It’s always a pleasure to discover a good new crime series, where there are lots of novels ahead of you. I have recently really enjoyed the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons. The novels are set in the north of England and feature a young woman detective who had a seriously damaged childhood but is determined to protect other women and children. The pace is good, there’s some intriguing mysteries solved and I like the main character. You begin the series with First Blood and there are another 19 books to go after that, so I’ll be kept busy for some time.
However, sometimes a series just gets too disappointing and has to be dropped, leaving you forever wondering what happened to the characters. A friend suggested I try reading Michael Wood’s Matilda Darke series, set in Sheffield, and I read the first few books and enjoyed them. Then I got to the 7th novel in the series, Time is Running Out, and was horrified. The author killed off so many of the characters I had come to know and feel an interest in – the book was like a blood bath, and I kept shaking my head in disbelief. I know authors have a perfect right to do what they like with the characters they themselves have created, but to slaughter so many of them in one novel seemed to me to be deeply unfair. I just could not bear to go on with the series.
One expects dead bodies in a crime novel, but one does not expect to have the majority of the main characters killed off so brutally, and even the major character herself left in a coma. I assume Matilda does recover, since there are more novels in the series, but I was too traumatised to find out more and will leave that particular series unfinished.
Now I just have to hope that Kim Stone remains alive and well, so I can continue to enjoy the series.
Have you read either of the Kim Stone or the Matilda Darke series? Tell me your thoughts by leaving a comment.
Karen Stapleton
A friend recommended the Angela Marsons series to me and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Was able to get a lot from my local library too which helped. But I have had to slow my reading of them so I can savour them as I only have a couple of books in the series left – but have enjoyed them all so far. Great characterisation and plot development.
Mary Cairns
Thank you foruggestinga new crime series.I was running out of options after finishing Anne Cleeve books and Elly Griffiths plus many others from your previous suggestions,even obtaining some on Amazon and book depository etc.
I love to read and always have a book beside me where ever I am.Ilove your newsletters.
Susannah Fullerton
I hope you enjoy the crime series I suggested. You might also like a lovely series set in the Yorkshire Dales, by Julia Chapman. The first one is Date with Death. So glad you love my newsletter.
Megan Bryan
Love the Julia Chapman series.
Have you read any of the Edward Marston series – a few of them. Very easy to read and full of historical detail.
Susannah Fullerton
No, I haven’t, so thanks for the recommendation. Another one to add to my list!
Glenn Ball
G’day Susannah
I haven’t read either of those two authors, but have I mentioned the Shardlake mystery series set in the time of Henry VIII, by C J Sansom?
I have the first 7 in the series and I’m looking forward to his next book. He has been cursed with cancer so I suspect that’s the reason for the delay in his future work.
Not so many bodies lying around but (spoiler) one of the main characters does get cut up a bit.
Vanessa Coldwell
I haven’t read either one of these series. I have to check them out. Have you read Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway series? I rather like it. So far there are 14 books.
Karin Riordan
I also enjoyed this series. A reliable read during Covid ‘lockdown’. They were a reliable fall back when I was searching another book to listen to. However I did tire of them or they became too predictable.
I did love the sense of place and the strong main character,. The link to archaeology and connections to past is interesting. Karin
Susannah Fullerton
I adored the Elly Griffiths series and they really helped me survive the Covid lockdown. I also like her new series featuring a Sikh detective.