Horsey Mere

British Detective Tanner Murder Mystery Series, Book 5

By: David Blake

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

The crime thriller series of the year! 

Set within the mysterious beauty of the Norfolk Broads, this fast-paced British detective series is a dark cozy murder mystery with a slice of humour and a touch of romance, one that will have you guessing until the very end.

The remains of a 17th-century witch, an MP found hanging above a five-pointed star and three girls with powers beyond anyone's control. As DI Tanner and DS Evans endeavour to make plans for their big day, the chance discovery of Norfolk's last known witch, tried and hanged by Norfolk’s infamous Witchfinder General, sparks a chain of the most horrific events, none of which Tanner seems able to prevent.

©2020 David Blake (P)2020 W F Howes

Spoiler Alert!

I don't normally reveal spoilers for anything. To me, story is sacred. If someone's gone to the trouble of creating content, I would never dream of ruining that for someone who might enjoy it otherwise.

This is a bit different. If you don't want any spoilers, run away from this review. Run away now.

If you're still reading, just know that I have reasons for what I do.

In Sherlock Holmes' story "The Adventure of the Final Problem," Arthur Conan Doyle decided he needed to kill Sherlock Holmes. A truly terrible decision, as it turns out. Even Doyle realized it years later and had the great detective return from the dead.

But in Horsey Mere, David Blake decides he just had to kill someone. And kill them in a way that they won't be coming back.

And so he's lost one of his most devoted fans. I understand that characters die. In the first novel in the Detective Tanner series, the other DI was killed. But you don't kill one of the two main characters in the series. You just don't. Or if you do, you lose me as a reader. I suppose there are plenty of fans who will appreciate this plot twist and insist that it's a nod toward realism. Not that I believe for a second that someone at a small place like the Wroxham Police station would nearly get killed in every other book, especially considering how short of time has passed. So the claim that creating such a death in fiction makes it realistic is just plain bogus.

Imagine a Lord of the Rings where Sam dies. Imagine the original Star Wars where Leia dies. Imagine Harry Potter where Hermione dies. If you think such needless deaths would have made for better novels, then Horsey Mere is definitely your kind of book. Maybe David spent too much time binge watching Game of Thrones while writing this novel. Kill every character we like? Surely that's the best way to get on the bestseller list, right?

So I am done with this series. And I'm done with David Blake as an author. As an author myself, I know full well that it's the author's decision alone that ends up killing a beloved character. It's not necessary. It's just hubris. Too bad really. You should have killed her in a way that you could bring her back to life if you changed your mind.

Thanks, I hated it

I listen to these books for Jonathan Keeble. David Blake is phoning it in again.

Great story, but I hated it, too.

Wow! This was a great story BUT I was soooo disappointed in the author's decision to kill off one of the main characters. I never thought I'd cry in the midst of a murder mystery but I sure did.

Actually, there was a lot of murders in this story. And it was up to Tanner and Jenny to solve them.

No romance and the F-bomb was used 9 times.

As for the narration: Jonathan Keeble is one of the very best narrators there is.

That’s it for me

The author obviously has decided that he’d like to take his main character in a new direction after 5 books. Unfortunately he won’t be taking me with him.
Far fetched plot and unnecessary death.

Disappointing

I do not like the direction the story just took. I’m not likely to read/ listen to any future books for this story. Very disappointed.

Witch and Why?

A gripping story - the beautiful, exciting reading filled each word written by the vey clever author with action, and colour! Because of the reader's ability to create different accents and dialects, it made it easy and quick to know each character, and to recognize him, and to love or dislike him. That amazing, dramatic reader definitely increased my enjoyment of this book - THANK YOU!

Good story with some disappointment

I have loved this series but I thought eliminating Jenny was a cop out on the author’s part because he didn’t know where to take the relationship going forward. Bad move, David Blake. You could have done better than that.

Excellent

Great writing. I love this author. Narrator was wonderful. Only complaint is that I want more.

what a shock

brilliant. but can't say why without saying too much. Read this and you will feel.it

Oh why

Oh why did you do it I’m gutted they where a great couple i was that into this book I was so upset you wrote her out I do love the books though

A good audiobook

I couldn't give a review of the book after I read it as the story upset me. listening to the audiobook months later I was able to appreciate the story and excellent narration.

Gripping

The plot a bit more fanciful than previous, but I did enjoy this. Narrator fabulous as always. I’ll be looking out for the next one.

OMG

what an amazing story, spent all of this afternoon listening to it. when is the next book? What next? I love it.

Hard work

Things that come to mind are unlikely scenarios and irritating characters. Fast forwarded through chunks of it and struggled to engage with the plot.

I didn't enjoy this at all

I've really enjoyed the Series up until now but this book went from the sublime to the rediculous and just kept going.
I really wasn't enjoying it and stopped listening after the story just went too far.
Goodbye DCI Tanner, it's was fun while it lasted.

great

it was good. I love the plot the righting and the narrating just wasn't keen on the sad bit. might have to give the searies a miss now sorry. to sad 🥺

Great finale.

Give them all a listen you won't be disappointed!!!

Gripped me from book one!

Another great David Blake story

I thoroughly enjoyed the story even though it had very sad part in it
I do hope we will see Inspector Tanner again