I have a confession to make. I have not read all thirty of Kate Ellis’ DI Wesley Peterson crime novels, although The Chapel of Bones is the latest one. I discovered this series when I was browsing the shelves at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale when I lived in Arizona. The books have not always been easy to find in the U.S., so I grabbed what I could. I’ve read them out of order, and I know I have ones on my shelves that I haven’t read yet. But, it’s always a treat to pick up one of Ellis’ books. They combine contemporary crimes investigated by the Tradmouth CID in South Devon with a parallel track of an archaeological dig that features a similar crime from the past. I always find the history just as fascinating as the current police investigation.
If you haven’t read the series, the books can all stand alone. However, as with any series, if you read them in order, you’ll watch the characters’ personal and professional lives change over the years. Wesley Peterson is a Detective Inspector, married with two children. He studied archaeology at college, which is why he has a keen interest in the digs uncovered by his archaeologist friend, Neil. Sometimes, those digs provide inspiration for Wesley. Other times, it’s the reader who notices the parallel aspects because the historic aspects may be shown through diaries or letters. Peterson’s boss is Gerry Hefferman, a working man’s supervisor, who we see age and cope with his loneliness and aging in the course of the series. The other characters on the police team marry, sometimes move on. We do get to know some of them better than others. And, the team often works long hours into the evening while juggling multiple cases.
In The Chapel of Bones, the team is dealing with the dognapping of pedigree dogs when Peterson and Hefferman answer a call. Builders knocking down a wall found a body behind it. They finally identify the body as Dr. Alaric Donnel, an academic professor thought to have gone to Brittany in 2011. The professor’s study of a book of mythological beasts is a basis of both the current investigation involving an artist and a zoo, as well as Neil’s latest project. The owner of the estate where the body is found has a chapel on the property that has stone grotesques, mythological creatures. Neil finds an old skeleton on site, but his crew later uncovers a more recent one. At the same time, it’s Wesley’s brother-in-law, a vicar, who calls when he finds the murdered body of one of his parishioners. The cases seem to have nothing to do with each other, but Ellis manages to even weave the dognappers together with the other crimes.
Ellis’ books are always complicated ones, and it’s important to pay attention. With a diary from 1476, and one from 2011, along with a case from 2026, the reader wanders around as aimlessly as the police team does for a while. But, everything is tied together beautifully in a mystery of obsession.
And, if you finish the book, you’ll want to read Kate Ellis’ notes, but don’t read them ahead of time. I always appreciate it when an author provides background, including historical background.
Why criminal investigation and archaeology? It’s Wesley Peterson who sums it up. “Both professions involved removing layers of dirt until the truth was finally revealed.” So perfect for this engrossing series.
Kate Ellis’ website is https://www.kateellis.co.uk/
The Chapel of Bones by Kate Ellis. Constable, 2026.
FTC Full Disclosure – I bought a Kindle edition of the book.
