My latest read was Cuthbert’s Way by LJ Ross. This is book 17 in Ross’s DCI Ryan series. This book is the second half of the story started in book 16, The Shrine. While many of Ross’s novels can be read standalone, I would probably recommend reading from the beginning of the series. Ross’s stories are much more about the characters than the plot of an individual story. That’s been more true of the later books. Their plotlines and “who done it” factor are much less important than some of the earlier books.
Cuthbert’s Way does continue Ross’s signature approach to grounding the story in a detailed Northumberland setting and history. This one really digs into the history and mythology of Saint Cuthbert. I have included a couple of videos below that go into this more.
I enjoy Ross’s stories, but the last few books have become a little too “formula.” It also reflects a trend to put the main characters and their families in harms way as a key plot element. It may be that as much as I like the characters, this one has run its course. There are two more stories in the series. I expect to read the next one and will evaluate again.
Read more on the author’s site.
Cuthbert’s Way
By LJ Ross
A secret kept for a thousand years…
After the dramatic theft of a priceless artefact from Durham Cathedral, the rest of the world believes that DCI Ryan and his team were able to recover and return St. Cuthbert’s cross to its rightful home. But Ryan knows the cross he recovered was a fake—far from being over, their problems are only just beginning…
Just as Ryan and his team begin to unravel the truth behind the spate of mysterious thefts, something even more priceless is stolen—something that can never be replaced.
As the nationwide manhunt continues without success, Ryan is thrust into despair—until he realises the answer lies not in modern policing but in an age-old secret known only to a chosen few. To recover what’s been lost, he must first crack ‘Cuthbert’s Code’, following the trail of a long-dead saint across the wild, unpredictable hills and valleys of the borderlands.
Can Ryan find what he’s looking for, before it’s too late?
He’s going to need a miracle…
Published November 30, 2020
241 pages (print)