I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for a review copy of Buried on the Fens, the seventh novel to feature Lincolnshire based detectives DI Niki Galena and DS Joe Easter.

Budget cuts are digging deep at Greenhaugh station so Nikki and the team are helping out DI Gill Mercer on her murder enquiry when they get a call about an unauthorised burial in a churchyard. With nothing more than 30 year old bones to go on the team struggle to identify the victim, never mind the perpetrator but once they know it leads them to the village of Quintin Eaudyke, an old mystery and some very closed mouth inhabitants.

I thoroughly enjoyed Buried on the Fens as Ms Ellis knows how to write compelling novels. It probably won't win any prizes in the realism stakes but it certainly holds the attention which is what I look for in a novel. I love the multiple plot strands which, while convoluted but easy to follow, eventually mesh together into a satisfactory solution. It means that there is never a dull moment with developments on every page (or so it seems) and no time for your interest to flag. Great stuff.

The novel will easily stand alone but one of the joys of the novel is the characterisation so to get the best from it I would recommend reading the series in order. After 7 novels it feels like joining old friends when I pick up the series. Nikki and her team have a great working relationship so there is no animosity or bad feeling, what a welcome relief from the more standard fare of backstabbing and careerist officers and it makes for a much more pleasant read. Nikki is like a mother hen making sure her brood are well in body and mind but she is no pushover and surprises herself by giving Joe a few home truths. It is amazing to see how far her personal journey has come over the series and good to see the author ringing the changes subtly to keep it fresh.

I have no hesitation in recommending Buried on the Fens as a great read.

This opens with a skeleton in a church yard. There is also the death of Madeleine Prospero a business woman, found inside her own home.

Having read most of the earlier books in the Nikki Galena series and looking back at my previous reviews: I said of the first book: "I liked the story because it had enough pace to keep me interested. Obviously as this is the first in a series, much of the time is given to establishing the team of detectives. The central characters are well-crafted and this suggests that the series may be worth following."

This is certainly true. I really liked this book. I will be careful not to say too much about the plot for fear of spoiling the novel.

This book certainly is a thriller. There are so many twists and turns I thought I was in the maze at Hampton Court.

I give thanks to the publisher, Joffe Books and to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for this review.

This book was fantastic! I love the Fens series and each book just gets better and better. The story line was great, the characters are like old friends and there was plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I really enjoyed this, if I could give it 6 stars I would!

Book 7 in the Nikki Galena series and another really good read which could also be a standalone. An interesting plot and some great character developments. Joy Ellis books just keep on giving and this one does not disappoint. There are enough twists along the way to keep the reader interested, well worth reading. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads.

Another great mystery by Joy Ellis with our favorite characters DI Nikki Galena and Joseph Easter. A good mystery that is hard to solve with a twist, in-depth characters to root for, well written.

Nikki Galena and her team have their work cut out for them again. A body is found in an old cemetery no longer used. It was dumped there 30 years ago. Turns out to be a man thought to have drown at the time. In the mean time they also are having a murder of a present day business woman. She belongs to a secret club called the Briar Club. The more they look the more these two bodies and some others that happen are connected. Something happened 30 years ago that nobody wants to talk about now. There are lives at stake though and Nikki is afraid the body count will increase if they can't get some answers. A great read.

This is the 7th book of a series but I did not take me long to get the feel for the characters involved even though it is the first I have read of this series.

There is a sudden discovery that prompts a look into 30 year old conversations and cases. While being short staffed and with an investigation underway, Detective Nikki Galena and her team look into the past as well. There might be something connecting them that they might be just missing. 

It was a reasonably fast paced narrative, peppered with individual issues and commentary in between. I almost finished it in just about two sittings.

The revelations were unexpected and is worth a read if you are into the genre.

Buried on the Fens. Joy Ellis' Nikki Galena series continues to keep me engrossed. An unofficial body is discovered in a cemetery, and a decades old murder appears to be entwined with a more recent one.

Initially, the team believes they are looking at two separate cases, and the recent murder of a well-liked businesswoman must take precedence. Nikki finds the older murder a fascinating curiosity, but as both investigations proceed, connections are established.

As usual, Ellis' novel works perfectly well as a standalone. Now, I look forward to the next in either the Nikki Galena or the Rowan Jackson series!

NetGalley/Joffe Books

Police Procedural. July 10, 2017.

Another excellent read from Joy Ellis in the Nikki Galena series. The stories are fast paced and complex without being overtly gruesome. The relationship between Nikki and Joe is a slow burner and it is best if the reader has read the remainder of the series to fully enjoy this latest novel. With lots of twists the plot keeps the reader guessing until the end. The only slight criticism is the use of full titles throughout the dialogue. Not sure if police officers would use this terminology I.e DI Gill Mercer, etc. Hope this makes sense. Positive review will be placed on Amazon

Another enjoyable read in this now well established series. A very complex case for the team with lots of twists, lies and secrets.