“Ryan Wilkins grew up on a trailer park, a member of what many people would call the criminal classes. As a young Detective Inspector, he’s lost none of his disgust with privileged elites – or his objectionable manners. But he notices things; they stick to his eyes. His professional partner, DI Ray Wilkins, of affluent Nigerian-London heritage, is an impeccably groomed, smooth-talking graduate of Balliol College, Oxford. You wouldn’t think they would get on. They don’t.

But when a young woman is found strangled at Barnabas Hall, they’re forced to.

Rich Oxford is not Ryan’s natural habitat. St Barnabas’s irascible Provost does not appreciate his forceful line of questioning. But what was the dead woman doing in the Provost’s study? Is it just a coincidence that on the night of her murder the college was entertaining Sheik al-Medina, a Gulf state ruler linked to human-rights abuses in his own country and acts of atrocity in others?

A Killing in November introduces an unlikely duo from different sides of the tracks in Oxford in a deftly plotted murder story full of dangerous turns, troubled pasts and unconventional detective work.”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of A Killing in November by Simon Mason. A Killing in November was published by riverrun on 21st November 2024 and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free copy of A Killing in November but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Ana at riverrun for sending me a finished copy.

As a crime reader, there are several police procedural series that are very much on my radar, but because of life, the universe and everything else, I haven’t gotten around to reading them yet. Simon Mason’s DI Ryan Wilkins is one such series. There are currently five books available and until recently, I hadn’t read a single one. Shame on you, Emma! More’s the pity because they’re set in my home town, good ol’ Oxford. So when the opportunity to read the first book in the series, A Killing in November, presented itself, how could I possibly say no?! Well, I couldn’t. And oh my days, I think I’ve found a new favourite procedural series. I loved A Killing in November. I cannot wait to read the next book and I’m actually counting down the days until I have a small break in my planned reading to squeeze the second book in!

Let’s get the gushing out of the way first. DI Ryan Wilkins has, in the space of one book, become a favourite character of mine. I loved a flawed character anyway, I always side with the darker side, and Ryan is so completely different to every other police lead I have ever encountered, he is a ray of light. I found myself asking on multiple occasions, how had he progressed through the ranks to the level of Detective Inspector? He doesn’t follow the rules, isn’t scared of treading on toes and upsetting most of the people he meets along the way. Intentionally. He doesn’t bother himself with procedure and he’s deliciously abrasive. But he also sees things others don’t, and can connect the dots when others can’t quite make out what they’re looking at. He was a JOY to read. I think I fell a little bit in love.

In contrast to DI Ryan Wilkins’ messy chaos is his new partner, DI Ray Wilkins. Yes, DI Ray Wilkins. No relation. No connection whatsoever. In fact, they’re polar opposites in every conceivable way. Ray is what you would traditionally expect from a senior detective in a crime series. He’s intelligent, well-dressed, adheres to the rules and has his eye on promotion. His smart, tailor-made suits are the polar opposite of Ryan’s worn trackie and trainers. The juxtaposition between the two characters was divine. I loved the interactions between them. They clash often, particularly as Ryan seems intent on doing his own thing whilst Ray chases around trying to bring Ryan into line!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. A Killing in November is a superb start to what promises to be a truly excellent series, and I am already champing at the bit to get stuck into the second book. I’ve spoken a lot so far about the characters. They are so brilliantly written and I became almost instantly invested in them and their journey. This pairing felt fresh, a little daring and something exciting for us police procedural fans. There is a lot more than just the characters to love about this book though. I am an Oxford girl born and bred, and Mason’s Oxford comes to life on the page for the reader. The town-and-gown divide of a university city, where the lower echelons live alongside the wealthy, university-educated elite. Mason brought that across so vividly in this novel. The mystery aspect is fascinating and draws the reader into the story. I was completely enthralled from start to finish. Everything about A Killing in November worked for me. It’s so good I could read this one again (and I don’t say that about many books!). All in all, something really quite special and I am hooked on this series after only one book. I need more Ryan and Raymond in my life. If you’re a crime fiction reader, then you do too! Completely captivating, packed full of suspense and with an intriguing mystery at its heart. I’ve found a new favourite series and a new favourite character. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of A Killing in November. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

A Killing in November by Simon Mason was published in the UK by riverrun on 21st November 2024 and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Apple Books [eBook] x Apple Books [Audio]  Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Simon Mason was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, on 5 February 1962. He was educated at local schools and studied English at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. During a career in publishing, he worked for a number of different companies, including Oxford University Press, Thames and Hudson, Pushkin Press and David Fickling Books, where he was managing director from 2012 to 2018. He has also taught at Oxford Brookes University, where he is Fellow of Creative Writing. From 2021 to 2023 he was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter College, Oxford. He lives with his wife in Oxford.