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  • Holy Island

  • The DCI Ryan Mysteries, Book 1
  • By: LJ Ross
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (327 ratings)

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Holy Island cover art

Holy Island

By: LJ Ross
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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Publisher's Summary

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide detective. A few days before Christmas, his peace is shattered, and he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby priory.

When former local girl Dr. Anna Taylor arrives back on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface, making her confront her difficult past. She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a killer who hides in plain sight while pagan ritual and small-town politics muddy the waters of their investigation.

Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set on the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the English mainland by a tidal causeway.

©2015 L J Ross (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Critic Reviews

" Holy Island is a blockbuster." ( Daily Express)

What listeners say about Holy Island

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    166
  • 4 Stars
    83
  • 3 Stars
    43
  • 2 Stars
    21
  • 1 Stars
    14
Performance
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  • 4 Stars
    69
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    26
  • 2 Stars
    8
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Story
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    150
  • 4 Stars
    75
  • 3 Stars
    39
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    15

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best read

Really enjoyed everything about the book, I can't wait to read the next one.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Murder mystery & a touch of romance.

First time I have listened to one of L J R oss"s books . Thoroughly enjoy
ed it, it is also good to have a little romance in the story. Will listen to more.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Listen

What a great listen can’t wait to get into the next one, and see what Ryan gets up to next.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • M.
  • 05-11-2019

Great first exposure to LJ Ross

Was devastated when I can to the end of Denzil Meyrick’s writings was reading finding a replacement to listen to .. this filled the gap perfectly .. and s huge series to work my way through now !

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Mills and Boon meets Shetland.

A strange mix of cliche romance and bloody murder, Holy Island can't make up its mind what it wants to be. DCI Ryan is a TDH (tall, dark and handsome) hero that seems to have supernatural powers of detection, as well as seduction. He just has to appear in the room to make it all come together; no matter how obnoxious he gets, he just can't do anything wrong. It's the first in a series, so maybe the character evolves, if you are willing to give him another chance it might get better. I'm not sure I will give him another chance. I don't think I could ever tolerate him. Narrator is excellent and makes it bareable, otherwise I might not have gotten through to the end.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Mystery

I took a while to get into this story but once I did I had to keep reading to find out 'whodunit '
I will definitely read the next book in the series.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Midsomer with Sex!

Not sure I like the allusions to sexual attraction, trotting out chauvinistic tropes like a 70's pot boiler at times! the listen is easy and amusing but a little let down by the midsomerish style.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Masterful Storytelling

LJ Ross creates a world of mystery and romance well worth multiple visits. The characters and the plotting are expertly crafted and in this addition brought to life vividly by Jonathan Keeble.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

the mystery kept me listening to the end.

it wasn't a terrible story, but quite misogynistic, which was annoying. The little woman had to be protected, which annoyed me.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fairly gripping but disappointing representation of women

I was surprised to find out this was published in 2014 and that LJ Ross is female. What begins as an interesting premise is often spoiled by a borderline abusive detective ‘hero’ perpetuating outdated notions of women. Any female under 40 is described regularly by their attractiveness to male characters and the promised expertise of sidekick Anna Taylor is all but ignored for her real role as love interest and victim who needs saving. Some of the secondary characters are interesting and the narration is excellent. I kept listening until the end but won’t be continuing with the series.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.