Not my kind of read, sorry. I actually broke my rule and gave up reading less than halfway through the book.

4 stars

DCI Frank Miller, lover of classical music and of Dr. Alice Laine. Dr. Laine specializes in classical 19th Century literature. Miller’s partner is DS Riddle. The DCI has been away in a teaching position when he returns to Whitby to take up his position once more as a DCI.

He glances out the window on the evening before his return to work as notices a woman waving at him from the sidewalk. Racing downstairs, he checks the woman. She has a head wound and her pulse if faint. She utters his name and then dies. Her name was Abi Witney and she was a post-graduate student of Dr. Laine’s.

Concurrently, DS Riddle is investigating a confounding series of burglaries where a record album is left instead of anything being taken. After one of the team is attacked and is hospitalized, Miller decides to take control of the burglaries in addition to the murder investigation.

After being frustrated and impatient, Frank finally begins to see a glimmer of a connection between the woman who was murdered and the burglaries. Up to this point there have been seven burglaries. And coincidentally, seven young women have gone missing. The case continues to confound Frank and his team until they at last get a break.

The name of the killer and the motive come as a surprise.

This is a fairly well written and plotted novel. The characters are likeable, and the police team all gets along well. This is my first James Whitworth novel, but I immediately went to Amazon to look at his other books.

I want to thank Netgalley and Endeavour Press for forwarding to me a copy of this nice book to read.

Murder on the Record

Only after starting to read this book did I see that it's the 5th in a series featuring Detective Miller. Perhaps this is why it took me a while to warm to the characters.

What has this book got:
A murdered mature student,
A dead cat,
7 records left at break-ins and
A dodgy tourist boat.

It also has a few red herrings and a twist in the tale.
I have not read any books by James Whitworth before this, but I will look out for others in the future.

My thanks to Netgalley and Endeavour Press for a copy in exchange for this review.