As a tourist, I've always enjoyed my visits to Whitby, and this crime fiction visit evoked great memories.

Bram Stoker created Dracula in the town of Whitby and apparently it has become the home of Goth Festivals.

This story comes very close to home for Jim Olryd and his team when his daughter witnesses one of her friends murdered in an "escape room". Louise feels that there is something unbelievable about what she has seen, although her girlfriend is undoubtedly dead. She contacts her father and he arranges to come to Whitby to assist in the investigation. I think in reality Olroyd would seem to have a "conflict of interest" and not be allowed to be involved.

Like Louise, Jim Olroyd finds the scenario hard to take at face value, particularly when the murderer is still at large.

There are a number of side plots carefully woven into the story: plagiarism in university courses, deception in the jewellery business centred around Whitby jet, stolen art works, tourist activities.

I did think there were a couple of unnecessarily complicated scenarios, such as the duplicate sarcophagi which I found it hard to see the point of. I also thought the author may have changed his mind about the motivation for the murders, or were they just red herrings?

Overall though, I found it a very satisfying read. ( )

This was an excellent police procedural which touches the soul.

What a charming and refreshing mystery this was. I was captivated by the Whitby setting, famous for its Bram Stoker, "Dracula" connection. The story is set in mid October during a Goth-themed weekend. There's a group of friends which engage in a goth-themed escape room event. Unfortunately, not everyone makes it out of the room alive. The murder looks rather cut and dry at first blush but is it? One of the group members thinks there's something a bit odd about the goings on and contacts her dad, DCI James Oldroyd, requesting that he review the case for himself. Oldroyd is highly respected and admired by his colleagues for his amazing ability to resolve the most difficult of cases. He is thoroughly committed to his job and can never seem to turn off his analytic brain when it comes to solving a mystery. That's great for the police department but a bit rough on his loved ones. There's a tremendous depth to his character. On one side, he's incredibly good at his police work without any display of arrogance. He is a leader by example. Yet, there is also a touch of humility and introspection to his character.

The writing is solid and well based in historical facts related to the region in which the story takes place. There are touches of poetry throughout the book and at times the dialogue is a touch philosophic. The cast of characters is tremendous and well developed. The pace is steady up until the last quarter of the book at which point the urgency accelerates and one's heartbeat rises, with the story resolving into a satisfactory conclusion when all is said and done.

This is the sixth book of the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series, It can, however, stand well enough on its own and not leave the reader lost in missing details fleshed out in previous installments. I have read three of the series' books and will eventually get caught up on the others as the series is quite good.

I am grateful to publisher Thomas & Mercer for having provided a complimentary electronic copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: ‎ Thomas & Mercer
Publication date: ‎ May 27, 2021
No. of pages: 283
ISBN: 9781542017466 ( )

Louise Oldroyd and her friends are attending the Whitby Goth Weekend. When experiencing an escape room puzzle one of the group stabs another. She calls on her father DCI Jim Oldroyd for help. Former colleague D.I. Alice Granger welcomes the help of his team.
I found the group of people annoying, and didn't care for the characters of the police or their interactions and dialogue. Other stories in the series have been better.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Review of eBook

When a group of friends, including Detective Chief Inspector Jim Oldroyd’s daughter, Louise, head for an escape room as part of their participation in Whitby’s Goth festival, two of the group begin arguing. Suddenly, Dominic stabs Andrea and runs away; the young woman dies in Ben’s arms while Louise and Maggie look on in horror.

Why did Dom murder Andrea? And when will it become clear that, although three people witnessed a murder, nothing is as it seems?

Sixth in the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series, “The Whitby Murders” takes what, at first, appears to be a straightforward event and creates a complex murder mystery that changes everything the readers think they know about what happened in the escape room.

Believable characters populate the story that is set with a unique setting in a Goth festival, giving the story an eerie feel that serves as an undercurrent throughout the narrative. The sense of uneasiness keeps the reader off-balance and adds to the captivating mystery.

As the investigation takes some unexpected turns, the case becomes more and more complex, pulling the reader into the telling of the tale and keeping the pages turning. Astute readers will identify the murderer before the surprising reveal late in the story, but this will in no way detract from the intriguing tale. Readers should expect to be captivated by the unfolding mystery until they’ve turned the final page.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program ( )

Whitby Murders. The setting of Whitby Murders is one I’m very familiar with through my research on Whitby Abbey. I could literally picture myself at the sites visited by the characters. The story takes place during Goth Week, a bi-annual attraction for all activities and costumes relating to Goth. The murder seems an open and shut case. Unhappy with the police selection of the most likely suspect, DCI Oldroyd’s daughter brings her father onto the case. Enjoyable read. ( )