Tag Archives: cosy crime

#BookReview ‘Mystery by the Sea’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

Lady Eleanor Swift, who has been a ‘lady’ for less than a year, is going on an elegant seaside holiday but is more used to travelling by bicycle in foreign climes. She doesn’t know what to pack. One thing is certain; Ellie will encounter another murder which simply must be solved. Mystery by the Sea by Verity Bright is fifth in this 1920s cosy historical mystery series. Eleanor, accompanied by her household staff, visits the seaside at Brighton [though the real thing has a pebble beach, not sandy]. Such a glamorous destination in the Twenties, the tourists visit The Royal Pavilion, the Grand and Metropole Hotels, drink cocktails, eat fish and chips and gourmet food, and generally let their hair down. But Eleanor, and butler Clifford, have kept a secret from their cook, housekeeper and maid. There has been a murder at their hotel, the Grand [the three staff and Gladstone the dog are staying nearby], and the victim is none other than Eleanor’s husband. Who died six years earlier.
The hunt for the truth is a race through clues and tangled suspicions, a disagreeable local policeman, dodgy suspects who all seem to have something to hide and a femme fatale who seems preoccupied with Eleanor, all wrapped up in Eleanor’s grief and confusion at the news about her husband. How did Hilary, shot dead by firing squad in South Africa, come to be in Brighton in 1921? Complicated by the presence of a certain Detective Chief Inspector, on holiday from his usual beat in Oxford and London. With Eleanor’s emotions in a spin, she tries to make connections between the Hilary she knew and loved, with the danger and threats surrounding her in such a glamorous place.
The best of the series so far, if a little edgier. It’s becoming addictive.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Cornish Village Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #2NOSEYPARKER
‘Elizabeth is Missing’ by Emma Healey
‘The Killings at Kingfisher Hill’ by Sophie Hannah #4POIROT

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MYSTERY BY THE SEA by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-70r via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Murder in the Snow’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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Christmas is coming to Henley Hall and Lady Eleanor Swift is hosting a party for the entire village. Gifts, food and drink, games and a cross-country fun run around the grounds of the Hall. When one runner fails to finish the course, Eleanor’s Christmas turns into another detective adventure. Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright is fourth in this fun atmospheric series. When Conrad Canning, coalman to the Hall, dies at the snowy finish line, Eleanor suspects foul play but Detective Chief Inspector Seldon believes it was a heart attack. Until traces of digitalis are discovered. This has uncomfortable connotations for Eleanor and her loyal butler Clifford as it mirrors the unexplained death of Eleanor’s Uncle Byron. Each book features the core characters with the addition of new faces for each murder mystery, but which will be suspects, witnesses, victim and villain. Some resentments are not forgotten with the passage of time, but burn brighter.
The food is sumptuous, as are the homemade alcohol beverages. But this time, both are examined for evidence of cause of death. As Christmas approaches New Year, the beautiful house is covered in snow and the village is cut off from the outside. Clifford deems it dangerous to drive the Rolls along the country lanes having previously ended up in a ditch, and Seldon is stranded in a pub. In pursuit of more evidence, Eleanor and Clifford set off across country wearing snow shoes.
The continuation of Eleanor’s romantic entanglements continues slowly in this story, one step at a time, glances are exchanged and there is some gentle teasing. Like the truth about Uncle Byron, Eleanor’s pursuit of love is a subject developed a little further in each book. I also love the asides about Eleanor’s previous life, exploring routes for travel companies in exotic countries, travelling alone and having all sorts of adventures. Such as her wonderful reply to a retired seaman who caustically refers to what he assumes is Eleanor’s sheltered and privileged life, ‘Ever been halfway over a mountain range with the snow and night closing in, with no prospect of food or shelter and not another human being within a hundred square miles?’
I whizz through these books. They’re such a relaxing read, a great escape from the world outside and a glimpse into the glamorous country house life in the 1920s. With murder thrown in.

If you like this, try:-
‘Murder Under her Skin’ by Stephen Spotswood #2PENTECOST&PARKER
‘Or The Bull Kills You’ by Jason Webster #1MAXCAMARA
‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ by Stuart Turton

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER IN THE SNOW by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-701 via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘The Perfect Cornish Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

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After reading a series of dense historical novels, I turned to Fiona Leitch for some Cornish escapism. The Perfect Cornish Murder is third in her Nosey Parker series about Jodie Parker, ex-policewoman in London now caterer, living again in her hometown, Penstowan.
When a film crew rolls up, complete with famous soap star and sexy leading man, the whole village lines up to be cast as extras. Jodie, initially reluctant, accompanies mum Shirley and daughter Daisy. If the fictional actors remind you of real ones its because they are ‘of a type,’ not just the soap star but an ageing roué, young high maintenance American star with miniature dog, the handsome romantic lead. But as the story progresses, Jodie discovers the truth behind the actors’ masks.
The love triangle from the previous book continues, with Jodie torn between Cornish best friend Tony and incomer detective chief inspector Nathan. But briefly torn between Tony’s Mr Darcy impression in a wet shirt, and Nathan’s gorgeous smile, Jodie suddenly finds herself spending more time on the film set when the owner of the catering van has an accident. Taking over the cooking gives her opportunities to people watch. But Gino’s mishap is not the first, a series of unexplained accidents are waved away as a curse until one of the star actors dies. Which means Nathan visits the film set every day.
There are plenty of chuckle moments, my favourite is Shirley’s definition of the different types of love according to shoes.
This maturing series does what it says on the tin. The Perfect Cornish Murder is a cosy mystery that combines humour, romance and murder without violence. It’s heartwarming, funny and moreish.

Here are my reviews of other books in the Nosey Parker series:-
THE CORNISH WEDDING MURDER #1NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH VILLAGE MURDER #2NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER #4NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH RECIPE FOR MURDER #5NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER #6NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CAMPSITE MURDER #7NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CASTLE MURDER #8NOSEYPARKER

If you like this, try:-
‘Or The Bull Kills You’ by Jason Webster #1MAXCAMARA
‘The Killing of Polly Carter’ by Robert Thorogood #2DEATHINPARADISE
‘A Snapshot of Murder’ by Frances Brody #10KATESHACKLETON

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview THE PERFECT CORNISH MURDER by Fiona Leitch https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7hE via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Witness to Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

16 Replies

When the local MP dies in suspicious circumstances at a posh dinner at Farrington Manor, the local women’s political group comes knocking on Ellie’s door. Will she, they ask, stand at the by-election on a platform of women’s rights. In A Witness to Murder, third in the Lady Eleanor Swift 1920s detective series by Verity Bright, is based round Ellie’s electioneering and detecting. Because the MP is not the only one to die. Determined to follow the advice of Detective Chief Inspector Seldon not to get involved in detecting again, Ellie changes her mind when Mrs Pitkin, the cook to Lord and Lady Farrington, is sacked and in disgrace after the fateful dinner. It was her chocolate fudge that is thought to have poisoned Arnold Aris, MP. Ellie’s job gets more difficult when Mrs Pitkin disappears and a second body is found. When Ellie and Clifford find clues to a dodgy land deal, they must discover who gains, who loses, and who is the most desperate.
Finally, the love triangle hinted at in the first two novels becomes more pointed when the second man’s intense looks at Ellie become more overt and at last the rather silly but charming Lord Lancelot Fenwick-Langham has a rival in love for Ellie’s attentions. Lancelot is getting more Wooster-ish with every book and I can’t help but think Ellie’s affection will turn elsewhere.
This series is becoming a firm favourite for me. The pages turn quickly, the mysteries are twisty and this time I didn’t correctly predict the murder. The identity of the murderer prompted possibilities in my mind that I hadn’t previously considered; about Ellie’s own origins, the death of her parents, and the role of her intriguing uncle.
The Twenties setting is charming, if at times suspiciously 21^st century, and the by-election theme in A Witness to Murder adds a tougher edge to Ellie’s adventure. The tone is settling to a hybrid mixture of period crime/comedy/cosy mystery, any danger is lightweight and the most of the daft asides are funny [though Lancelot is too much for my taste]. Just the ticket for a quiet night in.

If you like this, try:-
‘Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet’ by MC Beaton #2AGATHARAISIN
‘The Art of the Imperfect’ by Kate Evans #1SCARBOROUGHMYSTERIES
‘Moonflower Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz #2SUSANRYELAND

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview A WITNESS TO MURDER by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-6Yz via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Death at the Dance’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

17 Replies

What will Ellie do when the man she is keen on is arrested as a murderer? Death at the Dance is second in the Lady Eleanor Swift series of 1920s historical cosy crime novels by Verity Bright. The first novel, A Very English Murder, set the scene and introduced the characters but Death at the Dance hits the ground running and is better for it. The theme of acting runs throughout. Ellie, who feels she is still learning the role of a ‘lady,’ joins the local amateur dramatic society where she has trouble learning her lines. One of the suspects in A Very English Murder plays a key part in the play and turns out to be a very good actor. The death referred to in the title of this book coincides with a jewel theft, both take place at a fancy dress dance where everyone is in costume – a pirate, a harlequin, a Cleopatra, a bird of paradise. The pirate, Lord Lancelot Fenwick-Langham, is accused of theft and murder. There have been major jewel thefts in the area and a notorious gang is said to be responsible. Detective Chief Inspector Seldon, Ellie’s old nemesis, locks up Lancelot in the local police station.
Once again Ellie teams up with her logical, analytical and practical butler, Clifford, to prove Lancelot’s innocence. To gather evidence she goes out on the town with his friends, the Bright Young Things, including an Indian prince, two sisters, a quiet artist and a glamorous party boy. Apart from horrible hangovers and sore feet, Ellie gathers little proof except the sense that they are hiding something. Time is running out. Lancelot’s trial approaches and no evidence is found to prove his innocence. If convicted, he will hang.
There are some satisfying plot twists, surprises, suspicions that prove true, questionable decisions taken by Ellie and surprising talents shown by Clifford. All backed up with the excellent snuffling of Gladstone the bulldog, and tasty picnic food and breakfasts provided by Mrs Trotman, Henley Hall’s cook.
In my review of A Very English Murder I mentioned the lack of 1920 social, cultural and political references, but there are plenty in Death at the Dance. Suffragism, the partying Bright Young Things, drink and drug abuse.
Faster moving than the first instalment of the series, I’m loving the relationship between Ellie and her butler, the sparring with Clifford is fast, witty and funny.
Bring on the third in the series, A Witness to Murder.

If you like this, try:-
‘Fortune Favours the Dead’ by Stephen Spotswood #1PENTECOST&PARKER
‘A Death in the Dales’ by Frances Brody #7KATESHACKLETON
‘The Cornish Wedding Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #1NOSEYPARKER

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview DEATH AT THE DANCE by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-6XT via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘A Mansion for Murder’ by Frances Brody @FrancesBrody #cosycrime

9 Replies

A Mansion for Murder, thirteenth in the Kate Shackleton 1930s crime series by Frances Brody, centres on an unlucky Yorkshire mansion. Intrigued when she receives a letter from a stranger, Kate visits the Milner Field estate, near the mill town of Saltaire, to meet the letter writer. But Ronnie Cresswell, who promised to tell a ‘story from the past,’ has drowned. Can Kate discover this story for herself? Milner Field has an unhappy reputation for bad luck, failure and death. Everyone around the mansion, and nearby Salt Mills, is hiding something. At the mill, a new contract may be lost because an employee is selling sensitive commercial information. And now Ronnie is dead. Some secrets relate to the present day, others are anchored in the past. So many secrets mean lots of red herrings hiding the truth. Ronnie’s death happens at the beginning of the story and a lot of characters are introduced together. Some are just names and I struggled to separate them in my mind, appearing briefly and not seen again.
Brody tells this story in two timelines, Kate in 1930 and a child in the past; the year isn’t specified, the chapters are simply headed ‘Long Ago’. Ronnie Cresswell works for the maintenance department at Salt Mills. His family are deeply connected with the local area. He lives with his parents at The Lodge on the Milner Field estate, which is now for sale. Ronnie’s parents, father [confusingly also called Ronald] is head gardener. His mother is housekeeper and there are three siblings, Stephen, Mark and Nancy. Ronnie, it emerges, is courting Pamela Whittaker, daughter of the Salt Mills owner. Not everyone is happy with their relationship.
The events of the past and present are thinly connected but they contribute to the eerie atmosphere of the once grand house and explain how local legends and rumour take root. I was left feeling that the creepiness of the house and its grounds was under-exploited. A number of sub-plots jog along, some of which amount to nothing much. But the story of Rosie and Jim Sykes is a good one. The most affecting storyline belongs to Miss Mason, the schoolteacher.
Not as tightly written as Brody’s previous Kate Shackleton novels perhaps, as seems to be the case with a number of recently-released novels, it was written during lockdown. Overall this is a good inter-war series with a thoroughbred lead character in Kate Shackleton. Set in a period of social change, Kate’s character and job reflect the alteration in women’s lives, the widening of their opportunities and ambitions, and the old-fashioned obstacles they must still bear.

Read my reviews of these other Kate Shackleton novels:-
DYING IN THE WOOL #1KATESHACKLETON … and read the #FirstPara HERE
A MEDAL FOR MURDER #2KATESHACKLETON
A DEATH IN THE DALES #7KATESHACKLETON
A SNAPSHOT OF MURDER #10KATESHACKLETON
DEATH AND THE BREWERY QUEEN #12KATESHACKLETON

If you like this, try:-
‘I Refuse’ by Per Petterson
‘An Uncertain Place’ by Fred Vargas #8COMMISSAIREADAMSBERG
‘Or the Bull Kills You’ by Jason Webster #1MAXCAMARA

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview A MANSION FOR MURDER by Frances Brody @FrancesBrody https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-67i via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘The Cornish Wedding Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

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Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker, former Metropolitan Police officer, has moved home to Cornwall with daughter Daisy. When she agrees to do the catering for an ex-boyfriend’s wedding, she doesn’t expect to find herself involved a murder investigation. The Cornish Wedding Murder is first in the Nosey Parker cosy crime series by Fiona Leitch. A while ago I stumbled on the second book in this series and enjoyed it so much I decided to start at the beginning. Does Jodie find murder and mayhem, or does trouble find her? When Tony Penhaligon’s fiancé disappears on the eve of their wedding, and his ex-wife is found dead in the grounds, he is arrested. Jodie, who has taken an instant dislike to the flashy bride-to-be Cheryl, becomes peacemaker as Mel, Tony’s ex, publicly accuses her successor of marrying him for his money. Never one to stand on the sidelines, Jodie steps in to calm the situation.
This is an enjoyable, easy read. Perfect for when you want something to sink into and forget the world outside. Yes, it’s a murder story. But it’s also funny, full of twists, turns and a main character who is impossible not to like. Jodie is the sort of friend everyone wants. Meddling, well-meaning, gung-ho and giggly, she has a sensitive nose for wrongdoing and a clear idea of what’s right and wrong. Aided by an adopted fluffy white dog and loaded down with leftover wedding food that must be eaten, Jodie is determined to uphold the concept of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’
A well-written mystery that introduces the setting and characters of the future books. Jodie is likeable. Flawed, but in a nice way that makes her seem a real person. Ably supported by her Mum and daughter Daisy, everywhere Jodie turns in the village someone remembers her as the daughter of respected and much-missed Chief Inspector Eddie Parker. That’s quite a reputation to live up to. Looking for a peaceful life, a new start with her daughter away from London, she manages to find trouble around every corner. She pursues every clue she finds, instead of telling local detective DCI Withers who despairs [or pretends to] at her interference.
Close to the end, I was still guessing the identity of the murderer. The conclusion of the romantic sub-plot is also unsure. A nice mixture of amateur sleuthing and romance. You’ll finish it wanting to read more.

Here are my reviews of other books in the Nosey Parker series:-
THE CORNISH VILLAGE MURDER #2NOSEYPARKER
THE PERFECT CORNISH MURDER #3NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER #4NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH RECIPE FOR MURDER #5NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER #6NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CAMPSITE MURDER #7NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CASTLE MURDER #8NOSEYPARKER

If you like this, try:-
‘Murder at Catmmando Mountain’ by Anna Celeste Burke
‘The Art of the Imperfect’ by Kate Evans #1SCARBOROUGHMYSTERIES
‘Magpie Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz #1SUSANRYELAND

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview THE CORNISH WEDDING MURDER by Fiona Leitch https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-64h via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘The Cornish Village Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

10 Replies

The Cornish Village Murder by Fiona Leitch is the second Nosey Parker cosy mystery and the first I’ve read, in fact I read it when it was originally called A Brush with Death. Jodie Parker, ex-Metropolitan police officer, and newly single mum has returned home to Cornwall. It’s the week of Penstowan’s inaugural arts festival and Jodie, no longer working for the police, is doing the catering. The festival’s main attraction is painter Duncan Stovall, famous for his Penstowan series of sea paintings. This is a story with instant fizz. Written in the first person, Jodie’s, I loved the sly sometimes saucy asides that pull you straight into the jokes, the personalities and the action. If it were an item of food on a menu catered by Jodie, this book would be a mash-up of a Cornish saffron bun slathered with butter and clotted cream, a mug of steaming tea and a glass of scrumpy. Cornwall is a part of the book’s DNA, not just the dialect of the Penstowan residents or the food but the wonderful descriptions of coastal scenery that make you want to get into the car and head south on the M5.
When a visiting author is found dead at the bottom of the cliffs Jodie can’t resist sticking her nose in and asking questions, much to the annoyance of DCI Nathan Withers and the irritation of Jodie’s daughter Daisy and mum Shirley.
This is a silky read, one of the best of its genre I’ve read. A brilliant community of family, friends and townspeople, a beautiful seaside setting, with a witty detective, plotted on two levels. The foundation is Jodie’s life settling into the town of her childhood, a triangular-shaped romantic entanglement, and her burgeoning new catering business. Overlaying this is the case in which she becomes entangled; the art world, not just the creation of art but the finance, promotion, sales and investment.
I particularly enjoyed the joshing with childhood friends Debbie and Tony, including lots of cultural references from the Eighties that are lightly handled without huge signposts saying ‘laugh here’.
Read it and chuckle.

Here are my reviews of other books in the Nosey Parker series:-
THE CORNISH WEDDING MURDER #1NOSEYPARKER
THE PERFECT CORNISH MURDER #3NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER #4NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH RECIPE FOR MURDER #5NOSEYPARKER
A CORNISH SEASIDE MURDER #6NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CAMPSITE MURDER #7NOSEYPARKER
THE CORNISH CASTLE MURDER #8NOSEYPARKER

If you like this, try:-
‘Magpie Murders’ by Anthony Horowitz #1SUSANRYELAND
‘A Deadly Discovery’ by JC Kenney #4ALLIE COBB
‘Tea for Two at the Little Cornish Kitchen’ by Jane Linfoot #2LITTLECORNISHKITCHEN

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview THE CORNISH VILLAGE MURDER by Fiona Leitch https://wp.me/p5gEM4-5lq via @SandraDanby

#BookReview ‘A Deadly Discovery’ by JC Kenney #cosycrime #crime

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Needing a change one day, as I sometimes crave a calming walk in the green countryside, I picked up cosy mystery A Deadly Discovery by JC Kenney. Knowing the book was fourth in a series, I didn’t know what to expect. Literary agent Allie Cobb lives in Rushing Creek, Indiana where her life revolves around her clients, their manuscripts, taking her cat Ursi for a walk, family and friends. Having previously investigated local murders, and being injured in the process, before this book starts Allie had promised her nearest and dearest that she would drop her private investigating. But when a body turns up in the local woods, everyone wonders if it could be a girl who disappeared twenty ago. As Allie asks questions around town, tensions with the police department arise with suspicions of clues missed at the time of the original disappearance.
This is a different style of whodunnit in that the story is firmly anchored and clues processed in the head of detective Allie. This is a tell-don’t-show style that sinks us into Allie’s daily life and concerns, the reader must unravel the clues from the seemingly ordinary. Of course this is a mystery story so clues, and red herrings, can be anywhere.
Diving into a series mid-way has its benefits and issues. I’m sure I missed lots of references to characters and past stories that would help my reading of Allie’s detecting and understanding of Rushing Creek. From page one a lot of names and relationships are introduced, featured in the previous novels, that I struggled to remember. A character cast at the beginning would help.
Kenney has created a believable small-town world at Rushing Creek where lives, secrets, resentments and loves have been entwined since birth. It reminded me of Charlotte Hinger’s Lottie Albright genealogical mystery series, set in another American small town. When everyone knows everyone else, secrets are not simply embarrassing or shameful. They can be deadly.
An easy, gentle read without a confusing tangle of multiple suspects. I guessed the murderer well before Allie’s big reveal scene, which owed much to the trend of Poirot. I finished it feeling curiously unattached from the people involved, perhaps because Allie dominates the story so thoroughly.

If you like this, try:-
‘Deadly Descent’ by Charlotte Hinger #1LOTTIEALBRIGHT
‘Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death’ by MC Beaton #1AGATHARAISIN
‘Murder at Catmmando Mountain’ by Anna Celeste Burke #1GEORGIESHAW

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview A DEADLY DISCOVERY by JC Kenney https://wp.me/p5gEM4-5lg via @SandraDanby

#BookReview ‘Death and the Brewery Queen’ by Frances Brody @FrancesBrody #cosycrime

9 Replies

Death and the Brewery Queen, twelfth in the Kate Shackleton 1930s detective series by Frances Brody, is a story of two halves and two murders. As always, sensible Kate is on hand to bring calm and control to a messy situation. Kate and her sidekick Jim Sykes are employed by a brewery owner to sort out some business irregularities at Barleycorn Brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire. Is it a matter of employee pilfering, aggressive competitors, inefficiency or fraud? This is a low-key beginning, a gentle start which allows Brody to establish a wide cast of characters. The portrayal of the brewery and the town is the foundation for the series of linked crimes that follow. Threaded throughout the book is the story of Barleycorn’s wages clerk, Ruth Parnaby, and her quest to be crowned Northern Breweries’ beauty queen. The story is told in multiple viewpoints – Kate’s voice is first person, but in the voices of Mr Sykes, Harriet and Ruth we gather information that Kate doesn’t know. It does seem rather a long wait for the first death, after which the story speeds up and the false clues and connections begin to make sense.
Kate is a memorable, admirable heroine. She is firm and managerial when she needs to be, determined and unafraid of confronting male officialdom but also well-connected which helps break down barriers and find information possibly quite difficult to confirm quickly at that time. And she’s not afraid to take risks. She also proves empathetic to the struggles of the grindingly poor people involved in the outer circles of the story. Kate, a widow, has her own close family – niece Harriet, employee Mr Sykes, housekeeper Mrs Sugden, and of course her bloodhound Sergeant Dog – who each bring different but essential skills when on the hunt for a murderer.
This is a stop-start read, in contrast to the previous Kate Shackleton books I’ve read, but enjoyable nonetheless. Brody excels at drawing her 1920s and 1930s settings, so realistic and believable. A special mention for the scenes in Scarborough’s Grand Hotel, which I visited as an awestruck child.

Read my reviews of these other Kate Shackleton novels:-
DYING IN THE WOOL #1KATESHACKLETON … and read the #FirstPara HERE
A MEDAL FOR MURDER #2KATESHACKLETON
A DEATH IN THE DALES #7KATESHACKLETON
A SNAPSHOT OF MURDER #10KATESHACKLETON
A MANSION FOR MURDER #13KATESHACKLETON

If you like this, try:-
‘Murder at Catmmando Mountain’ by Anna Celeste Burke #1GEORGIESHAW
‘The Art of the Imperfect’ by Kate Evans #1SCARBOROUGHMYSTERIES
‘Due Diligence’ by DJ Harrison #1JENNYPARKER

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview DEATH AND THE BREWERY QUEEN by Frances Brody @FrancesBrody https://wp.me/p5gEM4-58h via @SandraDanby

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SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

Sharing thoughts on the books I read, new authors, favourite authors, classics re-visisted

Tag Archives: cosy crime

#BookReview ‘Mystery by the Sea’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder in the Snow’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘The Perfect Cornish Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘A Witness to Murder’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Death at the Dance’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘A Mansion for Murder’ by Frances Brody @FrancesBrody #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘The Cornish Wedding Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘The Cornish Village Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #crime #cosycrime

#BookReview ‘A Deadly Discovery’ by JC Kenney #cosycrime #crime

#BookReview ‘Death and the Brewery Queen’ by Frances Brody @FrancesBrody #cosycrime

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