*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of KINDLE Ebook Death Shall Come: A Country House Murder Mystery – Book 4 of the Ishmael Jones series by Simon R. Green

I read and really enjoyed the third book in this series, Very Important Corpses – see my review here – so when I spotted this one on the Netgalley dashboard, I immediately requested it.

Death shall come on swift wings to whoever desecrates this tomb … Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny have been summoned to remote Cardavan House, home of the world’s largest private collection of Ancient Egyptian artefacts, for the unveiling of George Cardavan’s latest acquisition: a bone fide Egyptian mummy. When a bloodstained body is discovered beside the empty sarcophagus, Ishmael is dismissive of the theory that the mummy’s curse is to blame. Instead he sets out to uncover the human killer responsible. But how can Ishmael explain the strange, shuffling footsteps that creep along the corridors? Who is playing games with them … and why?

This is a classic locked-room murder mystery with some very familiar elements – the ancient Egyptian artefacts complete with a curse; a powerful family all very grumpy with each other; complete isolation with no immediate help forthcoming. Given this is set in a more or less contemporary Britain, the final element takes some arranging – however Green manages to achieve the sense of the house being completely cut off without too much suspension of disbelief.

His protagonist, Ishmael Jones, is an interesting character – I don’t want to veer into spoiler territory, so I’ll just mention that he isn’t necessarily what he appears to be. This brings it set of problems, which play nicely with the hidden antagonist striking down victims within the house.

Green is an experienced writer and gives us a gripping read that had me reluctant to put it down as once the action takes off, the tension steadily mounts. I also like the odd moments of light relief provided by Ishmael’s right-hand woman, Penny, who happens to be the love of his life. They are a solid team, though Ishmael is also aware his concern for her welfare can be a weakness, but cannot bear the thought of leaving her behind as he takes this important, unofficial mission. I like the bond between them – the steady fondness and Penny’s sprightly banter provides the necessary moments of humour and humanity before we are once more plunged back into a situation where a crazed killer is on the loose.

The key to crafting such a mystery is that the solution has to provide a satisfactory explanation that has sufficient heft so the reader doesn’t feel cheated – it’s quite tricky to achieve. Green manages to satisfactorily wrap up the story, though there is a cost to the survivors and as his immediate boss is right in the middle of this mess, I’m interested to see how this impacts on their working relationship in future. This is an enjoyable murder mystery with a paranormal twist which comes recommended for fantasy fans who want a break, or crime fans who would appreciate reading something slightly different.

While I obtained the arc of Death Shall Come from the publisher via NetGalley, this has in no way influenced my unbiased review.
8/10