Murder at St Anne's

I thought the overall story was very well done with the character added in to make it all go together. Once I receieved this book I was able to read it from the very beginning to the very end. I thought the character built up made the whole story pop and make sense to me in my opinon. I thought the story line was so well done and it was a joy to read in my opinon. I received this book for free thru an Advanced Review Copy, ARC, with an honest review freely given.

This is the seventh volume in the Yorkshire Murder series, and it follows the usual pattern of a creepy crime with possible supernatural elements. This new novel is as atmospheric as always, and the reader can follow along DCI Oldroyd’s walks. The setting is a spooky church where a rector is found murdered in a violent way with no possible earthly explanation. The cast of suspects is very shady, and I didn’t know whodunit until the very end (I apologize to my favorite suspect, who ended up being innocent). Oldroyd, his team and family are very likable and this time the action again hits close to home, so I was closely following the action. The one thing that I’m not a fan of is how politically correct their conversations are turning and how it’s starting to affect the actual solving of the mystery. I can’t explain more without giving away the ending. Other than that, I enjoyed this read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/#Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer!

This is the latest in the Yorkshire Murder series featuring DCI Oldroyd and his team and is an atmospheric murder mystery set in the depths of Winter. Perfect reading for a chilly December or January evening.
A popular female vicar is found brutally murdered in her church in Knaresborough and Oldroyd and his team are called in. The murder has alarming similarities to a local ghost story dating back to the 16th century. The spooky atmosphere is reinforced by the heavy snowfall which forces DCI Oldroyd and his sergeant to spend the night in the church. Did Oldroyd really see a ghost?
As ever with J R Ellis, the story is brilliantly plotted with various characters who could all be possible suspects. The police team are a likeable bunch and it’s nice to have police officers who appear to have a happy home life. The wintry setting really adds to the story and the book conveys the beauty as well as the inconvenience of heavy snow. I also loved the M R James quotes at the start of each chapter.
This is a great murder mystery and I definitely recommend it. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well that was an interesting book - I had thought it was going to be a cozy mystery but then it became very intense (which I really liked). It was fascinating and really learned a lot from it which I wasn't expecting to.

This is now an author that I will be looking at in the future.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Another excellent read from J.R. Ellis.
I’ve read all of the books in the series so far and I think each title betters the last, and this certainly is the best yet.
As always the calibre of writing is high , we find DCI Jim Oldroyd and his side kick Andy investigating the murder of a popular female vicar, with a hint of the supernatural.
The subject is also close to Jim’s heart due to his sister being a vicar , the police are unsure of the murder weapon as well as to the identity of the killer.
The writing is descriptive and at times atmospheric , the main characters are likeable , this is a perfect book for a winters afternoon , a hot chocolate in hand and lose yourself in the fabulous snowy depths of Yorkshire.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK.

Red herrings abound in this mystery that is the 7th in the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries. A female rector is murdered in the church at St. Anne's. DCI Oldroyd and his crew are stumped as to who or what killed the rector. They are stumped as to what killed her - and there are no clues during the initial stages of the investigation. They begin interviewing people surrounding the rector and several possible suspects emerge, but nothing definitive. The team follows the leads they find and turn up several possible motives as well. It was intriguing to follow the investigation and the findings as the case unfolds.

A well-plotted mystery and I enjoy the character DCI Oldroyd. I've only read two books from this series, but plan to read more.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on December 7, 2021.

This is the second J.R. Ellis Yorkshire Mystery I've read and my verdict is the same. Reasonably good plot but the writing is awkward. This is particularly true when it is important to obscure the gender of the object of the sentence. With a bit of reorganization the paragraph would flow smoothly but too often the less graceful path is chosen. One small oddity is a decision to open the French doors from the house into a garden during a party at the end of Jan. Mr. Ellis lives there, I don't, but the weather service says that the temps at the end of Jan are about 6 C/43 F, That's too cold for me. They are hardy people up there.

Although this is my first read in the Yorkshire Murder series and this is #7, I was certainly drawn into a gothic ghost story. Now I have to go back and read the other in this series!
Story opens with Rev Clare Wilcox being appointed the Bishop pf Kendall. She is excited about the promotion. She is currently the pastor of St. Anne’s which is described as medieval church. It is believe to be haunted by a monk who was put to death and now haunts the church.
Clare is scheduled to meet someone in the church, however no one is there. Suddenly someone appears and hits her. She is later found bludgeoned to death. Some believe she was killed by the mysterious monk.
Clare is described as kind and generous. She was also a pioneer in women’s causes.
Some believe that may be what caused her death. I, of course, prefer thinking it is the gothic ghost!

I always like reading the author’s notes and/or acknowledgements as we get the inside scoop into what inspired the author to write this novel. Author John R. Ellis tells us that St. Anne’s is fictional but is based on a number of Yorkshire churches. He also tells us that there is a church that has a giant pendulum hidden in its walls but is keeping the name a secret. Additionally he points out that many places exist and are not fictional ~e.g. Our Lady of the Crag and Mother Shipton’s Cave, etc.

Want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publication UK for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 7. 2021

I always love finding a new author, whose novels are perfect for me. How have I missed J.R. Ellis before this book? I read Murder at St Anne's and was happily entertained by this mystery. The plot was very good and kept me engrossed in solving this mystery about a murder with so many connections to 15th century history. Ellis' book borders on being a cosy mystery, which makes it a delight to read and solve for fans who enjoy some violence but who prefer a mental challenge to solve a crime. Murder at St Anne's is the 7th book in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. I am going to go back and read this series beginning with book 1. The characters are interesting and well-defined. I heartily recommend, this series and J.R. Ellis.
I thank the author and publisher for providing me with this ARC fro read and review. This review is my honest recommendation. Also a big thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to so many new authors.

This is book seven in the series and seems to stand alone. I haven’t read the previous ones but it didn’t seem to matter for this book. I thought it was a good mystery. I thought I had it figured out but of course I was wrong. If you like good British police/ detective type books, you definitely want to add this series to your list. I look forward to the next one.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Delightful, intriguing plot, the murder of Rev Clare Wilcox
She was a rector here at St Anne, a medieval church
Soon to be appointed Bishop, a rare opportunity
Well like, campaigning for many right organizations
A meeting at a side room, led to murder, then another
A hidden staircase, that held the pendulum.
A church that had rifts, and delicate matters.
A good flowing plot, the characters, and details clearly done
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
for Net Galley and Thomas Mercer.

Are there ghostly dealings afoot? On a cold snowy night, Clare is viciously murdered as others have been before at this age-old churchyard. While there are those who claim that a phantom is exacting his revenge for his own murder, the detectives on the case know that the killer is all too human. Who could possibly want the esteemed vicar dead?

I couldn't believe how quickly I was drawn into this book. Though it is the seventh in the series, this is the first Yorkshire Murder Mysteries story that I've read. And I have really been missing out. I can't tell you if it's the plotting, the characters themselves or the setting because they seamlessly form the ingredients to a book that fully captivates. All the elements combine to form a riveting story. Beyond the tale itself, is a thought-provoking study of prejudice and discrimination.

Although this is first and foremost a police procedural, it is not passionless or empty of emotion. The officers are thoughtful, caring people who are devoted to solving this crime. The reader gets a nice glimpse into their home lives as well as their interactions with each other. Their pool of suspects is a lively bunch of individuals, all with their own recognisable traits and personalities. It is this talent for sketching men and women that brings this book to life.

Highly recommended. Both fanciers of cosy mysteries and police procedurals will love Murder at St Anne's.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publishers for the chance to read this Advance Reader Copy. As always, my opinions are my own - true and freely given.

I’ve read one other book in this series and I enjoyed that one a bit more. This was a perfectly pleasant cozy mystery, but the previous book was much more clever and interesting by comparison.

This is #7 in the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries; this is the first time for me to read J.R. Ellis. The book, for me, probably rated about a 3.5. The story had a number of suspects who might be responsible for the death of a young female vicar who has received a promotion to move up to position of Bishop.

Chief Inspector Oldroyd must discover why the vicar was killed in her church. One thing he knows for sure is that the ghost who supposedly haunts the church did not kill her. Many interviews with members of the community, some of whom are also church members, lead the police down a lot of paths but not to the killer. Oldroyd tracks down the killer just in time.

The mystery surrounding the murder is ageless. What the author does do well is to draw attention to some very contemporary issues involving women and their struggles for equality within the church.

Murder at St. Anne's is the seventh book in the Yorkshire Murder series by J. R. Ellis. I have not read the previous offerings but was happy to find that I was able to follow this story as a standalone. I enjoyed the main characters, Inspector Oldroyd and his sergeant, Andy., and will definitely be going back to start reading the at the beginning of the series.

The story is fast paced and the writing flows nicely. This is a good book for a dark and wintry day at home. The characters are great. I enjoyed the ease with which they interacted. The plot was a well crafted mystery with several potential perpetrators.
One of the nice surprises to me was the attention to setting, especially the way the lead characters appreciated the beauty of winter, all the while bemoaning the bitterness of it.

The larger, political issues involving the church perplexed me, yet we know that biases, prejudice and rigidity continue to exist in our world.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon publishing UK and the author for the ARC of Murder at St. Annes. Worth the read!

5 stars

DCI Jim Oldroyd and DS Andy Carter and their team are back in this installment of the series. They have their hands full.

A woman rector has been murdered in her church. No one seems to know why she went in there that evening. The pathologist doesn’t have any idea about the murder weapon, only that it was a brutal killing.

The woman was a good friend of Jim’s sister Alison. Alison is devastated. She worked at Alison’s church for a short while and they became good friends. The dead woman had so much promise. She was kind and an excellent administrator. She was slated to become the next bishop.

The investigation begins in the middle of a heavy snow storm. It is slow going. There are those who hated the idea of women priests. They conjured up all kinds of nonsensical reasons for this. They thought no better of gay people.

Several of the witnesses have things to hide. Blackmail is afoot. A member of the congregation is also murdered, another is viciously attacked. What is going on? Andy and Jim have a conversation wondering if this is typical of churchgoers. Hypocritical Christians?

Through intense investigation, Jim and Andy make some revealing discoveries. The case begins to come together. Allison is threatened.

I really like the relationships between Jim and Andy and their spouses. It is so relaxed and friendly. But Jim can be tough as well. Allison is a treat. She keeps Jim on his toes. This book is very well written and I must say that perhaps this is the best of the series so far. I didn’t care for the ending of the book. For some reason it just felt too obvious. Ok. I was disappointed. I wanted it to be harder. (Even though I did not guess who was the killer.)

I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Murder as St. Anne's is a solid murder mystery/thriller. The crime is horrific and the investigation has a little bit of a spooky factor with a ghost story in the background. The characters are, for the most part, inoffensive and a bit flat. Maybe I just don't know them well enough. There are quick explanations of the past of most of them but nothing about any of them stood out as soon to be favorites of mine. All in all, a good mystery and an author I may revisit.

Perfect for a wintery Sunday afternoon! The plot was just complicated enough and the characters rounded enough to keep me interested.

This is one of those mysteries that gets under your skin.

When the female vicar of the local church is found bludgeoned to death in the most horrific of ways, the local British police have their work cut out for them as one by one all possible suspects are eliminated. However, the detective in charge of the case is one of those guys who’s like a dog with a bone : he nibbles and chews and tosses around the evidence in the case, assisted by some very adept younger members of the force, until he figures it out and justice is done.

The mystery alone would have made a good story. However, this story is elevated by commentary on the role of women in the English church (the story is set at a time when there is substantial unrest about this) as well as the role of women in the British police force. While this can sometimes feel a little heavy-handed, the historical commentary on relatively modern times is valuable, and leads to the resolution of the murder.

I was particularly taken with the character development in this story. Is it great literature? No. And it’s not meant to be. It is a frightful murder story with good detective work that will warm your heart..

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I look forward to reading more by J.R. Ellis.

The Yorkshire Murder Mystery series hits book number 7 and after being slightly disappointed with the last couple of outings for Oldroyd and colleagues Murder at St Anne’s sees a return to form with an enjoyable and very readable story.

Set appropriately in the depths of a snowstorm the storyline moves along at a good albeit never frantic pace with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure

Enjoyable.

Reverend Claire Wilcox rector of St Anne’s in Knaresborough, Yorkshire is on her way to a meeting with someone in the church ⛪️. The said person told her earlier that they had something to show her.

When she arrives at the church, she’s attacked with a blunt object by an assailant wearing a monk’s robe. Her body was later discovered by a churchwarden who had come to lock the church for the night.


Before she died, Claire was about to be consecrated as a bishop of Kendal. Who killed Claire and what was their motive?


DCI Jim Oldroyd and DS Andy Carter of the West Riding Police are called in to investigate. As they question suspects they learn from some of the churchgoers that Claire’s death might be connected to a legend of the ghost of a monk believed to haunt the church


Thank you to J. R. Ellis, NetGalley, and the Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC of this book.

Murder at St. Anne's by J. R. Ellis is a perfectly serviceable British mystery, a cozy almost. It didn't blow me away, but I did enjoy it. At times I found the language, even the dialogue, to be a little stilted, but it's a good story with lots of interesting characters, and I appreciated the comments on such topics as women and gays in the church. Well done, if a little underwhelming.

P. S. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the story of an old church and the rumor of hauntings, which is spread to explain the murder of the new woman priest. But investigators are not sure about that.

Probably not his best book, but still very enjoyable. As usual set in Yorkshire with very eloquent descriptions of the local area, in this case Knaresborough. It is set around a murder at St Anne’s church, hence the title with all the usual cast of police, Oldroyd, Andy, Steph etc and their back stories. It was a very clever plot trying to identify the killer from all the suspect, but I felt there was something lacking which I cannot quite put my finger on. The end was quite long winded with rants about women in the church, which I feel could have been condensed.
After all that it was still an engaging read.

This was a great book great characters and such a good storyline. I love this author and can't wait to read more

The shocking murder of the female vicar of St.Anne's church pits DCI Jim Oldroyd against a diabolically clever killer. Adding to the confusion is the lack of motive and no weapon on the scene. Oldroyd's sister, another vicar and close friend of the victim, has only kinds words to say about Rev.Clare Wilcox and is as stumped as her brother about the murder. A witness describes seeing the ghost of a long-dead monk fleeing the crime scene. As much as the author believes shining a light on hatred and bigotry cleanses it away, I think the past few years have shown that is not the case. .

Review of eBook

The brutal murder of Reverend Clare Wilcox, the rector of the parish church of Saint Anne’s, brings Detective Chief Inspector Jim Oldroyd and Sergeant Andy Carter to Knaresborough, Yorkshire to investigate. As word of the crime spreads, rumors arise that the well-liked rector, who was bludgeoned in the church she’d served for five years, was the victim of the ghost of a medieval monk.

A severe winter storm leaves DCI Oldroyd dealing with ever-deepening snow and the persistent stories of the monk haunting the church and seeking revenge. But for Oldroyd, the solution to the case hinges on the motives and opportunities of the members of the church's congregation.

Doubting that anything supernatural has occurred, Oldroyd and Carter continue their investigation only to find themselves caught up in a second murder. And, for DCI Oldroyd, the case is personal . . . his sister, Alison, is vicar of Kirkby Underside and a close friend of the murdered woman.

Can the detectives find the truth amid stories of a phantom murderer . . . or does the ghost of the long-dead heretic truly haunt the church, seeking his revenge?

=========

Seventh in the Yorkshire murder mystery series, this book works well as a standalone for readers who may not have read the earlier books in the series. This atmospheric story, filled with the chill of deep snow and an inexplicable crime, pulls the reader into the telling of the tale from the outset.

Well-drawn, believable characters, a strong sense of place, and an intriguing mystery keep the pages turning as the unfolding story takes several unexpected twists and turns. Several characters emerge as likely suspects, but readers may find themselves surprised by the murderer’s identity.

The mystery, solid and compelling, keeps readers involved as the investigation takes some surprising turns. Woven into the story are several unexpected revelations that become important to the case but also offer commentary on current attitudes and are deserving of serious consideration. At times, however, there are conversations that seem created solely to present a politically correct emphasis and these are a bit off-putting.

Each chapter begins with a short segment from an M. R. James book, a nice touch for the telling of the tale. Fans of mystery tales will find much to appreciate in this police procedural.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley
#MurderatStAnnes #NetGalley

Murder most foul! Who is so depraved as to commit a murder in a church?

The Reverend Clare Wilcox is found murdered in St Anne's church in Knaresborough, Yorkshire. It is obvious that the instrument used was heavy and blunt but there is no sign of such a weapon. DCI Jim Oldroyd and his Sergeant Carter from the West Riding Police are called in on the case and are totally baffled. Motive is another conundrum--Rev Wilcox was much beloved by her congregation, well respected by the church hierarchy and was about to be appointed Bishop of Kendal in a few months' time. Who could have hated her enough to kill her? And why? Oldroyd has studied English at Oxford and likes to use literary references to illuminate his cases, and Macbeth and Othello come to mind, their potential for greatness destroyed by evil influences.

Or maybe it's a cross between M.R. James, the ghost story writer, and Edgar Allen Poe. There are those in the parish who want to believe it was the work of the ghost that haunts the church--that of a heretic monk who was put to death in the early history of the church. And in fact, someone in monk's robes was seen leaving the church shortly after the murder was committed.

Oldroyd is not taken in by this superstition, even after being the recipient of a ghostly visitation during one night spent in the church. He's determined he'll find the murderer amongst the living, especially after a second crime is committed.

They are not lacking for motives once they start questioning possible suspects. They uncover misogyny and homophobia amongst church members, someone who has been accused of theft, another of adultery. But are any of those reasons enough to kill?

I have now read three books in J. R. Ellis' Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series and I think this one is my favorite so far. There's an old-fashioned feel about the story, even though many of the issues that come up are very modern day. The story is set in January in Yorkshire where they suffer through a major snowstorm. How ironic to find a real life story in the news just recently about dozens of people who were stranded in a Yorkshire pub by a blizzard for three days. Life mirroring fiction!

I received an arc of this new mystery from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy British police procedurals. It keeps you guessing till the end!

Although part of a series this book definitely stands alone. The characters are easy to picture in your minds eye, as well as the dialog flows well. It does keep you guessing up to the end with a whole slew of potential suspects. Several murders and almost murders are happening in a short amount of time and it all involves the church in a small village keeping all the inhabitants on edge. Good mystery with smooth writing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an early read for an honest opinion.

I hadn't read this author before, but I will now seek out others in the series. The setting is chilling, the plot well done and the characters true to life, except for the ghost, of course. The police were very well portrayed, which I liked. The mystery itself had many twists and I couldn't put it down.

Another DNF for me, I'm afraid. I was a few chapters into this book, thinking "Man, this writing is pretty wooden...it reminds me of that other NetGalley mystery I read and couldn't finish awhile ago"--and then checked and saw that this is by the same writer. I'm very sorry, NetGalley and J. R. Ellis. The setting and the premise of both books are great, but I just find myself unable to engage with the characters or the story because of the stilted writing and dialogue.

I could not get into this story. It was quite a dry read for me. Disappointing. It may appeal to others.

Murder At St. Annes
J.R. Ellis
December 7, 2021

J.R. Ellis Yorkshire Murder Mystery series is a very interesting piece of fiction that I discovered on social media the other day. I then looked it up via Amazon and found his series to be a very similar plot to the Brit show, Midsomer Murders. It takes place in Yorkshire in the small town of Knaresborough. St. Annes is an old church with a congregation that is adamant in the strong beliefs of the Church of England. When the Reverend Clare Wilcox was made rector in the church, it was not just the men who were unhappy with her placement. Recently the officials appointed her to a higher position in a new location but with the holiday season in full force the move would not be made until January.
After answering calls and working in her study, Clare left the vicarage to meet with a parishioner. They said that they had something to show her. Although it was late in the day she planned to leave after her forum. The church was unlocked yet dark throughout the 19th century sanctuary. There was a light in the small room near the west tower. Uneasy with the silence she called out for assistance but no answer. As many suspense tales from the English countryside begin on an alarming note, we find ourselves certain that the worst will happen.
Murder At St. Annes is the 7th book in the Yorkshire series. It's an entertaining yet spooky type of tale. It does read a bit slower as the verbiage is Brit English for the most part so the reader can get lost in the dialect. J.R. Ellis´s most recent book is published by Thomas & Mercier. It will be available to the public on December 7, 2021. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Murder At St. Annes. I have always enjoyed an English or Irish mystery but since we have immersed ourselves into different films via Acorn or BritBox it makes them more interesting and fun to read. Try this selection if you enjoy the Brits form of mystery. Enjoy.

I liked this book though I have never read the series or author before. I liked it well enough to read another installment in the series.
The mystery was intriguing and the characters well developed. The mystery focused on the murder of a female priest inside a church. The church has a reputation for being haunted, and the locals thought the ghost might be the killer. The extremist views about women in the Church of England priesthood were scary, as was certainly intended. I did not have the killer pegged. There were plenty of suspicious characters to keep the story interesting.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at St Anne's By J. R Ellis
The brutal murder of Reverend Clare Wilcox, the rector of the parish church of Saint Anne’s, brings Detective Chief Inspector Jim Oldroyd and Sergeant Andy Carter to Knaresborough, Yorkshire to investigate. As word of the crime spreads, rumors arise that the well-liked rector, who was bludgeoned in the church she’d served for five years, was the victim of the ghost of a medieval monk.

This is book 7 but does not seem to matter. Good read ,Thank you Netgally for letting me review this book

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of Murder at St Anne’s, the seventh novel to feature DCI Jim Oldroyd of the Yorkshire Police.

Oldroyd and the team are called to Knaresborough where the vicar, Clare Wilcox, has been murdered in her own church. With inexplicable injuries and no murder weapon local superstition is soon blaming a ghostly monk, although Oldroyd isn’t so sure, especially when more violence ensues.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder at St Anne’s, which is a good, old fashioned murder mystery with a dash of humour to leaven the subject matter. The writing is clunky with a propensity for stating the obvious, but that doesn’t detract from the mystery or the warmth between the characters. I look forward to every instalment.

The plot is the thing in this novel, like the others in the series, so everything is a mystery - motive, perpetrator and method. The first two are not revealed until the denouement but the weapon becomes apparent about half way through. The reader will have to be ready for another fiendishly obscure method of killing. No, it’s probably not realistic, but it’s entertaining and I would never have worked it out.

The novel held my interest throughout with the puzzles it presents. I like that there are no chapters from the killer’s point of view so it’s all down to the little grey cells. I obviously don’t have enough of them as it had me baffled.

I like the characters in this series. They are smart and there is a warmth in the team that makes reading about them a pleasure. I also like that the author tries to tackle a different social issue in each novel, albeit with a sledgehammer, and that Oldroyd always treats it as a learning experience.

Murder at St Anne’s is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Clare Wilcox is Rector of St. Anne's. In a few months, she will become a bishop. She has an appointment with someone from the church and goes across from the vicarage to the church. The church is dark, but there is a light in the small room near the west tower. As she approaches, there was a creaking noise, and she is hit by a tremendous blow. Her body was found not too long after, when the church wardon, Avison come to lock the church for the night.

Jim Oldroyd and Andy Carter are called in the investigate. They look around and can't find what killed her. The pathologist say it was a very heavy object which smashed her head, broke her neck and nearly ripped out her shoulder. There is a story in the church about a medieval monk who was put to death and now haunts the church. The heavy snow causes Oldroyd and Carter to sleep in the church. In the middle of the night Oldroyd wakes up and sees a monk watching them. However, Oldroyd is sure it's someone dressed up to scare them. It soon comes out that there are members of the church who do not approve of female Rectors or Bishops. There are several possible culprits, and the police check and recheck the alibis.

Oldroyd's older sister Alison, also a rector was a close friend and mentor to Clare. When Oldroyd and Carter finally figure out how and why the murder was done, they also realize that Alison might also be in danger.

I think this is the best book of the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries so far! It is plausible and exciting.

Chief Inspector was called to solve the murder at St. Anne's Church where the body of Rev. Claire was found in the church. Questioning the members, a lot seem to believe there is a ghost that haunts the church because they were unable to find the weapon that killed her. A very suspenseful story that has a surprise ending.

In the chilly depths of a Yorkshire winter, a well-liked rector Clare Wilcox 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.
This is the seventh book in the series & could quite easily be read on its own. Another very well written page turner which I made the mistake of starting on an evening so burned the midnight oil to finish it. The characters have depth & are well portrayed, there are plenty of red herrings as well as twists & turns & I was left guessing as to who the murderer was. I thoroughly enjoyed it & roll on book eight
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I throughly enjoyed this book.I have never read this author before but after this I will be starting the series at the beginning. The characters were appealing and I loved the small village and the story line.It kept me guessing right to the end.I will definitely recommend This book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
The seventh in the series but the first I have read. It works perfectly well as a standalone but certainly made me want to read the others. One might expect this to be a cozy but it is certainly not that. Great, likeable characters. Police detective s who have a life,, family, and other interests. A plot that makes you think you have solved the crime and then it twists. Great read.

This novel is the latest in a series set in the Yorkshire area of Britain. I have fond memories of exploring in that area during one of our trips to England so that nostalgia figured in my enjoyment of this novel. I didn't have any problem taking up the series in this 7th book because the author was very generous in providing in depth background of all the principal characters, especially the police who formed the group to investigate the death of The Reverend Clare Wilcox, rector of St. Anne's church. The ghostly figure of a monk has been seen by many people around St. Anne's and the police have about all they can handle to keep the press and parishioners from attributing this murder to that otherworldly specter.

I enjoyed the way the author set the atmosphere of this investigation by including the weather as a hindrance to getting the initial investigation under way. I also liked the depth of the characters and can understand why readers would want to follow their activities throughout a series of crimes and investigations. The spectral Monk added a creepiness factor and the weather nearly made me freeze to death so those two aspects alone made this an enjoyable novel to read.

I read this book as an ARC.
I have read several of J.R. Ellis's murder mysteries set in West Yorkshire before starring DI Jim Oldroyd and DS Andy Carter.
This one is better than most and involves the murder of a Church of England (Anglican) priest in the parish church. Rev. Wilcox is a woman and soon to become a bishop.
The two detectives have a tough and bizarre case to solve when another murder and two assaults take place confusing everyone.
I loved the plot, the police work, and the typical village characters. It takes a while to even figure out the murder weapon, to say nothing of vague suspects and secrets withheld throughout.
As always, Ellis keeps the reader hopping and turning pages.
Recommend for mystery lovers everywhere.

"Murder at St. Anne's" was a good murder mystery. The book starts off with a paragraph about M.R. James, a late 19th/early 20th century author famous for his English ghost stories, often set in churches, libraries, graveyards, etc. Each chapter of the book starts with an excerpt from one of M.R. James' stories, and DCI Oldroyd is familiar with the books and mentions them in connection with the murder investigation at the center of this book, which involves the mysterious murder of Reverend Clare Wilcox, the vicar of St. Anne's. I appreciate that J.R. Ellis pays homage to a fellow writer and does so in an effective manner.

Clare's murder is mysterious because she was killed by blunt force trauma but there is no obvious murder weapon; the manner of death, once revealed, is quite creative. There are also a number of possible suspects, but no clear motive. Some of the parishioners were opposed to female priests, and were open about their opposition, but they said they got along with and liked Clare. One of the major themes of the book is the misogynistic views of some of the parishioners, and how they have distorted Biblical teachings to support their viewpoint. Adding to the mystery is the legend that the church is haunted by a monk who was persecuted and murdered by church officials centuries ago and went to his death cursing his killers, and who has been blamed for a series of mysterious deaths over the centuries, and who some parishioners claim to have seen. One of the strengths of the story is that multiple characters are hiding secrets, and appear as plausible suspects, or at least know more than they are letting on. The author reveals just enough details to keep the reader guessing about the possible killer and possible motive; in the end, the killer and motive are both surprising and not surprising. Adding to the suspense is that Clare was good friends with and had been mentored by vicar Alison Oldroyd, the sister of DCI Oldroyd, adding an extra personal dimension to the case.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This book is set in Yorkshire UK and is the 7th book of the series. A woman rector is found bludgeoned to death in her own church. A local superstition blames the ghost of a medieval monk believed to haunt the building. DCI Jim Oldroyd takes on the case with his assistant, Sergeant Andy Carter. Has Oldroyd really found himself in the midst of a Gothic ghost story or is there a very real killer at large? I never read this author before but I did enjoy his writing. He gave interesting details about the Church of England and why men should be in charge of running the church. Many of the well-developed characters were suspects and they kept me guessing who the murderer was. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming. I look forward to reading more from this author. If you like British mysteries, then I am sure you would enjoy this one. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for a free copy for an honest review.

I had no problems with not having read the first six books in this series. I know the area of Yorkshire where the book takes place and have many pleasant memories of my time there. The author sprinkled in enough backstory of the main characters without creating info dumps.

I loved the snippets from the ghost stories that started each chapter. The only negative thing I found about the book, some chapters were exceptionally long.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Murder: A Medieval Monk, or a Live Murderer

St. Anne’s in Knaresborough, in Yorkshire, is an ancient church with a history of ghostly doings. A medieval monk seeking revenge is rumored to walk the church at night looking for victims. The Reverend Clare Wilcox is the latest victim. She was found bludgeoned to death in the church where she had gone to meet a parishioner.

DCI Oldroyd and Sargeant Andy Carter are assigned the case. Oldroyd finds it hard to believe that a ghost is killing people, but with no obvious murder weapon and parishioners convinced of the reality of the ghost, he has a difficult time. The case is personal for Oldroyd. Clare Wilcox was the protege of his sister Alison, also a cleric. The weather is no help. Knaresborough experiences a snow storm that has Oldroyd and Andy spending the night in the church complete with a visitation from the ghost.

This is another delightful glimpse of Yorkshire. I am always drawn into the story as much by the description of the area as the plot. Oldroyd is unperturbed by the unusual aspects of the case and works step by step to uncover the truth. I particularly like mysteries where the detective gathers information and finds clues rather than violence and chasing criminals.

The interactions between the main characters are well done. However, I did miss Stephanie, Oldroyds other assistant. She made only brief appearances. The plot moves well and keeps you guessing about the motives of the people in town and particularly about the method of murder. I recommend this one. It’s part of a series, but this book can be read as a standalone.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

This is the 7th book in the series and as I had not read the previous books I was worried that I might not know what was going on, but this story stands alone and can be read separately. This is a great story and reminds me of a British TV series that I watch a lot called Midsomer Murders. I can't wait to read the previous books in this series.

Blizzard Conditions, Deepening Snow….
The seventh in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series finds DCI Jim Oldroyd with a veritable conundrum when a seemingly well liked and well respected rector is found bludgeoned to death in her church. Amidst blizzard conditions and deepening snow, Oldroyd struggles to solve a case further hampered by ghostly tales.of the supernatural. With well crafted characters and a nicely portrayed mystery this is an immersive, entertaining read and a worthy addition to this most enjoyable series.

It's is said we are all only six degrees away from someone else. In this case, the victim is a close friend to the responding DCI officer's sister. Making those six degrees very small indeed. But who would want to kill a pastor who was so well loved by all? The more he digs, the more Oldroyd finds more possible suspects, but not enough motive. This is a great add to the series, bringing in strengths of character from Oldroyd and his team, and allowing them to shine. If you love the series, don't miss this one, if you're new to it, this is a good late entry!

7th book in the series, but my 1st introduction to the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries. Beloved Rev Clare Wilcox at St Anne’s is found brutally murdered in the church. DCI Oldroyd and Sergeant Andy Carter are on the case. There are many possible suspects and a ghostly Monk thrown into the mix. A very good who done it mystery that will keep you guessing. The characters are realistic and the storyline will keep you turning pages. Now to backtrack and read the previous books.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #MurderatStAnnes

Murder at St Anne's is a fun, quick mystery for cozy mystery lovers. DCI Jim Oldroyd and his partner Andy Carter are called in to investigate when Reverend Clare Wilcox is found murdered in her own church under mysterious circumstances. Between the blizzard and rumors of the ghost of a murderous monk this was a fun winter mystery for mood readers. The writing style is a bit tell not show for me, but overall I enjoyed this book. This is the seventh mystery in a series, but can be read as a standalone. Unlike some mystery series, there don't seem to be any personal storylines that develop throughout the series, so I didn't feel like I was missing out or coming in at the middle of the story.

Murder at St. Anne's was a solid murder mystery, however, my rating was based on the characters and the flow of the story.

Characters:
The characters fell flat for me. I was not cheering for or against them and was extremely indifferent to them. I am a reader that needs to connect with the characters in some way regardless of who they are written to be. I love a really good villian, so the character does not necessarily have to be pleasant for me to appreciate them. The characters in Murder at St. Anne's were dull and very two dimensional. The conversations between them were mundain and seemed to be more of an inconvenience between characters as opposed to a growth or relationship development opportunity. Conversations between "old friends" seemed forced and not genuine in any way. Even news of a death did not seem to phase other characters which is something I need to feel in characters that I am reading.

Story Flow:
J.R. Ellis provided a good environment for this murder mystery. I appreciated the references to the scenery and the details in the churches. The paragraph flow was not as smooth and easy to read. I would sometimes lose focus during character conversations because the characters themselves did not seem invested in the conversations so why should I? The conversations also felt forced throughout the book, the characters did not seem like they wanted to be in the novel which made the story drag on. Again, the murder mystery aspect of the story was interesting enough, but I felt no connection to the events occuring and the transition from one sceen to another was sudden and did not transition nicely.

Overview:
I wanted to love this book, it seemed like a light and fun winter murder mystery, but the story seemed more religious to me than an actual story. I hope that makes sense. The religious aspect and the setting were more developed than the characters were. I felt like the focus could have been a little more balanced and a little more focus on the development of characters instead of short insights into their past woud have made things flow a little better for me.

Nice mystery, works as a stand alone, and enough red herrings to keep readers occupied. My only problem was occasionally the explanations slowed down the story flow. Good descriptions of Irish countryside and culture, enough to hook you in.

Murder at St. Anne’s by J.R. Ellis

Nineteen forties England seemed like a safe place to live, unless you belonged to Queen Anne’s church. DCI Oldroyd and DS Andy Carter are called to the case of a murder in the sanctuary.

Oldroyd is a seasoned and esteemed police investigator and is determined to get to the bottom of the bizarre killing of the Rev. Clare Wilcox. Was this brutal crime really done by a fabled monk?

Many well developed characters from the church are questioned and suspected for various reasons. There is a real push by the author to point out the misogyny and homophobia that existed/exists in organized religion.

More bad deeds occur before the killer is through, but be prepared for a satisfying ending. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher.

I was so glad to see there was a new Yorkshire murder mystery. This time DS Andy Carter is in the field with DCI Jim Oldroyd. I like this series. It keeps you interested until the very end. There is enough background to keep you interested in the continuing characters, yet you could read this as a standalone book. There is comic relief, action, a couple of deaths and, in this one a ghost. It was a very good read.

A long dead monk said to haunt St. Anne’s Gothic Church is the prime suspect in the murder of Reverend Clare Wilcox. She’s found dead in the Church with the same severe head and neck injuries the monk has suffered when he was thrown off a cliff for heresy.

Of course, DI Oldroyd knows that someone other than the monk, whose presence has often been felt in St. Anne’s and who may have been responsible for other deaths, is the real killer but it won’t be easy to find him/her. Suspects abound: several members of the congregation are opposed to female priests, a staff member had just argued with Clare and there were rumored to be money problems. And Olroyd and his partner Andy Carter have to fight the weather. It’s winter in Yorkshire and the snow is piling up.

Murder at St. Anne’s is a welcome addition to the Yorkshire Murder series. The mystery is well plotted, with vivid characters, especially Alison, Donald Alison and the congregation gossips The history of West Riding locales and the descriptions of local landmarks are excellent. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and J.R.Ellis for this ARC.

First time reading this author so had a bit of catch up along with this murder. When it happened at the church the victim loved many say a ghost did the dead. Intriguing though that is a real killer needs to be found. DCI Oldroyd and gang are tasked for that. Nothing to go on makes for a difficult case. As things do come to light turn the pages to see who that "ghost" might be.

This wasn’t my favorite. While I enjoyed the plot, I felt the writing wasn’t flowing very well. It felt clumsy and was at times confusing and boring. There was a lot of telling rather than showing. I do appreciate net galley providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

A very intriguing murder with a locked room like story and a ghost at play as well.. St Anne"s parish is targetted when Rev. Clare Wilcox is murdered.
From there there is a wild ride into ancient deaths of monks, bias to the changes in the priesthood, and a mysterious and cause of death.
A book that was hard to put down, with very "now " attitudes that go beyond.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward o the next one .

This was a very good story. It combined so much - the ecclesiastical scene in modern times but with its age old
ideologies and sometimes old fashioned ideas so out of place in modern times, then you get the clergy themselves
trying to keep up with the 21st century, also trying to appease those parishioners who are slightly behind them,
and the myriad secrets that people all over the world have.

We have a murder. The vicar - a woman popular, compassionate and friendly has been brutally murdered and even the weapon that was used is a puzzle to the detectives. No outward clues. No scandals in the background. She was ear marked for a bishopric and could this be the cause for the women hating members of her congregation.

The detection set against a harsh wintry landscape is very descriptive and the two Detectives on the case go forward
very slowly because clues keep getting unearthed - but mainly of secrets that people would want hidden but which really
do not have a bearing on this murder. When the second murder happens we know that the ghost of St Annne's is definitely
not behind the murders and then a foiled murder attempt sets the pace up a bit faster as we know our murderer is not
going to stop.

The book is a page turner. One that will please any mystery murder reader never mind those of a eclesiastical bent.

A rector died, was he killed by a living person or a ghost? That is what the detectives on the case must figure out.

Yorkshire, law-enforcement, false-information, family, church-politics, murder-investigation, murder, procedural, friendship, red-herrings, ghost-hunting, scandal, extortion, secrets*****

The vicar, the ghost (?), and the constabulary. In Yorkshire. In vile snow weather. The publisher's blurb is a nice hook and doesn't give away too much, but it doesn't tell about the DCI and his DS having to spend a night camping out on the floor of the church where the vicar was murdered (they were snowed in. It was quite a slog for them to work out who were all the liars and how the ghost was faked, but the constabulary prevailed. It's always nice to read about law enforcement members who work well together and about their families who are not at odds with The Job! Loved it in all its weirdness.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you!

This is an author that I never hesisitate to pick up and have enjoyed her books from the start. His writing style and attention to details give life to his stories. This is a mystery book that I enjoyed from the start. I enjoyed being pulled into the story by the creative characters. They are not only connectable but kept the story engaging. This is a story that is full of mystery and hard to put down. As the search for the murder weapon and the supsititions leaves a ghost haunting the building. I really enjoyed this story and what the characters brought to the story. This is a fast paced story that brought mystery to a new level and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this book and this author.

I am very much enjoying this police procedural series set in the Yorkshire Dales in England. I am jumping around a bit and not reading it in order but it does not seem to matter.

Murder at St Anne's is the latest book in the series and it begins with a murder in a church. The cause of death is a very violent blow but how it has occurred is unknown. Luckily DCI Oldroyd and his offsider, Andy, are on the case although impeded by a very heavy snowfall which makes travel difficult and sometimes impossible.

There are plenty of red herrings, some very entertaining characters and a general feeling that basically all is alright with the world despite the bad things which sometimes happen. Every time I read this author's books I am grateful that someone writes stories where the main characters are normal people who support each other when times get hard.

The best part is I still have four more books in the series on my Kindle waiting to be read!

Author John R. Ellis released on 7 December his latest novel “Murder at St Anne’s”. This novel is the seventh in his ‘Yorkshire Murder Mystery’ series.

I categorize this book as ‘R' due to scenes of violence. The primary character is DCI Jim Oldroyd. Oldroyd and his Detective Sergeant Andy Carter are called to an old church where a body has been found. Reverend Clare Wilcox had been well-liked at the church and she had been chosen to fill the post of Bishop. Her brutal death comes as a shock to her congregation and church officials.

This case comes close to home for Oldroyd. The dead woman had been his sister’s friend and church colleague. At first, no motives appear in this small Yorkshire village for the murder. Soon though, Oldroyd discovers that many in the congregation are hiding secrets. Some of which might have justified the brutal murder of their rector. Oldroyd had not expected to find bigotry, blackmail, embezzlement, and adultery at the church.

The missing weapon used to bludgeon the woman mystifies the police. Local superstitious tales of a ghost haunting the church muddle the investigation. As Oldroyd narrows his focus on the suspects, one is murdered and another attacked. In the end, he must race to stop the killer from attacking a fourth victim.

I enjoyed the 7.5 hours I spent reading this 283-page mystery. I had not read any of the prior novels in this series. This novel reads well on its own without the background. I liked that Ellis kept the identity of the killer hidden until near the end of the novel. I like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

I have read all the book in this series and have enjoyed every one of them. This story is full of suspense and interesting characters. It keeps you entertained from the beginning to the end. I would recommend this to all mystery lovers!

The best compliment I can give is that after reading this, the #7 in series, I want to go back and read the earlier books. I liked the Yorkshire village setting, range of characters and unique storyline. Good job using a wintery weather event to add to the intrigue. Thanks to #NetGalley and #MurderatStAnnes
For advanced digital copy.

Another grea read joy Ellis and her character Inspector Oldroyd a thoroughly enjoyable read kept me intrigued right to the end. A most unusual plot concerning the role of women in the church today.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Murder at St Anne’s by J R Ellis
This is the seventh book in the DCI Jim Oldroyd series.
Vicar Clare Wilcox is found dead in her own church, badly beaten in the small Yorkshire town of Knareborough expressions of shock and disbelief are everywhere
Clare was a much loved Reverend and everything was wonderful, but was it, as Jim and his sergeant Andy start to investigate cracks appear it everything was running as smooth as people are trying to portray.
Some attitudes in the book are quite upsetting but there are still people with these beliefs.
A thoughtful read

The plot involving a parish priest who happens to be a woman, set the stage for modern views of anti-feminism.as well as the hidden motives of all the characters involved. The book tended to slow down in the middle with extraneous information and explanations, but overall kept the reader in suspense to the end. The setting during a snowstorm in old English towns and dark ancient churches gave an added atmosphere of suspense to an original story. The characters were clearly drawn and recognizable. I would recommend this book, especially when the weather outside is cold and dreadful.

Murder at St Anne’s is the seventh book in the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series featuring DCI Jim Oldroyd and his loyal DS Andy Carter. These are gentle old-fashioned detective stories, usually with some form of locked-room puzzle, set in and around the small towns of Yorkshire. I’ve read them all in order but you don’t need to - each is a separate mystery and they don’t spoil each other if you do happen to read them out of order.

A popular Anglican priest is found bludgeoned to death in her church, but the murder weapon is a mystery. Locals think the mad medieval monk who haunts the village is responsible, but Oldroyd soon discovers that all the parishioners are hiding secrets - who amongst them was desperate enough to kill?

I’ve enjoyed this whole series, although had reservations about the last one - some of the same issues crop up, like the recapping of things we already know between characters, the overly similar names (there’s a Walker, Warner, Watkins, Wilcox & Walshaw) and the obsession with our heroes diet and what their partners allow them to eat - but they didn’t bug me as much this time, and the investigation was much more realistic. I liked the quotes from early 20th century ghost-story writer MR James, and the vivid descriptions of Knaresborough, which turns out to be a real place - check it out on google images, it’s gorgeous.

There is some thoughtful social commentary on misogyny and homophobia within the church but it doesn’t overwhelm the plot. There is violence but minimal gore, and the characters’ relationships take a back seat in this one. I didn’t guess whodunnit or why, although the clues were there; as ever the villain eventually reveals all their twisted reasoning in classic Golden Age Mystery fashion - somehow they never have lawyers insisting they say “No Comment” to every question like other modern procedurals - much less fun. Overall this was a well plotted and researched detective story which gets the series back on track after the implausibilities of the previous instalment and I look forward to reading more of Oldroyd’s adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC and apologies that my review is a little late. I am posting my honest opinions voluntarily. Murder at St Anne’s is available now.

This was the mystery I’ve been waiting for. Lots of red herrings, beautiful backdrop (Yorkshire area), and lots of characters with secrets. I will definitely be reading more books in this series. This was book #7, but it can be read as a standalone. I will say that I thought the author belabored the topic of women and gays in the church a little much at the end, but that theme was crucial to the story.

Murder at St Anne's - J. R. Ellis

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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…

This is the third book I have read in the series and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It really helps that these are set in my local area so I can picture the towns Ellis describes. Once again the plot is plagued with red herrings to mislead the reader right up to big reveal at the end.

Each book is an isolated case so it is possible to read this series in any order. With a slow plot, this book is an easy mystery to get lost in. Fans of mysteries should enjoy this series.

Rating: 4/5

This is a series and whilst I've read 2 of the other books you could easily follow if you hadn't read any before.

I enjoyed this cosy murder mystery and the picture of the Yorkshire countryside that the author depicted.

It was sometimes confusing as the author calls people by both their surname and their first name interchangeably. Namely calling the women by their first name and men by the surname which is a gripe ive flagged before.

Overall though I enjoyed this book and would read more in the series.

Thanks for the arc.

I received an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this British murder mystery. A complex story that kept me guessing. Very well written. I'll be reading more by this author.

The 7th in the series, this book was still easy and enjoyable to read even though I haven’t read the earlier ones….I will now.
A vicar at St. Anne’s church, the Rev. Clare Wilcox, is soon to be named Bishop. When she is found murdered in the church with no plausible explanation the work begins for police officer Jim Oldroyd and his team. The realistic interactions between the characters, and the well written way they are each described really drew me in, as did the plot, involving prejudices and a gothic ghost story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book, I’ve already downloaded the first two.

This book had an interesting setting and plot, and the characters were developed in a way that provided multiple suspects and some red herrings. The writing was distracting in many places, especially the dialogue. Too much telling (rather that using sensory and figurative language) made so much of the story feel rote.

Mystery series set in the Yorkshire dales and as usual well written and provides plenty of beautiful descriptions of the area.
7th of the series featuring DCI Oldroyd and DS Carter, giving more insight into their personalities and backgrounds.
A popular female priest is found dead in her church and although she was well liked some felt she should not be in situ. Some interesting views on modern culture within the church and a good storyline with the addition of the sightings of a ghostly monk.
Well worth a read and thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Claire Wilcox was a rising star in the Anglican church, all set to become bishop when she is brutally murdered in her church. DCI Jim Oldroyd & DS Andy Carter arrive they find that apart from having been hit by a heavy object the murder weapon is unknown. As the snow piles down the pair are stuck in Knaresbrough & some locals are only too eager to blame the monk who haunts the church! As they investigate it seems that although Claire was very popular with some of her flock there were a number who were decidedly opposed to women in the ministry. When another person is killed and another is attacked it is a race to stop the murderer.

This is a series I have dipped in & out of but each book has worked well as a standalone. The cold, the spookiness of the setting was well done & I really like the main characters. I didn't guess 'whodunit' but I'm used to that! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book

A murder in an English church. The premise of the mysterious murder, How was it done?, I was disappointed in this book and felt myself pushing through to finish it. Perhaps reading earlier books in the series would have helped. I never really felt connected to the detectives and the range of suspects. Early on it seemed obvious who the murderer was and why it took so long was not clear. A few of the plot threads were left hanging at the end of the book.

Prettyrun of the mill British murder mystery. It began as a lively romp down classic English village crime with engaging characters; however the author lost the pace two-thirds through. Traditional unlikely murder mis en scene morphedi into outlandish and, honestly, rather tedious, climactic drama. It’s too bad. Had the book ended before one more drawn out murder attempt and entrapped endangered female, the book would have been a strong good average mystery.

A well plotted and compelling mystery, full of twists and red herring.
i liked this story that kept me turning pages, the mystery is solid and the characters are fleshed out.
This is a good series and I think this story is one of the best so far.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book, Murder at St. Annes’s.

In the quiet village of Knaresborough in Yorkshire, an Anglican Priest is going to a meeting, not knowing that it was her last day of her life. When her battered body is found, DCI Oldroyd and DS Andy Carter are sent to investigate, and find a cast of characters who either loved the priest or disliked the fact that the church allowed women in the priesthood. Throw in allusions to a ghost of a monk from ancient history and you have an engaging story of a British police team trying to unravel the clues and the stories of the people who could have murdered the priest.

This is an entertaining series where the policemen have normal lives outside of the office and the countryside is inviting, as long as you are not threatened by a murderer.

This is my third JR Ellis book. I enjoyed all of them. I love the English authors and mysteries, and this story and plot was unique, stand alone, and good characterization.

This was the first book I have read by this author. It started out strong, but then about 40% in it felt like it was just dragging along, a lot of character dialogue that had nothing to do with furthering the story, and pretty enmeshed in religion. I honestly liked the beginning then got bored as the book went on (kind of felt droning). I might try some of his other books, but with a more open eye as to if they are abandon-able.

I'm afraid I have to admit that I didn't get to the half before I decided to quit altogether. This has very little to do with the writing in itself, although I must say that characters were a bit flat, and especially dialogues were rather clunky.
I did not finish it because of the themes: the whole story revolves around the church and the misogyny and homophobia that still are very present with the congregation - at least in this book. As I'm not a churchgoer, I wouldn't know how it is in reality, but here I found it too affronting.

Another issue that I had was the very detailed descriptions of the hierarchy that are instilled in the church. I don't like it when procedurals emphasize the hierarchy structure of the police force, especially when full names and acronyms are used all the time, and police officers seem to think that their structure and person are above the "members of the public". The exact same sense of egotism is found here, as leaders of faith are feeling above their "flock". Let's just say that this pushes my buttons, and I'm just not feeling like being rattled all the time.

All in all, probably a very nice addition to the series, just not for me.
A sincere thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 7 in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. In this one, a rector is found murdered in her church. Locals suspect the ghost that is said to haunt the building. The Inspector and his assistant, don't believe it, but they struggle to find a better suspect. Can they find the true killer before he strikes again?

I am loving this series , it gets better with every new book. I was gripped from the first page and enjoyed reading it to the end.

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*.

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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.

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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. 🖤

📚

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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!

[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

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.

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 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.

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!

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.