Published by Quercus,
20 August 2020.
ISBN: 978-1-52940-228-5 (PBO)
20 August 2020.
ISBN: 978-1-52940-228-5 (PBO)
Kitt
Hartley is a librarian at a university library in York and she is passionate
about books and research. Kitt does not enter into relationships lightly but,
in the last few months, she has become increasingly close to her boyfriend,
Detective Inspector Malcolm Halloran. The story opens with Halloran receiving a
phone call that informs him that a young woman has been murdered in Irendale, a
village on the moors, where Halloran had once lived. The thing that shocks Halloran
is that the details of the killing of the new victim, Amber Downing, match the
use of Anglo Saxon runes that were used by the serial killer who murdered
Halloran’s wife, Kamala, and six other victims. Halloran had caught his wife’s
killer, a colleague of his own, but now he fears that the serial killer has got
an accomplice who is carrying on his evil work.
Halloran is badly affected by this new
development and realises that he has not got over Kamala’s death as well as he
thought he had. He is given compassionate leave and knows that he must return
to Irendale to discover the truth. Kitt insists on accompanying Halloran to
help him in his unofficial investigation and they rent a cottage just outside
the village. Soon it becomes obvious that Kitt has more in common with the
murdered woman than the police officers; Amber was an archivist, specialising
in the Anglo-Saxon era, as well as a champion Scrabble player. This is
confirmed when the investigating detective share with them the information that
Amber had a note in her pocket with one word written on it, which Kitt
immediately identifies as the opening word of Beowulf. Kitt’s academic
knowledge and empathy for Amber blends well with Halloran’s detective skill
but, as they draw closer to the truth, it becomes clear that the killer is
watching them and Kitt’s life is threatened.
Murder on the Moorland is the third book in the series featuring Kitt Hartley and
it is a series that goes from strength to strength. I especially admire the
skill with which the author weaves in the necessary back stories, providing
just the right amount of information in a way that never slows the action. The
characters are lively and quirky but also warm and likeable, and the plot is
interesting and plays to the central protagonist’s skills. Alongside the murder
mysteries, the Kitt Hartley novels have a central theme of healing old scars,
both physical and emotional, and helping the protagonists to discover the
strength to reclaim their lives and make new relationships. Murder on the
Moorland is a very enjoyable read, with a delightful protagonist, which I
recommend.
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Reviewer: Carol Westron
Helen Cox
is a Yorkshire-born novelist and poet.
After completing her MA in creative writing at the University of York St. John
Helen wrote for a range of magazines and websites as well as for TV and radio
news. Helen has edited her own independent film magazine and penned three
non-fiction books. Her first two novels were published by HarperCollins in
2016. She currently hosts The Poetrygram podcast and works for City Lit,
London. Helen’s new series of cosy mysteries stars librarian-turned-sleuth Kitt
Hartley and is set in York.
Carol Westron is a successful short story writer and a Creative
Writing teacher. She is the moderator
for the cosy/historical crime panel, The Deadly Dames. Her crime novels are set both in contemporary
and Victorian times. The Terminal
Velocity of Cats the first in her Scene of Crimes novels, was published
July 2013. Carol recently gave an interview to Mystery People. To read the
interview click on the link below.
To read a review of Carol latest book This Game of Ghosts click on the title.
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