The Oxford colleges: “They’ve educated half of our prime ministers, an extremely high proportion of our politicians, judges, journalists, captains of industry, educationalists, analysts and activists. They are the heart of the establishment. A closed world. A world with its own rules, its own way of doing things.”

A Killing In November is the first book in the DI Ryan Wilkins series by British author, Simon Mason. When a young woman is found, strangled and hog-tied, in the private office of the Provost of Barnabas College, it needs special handling. It comes just as the Provost is hosting an Emir from the UAE, hoping to cement a funding deal. There’s a special Koran at the College that some think should go back to the Saudis, there’s a Syrian refugee working in the kitchens, and there’s more going on behind the scenes than most people know.

Thames Valley Detective Superintendent Waddington sends her best man, DI Ray Wilkins, a polished, articulate London Nigerian, but somehow, the call goes to DI Ryan Wilkins, just starting at Thames Valley after being transferred from Wiltshire due to gross misconduct. So, questioning the Provost and his wife is not the suave, suited Balliol man, but a disrespectful, slovenly fellow brought up in Hinksey Point trailer park, a man who has no regard for privileged elites.

Ryan does, however, have a good eye: he notices things. By the time Ray steps in to try to redeem the situation, Ryan has managed to generate a stiff complaint. When Ray tells Ryan “Do you want to tone it down a bit? It’s not amusing”, it’s true that those lofty educators won’t appreciate his attitude and antics but, after a very slow and serious start, the reader will very much appreciate the light relief he provides in that and many later instances.

Ray is charged with babysitting this unruly character who’s “twenty-seven, looks fifteen, acts like he’s seven”, and faces the unaccustomed wrath of his Super when he fails, on numerous occasions, to control his behaviour. And yet, their investigation advances in unexpected ways, and Ray finds himself acting much more rashly than he normally would. Influenced by Ryan?

Mason certainly gives the reader an interesting protagonist. Ryan is irrepressible, his own worst enemy, has anger management issues, but highly perceptive and a loving father, ultimately someone the reader can’t help cheering on and commiserating with. And Ryan Junior can’t fail to be a favourite character: much of his dialogue is an utter delight, and only the hardest of hearts will fail to choke up during the cemetery scene.

Twists and turns and red herrings in generous measure keep the reader guessing and the pages turning right up to the final reveal. This is a cleverly plotted crime novel that features human trafficking, the theft of valuable artefacts, pornographic websites, copious use of expletives and quite a bit of violence. More of this cast appear in the second instalment, The Broken Afternoon, a welcome addition to many TBRs. Gripping and entertaining British crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Quercus Books.

Somehow, I missed this first time round, but reviewed books two and three in this excellent series but Simon Mason. In Ryan Wilkins and Ray Wilkins we met one a rather unusual cop partnership. Ryan is something of a chav, scruffily dressed and with a huge chip on his shoulder. He is, however, very astute. Equally clever, but much more an establishment man, despite his ethnic origin, is black officer Ray. He is a family man, suave and well spoken, and clearly destined for higher things. Their beat is Oxford.

The contrast between the Oxford educated Ray and Ryan, graduate of a seedy South Oxford caravan site (trailer park for American readers) couldn’t be greater. Simon Mason chooses a superb location for their first professional engagement. Barnabus College is where a young woman has been found strangled in the rooms of the college Provost. Ray is all diplomacy and respect, while Ryan, much the more observant, needles the well-to-do members of the college by refusing to grovel at the altar of their social and academic status. It is eventually confirmed that the dead is Syrian, from a wealth family, but due to the political situation, has been forced to earn a living as a porn model. Working as a domestic servant in the college is Ameena Najib, also from Syria, but from a very different background. She is a devout and militant Muslim, and when she is found dead, also strangled, the mystery deepens.

In the background to this murder investigation is civil unrest in the Oxford district of Blackbird Leys. A child has died after being hit by a police car, and protests are violent and bloody. The Leys is a real place, and is a superb example of urban planners concocting idyllic rural names for dire housing estates. I was at Teacher Training College nearby and, trust me, if it was announced the Leys was where you were sent for Teaching Practice, you were not happy.

Simon Mason lets us know, in one of the most scary scenes in the book, why Ryan is so disturbed. Ryan’s wife Michelle died of a drug overdose, leaving him to bring up their little son, also called Ryan. When Ryan senior fails to collect the lad from nursery, the staff phoned one of the contact numbers – that of the little boy’s grandparents. Bad call. They are a disaster. Grandma is, literally, bruised and battered by her feral husband, and when Ryan and Ray break into the shabby caravan on the grim site in South Oxford to rescue the child, all hell breaks loose.

Ryan’s propensity for violence, his unwillingness to ‘play the game’, and his chaotic personal life make it inevitable that he is dismissed from the force. However, his sharp insight into what makes people tick combined with his intuition, enable him to solve the mystery. Ray, despite his initial horror at Ryan’s manner and attitude, keeps the phone line open with his former colleague, and the Barnabus killer is brought to justice.

This is a wonderful read, and I finished it in just a few sessions. My only quibble is that Ryan Wilkins is such an outrageously out-of-kilter character, dressed in his trackies, trainers and baseball cap (back to front, naturally) that it is hard to imagine him making senior rank in the modern police force, which is notorious for signing up to all the latest DEI fads, and renowned for its many acts that seem woker than woke. Simon Mason has created a brilliant – and unique – member of the Cri-Fi Detective Inspector union, and any crime enthusiast who doesn’t enjoy this needs to collect their hat and make for the nearest exit. A Killing In November is published by Riverrun, and is available now.

I'd not read any Simon Mason murder mysteries before but saw them recommended in a newspaper article, so I was looking forward to making a new find. However, although the narrative bowled along apace and Simon Mason is obviously a gifted writer, I can't say I really enjoyed this book. Part of the problem is that I just couldn't suspend my disbelief that someone like Ray Wilkins would actually still be employed and promoted to a DI level in the police given his continual outrageous, offensive and pugnacious behaviour - even if it is likely for comedic purposes. The murder is set in a prestigious Oxford College and the working class hyper active and brilliantly insightful, DI Ray Wilkins is mistakenly drafted in to help with case of a murdered porn star after being exiled in disgrace from a former police force for punching a bishop. Wilkins has the same first and surname as another DI Ray Wilkins in the Oxford force who is his almost mirror opposite, Oxford educated, immaculately dressed, with exquisite manners and behaviour.

After being transferred from Wiltshire to Oxford, DI Ryan Wilkins is on a short leash. He is paired with DI Ray Wilkins and the two are diametrically opposite to each other. Ray is educated, smooth and suave, Ryan isn't but he has very good instincts. Their case involves a murder in an Oxford College, an environment where Ray is at home and Ryan is like a fish out of water, but only by pooling their skills can they solve the crime.
I have actually read all the subsequent novels in this series and this one does fill in a few gaps! Funnily enough I didn't enjoy it as much as the others (but it's still great). Possibly because this novel is concerned with establishing the dynamics between the two main characters and therefore the plot gets a little lost at times. I do love the emphasis on class, education etc as well as the plot regarding human trafficking.

Oxford and academia have been the subject of many detective novels and this latest holds it own with the best of them. The odd-couple set-up with the detectives is given a clever twist by having two similarly named detectives on the case leading to some entertaining mix-ups although I find it hard to believe that a cop with the personality and dress sense of Ryan would ever manage to be promoted to detective level. This aside A Killing in November is a well plotted and entertaining procedural with satisfyingly complex characters and relationships. I look forward to the DI Wilkins' next outing.
My thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for an advance copy to review

A killing in November is the first novel featuring two DI Wilkins and when a dead body is found in an oxford universitity disgraced bad boy DI Ryan Wilkins is mistakinly called (its his first day after beng made to leave his last post for threatening a Bishop) and Ryan isn't your typical policeman and he can be hard to take to as a character, he's unprofessional, rude and has definate anger issues but his heart is in the right place, as to the other DI Raymond Wilkins, hes a good boy, follows procedure and always looks good and he is not happy about being partnered with Ryan.
There are other books in the series and I have downloaded novel two as I want to see how this partnership is going to progress.

I mistakenly asked for this title having already bought, read it and given it 5 stars. More please.

A good start to a new series. Two Detective Wilkins love their interactions. Oxford setting but this is no Morse. Well plotted keeping the story moving with twists along the way. I will be looking out for more from this author and the next in the series. Thanks to Quercus books and Netgalley for this review ARC.

Didn’t quite hit the mark for me so didn’t finish. Found it slow and a slog at the start but persevered, then when the police officers were introduced I found myself feeling really disengaged and gave up.

Superb! Love the two main characters, although Ryan Wilkins makes for one of the most unusual detectives you'll come across. The Oxford setting is perfect and the book has humour, plot twists and an array of believable characters. One of the best crime novels I have read this year.

Police procedural set in Oxford,featuring two DI Wilkins! Two detectives who may have the same last name but who are the complete opposite. An interesting storyline and interesting characters.

I enjoyed the setting in modern Oxford, which was focused on a fictional college of the university but also encompassed the wider city and surrounding areas, showing that all is not as fair as it seems in the city of dreaming spires. The two DI Wilkins were both intriguing characters, making at times frustrating decisions but still remaining sympathetic. I look forward to the other books in the series.

Wow. This is definitely not a delicate slow detective solving a murder book. This is blunt with the blood and the cartilage and the strangulation to go with it. Ryan is definitely the antihero yet There’s something about him which somehow appeals. He has come from nothing and is fighting hard to bring up his little son in the best way he can. The best way involves using his sister as a babysitter and keeping his son as far away from his violent father as possible. The murder is clever and it takes awhile to get used to the characters and the possible motivations. The action mostly takes place in Oxford with trips to London to threaten people from outside the college, not just those within the university system. This isn’t a gentle book, but it is one that it’s well worth reading.

The brilliant, complex, riveting, and gripping start of a new procedural series. I was hooked since the first pages and love the two main characters, so different and so complementary.
This story has all the marks of a great police procedural and it's a page turner that never drags.
I found the setting and the characters fascinating, the mystery solid and full of twists.
Can't wait to read the next story.
I read it a couple of years ago and re-read after reading the Finder mysteries: excellent storytelling and plot development
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine