Pulpit Rock

Author/Guide: Kate Rhodes

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2000s: A locked island mystery

ISBN: 978-1471189890
Genre: Crime, Police Procedural

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What you need to know before your trail

WITH A KILLER ON THE LOOSE
As the scorching summer sun beats down on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly, DI Ben Kitto and his team are training for the annual Swimathon, until they discover a body hanging from Pulpit Rock, dressed in a bridal gown.

ON A TINY ISLAND
An obsessive killer is hunting for female victims. Kitto has no choice but to stop anyone leaving St Mary’s, but soon another woman is attacked.

EVERYONE IS A SUSPECT
The killer must be a trusted member of the community. Kitto’s investigation is being watched closely, the killer always one step ahead, as the next victim is chosen . . .

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Travel Guide

Discover the Scilly isles with Kate Rhodes

This series is strong on setting. In fact the setting is the star of the show. The island of St Mary’s is the main setting here and the town of Hugh Town and the surrounding area is very evocative. The Pulpit Rock of the title is a lovely part of the coastline in real life but of course in the novel it’s the scene of something very gruesome.

The author is keen to point out in her author note that whilst the settings are real, she has played around a bit with location and distances. You get a real sense of the island and the way that life is altered and lifestyle results from the fact that you can’t leave this place. Well, you can of course by boat, but once the body is found, no one is allowed to leave the island. It’s a small community so there’s a sense of closeness as well as claustrophobia at the same time. The weather, stormy waves, remoteness and stark, raw landscape are brilliantly drawn. This time, the settings really are used to gruesome effect. Wait until you realise what connection a bride’s attire has to do with it all.

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Booktrailer Review

A great addition to the series. This is a novel where the setting really leads the way and the plot and characters are all products of their surroundings. The sea, the remoteness, the fear of isolation, the knowledge there is a killer on the island… all very chilling.

The macabre way the killer poses the bodies in wedding dresses/veils was especially creepy given the white foam of the waves, the sharp rocks and the arches between the cliffs as they mimicked the wedding surroundings. The way the detectives fought to get to the truth was an adventure and a great and exciting way to do a police procedural with a difference. The plotting and structure of the novel was just something else. In fact it was a joy from start to finish and a twisty treat.

Be sure to read the others in the series. There’s not many series that use setting and surroundings as well as the history and heritage of a place quite as well as this one!