Wow this was dull. An interesting premise—a locked door mystery on A film set—yet it plod on and on. Usually film settings are full of colorful characters—not this one. I gave up on this.

I loved this book, it is eighth in the series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone. It is a well written, cozy mystery and I highly recommend the series.

Good story line. I have found this to be very similar to previous books in the series. Still a good read though.

271 pages

4 stars

Trains, actors and cops. Who could want anything more in a novel?

DCI Jim Oldroyd is enjoying his day off with a bit of bird watching. He receives a call from an old colleague named DI Bob Craven asking for his assistance on a puzzling case.

An actor was shot to death in a “locked” coach on a train. The crew was filming the scene, and no one was seen entering or leaving the coach.

Just the kind of case that Oldroyd liked.

His partner, Deborah, tags along as the filming site is near a spa.

Immediately a person is interviewed that strongly objected to the film crew “misusing” the train in their “trashy” movie. Also one of the railway workers is shot to death right after he calls someone with an idea of how the crime was committed.

The actor who was murdered was not well liked. He left a string of disappointed lovers and ex-wives and was a “snob” when he interacted with his cohorts. He and the director of the film, Gerald Blake, had an argument the morning of the murder.

There must be more going on.

Oldroyd’s team begins to look at the actor’s past. Did he change his name? Who is he really? Information is quickly found that validates Oldroyd’s suspicions.

When Deborah goes missing, the tension in the story ratchets up. The team must solve this case quickly and find Deborah.

J.R. Ellis’ character Oldroyd is one of my favorites. While this story is not quite up to his usual level of brilliance, it is still a good and enjoyable story. The writing is clear and easy to read. The story moves quickly and is satisfying. I will continue to read Mr. Ellis’ novels.

I want to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK/Thomas & Mercer for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

I must admit to having a soft spot for JR Ellis and his Yorkshire Murders series. There's a charm about the books that's akin to having a hug. They all have murders, but like in the fiction of the twenties, these aren't graphic. The Railway Murders is no different. A solid story that lets you escape the world.

This book is centred on the fictional Wharfedale railway. Whilst a film is being made, an actor is murdered in a locked carriage and no-one can work out how and who did it. Enter DI Oldroyd, who has a history of solving unfathomable cases. Along with his team, he sets out to find the murderer. Whilst staying with his partner near the scene, she is kidnapped and Oldroyd is forced to leave the case to his team.

Like I say, I like this series of books. Oldroyd's team is fiercely loyal. They assist Oldroyd, yet he is the driving force behind the team. It's him that comes up with the way the murder is committed, albeit with the indirect thoughts of others. This works well, Oldroyd is like Poirot and Miss Marple, a detective that gets results. I guess these fall into the cozy murders' genre, but yet the writing makes the places come alive. The Yorkshire settings set the books in the real world and make for interesting reading when you know the places they've been to.

All in all a first class read. It doesn't break what isn't broken, just continues doing what it excels at, a great story with a positive ending. I can recommend this series of books to anyone who enjoys cozy murders. They are a timeless series that keeps giving good storylines with a cast that are very likeable. If you haven't discovered these, then why not?

I really enjoyed reading this most entertaining mystery. It was action packed as well as filled with suspense. Detective Inspector Jim Oldroyd tries to discover the identity of the person who killed an actor while the film crew was shooting a scene on a railroad. The case becomes even more complicated when an antique railroad volunteer is shot down at the film site and then when Oldroyd's partner, Deborah Fingleton, is kidnapped while walking on a nearby tourist trail. I highly recommend this book to other mystery readers. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, and the opinion expressed
is strictly my own.

Although The Railway Murders is the 8th installment in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series, it was the first one I'd read. I loved the premise and style of the book--an old-fashioned locked room mystery. Ellis did a great job of setting the scene; the plot was enjoyable and undemanding, which is just what I'm looking for in a cozy mystery. I did find the dialogue to be somewhat stilted and the characters a bit one-dimensional, though. A solid effort.

Easy reading pleasure
This is the eighth book in the Yorkshire Murder Mystery series and for me it was the author's first book. The sympathetic team of investigators appears to be the same in all cases, but no prior knowledge is assumed. I could easily read this book without knowing the previous seven. As expected, the writing style is practiced and fluent and nothing to complain about. The characters were described in a believable and understandable manner. The crime plot is a bit simple, the investigations are conducted superficially and unfortunately investigative approaches are not consistently pursued. The extraordinary setting in an old train is something different and is well described. The Yorkshire region and its attractions are incorporated into the action and stimulate the desire for a holiday in the region. All in all, an easy, not too demanding thriller.

A simply told mystery, reminiscent of Agatha Christie in the best way. The setting was great. The people were character-y, in that the book itself felt like a play they were putting on. That often doesn't work, but it did here.

The Railway Murders by J.R. Ellis

When a film shoot on Wharfedale’s vintage railway turns into a grisly crime scene, DCI Oldroyd’s idyllic visit to the countryside with his partner Deborah is well and truly stopped in its tracks. One of the film’s stars has been shot dead in a train carriage while the cameras rolled outside. But nobody else went in—or came out. Has the killer really pulled off the perfect, impossible crime?
Give me a book about Yorkshire and I'm in. Give me a book about Yorkshire where the author obviously knows and loves the place as much as me and I'm hooked.
Great plot , exciting , well written as all his titles and fabulous characters.
J.R. Ellis has done it again.

In Yorkshire, a film crew has turned a heritage railway into a film set. A day of filming does not go as planned when one of the supporting cast, an aging, ego-driven man who uses and discards people, does not exit the train compartment as expected. Instead, he is found with a bullet hole in his head. No one seems particularly sorry about his fate. The investigation ensues.

This appears to be one of a series and seems to be written as a kind of homage to traditional locked room mysteries. Each of the 6 chapters begins with a short description of a classic book and or film that involves railways as a major part of the plot.

I decided to read this book because another reviewer, who loved it, recommended it to me. It was a pleasant and interesting read.

The Railway Murders is the 8th novel in the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries series. I have read all of the ,mysteries in J.R. Ellis' series. These novels have gotten better over time and are now like greeting a group of old friends. The plotting is carefully constructed, with a nice grouping of regular characters, with enough new characters to make solving the murder(s) more difficult. I did solve the identity of one of the co-conspirators quite early in the novel. The foreshadowing that occurred early in the novel also made clear that there were at least 3 people involved. British murder mysteries are governed by rules of time and location, and Ellis is very good about sticking with the rules.

While reading The Railway Murders, I was also picturing how it could be depicted as a television series. Ellis is getting close to the complexity of character development that is required for a television serial. The characters in The Railway Murders are interesting and many have moved beyond cliche and stereotype. I would like to see more complexity, though, especially in the central characters--Jim, Stephanie, and Andy. The Railway Murders did a nice job of better developing Deborah, whose personality in quiet moments was much better defined, especially in the barn, where her inner life came through nicely. While Jim has now moved beyond the pining and whining ex-husband stereotype--thankfully!--he has more room to grow into the kind of complex character that Ellis has shown he can achieve. Ann Cleeves' Vera has that kind of complexity, as does Perez. I think Ellis has it in him to do the same.

I want to thank the author and publisher for providing this ARC, in exchange for my honest review. Thank you also to NetGalley for introducing me to this author.

By the way, Amazon has begun refusing to publish reviews in which ARC copies are mentioned. They also reject references to NetGalley.

This is a great British mystery about murder on the railway during a movie filming. The lead investigator is genius but also has heart. He must balance the needs of the investigation and his own needs. He has a life outlook that I would love to follow. He has 2 investigators that are a great complement to his investigative style. Despite the challenges, he is committed to the case and to his partner.

The cast of characters on the movie set are diverse and yet also stereotypical. You have little sympathy for the womanizing victim - even less so as the story unfolds. The initial crime scene was so well designed and executed that it should have remained unsolved. As key pieces are uncovered, the murder evolves into a string of connected crimes that have their roots in the past. Incredibly well written, with so many facets that tie together seamlessly by the conclusion.

This book is a thrilling read from page 1! Now that I know this is part of a series, I am hooked!

Mystery In Traditional Vein…
The Yorkshire Murder Mystery series returns with the eighth instalment which finds Oldroyd investigating a locked room type murder on the Wharfedale vintage railway. The murder is indeed bizarre but when bodies begin to mount Oldroyd needs to act fast. Little does he know that the case is about to get very personal indeed. With a solid puzzle at heart, a cast of well crafted and credible characters and a nicely plotted tale peppered with red herrings this is a gentle mystery in traditional vein and a delightful addition to this very enjoyable series. Particularly entertaining are the snippets before each chapter heading making reference to a particular vintage mystery or film tied up with mysteries on the railways - a truly delicious touch.

It must be hard to keep a long-running series fresh for long but the 8th volume in the Yorkshire Murder Mysteries recaptured my interest. DCI Oldroyd and his team investigate another devilishly difficult locked-room murder, this time inside the carriage of a vintage train. As always, there is a large cast of suspects and I didn’t figure out whodunit till the end. The chemistry among the characters still works, and I love the interactions between Oldroyd and Steph. The novel is very atmospheric and it’s easy to imagine the settings. I actually Googled one of the landmarks and it looked just as described. I had some small issues with part of the plot. I’m trying to stay away from spoilers but, wouldn’t a victim’s legal name be the first thing to establish in a criminal investigation? Such small details were distracting but the rest of the plot was enjoyable enough that I decided to ignore them.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer!

This was an an entertaining and easy to read locked room cozy mystery. I've read all the previous books in the series and enjoyed this one as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I liked this book. I really liked this book…this talented and gifted author has written a cannot put down novel. The characters are likable and since the book is character driven, that is important. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. I was hooked from the quote on the first page..I really enjoyed the quotes, explanations, etc. think Agatha Christie…a linear timeline…third person…not jumping from one time to the next or one character to the next…just a good mystery novel. No language to skip over…no inappropriate scenes….intriguing mystery…whodunit…intrigue at its best…it was difficult to guess the ending because of the red herrings. I cannot wait for more books from this author. I cannot say enough good things about this book. Oh, did I say I really really liked this mystery? Don’t miss reading this delightful book. Curl up in a cozy chair with a warm blanket…a cup of steaming herbal tea…a delicious scone and be transported.