Kate Rhodes – Emma's Biblio Treasures

Published September 25th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Crime Series, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this nerve-shredding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Ben Kitto discovers the body of a young woman, buried near the ruins of an old isolation hospital on the island of St Helen’s, he is convinced the killer is hiding in plain sight … and determined to take more lives. The breathtaking, gripping new instalment in the Isles of Scilly Mysteries series…

‘A classy, edge-of-the-seat thriller which will keep you guessing throughout!’ B.A. PARIS

‘An absolute master of pace, plotting and character’ ELLY GRIFFITHS

‘Rhodes does a superb job of balancing a portrayal of a tiny community oppressed by secrets with an uplifting evocation of setting’ Sunday Express

‘Dark, intense, and expertly crafted’ RACHEL ABBOTT

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DI BEN KITTO RETURNS…

A SACRED ISLAND

Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman.

A SHOCKING MURDER

The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community – and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily.

A KILLER ON THE LOOSE

The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben is certain the killer is hiding in plain sight. He knows they are waiting to kill again – and at unimaginable cost.

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MY REVIEW:

Jumping into a series on the eighth book isn’t something I’d usually do. But – full admission here – I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series when I asked to join the blog tour. I was nervous about starting a series so late and worried I’d feel lost or find it hard to connect with the characters. But Kate Rhodes made it easy by crafting a story that is expertly paced and plotted and richly drawn characters that she brings the reader up to speed on the backstories of so that we never feel out of the loop.

A winter storm rages on the Isles of Scilly and DI Ben Kitto makes a shocking discovery: a child’s body wrapped in a shroud and buried in the sand. Evidence shows that the victim was kept in a dark place for years. Things take another chilling turn when a newborn baby is left in a box outside the police station. How could a child be kept captive and a pregnancy hidden in such a small, close-knit community? As links between the two cases are confirmed, Ben and his team must battle the elements to find the baby’s mother and to stop a killer before they have the chance to kill again.

Atmospheric, dark, intense and unpredictable, this had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A vivid sense of place and character makes the islands and their inhabitants come alive and made me lose myself in this small community and the hunt for a depraved killer and vulnerable new mother. DI Ben Kitto is a likeable protagonist who obviously cares a lot about his job and his home and I was behind him at every step. The inclusion of Mai’s story added an extra layer of tension that made the stakes even higher and her emotions were palpable. I was on tenterhooks with my heart racing, unable to put the book down as I desperately needed to know if they would find her before it’s too late. Rhodes provided multiple possible culprits, planting seeds of doubt that could have been clues or read herrings that kept me guessing right up until the shocking truth was unveiled.

Nerve-shredding and totally superb, I’m so glad that I finally discovered this series and can’t wait to read the backlist. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet, selected by Val McDermid’s New Blood panel at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for her debut, Crossbones Yard. She has been nominated twice for the prestigious CWA Dagger in the Library award, and is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker Dave Pescod, and visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child, which gave her the idea for the critically acclaimed Isles of Scilly Mysteries series

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx