Mystery Book Reviews

Book Review: The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis

By Angela Youngman Sep 1, 2006, 13:50 GMT

First in a series of detective novels based around Wesley Peterson, a black detective based in the West Country. In this book, he has just arrived in the area having transferred from London. Within a few hours he is fully occupied with a missing child and a brutal murder of a young woman.

To top it all, his archeologist friend discovers the skeletons of a strangled woman and a new born baby during an excavation. Unexpected links between the various mysteries soon emerge. As the identities and story of the medieval woman and child begin to emerge; so do clues to the modern crimes. The two stories go almost side by side.
Well written and crafted, this is a series to seek out.

A lovely mix of historical and archeological mystery combined with modern day detective work. Characterisation is good, with Wesley Peterson emerging as an intelligent, thoughtful detective surrounded by lively colleagues and friends.