
This is another brilliant novel from the author; I loved Donovan and Young, there’s enough of their personal stories to help build up our understanding of them without this taking over the police procedural aspect. I particularly liked ( and was saddened and angered by) the very current storyline concerning Donovan’s son and the far right and look forward to reading how this develops in future novels.
Cath Staincliffe’s writing flows effortlessly, her dialogue is always believable and she brings a real sense of place to the novel. I enjoyed the dual timelines which worked well
A gripping and satisfying police procedural that I raced through over the course of 24 hours. I’d highly recommend this - and all of the author’s back catalogue- and can’t wait for the next in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Wow! What a fantastic start to hopefully a great series featuring a great team Leo and Shan.
This cast starts with a body being found in a cave. Vicky Mott disappears during a music festival around the time a notorious serial killer is at large he targets women alone on the fells.
The friends she is with look for her and assume like everyone else she was his final victim before he was caught but he’s never been found guilty of her murder.
Leo and Shan work out the clues and could the fate of Vicky been much closer to home?
Looking forward to more of this great duo .