DI BEN KITTO RETURNS…
A SACRED ISLAND
Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman.
A SHOCKING MURDER
The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community – and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily.
A KILLER ON THE LOOSE
The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben is certain the killer is hiding in plain sight. He knows they are waiting to kill again – and at unimaginable cost.
It is such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Deadman's Pool by Kate Rhodes today. When I agreed to take part, I was concerned I wouldn't have enough time to read it, so offered to feature an extract instead. However, out of interest last night, I picked up the book and was immediately hooked. So, while I'm posting this a little later in the day than I'd planned, there is a good reason – I couldn't stop reading! Of course, it also means I'm delighted to be sharing my review today too. Huge thanks to Orenda Books for my advance copy of the novel and for providing the extract, and to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.
Deadman's Pool is the eighth instalment in Kate Rhodes' Isles of Scilly Mysteries series but the first I've read; I can see why she has so many fans though – I absolutely loved this book and have a new favourite detective in DI Ben Kitto.
Although I have obviously missed out on seeing how Ben's character has developed over the course of the series, I was given an excellent sense of the man, his love for the Isles of Scilly and the contentment he has found since returning there, which persists even though he is drawn into a harrowing case that results in him suspecting the worst of many of his friends and neighbours. Ben is imbued with authenticity – he has experienced tragic losses, and he and his wife, Nina have to contend with the pressures of his job while negotiating their hopes for the future they share with their infant son, Noah – but he isn't tormented by his past, it's just part of who he is.
Ben offers to ferry the current Roman Catholic priest of the Scilly's, Father Michael Kerrigan to the uninhabited island St Helen's for his annual pilgrimage. Although nobody lives on St Helen's now, as the medieval settlement of St Elidius, it is a sacred site to Christians. Ben can't help feeling unsettled by the island, particularly as it is also the site of an eighteenth century plague hospital, known as the Pest House. Scores of men infected with cholera, typhus or the plague were effectively imprisoned there, with many succumbing to their illnesses before being buried in the overcrowded graveyard – or in the case of several of the plague victims, cast into a stretch of water which became known as Deadman's Pool. It's a far more recent burial, uncovered by his dog, Shadow, which concerns Ben, however, and he is deeply troubled by the discovery of the emaciated body of a young woman.
The opening chapter of the book introduces a young Vietnamese woman called Mai who is being held prisoner in a freezing basement by an older man who furiously beat her when she became pregnant, despite him being the father. It is clear her dreadful plight is connected to Ben's investigation into the murdered girl and as the two storylines are gradually woven together, Kate Rhodes empathetically ensures the grim statistics around people trafficking become more than shocking numbers and are humanised by poor Mai's horrendous ordeal.
It is already known that the islands have a problem with smuggling of contraband but while some are ready to believe strangers lie behind the murder, Ben isn't convinced and suspects the perpetrator is closer to home. When one of St Mary's local teenagers tells him of a powerful network of influential islanders who are running drugs and smuggling humans, he is initially inclined to believe her words are a conspiracy theory but as this gripping thriller proceeds, he begins to question whether there is some truth behind her claims. If so, Ben doesn't know who he can trust and he goes head-to-head with some of the most respected figures on St Mary's as the tension rises inexorably after a second disturbing discovery on St Helen's suggests another life could be in danger.
Kate Rhodes cleverly calls into question the behaviour of a number of the island's stalwarts, who all seem to be acting suspiciously. Is one of them a cold-hearted killer or could they be working together? Despite dealing with some dark themes, the beauty of the Isles of Scilly is captured throughout and even the intense storms which pummel the islands are saturated with atmospheric majesty. Likewise, the fierce sense of community is apparent throughout the book. The cast of characters is equally as vibrant, with the caustic Liz Gannick, Cornwall's chief forensics officer, the troubled but determined teen, Sinead and Ben's wolfdog, Shadow all making an especially strong impression, alongside the compassionate, driven Ben Kitto and the terrified yet courageous Mai.
The final chapters of Deadman's Pool become almost unbearably tense as the case becomes more personal than ever for Ben and his desperate race against time finds him challenged both mentally and physically by the elements and his own fears, as well as the ruthless killer. The truth as to their identity isn't revealed until late in proceedings which means this terrifically pacy book is irresistibly compelling. Beautifully written from start to finish, Deadman's Pool is an exciting, shocking and heartbreaking read – I almost inhaled this evocative and riveting thriller and cannot recommend it highly enough!
Monday, 8th January
Lao is gone. Mai has been without him for two days, and his absence makes her whole body ache.
The freezing basement where she’s trapped has been her world for so long, every object is carved into her memory, like the Vietnamese relatives she’s determined not to forget. The room is four metres long and two metres wide, containing only a few pieces of shabby furniture. Her single bed frame is covered in nicks and scratches. Mould blossoms from the walls in powdery black circles, and a broken radio lies on the floor by her bed. If she climbs onto the table in the corner, it’s possible to glimpse the garden outside. She stands there often in summer, longing to see birds and flowers in bloom, beyond the confines of her prison. The window is obscured now by brambles running wild, despite the winter chill.
She used to scream for hours, praying someone would hear, but that ended years ago, when she realised it was pointless. Her cell has few comforts. There’s a toilet and sink with cracked enamel, and hooks on the wall for the second-hand clothes she hates. The man only provides dresses suitable for a child, even though she’s turned sixteen. They bring her little sister Tuyet to mind. She lived with Mai from the day of their capture – until six months ago, when the younger girl vanished in the middle of the night. Mai doesn’t know where Tuyet was taken, but still thinks of her every day.
Life is harder than before. The man used to bring them food every night, and even taught them English from a book, if they behaved well. Now the heater is broken, and she’s always cold. Mai has only been allowed to leave her cell a handful of times.
The man made her lie on the backseat of his car, covered in blankets, late at night. When she emerged, she was surrounded by trees. The fresh air against her skin felt like a miracle. She could hear night birds calling and smell rain on the dry earth. The wind seemed to call her name as it rushed through the trees. Suddenly the lure of freedom was overwhelming, and her need to find Tuyet. Mai ran away, racing through the dark woods, until she tripped and fell. The man caught her and dragged her back to his car. He’s punished her ever since, for abusing his trust.
When she fell pregnant in April, he was furious, even though it was his child. The beating he gave her left bruises all over her body. Mai was half-starved by the time he finally returned, yet the baby kept on growing. She lay in bed at night, smiling
whenever it stirred. The baby moved restlessly, like it was desperate to escape into a bigger world.
Mai’s labour was terrifying. She delivered her child alone, in agony, but when she held him for the first time, the bond was instant. She called him Lao, in honour of her father. It was easy to ignore the man’s curses when he delivered nappies and a
Moses basket. But he turned away whenever she breastfed Lao, like it disgusted him to watch.
The Moses basket is empty now, yet Lao’s scent of soap and innocence remains. Mai touches the padding, where his body has left a hollow. She can still trace it with her fingertips. Lao was less than a fortnight old when the man took him, two nights ago. What if he never returns, like Tuyet? How will she survive? When Mai closes her eyes she’s forgotten how to cry; her tear ducts are empty. Even her mind feels numb, emotions cauterised. She stares at the wall instead, remembering how it felt to cradle her son in her arms.
Deadman's Pool is published by Orenda Books on 25th September 2025 and can be ordered from the publisher's website. Further purchasing links can be found here or buy from your favourite independent bookshop.
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