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Deadly Errand by Christine Green.
This is the first time I’ve read a book by this author. It features Kate Kinsella, a former nurse who’s now a private detective. Her previous profession makes her the ideal person to investigate the murder of Jacky Byfield at a local hospital. Kate goes undercover, working the night shift to find out what happened and why. She soon unearths some secrets that could have led to Jacky’s murder. Finding the killer proves harder and three further deaths follow. It’s a well-written, gently paced story that puts as much effort into creating believable and engaging characters as it does with the plot. As Kate gets closer to catching the killer,…
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Murder on the Farm by Kate Wells.
For a while now, my reading’s been moving towards the cosy mystery end of the market, and I’m delighted I chose this one. The story intrigued me from the start, while giving me some great characters and quite a few chuckles along the way. Jude’s friend Sarah dies shortly after the wedding of their mutual friend Ben. It looks like Sarah’s taken her own life, but Jude knows her better than that. Sarah wasn’t the kind of person to take her own life. When the police pay scant attention to Jude’s viewpoint, she knows she has to investigate herself. But she also has a farm to run. When her sister…
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Winter’s Cry by Cheryl Rees-Price.
As a fan of this excellent series, I enjoyed being back with Winter Meadows and his team. Only he isn’t a part of the team this time, after a body is found buried in woodland. The land belongs to the commune where he’s spent much of his life. As the murdered man could be his father, he steps away from the investigation. But members of the commune still view him as a police officer and remain suspicious. It’s the start of a twisting, baffling story that goes to the heart of the commune, the main players there and Winter’s family. Some people are not who they seem to be. Some…
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Do you know what your book’s about?
I thought I did. There I was, at the front of the church hall, being introduced by the chairperson, looking forward to my first public event as an author. My appearance in the local paper the week before seems to have drawn a good number of people. They look keen, friendly and welcoming, laughing as I recount some of the strange and amusing incidents from my time as an environmental health officer (EHO). I should tell them more about my work. Instead I launch into my talk. Holding up a copy of my first published book, No Accident, I tell my audience to feel free to ask questions at any…
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L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton
As an avid fan of Sue Grafton’s Alphabet murder series, I’m now on my second read of her series, having first read L is for Lawless when it was originally released in the 1990s, I think. So far, I’ve loved the previous books in the series, enjoying the chance to get to know Kinsey Millhone a second time. This novel centres on whether Bucky’s grandfather was a fighter pilot during World War II or not. Bucky has no reason to believe he wasn’t and is hoping for a payout, as a result. The military authorities have other ideas, claiming they have never heard of the grandfather. As a favour to…
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After the Funeral by Agatha Christie
If you read my book reviews, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of Agatha Christie. I’ve enjoyed the Poirot series and looked forward to reading After the Funeral. While it’s an interesting murder mystery, it didn’t quite hit the high notes of the ones before. The story started slowly as the main players and relationships were introduced. The cast was large, which made it difficult to remember who was who and how they were related. Most of the characters weren’t particularly likable either. Richard Abernethie died, leaving his estate to be equally divided among the family. But after the funeral, his niece Cora suggested he was murdered. There’s no evidence…
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Mrs McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie
James Bentley has been convicted of Mrs McGinty’s brutal murder and awaits sentencing. But Inspector Spence, who carried out the investigation that led to the successful prosecution has a niggling doubt about Bentley’s guilt. With no evidence and only a feeling the wrong man may be heading to the gallows, Spence asks Poirot to review the case. Poirot travels to the small village where the murder took place and can find nothing to cast doubt on the murder verdict until he discovers an old cutting from a newspaper that Mrs McGinty kept. The cutting relates to a Sunday paper article about four women involved in murders in the past. Determined…
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Murder at the Wedding by Jane Adams
In another entertaining and enjoyable cosy mystery, Rina Martin and her clan of eclectic characters join DI McGregor at the wedding of close friend Bridie Duggan at an isolated island hotel. Some of her former husband’s contemporaries are also invited. Tensions and old family rivalries are causing unease. The day after the wedding, a body is found. McGregor is soon back in work mode. But the foul weather is as much an enemy as the killer, trapping them all on the island. Help from the mainland is delayed by flooding, adding to the tension and unrest. When more shots are fired and another guest’s life is threatened, everyone is on…
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Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie
In yet another original and intriguing story, Hercule Poirot is drawn into the world of Cloade family, where nothing is as it first appears. Gordon Cloade, wealthy and generous, has supported various members of the family over the years. Then he married a younger woman and was tragically killed in a bomb blast during World War 2. Overnight the widow inherits his fortune, and Cloade’s relatives lose the source of income they have come to take for granted. Then rumours claim the widow’s first husband did not die in Africa, as reported. If these rumours are true, her marriage to Gordon Cloade was illegal and she cannot inherit his house…
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Why I Wrote No Accident
When you set out, you never quite know how things will turn out. I wanted to create something new, something different and exciting to entertain murder mystery readers. No Accident, the first book in the Downland Murder Mystery series, was actually the third book I wrote, featuring my sleuth Kent Fisher. The first novel wasn’t quite good enough. It led to a second, No Bodies, which was intended to be the first book in the series, but couldn’t be. Picture the scene. Kent Fisher is approached by an old family friend, whose wife has been missing for a year. When asked to investigate, he responds by saying, “Who you think…
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Vicious Crimes by Michael Hambling
It’s been a while since the last book in the series, so I was looking forward to reading this latest instalment. The team are back, led by DCS Sophie Allen, who’s more of a manager than an officer out in the field. Not that she misses a chance to get out there and lead from the front. The investigation begins with a body found in the harbour by a Special Constable. The victim was beaten before being dumped in the tidal river. It looks like he was dumped upstream, but where? The second victim, an artist, lived a life of solitude in a remote house in Exmoor. The team struggle…
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Where the Silent Screams are Loudest by John Pye
When a story grabs you from the first page and refuses to loosen its grip until the last, you know you’ve read something special. This is a police procedural with a difference. Written by a former detective, everything about it has an authentic ring. You feel you are there in the briefing room, or in pursuit of the killer. The level of detail makes all the difference. Nothing is skimped as DS Brennan is tasked with finding whether missing Poppy Hunt is still alive. The review of the case is prompted by eight year old Jason, who bears a striking resemblance to her. He was abandoned as a baby, only…