A beguiling author who interweaves past and present' The Times__________________Serpent's Point in South Devon is the focus of local legends. Kate Ellis has created a likeable and interesting set of characters that develop as the series continues. When two teenage girls take their metal detectors to a field close to the old manor house, their find brings Neil into what could very well be a monumental discovery. Also, that she had been conducting an investigation into unsolved missing person cases, in various parts of the country. Susan is sure that her friend Avril's husband, Ian, is up to no good but Avril doesn't want to hear it.

While it's great to catch up with what has been happening with all the characters and get down and dirty in Neil's trenches, I always love trying to put all the pieces together to solve the mystery. But I was surprised at how well the book went, how easy it was to pick up the plot considering this series has been going on with this book being number 26. Ellis connects archaeological studies of the past with present-day crimes, and the setting in Devonshire along with the other characters in the police station are also well-done.Kate Ellis's writing draws me in and the problem with that is that her books only take a few days to read and I am then on pins until the next in the series of 'DI Wesley Peterson' and his colleagues, family and friends. She worked in teaching, marketing and accountancy before first enjoying writing success as a winner of the North West Playwrights competition. As in every book of this series, there's a parallel story involving Wesley's archaeologist friend Neil Watson, who's excavating a possible Roman site near the scene of Susan's murder. and, once again, an amazing plot and the connections made between archaeology and the present time and crime are enthrauling.

I really enjoyed Serpent's Point because Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, has a larger role.Whether you've read the whole series, or are discovering Kate Ellis's DI Wesley Peterson novels for the first time, this is the perfect page-turner if you love reading Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.