Holy Island

DCI Ryan Mystery #1

By: LJ Ross

Narrator: Jonathan Keeble

ISBN: 9781464273261

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Publication Date: 04/07/2026

Format: Paperback

My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)

APR 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

From acclaimed internationally bestselling author LJ Ross comes a chilling, atmospheric mystery steeped in ritual, secrets, and small-town tensions, perfect for fans of Michael Connelly and Louise Penny.

On Holy Island, everyone is a suspect…

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to the remote Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide detective. But just days before Christmas, his fragile peace is shattered when the body of a young woman is discovered among the haunting ruins of the ancient Priory.

Into this dark mystery steps Dr. Anna Taylor, once a local girl, now back as a police consultant. Her return stirs painful memories and unfinished business―and working alongside Ryan only complicates matters. Together, they must navigate small-town secrets, simmering tensions, and whispers of pagan ritual as they hunt a killer who may be hiding in plain sight.

Set against the stark, windswept landscape of Lindisfarne―an island cut off from the English mainland by a treacherous tidal causeway―the case forces long-buried secrets to the surface. On Holy Island, the past is never truly left behind, and every stone has a story waiting to be unearthed.

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My Review

If you are seeking a perfect blend of a secluded, atmospheric setting, a detective with a complex moral compass, and a community where secrets run deeper than the local well. Enter LJ Ross and her sensationally popular DCI Ryan mysteries.

HOLY ISLAND (DCI Ryan #1):

A Gripping Northumbrian Whodunnit by L. J. Ross

Set on the evocative, tide-swept island of Lindisfarne, Holy Island is a classic "locked room" mystery with a dark, ritualistic twist. When the body of a young woman is found staged in the ruins of the ancient Priory just days before Christmas, the island’s tranquil isolation is shattered.

The Investigation...

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan, who is supposedly on a sabbatical to recover from a past tragedy, finds himself leading a high-stakes hunt for a killer hiding in plain sight. Joined by Dr. Anna Taylor, a local historian and expert on pagan rituals, whose return to her childhood home forces her to confront her own buried memories.

Themes...

~Isolation & Sanctuary

~Physical Isolation

~Emotional Sanctuary

~Paganism vs. Modernity

~Confronting the Past

~The Facade of Community

~Justice & Morality

Beyond solving a crime, the series more broadly explores the morality of human nature and the high psychological toll that seeking justice takes on those involved.

My thoughts...

HOLY ISLAND is a masterclass in atmospheric tension, delivering a must-read, ritualistic whodunit mystery set against a compelling, isolated landscape. Despite some rushed romantic elements, the gripping atmosphere and setting make it an excellent start to a new crime series.

~Atmospheric Setting:

LJ Ross uses the Northumberland landscape as a character in itself, with the shifting tides of the causeway creating a constant sense of claustrophobia and tension.

~Occult Undercurrents:

The plot expertly blends modern police procedural work with ancient myths, pagan symbolism, and the dark underbelly of a tight-knit community.

~Chemistry and Character:

The "slow-burn" romantic tension between the brooding DCI Ryan and the resilient Dr. Taylor adds a human layer to the grisly investigation.

Perfect for fans of atmospheric British crime, HOLY ISLAND is a fast-paced debut that balances gruesome mystery with Geordie humor and a touch of romance. The shocking twists and cinematic ending make it clear why this series has become a global bestseller.

The novel is less about the technicalities of a police procedural and more about the suffocating power of atmosphere. The takeaway is that nature—specifically the Northumbrian tides—can be just as dangerous and unpredictable as a killer.

The book reminds us that no one can outrun their past. Both Ryan and Anna try to hide on a remote island to find peace, but they ultimately learn that true healing only comes when you stop hiding and start fighting back against the darkness.

The Takeaway..

Don't trust the quiet surface of a small town. Evil is most effective when it hides behind a mask of normalcy and tradition.

Recs...

If you enjoyed LJ Ross's blend of location-based mystery and police procedural, check out these authors and series:

~Louise Penny (The Chief Inspector Gamache Series)

~Ann Cleeves (Vera Stanhope Series)

~Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder Series)

~Jane Casey (Maeve Kerrigan Series)

If you enjoy Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series, you will likely appreciate the DNA of Holy Island. While Penny’s work is often described as "literary mystery" with a philosophical edge, LJ Ross delivers a more fast-paced, cinematic version of the same appeal.

Expect HOLY ISLAND to be slightly darker and more ritualistic in its crimes than a typical Louise Penny novel, leaning more into the "grit" of a traditional police procedural.

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

My Rating: 4 Stars

Pub Date: Apr 07, 2026

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About the Author

LJ Ross is the author of the #1 international bestselling series of DCI Ryan mystery novels and her books have sold more than eleven million copies since 2015.

Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Law at King’s College London and studied abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a regulatory lawyer for a number of years before taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. WEBSITE