Doh!

Kate Ellis left such obvious clues and yet, she disguised them so well, that I was (once more) left amazed by the crime's solution.

Brilliant! ( )

A doctor setting out to have dinner at Wesley's sister's is murdered. Neil investigates some skeletons found while some electricity cables are being laid to assess whether they are of interest to archaeologists or to the police.

As a story it all came together satisfactorily, but I was disappointed by the killer's identity. ( )

I read Books 1 and 2, then had to switch to e-books when the libraries were closed. There were no earlier e-books, so I jumped in at this title. It turns out that the stories seem to be satisfactorily stand-alone chronicles, with no apparent spoilers if you don't read the books in sequence. I'm not a purist!

Note: possible spoilers, so consider whether you want to return at another time to read my comments!
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While Peterson is working on the murder in the opening scene, a previous supporting character, archaeologist Neil Watson, has been called out to Tailors Court because ancient bones have been revealed while a trench was dug. The property dates back to Elizabethan times and may be the scene of a centuries-old burying ground.

The author was very skillful in drawing these separate scenarios together. I was intrigued with all the twists and turns with by-plays that developed. However, there were too many plodding sequences that made the story drag and added unnecessary complexities. The loss of momentum in building tension was regained in the last couple of chapters and made a slightly surprising dénouement.

A few other major niggles:
Kate Ellis describes the execution of a search warrant that was so incompetent, it somewhat ruined the novel. I am sure the search could have been conducted much more professionally instead of the clumsy approach she described. Secondly, the situation of one character (Carl Utley) was left unresolved, the proverbial loose thread that doesn't affect the main theme, but I would have liked a word or two about some justice for him. The final irritation was this Nuala Johns: what a total pill. I cannot believe that a police detective would tolerate her tarty behaviour or the way she interfered in his investigations. It escapes me what purpose Nuala's role played in Ellis's plot.

So ~ would I recommend this novel?
It's better than many detective stories, but no, not highly. I am quite influenced by the very likeable (to me) Ruth Galloway character in the Elly Griffiths' oeuvre. Griffiths writes very capably of an archaeologist's approach to forensic excavations and weaves in the police involvement more engagingly. In Ellis's saga, the Neil Watson character comes across as quite unprofessional and the archeological excavations play a less compelling role. That may have been her intent, but I think a strong component of forensic science could have lifted the novel to a higher rating. ( )

Dr James Dalcott is shot dead in his cottage. Detective Inspector Wesley Peterson is called on the case. Archaeologist Neil Watson is called to Tailors Court after bines have been discovered dating back to Elizabethan times, and another set are found dating back to the war.

As always I prefer to read books in order. This allows me to get to know the characters and their lives away from the main story. This one however is number fourteen so I have jumped straight in. On this occasion the story can be read as a stand alone.

I felt there was a lot going on in this book. There is the modern day murder along with the a possible murder of a child dating back to the war. There was also I felt a lot of characters with plenty going on. However it does all come together and all is explained.

The book has a bunch of interesting and likeable main characters which I would like to come across agian. The story wasn't long but I felt it did drag a little in places. The story was slowly building to its conclusions which had a satisfactory end.

I did think that becsuse it was a archaeological based crime I thought there would have been a little more on the subject. This I thought can across very thinly, in the background. It didn't spoil the book but it may have added an extra something.

My first by this author and I have a further two in my tbr which I will read. Quite enjoyable and I would recommend.

Right in true time team fashion off to the pub ! ( )

First Line: November. The month of the dead. The month of remembrance and funerals.

Once again Kate Ellis has written a wonderful blend of new and ancient mysteries occurring in the south of England. Dr. James Dalcott is found shot dead in his cottage, and when Detective Inspector Wesley Peterson begins piecing together the facts of the victim's life, he finds the well-liked doctor had been hiding some very strange family secrets.

While Peterson is working on the Dalcott murder, archaeologist Neil Watson has been called out to Tailors Court-- a property that dates back to Elizabethan times-- where six skeletons have been found. Watson finds that the skeletons show signs of dissection and may be linked to tales of sixteenth-century body snatching. However, one more skeleton is found-- that of the body of a young child buried with a toy car and a coin dating from the 1930s. Watson's investigation has taken an even more sinister turn from the days of Queen Elizabeth to the time of children evacuated from London during World War II. Could there possibly be a connection between the murdered doctor and the skeletons of Tailors Court?

If you've ever read a Wesley Peterson mystery written by Kate Ellis, you know there is a connection between the new mystery and the old, and the delight is in trying to discover the connection before the author reveals it. Now through fourteen books in this series, the main characters feel like well-loved members of my family, and I look forward to reading about what's happened to them as much as I enjoy the murder investigations.

The Flesh Tailor is particularly engaging because of the three separate cases. The present-day case concerning the execution-style murder of the doctor is truly puzzling, and learning about the history of an old house has always been a favorite past time of mine. Tailors Court and its Elizabethan occupant do not disappoint. When Ellis introduces the memories of a wartime evacuee who experienced Tailors Court as a child, my interest and my level of enjoyment moved up another notch or three. The quality of Ellis's Wesley Peterson mysteries is consistently high, but The Flesh Tailor is one of the best of the series. If you love mysteries that blend excellent characterization with the police procedural and strong dashes of archaeology and history, this series will most definitely be your cup of tea. Curl up with one and find out! ( )