THE EXPLOSIVE SEQUEL TO THE UK #1 BESTSELLER HOLY ISLAND
The past never stays buried for long…
Detective Chief Inspector Ryan believes he has put his turbulent history behind him. Then, in the early hours of the summer solstice, the skeleton of a young woman is found inside the Roman Wall at Sycamore Gap. She has lain undiscovered for ten years and it is Ryan’s job to piece together her past.
is Ryan’s job to piece together her past.
Enquiry lines cross and merge as Ryan is forced to face his own demons and enter into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who seems unstoppable.
Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular scenery of Hadrian’s Wall country in Northumberland.
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Life has settled into a comfortable and happy routine for DCI Ryan. He is living with his lady-love, his police work fulfills him and the events from six months ago are finally turning into memories. When an old murder site is discovered in the old Roman wall at Sycamore Gap though, events and connections from the past once more threaten to steal Ryan’s happiness for good.
I really enjoyed this story. For the most part this is an excellent British police procedural story with interesting characters and a slow but well plotted murder mystery. While I feel this book can be read as a stand alone there are a number of factors that link the present mystery plot with items from the first book (Holy Island) and even the events from DCI Ryan’s past that are deeply important to him and the work at large. So while I genuinely feel readers can pick this book up and enjoy it by itself, I also strongly feel a deeper understanding and enjoyment will be gained from having read the first story – and as this is the second in a much longer running series I am beginning to feel it likely is best to read these books in order to gain a full understanding of some of the longer-running plotlines.
That said, this is an excellent and well plotted story. There are a few different factors swirling around – the cult from the Holy Island series that was never fully resolved, the serial murderer who killed DCI Ryan’s sister whom Ryan incarcerated, the relationships between the small police squad and DCI Ryan’s solid but still-new relationship with Anna. Each of these components are exceptionally written and all interlinked together marvelously and I was particularly pleased that in this book I felt Anna and Ryan’s relationship felt far less stilted or forced. I felt the balance in this book was really well handled and even and the book sang because of it.
Readers looking for a fast paced or highly action orientated story probably wont be as satisfied as I was, this book is far more procedure and “discovering who done it” based rather than running around hunting the killer and bad guy. Personally, I wasn’t bothered by this at all and found the more character and process based story really interesting and well woven. I feel readers who enjoy a series with a longer-term story arc as well as a mystery/case for each individual book should find this story and series as a whole really fits their needs.
An excellent book with good balance I am really pleased I’ve given this series a chance and am looking forward to reading more in the future.
This continues where Holy Island left off. Does this mean you need to read Holy Island to understand and enjoy this book in the series? No. Would I recommend reading the first book? Yes. Why? It is a good book and a great mystery.
DCI Ryan is back with Phillips and other beloved characters only this time they are looking at a skeleton in a wall and in the past. Just as Ryan thinks his past can’t haunt him anymore and he is moving on with Anna and feeling safe with his past, it comes rearing up again as they are subjected to being brought to a historical site where a skeleton is found. Not only that others begin to die as well and the cult is showing signs of being in this book too.
In this book, we look further into Ryan’s backstory, learning more about the demons that haunt him and why he acts the way he does. As his past is uncovered and laid bare, events from the future seem to mirror those of the past, creating a disconcerting feeling that history is going to repeat itself. It’s fascinating to read and you get engrossed to see how Ryan handles this and how they all tie together.
Ross has done a good job blending past and present and bringing them forward in this book. She brings you into the fold and doesn’t let go. How? Relatable characters like Phillips, strong characters like Ryan who just fascinate you, stories that intrigue and have twists and turns with unwitting victims and shocks on who is the real culprit that you really are on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story grips you to the very end and you watch Ryan and his team unfold the events that lead up to the skeleton and find answers to who killed in the past and in the present and why while blending in a romance and watching Ryan deal with his own history and pain. A great book from beginning to end.
I’m hookrd!
When the skeleton of a young woman is discovered hidden inside the Roman Wall at Sycamore Gap, DCI Ryan is forced to face up to his past. With links to a known criminal, Ryan must work out if this is a copycat murderer or a fledgling serial killer’s first victim. Juggling his burgeoning romance with Anna, Ryan finds himself making decisions he knows she won’t like. But with the possibility of links to Holy Island, there’s too much at stake to risk errors of judgement. As time runs out, Ryan knows the tiniest mistake could throw both of them into the path of a killer.
The follow up to Holy Island’ is another cracking tale from Ms Ross that continues the story and the accompanying threats as her hero pits his wits against the evil Edwards. There are plenty of false leads to throw Ryan off the scent but equally, the plot keeps us on the edge, never knowing which way the action might turn.
Though this one doesn’t keep the pot at boiling point as much as the first book, it nevertheless has loads going for it. I’ve already bought the next book in the series, ‘Heavenfield’, so there’s no danger of Ryan taking a backseat on my bookshelves.
I love this series. One of my favourite crime series.
This is another well written mystery in the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed Holy Island and soon settled into Sycamore Gap with its menacing subplot adding an additional layer of suspense to the main investigation.
Suspense and tension are always much sharper when the crimes become personal. In this case, DCI Ryan, still dealing with recent traumas, seems to be in danger on all fronts. The skeleton of a woman murdered ten years earlier could be the work of his nemesis, currently serving time for other killings. Or is there a copycat killer, vying for his attention? As the body count rises and his own partner, Anna, comes under threat, the stakes can’t get much higher for Ryan.
I really felt for Ryan, attacked on all side, trying to set aside personal trauma that could affect his judgement, while sinister forces plot to destroy his career. But he soldiered on, ably assisted by his team, trying to make sense of a convoluted plot that threw up several suspects before Ryan uncovered the real killer.
I enjoyed the Durham setting, the internal politics and the tensions between team members that all painted a realistic picture of a murder investigation. Absorbing, well-written, beautifully crafted and filled with characters you care about, Sycamore Gap is crime fiction with a heart.