Sycamore Gap: A DCI Ryan Mystery (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 2)

WARNING: Spoilers ahead!This author’s books have earned mostly 4-5 stars on Amazon and Good Reads. Lulled, I neglected to read the 1-2 star reviews. Last December I began reading & was mostly enjoying the first book when an Amazon Kindle Deal caught my eye. Without reading the entire book—not even making it to the 30% mark, I confess—I bought several LJ Ross mysteries at bargain prices.To my surprise and annoyance, the author stopped without tying up the loose threads in an ending! If I’d had a hard copy instead of a Kindle, I’d have thrown it against a wall.This year, I finally picked up the sequel—“Sycamore Gap”—in hopes that the author had written an ending. The previous book featured a serial killer, and a pagan-cum-satanic cult . . . as does THIS book. Plus, up pops book #1’s serial killer—who supposedly is in a secure prison.This sequel—like the preceding book—has no ending(s). It does have great cliffhangers:1) A police superintendent (who is a satanic cultist) suspends the detective protagonist from duty.2) An innocent man is framed (plot holes galore), and he is killed whilst spending his first night in jail.3) Book #1’s serial killer is orchestrating all—assisted by police, prison, jail & community accomplices.I can’t be the only reader who despises non-endings in what appears to be a stand-alone mystery book.

I’m cross posting this review for all 7 books in the series as I read them back-to-back. Detective Chief Inspector Ryan is the star of this series, although there are several fantastic supporting characters as well.The first book introduces you to the main characters, their flaws and strengths, as well as the Northumbrian landscape. This author clearly knows the territory in which her books take place and does a beautiful job of describing each location, so much so, that I’ve put the region on my “must visit” list.Each book is a fast paced journey to find the criminal and bring him or her to justice. They’re sprinkled with the emotional details, trials and tribulations of the characters’ lives, which makes each of them real and believable. I had a very difficult time putting each and every one of these books down and now that I’ve finished the last one, I’m desperate for the next…Typically I receive books for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review, however this is a verified purchase. See all our reviews at our Book Explosions page on Goodreads.

Stories should have a begining, a middle and an ending. This one had a tolerable begining, an interesting middle and then she just stopped. It may have been a tawdry attempt to interest readers in her next book. But for me I felt as though the contract between author and reader had been seriously broken and I would not invest time and effort in any of her other books.

I really enjoyed Sycamore Row, book 2 in the DCI Ryan mysteries. It's partly a continuation of Holy Island, and although this novel has a satisfactory ending, an important thread, started in book one will finally be completely wound up in book3, which I've also read.Ryan's incipient relationship with Anna continues, and we get to know more about his colleagues, Mackenzie and Philip's, among others. Well written, crime fiction, vividly set in beautiful Northumbria, UK. I'm gradually working my way through this great, British, crime series.By the way, I added the audio version, brilliantly read by Jonathan Keeble.

I wasn't sure I would like t he series at first, but when I got into them found them to be really great. I love DCI Ryan he is a bit like detectives used to be. I have got and read all six of the books and even though its a British series I am sure everyone who likes "who dun its" will really enjoy these. As a Brit. living in the US it brought back lots of memories. Try them you will be surprised at the twists and turns.

From three stars for Holy Isle , up to four for Sycamore Gap.The plot is interesting , the style tense and excitingIn her notes , Ms Ross thanks various advisors , very good. It is a pity she did not investigate occult sciences or seek an advisor, but it is to late now.It is a pity that she cannot produce stand alone novels and relies on " cliff hanger" endings to sell the next in series , although not a guaranteed method .......

Ryan and his team just can't seem to get rid of all of the bad guys, and now one of them have set him up to be suspended. Of course he doesn't yet know who all the bad guys are, but I think he's starting to get an inkling. Oh he gets a bad guy here and there,; and he just got one that I didn't know they should even be concerned about it till Ross painted a very big picture for readers. There's still too much talk, not enough cutting to the chase, but I'll probably hand in there just to see if Ross lets Ryan and his team figure everything out, and that all the good guys are still alive at the end.

This could be a good series IF each book finished the story. Instead, Sycamore Gap was the sequel to Holy Island and the reader is still guessing who some of the bad guys are? A sequel to this book is in the works.The plot is somewhat far fetched, about a large band of pagans hiding in plain sight in the local area. Here it is 6 months after the murders on Holy Island and Ryan doesn't seem to have solved any other cases. All the members of the Circle should have been arrested in Holy Island, and Ryan should have had another case to solve in Sycamore Gap.One thing which made no sense at all was that Ryan's girlfriend was allowed to be in the incident room when the detectives and CSI were working on the case. No way would any civilian be allowed that freedom, and later be left alone with all the evidence while the police went chasing after a suspect. With so many pagans living close by it might be possible for Anna to be one of the members of the Circle, and she would be privy to all the evidence the police were collecting about them. It just didn't make sense.I will not be buying the next book. The search for the Pagan leader has already gone on way too long.

The second in the DCI Ryan series is better than 4 stars but not quite 5. Who can DCI Ryan and his team trust as it becomes obvious that 'The Circle' cult involves people in powerful positions who are trying to thwart the investigation into a series of missing and murdered young women who vanished around the time of the summer solstice over a 10 year period. This time the setting has moved into Northumberland, where DCI Ryan and his team are based in Newcastle, but the ramifications of what began in book one on Holy Island continue to reverberate. Again, Ms Ross's writing gives a wonderful feel for the rugged beauty and historic significance of area, especially Hadrian's Wall marching through the country. The characters of DCI Ryan and his team continue to develop nicely, especially the relationship between Ryan and DS Phillips, as well as DI Mackenzie and, to a lesser extent, DC Lowerson, who, for a good part of the book is still in hospital in a coma following his near fatal attack on Holy Island. They are a close knit bunch who trust each other emphatically. Anna is also a key character in this second book and, again, her life is in danger. We also meet Ryan's nemesis Edwards, serving life in prison for a series of murders, including that of Ryan's sister, but who is still managing to play his evil games from his cell as he contemplates revenge. All in all, a good plot with some dark and nasty people and, once again, we're left at the end on a bit of a cliff-hanger wondering how Ryan is going to finally break 'The Circle'.

A real waste of time. I bought the first two books because of Amazon reviews. Am a huge fan of crime novels, but I just find this author boring. The pagean theme throughout the book grates on my nerves. Nothing exciting. Nothing to want you to read more. Hate to give negative reviews, but my advice is to stay away from the whole series. robert bryndza is a first rate author and I would highly recommend his novels. Also Jane Casey. Read these two authors and understand why my review is so negative.

A fantastic crime thriller that has you gripped from the start. The personal narrative of DCI Ryan's life continues but never distracts from the main story. The crimes twist and turn and the pace is fast. You just don't want to put the book down. And for anyone who has ever visited Hadrians Wall you start to wonder if such a crime is possible or if anything like this has happened whilst the wall was being built!!The back story of DCI Ryan is revealed a little more to the reader, and is fascinating and sinister. It explains a lot about him and why he is so protective of those around him that he loves. The killer is brutal but this leads us to understand more about the characters and is in no way gratuitous. If fact the first murder has you gripped in the first couple of pages. Once this has grabbed your attention you are truly absorbed into how this and subsequent murders can be solved without anyone else getting hurt along the way.There is tension, drama and consequences, and you don't feel like this is the last time we are going to hear of The Hacker or the affects he'll have on Ryan and his team. As the plot twists and turns it leaves you no time to second guess what might be happening, all you want to do is turn the next page to find out more.There are subtle links to Holy Island throughout the story which keeps everything gelled together.As I said before, I love this series and I have raced through the first three books so quickly – my review of Heavenfield will follow very shortly – that I need to pace myself for books four and five. It is a strange feeling. I want to read on. I want to know what happens. But I am oh so scared of reaching the end too. They’re really that good.

The plot is OK, but the frequent and unnecessary howlers left me wanting to scream. These included the incorrect use of "hoi polloi" (it doesn't mean upper crust), the description of Newcastle's Theatre Royal's columns as Doric (they are Corinthian), the nonsensical "lavishly decorated... in a minimalist style", and the entertaining "knobbing" instead of "hobnobbing". I'm not sure I can bear to read another one of these...

The first L J Ross novel left a lot up in the air and this book carries on where that left off, albeit on the mainland now. It starts with the discovery of a historic murder of a young woman and follows later with 2 more women. Again, Ryan is trying to break The Circle. The story left me wondering who could be trusted. There were so many small things lots of people did that left you wondering if...good red herrings. Yet again, people in authority broke their positions of trust. No real spoilers here. The Hacker, in the background in the first book was a doctor. He killed Ryan's sister in front of him, hence we discover why Ryan has such a strong protective streak for Anna. He features very heavily in this story from behind bars, influencing others and telling part of his own back story. Again, the ending is cleverly left open leaving the reader wanting more. Now looking forward to receiving Heavenfield, which I ordered some time ago, to see what happens next. 4 stars given as I read a lot of crime thrillers and while I consider it pretty well written, it's not all that believable in reality.