I read this book in April, 2024.

"Holy Isle" is the first book in L J Ross's series set in the Holy Isle, Lindisfarne, Northumberland and featuring DCI Ryan. Northumberland is in the extreme north east of England and Holy Isle is off the coast roughy opposite Berwick-on-Tweed, and connected to the mainland by a causeway. The Isle is roughly 3 miles by 1.5 miles. I thought the book was OK for a first effort, but perhaps a bit generic - flawed detective, rescued by a love interest, serial murders - and certainly quite far fetched. Here we have a pagan worshiping secret sect (the Circle), plied with home grown drugs, and controlled by a mad High Priest. Together they make sacrifices to Satan in wierd ceremonies. I'll reserve judgment and probably read book two and see if the series grows on me. There is not much humour, though, and Ryan and his sergeant, DS Frank Phillips, don't really spark off each other. Of late, I have been writing these reviews under three headings - Characters , Personal Lives and Main Plots .

Characters . The police are :
DCI Ryan, full name Maxwell Charles Finley-Ryan, but he prefers just Ryan - an intensely private man, lacking in social graces.
DS Frank Phillips, 15 years older than Ryan, his wife died 5 years ago, and is trying to chat up DI McKenzie.
DI Denise McKenzie, attractive, redhead with a temper.
D. Super Arthur Gregson, head of Northumberland CID, Ryan's boss. Not all he seems to be per the book epilogue.
PC Jack Lowerson, keen rookie, goes into danger without back up, and still in a coma at the end of the book.
Tom Faulkener, senior CSI
Jeff Pointer, senior pathologist.

Other characters, mostly islanders :

Dr Anna Taylor, lecturer at Durham University, expert on Northumberland ancient lore and rites, christian and pagan, etc. She is called in as civilian police consultant and soon becomes Ryan's love interest.
Megan Taylor, has a chip on her shoulder, and is resentful of her sister Anna's success.
Andy and Sara Taylor, both deceased, Anna's and Megan's mum and dad. Andy used to own the local Jolly Anchor pub, but had a drink problem, and was blamed when Sara was found dead at the foot of the stairs. Andy later apparently committed suicide, full of remorse but we later later learn what really happened.
Bill Tilson, former barman, now owner of the The Jolly Anchor - Megan's landlord who lets her live rent free above the pub.
Dr Steve Walker, local medic, married to Yvonne, father of Alex.
Alex Walker, local coastguard, local Cassanova, Alex and Anna were childhood sweethearts, but Alex dumped her for Megan.
Pete Rigby, assistant coastguard, son of Alison Rigby who owns and runs the Lindisfarne Inn. Pete works at The Jolly Anchor.
Rod Fowler, another assistant coastguard, gay.
Mark Bowers, local historian, manages the Hermitage Centre, also an assistant coastguard.
Rev Mike Ingles, local vicar, and his wife Jennifer, has strong traditional beliefs. They have winter heated greenhouse apparently to grow tomatoes.
Lucy Mathieson (21),student at Newcastle Uni, back for the Christmas holidays, first murder victim, daughter of Daniel and Helen.

Private Lives : It's a bit artificial to split out private lives from the main plots, as they are deeply embedded. However, I will mention four private lives themes.
The DCI Ryan back story i.e. the Hacker case trauma.
The Megan and Anna back story
The emerging Anna and Ryan love story
DS Phillips and DI McKenzie romance.

The DCI Ryan back story i.e. the Hacker case trauma : When we first meet DCI Ryan he is apparently on holiday on Lindisfarne and has been there for two months. However, it's not really a holiday, but enforced leave of absence. He has been advised to seek counselling and not to return without a doctor's medically fit certificate. There has been a murder on Lindisfarne, and Ryan persuades his boss D. Super Gregson to let him return early as SIO. He is on the spot, and knows the islanders. Later, at a hostile press conference, journalists question whether he is fit to head a new murder inquiry, and we learn of the Hacker case of six months ago. The Hacker was a doctor at the local A&E who hacked body limbs off his five victims, but used his medical skills to keep them alive. Ryan caught him, but paid a terrible price. The Hacker had tracked Ryan, and Ryan's 5 year younger sister Natalie has been visiting Ryan and was the Hacker's final victim. Unable to save her, Ryan was devastated and all but destroyed. He had tried to throttle the Hacker, but DS Phillips pulled him off. Ryan suffered stress induced anxiety and panic attacks and was on Diazapan. Hence the enforced leave of absence. Initially Ryan persuaded himself that his mum Eve disowned him, blaming him for his sister's death. Later Anna discovers that it was guilt stricken Ryan who pushed his mum away, and she sets up a mum and dad reunion as a Christmas Day gift for Ryan.

The Megan and Anna back story : Appointed civilian consultant to the police, Dr Anna Taylor is back on Lindisfarne for the first time after abruptly leaving eight years ago. What happened ? Apparently Anna and her older spiteful sister Megan had never got on. Megan dreamed of being an actress, but never did anything about it - and 8 years later is still living in the same flat above the Jolly Anchor pub. Anna and handsome Alex Walker had been childhood sweethearts but Megan dedazzled Alex, and stole him from Anna. Megan and Alex became engaged. Megan later told Anna she never cared for Alex, but did it just for spite. Anna left Lindisfarne never to return, until now - and Megan dropped Alex after Anna left. Now, eight years later, Megan is still catty, but Anna tries to rise above it.

The emerging Anna and Ryan love story : D Super Gregson has appointed Dr Anna Taylor as police consultant and sent her back to Lindisfarne. Anna is trying to be friendly with Megan in the The Jully Anchor pub, when Ryan walks in. Megan tries to chat up Ryan, but he only has eyes for Anna. Anna introdues herself as Dr Anna Taylor, your police consultant. As soon as I read of Ryan's explosive reaction - he dismisses Anna saying "Listen sweetheart, I don't want a consultant, but if I did it would be one who is old enough to drive" - I knew Ryan and Anna would end up in bed together. This happens remarkably quickly. Initially Ryan is just being sympathetic, but he forgets himself, and a hug turns into a kiss, and Anna kisses him back. Ryan is full of apologies, says he took advantage of a traumatised young woman, and tells Anna she has every right to make an official police complaint. Anna says "I am not the victim here, I kissed you back !" Later Ryan thinks Anna is in danger, and when she doesn't answer his knocking, he breaks down her door and rushes in to rescue her. She had been in the shower, and is wearing only a towel. This leads to another kiss, and off to the bedroom they go. They have genuinely fallen hopelessly in love with each other. Ryan lost Natalie, but is not going to lose Anna, and effectively puts Anna under police custody / protection. She has been told not to leave his police house unaccompanied. He knows she wants to attend a wake at the Jolly Anchor but says he will be back on Lindisfarne in time to take her there. Events conspire against him, and in spite of a mad car dash, Ryan finds the tide in and the causeway closed. And so we have a thrilling climax with almost naked Anna about to be a sacrificed on an altar, and Ryan rushing to the rescue. Does he make it in time - read the story.

The DS Phillips and DI Denise McKenzie romance : Frank Phillips wife died some 5 years ago, and he has now been trying to chat up DI McKenzie. A highlight for Frank is when he shares a Juliet bathroom with Denise, and wanders in to find her naked after a shower. He is so shocked he is a bit slow in averting his gaze ! I thought the story was unfolding as Phillips being a bit delusional, but apparently not. At the end of the book, he goes to light up a cigarette, but it is snatched out of his mouth by Denise who kisses him on the lips, and asks him when he going to get round to asking her out ? I read that wrongly - but I think I was meant to.

The Main Plots : It's quite a long story full of twists and turns, but I will try to condense it and leave you to read the story for yourself. The story opens with a prologue - young Lucy Mathieson (21) wakes up drugged and naked tied down to a stone altar and outside at the Priory. She can't move and calls for help, a man approaches, says "I am so sorry Lucy " and throttles her to death. She is victim one of at least three in a story involving a secret pagan cult of islanders controlled by a mad "High Priest." Ryan and Phillips are given the case, and it's obviously a ceremonial killing - hence the need for an expert folklore consultant, Dr Anna Taylor. The second victim is Anna's sister Megan who had been prostituting herself with the men on the island and often resorting to blackmail. Her diary is later found, full of clients given coded names. Ken is obviouly local coastguard Cassanova Alex Walker (i.e. Ken of Barbie and Ken), but Megan had also written of a mysterious cult leader "D" with whom sex was initially wonderful and powerful, but eventually "D" was described as a pathetic old man. Alex Walker, the coastguard becomes a suspect - and he can't or won't say where he was at the time of the murders. His worried mother asks Anna to talk to him - and Anna discovers that Alex is bisexual, and has been in a long term relationship with Rod Fowler. Rod is part of the cult, and tells the High Priest ("D" in Megan's diary) that he saw Lucy's killer, and it's not the then arrested Alex Walker. The High Priest says he will take care of it - and so Rod becomes victim three, killed in a funeral pyre. By this time Anna has been accepted as consultant, one of the police, and she and Ryan are puzzled. It's difficultt to find a link between all the murders - surely there can't be more than one murderer in such a small population on Lindisfarne, but yet it's a mixture of christian and pagan ritual, and there are inconsistencies between the murders. In fact there is more than one murderer. Jumping forward, a suspect is arrested and confesses to all three murders, and Gregson orders Ryan back to base and to leave the island - but Ryan says he thinks more people are involved and there is more than one killer. DS Phillips had read a story about paganism, and talked of the four pagan elements - earth, air, fire and water, corresponding to the four cardinal points N, S, E and W. Lucy was killed to the west, Megan to the north, and Rod to the south of the island - so Ryan is convinced there will be fourth murder, to the east where the main feature is the castle. And so a thrilling climax is set up with Ryan commandeering a boat from Budle harbour and fighting a terrible storm to get back the Lindisfarne and try to save Anna.

Of course, there is a lot more to the story than I have mentioned above - e.g. PC Lowerson, investigating heated greenhouses, is bashed on the head with a spade and is in a coma - , but, as always, I written more than I intended to and must leave you to read the book for yourselves.

But let's finish on the surprising epilogue which sets up later books. The cult / Circle is not just a Lindisfarne practice and a new High Priest is appointed. High Priest one had been Anna's father Andy Taylor, Anna's mum was not killed by her dad, but by a later High Priest, and Anna is still in danger as an intended later sacrifice. And so we must read on ......

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I read this book in July, 2024.

This is book 2 in L J Ross's series set in Northumberland, and featuring DCI Ryan. I usually comment that book 2 is a better test of a series than book 1, so on that basis this is going to be an OK series. A little recap may be helpful. DCI Ryan has two chief enemies - the Circle, a secret devil worshipping sect with a surprising number of members that Ryan knows, and the "Hacker" - Dr Keir Edwards who kept victims alive and sedated as he dismembered them, and killed Natalie, Ryan's sister when Ryan was sedated / paralysed and forced to watch. Thanks to Ryan, Edwards is now locked away in a secure ward. The story is set at Sycamore Gap, near Hadrian's Wall - but sadly the Sycamore at the Gap was chopped down a few years ago. I will continue under three headings - Characters , Personal Lives and Main Plots .

Characters . The police are :
DCI Ryan, 35, 6 ft 3 inches, who lives in a spacious Newcastle quayside penthouse apartment, but spends more time at his girlfriend Dr Anna Taylor's small Durham cottage. Ryan's sister Natalie was killed in Ryan's penthouse by the "Hacker".
DS Frank Phillips is Ryan's chief assistant - he is 15 years older than Ryan
DI Denise McKenzie is also in Ryan's team. She and Frank are in a relationship.
DC Jack Lowerson, in a coma at the end of book 1, now recovering, but pretending to have amnesia.
D. Super. Arthur Gregson, Ryan's boss. Gregson is in the Circle, as Ryan is only just beginning to suspect.

Others in the wider team are :
Dr Anna Taylor, Ryan's love interest, a lecturer at Durham Uni, and expert on Northumberland folklore and ancient customs. She lives in a small cottage in Durham.
Tom Faulkener, senior scene of crime investigator.
Dr Jeffrey Pinter, senior police pathologist
Dr Ambrose, the police entomologist.
Dr Anne Millington, a forensic anthropologist, originally from Edinburgh.
Dr Patrick (Paddy) Donovan, police psychologist and another Circle member.

Other characters are :
Anne Llewellyn, 21, an early victim and daughter of Rose and Steven.
Professor Jane Freeman, National Trust archeologist, keen to see no damage is done to Hadrians Wall. Jane too is a member of the Circle.
Claire Burns, 22, another victim, she works part time as a waitress but wants to train to be a nurse .
Colin Hart, an apparent innocent rambler (he's not innocent) who discovers Anne's body, not quite by chance.
Dr Keir Edwards, the Hacker, locked away thanks to Ryan.
Dr Mark Bowers, former lecturer, manager of Holy Island Heritage Visitor Centre, a substitute father for Anna. Mark also is in the Circle.

Private Lives : As usual, private lives are deeply embedded into the main plots.

Ryan and Anna are now in a full romantic relationship, and Ryan usually stays over at Anna's cottage. Frank Phillips and Denise McKenzie are also in a similar relationship - i.e.both couples have moved on considerably from book 1.

D. Super. Gregson and Prof Jane Freeman are fellow members of the Circle who obey the instructions of the mysterious High Priest. Apparently the Circle is democratic and Gregson says he will support Freeman in her bid to be the next High Priest.

Ryan has been forced to see police psychologist Dr Paddy Donovan by Gregson. This is as a condition for being allowed to stay on the current case, and to be allowed to visit / interview the "Hacker"

Colin Hart, is the rambler who finds Anne Llewellyn's body, lives with and cares for his bed ridden nagging mother. He spends a lot of time on porn websites, and seems to be stalking Claire Burns, a neighbour. Colin's mum also becomes a victim.

Tom Faulkener looks done in, but when Ryan bawls him out for a slow update on Colin Hart's DNA, Tom resigns, and has to be persuaded to change his mind. It's Anna who finds out what is wrong.

Dr Mark Bowers visits Anna and asks her why she has not been back to Holy Island, but she says memories are still too raw.

After uncovering the killer, and reading what tortures he planned to do to Anna, Ryan cannot handle returning to Police HQ and finding Anna well. She had been anxiously awaiting his return from danger but inexplicably he lashes out at her. She hides her tears, and leaves. Frank tells Ryan that was completely out of place, and Ryan knows he has behaved terribly. Happily they make up before the end of the story. She knows the danger they will both face, but says they will face it together.

The Main Plots :

The story open with a prologue set on 21.06.2005, the summer solstice. A man attacks and kills a girl, his former lover, at Sycamore Gap beside Hadrian's wall. It's now six months since all the events at Holy Island (book 1) and 10 years exactly since 21.06.2005. A rambler has found a body buried within the stones of Hadrians Wall. He had apparently been attracted by the glistening of the sun on the victim's bracelet. Ryan and Frank are sent to investigate. The rambler is Colin Hart and later we learn that he had been a pen pal and admirer of the "Hacker", Dr Keir Edwards. It's not quite by chance as Colin had been sent a blank postcard of Sycamore Gap taken at the summer solstice. Because it's a World Heritage Site, Prof Jane Freeman turns up to protect Hadrian's Wall - we will hear a lot more about Jane Freeman, and eventully that she is a prominent member of the Circle, which was not really disbanded after book 1. The wall victim is eventually identified from dental records as the missing Anne Llewellyn. Ryan and Frank also recognise her as one of the nude girl photographs of possible hacker victims. They break the sad news to Anne's mum and dad , Rose and Steven Llewellyn. Steven reacts almost violently, saying police were slow, she was obviously a "Hacker" victim as Ryan especially should have known. Steven recognised Ryan who was in all the newspapers at the time. Ryan updates Gregson, and says he will interview the "Hacker" - but has to agree to seeing a police psychologist for counselling first, i.e. Dr Paddy Donovan.

DI Mckenzie phones Ryan - incredibly another body has been found at the same spot, in the newly excavated hole in Hadrian's Wall. This is Claire Burns, someone wanting to study to be a nurse, and who worked part time as a waitress. She had been reported missing by her landlady. Investigations into Claire's death reveal that she was sort of being stalked by a creepy neighbour - none other than Colin Hart, the rambler. Later Colin will be put on 24 hours police surveillance, but still manage to go missing, undetected. The surveillance officers report that Colin's mum is asleep upstairs - but of course she is not asleep, but dead, and Ryan finds a discarded syringe under her bed. Eventually Colin is found wandering near Sycamore Gap, but apparently in a bad mental state.

Jeff Pinter calls Ryan and Frank over to the PM on Claire. She had ben injected with a powerful sedative, and her limbs dismembered with surgical level skill - both trademarks of the "Hacker". But an inverted pentagram had been carved on her torso - a trademark of the "Circle" killings. This alerts Ryan that Anna is an obvious next victim, and he orders 24 hour police surveillance. Eventually Anna will phone Ryan that there is strange car outside her cottage with two men in it. Ryan confesses to the police guard, but when he checks on the timings she had seen the car he finds that it predates when he ordered the police guard. He races over, but the car and the men have gone. What happened to the police guard ? Someone sounding like Ryan had phoned with the correct password and stood them down - more evidence of well connected inside information.

Colin Hart had made his escape through his back garden, and over the wall. He had made two calls on his mobile - one to his solicitor, and another to a number that Ryan recognises, let's say X, but how to get evidence is the problem. Ryan asks DI McKenzie to visit X, pretend to be a Ruth Grant who had previously written to X as an admirer, and to act like a helpless victim. First McKenzie is injected with a sedative antidote and she is wearing a wire tap. Also Ryan breaks DC Jack Lowerson out of hospital, and gets him to watch McKenzie's back. It should be mentioned that before being attacked last Christmas, Lowerson had heard a voice he recognised, the voice of a powerful man, and so he was pretending to have amnesia for his own safety. Of course, Frank Phillips is all against McKenzie walking into danger, but they must bide their time, listening on the wire tap for concrete evidence. McKenzie plays her part brilliantly, but X discovers the wire tap, and attacks her. Ryan orders the back up to "Attack, Attack", and Phillips is first in, but McKenzie has recovered from the sedative injection X gave her, and has the situation well under control. X is arrested, but seemingly commits suicide in his police cell. Neither Ryan nor Frank buy this.

I've said more than enough - read the story for all that I have missed out and the thrilling climax. However the author sets up the next book in the series before closing. Instead of praising Ryan for his brilliant detective work in capturing X, Gregson suspends Ryan with immediate effect pending a full hearing for not fully consulting him, for springing Lowerson out of hospital and puting McKenzie's life in danger. Another penny drops for Ryan - he pulls Gregson near, and whispers "I'm coming for you." And very finally, Dr Keith Edwards, in his secure ward, is happy, everything has gone to plan, Ryan is suspended, and X has been removed. Against that Ryan and Anna are sound, and will fight on.

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I read this book in September, 2024.

Set in Northumberland, this is book 3 in the DCI Ryan series by L J Ross. Ryan battles two enemies - the Circle, a secret devil worshipping sect with a surprising number of well placed members, and the "Hacker" - Dr Keir Edwards who amongst others killed Natalie, Ryan's sister with Ryan sedated and forced to watch. Edwards is now locked away in a secure ward, and was behind the Circle in book 2, but is not even mentioned in this book. The story's St Oswald's church is in remote Heavenfield. I usually write under three headings - Characters , Personal Lives and Main Plots .

Characters .
Our hero is 6ft 3 inches DCI Ryan, suspended pending investigation by D Super Gregson.
Dr Anna Taylor, historian and expert on ancient pagan rituals, is Ryan's love interest. Her dad Andy Taylor, was, unknown to her, a former High Priest of the Circle.
DI Denise McKenzie (bright red hair), DS Frank Phillips, a very old friend, and DC Jack Lowerson, now out of his coma, are Ryan's main team.
Chief Super Arthur Gregson, married to Cathy, is a bent copper, and a member of the Circle.
Chief Constable Sandra Morrison is a fair copper whom Ryan gets to chair his disciplinary hearing.
Tom Faulkener is the senior scene of crime investigator.
Dr Jeff Pinter is the pathologist.
Prof Jane Freemen(43) is Chief Archeologist, National Heritage, Northumberland. She is driven by ruthless ambition, and gets to be High Priestess of the Circle, but not for long.
Dr Steve Walker, a former High Priest of the Circle, is in a secure mental hospital.
Keith Thorbridge is an old man who zealously cleans and maintains the ancient Heavenfield Church. He knows more than he lets on.

Private Lives : The main item here is the Anna - Ryan love story, but first I'll mention two other stories. DS Frank Phillips and DI Denise McKenzie are also in a relationship which is going from strength to strength. A lot later in the story, when Denise is stuck, high up, suffering from the Vertigo she never knew she had, it is Frank who climbs up, whispers "trust me" and gets her down.

DI Super Gregson had suspended Ryan for not consulting him, not caring about his colleagues welfare, and endangering their lives. The disciplinary hearing has been brought forward, chaired by Chief Constable Sandra Morrison - so it should be a fair hearing. DI McKenzie is the first witness, and a good one supporting Ryan. Next is DS Frank Phillips who more than defends Ryan, almost to the point of insubordination, but Morrison lets it pass. Much to Gregson's annoyance, Ryan is exonerated. There is nice scene later where, when Mckenzie is about to do a briefing, the door opens and in walk Frank, lots of fellow police officers of all ranks, and many canteen staff, etc. The room is packed when unsuspecting Ryan enters and is genuinely touched by the mighty round of applause that greets him. He thanks them, then orders them back to work.

As I said, the main story, is the Anna - Ryan relationship. Ryan admits to Anna that part of his character is cold. Something snapped when he had to watch helpless as Natalie, his sister, was tortured and killed. He still has sleepless nightmare filled nights. But slowly that is changing, and Anna tells him he is getting warmer every day. He has a picture of Anna on his desk, and, as he looks at it, he realises he is actually happy. He tells Frank, when this case is over, I am going to marry that woman. A lot later in the story when Anna had been scared stiff with Ryan only just cheating death and lying in intensive care, she holds his hand in comfort. He looks up and sees her. "Marry me", he says. Anna asks if it is the morphine talking. "No, it's a love potion." She warns him that there will be a big dress, a party with lots of guests, etc. Ryan agrees. "It's a deal" she replies. Maybe we see the start of a future problem when Ryan is back in hospital again having cheated death. He hadn't told her anything, and she was worried sick. She tells Frank "he runs towards danger, and I'm not sure I can live with this." Franks comforts her : "That's how he is. You know that. Come on lass, he needs you." Anna comes.

The Main Plots :

The story opens with someone in a church with a gun at his head. Bang! Next it is St Oswald's Day, and some pilgrims are on their way to the secluded church in Heavenfield. They are surprised that the door is standing open, enter and find blood and a lifeless body at the altar, and a man standing over the corpse. They phone the police. The dead body is Dr Mark Bowers, who runs the Heritage Centre on Holy Island, and Anna's surrogate father. The standing man is Ryan who is arrested by a PC who doesn't recognise him, and locked in a cell. Later he tells Mckenzie and Phillips that he had received a text apparently from Bowers telling him to meet him at Heavenfield as Anna is in danger. Just who sent the text is the first puzzle, but with Ryan a suspect - he could have sent the text to himself - and Frank too close to Ryan, they cannot be part of the enquiry. Gregson tells McKenzie to handle it, with Jack Lowerson as her acting sergeant. Much later, mobile phone triangulation exonerates Ryan, but strangely places the phone near Gregson's house. Gregson updates fellow Circle member Jane Freeman that Ryan is still a problem - she has plans to be the next Circle leader, their High Priestess and tries to kill Ryan.

The murder in the church is strange mystery. No one else was anywhere near, and there is no gun. Later they find that Bowers was killed with a lead shot from a pistol with a flintlock mechanism. As there is no powder residue on Bowers' hands, they rule out suicide. At the very end of the book we get the mystery explained - one worthy of a Sherlock Holmes plot, but I thought it succeeded only through amazingly good luck and not design. Ryan and Anna had unofficially searched Bowers' cottage - Anna had a key - and Ryan had noticed a book out of place on a bookshelf. He slipped it into his pocket - it was a copy of Milton's "Paradise Lost". Later he discovers it's a sort of bible of the Circle in which they record their past and current High Priests - ie Andrew Taylor, then Dr Stephen Walker, and finally Dr Mark Bowers. Ryan wonders how he can break the Bowers news to Anna - the father figure who befriended her, plotted to offer her as a sacrifice to Satan. On the subject of Satan, Anna later tells the team of Satan's fall / banishment from Heaven. Some of the old pagans had morphed into Satan worshipers, eg the Circle. They had seen their sites taken over by Christians, and so were attracted by attacks on sites with Christian significance - e.g. the sites of previous books, Holy Island, Heavenfield Church, etc.

Later Jane Freeman does become the Circle's High Priestess - and will go on to show just how ruthless she can be. There is another text message - one summoning Gregson home. His wife Cathy is locked out. When he gets there he finds Cathy dead in a pool of blood in the kitchen. Sitting in the pool of blood is the mobile phone he uses only for Circle business. If he tried to retrieve it, it would prompt questions. He phones Jane Freeman for Circle help only to be told he is no longer one of them. Instead he phones a gangster Jimmy (the Manc) Moffa, who comes over in a white van with Ludo, his bodyguard. They remove Cathy's body, clean the kitchen with bleach, and give Gregson a way out. Ludo beats up Gregson, and clubs his head. The beating was not meant to be so severe, and Gregson is in a coma in intensive care. Ryan and Frank are called to Gregson's home and are given the case. Gregson is unconscious, there is no sign of Cathy, and other items have been stolen. Separately Anna deciding to do some investigating herself, goes to Heavenfield church at night, sees lights on, goes in but hides in the darkness, and then discovers she is not alone. Someone, a man, is searching on the floor beside the altar. He looks up, sees Anna, and she runs away as fast as she can. Luckily she is not followed. Later she will tell the team what she saw. She did not recognise the man. Faulkener also reports that not all the blood in Heavenfield church is that of Bowers - there are traces of blood samples of other victims. Much later DNA analysis will identify some of these as missing women whose names appeared on Donovan's files - he had been the rogue Circle psychologist who worked for the police and apparently committed suicide in a police cell.

Jumping ahead, and trying to be brief, Ryan, Frank, Anna Mckenzie and Lowerson meet in secret in Anna's cottage. They realise they have related crimes, Bowers murder, Gregson's attack and the missing Cathy, and now a Donovan connection to the Circle. They must find out more about the Circle. They know of several names as starting points. Apparently a Daniel Mathieson bought a flintlock pistol at auction recently - they know of a Daniel Mathieson, child abuser, locked up in jail. Also Dr Steve Walker is locked up in a secure mental hospital. It also now seems that Gregson may be Circle too. This is huge, thinks Ryan, the Circle have infiltrated everywhere. But Jane Freeman is also hard at work, and both Mathieson and Walker are killed before Ryan can interview them. Next Ryan is the target, out jogging early in the morning, he is stabbed by another jogger, punched, falls unconscious into a river, and is sinking. Luckily a women spots the body, cries for help, and a student dives in and retrieves the unconscious Ryan. News of all the recent Holy Island and related killings had been filling the newspapers, and now DCI Ryan has been attacked. Gregson has recovered from his coma, and hears of Ryan's attack. He realises, lying in a hospital bed, he is a next sitting duck, and so he breaks out and heads to Banburgh Castle where the Circle vaults hold enough cash for him to escape overseas. Ryan's crew are also interested in Banburgh Castle, the headquarters of National Heritage and Prof Jane Freeman. However there is big surprise there - Jane Freeman is dead, an apparent poisoning.

We are now into the climax, and I have said more than enough. I should however name check old Keith Thorbridge who cleans Heavenfield with obvious devotion and crops up several times in the story. I will leave you to read the book for yourselves. There is a thrilling cliff/ wall top struggle - danger into which Ryan has again run. At the end, everything is explained, and Ryan lives to fight another battle, etc. I like reading books in the correct order and where the author of a series keeps mentioning previous events and characters. Has the Circle really been dismantled ? What will the future hold for Anna and Ryan ? We must read on.

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