The origin of Detective Ramsay deserves to be reissued. The murder he is tasked investigating is a disliked headmaster who is murdered during the school Halloween party. Ramsay immediately suspects and arrests the wife. Her arrest in challenged by townsfolk, who ultimately aid Ramsey is solving the case.
This is early in Cleeves career however her careful plotting, attention to character and place, and the grief of murder proves to her fans that her series are compulsive choices from Book 1.
I am glad to meet Ramsay and the village of Heppelbum.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ann Sleeves for the review copy.

This talented author has written a page turner. I liked this book. Cleeves does not disappoint. Red herrings…secrets…intrigue… That being said, there were times when the story seemed to go slowly. I like this author so much. The other series is more my style. Thanks Netgalley.

Ann Cleeves is my absolute favorite authors of all time. Hands down. I am slowly working through all of her blacklist. I Just finished the Matthew Venn and Shetland novels and am most of the way through the Vera books. When I saw she came out with a new series with a new Inspector I just about jumped for joy. This book is amazing, like all of her books. She really will go down as one of our time's most prolific mystery writers. The atmosphere in her books is almost a character in itself. I will continue to wait with baited breath for more of her books!

This re-release of the first book in Ann Cleeves’ Inspector Ramsay series is a pure delight. First published in 1990, our bookstore (open 1992-2018) had many of these on our shelves, all of which are now collectible. The prolific writer was writing two series at the time – the other centered on birdwatching (we also had copies of those books) – before finishing up both and breaking out with her Vera books in 1999. This first one in the Ramsay series is a real, golden age gem.

While the golden age was of course many decades before this series came to be, Cleeves assumes many of the plotting and set up tropes that would be familiar to any fan of golden age mysteries. Set in a small village with an insular community – all of whom know one another – the Inspector is a creature from above who more or less swoops in to solve the crime. The much hated school headmaster is done away with in the first chapter at a combination Halloween Guy Fawkes party for the school kids.

The kids are not part of the story, but the parents are, as Cleeves dives into the inner lives of the school’s teachers and parents. There are children underfoot, of course, but they don’t really figure into the story. The dead man’s wife is quickly accused of the murder and arrested, and the school custodian and local councilor, Jack Robson, who has carried a torch for the woman since high school, is certain she’s not guilty. With the help of his friendly and somewhat directionless daughter Patty, the two of them form a team and find some purpose as they go about their investigations.

They do share their findings with Inspector Ramsay who lurks at the edges of the story. Patty lurches like a friendly puppy from one home to another, offering comfort where she can, while her father’s wheels are turning a bit more quickly and he’s the one who actually solves the crime.
Cleeves’ genius is already apparent here. If this is slightly more traditional and less amped up than some of her later books, the evocative setting and the details of the characters as human beings with flaws and saving graces are all present, as is a plot that is both simple and complicated. Cleeves, like her golden age foremothers, has laid the groundwork for her solution.

Unlike her golden age forebears there’s quite a bit more fleshing out of her characters along with their psychological underpinnings, and the tone is darker than an Agatha Christie book, though if you read Agatha Christie, you’ll see it’s not that much darker, really. Christie was no stranger to the horror show that humans can put on, but Cleeves, as a modern writer, is perhaps more up front with her depictions of the horrors.

This is also a tightly plotted book which, like the golden age novels of the past, could be picked up early in the evening and finished....well, early the next morning. It was certainly hard to put down. Ann Cleeves is a treasure.

I really loved the setting. and I would definitely read next in this series. As a long time reader of Ann Cleeves it was interesting to see how much her storytelling has improved. This was enjoyable read, if a bit simplistic. Inspector Ramsay's character needed a bit more fleshing out. But I was totally surprised by who the murderer was.

First- I did not finish this book as I really cannot get into it. Too slow, little happening, characters are too... simple maybe?

The headmaster is a mean and spiteful man and everyone in the town seems afraid of him. At a school Halloween party, he is found murdered. Who did it? Most of the town is relieved that he is no longer around to make their lives miserable. His wife is arrested for the murder.

The caretaker of the school knew the headmaster's wife many, many years ago and decides that the wife is not guilty and decides to prove she didn't do it based on nothing but a memory of what she was like when they were young. Not exactly heavy proof of innocence! He bothers everyone in town to find out more, though he doesn't believe he needs to share that info with the police. He gets his adult daughter involved in helping as she s bored. huh? What kind of professional investigation is this? Not. That is when I stopped reading. I did find it was good to read at bedtime as I found it so slow that sleep came easily.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The twists and turns kept me on my toes, making it nearly impossible to predict what would happen next. Just when I thought I had figured it out, another revelation would throw me off course. The suspense built masterfully, leading to a shocking reveal that completely took me by surprise. The author’s writing style kept me engaged from start to finish, and I found myself fully immersed in the mystery. This definitely won’t be the last book I read from this talented author—I can’t wait to dive into more of their work!

Updated review from February 1, 2025
Trigger warning: Suicide

I received this book from NetGalley, which did not affect my rating or review. Just to make sure people know, I read this back in 2021. I went and re-read a ton of Cleeves back-list. I do feel disappointed I could not continue with her Palmer-Jones series. I really enjoyed it, but most of the books are not available unless they are in paperback somewhere.

The Inspector Ramsay series is in my opinion very good. In this first book in the series, you are not going to start off with a high opinion of him. Probably because most of the book is laying the groundwork for some other characters who appear in the series later on. Also, Cleeves takes a very long time to set the stage and things move very very slowly until you have Ramsay and two other characters, Patty and Jack, who are daughter and father, who get involved in investigating the murder.

The book starts off focusing on a small village in Northumbrian. Cleeves ticks through characters who are dreading getting together for the local PTA conference because the local headmaster, Harold Medburn is mean and seems hell-bent on keeping everything under his control. When the school gets ready for a Halloween party (their first) Harold is found hung. The police immediately suspect that his wife Kitty did it. But the school caretaker, Jack Robson, who still carries a bit of a torch from Kitty from their younger days is determined to prove she's innocent. His daughter, Patty, who seems unclear on what she can do or is good at, finds herself standing by to assist Inspector Ramsay in his investigation.

Most of the book is Patty, Jack, and Ramsay talking to people and doing what they can to prove that Kitty killed or did not kill Medburn. It takes some time for the book to find its footing. And then of course a second murder takes place. Things come together quite well in the end, but there is some lingering guilt from this book that is going to follow Ramsay through the rest of the series.

Cleeves doesn't change anything in this one outside of the new introduction that shows you where her head was at when she wrote this. I did appreciate that. There's also several pages devoted to the second book in the series. I imagine that means they are going to re-release all of them again which will be nice. I ended up buying some of these and having them sent to me from the UK, yes, I was that invested in this series and had to see how it ended.

Ann Cleeves has her own style for every character she writes, which is why I love her writing. This character, Ramsay, has a great style you get to experience the case without a hurry and bustle of solving. But it was solved and she really had a great twist. Buy it, read it and enjoy.

Having read many of this authors previous work, this one was a quiet slow moving mystery. The murder victim is so horrible I had no empathy for his murder. Good cast of potential suspects and being in a small English village is a good setting. The drawback was the inspector Ramsay, he really needed to step up his game, the old school caretaker was more invested in finding out who the murderer was. Low key murder mystery was a good enjoyable read from NetGalley for an honest opinion.

Thank you net galley for this arc. i liked the weird characters. a little bit of a slow start. first ann cleeves book, not sure what to expect, inspecter ramsey is a really enjoyable character.

An early Ann Cleeves that I found satisfying. It was in its own way a cozy mystery done in a very old fashion way. Characters were well imagined, there was the right amount of intrigue and I have to say better written than many new mysteries.

An early work from Ann Cleeves but new to US readers is a lost masterpiece. Predating Shetland and Vera, Inspector Ramsey is a brooding yet likable detective. The twist and turns of the plot and supporting cast is interesting enough to keep you guessing right up to the end. Would definitely love to read more about Ramsey and see what happens next in his personal life. If you love UK mysteries like I do, you will not be disappointed. Would definitely buy a physical copy and read it again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a sneak peek of this wonderful book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ann Cleeves for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Lesson in Dying coming out March 25, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I think this might be an old book that was released again. I really love cozy mysteries. It was a really short story. I love the setting. I think the characters were interesting. There could’ve been a little more character development. But I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.

A Lesson in Dying is the first book in Ann Cleeves's first detective series. Written in the late 1980s, it is the first of six Inspector Ramsay books. Other than the fact that the characters don't have cell phones, the book does not seem dated.

Headmaster Harold Medburn is despised or feared by the faculty and staff at the school he runs in the village of Heppleburn. When he is found hanging in the school's playground, Inspector Ramsay quickly arrests Medburn's wife, Kitty. This does not work well for retired miner and school caretaker Jack Robson. Jack, a widower, is smitten with Kitty and is determined to clear her of the crime. But when he and his daughter begin investigating, they uncover long-held secrets whose exposure threatens their lives.

True to form, Cleeves's Inspector Ramsay is a flawed character. Unlike the police inspectors in her three other series, Stephen Ramsay does not appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. Jack and Jack's daughter, Patty, saved his bumbling investigation by doing most of the investigative work. Cleeves always creates memorable characters, and this book is no exception. The story did get bogged down in places, but overall, this series shows promise. 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is March 25, 2025.

I did not know Ann Cleeves had an entire series before Vera and Shetland!

This is one she wrote many years ago. Our detective, Inspector Ramsey, has a murder in his safe little village. The headmaster at the local school has been strung up.

He is a vile man with a lot of secrets.

I did not care for this one.


NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press March 25,2025

This was a very fast-paced detective mystery,

When I thought i've guessed it, nope didn't.

¸Just like I love them. Very captivating.

first off, I got an arc from Netgalley saying this book was being published in March 2025. Then about halway thru the book, I realized that I'd already read it in 2020 and it had been originally published in 1990. Netgalley does mention that it's in the time in PRINT for the US, but I'd already read it as an ebook. The point to this is, you may have already read it as an ebook, so check your stuff before you go and buy it new.

The mystery was good, even the 2nd time around. I enjoyed the characters, altho Inspector Ramsay could have been fleshed out a little more. I do think her writing has improved since this was written. But, I enjoyed it in 2020 and I endjoyed it again. Mostly because I didn't really remember it. Just the vague hints of this sounds familiar. I must have enjoyed the rest of the series too, as I gave them all 4 stars, altho I must not have been able to get one from the library as I didn't read book 5.

As a fan of Ann Cleeves other books, I was looking forward to reading A Lesson in Dying. However, I just could not get into the book & slogged through it. The headmaster is hung at some point during a Halloween festivity at the school. Inspector Ramsay just didn't do it for me. I'd say try it, as others did love the book. Thanks to St Martin's Press, NetGalley & Ms Cleeves for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I am a big Ann Cleeves fan and was curious to read one of her earlier works. However, it was so hard to get into this book and I did not find Inspector Ramsay compelling. Some of the other characters were more compelling, but then I felt disappointed because I wanted to hear from them more. The book felt dated in a way that is hard to describe because obviously it is set in the past. It was slow and hard to get into. I think Ann Cleeves' writing style has evolved over the years or the series I've enjoyed are more suspenseful and it could be a personal preference.

3 stars as I did want to find out the solution to the mystery and some of the villagers were fun to read about.