Cover Image: DARKNESS ON THE FENS

DARKNESS ON THE FENS

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Member Reviews

This is the first Nikki galena book that I’ve read and there were a number of characters so I feel I could have benefited from reading the earlier books first to familiarise myself. It did however still work as a stand-alone with a good plot. Will look out the others in the series

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A great story with familiar characters. The Dark Greenborough festival is underway and there is a murderer on the streets determined to make it even darker still. A gripping read.

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I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

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This is one intense, twisted, dark and addictive novel! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. Compulsive, gripping and horrifying! Will keep you on the edge of your seat!

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I feel like a broken record praising the work Joy Ellis, but this is another winner, this time in the Nikki Galena series, and quite possibly my favorite so far.

The story centers on the Dark Greenborough festival, which capitalizes on the town’s creepy history, inviting people to explore the ghouls and cemeteries of the village. But something way more sinister than someone in a costume is lurking in the crowds. People start dying, painfully, and it’s up to Nikki sand the team to sort through the strange characters invading the streets and figure out how and why this serial killer is working, before more people die.

The book is part of the Nikki Galena series and continues the character development from previous books, but it could certainly be read as a standalone novel.

This book really scores with atmosphere. The festival makes a great background for the case and gives the team plenty to sort through, making the case difficult to decipher. Ellis is great at doing those little details to her books that make the plots even better and brighter. Cemeteries, old houses and historic crime scenes - what more could you ask for!

The ending was very good, and satisfying, particularly in regards to the characters, who loyal readers have gotten to know throughout these town books. I am really excited to see Nikki, Eve, Joseph, etc. grow and look forward to where they go in the future.

This series is great for anyone that loves a good mystery/thriller. I can’t recommend it enough.

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Another book that’s been sitting gathering dust on my NetGalley shelf. I heard the next in the series is out very soon so I thought I had best read this one!

Before I go on I will point out this is the tenth in the series, but it can be read as a standalone without feeling like you’ve missed too much.

A serial poisoner nicknamed the Coachman is terrorising the streets of Greenborough during the annual Dark Greenborough festival, targeting unsuspecting revellers. Nikki Galena and her team are on the case but it’s proving a bit too much for her team. Will she manage to solve it before one of her team takes matters too far?

Darkness on The Fen is a dark police procedural with a bit of a creepy edge to it.

The mystery was really intriguing and packed with tension, I had no idea who the culprit was until it was revealed. Plus I loved the addition of Eve Anderson, Nikki’s mum, and her band of ‘wrinklies’ getting in on the investigating, they gave it a little bit of light relief with their easy banter and humour. I really would love to see Eve get her own series!

Darkness On The Fens is a fantastic addition to this series and I’d highly recommend it if you love police procedurals.

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I enjoyed reading this book. Very atmospheric I could imagine myself in that town enjoying the festival.

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This is the 10th book about Nikki Gelena and her team. This time the Dark Greenborough Festival is coming to town and there is a serial killer on the loose. There are. countless murders to keep you guessing and an ending you will definitely not see coming. Thanks to Netgalley for this book.

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As always another first class read from Joy Ellis.
I absolutely love this series of books everything about the books is just what you want as a reader. The books hold your attention the whole way through and leave you wanting more with every page that you read.
The characters are first class and I feel over this series I've really gotten to know them all. Following the characters for me is just as important as the story line because if we didn't have amazing characters there wouldn't keep being amazing story lines.
A series well worth reading, and well worth reading in order.
Joy Ellis is one author that I love reading all her books, not just one series, every book written has been brilliant in it's own way. I do however have a soft spot for Nikki and Joseph and think the author should just keep writing about them. lol

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I hadn’t read the other books in the series, so there were a few references to past events that made little sense to me, but they weren’t vital to the story. I found the main characters engaging enough, and the story was fairly gripping. I did find it a little hard to believe that an investigating officer would allow her mum and three friends to take part in the investigation in the way they did – and actually I’m not sure that this added much to the story. Most of what they seemed to do could have been done by any other character.

The motivation behind the murders was a little weak – I could understand why the first murder could be as a result of the motivation (sorry, trying not to give spoilers) but the continued murders…I’m not sure. The start was a bit slow – I was tempted to give up, but am glad I didn’t – and there were places where I felt it was a bit baggy, and could have done with some editing, to speed the action along a little.

I’ll give this 3.5 stars (rounded down, I’m afraid, for Net Galley) but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing to read any others in the series.

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I have been a massive fan of Joy's since I first read Buried on the Fens back in July 2017 and have read every book since, plus have the Jackman and Evans series on audio.
This is book 10 in the Nikki Galena series, and feels like meeting up with an old friend after a while, where we slip straight back into getting to know her again and the way she works.
Even though this is book 10 in the series you don't need to have read any of the other ones as, like a lot of good crime series, this book works very well as a stand alone book.
This book revolves around the Dark Greenborough Festival, a very dark event celebrating all things superstitious. As a side note I really enjoyed this as have just finished watching a series on Netflix about Dark Tourism and felt that this festival would fit perfectly in that.
The book starts off with a letter arriving on Nikki's desk threatening people will die at the festival. They all hope that this is some kind of sick joke, but soon the bodies turn up.
The dead bodies that do turn up appear to have died due to alcohol poisoning, making the deaths very hard to link and find a reason that the victims were chosen.
Throughout the book there are lots of tantalising clues as to who is doing it, but also lots of little red herrings, making it tricky to work out exactly what is happening. This book did drag slightly in places, but overall I was hooked as I loved the book and couldn't wait to get to the conclusion and find out who was doing it.
This is yet another brilliant Nikki Galena book, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series

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Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC.

Another treat from Joy Ellis.
I have read all of Joy's previous books which are fantastic and this is no exception!
I love Nikki and Joseph's re;ationship and look forward to reading more about them and the crimes they solve together.

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Another great read from Joy. Once I started reading i didn’t want to put it down till the end. Twists in the story I was not expecting.

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I love everything written by joy,and this is another superb addition to the fens series. NikI and Joseph are an interesting pair,and I look forward to how they process with their relationship and job combining. I enjoyed it so much,I have gone back to the very first book to read them all again.

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Well written.
Good story, good pace, interesting, not boring.
Maybe a little slow at first.

ARC received through NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Darkness on the Fens by Joy Ellis, its the Tenth book in this DI Nikki Galena series and I just loved it. I have really enjoyed this series and I love all Joy's books.

There's a three day festival at Greenborough called The Greenborough Festival. This happens yearly and very popular. with the locals etc. It celebrates local folklore, superstition and the darker side of life etc. The local Police are sent an anonymous warning letter with the Latin phrase, "Mors certa, hora incerta" which when translated is: "Death is certain, the hour uncertain."
The public are not aware of this letter that has been sent to the Local Police

DI Nikki Galena and her team soon discover this is no hoax letter. People start dying from what appears to be alcoholic poisoning.
Things rapidly escalate, and as the deaths get more horrific,

DI Nikki Galena and her realises they have a serial killer in their midst.

Are they going to stop the killer before they strike again???

This book is full of twists and turns, and is a great crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the heart-stopping ending.

Highly recommend all of Joy's Books especially this one. Just Brilliant.

Bog 5 Fat Stars again for this book.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Joffe for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

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The biggest event of the year in Greenborough and there is a serial killer on the prowl. D Nikki Galena and Joseph Easter have their hands full. This person is using poisons to kill people who are attending this three day ecwnt. Nikki has lots of help but can they discover the person in time? The story will take you down different trails but in the end they work it out.

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First thing first, I want to admit that I have only read the first book in this series and then started on this one. I essentially read this one as a stand-alone, and I think this has colored my review a little.

Annoyances (ranging from minor to major):

1. Multiple point of views. I have figured that these points of views are of the characters that reoccur in previous books. I can understand how readers that follow this series, might like to know more about the side characters. But for me, it was extraneous.

2. Very slow start. The beginning dragged on. Again, I understand that for a mystery book to be written, the scene must be set. But, I just found it to be very slow and and the book very long.

3. Drama. This one is a personal opinion. When I am reading mystery and thriller, I just want that. I don't want book weighed down with the drama.

4. Romance. I am sure, if I read the previous books in the series, I would like the main couple. But just reading this book, the couple lacked chemistry. I could totally see them as partners, but as a couple, they feel... off.

What I did like:

1. Strong grasp of police procedure. To be honest, I have no idea if that is true. A real policeman might agree of disagree. But to me, it all seemed genuine.

2. Realistic approach. What I mean to say was, that crime was possible. The villain was not a super villain and the hero was not a super hero. Also, the mystery was not something that was miraculously solved. There was build up, there was leg work and then there was resolution.

3. Back stories. I cannot imagine the lives of the people who see so much crime regularly. The back stories that makes them, them, was well thought out and touching.


Overall, the book was well written, and it has made me curious enough to read other books in the series.

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With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, which I have enjoyed reading.
This is Book 10 in the DI Nikki Galena series by Joy Ellis and is Darkness on the Fens, which is well written and interesting. It is about a series of events which occur over a three weekend during the yearly event of Dark Greenborough. The murders are extremely random and violent in their execution and it is proving difficult to find who the murderer is.
Recommended.

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Really enjoyed this novel. The writing flowed and the characters were depicted very well. Couldn't wait to find out what happens next.

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