The Body in the Dales

A Yorkshire Murder Mystery, Book 1

By: J. R. Ellis

Narrated by: Michael Page

An unpopular victim. An impossible crime. A murderer on the loose.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Body in Jingling Pot, this edition of The Body in the Dales includes editorial revisions.

A body is discovered deep in a cave beneath the Yorkshire Dales. Leading the investigation into the mysterious death are experienced DCI Jim Oldroyd and his partner DS Carter, a newcomer from London.

The deceased is Dave Atkins, well known throughout the village but not well liked. While there is no shortage of suspects, the details of the crime leave Oldroyd and Carter stumped. How did Atkins’s body end up in such a remote section of the cave? When someone with vital information turns up dead, it becomes clear that whoever is behind the murders will stop at nothing to conceal their tracks.

Oldroyd and his team try to uncover the truth, but every answer unearths a new set of questions. And as secrets and lies are exposed within the close-knit community, the mystery becomes deeper, darker and more complex than the caves below.

©2017, 2018 J. R. Ellis (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Painful, unfortunately

Wow I didn’t like this book. I could not finish it. The narration was grating, actually painful, even when I played it from the speaker, not earphones. The narrator used loud, gravelly, gargling sounds. I tried, but I realized I was dreading those voices! And the writing was just bad. Every point was explained to the reader, as we are assumed to be unable to determine what a clue means for ourselves. I had such high hopes and am disappointed.

Good novel with great narration!

I'm a fan of the work of narrator Michael Page. It is amazing that a man with such a deep voice can do a nice job with the voices of female characters.

I'm also a fan of the "on the Fens" series of by Joy Ellis. THE BODY IN THE DALES, first novel of the series, deals with crime in the far north of England in county Yorkshire. The author is JR Ellis. Later novels in this Yorkshire Murder Mystery series are more highly rated than this one. The topic of this novel is the caves of Yorkshire and a murdered man found there. It is a good police procedural. I plan to listen to at least one more novel in this modern detective series.

A Rollicking, Mildly Puzzling Romp

The Body in the Dales has a mystery you can sink your teeth into. It unreels slowly amidst a delightful array of details on the location and people involved, so you have time to figure it out yourself and enjoy the ride as you do. The author obviously adores where he's set the story, and it makes you love it, too. I'm a mystery lover, so I know the ways to crack a story early - but this kept me guessing right to the end. But, if you listen to it twice, you see the fun ways the author hid the clues for you to find.

Now, the downside. There are a LOT of characters, and I had trouble keeping them straight. It didn't detract from the story, but it was a little frustrating. The narrator has a good voice, but he doesn't distinguish the different voices much, so it doesn't help keep the characters straight. Overall, an engaging mystery, well told. I'll try the next book.

love this!

This is the first book I've listened to by this author, and is different from most books I read. I just loved the Yorkshire accent of the reader, and was completely intrigued by the geography and culture of the people of the Yorkshire Dales. The story was so interesting and I really didn't guess who did it before it was revealed. a real treat!

Pretty Good Mystery

I enjoyed it. I could picture in my mind the caves and the development of the plot. Great mystery and characters.

This audiobook is among my favorites.

I really like the main characters, and I love the writing. I especially appreciate all the research that went into this book. I enjoyed Michael Page's performance. I will definitely buy another audiobook by J.R. Ellis.

A fine performance of an intriguing mystery

When the body of a notorious womanizer is found in a pothole in Yorkshire, DCI Jim Oldroyd is called in with his team to investigate, including his new sargeant from London, Carter. The developing relationships between Carter and Oldroyd along with other members of the team were enjoyable to read, and the mystery itself, highlighted by descriptions of caving and the risks involved, was a pleasure to follow. However, I must say that the real joy of this listen rested with the narrator, Michael Page, whose characterizations were fantastic and engaging. Highly recommended.

Crabs your attention

Came across this book while browsing mystery murders. Brilliant and makes the story drags you along like you're there.

Unprofessional behavior?

Great story, well presented. Author did well developing the main characters. The downfall for me was the police officer new to that town, gets quickly into, and out of bed with a coworker and then is pursued by the woman he has been working with every day. No development of the relationships before heading for the bedroom. Tacky!

Terrific

Excellent read & I got a wonderful education in cave exploration. Also insights into human psyche.