Treble Clef

A new Harrogate murder mystery from  Malcolm Hollingdrake is a guaranteed good story.

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Book description

Harrogate attracts hundreds of players to the annual Games Convention and for one player it is the perfect opportunity to kill by the mechanics of his own sinister game. Each victim will die in the same way. Each will be classed as the loser and their time will have run out. The escape room and the game table will draw more, each believing they are invincible. However, in every game there is always a traitor waiting in the wings. The latest in the bestselling Harrogate Crime Series.

My review 

Bodies in B&B room, with slit throats. There’s a tie-in with a gaming convention in Harrogate. This is the sort of story where I think I know what’s happening, where it’s going and who’s behind it and I’m glad to say I was wrong. It was more complex than I thought, even involving, peripherally, a member of the aristocracy with strange tastes and no scruples. We delve deeper into Cyril’s own personal life, too, which will please long time readers of this series. A jolly good Harrogate yarn.

About the author

You could say that the writing was clearly on the wall for someone born in a library that they might aspire to be an author, but to get to that point Malcolm Hollingdrake has travelled a circuitous route.

Malcolm worked in education for many years, even teaching for a period in Cairo before he started writing, a challenge he had longed to tackle for more years than he cares to remember. 

Born in Bradford and spending three years at Ripon College, Malcolm has never lost his love for his home county, a passion that is reflected in the settings for all the DCI Bennett novels However, as well as the Bennett series he is writing a new series set in Merseyside.

Malcolm has enjoyed many hobbies including collecting works by Northern artists; the art auctions offer a degree of excitement when both buying and certainly when selling. It is a hobby he has bestowed upon DCI Cyril Bennett, the main character in his successful Bennett series.

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Just a thought

Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
― P. J. O'Rourke

Malcolm Hollingdrake

The latest in the series and one of the most unusual means of murder I've come across!

The Third Breath

My review -

Something that kills people in three breaths? Something that leaves no trace. Cyril Bennett has his work cut out here. There are several victims and they seem to be linked together by coincidence. Do you believe in coincidence? We have an unusual killer with what seems to be a random selection of victims and it’s interesting to see how the pieces fit together. I enjoyed the further delving into Cyril’s past life, his bequest from his father, and Julie and his stepmother Wendy’s continuing relationship. There’s the most unusual murder method I’ve ever read about, combined with some delving into Cyril’s past relationships which give a balance of head and heart that I really liked. Engrossing and satisfying.

Malcolm Hollingdrake

Sixth in a series but I believe you can dip in and out with these books. Each stands well on its own.

Crossed Out

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My review -

When a book starts with missing persons, acid attacks, drugs and bodies, you know you’re in for a tangled tale. Cyril, his team augmented this time by a new girl, April, have their work cut out. April, as Cyril advises, occasionally goes with her gut. He is happy to follow it. His own past is further explored, and his relationship with Dr Pritchett deepens. Altogether, there’s a huge lot going on in here.

I really enjoyed this story. When you think you know what’s going on you’re thrown a curve-ball. The whole thing was tied together with biblical quotes as there’s a character who has taken on the task of correcting sinners. This was a complex piece of story-telling with a lot of characters but it all worked for me. A very enjoyable read.

Malcolm Hollingdrake

Crossed out is the sixth in the DCI Bennet series. It's a tangled web and very engrossing.

Crossed Out

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My review -

When a book starts with missing persons, acid attacks, drugs and bodies, you know you’re in for a tangled tale. Cyril, his team augmented this time by a new girl, April, have their work cut out. April, as Cyril advises, occasionally goes with her gut. He is happy to follow it. His own past is further explored, and his relationship with Dr Pritchett deepens. Altogether, there’s a huge lot going on in here.

I really enjoyed this story. When you think you know what’s going on you’re thrown a curve-ball. The whole thing was tied together with biblical quotes as there’s a character who has taken on the task of correcting sinners. This was a complex piece of story-telling with a lot of characters but it all worked for me. A very enjoyable read.

Malcolm Hollingdrake

I'm not good with a series. It takes a lot of time and commitment to follow a whole series of books but a really good indication is whether or not they make sense as stand-alone stories. These certainly do. This is number five.

Dying Art

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My review -

Never one to read a series in a sensible order, I’ve gone from Book 2 to Book 5 of this series and found art-loving DCI Cyril Bennett recovering from a professional and personal tragedy. This story is so well told that you don’t need to have read the previous books. I like that in a series! On his return to work, the fact that a local art gallery has been burgled and that there’s a suspicion that fake art works have found their way into the system, means this job it totally up his street. Greed and murder are close bedfellows in this book.

I really enjoyed the story, straying into the machinations within the art world. It’s known that fake art works find their way into the system, even though that means faking their provenance too. Malcolm Hollingdrake delves into murky depths here and it’s a twisty and exciting read. I’m sure those who’ve followed all the books in the series (embarrassed blush!) have gained greater depth within the characters but a great read is a great read, and this one is!