The Two Deaths of Ruth Lyle, a review by Joanna

This perplexing crime thriller by the author of the brilliant DCI Craig Gillard series introduces a new main character, industrious North Devon detective Jan Talantire. I beta read this by private arrangement with the author in September 2023, then reread the final ARC version ahead of publication. My memory for plots is so poor that while I did remember the ingenious twist, I had completely forgotten who the baddie was so got to enjoy being bamboozled all over again!

When an elderly woman is brutally murdered in her own home, DI Talantire is shocked to discover that she shares a name with the teenage victim of an infamous murder in the small coastal town of Ilfracombe, who died exactly fifty years earlier – and in exactly the same way. Then they learn that the perpetrator was quietly released under a new name not long before, and has now gone missing, but the authorities are refusing to identify him, saying he has an alibi. Can Jan and her hardworking team solve the mystery of the two Ruths?

Nick Louth is one of the most deviously clever crime writers currently out there, and once more had me wondering what on earth was going on here. I thoroughly enjoyed both the mystery aspect – even if it did seem far-fetched – and the new characters, especially Jan, her mouthy sidekick, Maddy, and her serious IT whizz Primrose. There’s some snarky humour and funny puns, I loved the banter between the team. I’ve never been to that part of Devon so enjoyed looking at pictures on Google Maps to see what Ilfracombe and was happy to discover that the Verity statue described is real – and enormous! As mentioned, I didn’t guess the perpetrator at all, and was very satisfied by the ending, so look forward to reading more about Jan’s adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
The Two Deaths of Ruth Lyle is available now.