Publication Date: August 20, 2020

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

This is my first read of J.R. Ellis and his Yorkshire Murder series. Now, darn it, I have another series to dive into. I'm actually not disappointed about that, although the saying goes, "So many books and so little time." I will pass from this earth with a long list of books I truly wanted to read but didn't have enough years in life to do so. But I digress.

In a quiet little dale village, a horrific and clearcut murder takes place. It's clearcut because the witness saw the offender who seemed to make sure that she saw him. DCI Oldroyd isn't sure what to make of the crime or the murderer who didn't bother to hide his identity. He and his two Sargeants start making the rounds and nothing is adding up. Maybe people didn't like Sandy Fraser, but nobody disliked him enough to kill him. Oldroyd and his team are hitting dead end after dead end. While running out of ideas and options another murder, almost identical to the first, takes place. This is a quiet, out of the way dale village - what could possibly be going on? But with the second murder, tiny bits and pieces are starting to emerge and Oldroyd and his team explore those tiny bits hoping they will bear some fruit. Jackpot. They lead to breaking open the case in the most intriguing of ways.

J.R. Ellis lists his influence as Agatha Christie and it shows. Not that he is a copycat of her works, he is far from that. But he includes intrigue, masked characters, and small village drama as she did. I loved it. I also loved his character portrayal of DCI Oldroyd and his two Sargeants. Because this is the fifth book in the series I am assuming he has been building on and drawing their characters from book 1 so I am excited to go backward and read books 1-4. Ellis also is quite descriptive of the Yorkshire countryside, so much so that it was easy to imagine myself walking the moors. Well done, J.R. Ellis, another fan has been added to your club.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC.
This is a decent-enough murder-mystery/police procedural; simply-, but well-written, with a unique plot-line that keeps the reader guessing. Set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and centred on the small fictional village of Niddersgill with excellent characterisations.

We're introduced to all the main characters during a grouse shoot on the moor, hosted by Alexander (Sandy) Fraser, a retired Judge living in the manor house. Traditionally the shoot ended with a sumptuous dinner at the Dog and Gunn Inn in the village, owned by Rob and Sheila Owen. In their bar we are introduced to the 'locals'. who have nothing pleasant to say about the shooting party guests. When Fraser leaves the Inn after midnight a sleepless barmaid witnesses his shotgun murder and recognises the murderer, who then disappears.

Detective Chief Inspector Oldroyd, together with Sergeants Johnson and Carter begin their investigation but, although no-one liked Fraser and his arrogant and bullying ways, they can't find the motive. However, the team begin to look into Fraser's finances as well as any prominent cases he judged. When Peter Gorton, the local shopkeeper, is also shot dead on his doorstep - again the murderer identified by another passing barmaid, they have to try to connect the two cases, especially when the second murderer also disappears.

Gradually the strands of the investigation come together through twists and turns, and dogged police work.

We're in the world of environmental saboteurs. disgruntled tenant farmers, a game keeper who can't afford to lose his job and a struggling village Inn in desperate need of custom - as well as Fraser's rich and influential friends. All have motives for Fraser's murder, but not Peter's, so who's out for some kind of revenge?

This was my first foray into the Yorkshire Murders series, and although I think this may be book 5, I had no trouble reading this as a stand alone. Other than a few references to past cases, I didn't need any background knowledge to totally follow the story. A disclaimer: I lived in Scotland for three years where I developed a deep and abiding love for anything that brought up a romanticized, cozy vision of the British Isles. This book certainly delivers here, and it is obvious that the author has a real love for the Yorkshire countryside. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of this through the reading. I also thought he did a good job of touching on both sides of hunting, in this case, grouse hunting, which is controversial. He has characters that represent both sides of the issue.

As to the story, it is deeply atmospheric so far as plonking you in this English village and introducing you to a whole cast of local characters. I enjoyed getting immersed into village life. The detective, Oldroyd, is happily very capable and ends up solving the case through an unusual means. I admit the mystery is a bit slow moving, like real life, so if you need a murder or something huge happening at the end of every chapter you may be frustrated. I like both styles of mysteries, and in fact I enjoy reading a "cozy" with it's lack of blood and grit, between more realistic stories, partially as a means to relax and as a palette cleanser. I won't go into the mystery, as it would be hard not to have spoilers, but the ending is unexpected and clever. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will be seeking others in the series.

The Nidderdale Murders - J.R Ellis

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley.

I must admit, as a book reader I did the terrible thing and picked this book based entirely on the title as I live just outside of Nidderdale.

When ‘Sandy’ Fraser is shot dead outside the local pub after a day of shooting, Jim Oldroyd is brought in to investigate. In what should have been an easy case, as there was a witness who knows who the killer is, there are many twists and turns.

A very cleverly written mystery that will keep the reader guessing right up until the end.

Rating: 4/5
I throughly enjoyed reading this book and have purchased the first four books in the series. As someone that lives locally, the detail of the local area has made this book more enjoyable to read.

Niddersgill is a fictitious village in the Yorkshire Dales, where everybody knows everybody and life is in the slow lane, it has a pub/restaurant and a village shop as with all villages. Among the residents is a retired judge, an artist an up and coming chef, but it's not without its saboteurs when it comes to blood sports. The retired judge has made his home after years on the bench and he bought a house situated on a grouse moor so a little extra income in the shooting season. A village pub and restaurant where all the locals congregate does very good meals and the judge Sandy Fraser all dressed up in a kilt after one of his shoots commandeers the restaurant to give all his cronies a good send-off, but that night on leaving the restaurant just outside somebody decides to shoot him with a shotgun and was seen by the head waitress who just happened to be looking out the window and by all accounts the shooter not bothered as he looks straight at her, creepy. then the shooter runs off never to be seen again but this person is known throughout the village.
The case goes to DCI Jim Oldroyd and he and his team start to investigate. The judge though retired must have made some enemies but none can be found that would warrant a killing so Oldroyd has to look further a long way back in time to try and find a motive... After not really getting anywhere the local shopkeeper is gunned down outside his shop as he is shutting for the night, and again a different witness and a different killer is seen and seemed not to bother to hide, and again the shooter runs off never to be seen again.and is known in the village. It's a riveting read a must for finding out the truth and so many locals that could have done it but what was the motive? My thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advanced copy to review a good tense read.

This is book 5 in the series, that also takes us to England! It seems so simple, but nothing ever is. When the suspect an eye witness saw literally seems to vanish in thin air, DCI Oldroyd, knows there more than a simple death. As he spends more time in the village, he realizes many people seem to good to be true, and in fact they are all keeping secrets. As those secrets start coming out, more people are in danger and it is a race to solve before the death count goes too high. Add in an interesting backstory that weaves throughout, and you have a mystery that's a real page turner!

J.R. Ellis writes traditional detective stories that don't sacrifice the quality of the writing for the sake of creating an over elaborate plot.
One of the pleasures in reading this novel was the evocative picture of rural Yorkshire in all its beauty.
The murder of a local landowner, a man with fine manners and unpaid bills, starts off a case full of red herrings and a most satisfying twist in the denouement.

Setting means a lot for me in terms of how easily I engage with the characters and story. I loved the setting and the author really painted a clear picture of the dales. The characters were appealing and I honestly didn’t manage to solve the mystery before the end, which is always exciting!

I really enjoyed this book and will give it a huge thumbs up. With a great story line and excellent main characters - I would highly recommend this book.

It was a nice "whodunit" book. Some parts dragged a bit but the characters were all very likable. It would appear this is one in a series as there was some history there among the characters. Not sure I will read another one, it was nice, but a bit slow for me.

Always to catch-up with Detective Chief Inspector Oldroyd and his team again. As always an intriguing storyline to keep the reader guessing throughout the story even more so in this particular case. With a knife edge climax. Also as usual great descriptive tour of the Yorkshire Dales.

A murder happens outside an inn on a grouse moor; however, the bar maid sees the murder from her window, so there should be no problem apprehending the killer. Or will there be?

Oldroyd and his team come over to find there is no sign of the culprit, and no apparent motive. They try every route to resolve the crime, then discover another man is killed - again with a witness, and again with the murderer disappearing after the crime.

The whole thing is set convincingly in the Yorkshire Dales, and makes for a good read. Oldroyd is clearly held in high esteem by his team, and they work well together.

Overall a good read, with enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really well-done mystery with plenty of history and noted landmarks included. If you are interested in the Bronte sister novels and the area in which they were written this book is an added bonus. I was impressed with the plot build up which was a huge surprise to me. I thought the writing was well-dine with no bad language, gore and sex: a "clean book " as many of our patrons at the library want. I will certainly recommend this to our mystery lovers at the library where I work. I thought also the writer kept a good balance between the blood-sport community and the activists. It wasn't in your face political. Thank you #netgalley
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3430919551?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Shooting In Remote Village.....
Book five in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series. Oldroyd finds himself in a rather remote village - Nidderdale, Yorkshire Dales. The scene of crime - the Dog And Gun Inn. The victim - a retired Judge. The suspects- numerous. It's an engaging read and one I read in one sitting - definitely of the more relaxed and gentle reading variety despite the murders. Characters are credible and Oldroyd a likeable protagonist. A standalone mystery despite being part of a series in terms of characters. Well drawn plot with some nicely engineered twists. This series as a whole has been very enjoyable thus far and has made for entertaining reading.

Ellis gives the reader a baffling police case in atmospheric and beautiful rural Yorkshire. The characters are engaging and I love the interaction between the police officers. The author does a good job in depicting a modern English village that has changed from Agatha Christie's classic portrayals and brings in contemporary concerns such as the many different sides in the argument of grouse hunting. Surprise twists and a number of possible suspects will keep the reader guessing--it did me!--and satisfied with the conclusion. Sign me up for the rest of the series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for a impartial review.

Sandy Fraser, former judge, owns shooting rights on the fells. He has a shooting party, and then they all go to the local pub, the Dog and Gun for a dinner which includes the grouse they shot. After dinner, several of the shooting participants and several locals gather at the bar. When most of the crowd has cleared out, Fraser leaves. A man suddenly appears with a shotgun and shoots him. The shooting has been observed by the bar maid from her bedroom window, and she clearly sees the shooter and recognizes him as Alan Green.

The case is assigned to DCI Oldroyd, who is helped by his team, Steph and Andy, as well as the local Inspector Gibbs. Gibbs job is to find Alan Green, and Alan has disappeared. Although he has been doing odd jobs in the area for some time, no one knows where he lives. As they begin investigating, the detectives find that several people didn't like Fraser; he was not nice to most of the people around him, owed money to several people; was blackmailing someone; and environmentalists didn't like his hunting parties. He hadn't paid his bills at the pub, and then complained about the food. They begin investigating Fraser's past, and find that he gave very stiff sentences to two robbers. And then, a local shopkeeper, Gorton,is gunned down the same way. Another female worker at the pub clearly saw the shooter, who was Vic Moore, a recent comer to the village renting a room from the local painter. Oldroyd finds Gorton had been a prison guard in the same jail where the two with heavy sentences resided. Of course Vic Moore also disappears.

This case has been a very difficult one for Oldroyd and his crew, but they keep plugging away. The final chapter is both exciting and surprising!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of The Nidderdale Murders, the fifth novel to feature DCI Jim Oldroyd ofHarrogate Police.

A retired judge is shot dead outside a pub in the fictional Yorkshire village of Niddersgill. Barmaid Kirsty witnesses it all and can identify the gunman but he promptly disappears. There is no shortage of people who are glad to see the back of Alexander “Sandy” Fraser but the questions remain, is their motive strong enough and what is their link to the alleged gunman? A second murder provides the links.

I found The Nidderdale Murders to be a bit of a mixed bag. As ever in this series the plot relies on misdirection and an ingenious solution which is lying hidden, waiting for Oldroyd to discover it. Whether it’s familiarity with the process or it’s not as well done in this case I found the majority of the novel quite boring as Oldroyd and his team flounder around looking for a motive and a missing suspect. It goes nowhere until the second murder at more than three fifths in when it takes off in a flurry of activity and discoveries. If the second murder had taken place earlier in the novel and the resulting developments more evenly spaced it would have made the novel more engaging. I understand that this is a work of fiction, not designed to be massively realistic but the author obviously realises that his solution is overly reliant on coincidence as he spends paragraphs explaining that coincidence does exist. Highly unlikely. Still the solution is ingenious and I defy any reader to guess it correctly.

The Nidderdale Murders is a competent novel that will have readers puzzled.

The Nidderdale Murders was a really great read. It's a bit of a classic "whodunnit" mystery combined with police procedural. The Yorkshire Dales with the mist made it a bit of an atmospheric read at times, which made it even better. The plot was engaging and had a nice pace to it and lots of local characters that gave it a bit of a flair. Of course I also really liked Oldroyd, Steph and the rest of the family and police.

I received a free ebook of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This is the 5th in this Yorkshire Murder Mystery Series. I am reading this out of order. The only other one that I read in the series was the first one. This has everything that one expects from a cozy English Village police procedural. Plenty of local color, both in characters and scenery. red herrings and misdirection, and not much in the way of on screen violence.

DCI Jim Oldroyd has a good team but even with an eyewitness to a murder, they seem to have their hands full trying to lay their hands on the suspect. It doesn’t help that the victim was not the most likable of citizens. As he investigates he uncovers secrets in the town and connections to an old crime and a missing person. The novel has an elaborate twist at the end! A fun cozy village procedural read.

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When Alexander Fraser former High Court Judge arranges a grouse shoot on the fells close to the Yorkshire village of Niddersgill he finished off the day taking the shooting party to the local inn the Dog and Gun. Then after the meal as he was leaving Alexander Fraser was shot outside by a local character. DCI Oldroyd and his team were called to investigate but then the suspect disappears and another murder takes place leaving them with a mystery and many red herrings.
This is an enjoyable read in the series.