Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Broken Circle by Matt Brolly Narrator: Samuel Roukin
Series: DS Liam Kilshaw #3
Published by Brilliance Audio, Thomas & Mercer on April 28, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 296
Length: 8 hours
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
When the body of a teenage girl is found posed in the Merry Maidens stone circle, her face coated in clay and ochre, DS Liam Kilshaw is drawn into a case where near-forgotten fictions bleed into brutal fact.
With echoes of an old folktale of dancers turned to stone, the scene is more about staging than superstition. And when two skeletons are unearthed beneath a nearby stone, Kilshaw realises the past is far from dead and buried.
As he hunts for a missing farmhand linked to the girl, more victims surface, each placed with ritual precision in remote ancient sites. With the noose tightening, Kilshaw must decipher centuries-old secrets to break the circle. Because in this deadly game of ancient rites and cold-blooded murder, the killer is saving the most important sacrifice for last.
Liam Kilshaw is the main character in the DS Liam Kilshaw series by Matt Brolly. Liam is a former Marine with PTSD after being caught underwater and almost drowning. He still loves the sea and is a member of a lifeboat rescue team. He has a son but never married the mother as he was stationed away.
In Broken Circle, a serial killer seems obsessed with stone circles. There are many of these historical sites in England. It starts with a woman’s body posed at one of these sites with a kind of clay mask. The coroner says she was also paralyzed. So she would have felt herself suffocating from the mask.
The woman had been out with a guy, Tony, on the night she disappeared and Tony is missing also. Deaths keep happening and often they are girls Tony dated. Tonys stays missing. There’s a professor who wrote a book about the sites who Liam asks a lot of questions. Then they find a map of Tony’s showing different sites marked. Eventually they put police at many of the sites.
Meanwhile, Liam has thoughts about his relationship with his son. Then there is DI Grace Hartley being around as this case gets larger. Liam alternately avoids her and enjoys spending time with her.  His partner, Maya breaks up with her girlfriend. He still thinks about Millie, the teacher who has been dating someone else.
They do catch the killer, after too many deaths. The motivation is a bit unclear but the killer is clearly batshit crazy. The premise is one from mythology around the circles, but fictional mythology. I enjoyed the investigation, the solid ending and the sideline of the personal relationships.
Narration:
Roukin has narrated all the books and I have enjoyed them. The emotional tones and accents felt appropriate. The speech was clear and solid. The primary point of view is Liam and that voice is settled in for me. But there is also the killer who has a different sound. I listened easily at my newer 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip:Â HEREÂ
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 26-Audio
- 26-COYER
This series sounds so good, and I love the setting with the stone circles used in the murders. Awesome review!
Thank you Tammy. These murder mysteries in lots of different settings are one of my jams.
I’m looking forward to this one. Glad you enjoyed, Anne💜
Thanks Jonetta. I thought it was a good listen.
I can’t imagine the PTSD I’d have from almost drowning! Sounds like his romantic life is a bit complicated. I’d probably enjoy the series.
I think you’d like it. The mysteries are good and the romance background isn’t too annoying lol.
I love the premise. I am sure I would enjoy this one.
I enjoy this author and would like to fit in reading his older series too.
stone circle!!!!!
yes the mythology is interesting.