This was an okay mystery. The small island setting was beautifully written yet it had a daunting claustrophobic feel - I liked the contrast between the serene landscape and darkness within the town and the secrets there. The premise of the mystery was good and I couldn't guess who the culprit was; the onlyproblem I found was it did drag in parts and I felt myself wanting to skim some of the middle to end because not much was actually happening that went towards to overall plot. For a debut novel, however, I think this was very good.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It reminded me of Broadchurch: small town secrets, a shocking crime, and a detective caught between his relationships and his job.

I read this as a paper or Kindle book when it first came out, then got the chance to read an ARC of the ebook. I jumped at the chance to go right back to the beginning, with my memory, it’s like reading it for the first time, and I didn’t remember whodunnit. Evocative as always, with a rich cast of characters, this will make you want to hop on the next boat to the Scillies.

I received a free ARC copy of the audio book of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Love the scenery, the atmosphere and the characters. All feel genuinely engaged in this one and encourages one to visit the island! Take the time to absorb the ambiance and you too will be hooked!

Having spent many summers camping on Bryher in recent years, I was really looking forward to this, whilst also trying to manage my expectations in terms of the descriptions of the island (given that this is, of course, fiction). The setting is fantastic, but I found the writing didn't trust me as a reader, and DI Ben Kitto told me exactly what he was thinking just a bit too often, rather than trusting I understood from his behaviour. This made the pacing feel a bit off to me, and made me feel somewhat frustrated with the book on occasion. It ran very slow until the final 25%, which raced along nicely. This was probably really a 3.5 star book for me.

A pacy and often exciting narration made this audiobook very enjoyable to listen to although there were odd occasions when the narrator seemed too quick almost tripping over himself. The characters, both male and female were clearly distinguishable with subtle variations in mainly west country accents which helped to create and colour the setting and community. There was one Brummie (I think) accent which seemed a bit incongruous particularly as I don't think the character hailed from Birmingham at all unless I missed that bit. The voices and first person narrative felt very natural and easy to listen to.
It was a shame that I didn't particularly like the main character, Ben Kitto, who seemed very full of himself at times, particularly in his pursuit of Nina. The story was a fairly run of the mill crime story, made exceptional by the setting of the Scilly isles and the close knit island community but I felt the murder was solved more by luck than any skilful deduction. I enjoyed the way that the author explored human emotions and the different ways that the tragedy affected the islanders which raised the tension to good effect even though the resolution was a little anticlimactic. It was a believable story with a logical conclusion. This is the first outing for Kitto, and I would be happy to give him another go to see how his character develops.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy.

A great setting with a new detective who is easy to like. I enjoyed the way everyone on the island was a suspect because no one had arrived or left the island since the murder occurred. It could have made the whole thing claustrophobic but it actually worked very well. Looks like this is the first I. A series and it’s one that could quite easily end up on tv.

DI Ben Kitto has come back to his home of Bryher after his partner committed suicide. Now on this tiny island, he had once called home a child is found dead on the beach. Everyone is a suspect and DI Ben must find the murderer and come to terms that it could be someone on the island

DI Ben Kitto is a great character and I loved how it didn't show him with all happy endings but with complications still to be solved, opening this up to an exciting and engaging series; with lots of development for all of the characters.

I had no idea who the villain was, and was pleased my guess was wrong.
I love this first novel and am itching for the next book.

What a beautiful setting for a novel although similar to Shetland novels, it seems sad that such violence is pictured in such a place. I enjoyed listening to this crime novel. The narrator did a very good job and will be an asset to keep if this, as it seems, is to be the first of a series. The actual storyline is nothing new but it makes a good casual read, if you can call murder that! I will look forward to more featuring DI Ben.

This was a great book to listen to while doing some admin - the first I’ve read by Kate Rhodes, but it definitely will not be the last.

I have a couple of friends who visit the Scilly Isles regularly, so I enjoyed hearing more about them as the backdrop to this crime novel.

I also liked the way that DI Ben Kitto approached solving this crime and the revelation he felt when the child abuse and its perpetrator came to light.

The only thing that stopped this being 5-star for me was the sex scene - I always avoid reading them if I can, and because I was listening on Audible I couldn’t just flick over the pages describing it.

However, less prim readers would probably find it not at all problematic and therefore find this a five-star novel.

I’ve really enjoyed listening to this story, set in the Scilly Isles and wonderfully narrated. A police inspector returns to his home island to reflect on his future as a Met Inspector. He’s only just arrived when the body of a young girl is found on the rocks and it’s clear she’s been murdered. He offers to help and ends up leading the investigation to find the killer.

This is a story driven by a colourful cast of characters, any one of whom could be the killer. He knows most of them personally and each has their own little back story. The dialogue is spot on and the descriptions of the area really take the reader to the place. I could imagine being in the little boat travelling between the island, or standing on the headland looking out across the Atlantic. It’s a complex, multi layered take and I had no idea who was responsible, so it’s kept me hooked for a couple of evenings. Certainly keen to read more from this series.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

“DI Ben Kitto needs a second chance. After ten years working for the murder squad in London, a traumatic event has left him grief-stricken. He’s tried to resign from his job, but his boss has persuaded him to take three months to reconsider.”
So when arrives at his childhood home, he’s thrust into a missing person inquiry. And it takes off from there!
Hell Bay, The Isles of Scilly Mysteries
by Kate Rhodes was a 5 ⭐️ for me. The
narrated by Stephen Perring. I’m not a huge fan of male voices but he was the exception. I loved his voice and he was a perfect choice for this book. The story was layered and beautifully written. I wanted to go to this island and take it all in. It had lots of suspects and a good deal of mystery. I highly recommend this one.
Thanks Simon and Schuster Audio UK via NetGalley.

Hell Bay is a crime thriller set on the Isles of Scilly featuring DI Ben Kitto. He returns there from London after handing in his resignation from the murder squad following a traumatic incident. He grew up on the Isles of Scilly and knows the area and local people well. His return coincides with the disappearance of a local teenager and he becomes involved in the investigation despite needing time away from his job.
As well as the murder investigation, this novel spends a lot of time introducing the reader to the many characters who will probably feature in the following books. I felt this caused the pace of the book to slow down and I was willing the story to move forward several times. A good choice for fans of detective novels.

A gently narrated tale making the deeds seem less violent than the reality.
I am always wary of reading books set in Cornwall, as they are often glamorised. This one is set on the Scillies, so not so close to home, and does a good job of not making the life out to be idyllic. A few inaccuracies about the mainland, Penzance, jarred, but you wouldn’t pick up on these unless you lived here.
I will be buying the physical copy for my library. People do like tales set locally, and I enjoyed the book; a blend of your classic Cornish smugglers, drugs, violence, art and jealousy with a pinch of teenage angst and unrequited love thrown into the pot.

I am not normally a fan of police procedural stories but the synopsis of this book intrigued me enough and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I immersed myself in the tale, good narrator too

This first book in the series was fantastic! I loved the characters, the atmosphere, and, of course, the story.
I'll definitely add the next book to my TBR pile. Oh and the narrator, 5 stars!
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to listen to this advanced copy!

Absolutely loved this. The narration really suited the story. I loved how the island and water became integral to the plot. This is definitely a series to watch.

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

The first book in the Scilly Isles thrillers. DI Ben Kitto returns home on leave from the police. Missing Laura is found dead and Ben is drawn back to find out who killed her. Good characters and pacing. Stephen Penning's narration is very good, you know which character is speaking look forward to hearing this narrator again.
I received this audiobook from Simon & Shyster audio UK and Netgalley for a review.

Hell Bay by Kate Rhodes is the first in the series of the Isles of Scilly Mysteries.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this e-audiobook. It was brilliantly narrated by Stephen Perring, who has such a great voice and range and really made the book come to life with the different characters and accents.

I loved the premise of the book. DI Ben Kitto has returned to his childhood home on the island of Bryher in the Scilly Isles to take some time and reflect on his life and career and whether he wants to continue to work for London’s Metropolitan Police Service. Something happened in London that drove him back to Bryher and the reason for his return is slowly revealed over the course of the book. He plans to work in his uncle’s boatyard for a couple of months. However, when the body of Laura Trescothick ,a local teenager, is discovered on a beach he’s pulled back into police work and investigating the murder. Not least because he was the one of the first people on the scene but because he’s the only policeman on Bryher until the police from Tresco can arrive.

I really got a sense of just how remote the island of Bryher is and the reliance on services like the police being on the larger island of Tresco. And, for more services like secondary schools and acute hospitals, you have to get the Scillonian ferry or even fly back to the Mainland.

I liked Ben Kitto as a character, he’s a man with a past and I liked the way he interacted with the islanders. He seems a good egg.

I liked the fact that Ben Kitto, having been born and raised on the island, did get to leave and have a life in London. His life moved on. He’s back and he’s investigating the murder and forced to question everyone he’s grown up with who stayed on the island. As he’s investigating, his reference point for the the islanders is how he remembered his peers when they were school together or how he viewed teachers and elders when he was teenager.

The murder of Laura Trescothick could only have been committed by an islander. Due to bad weather, no-one could have left or travelled to the island. They do say that in a small island community everyone knows each other’s business - but how well do they really know each other when only one of them is a murderer?

This was my first Kate Rhodes book and I will definitely seek out her other books and audiobook versions. Based on this first book, it feels like this would be a great series of books to adapt for TV. I think there would be an appetite to view this and I think the backdrop of the Scilly Isles would prove popular and attractive to Sunday night TV audiences!

Huge thanks to the publishers, Simon & Schuster Audio UK, and NetGalley for making this e-audiobook available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I like a book set on an island, it adds a little something.
That feeling of community.
Everyone knowing everyone.
And in this case, suspecting everyone, as someone has died and the murderer is still on the island.
It's the first in the series, and I'll look out for the next.
Ben was a likeable character, and his interactions with everyone were believable.
A good cast of characters,both to back him up and to suspect.
An enjoyable listen. 


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