What do you think?
Rate this book
Jennie Redhead Mystery #2
Dry Bones
Private investigator Jennie Redhead finds her loyalties divided when she investigates the decades-old murder of a college student.
Oxford, 1974. In the cellars beneath St Luke's College, a sealed medieval ventilation shaft is opened up to reveal human bones. Two bodies, buried thirty years apart, but is there a connection ...
Desperate to protect the College's reputation - and finances - the bursar, Charlie Swift, hires his old friend, private investigator Jennie Redhead, to find out the identities of the two victims. But as Jennie pieces the clues together, it becomes increasingly clear that Charlie knows rather more about the murders than he's admitted. As she uncovers a series of scandals stretching back more than sixty years, Jennie is forced to question how well she really knows her old friend Charlie Swift - and whether she can trust him...
Oxford, 1974. In the cellars beneath St Luke's College, a sealed medieval ventilation shaft is opened up to reveal human bones. Two bodies, buried thirty years apart, but is there a connection ...
Desperate to protect the College's reputation - and finances - the bursar, Charlie Swift, hires his old friend, private investigator Jennie Redhead, to find out the identities of the two victims. But as Jennie pieces the clues together, it becomes increasingly clear that Charlie knows rather more about the murders than he's admitted. As she uncovers a series of scandals stretching back more than sixty years, Jennie is forced to question how well she really knows her old friend Charlie Swift - and whether she can trust him...
203 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2018
8 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Sally Spencer
90Ìýbooks150ÌýfollowersA pseudonym used by Alan Rustage.
Sally Spencer is a pen name, first adopted when the author (actually called Alan Rustage) was writing sagas and it was almost obligatory that a woman's name appeared on the cover (other authors like Emma Blair and Mary Jane Staples are also men).
Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a teacher. In 1978-79 he was working in Iran and witnessed the fall of the Shah (see the Blog for what it was like to live through a revolution). He got used to having rifles - and, one occasion, a rocket launcher - pointed at him by both soldiers and revolutionaries, but he was never entirely comfortable with it.
He lived in Madrid for over twenty years, and still considers it the most interesting and exciting city he has ever visited, but for the last few years he has opted for a quieter life in the seaside town of Calpe, on the Costa Blanca.
His first series of books were historical sagas set in Cheshire (where he grew up) and London. They were very popular with his English readers, but his American readers find the dialect something of a strain.
He has written twenty books featuring DCI Woodend (a character based partly on a furniture dealer he used to play dominoes with) and ten (so far!) about Woodend's protegé Monika Paniatowski.
His DI Sam Blackstone books are set in Victorian/Edwardian London, New York and Russia, and the Inspector Paco Ruiz books have as their backdrop the Spanish Civil War.
Alan is a competitive games player who likes bridge and pub quizzes. It is only by enforcing iron discipline that he doesn't play video games all the time.
He now lives on Spain's Costa Blanca.
Sally Spencer is a pen name, first adopted when the author (actually called Alan Rustage) was writing sagas and it was almost obligatory that a woman's name appeared on the cover (other authors like Emma Blair and Mary Jane Staples are also men).
Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a teacher. In 1978-79 he was working in Iran and witnessed the fall of the Shah (see the Blog for what it was like to live through a revolution). He got used to having rifles - and, one occasion, a rocket launcher - pointed at him by both soldiers and revolutionaries, but he was never entirely comfortable with it.
He lived in Madrid for over twenty years, and still considers it the most interesting and exciting city he has ever visited, but for the last few years he has opted for a quieter life in the seaside town of Calpe, on the Costa Blanca.
His first series of books were historical sagas set in Cheshire (where he grew up) and London. They were very popular with his English readers, but his American readers find the dialect something of a strain.
He has written twenty books featuring DCI Woodend (a character based partly on a furniture dealer he used to play dominoes with) and ten (so far!) about Woodend's protegé Monika Paniatowski.
His DI Sam Blackstone books are set in Victorian/Edwardian London, New York and Russia, and the Inspector Paco Ruiz books have as their backdrop the Spanish Civil War.
Alan is a competitive games player who likes bridge and pub quizzes. It is only by enforcing iron discipline that he doesn't play video games all the time.
He now lives on Spain's Costa Blanca.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 30, 2018
Private investigator Jennie Redhead finds her loyalties divided when she investigates the decades old murder of a college student. Oxford 1974, in the cellars beneath St Luke's College, a sealed mediaeval ventilation shaft is opened up to reveal human bones. Two bodies, buried 30 years apart, but is there a connection? Desperate to protect the colleges reputation and finances, the bursar, Charlie Swift, hires his old friend, Jennie Redhead, to find the identity of the two victims.
This is a well written historical mystery. The parts that go back during the war make intresting reading. When the remains of two skeletons were discovered, instead of calling the police they moved them to a lab on campus. Bursar, Charlie Swift, wants to keep the find quiet, but does Charlie know more than he's letting on? He refuses to call the police and Jennie's task is nearly impossible. The more you read of this book, the more you won't know who to trust.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Severn House Publishers and the author Sally Spencer for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a well written historical mystery. The parts that go back during the war make intresting reading. When the remains of two skeletons were discovered, instead of calling the police they moved them to a lab on campus. Bursar, Charlie Swift, wants to keep the find quiet, but does Charlie know more than he's letting on? He refuses to call the police and Jennie's task is nearly impossible. The more you read of this book, the more you won't know who to trust.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Severn House Publishers and the author Sally Spencer for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2018
I read The Shivering Turn, the first book in the series earlier this year and I was thrilled to get to chance to read the sequel Dry Bones. Private investigator Jennie Redhead is back and in this book, she has to solve the mystery of two skeletons that are found in the cellars beneath St Luke's College without the police finding out about that since her friend, and the college's bursar, Charlie Swift doesn't want to involve them. The skeletons are buried 30 years apart, so now she must find out what links them together to find out who put them there.
I found the Shivering Turn to be an excellent start and I'm thrilled to say that this book is also great. One aspect I love about this series is that it's set in the 70s Oxford and I was also extra pleased that this book dealt with a cold case. We got to see flashbacks back to St Luke's both during WW1 and WW2 and it was especially interesting to get to know a younger Charlie Swift. The book really captured the atmosphere of the different periods and I always love reading a book that feels authentic. As for the case, well, it's a true puzzle, but Jennie is a good PI and she, despite, feeling let down by Charlie hiding things will do everything to solve it.
I quite enjoyed this mystery book and I look forward to reading more books about Jennie Redhead!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
I found the Shivering Turn to be an excellent start and I'm thrilled to say that this book is also great. One aspect I love about this series is that it's set in the 70s Oxford and I was also extra pleased that this book dealt with a cold case. We got to see flashbacks back to St Luke's both during WW1 and WW2 and it was especially interesting to get to know a younger Charlie Swift. The book really captured the atmosphere of the different periods and I always love reading a book that feels authentic. As for the case, well, it's a true puzzle, but Jennie is a good PI and she, despite, feeling let down by Charlie hiding things will do everything to solve it.
I quite enjoyed this mystery book and I look forward to reading more books about Jennie Redhead!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
February 6, 2018
It was an entertaining read though not very memorable.
It is the second book in the series, but you can read it as a stand-alone, I didn’t have a feeling that I was missing something from the previous sequel.
Jennie Redhead, our red-haired protagonist is a private investigator and a close friend of Charlie Swift, the bursar of St Luke's College in Oxford. When human bones are discovered in a sealed medieval ventilation shaft in the cellars of the St Luke's College, Charlie Swift decides not to report the incident by the police straight away but in order to protect the reputation of his College and to avoid the public scandal first contact his old friend Jennie to ask for a favor. She has to find out whom those bones belong and what happened with their owners. The case that seems to be unsolvable at the first sight- as the lab on the campus has detected, the human bones belong to two different bodies and their deaths separate at least 30 years –is quickly resolved. But it is not the main story of the book.
At 50% we know WHO these men were and we have also a main suspect. But then an unexpected twist turns the story into a totally different direction. It will happens at least twice after. THIS style, on the one hand kept my interests and made me wanting to read further to find out what all THIS story was about, on the other hand, I had a feeling that the author didn’t really have a plan or what genre he should have committed himself to.
The timeline shifts back and forth between present (here it is 1974th), 1916th and 1943th. Though I found the time representation a little bit flat, it is not a great atmosphere that keeps you on reading, but your curiosity. The more you know the more you have doubts about the truth, the more you hesitate about whom you can trust in this story.
I don’t know if I’ll read the next book in the series, but it was a quick and partly amusing read that reminded me of a British TV mystery series.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
It is the second book in the series, but you can read it as a stand-alone, I didn’t have a feeling that I was missing something from the previous sequel.
Jennie Redhead, our red-haired protagonist is a private investigator and a close friend of Charlie Swift, the bursar of St Luke's College in Oxford. When human bones are discovered in a sealed medieval ventilation shaft in the cellars of the St Luke's College, Charlie Swift decides not to report the incident by the police straight away but in order to protect the reputation of his College and to avoid the public scandal first contact his old friend Jennie to ask for a favor. She has to find out whom those bones belong and what happened with their owners. The case that seems to be unsolvable at the first sight- as the lab on the campus has detected, the human bones belong to two different bodies and their deaths separate at least 30 years –is quickly resolved. But it is not the main story of the book.
At 50% we know WHO these men were and we have also a main suspect. But then an unexpected twist turns the story into a totally different direction. It will happens at least twice after. THIS style, on the one hand kept my interests and made me wanting to read further to find out what all THIS story was about, on the other hand, I had a feeling that the author didn’t really have a plan or what genre he should have committed himself to.
The timeline shifts back and forth between present (here it is 1974th), 1916th and 1943th. Though I found the time representation a little bit flat, it is not a great atmosphere that keeps you on reading, but your curiosity. The more you know the more you have doubts about the truth, the more you hesitate about whom you can trust in this story.
I don’t know if I’ll read the next book in the series, but it was a quick and partly amusing read that reminded me of a British TV mystery series.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
January 29, 2018
Entertaining Oxford based thriller
Private investigator Jennie Redhead finds her loyalties divided when in 1974 she investigates two bodies, buried thirty years apart under an Oxford college.
Whilst I found this quite entertaining, it fell a little short for me. The view inside Jennie’s head I found a bit irritating and some of the World War 2 descriptions appeared a bit flimsy.
However, it was entertaining with some great descriptions of Oxford and Jennie is a strong character that keeps your interest to the end of the book.
I received a copy of Dry Bones from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
Private investigator Jennie Redhead finds her loyalties divided when in 1974 she investigates two bodies, buried thirty years apart under an Oxford college.
Whilst I found this quite entertaining, it fell a little short for me. The view inside Jennie’s head I found a bit irritating and some of the World War 2 descriptions appeared a bit flimsy.
However, it was entertaining with some great descriptions of Oxford and Jennie is a strong character that keeps your interest to the end of the book.
I received a copy of Dry Bones from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2018
Last year I read "The Shivering Turn" which was the first in the Jennie Redhead series. With "Dry Bones" we revisit private investigator Jennie as she attempts to solve three murders which took place decades apart.
For those who haven't made Jennie Redhead's acquaintance,Ìýshe is from the northern county of Lancashire, studied at Oxford herself, and got her degree in English Literature. And guess what? She IS a redhead! She views the fact that her hair matches her name to be a curse she is forced to endure. The year is 1974 and Jennie travels about the city of Oxford on her trusty bicycle to ferret out information.
Jennie left the Thames Valley police when she discovered one of her superiors to be corrupt. She still has a few contacts within the police, one of whom is DS George Hobson, her friend and former lover. She turns to George again this time round, testing their friendship.
Jennie's best friend, Lord Charles Swift, St. Luke’s College’s bursar, comes to Jennie with a problem. Wanting to preserve the college's reputation, he tells her about two skeletons which were discovered in the cellar of one of the colleges. He wants her to determine WHO these skeletons were in life. He also says that the bones were removed to be scientifically tested - thus disturbing the possible crime scene. Of course this is against the law and could get them both in trouble with the police. Science has determined that one of the skeletons is much older than the other one... One was interred during WWI, the other during WWII.
When Jenny begins to investigate she is reacquainted with the college 'porter' who has a long and esteemed relationship with the University.Ìý The 'porter' is the hub of the college, the man who facilitates much of what goes on withing the walls of St. Luke's.
The reader is transported back in time to the periods when the murder's took place - one of which was during Jennie's friend Swift's time at the college. A time when scandal was verboten.
Jennie wonders... could Charles be in any way implicated? The investigation takes Jennie to Northamptonshire and the Spanish island of Majorca.
MY THOUGHTS
Set in the beautiful and historic city of Oxford, this series is extremely atmospheric. Adding to that is the fact that there were three time periods within the narrative, the most recent being 1974 during Jennie Redhead's time.
The narrative examines the limits of friendship and the lengths to which those loyal to Oxford University will go to preserve its reputation. It gives the reader a glimpse into what life was like at Oxford during the great wars and how the University had to adapt to fewer students and being used as housing for the military.
The writing was adept and utilized humour and irony to further the story along. I enjoyed this novel very much, though not as much as the first installment of the series. To date, there are just the two titles, but I would read the third if such a book were written.
3.5 stars rounded up for Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from the publishers, Severn House viaÌýNetGalleyÌýin consideration of my honest review.
For those who haven't made Jennie Redhead's acquaintance,Ìýshe is from the northern county of Lancashire, studied at Oxford herself, and got her degree in English Literature. And guess what? She IS a redhead! She views the fact that her hair matches her name to be a curse she is forced to endure. The year is 1974 and Jennie travels about the city of Oxford on her trusty bicycle to ferret out information.
Jennie left the Thames Valley police when she discovered one of her superiors to be corrupt. She still has a few contacts within the police, one of whom is DS George Hobson, her friend and former lover. She turns to George again this time round, testing their friendship.
Jennie's best friend, Lord Charles Swift, St. Luke’s College’s bursar, comes to Jennie with a problem. Wanting to preserve the college's reputation, he tells her about two skeletons which were discovered in the cellar of one of the colleges. He wants her to determine WHO these skeletons were in life. He also says that the bones were removed to be scientifically tested - thus disturbing the possible crime scene. Of course this is against the law and could get them both in trouble with the police. Science has determined that one of the skeletons is much older than the other one... One was interred during WWI, the other during WWII.
When Jenny begins to investigate she is reacquainted with the college 'porter' who has a long and esteemed relationship with the University.Ìý The 'porter' is the hub of the college, the man who facilitates much of what goes on withing the walls of St. Luke's.
The reader is transported back in time to the periods when the murder's took place - one of which was during Jennie's friend Swift's time at the college. A time when scandal was verboten.
Jennie wonders... could Charles be in any way implicated? The investigation takes Jennie to Northamptonshire and the Spanish island of Majorca.
MY THOUGHTS
Set in the beautiful and historic city of Oxford, this series is extremely atmospheric. Adding to that is the fact that there were three time periods within the narrative, the most recent being 1974 during Jennie Redhead's time.
The narrative examines the limits of friendship and the lengths to which those loyal to Oxford University will go to preserve its reputation. It gives the reader a glimpse into what life was like at Oxford during the great wars and how the University had to adapt to fewer students and being used as housing for the military.
The writing was adept and utilized humour and irony to further the story along. I enjoyed this novel very much, though not as much as the first installment of the series. To date, there are just the two titles, but I would read the third if such a book were written.
3.5 stars rounded up for Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from the publishers, Severn House viaÌýNetGalleyÌýin consideration of my honest review.
November 1, 2017
When Charlie asks Jennie to investigate two bodies in the cellar of his Oxford university, he also asks her to keep it secret. Keeping it quiet is a crime, and not telling her friend on the police force puts two friendships in jeopardy too.
Charlie seems to have more secrets than a puzzle-box. Jennie starts to suspect his involvement in at least one of the deaths. Is he trying to distract her from the truth by sending her on wild goose chases?
The Jennie Redhead Mysteries are very similar to the Phryne Fisher Mysteries, but Jennie is lot more brash and confrontational. The difference is that the author duo that makes up the Sally Spencer also like to add a little controversy to their stories.
I’m not sure I entirely agree with the way the topic of homosexuality was approached from a historical point of view. In the mid 1940’s it was still considered a criminal offence, so the majority of men kept it a secret, as opposed to being openly gay in society. In 1967 sexual acts between two men over the age of 21 was decriminalised in England and Wales, however it still remained illegal in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and or the Isle of Man.
Now, whilst there is always room for fictional interpretation and the rewriting of history, I do believe keeping it slightly more historically correct would have given the story a stronger sense of realism, instead of applying the overall laissez-faire feel of the story to this particular topic.
Personally I wish history had been more like the scenario of Dry Bones, in a sense that it is just as normal as heterosexual relationships, which is possibly what the authors were aiming for.
What I really enjoyed was the excellent description of the upper and lower classes, especially in relation to the academic world of Oxford. In the 20th century we saw the deconstruction of these antiquated ways of thinking, although I am sure one could argue that we are still seeing the last remnants of it in the UK government structure and political field. Kudos to the authors for the reality of the Upstairs/Downstairs scenarios and the descriptions of both the Great War and World War 2, which feature heavily in this story. The mistakes made by the entitled upper class officer ranks, and the fates of the lower class bullet fodder.
Overall Spencer delivers a good read with feisty and unusual characters.
*I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.*
Charlie seems to have more secrets than a puzzle-box. Jennie starts to suspect his involvement in at least one of the deaths. Is he trying to distract her from the truth by sending her on wild goose chases?
The Jennie Redhead Mysteries are very similar to the Phryne Fisher Mysteries, but Jennie is lot more brash and confrontational. The difference is that the author duo that makes up the Sally Spencer also like to add a little controversy to their stories.
I’m not sure I entirely agree with the way the topic of homosexuality was approached from a historical point of view. In the mid 1940’s it was still considered a criminal offence, so the majority of men kept it a secret, as opposed to being openly gay in society. In 1967 sexual acts between two men over the age of 21 was decriminalised in England and Wales, however it still remained illegal in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and or the Isle of Man.
Now, whilst there is always room for fictional interpretation and the rewriting of history, I do believe keeping it slightly more historically correct would have given the story a stronger sense of realism, instead of applying the overall laissez-faire feel of the story to this particular topic.
Personally I wish history had been more like the scenario of Dry Bones, in a sense that it is just as normal as heterosexual relationships, which is possibly what the authors were aiming for.
What I really enjoyed was the excellent description of the upper and lower classes, especially in relation to the academic world of Oxford. In the 20th century we saw the deconstruction of these antiquated ways of thinking, although I am sure one could argue that we are still seeing the last remnants of it in the UK government structure and political field. Kudos to the authors for the reality of the Upstairs/Downstairs scenarios and the descriptions of both the Great War and World War 2, which feature heavily in this story. The mistakes made by the entitled upper class officer ranks, and the fates of the lower class bullet fodder.
Overall Spencer delivers a good read with feisty and unusual characters.
*I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.*
July 15, 2022
This book follows multiple points of views and two timelines - one timeline set in the 40s and the other in the 70s - so it does get a bit confusing but I was mostly able to keep up with it.
I went into this book blind which explains why I didn't realize this is book 2 in a series. However, this can be read on its own.
Jennie Redhead is a private investigator who is hired by her good friend, Charlie Swift, to find the identities of two bodies whose bones were discovered in a sealed ventilation shaft beneath St. Luke's College in Oxford that were buried 30 years apart.
When she dives deeper and deeper into this mystery she finds more than what she thought she would.
As a detective story, this was okay but I feel like some parts were a little drawn out and I had to slightly push myself to finish it. This was slightly intriguing but honestly wasn't my cup of tea, unfortunately.
I went into this book blind which explains why I didn't realize this is book 2 in a series. However, this can be read on its own.
Jennie Redhead is a private investigator who is hired by her good friend, Charlie Swift, to find the identities of two bodies whose bones were discovered in a sealed ventilation shaft beneath St. Luke's College in Oxford that were buried 30 years apart.
When she dives deeper and deeper into this mystery she finds more than what she thought she would.
As a detective story, this was okay but I feel like some parts were a little drawn out and I had to slightly push myself to finish it. This was slightly intriguing but honestly wasn't my cup of tea, unfortunately.
January 28, 2018
Although Jennie Redhead and Sir Charles Swift are different in all major ways, they are still best friends, what some people might call soulmates. So Jennie hates to refuse Charlie when he asks her to identify the two skeletons which have been found in the Oxford college where he's bursar, but she knows the discovery should be reported to the police. Charlie begs enough for her to reconsider, so she's all the angrier when she discovers links between one of the bodies and Charlie himself. Then there's a third killing...
February 20, 2018
GNab Dry bones is an excellent historical mystery, one of the Jennie Redhead Mysteries, set in the autumn of 1974 when a cache of skeletal bones are discovered in a boxed-off air vent in the basement of the De Courcey Quad at St. Luke's in Oxford. The cellar was constructed in 1214. The skeletons, one placed behind the wall from 1909 - 1919, the other interred between 1934 and 1944, are both males aged between their mid-20's and mid-30's.
Jennie Redhead, private investigator, and her dear friend and co-alumni of St. Luke's, Lord Charles Edward George Withington Danby Swift, are attempting (against her better judgement) to discover the identity of the remains, which have not yet been reported to the local police. The mystery should have been easily solved - there have ever only been four keys to the basement of De Courcey Quad. One is held by the Master and one by the Dean. Another has been in the stewardship of the head porter. There had been only three porters in the 20th century. Mr. Gough, his son Mr. Gough, and Mr. Jenkins, trained by the second Mr. Gough. And of course Charlie, as Bursar, holds one of those four keys. The problem lies in that the college buildings were used to house military personnel during both the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
The look backs into those times of war are very interesting, and the mystery builds beautifully during the telling. Sally Spencer is an author I will add to my favorites list.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Sally Spencer, and Severn House Publishers in exchange for a honest review. Thank you all, for sharing your hard work with me.
pub date Feb 1, 2018
Severn House Publishers
Jennie Redhead, private investigator, and her dear friend and co-alumni of St. Luke's, Lord Charles Edward George Withington Danby Swift, are attempting (against her better judgement) to discover the identity of the remains, which have not yet been reported to the local police. The mystery should have been easily solved - there have ever only been four keys to the basement of De Courcey Quad. One is held by the Master and one by the Dean. Another has been in the stewardship of the head porter. There had been only three porters in the 20th century. Mr. Gough, his son Mr. Gough, and Mr. Jenkins, trained by the second Mr. Gough. And of course Charlie, as Bursar, holds one of those four keys. The problem lies in that the college buildings were used to house military personnel during both the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
The look backs into those times of war are very interesting, and the mystery builds beautifully during the telling. Sally Spencer is an author I will add to my favorites list.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Sally Spencer, and Severn House Publishers in exchange for a honest review. Thank you all, for sharing your hard work with me.
pub date Feb 1, 2018
Severn House Publishers
January 30, 2018
I would like to thank Severn House Publishers and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for my review.
When a vent shaft is opened in the cellars of St. Luke’s College in 1974, two skeletons are discovered. Rather than call the police, the remains are removed to a lab on campus and Charlie Swift, the bursar, hires investigator Jennie Redhead to discover the identities of the two victims. Charlie has been Jennie’s friend since she was a student at St. Luke’s and he knows more about the bodies than he is willing to share. Asking her to keep the investigation a secret and not to notify the authorities of the discovery is against the law and puts a strain on their friendship.
One of the skeletons is dated to 1914, while the other is dated thirty years later. As The author takes you back in time to introduce the victims and provide the motives for their deaths you also get a glimpse of Britain at war and a changing society.
Jennie’s investigation takes a surprising turn when another murder occurs at St. Luke’s and is eventually tied to the discovery of the skeletons. There are a number of surprising twists that keep the reader guessing to the very end, making this a mystery that is well worth reading.
When a vent shaft is opened in the cellars of St. Luke’s College in 1974, two skeletons are discovered. Rather than call the police, the remains are removed to a lab on campus and Charlie Swift, the bursar, hires investigator Jennie Redhead to discover the identities of the two victims. Charlie has been Jennie’s friend since she was a student at St. Luke’s and he knows more about the bodies than he is willing to share. Asking her to keep the investigation a secret and not to notify the authorities of the discovery is against the law and puts a strain on their friendship.
One of the skeletons is dated to 1914, while the other is dated thirty years later. As The author takes you back in time to introduce the victims and provide the motives for their deaths you also get a glimpse of Britain at war and a changing society.
Jennie’s investigation takes a surprising turn when another murder occurs at St. Luke’s and is eventually tied to the discovery of the skeletons. There are a number of surprising twists that keep the reader guessing to the very end, making this a mystery that is well worth reading.
November 5, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Oxford, 1974.
Jennie Redhead, P.I. is asked by her best friend, Charlie Swift, to investigate the case of bones found in the basement beneath St. Luke's College, where Charlie is Bursar. The bones seem to be of two men, murdered. Apparently one skeleton dates from the 1920's and the other one the 1940's. Charlie wants Jennie to find out the names of the 2 men, an almost impossible task. She senses he knows more than he lets on and grows more uncomfortable as time goes on. He refuses to alert the police, which puts her in an impossible situation, especially as one of the detectives is a good friend of hers. Plus, withholding information from the police is against the law...
We go back and forth between WWI and WWII, as the story of the murders unfold. I loved those parts; plus Oxford in the 1970's reminds me of the time I spent there, very evocative.
The book is an excellent mystery and I like Jennie's character; she's a good friend and a smart detective. The ending was a surprise, I didn't see that coming!
Oxford, 1974.
Jennie Redhead, P.I. is asked by her best friend, Charlie Swift, to investigate the case of bones found in the basement beneath St. Luke's College, where Charlie is Bursar. The bones seem to be of two men, murdered. Apparently one skeleton dates from the 1920's and the other one the 1940's. Charlie wants Jennie to find out the names of the 2 men, an almost impossible task. She senses he knows more than he lets on and grows more uncomfortable as time goes on. He refuses to alert the police, which puts her in an impossible situation, especially as one of the detectives is a good friend of hers. Plus, withholding information from the police is against the law...
We go back and forth between WWI and WWII, as the story of the murders unfold. I loved those parts; plus Oxford in the 1970's reminds me of the time I spent there, very evocative.
The book is an excellent mystery and I like Jennie's character; she's a good friend and a smart detective. The ending was a surprise, I didn't see that coming!
January 5, 2018
From the very beginning, there is something highly suspicious going on in this book and the mysteries just keep piling up the further you get into reading. I liked that I never knew quite who was telling the truth in this book or whom I could trust.
The characters are very intriguing and I liked that the main character had such a brilliant personality. I guessed at what was going on throughout the book, but was never quite right. I was excited to read the ending and see how it all came together.
The dialogue is very well thought out and written in this novel, but there is also plenty of action and excitement to be had. i liked this book a lot and look forward to reading more from this author. if you are looking for a book to keep your mind busy, this one will do nicely.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The characters are very intriguing and I liked that the main character had such a brilliant personality. I guessed at what was going on throughout the book, but was never quite right. I was excited to read the ending and see how it all came together.
The dialogue is very well thought out and written in this novel, but there is also plenty of action and excitement to be had. i liked this book a lot and look forward to reading more from this author. if you are looking for a book to keep your mind busy, this one will do nicely.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
January 27, 2018
Dry Bones
An Oxford-based PI mystery
by Sally Spencer
Severn House
Severn House Publishers
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 01 Feb 2018
I am reviewing a copy of Dry Bones through Severn House Publishers and Netgalley:
In Oxford 1974 found in the Cellar's beneath St. Luke's College in a sealed ventilation chamber, human bones are found. Two bodies buried thirty years apart but they are connected.
In order to save the college's reputation and finances, Charlie Swift. Charlie Swift hires his old friend and Private Investigator Jennie Redhead to find out who the two victims are.
As Jennie puts the clues together she realizes that Charlie knows more about these murders than he is willing to admit. As she pieces the clues she uncovers Scandals that go back over sixty years, and wonders if she every really knew her old friend Charlie.
I give Dry Bones five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
February 14, 2018
The second in a new series by Sally Spencer. Quite well written with interesting history from the twentieth century. I usually love this author's book. The Woodend and Paniatowski series are great but the last Paniatowski series was disappointing because Monica did not make an appearance. This heroine in the Redhead series is feisty and certainly works things out. There were some particularly horrible characters who had been murdered and Jennie Redhead works it out. But her careless attitude to relationships is disappointing and she does not quite win my heart. I love the setting of course. Anything about Oxford is interesting but I do not think I will continue this series. It is begging to stray into some disturbing areas.
October 20, 2017
Another excellent addition to the Jennie Redhead series by the multifaceted author Sally Spencer. Love how the author incorporates little known facts of the two World Wars into his stories. Jennie again has the impossible task of naming the two skeletons found inside a walled structure that were sealed in 33 years apart! Following the identifications, she the dubious undertaking of investigating hundreds of suspects. Despite all this entanglement and aggregation of lies, the book does have a compelling ending. One question does needs answering, will we see Jennie's goblin and pixie in the upcoming book?
February 28, 2018
Jennie Redhead, PI, and former police officer in Oxford, England, is approached by her friend, Charlie Swift, peer of the realm, and burser at St. Luke's College at Oxford University. He's come to her for help in identifying 2 sets of bones found walled up in a cellar in one of St. Luke's buildings. Jennie goes on the hunt, and eventually finds out that Charlie is not being totally upfront with her. The crimes go back to WWI and WWII, with consequences for people in the here and now, Oxford 1974.
January 20, 2018
St. Luke's College, Oxford, in 1974 two bodies are discovered in an old air shaft. Charlie Swift, bursar, employs his friend and private investigator Jennie Redhead to discover who they are. Tests reveal that one had probably died sixty years previously and the other forty year ago. So the story moves between these three time periods, but what scandals does Jennie expose to have caused these deaths.
A good mystery though I am ambivalent about the characters.
A NetGalley Book
A good mystery though I am ambivalent about the characters.
A NetGalley Book
July 16, 2018
The second Jennie Redhead Mystery set in Oxford in the seventies is another adventure of the likeable private investigator and her aristocratic sidekick Lord Charles Swift, who is pleasantly reminiscent of the immortal Lord Peter Wimsey.
February 25, 2018
Great mystery and delightfully funny narrator!
June 12, 2018
Enjoyable protagonist and solid writing set in 1970s Oxford
December 6, 2019
Not read. Armed while not paying attention.
October 23, 2017
I read the Kindle edition.
3 stars
It’s 1974 in Oxford, England and Charles Swift is the bursar of St. Luke’s College. He is in Jennie Redhead’s office. She is a private investigator and Charlie’s best friend. In a drawn out manner, he reports that two skeletons have been found in the basement of St. Luke’s College with their heads bashed in. This first was killed about 55 or 65 years ago. The second was left between 30 and 40 years ago. This was determined because he removed two of the bones � and he hasn’t even called the police yet.
When Jennie arrives at the scene of the crime, she finds that all of the bones have been removed! Instead, she begins her interviews of college personnel. This book shift time between WWI and WWII in order to give the reader some backstory.
The name of the murder comes as a big surprise.
I like that this book is lightly humorous. It is well written and plotted. I found the interesting little factoids given about the two wars interesting. The tension in the story begins immediately when Charles walks into Jennie’s office, but it runs a little unevenly throughout the rest of the story. It just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.
3 stars
It’s 1974 in Oxford, England and Charles Swift is the bursar of St. Luke’s College. He is in Jennie Redhead’s office. She is a private investigator and Charlie’s best friend. In a drawn out manner, he reports that two skeletons have been found in the basement of St. Luke’s College with their heads bashed in. This first was killed about 55 or 65 years ago. The second was left between 30 and 40 years ago. This was determined because he removed two of the bones � and he hasn’t even called the police yet.
When Jennie arrives at the scene of the crime, she finds that all of the bones have been removed! Instead, she begins her interviews of college personnel. This book shift time between WWI and WWII in order to give the reader some backstory.
The name of the murder comes as a big surprise.
I like that this book is lightly humorous. It is well written and plotted. I found the interesting little factoids given about the two wars interesting. The tension in the story begins immediately when Charles walks into Jennie’s office, but it runs a little unevenly throughout the rest of the story. It just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.
January 10, 2023
This is the second in the Jennie Redhead series. After reading the first book I found Jennie to be very annoying and not really my favorite person. However, the story line wasn't bad so I decided to read the next book thinking the character might "settle in" and become more likeable as the first book in a series usually has a lot of kinks to work out. Having now finished the second book, I find Jennie to be a little less annoying but a lot more unlikeable. She is bratty, obnoxious and really a terrible friend. I don't care for the first person narrative in this case as it makes her seem so smug and at times whiney. The story line does save the book as it involves two murders decades apart, a college whose rule is an entity unto itself, long-serving (and suffering) college employees, two world wars, the U.S. Army and finally, a present-day murder. Jennie works to find the link between all three murders and hopefully to save her dear friend Charlie. However, it is not enough to make up for not liking the heroine around whom everything evolves, and even if it didn't, she would find a way to make it so. Therefore I will read no further books in this series. Just not up to par with DI Charlie Woodend and DCI Monica Paniatowski!
November 30, 2017
Oxford with its longstanding history and traditional disparity between classes makes for an excellent mystery setting. (Morse anyone?). ÌýThe followup to The Shivering Turn is equally as good. ÌýDry Bones is skillfully plotted, showing just how long hidden murders can affect the present (in this case 1974). ÌýJennie Redhead’s friend Charles, the bursar of St Luke’s College, begs her to investigate when two skeletons are discovered walled into the cellar of St Luke’s - one from the First World War and one from the second. ÌýÌýWho were the murdered men? What links the two to St Luke’s? Sally Spencer moves adeptly between past and present revealing a complicated tale of evil deeds, long hidden secrets and honor. ÌýJennie’s investigation will tax her belief in the ones she loves most and will challenge long held friendships. ÌýNot only that it will lead to murder.
Dry Bones is an excellent mystery, eloquently written with plenty of twists. ÌýJennie Redhead is an exceptional lead, with a mind and tongue as vibrant as her red hair. ÌýI've read numerous mysteries by Sally Spencer and I have to say her Jennie Redhead novels are her best work yet.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Dry Bones from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Dry Bones is an excellent mystery, eloquently written with plenty of twists. ÌýJennie Redhead is an exceptional lead, with a mind and tongue as vibrant as her red hair. ÌýI've read numerous mysteries by Sally Spencer and I have to say her Jennie Redhead novels are her best work yet.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Dry Bones from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
January 18, 2018
Oxford, 1974. In the cellars beneath St Luke's College, a sealed medieval ventilation shaft is opened up to reveal human bones. Two bodies, buried thirty years apart, but is there a connection.
Desperate to protect the College's reputation - and finances - the bursar, Charlie Swift, hires his old friend, private investigator Jennie Redhead, to find out the identities of the two victims. But as Jennie pieces the clues together, it becomes increasingly clear that Charlie knows rather more about the murders than he's admitted. As she uncovers a series of scandals stretching back more than sixty years, Jennie is forced to question how well she really knows her old friend Charlie Swift and whether she can trust him.
I enjoyed the book & liked the mysteries within it, especially the more I read the more I didn’t know who to trust. The descriptions of life in Oxford were very well written & so true to life. Also how the class differences were portrayed was very well done. I did feel a little let down as to the way homosexuality was portrayed as it was still illegal at the time of both murders. However a very enjoyable read & I’ll certainly be reading more from the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Desperate to protect the College's reputation - and finances - the bursar, Charlie Swift, hires his old friend, private investigator Jennie Redhead, to find out the identities of the two victims. But as Jennie pieces the clues together, it becomes increasingly clear that Charlie knows rather more about the murders than he's admitted. As she uncovers a series of scandals stretching back more than sixty years, Jennie is forced to question how well she really knows her old friend Charlie Swift and whether she can trust him.
I enjoyed the book & liked the mysteries within it, especially the more I read the more I didn’t know who to trust. The descriptions of life in Oxford were very well written & so true to life. Also how the class differences were portrayed was very well done. I did feel a little let down as to the way homosexuality was portrayed as it was still illegal at the time of both murders. However a very enjoyable read & I’ll certainly be reading more from the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.