This is the first book that I have read in this series and I really enjoyed it. I liked the writing style and the characters. I did not guess the ending which added to the suspense. I will definitely be reading more books in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I've been a fan of this detective series set on the Isles of Scilly since the first book, Hell Bay, and was thrilled to receive an early copy of Pulpit Rock. I love that cover!

It's the height of the tourist season and a serial killer is stalking lone women on St Mary's. DI Ben Kitto has no choice but to force a lockdown to prevent anyone from leaving the island. Everyone is a suspect, islander and tourist alike, as Ben and his team search for a killer who dresses their chosen victims as brides.

I love this series because of the great characters (particularly Ben and his wayward dog, Shadow) and the atmospheric setting of the Scilly Isles. I enjoyed the snippets of history and the superstitions relating to the jewellery the sailors bought their wives. The story is fast-paced with a real sense of time running out as another woman is attacked and then a third disappears. I got to the halfway point and was so gripped I could not put the book down until I'd finished it. Cleverly plotted so that everyone seems to have a motive, I was convinced I knew who the killer was - but was completely wrong! I can hardly wait for the next book in the series!

Recommended to anyone who loves traditional murder mysteries and authors such as Elly Griffiths and Kate Ellis.



Thank you to Kate Rhodes and Simon & Schuster (UK) for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Although this is book 4, it was my first outing with Ben Kitto. I'm a big Kate Rhodes fan, loving her Alice Quentin series, so was very excited to read a book of hers from a new, (to me), series. I wasn't disappointed. Once again, Ms Rhodes has created a hero that's it's a pleasure to invest in. I was fascinated with the setting of the Scilly Isles. I can't imagine living anywhere where you can't get Prime next day delivery! Obviously the landscape is wonderful to write about but it must present myriad difficulties for a crime writer. Of course, that's no bar to an author of Ms Rhodes calibre. The story is clever and well thought out. The action starts on the first page and doesn't let up until the last. All the characters are three dimensional with credible back stories and human frailties. I was completely swept up in the story and, despite correctly guessing the identity of the murderer, I didn't get the entire denouement correct and so was blown away with the detail and brilliance of it all. A first class book that I'm delighted to recommend.

I have read all the Ben Kitto books and this latest is a fantastic read. Somebody on the island is killing women and dressing them as brides. Ben and his team need to find the killer before any more women become victims. As in all of the books in this series, the story takes place on a small island so we are offered a cast of characters who could be guilty. Just when you think you know who it is, we are led in another direction and we are willing Ben and his team to find the killer. Well worth a read, as is the whole series.

Complex,police thriller with lots of suspects and not many clues. There are some really interesting characters in this series ,especially the dog,and I look forward to the next one.

I can't praise this series highly enough, I have enjoyed every single one of them and this latest offering is no exception.
Fabulous characterisation and a great sense of place, a storyline that will keep you turning the pages and lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
Reading another of Kate Rhodes fabulous Ben Kitto series is like meeting up with old friends, really looking forward to the next instalment.

So this may be book four in the series, but it's only the second one I've read. I know, I know. Don't judge me! I'm slowly making up for lost time. But what a case to drop back in on Ben for though and, given who pops back up in his life, what a perfect time to drop in too.

This story is atmospheric, creepy and full of mystery and tension from start to finish. Once again Ben finds himself in the middle of murder investigation although with his boss away on leave, the focus is entirely on him to bring a killer to justice. And what an M.O. this killer has. Murdering a young woman and leaving her hanging at Pulpit Rock, dressed in a bridal gown and veil ... That in itself sends the chills right through you, but knowing that the killer must be somewhere on the island still, and that they are all stranded, not knowing if, or when, they will strike again, just adds that ultimate layer of tension. It's like a locked room mystery but outdoors, the walls being the coast line and the wild seas taht separate the inhabitants from the mainland and potential safety.

I really do love the way in which Kate Rhodes takes Scilly and winds it into the stories she creates. Yes, some of the scenery and the representation of island, and police, life may be subject to artistic licence, that's almost inevitable in fiction, but she creates a scene that is so full of mystery that I find myself both drawn to and almost a little bit in awe of. Once again that kind of small town vibe infuses the story, that sense of everyone knowing each other and yet knowing that every closed door hiding secrets that are bound to be uncovered during the investigation, just enriches the experience of reading for me.

Character wise the author has introduced a myriad of authentic voices, people who are new to use but also strangely familiar. They could be literally anyone you know. So many of them appeared so concerned so determined to help find who could possibly commit such a heinous crime, and yet I found myself doubting each of them in turn. Kate Rhodes really has done a bang up job of hiding the killer in plain sight and whilst the eventual reveal was one of my (very long) list of suspects are some turn or other, I had included and then discounted them so often, even I wasn't sure the right person has been caught. The tension really does build in this story, as surely as the mists against the coastline, and it is leading us to a rather dramatic and action filled conclusion.

I really do enjoy being back in the company of Ben Kitto and Shadow. The story being told in first person narrative, largely from Ben's point of view, drew me further into the case, and it helps that Ben is a great character to spend time with. It's clear that he has changed somewhat in the past few books but the born Detective is still there, that overwhelming sense of failing those who he cannot save, and his determination to see justice done is truly endearing. Seeing him confronted by his not too distant past, seeing the conflict that causes, just makes me like him even more and I'm intrigued to see how, or if, this changes him in future books.

Another atmos

I'm really enjoying this series so was delighted to get an ARC of the latest instalment. I actually think that story-wise, this was the most interesting one yet. The murders were inventive and there were so many possibilities of who the murderer could be. I loved getting to know a new cast of characters and all of them were fascinating to read about.

My only gripe is that the novels are a little bit formulaic: locals who don't trust the police and are obsessed with island history, constant references to Ben's size (yes, we get he's a large man, not sure it needs to be mentioned in every other paragraph) and this is the second book in which the murderer has faked an illness to avoid suspicion.

Having said that, the formula clearly works because I really enjoyed it but it would be interesting to see book 5 take a little bit of a different direction.

This is the latest in Kate Rhodes Scilly Isles crime series featuring DI Benesek 'Ben' Kitto series, a tense and twisted addition that makes for compulsive reading. Ben lives on Bryher, but is on St Mary's island, training for a swimathon with a group that includes long term friends and farmers, the brothers Steve and Paul Keast with whom he has a long shared history. On the swim, a woman is spotted hanging in a bridal dress on local landmark, Pulpit Rock. At first, it is assumed that this is a case of suicide, but it soon emerges this is a case of ritual murder and the killer has to be someone on the island. With boss DCI Alan Madron, a risk averse, procedure driven man, on holiday, Kitto is in charge and immediately organises a lockdown, staying at a local hotel run by Tom and Rhiana Polkerris.

The victim is a young Latvian woman with a complicated personal life, Sabine Bertan, attractive, confident, outgoing, independent, working the summer months at the hotel to improve her English before returning to go to Riga University, her best friend, local girl Lily Jago with a troubled brother, Harry. An under pressure Ben and his police team, which includes Eddie Nickell, old timer, DS Lawrie Deane, and newest recruit, 21 year old Constable Isla Tremayne, still finding her feet, race against time to find the killer, but before long another woman is seriously attacked, a German Journalist tourist. The murder victims are all strong independent women, killed in a similar way, wearing lockets stolen a year ago from the museum, and Cornish gold wedding rings, and the killer is sending the police polaroid pictures of the victims, with lines from an old wedding song on the back.

Rhodes crimes series has a wonderful sense of location, so atmospheric with a wide and diverse set of characters, locals and tourists, including grieving psychologist, Jeff Pendelow, helping the murder inquiry, the return of Nina Jackson that unsettles Ben, and the fabulous dog, Shadow. This is a case where everyone is a suspect, even long established friends, this is an investigation that is going to take a heavy toll, and cost Ben those lifelong friends. This is a great addition to the series, a truly macabre set of murders that prove to be difficult to get a handle on with barely any leads and culminating in a harrowing finale. Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for an ARC.

A good read and I love the setting. Huge cast of characters - took ages to even have an idea who did it. Did feel like it needed to wrap up faster at one point. Nice to see the return of his girlfriend - lets see where that goes

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy of Pulpit Rock, the fourth novel to feature DI Benesek Kitto of the Scilly Isles.

Ben and his friends are training for the swimathon when they see a body hanging from a local beauty spot, Pulpit Rock. Initially thinking suicide they are soon investigating a murder and that brings problems in the small, tight knit community because the murderer must be one of them and they aren’t stopping.

I thoroughly enjoyed Pulpit Rock which is a tale of a different kind of policing where resources are scarce and there’s a make do and mend feel to it. The novel is mostly told from Ben’s first person perspective with occasional descriptions of the victims’ experiences. This gives the novel a sense of urgency and the reader a sense of involvement. I found that the novel passed quickly as I got immersed in Ben’s world. I liked his need to help his community by catching the killer as soon as possible, I was less enamoured by his arresting anyone with the hint of a motive. I assume there are procedural reasons for this but they are never clearly explained. I found the resolution slightly disappointing. Full motivation is not explored and what is explored is flimsy in comparison with the strength of the rest of the novel. I knocked a star of my rating for its weakness. Despite this the novel is absorbing with lots going on, a well disguised perpetrator and a genuine mystery about the who and why.

Ben Kitto is an interesting character. A native Scillonian he has returned home after a stint on the Met’s murder squad, so technically he’s overqualified for his job. It’s just as well there are so many murders on his patch. I like that he’s not overly confident in his skills and has moments of doubt and uncertainty. It makes him more relatable. I love his relationship with his boss, the decidedly unfreewheeling, DCI Madron, who has no imagination and a fetish for procedure and paperwork. Been there.

Pulpit Rock is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

A classic and beautifully-written crime mystery featuring a highly-likeable detective (and his dog) solving a gruesome murder in a small community against a ticking clock. The setting of the Scilly Isles is a vital part of the success of this series and Kate Rhodes marvellously evokes the islands’ unique nature, their beauty and history. In this novel, someone is being driven by obsession to abduct and kill and young women. DI Ben Kitty must narrow down his suspects from the hundreds on the island on the night of the first death to just a handful that include some of his oldest friends. He’ll have to risk his relationships, his career and his life to save a local girl and stop the killings. As ever, Kate Rhodes seems particularly at home writing about psychosis and warped obsession.

A Killer Too Close....
The fourth in the DI Ben Kitto series and another trip to the Scilly Isles. What should be an enjoyable training session for Ben and the team turns deadly when a body is found hanging from a rock. The body is dressed in full bridal garb. As St Mary’s is in shut down so begins a race to find a killer. Well written, engaging with a delightful and atmospheric backdrop, a likeable protagonist in Ben and a credible cast of supporting characters. A worthy addition to the series.

Another Ben Kitto mystery by this excellent author- book 4 in the series and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Having some well earned down time on the island of St Mary, Ben and his friends are practising for a swimathon when they come across a young girl who has been murdered and left to hang on Pulpit Rock, dressed in a bridal outfit.
This is a small island and everyone is a suspect. No one is allowed to leave until the murder is solved. Ben and his team are forced to suspect everyone, even old friends and the author makes them all seem guilty... until they are not. Is it the priest, the retired head teacher or Ben’s old friends Steve and Paul?
I liked the island background which was well described and also the fact that all the suspects were well known to Ben. This increased the tension as the island is such a small place and the reader is aware that it has to be one of the locals.
When the killer attempts another two murders Ben knows he must work quickly to solve the case.
The denoument was quite unexpected although there were several clues throughout the novel.
I will definitely be looking out for book 5 in the series, particularly as Nina, Ben’s ex has returned to the island and their relationship seems to be progressing nicely. Everyone likes a happy ending and Ben and Nina both deserve some happiness!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pulpit Rock is the fourth in the Ben Kitto series set on the Isles of Scilly and I've read and loved the previous three books in the series so was really looking forward to this.
After a body is found hanging from Pulpit Rock, Kitto and his team are on the hunt for a killer who they believe is a member of the local community.
I love the setting of this series and the atmospheric writing which really conjures up a sense of place. There is also great plotting and characterisation.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

A great read that keeps you guessing until the very end. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster UK Fiction and Kate Rhodes for my ARC of Pulpit Rock in return for my honest review.

This is the fourth in the DI Ben Kitto series and the author takes us, once again to the Scilly Isles. This can easily be read as a stand-alone but all of the books in this series have been brilliant. I do think they are getting better.

The novel begins with Ben and his team out for a swim as they intend to compete in the annual swimathon around St Mary’s in the Scilly Isles. They see a body, dressed as a bride, hanging from Pulpit Rock. On closer investigation it is found to be a murder, so Ben shuts down the Island to prevent the killer from leaving. Everyone is a suspect.https://writeresultsblog.com/2020/09/06/pulpit-rock-kate-rhodes/

Ben and his team begin to investigate and they are desperate to avoid another casualty. The diverse characters, many with eccentricities fill the story with wit, passion, rage and romance. Of course, the most amazing of all is Shadow.

Cleverly plotted with an ending I didn’t guess. The author has the ability to lead the reader down different paths with numerous twists and turns throughout. I suspected pretty much each one in turn but there were clues along the way.

Exceptional read. Highly recommended.

What should have been a break from grueling pace of police work, has turned out to be a busman’s holiday for DI Ben Kitto and his team. On a hot summer day, the team are warming up for an annual swim contest off the Scilly Island of St. Mary’s when they see a corpse, dressed as a bride hanging from Pulpit Rock. Kitto locks down the island to prevent the killer from escaping back to the mainland, but when another woman is attacked, he’s wracked with guilt, knowing that he is in part, responsible. Hoping to avoid another casualty, Ben gathers the residents together at a hotel to try to keep them safe….and suss out the killer. I love Kate Rhodes, she keeps reinventing herself and her books, each one better then the one before

I was eager to read this latest outing for DI Ben Kitto and it didn't disappoint. It has all the ingredients I look for in a detective series, an interesting main character with some ongoing romantic interest, a sense of place - in this case the Scilly Isles, and a gripping plot.

This begins with Ben swimming around the coast of one of the islands in preparation for a Swimathon. His swim is cut short when he spots a body hanging from a sheer rock, bizarrely dressed as a bride in white. What follows is a race to find the killer as more women are abducted and turn up dressed as brides. I didn't guess the killer - and though the ending is a little implausible it does just pass muster.

I'm looking forward to number 5 in the series and thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy of number 4.