🌟 Review Note:
Although I’ve read and loved so many of Joy Ellis’ books, I’ve often picked them up during quieter, more personal reading periods—times when I wasn’t actively blogging.
I’m so pleased to finally share my thoughts here and highlight an author whose books have meant so much to me. Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the blog tour invite and the advance digital copy. As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.
About the book:
Detective Kate Carter is called out to a fatal car accident on a remote fen lane. At first glance it looks like a drunk driver simply lost control and crashed headlong into a ditch. But nothing about the scene adds up.
The number plate is fake. The driver’s licence doesn’t belong to the dead man in the car. One tyre doesn’t match the other three. And what is a vinyl 1960s pop record doing in the glove box? A neat puncture wound to the driver’s neck reveals this was no accident.
The following day, the body of a young woman is found in an old barn out on the fens. She’s been dead at least two years. Placed on the body is another vintage pop record.
And then the nightmare becomes personal. A mysterious package arrives at the station addressed to Kate: a 45-rpm record, and a chilling note scrawled in block capitals: ONE MORE TO GO.
It’s just the start. Sinister phone calls, creepy notes left on her car, unwanted gifts on her doorstep: Kate can no longer deny that she’s being pursued by an obsessive stalker . . . Is she next in the killer’s sights?
Joy Ellis, One More To Die
Published 24 July 2025 by Joffe Books
You can find the book on Amazon and Goodreads
Who is Joy Ellis?
I was born in Kent but spent most of my working life in London and Surrey.
I was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the Sixties and Seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities.
What an eye-opener for a working-class kid from the Garden of England! I swore then, probably whilst I was scrubbing the floor or making the tea, that I would have a shop of my own one day.
It took until the early Eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!
And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, and three Springer spaniels and four little rescue, Breton spaniels. I had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now I write full-time, and as my partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; my choice of genre is a no-brainer! I have an on-tap police and judicial consultant, who makes exceedingly good tea!
I have set my crime thrillers here in the misty fens because I sincerely love the remoteness and airy beauty of the marshlands. This area is steeped in superstitions and lends itself so well to murder!
I am lucky enough to be one of the amazing Joffe Books team of authors and am really enjoying being able to spend time doing what I love… writing!.
Discover more at www.joyellisbooks.com on Facebook @joyellisbooks and Instagram @joyellisbooks
My Review
It’s hard to believe this is the first Joy Ellis novel I’m reviewing on the blog – especially since she’s one of the most read and loved authors on my personal bookshelf. I’ve read every book in the Nikki Galena series and listened to every title in the Jackman & Evans series, beautifully narrated by Richard Armitage.
Joy Ellis is, without question, one of my ultimate “always-buy” authors. Her books feel like slipping into a much-loved TV series – there’s a familiar rhythm, a deep sense of place, and characters who feel real, even in her standalone novels. Reading one of her stories never feels like hours lost—it feels like minutes well spent. The story carries you effortlessly from scene to scene, and you’re simply in it with the characters, totally immersed.
One More To Die is a brilliant standalone that starts with an eerie car crash in the fens. But what looks like a tragic accident is anything but: a fake number plate, a 1960s vinyl in the glove box, and a chillingly precise wound on the driver’s neck. The tension ramps up when a second body is discovered, and the investigation quickly becomes terrifyingly personal for Detective Kate Carter.
Joy Ellis is a master at atmosphere. She conjures the bleak beauty of the fens in a way that feels cinematic. Her plots are tight, her characters complex, and the writing always flows with confidence. Every page feels purposeful. You never second-guess whether the story will deliver—you just enjoy the journey.
Whether you’re already a fan or picking up her work for the first time, One More To Die is exactly what I’ve come to expect from Joy Ellis: clever, immersive, emotional, and unputdownable. A five-star read from an author who has never let me down.
This review may also appear on my social media and selected book platforms. All links are correct at the time of posting.
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