The Body in the Dales cover art

The Body in the Dales

A Yorkshire Murder Mystery, Book 1

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The Body in the Dales

By: J. R. Ellis
Narrated by: Michael Page
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About this listen

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. Cosy Crime Crime Thrillers Fiction Murder Mystery Police Procedural Thriller & Suspense England Thriller

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All stars
Most relevant  
Being an ex Bobby, I am always interested in police mysteries and found this relaxed but enjoyable with an interesting story. I have never known a Yorkshire man with such a strong accent as in this story and would have liked a kinder voice for the female Detective Sgt in the case but overall, it came across well. I would certainly be happy to listen to another book but his author and narrator. I would have given it a 5 star across the board but for the 'female' voice. I will accept that there must be one or two Yorkshire men with such a strong accent - must be all that strong tea!

An enjoyable listen with a plausible story

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Blimey, it was like an evening at the pantomime. My husband enjoyed the story but I just couldn’t get past the dreadful narration, simpering women’s voices and general panto nature of the rendition!

Well researched but missing a good narrator!

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The story is unnecessarily complicated and the narration is the worst I've heard. Not recommended.

Avoid

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liked it, good insight to the Yorkshire dales countryside and caverns would really recommend it

good story

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loved the story & the characters read well .
enjoyed listening while walking my dog.

Easy listening

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I enjoyed the story partly because I knew the area. The continues mispronunciation of Keighley as 'Keeley' jarred badly though

Good tale

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Well written, performed and recorded. Good start to a series. Now for number book 2

Good listen

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Initially I was going to stop listening but I persevered and the book was ok in the end

Narrator hard to listen to

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what is a stand out across any of the stories that mention the town of Keighley is its mispronunciation in audiable books, it is not pronounced ' Keeley' it is pronounced Keith (as in a mans name)- Lee. The author spells it correctly. you should have a proof speaker! oh yes & that 't' is actually a silent t so not really said.

Good story shame about the pronunciation of some words

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On the surface an old-fashioned tale but I think that is the author's intention. I actually find it difficult to date - I grew up in the area myself but have been away for 50 years visit often and things have moved on in most ways but not in others. What has never changed is most locals' love of the area, the landscape, the small villages and market towns and the author's love comes through the writing.
All the characters are well written and rounded out as the tale continues. The main character is a local who has been educated at Oxford which cleverly gives the author the opportunity to explain his love of his surroundings and demonstrate his learning. The introduction of a new subordinate from the South allows him a chance to describe the area and the background of the inhabitants.
The problem is cleverly thought out with enough complications and suspects to confuse and although I knew the answer to the 'how" quickly having been a potholer in my youth I was never quite sure of the perpetrator. All very pleasantly enjoyable.

Entertaining who-dunit

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