Murder at St Anne's is a fun, quick mystery for cozy mystery lovers. DCI Jim Oldroyd and his partner Andy Carter are called in to investigate when Reverend Clare Wilcox is found murdered in her own church under mysterious circumstances. Between the blizzard and rumors of the ghost of a murderous monk this was a fun winter mystery for mood readers. The writing style is a bit tell not show for me, but overall I enjoyed this book. This is the seventh mystery in a series, but can be read as a standalone. Unlike some mystery series, there don't seem to be any personal storylines that develop throughout the series, so I didn't feel like I was missing out or coming in at the middle of the story.

Murder at St. Anne's was a solid murder mystery, however, my rating was based on the characters and the flow of the story.

Characters:
The characters fell flat for me. I was not cheering for or against them and was extremely indifferent to them. I am a reader that needs to connect with the characters in some way regardless of who they are written to be. I love a really good villian, so the character does not necessarily have to be pleasant for me to appreciate them. The characters in Murder at St. Anne's were dull and very two dimensional. The conversations between them were mundain and seemed to be more of an inconvenience between characters as opposed to a growth or relationship development opportunity. Conversations between "old friends" seemed forced and not genuine in any way. Even news of a death did not seem to phase other characters which is something I need to feel in characters that I am reading.

Story Flow:
J.R. Ellis provided a good environment for this murder mystery. I appreciated the references to the scenery and the details in the churches. The paragraph flow was not as smooth and easy to read. I would sometimes lose focus during character conversations because the characters themselves did not seem invested in the conversations so why should I? The conversations also felt forced throughout the book, the characters did not seem like they wanted to be in the novel which made the story drag on. Again, the murder mystery aspect of the story was interesting enough, but I felt no connection to the events occuring and the transition from one sceen to another was sudden and did not transition nicely.

Overview:
I wanted to love this book, it seemed like a light and fun winter murder mystery, but the story seemed more religious to me than an actual story. I hope that makes sense. The religious aspect and the setting were more developed than the characters were. I felt like the focus could have been a little more balanced and a little more focus on the development of characters instead of short insights into their past woud have made things flow a little better for me.

Nice mystery, works as a stand alone, and enough red herrings to keep readers occupied. My only problem was occasionally the explanations slowed down the story flow. Good descriptions of Irish countryside and culture, enough to hook you in.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of Murder at St Anne’s, the seventh novel to feature DCI Jim Oldroyd of the Yorkshire Police.

Oldroyd and the team are called to Knaresborough where the vicar, Clare Wilcox, has been murdered in her own church. With inexplicable injuries and no murder weapon local superstition is soon blaming a ghostly monk, although Oldroyd isn’t so sure, especially when more violence ensues.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder at St Anne’s, which is a good, old fashioned murder mystery with a dash of humour to leaven the subject matter. The writing is clunky with a propensity for stating the obvious, but that doesn’t detract from the mystery or the warmth between the characters. I look forward to every instalment.

The plot is the thing in this novel, like the others in the series, so everything is a mystery - motive, perpetrator and method. The first two are not revealed until the denouement but the weapon becomes apparent about half way through. The reader will have to be ready for another fiendishly obscure method of killing. No, it’s probably not realistic, but it’s entertaining and I would never have worked it out.

The novel held my interest throughout with the puzzles it presents. I like that there are no chapters from the killer’s point of view so it’s all down to the little grey cells. I obviously don’t have enough of them as it had me baffled.

I like the characters in this series. They are smart and there is a warmth in the team that makes reading about them a pleasure. I also like that the author tries to tackle a different social issue in each novel, albeit with a sledgehammer, and that Oldroyd always treats it as a learning experience.

Murder at St Anne’s is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Clare Wilcox is Rector of St. Anne's. In a few months, she will become a bishop. She has an appointment with someone from the church and goes across from the vicarage to the church. The church is dark, but there is a light in the small room near the west tower. As she approaches, there was a creaking noise, and she is hit by a tremendous blow. Her body was found not too long after, when the church wardon, Avison come to lock the church for the night.

Jim Oldroyd and Andy Carter are called in the investigate. They look around and can't find what killed her. The pathologist say it was a very heavy object which smashed her head, broke her neck and nearly ripped out her shoulder. There is a story in the church about a medieval monk who was put to death and now haunts the church. The heavy snow causes Oldroyd and Carter to sleep in the church. In the middle of the night Oldroyd wakes up and sees a monk watching them. However, Oldroyd is sure it's someone dressed up to scare them. It soon comes out that there are members of the church who do not approve of female Rectors or Bishops. There are several possible culprits, and the police check and recheck the alibis.

Oldroyd's older sister Alison, also a rector was a close friend and mentor to Clare. When Oldroyd and Carter finally figure out how and why the murder was done, they also realize that Alison might also be in danger.

I think this is the best book of the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries so far! It is plausible and exciting.

Chief Inspector was called to solve the murder at St. Anne's Church where the body of Rev. Claire was found in the church. Questioning the members, a lot seem to believe there is a ghost that haunts the church because they were unable to find the weapon that killed her. A very suspenseful story that has a surprise ending.

I had no problems with not having read the first six books in this series. I know the area of Yorkshire where the book takes place and have many pleasant memories of my time there. The author sprinkled in enough backstory of the main characters without creating info dumps.

I loved the snippets from the ghost stories that started each chapter. The only negative thing I found about the book, some chapters were exceptionally long.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is set in Yorkshire UK and is the 7th book of the series. A woman rector is found bludgeoned to death in her own church. A local superstition blames the ghost of a medieval monk believed to haunt the building. DCI Jim Oldroyd takes on the case with his assistant, Sergeant Andy Carter. Has Oldroyd really found himself in the midst of a Gothic ghost story or is there a very real killer at large? I never read this author before but I did enjoy his writing. He gave interesting details about the Church of England and why men should be in charge of running the church. Many of the well-developed characters were suspects and they kept me guessing who the murderer was. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming. I look forward to reading more from this author. If you like British mysteries, then I am sure you would enjoy this one. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for a free copy for an honest review.

"Murder at St. Anne's" was a good murder mystery. The book starts off with a paragraph about M.R. James, a late 19th/early 20th century author famous for his English ghost stories, often set in churches, libraries, graveyards, etc. Each chapter of the book starts with an excerpt from one of M.R. James' stories, and DCI Oldroyd is familiar with the books and mentions them in connection with the murder investigation at the center of this book, which involves the mysterious murder of Reverend Clare Wilcox, the vicar of St. Anne's. I appreciate that J.R. Ellis pays homage to a fellow writer and does so in an effective manner.

Clare's murder is mysterious because she was killed by blunt force trauma but there is no obvious murder weapon; the manner of death, once revealed, is quite creative. There are also a number of possible suspects, but no clear motive. Some of the parishioners were opposed to female priests, and were open about their opposition, but they said they got along with and liked Clare. One of the major themes of the book is the misogynistic views of some of the parishioners, and how they have distorted Biblical teachings to support their viewpoint. Adding to the mystery is the legend that the church is haunted by a monk who was persecuted and murdered by church officials centuries ago and went to his death cursing his killers, and who has been blamed for a series of mysterious deaths over the centuries, and who some parishioners claim to have seen. One of the strengths of the story is that multiple characters are hiding secrets, and appear as plausible suspects, or at least know more than they are letting on. The author reveals just enough details to keep the reader guessing about the possible killer and possible motive; in the end, the killer and motive are both surprising and not surprising. Adding to the suspense is that Clare was good friends with and had been mentored by vicar Alison Oldroyd, the sister of DCI Oldroyd, adding an extra personal dimension to the case.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

I read this book as an ARC.
I have read several of J.R. Ellis's murder mysteries set in West Yorkshire before starring DI Jim Oldroyd and DS Andy Carter.
This one is better than most and involves the murder of a Church of England (Anglican) priest in the parish church. Rev. Wilcox is a woman and soon to become a bishop.
The two detectives have a tough and bizarre case to solve when another murder and two assaults take place confusing everyone.
I loved the plot, the police work, and the typical village characters. It takes a while to even figure out the murder weapon, to say nothing of vague suspects and secrets withheld throughout.
As always, Ellis keeps the reader hopping and turning pages.
Recommend for mystery lovers everywhere.

This novel is the latest in a series set in the Yorkshire area of Britain. I have fond memories of exploring in that area during one of our trips to England so that nostalgia figured in my enjoyment of this novel. I didn't have any problem taking up the series in this 7th book because the author was very generous in providing in depth background of all the principal characters, especially the police who formed the group to investigate the death of The Reverend Clare Wilcox, rector of St. Anne's church. The ghostly figure of a monk has been seen by many people around St. Anne's and the police have about all they can handle to keep the press and parishioners from attributing this murder to that otherworldly specter.

I enjoyed the way the author set the atmosphere of this investigation by including the weather as a hindrance to getting the initial investigation under way. I also liked the depth of the characters and can understand why readers would want to follow their activities throughout a series of crimes and investigations. The spectral Monk added a creepiness factor and the weather nearly made me freeze to death so those two aspects alone made this an enjoyable novel to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
The seventh in the series but the first I have read. It works perfectly well as a standalone but certainly made me want to read the others. One might expect this to be a cozy but it is certainly not that. Great, likeable characters. Police detective s who have a life,, family, and other interests. A plot that makes you think you have solved the crime and then it twists. Great read.

I throughly enjoyed this book.I have never read this author before but after this I will be starting the series at the beginning. The characters were appealing and I loved the small village and the story line.It kept me guessing right to the end.I will definitely recommend This book.

In the chilly depths of a Yorkshire winter, a well-liked rector Clare Wilcox is found bludgeoned to death in her own church. With no sign of a murder weapon, local superstition quickly pins the blame on the ghost of a medieval monk believed to haunt the building. Well accustomed to unusual murder investigations, DCI Jim Oldroyd takes on the case, along with his assistant, Sergeant Andy Carter, but they are hampered at every turn by the deepening snow and the threat of the supernatural. Even as possible motives and opportunities begin to reveal themselves, Oldroyd struggles to find a better suspect than the hooded phantom.
This is the seventh book in the series & could quite easily be read on its own. Another very well written page turner which I made the mistake of starting on an evening so burned the midnight oil to finish it. The characters have depth & are well portrayed, there are plenty of red herrings as well as twists & turns & I was left guessing as to who the murderer was. I thoroughly enjoyed it & roll on book eight
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I liked this book though I have never read the series or author before. I liked it well enough to read another installment in the series.
The mystery was intriguing and the characters well developed. The mystery focused on the murder of a female priest inside a church. The church has a reputation for being haunted, and the locals thought the ghost might be the killer. The extremist views about women in the Church of England priesthood were scary, as was certainly intended. I did not have the killer pegged. There were plenty of suspicious characters to keep the story interesting.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another DNF for me, I'm afraid. I was a few chapters into this book, thinking "Man, this writing is pretty wooden...it reminds me of that other NetGalley mystery I read and couldn't finish awhile ago"--and then checked and saw that this is by the same writer. I'm very sorry, NetGalley and J. R. Ellis. The setting and the premise of both books are great, but I just find myself unable to engage with the characters or the story because of the stilted writing and dialogue.

I could not get into this story. It was quite a dry read for me. Disappointing. It may appeal to others.

Murder At St. Annes
J.R. Ellis
December 7, 2021

J.R. Ellis Yorkshire Murder Mystery series is a very interesting piece of fiction that I discovered on social media the other day. I then looked it up via Amazon and found his series to be a very similar plot to the Brit show, Midsomer Murders. It takes place in Yorkshire in the small town of Knaresborough. St. Annes is an old church with a congregation that is adamant in the strong beliefs of the Church of England. When the Reverend Clare Wilcox was made rector in the church, it was not just the men who were unhappy with her placement. Recently the officials appointed her to a higher position in a new location but with the holiday season in full force the move would not be made until January.
After answering calls and working in her study, Clare left the vicarage to meet with a parishioner. They said that they had something to show her. Although it was late in the day she planned to leave after her forum. The church was unlocked yet dark throughout the 19th century sanctuary. There was a light in the small room near the west tower. Uneasy with the silence she called out for assistance but no answer. As many suspense tales from the English countryside begin on an alarming note, we find ourselves certain that the worst will happen.
Murder At St. Annes is the 7th book in the Yorkshire series. It's an entertaining yet spooky type of tale. It does read a bit slower as the verbiage is Brit English for the most part so the reader can get lost in the dialect. J.R. Ellis´s most recent book is published by Thomas & Mercier. It will be available to the public on December 7, 2021. I appreciate their allowing me to read and review Murder At St. Annes. I have always enjoyed an English or Irish mystery but since we have immersed ourselves into different films via Acorn or BritBox it makes them more interesting and fun to read. Try this selection if you enjoy the Brits form of mystery. Enjoy.

I hadn't read this author before, but I will now seek out others in the series. The setting is chilling, the plot well done and the characters true to life, except for the ghost, of course. The police were very well portrayed, which I liked. The mystery itself had many twists and I couldn't put it down.

Although part of a series this book definitely stands alone. The characters are easy to picture in your minds eye, as well as the dialog flows well. It does keep you guessing up to the end with a whole slew of potential suspects. Several murders and almost murders are happening in a short amount of time and it all involves the church in a small village keeping all the inhabitants on edge. Good mystery with smooth writing. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an early read for an honest opinion.