A landslide has opened up a seaside cave. That would geologically interesting by itself, but the cave shows signs of having been used by humans, perhaps for thousands of years. The Morpeth Department of Antiquities and Museums undertakes the task of investigating the cave and overseeing the construction of a seawall to prevent encroachment and flooding by the expected winter storms.
Arnold Landon is the man assigned to the work, while his boss, Karen Stannard, handles all of the public-facing activities, a task for which she’s well suited. But one day, she decides to climb an interior wall; the top of the cave opens way above on the bluff and was likely the portal for human sacrifice. Stannard encounters human bones, and while it’s thought it might be from an age-old sacrifice, it so happens that the bones are much more recent, as in only 20 years old.
The manor and land on which the cave sits are due to be sold. And a young graduate student has been asking questions of any and all concerning what might have happened to a man who helped save his father’s life in World War II, but the man also happened to be a German concentration camp guard. Someone doesn’t want those questions answered, to the point where the student’s body is found in the cave, pitched or pushed through the opening at the top.
Roy Lewis
Murder at Abbey Head is the 17th Arnold Landon mystery by British author Roy Lewis (1933-2019). It’s the first in the series in which Landon plays almost no role in the solution to the crime, with local DI John Culpepper taking most of the honors. It’s almost as if Lewis was reaching the end of possibilities in Yorkshire for Landon to investigate. Or maybe he became bored with Yorkshire. Adding to that is that the last five in the series are all set in other countries.
Lewis was the author of some 60 other mysteries, novels, and short story collections. His Inspector Crow series includes A Lover Too Many, Murder in the Mine, The Woods Murder, Error of Judgment, and Murder for Money, among others. The Eric Ward series, of which The Sedleigh Hall Murder is the first (and originally published as A Certain Blindness in 1981), includes 17 novels. Lewis lived in northern England.
Murder at Abbey Head is well written, plotted well, and contains several twists and turns. I’m going to miss Yorkshire, though, with its rolling hills, ancient history, and manors dating back to medieval times.
Related:
Murder in the Cottage by Roy Lewis.
Murder Under the Bridge by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Tower by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Church by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Barn by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Manor by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Farmhouse by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Stableyard by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the House by Roy Lewis.
Murder by the Quay by Roy Lewis.
Error in Judgment by Roy Lewis.
Murder at the Folly by Roy Lewis.
Murder in the Field by Roy Lewis.
Murder at Haggburn Hall by Roy Lewis.
Murder on the Golf Course by Roy Lewis.
Murder on the Dawn Princess by Roy Lewis.
Murder in Wolfcleuf Woods by Roy Lewis.
Some Monday Readings
Kafka’s Tricksy Translations – Joel Miller at Miller’s Book Review.
Escaping the Brave New World – Paul Kingsnorth, speaking at Grove City College.
Ancient Wisdom: A Middle Finger to the Digital Age – Joseph Epstein at The Free Press.
The Graffiti in the Cathedral. A Very Victorian Stunt – Henry Oliver at The Common Reader.
Too Much Screen Time or Coming to Terms with My Idolatry – Katie Andraski at Katie’s Ground.
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