Holy Island
Published on 8. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
496 pages
978-1-80496-015-8 (ISBN)
Description
FROM THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Get ready to be gripped by the thrilling first instalment of the bestselling DCI Ryan murder mystery series, the perfect mix of crime, humour, and a touch of romance for fans of Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves.
"She keeps company with the best mystery writers" - The Times
"Holy Island is a blockbuster" - Daily Express
"A literary phenomenon" - Evening Chronicle
---------------------------------------------
On the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, a killer is hiding in plain sight...
Forced to take leave from his duties as a homicide detective, Detective Chief Inspector Ryan seeks sanctuary on Holy Island.
But just a few days before Christmas, he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby Priory.
When former local girl Dr Anna Taylor arrives on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface making her confront her difficult past.
She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a deadly killer, while pagan ritual and island politics muddy the waters of their investigation.
Can they overcome their differences before the killer strikes again?
---------------------------------------------
Readers LOVE Holy Island...
"Superbly written. Well thought out plot and in-depth knowledge of the location made this a must read book. Can't wait for the next one." 5-star reader review
"Brilliant, fantastic, many more words I could say. This book was totally gripping from start to finish and the ending had me mentally saying 'oh no what next'. Can't wait for her next book." 5-star reader review
"I have never been to Lindisfarne but will definitely plan to go after reading this book. I enjoyed it tremendously, with enough pace and story telling to keep me engrossed. What an imagination!" 5-star reader review
"I couldn't put this book down from the minute I picked it up! A great mix of thriller, romance, intrigue with a hint of humour." 5-star reader review
"I love a crime novel and this one did not disappoint! Great twists and turns and good ending. Looking forward to the next one." 5-star reader review
"Great page turner, with a lively plot that holds numerous twists and turns; keeps you guessing until the very end. Fab new author - well done!" 5-star reader review
Get ready to be gripped by the thrilling first instalment of the bestselling DCI Ryan murder mystery series, the perfect mix of crime, humour, and a touch of romance for fans of Elly Griffiths and Ann Cleeves.
"She keeps company with the best mystery writers" - The Times
"Holy Island is a blockbuster" - Daily Express
"A literary phenomenon" - Evening Chronicle
---------------------------------------------
On the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, a killer is hiding in plain sight...
Forced to take leave from his duties as a homicide detective, Detective Chief Inspector Ryan seeks sanctuary on Holy Island.
But just a few days before Christmas, he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby Priory.
When former local girl Dr Anna Taylor arrives on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface making her confront her difficult past.
She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a deadly killer, while pagan ritual and island politics muddy the waters of their investigation.
Can they overcome their differences before the killer strikes again?
---------------------------------------------
Readers LOVE Holy Island...
"Superbly written. Well thought out plot and in-depth knowledge of the location made this a must read book. Can't wait for the next one." 5-star reader review
"Brilliant, fantastic, many more words I could say. This book was totally gripping from start to finish and the ending had me mentally saying 'oh no what next'. Can't wait for her next book." 5-star reader review
"I have never been to Lindisfarne but will definitely plan to go after reading this book. I enjoyed it tremendously, with enough pace and story telling to keep me engrossed. What an imagination!" 5-star reader review
"I couldn't put this book down from the minute I picked it up! A great mix of thriller, romance, intrigue with a hint of humour." 5-star reader review
"I love a crime novel and this one did not disappoint! Great twists and turns and good ending. Looking forward to the next one." 5-star reader review
"Great page turner, with a lively plot that holds numerous twists and turns; keeps you guessing until the very end. Fab new author - well done!" 5-star reader review
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cornerstone
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
425 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80496-015-8 (9781804960158)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
LJ ROSS is an international bestselling author known for her atmospheric mystery and thriller novels, including the DCI Ryan series which has sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Her debut novel Holy Island published in 2015 and reached number one in the Amazon UK and Australian charts. Louise has since released over thirty novels, most of which have been UK number one digital bestsellers. She is also the creator of the bestselling Dr Alexander Gregory series and the Summer Suspense series. Louise is a keen philanthropist and proud to support numerous non-profit programmes in addition to founding the Lindisfarne Prize for Crime Fiction, the Northern Photography Prize and the Northern Film Prize. Born in Northumberland, England, she studied Law at King's College, University of London, then abroad in Florence and Paris, and worked as a lawyer before pursuing her dream to write. She lives with her family in Northumberland.