The Nidderdale Murders is an engaging tale of murder in Yorkshire. Inspector Oldroyd is called in to investigate the murder of a judge who has a less than stellar past. Oldroyd must sift through all the guests at the inn as well as the townspeople to find out who has murdered the judge. The small community, where everyone knows everyone, is on edge, and the Inspector and his fellow investigators sift through the evidence.

Delightfully told, with beautiful descriptions of the gorgeous Yorkshire countryside.

The Nidderdale Murders by J.R. Ellis

Taking place in the Yorkshire Dales of England, this nicely crafted mystery flows very well. You may think you have the murderer pegged by halfway, but no, you’d be wrong. Descriptions of the Dales will make you want to live there yourself.

The author spends too much time at the beginning naming every character with first and last names. I felt like he was showing us his prowess for creating purely British names.
Also, if you like to read the last chapter first, there will be no reason to read the book. The entire story is completely summarized as if we hadn’t figure it out for ourselves. Why?

The characters are likable, and the story is believable. You will be scratching your head a bit to figure out the culprit(s?) and reason for bringing this evil to the village of Nidderdale. Everyone has motive and an alibi. All in all, it’s a four star mystery from this reviewer.

My thanks to #AmazonPublishingUK and #Netgalley for an ARC for my review.

Thank you for this advanced copy. I really enjoyed this book. This is part of a series that can definitely be read out of order. The description of the countryside was beautiful & what a wonderful main character!
Definitely going back & reading his other books!
Thank you!

This book was okay. I am not sure I didn't like it as much because I haven't read the other books in the series or if the book was just not interesting. You do question who the murderer is and the book keeps you guessing on that. I just found the book to be boring. The murderer was interesting in the end and the whole thing bizarre. The book does reference past cases which I know nothing about so maybe I am missing something. The book wasn't too bad. I did enjoy trying to figure things out. The description of the dales was well written.

Great cozy mystery set in Yorkshire. This is an author I haven't read before but will look at the back list as I really enjoyed this book. Even with two witnesses to the murders the police were stumped until the end of the book. I love a good mystery when I can't figure out who did it until close to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book all opinions are my own.

This is the first book I have read by J. R. Ellis. I found the storyline to be interesting and engaging. Mr. Ellis introduced many plot teasers and kept the reader continually questioning the motivation and perpetrator of the murders. Perhaps because this is the fifth book in a series, I could not get a strong sense of the characters in the story. The story progressed primarily through dialog, and I sensed a lack of depth in the characters themselves.

This was another strong instalment in J.R. Ellis's DCI Jim Oldroyd / Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series.
It's autumn - grouse shooting season - in the Yorkshire Dales and DCI Jim Oldroyd and his team are called out to the village of Niddersgill, where unpopular retired judge and local grouse moor owner Alexander "Sandy" Fraser has been murdered under mysterious circumstances. Not only has the crime been witnessed by a barmaid observing from a window of the Dog & Gun Inn, but the perpetrator seems to have made no effort to conceal his identity from her. The search is on for local odd-job man / gardener Alan Green, but he remains elusive.
As with previous books, the central trio of DCI Oldroyd, DS Johnson and DS Carter are supported by a cast of well-developed new and recurring characters. The unique landscape of the Yorkshire dales makes for an evocative backdrop and, as always, the place names are fantastic!
While the plot stretches credibility at times, it maintained my interest throughout and I found the conclusion quite ingenious - in the vein of Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Oldroyd remains an intriguing central protagonist - his resemblance to P.D. James's sensitive and intuitive Commander Adam Dalgliesh continues to grow in The Nidderdale Murders, as Oldroyd takes up poetry as a foil to the immersive nature of his professional life.
An enjoyable read. While part of a series, I feel that The Nidderdale Murders would also prove a satisfying standalone read for newcomers to J.R. Ellis's writing.
My thanks to the author, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this title. #TheNidderdaleMurders #NetGalley

The Nidderdale Murders is the fifth book in the excellent DCI Oldroyd series set in Yorkshire. Each of the mysteries stands alone, and doesn’t spoil the others, so you could easily read this first, although I have enjoyed the character progression and relationships from reading them in order.

Oldroyd and his team are called to investigate a murder in the small picturesque village of Niddersgill, because the victim was a retired judge and his senior officers want their best man leading the case. Disliked by almost everyone, even those calling themselves his friends, Sandy Fraser had bought the local manor house and was leading lucrative grouse shoots, but avoided paying his bills and lorded it over everyone else. A witness got a good view of the killer, who then disappeared - and was one of the few people not to have a good motive - so Oldroyd suspects something more complicated is going on...

I’ve enjoyed all of these Agatha Christie inspired police procedurals - they have great characters and a wonderful sense of place. The author clearly loves Yorkshire and knows it well - if anything the descriptions risked overwhelming the plot this time. Oldroyd is in a good place with his new relationship and getting healthier, and some readers might find there was a bit too much about his personal life which slowed the pace down a bit; it didn’t bother me since I know and enjoy the characters.

There’s a large number of potential suspects and minor characters, some of whom have quite similar names, so I was glad of the search function on my Kindle that allowed me to keep track of them. There was also quite a lot of anti-hunting commentary, although the author does a good job of presenting both sides of the argument. Personally I think anyone who shoots animals or birds for pleasure is a psychopath so was quite glad to see Fraser experience a shotgun from the grouse’s perspective. It’s not gruesome or violent though, one of the nice things about this series - it’s not too dark.

I didn’t guess the identity of the perpetrator and was definitely curious as to what was going on, but then found the eventual reveal stretched credulity, but it was a satisfying ending nonetheless. My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review, and apologies that it’s a few days late. The Nidderdale Murders is available now.

This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it will definitely not be the last. I enjoyed the characters and the pace of the book, it also kept me guessing till the very end. I am now off to find his other books and read them.

#TheNidderdaleMurders #NetGalley

Once again I've jumped into a mystery series with both feet because of the offer to read an advanced readers copy of the latest book via NetGalley! This mystery works fine as a stand alone--any references to previous cases are briefly explained.

This is a police procedural set in the Nidderdale dales of Yorkshire, England. Detective Chief Inspector Oldroyd and his team are called from Harrogate to investigate the shotgun shooting of a wealthy landowner outside the local inn. The case seems pretty straight forward as the murder was observed by one of the employees of the inn. But the man she saw has vanished without a trace! And once they begin digging for a possible motive, the case becomes more complicated and darker than they first thought.

This story had an old-fashioned feel to it. Perhaps it was the atmospheric setting of the Yorkshire dales. The beauty of the landscape really comes through in Ellis' descriptions. The characters are interesting, especially Oldroyd and his personal life, how he handles his young team, and how he comes to figure out the whodunit, channeling a bit of Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes. I would definitely be interested in reading more in this series.

This was my first book in the series, and I wanted to read it because I admire Yorkshire landscape and this is a Yorkshire mystery. And, it was quite a satisfying one with the setting and the characters: a small, isolated village in the middle of wilderness; various characters like artists, activists, farmers, retired city people; and a lot of action around grouse moors, follies and caves. It has occasional references to the previous books in the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone story.
In this whodunit book, calm and peace is broken by a shocking murder, and the killer is known but nowhere to be found. It is a case difficult to crack for the police force, and they have hard time finding any lead to pursue.
To be perfectly honest, it starts rather slow for my taste. The first few chapters are a bit monotone, like a case report. Yet, it picks up later, and gets really interesting, turning into a challenging puzzle.
All in all, as a Yorkshire fan, it was a quick read and I enjoyed it.

The Nidderdale Murders is a well-crafted mystery with a wonderful sense of place. The author has an obvious love for the setting of this book - the Yorkshire Dales. Grouse Moor Owner and retired judge Alexander Fraser is shot outside the village pub. DCI Oldroyd and his team are called in to investigate. The mystery was complex with plenty of suspects, clues, and red herrings. The characters were well-drawn and interesting. I am very interested in reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for sending me a copy for review.

The Nidderdale Murders is part of a series, but it was my first book by this author, and you can easily dive right in without feeling like you've missed something. I found the characters and the story interesting. A judge, who is not very well-liked is murdered, and there a plenty of suspects, including one who an eye witness saw committing the crime before vanishing. Despite their best efforts, the detective team is not able to make much progress in the case, until a 2nd murder is committed. Once again there is an eye witness, and the accused is another well known villager who disappears. Will there be more murders in this tiny village?

I enjoyed the way the author painted the beauty of Yorkshire, a place I am not very familiar with, but would now love to see! The Nidderdale Murders also felt very Agatha Christie-esque at times, and I would completely forget the story was set in modern times until someone mentioned a laptop. The story did move at a slow pace early on, but once it got going it was difficult to put down.

A solid 4 stars, and I look forward to reading more! A special thanks to Amazon Publishing UK & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review

You’ll Never Be Able To Guess

A retired judge who owns the local grouse moor hunt club is shot dead outside the local inn. The victim wasn’t well liked, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone who wanted him dead. There is a witness, though, who saw the killer so it’s an open and shut case you think. But no one can find the man, not even the very capable DCI Oldroyd. And there doesn’t seem to be any motive, either. As the DCI and his two detectives set about interviewing virtually the entire town’s population, they find individual stories of life and shortcomings in this quaint village but no sign of the killer. Then another person is gunned down.

An intriguing English police procedural, The Nidderdale Murders will have you doing your own mental investigation of the village population, trying to outsmart the DCI and discover the solution. But you’d be wrong, guaranteed. I really enjoyed this novel, the characters are well developed, and the DCI’s method of returning to question the same people again contributes to the story as new information into all of their lives is revealed. The ending is unique and unexpected, and extremely well done.

Thank you, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fifth book in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. Once again Detective Chief Inspector Oldroyd is called to solve a murder in a small village called Nidderdale. A man is shot and their is a witness to the crime. But who kills someone and then doesn't try to hide their idenity. Oldroyd is puzzled but he has help from Andy and Steph again.
I really enjoy this series. There is just the right amount of mystery and humor thrown in,

It's been so long since I've read a traditional British police procedural that starting this book was just like slipping into a nice hot bath. I mean, I've read my fair share of British crime novels with DCI protagonists in the years since I first picked up my dad's copy of Martha Grimes' Jerusalem Inn, but lately they've been more thriller than cozy-adjacent. Perhaps the most recent traditional was Anne Cleeves' <a href="https://www.criminalelement.com/review-the-seagull-by-ann-cleeves/">The Seagull</a> back in 2017, tho The Nidderdale Murders, for someone new to J. R. Ellis' work, was a much better introduction to the series than Ms Cleeves' had been to hers.

The Nidderdale Murders finds DCI Jim Oldroyd called in to the small Yorkshire village of Niddergill to investigate the bizarre shooting death of local landowner Alexander "Sandy" Fraser. A former judge who'd retired to play at gentry and run a grousing moor, Sandy had no shortage of enemies, due in large part to his high-handed manner. When an eye witness sees him shot point blank with a shotgun by Alan Green, a local handyman, it seems like it ought to be an open and shut case. Only Alan had no seeming motive to shoot Sandy, and has since disappeared into thin air.

While local police go on the hunt for the missing murderer, DCI Oldroyd begins asking uncomfortable questions of the people who knew Sandy in life. He's the sort of thorough, thoughtful investigator that is far too rare in policing, fictional or otherwise. It's refreshing to see him not merely take the word of a single person in order to embark on what could be a fruitless manhunt, but cover all his professional bases. So when a local shopkeeper is murdered by a shotgun at point blank range, again by someone with seemingly no motive who proceeds to vanish, he's caught less off-guard than a more single-minded, less intellectually curious detective might be.

I actually gasped out loud at the who/howdunnit reveal, so lulled was I by J. R. Ellis' clever prose. Admittedly, there is something lulling about painstaking police information gathering -- the book did feel like it dragged towards the middle as DCI Oldroyd interviewed every single person connected to the case. I also found his Detective Sergeants to be more annoying than interesting after a while, since they seemed to be there only to express admiration for how intelligent their boss was when not serving as middling comic relief. The rest of the cast of characters was pretty interesting tho, quietly defying stereotypes in ways I enjoyed. It's nice to see so many people cooperative with the police, but I suppose that just indicates the higher level of trust in British policing than American.

This was an above average introduction to the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries, and I know I'll definitely be turning to this series the next time I want my fix of smart, entertaining police detection in the vein of Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse series, with the added bonus of some really lovely depictions of the Yorkshire area. Gosh, I miss being able to travel: luckily, this book helped whet my appetite for that, too, if only for a little while.

I found this to be a clever cozy mystery. It is fifth in a series, and I hadn’t read any of the others before, but it was fine as a stand alone. I liked the main detectives. The setting was beautiful and woven into the plot. I didn’t figure out who the murderer was until it was revealed at the end.

Overall I enjoyed this story, but I probably continued partly due to it being a review copy. Pace wasn't quite fast enough in early chapters. I also don't enjoy women being mostly in secondary roles. However I'm now completely hooked into the series and its scenery, and will be reading them all.

Note: Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book for a fair and honest review.

I'll be perfectly frank - what first drew me to The Nidderdale Murder in was the premise. A retired judge shot at his country estate, with a promise of intrigue and mystery.

Though the fifth in a series, this was the first book I'd read by J. R. Ellis, and I am afraid to say, also the last. Reading through the reviews both here and Netgalley convey to me a strange feeling akin to stepping out of reality and into the twilight zone. The novel was poorly written - too often clumsily reliant telling me how characters feel rather than allowing their words speak for themselves - but nonetheless, I persevered.

This was after all a murder mystery at its heart. But The Nidderdale Murders failed too in this account. The premise though initially intriguing quickly fell through the territory of serviceable, and then unforgivably boring. Simply put, nothing of any value happened. There were no clues to be found by the reader, no great reflection on the human condition or at the least, any conflict or entertainment to be found within its odd 90, 000 words. The second murder arrives too late. The denouement is laughable. The characters are barely there. And if this is meant to be an ode to countryside, then the Niddledale Murders fails thricefold.

DNF
Will not leave any reviews anywhere

Thanks for granting me access to this book
Not my cup of tea