Review: Enjoyable mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 14, 2012
Millie goes to stay with her grandmother in the Yorkshire Dales.  Her grandmother, Helen, has two university students staying with her - Matt and Andy - who are studying the effects of lead mining on the surrounding countryside.  Mille becomes friendly with them and goes off on treks across the moors with them.When Helen's friend, local landowner Lizzie dies unexpectedly Millie starts to wonder whether the death is natural or whether it is suspicious.  She meets Naomi, Lizzie's granddaughter and strikes up a friendship with her too when she realises that Naomi is not convinced the death is natural causes.  Then there's the mysterious Dutchman who rents a lodge from Lizzie and Matt's strange disappearances and Naomi and Millie start to wonder exactly what is going on in the peaceful countryside where sheep are more common than people.The story starts off slowly but in the second half of the book it rapidly gathers pace to an exciting ending.  I liked the characters and having lived for some time in Yorkshire myself I enjoyed reading about the area.  I also enjoyed reading about the archaeological background. The plot is intricate and well done and will keep the reader guessing for quite a while.  I enjoyed the writing style and thought the motivation of the characters was well explained.  Millie herself is a likeable young woman, impulsive and enthusiastic with a kind heart.If you like your crime novels with the emphasis on the mystery rather than the violence then you may enjoy this first episode in the Yorkshire Dales Mystery series. It also makes a pleasant change to find a  series which is not set in London or surrounding areas.