Tag Archives: Kitty Underhay

#BookReview ‘Murder on Board’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘The Sinner’s Mark’ by SW Perry @swperry_history #historical #crime

Religious extremism, Moorish diplomacy, sedition and missing youths. In England 1600, Dr Nicholas Shelby’s elderly father is accused of distributing seditious pamphlets. The Sinner’s Mark by SW Perry is sixth in the fantastic Jackdaw Mysteries historical series. Nicholas and Bianca are happily married, living in Bankside on the south bank of the Thames, with their five-year-old son Bruno. Bianca is a talented apothecary, Nicholas attends the sick and, with misgivings, answers the occasional call of Queen Elizabeth I’s right hand man, Sir Robert Cecil. Accustomed to being ordered to undertake a distasteful task for Cecil, Nicholas is shocked to learn the reason for his summons. Sedition. Cecil has discovered that Shelby’s elderly father in Suffolk has been arrested. With Cecil’s help, Nicholas secures his father’s freedom but is disturbed by the stories of a firebrand young priest whose sermons have bewitched a local congregation. When the priest arrives in London, the pace of the story speeds up.
When Petrus Eusebius Schenk, an army acquaintance of Nicholas from his fighting days in the Low Countries, arrives at the Jackdaw, Bianca cannot warm to the man. Uneasy at Nicholas’s instant trust of the newcomer, Bianca observes contradictory behaviour. Nicholas believes she is being uncharitable about an old soldier still suffering from traumatic memories of war. When Schenk takes the Jackdaw’s tavern man Ned Monkton to listen to an evangelical new preacher, Bianca decides to investigate. What follows is a rollercoaster ride of radical puritanism, what today we would call grooming, the disappearance of young men and a conspiracy to commit treason. At this time Bianca comes into an unexpected inheritance, a small house and warehouse on the north bank of the river, where she makes an unwelcome discovery. Nicholas is called into the queen’s service again, this time as diplomat and translator during the state visit of the Morroccan ambassador. Nicholas met Muhammed al-Annuri in Marrakech seven years previously, as featured in The Saracen’s Mark, and is expected to inform Cecil of Annuri’s real expectations, something he finds difficult to do. As always when Nicholas is pushed into doing something reluctantly, or is divided between two loyalties, the story gets interesting.
A page-turning historical mystery that doesn’t disappoint, set in a time of political uncertainty as the queen approaches the end of her reign. Difficult to review without giving away critical plot points but the interventions of Will Shakespeare are welcome, as is the presence of Carib-born apothecary trainee Cachorra who proves herself a suitable, independent-minded sidekick for Bianca.
Excellent.

Here are my reviews of the other books in the series:-
THE ANGEL’S MARK #1JACKDAWMYSTERIES
THE SERPENT’S MARK #2JACKDAWMYSTERIES
THE SARACEN’S MARK #3JACKDAWMYSTERIES
THE HERETIC’S MARK #4JACKDAWMYSTERIES
THE REBEL’S MARK #5JACKDAWMYSTERIES

If you like this, try:-
‘The Almanack’ by Martine Bailey #1TABITHAHART
‘The Blue Afternoon’ by William Boyd
‘The Glassmaker’ by Tracy Chevalier

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#BookReview THE SINNER’S MARK by SW Perry @swperry_history https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8KJ via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Country Club’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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Murder at the Country Club by Helena Dixon begins as hotelier and amateur detective Kitty Underhay has been invited to the luxurious Torbay Country Club with her fiance Captain Matthew Bryant. The afternoon is going beautifully until their host is found dead with an arrow in his back. Ninth in the 1930s murdery mystery series featuring Miss Kitty Underhay, there are a lot of suspects for this crime. Possibly Sir William Winspear’s younger glamorous wife, or his put-upon sister, or his disgruntled younger brother, or the glamorous brother and sister dancers. Then there’s a second death. Someone is found dead in a swimming pool and the possibilities become even more entangled as questionable alibis and dodgy motivations are shaken.
Kitty and Matt are called in by Inspector Greville to help with the investigation. Why did the victim ask Matt for help. Who are the mysterious Russian brother and sister dancers. Does Lettice Winspear really love her much older, wealthy, husband. Was Sir William planning to change his will. And is Lettice having an affair. Is the most obvious suspect really the murderer, or the least obvious?
I have enjoyed all the Kitty Underhay books. They are entertaining, give opportunities for problem solving and are read quickly. Ongoing storylines make the next book seem enticing. As Kitty and Matt’s wedding approaches, decisions must be taken about the running of the Dolphin Hotel, where the newly-marrieds will live, and how Kitty’s grandmother can continue to help in the hotel’s management. The ever-present threat of criminal mastermind Esther Hammett means the next Kitty story, Murder on Board, promises a resolution to one of the longest-running threats in the series.

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘Death comes to Marlow’ by Robert Thorogood #2MARLOWMURDERCLUB
‘A Cornish Recipe for Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #5NOSEYPARKER
‘Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener’ by MC Beaton #3AGATHARAISIN

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#BookReview MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8K6 via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder in First Class’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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Captain Matthew Bryant and his new fiancé Kitty Underhay await the arrival of the train from Paddington to Dawlish. The title of the eighth installment in the Kitty Underhay 1930s crime series by Helena Dixon, Murder in First Class, tells you what happens next. The train stops, someone screams, and a dead body is found in first class. In a closed carriage on a corridor-less train. The murder is rather embarrassing for Matt. He had been asked by his old boss to provide a safe house for Simon Travers who was an important witness in the jewellery theft trial. Now Travers is dead and the trial is at risk. However the closed room nature of the murder, the man was definitely alive during the first part of the journey, should mean this is a simple crime for the local police. And of course, the crime-cracking duo quickly start asking questions.
There are a number of continuing story strands in Murder in First Class. The young lovers are enjoying a new stage in their romance, taking a few days holiday to enjoy the Devon seaside together. But a few tricky questions hang over their sunny days; where will they live when married, will Kitty continue to work at the Dolphin Hotel, and what are they going to do with Bertie, the black and grey cocker spaniel whose owner is now dead. Matt has given Bertie a temporary home but he is chewing everything and barking constantly. Ezekiel Hammett is another continuing dark shadow; Kitty has obtained permission to visit the killer of her mother, he is in prison awaiting trial.
Familiar characters reappear. Kitty’s friend Alice, housemaid at the Dolphin, provides clever suggestions about the murder based on her love of movies. Mrs Craven returns, in fact she discovers the dead body. She had travelled on the train sitting next to the victim, without realising he was dead until she rose from her seat at the station. Inspector Greville is in charge of the investigation and Doctor Carter does the post-mortem. Into this circle are introduced the murder suspects; a cocky brush salesman, a tarty cabaret singer, a titled lady, a vicar and an elderly lady just returned to England from India. Kitty is sure the brush salesman is the murderer, except he is the next victim.
There are lots of secrets, motives, alliances and hidden identities. Kitty, supported by Matt, is adept at untangling impossible murders such as this. All the key characters are likeable though I did miss Alice who has a minor role this time. A well-written mystery with a dark dramatic chase at the end. And what’s going to happen to Bertie?
Another enjoyable Kitty Underhay mystery.
Next in line is Murder at the Country Club.

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘A Cornish Seaside Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #6NOSEYPARKER
‘The Marlow Murder Club’ by Robert Thorogood #1MARLOWMURDERCLUB
‘Murder in the Snow’ by Verity Bright #4LADYELEANORSWIFT

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER IN FIRST CLASS by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-8At via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Wedding’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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Murder at the Wedding is seventh in the Kitty Underhay cosy mystery series by Helena Dixon and the series is definitely reaching that familiar point where it is necessary to read from book one to appreciate everything. There are so many familiar characters from previous books, the nuances of things said and not said, the promise of romance, that this novel is definitely not a standalone read. This time Kitty and her beau, private detective Captain Matthew Bryant, face a ghost, a shocking shooting, a domineering old lady and a fascist who supports Oswald Moseley. Kitty is in Yorkshire at Thurscomb Castle for the wedding of her cousin Lucy to her fiancé Rupert, now Lord, Woodcomb. This is ripe territory for mysteries. Rupert has only just assumed his title and ownership of the estate after the death of his uncle. The estate is rundown and in need of repair. There is a derelict wing burned in a horrible fire, the electrics have a mind of their own and there are rumours of a ghost. Kitty and her maid Alice arrive to find Lucy in the midst of pre-wedding jitters. The guests are gathering, the house is being spring cleaned and the flowers are arriving by the cartload.
There are some familiar faces – Lucy’s parents Lord and Lady Medford of Enderley Hall, Lord Medford’s cousin Hattie, Rupert’s sister Daisy and her new husband Aubrey. Newcomers include Aubrey’s cantankerous mother Adalia Watts, Rupert’s best man Sandy Galsworthy and his wife Moira, Moira’s father Ralston Barnes, Rupert’s old schoolfriend Sinclair Davies and his wife Calliope. It is quite a cast of characters to get your head around and they all appear by the second chapter.
When Ralston’s butler Evans is shot dead, the local inspector soon arrests a man staying at the local inn. But Kitty and Matt are not so sure this is the guilty man. Inspector Lewis is however cut from different cloth to the policemen Kitty and Matt are used to working with in Devon and on no account will he allow amateurs to interfere with police investigations. Then on the evening of the wedding there is a second death.
Murder at the Wedding takes a while to get going but once it does the shocks, the suspicions and the clues continue to arrive. There is a concern about poisoning, the electrics frequently fail plunging the house into darkness, and items of furniture and decorative items seem to be moving around. Then just when I’d forgotten about it, the ghost appears again.
This is a cosy mystery in that the gruesome details of murder are not described, but the action is fast and the threat to the vulnerable is great. Kitty as usual heads into danger without hesitation and by now Matt realises he can’t stop her. Is she simply too headstrong and independent for him, does he want and need a wife he can protect and care for. Their tentative courtship adds romance while the 1934 setting brings a dark political element, something which I’m sure will be developed in further books.
Great fun and tricky to predict.
Next in line is Murder in First Class.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL #1MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE #3MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR #4MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER #5MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ELM HOUSE #6MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘A Deadly Discovery’ by JC Kenney #4AllieCobb
‘The Silver Bone’ by Andrey Kurkov #1KyivMysteries
‘A Necessary Evil’ by Abir Mukherjee #2Wyndham&Banerjee

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER AT THE WEDDING by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-82p via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder at Elm House’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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A convalescent home seems an unlikely setting for illegal goings-on but that’s exactly the location of Murder at Elm House by Helena Dixon. This, the sixth of the 1930s Miss Underhay cosy mysteries, starts immediately where the previous book, Murder in the Belltower, ended. Kitty Underhay and her beau, private detective Captain Matthew Bryant, are reluctant visitors to the nursing home in Torquay, sent there by Kitty’s grandmother to visit her friend Mrs Craven. This indomitable lady, who has been involved in some of Kitty’s previous detectoring, is recovering at Elm House after an operation. But she insists something is ‘not quite right.’ Strange noises in the night, people appearing and disappearing, and deaths. Not the usual sort of deaths expected in a convalescent home. After the death of another patient, one of the nurses asks Kitty to meet her the next day at a tea room in Torquay to discuss the happenings, but that night Nurse Hibbert falls from the roof and dies.
Long-running story threads are picked up again in Murder at Elm House. Kitty and Matt’s romance advances slowly and satisfactorily and she is now having driving lessons in her small red Morris Tourer. But all is not happy. The man she suspects of murdering her mother Elowed in 1916 has been seen in Dartmouth, and she has received an anonymous threatening note.
The threat level in this book is the highest yet, with fights and also guns making an appearance. Despite being banned by her grandmother from visiting Elm House, Kitty is not one to sit quietly by while others solve crime. Murder at Elm House combines two crime stories; the deaths and strange events at the nursing home, and the longer-running story of Ezekiel Hammett and his attempts to silence Kitty once and for all.
I raced through this book, finishing it in 24 hours. The stakes are higher, the risks are riskier. What’s going to happen in the next instalment of the Miss Underhay mysteries? This book has more of danger and a darker tone. The cast of characters is satisfyingly familiar with the addition of two younger members who get involved in the action. Dolly Miller – younger sister of Alice, housemaid at the Dolphin – has just started a new job at Elm House, and taxi driver and Kitty’s driving instructor Robert Potter. Both prove themselves worthy of surveillance, lock-breaking and being in the right place at the right time.
An easy-to-read series. Opening a new book feels like slipping on a comfortable pair of slippers and settling down with a mug of cocoa. Excellent.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL #1MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE #3MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR #4MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER #5MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE WEDDING #7MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘The Art of the Imperfect’ by Kate Evans #1ScarboroughMysteries
‘The Various Haunts of Men’ by Susan Hill #1SimonSerrailler
‘The Silent Twin’ by Caroline Mitchell #3JenniferKnight

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER AT ELM HOUSE by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7NX via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder in the Belltower’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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I stayed up way too late to finish reading Murder in the Belltower by Helena Dixon, fifth in the Miss Underhay 1930s cosy mystery series. The plot is a reminder that this novel is set in 1933, six years before the outbreak of World War Two. Like Murder at Enderley Hall, second in the series, Murder in the Belltower continues the theme of espionage and the theft of military secrets. It is Christmas and Kitty and Matt, now officially girlfriend and boyfriend, have been invited to spend the season at Enderley Hall with Kitty’s aunt, uncle and cousin Lucy. In need of a quiet break, after startling revelations about her mother’s disappearance in the Great War, the couple long to spend time together to become closer acquainted. But at the last minute Matt is given a top secret assignment, which must be kept secret from Kitty too, to observe the house guests at Enderley Hall and watch out for dastardly intentions. No specifics are given and he’s at a bit of a loss what to look for.
There are familiar characters and many new ones. The house guests include Count Vanderstrafen and his sister, a coolly elegant brother and sister from Austria; an American couple, Mr and Mrs Cornwell, who seem devoted and travel the world wherever his work takes him; Lord Medford’s cousin Hattie who over-confidently considers herself a poet, singer and artist; and botanist Simon Frobisher who is using Lord Medford’s library to research his new book. Locals attend the celebratory meals and church services including the vicar and a variety of village ladies. There is discontent in the village, the new vicar is not popular and there is competition amongst the ladies which has led to name-calling and nasty gossip. There are familiar faces too including Kitty’s brave and intrepid maid Alice, Lucy’s dog Muffy (who has a key role to play) and stern-faced butler Mr Harmon (who frowns every time he sees Kitty climb on the back of Matt’s motorbike). It is quite a list of suspects when a lady is found dead, there are clues but nothing makes sense. Some guests seem the guilty sort, others far too nice to be a murderer. And all the time there are Christmas festivities, food and party games.
Kitty, whose common sense and clarity of vision often makes inspired leaps to identify the truth of a case before anyone else, is distracted. In the last book, Murder on the Dance Floor, she discovered some unwelcome truths about her mother’s last movements. Try as she might to be festive, she cannot forget the strange circumstances of Elowed Underhay’s death. Kitty’s investigation switches to a new phase as she places an advertisement in a local newspaper, asking for witnesses of her mother’s last days. She’s also irritated that Matt seems to be hiding something from her and jealous that he clearly once knew Juliet Vanderstrafen very well.
When the body of parish clerk Miss Plenderleith is found, at first an accident is assumed. Then a vagrant is blamed, and then a thief. Kitty, of course, knows instinctively that none of these answers is correct.
An excellent country house murder with sinister between-the-wars espionage in the background, lightened by the delicious flirting between Kitty and Matt. We never really get to know the truth of Matt’s assignment and I’m sure the espionage theme will feature again in future books, adding a welcome tougher edge to the storyline.
Very good.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL #1MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE #3MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR #4MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ELM HOUSE #6MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE WEDDING #7MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘A Death in the Dales’ by Frances Brody #7KateShackleton
‘The Red Monarch’ by Bella Ellis #3BronteMysteries
‘Elizabeth is Missing’ by Emma Healey

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7GO via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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When hotelier and amateur detective Kitty Underhay is invited to a boring dinner and dance for the local hoteliers’ association, you know it will be anything but quiet. In Murder on the Dance Floor, fourth in this 1930s-set sleuthing series by Helena Dixon, there are two mysteries to solve. The head of Exeter Chamber of Commerce, Councillor Harold Everton, is a martyr to indigestion so when – after the three-course dinner, coffee and petits fours – discomfort strikes, his wife does what she always does. Marigold takes a sachet of powders from her handbag. Harold mixes the contents with water and swallows it in one gulp. He drops dead at the dinner table as diners around them are dancing to the music of the Imperial Hotel’s dance band.
Immediate suspects are the councillor’s fellow guests at the table including Kitty and Captain Matthew Bryant, her friend and owner of Torbay Private Investigative Services. Also present are the Everton’s daughter, Mr Everton’s nephew, his solicitor and his wife, and a pair of local hoteliers. Matt is troubled that the councillor may have been about to employ his services. When meeting Mr Everton days earlier, he had requested Matt’s business card. ‘It must have been a delicate or personal matter, or he would have involved the police.’ Matt and Kitty spring into action, asking questions, gathering information and, as usual, making a nuisance of themselves. Unfortunately, the murderer notices their investigations and they find themselves in danger again.
Meanwhile Kitty has new clues to follow up regarding the disappearance of her mother in June 1916. Could a map of medieval underground passages beneath Exeter’s streets prove helpful. Is a disreputable pub called The Glass Bottle at the heart of the secret? And why would her mother Elowed have gone to such a dangerous part of the city?
The detection progresses at a brisk pace along with the underlying question of whether Matt and Kitty will ever get around to discussing the possibility of ‘walking out together.’ This theme works well because Dixon tells the story from Kitty and Matt’s alternating viewpoints, neatly showing up the misunderstandings, minor grudges, jealousies and secrets.
Reasons to keep reading the series? First, Kitty is an independent heroine whose unpredictable and determined behaviour adds charm and tension to the storyline. Two, Kitty and Matt’s relationship is like some sort of romantic two-step, one step forwards, one step back. Third, the cast of local characters whose personalities become clearer as the series progresses. These include irritating gossip Mrs Carver, whose annoying stories are always outrageous sometimes accurate. The cake-loving detective inspector Greville. The car-mad Doctor Carter who drives too fast. And Alice Miller, housemaid at the Dolphin who has already proven herself a worthy accomplice in Kitty’s detections. It’s a great ensemble cast.
There are to date 18 books in the series and I’ve only read four. Next is Murder in the Bell Tower.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL #1MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE #3MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER #5MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ELM HOUSE #6MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE WEDDING #7MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘Murder at Catmmando Mountain’ by Anna Celeste Burke #1GeorgieShaw
‘Death at the Sign of the Rook’ by Kate Atkinson #6JacksonBrodie
‘Dying in the Wool’ by Frances Brody #1KateShackleton

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Bu via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Playhouse’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

10 Replies

Murder at the Playhouse is another good adventure for Kitty Underhay, hotelier and amateur detective. Third in this nicely developing between-the-wars mystery series by Helena Dixon, Kitty now finds herself drawn into the theatrical world. Starting weeks after the ending of the previous book, Murder at Enderley Hall, Kitty is still not on speaking turns with her fellow investigator, Captain Matthew Bryant. And she isn’t only missing their cooperation as detectors. But before she can work out how to break the ice after their quarrel, everyday turns into drama when Matt is arrested on suspicion of murder. A young girl taking part in a treasure hunt at a party, is found dead on the golf course. She was strangled with a bootlace, the bootlace given to her and her friend by Matt when they knocked on his door to enquire about clues. Kitty, who soon discovers that the party was hosted by Matt’s next door neighbours, the theatrical Davenport family, volunteers for charity work with the Davenport’s daughter Genny and goes undercover.
Kitty and Matt’s relationship has reached an interesting stage, past their acknowledgement of mutual attraction they must now face up to their differing social expectations. Kitty is determined to prove her credentials as a detective, able to handle difficult and dangerous assignments as well as Matt himself. Soon she is part of the theatre company as it prepares for a charitable production. Burning the candle at both ends, Kitty’s assessment of likely risk becomes a little wobbly as she pushes on in her objective to clear Matt’s name. The cast of theatrical characters includes some colourful, and distasteful, people, so there are plenty of suspects. Assigned as prompter, Kitty fears sitting in the wings will prevent her ability to eavesdrop and discover clues. So she engages the Dolphin Hotel’s housemaid Alice to assist her again. Alice, deft with a needle and thread, proves adept at organising the theatrical costumes and props and rallying the troop of child performers.
Needless to say, Kitty takes one risk too many and, not wanting to worry Matt while also wanting prove herself to him, does not tell him everything that is happening. In the background is the longer-running mystery of Kitty’s lost mother; where did she disappear to during the war?
Kitty is a very likeable heroine while Matt has a complicated history. He is a widow and a war veteran, more of both in this book. The plot moves on nicely and the whodunnit is full of possibilities without being so complex that the clues become entangled in an impenetrable knot. More please.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL #1MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR #4MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER #5MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ELM HOUSE #6MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE WEDDING #7MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘An Expert in Murder’ by Nicola Upson #1JosephineTey
‘The Cornish Wedding Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #1NoseyParker
‘The Anarchist Detective’ by Jason Webster #3MaxCamara

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Bd via @SandraDanby

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

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Dolphin Hotel’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

12 Replies

I do like starting a new cosy mystery series and have great hopes of the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon. The first book Murder at the Dolphin Hotel, is set between the world wars and stars Kitty Underhay. It is 1933 and at the Dolphin Hotel in Dartmouth, Kitty is left in charge of the family hotel by her grandmother who must visit a sick relation. Before she leaves, and without explaining her reasons to her grand-daughter, ‘Grams’ employs a hotel security manager Captain Matthew Bryant. There is quite a cast including a deliciously grimy newspaper reporter, a well-meaning but nosy friend of Grams, and a glamorous American jazz singer. When a dead body is found in the river and hotel rooms are burgled, Kitty and Matt begin to share their fears, without sharing all their secrets. This is the first meeting of what will become an established detective pairing; at the time of writing there are now 17 in this 1930s series. Some of the language at times seems modern; a trait I dislike as it takes me away from the page and the characters, as did a couple of other discrepancies including the fate of the unnamed verger.
It always takes me time to settle into the first book of a new series by an unfamiliar author and the first half seemed a slow read. But the book blurb promises a hunt for a stolen ruby and the pace of the story picks up when the promised jewel makes its first appearance. There is no shortage of dodgy characters and therefore loads of suspects. And all the time Kitty must balance dealing with daily hotel tasks, organising the visit of singer Miss Vivien Delaware, and curiosity about the real reason for Captain Bryant’s appointment. Grams, Kitty fears, has not told her the whole truth. Throw in Kitty’s history as an orphan, the lasting effects of Matt’s wartime service and the suspected reappearance of Kitty’s disreputable father, and there are a lot of mysteries to keep me reading to the end.
A light enjoyable read, quickly finished, and a promising start to a new series. Next in line is book two, Murder at Enderley Hall.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE #3MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR #4MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER #5MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ELM HOUSE #6MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE WEDDING #7MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘A Very English Murder’ by Verity Bright #1LadyEleanorSwift
‘Murder at Catmmando Mountain’ by Anna Celeste Burke #1GeorgieShaw
‘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 MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7sK via @SandraDanby

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

	#BookReview ‘Murder… on #BookReview ‘Murder at the Cou…
	#BookReview ‘Murder… on #BookReview ‘Death Comes to Ma…
	#BookReview ‘Murder… on #BookReview ‘The French for Mu…
	#BookReview ‘Murder… on #BookReview ‘A Mansion for Mur…
	#BookReview ‘Murder… on #BookReview ‘The Seaside Murde…

SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

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

Tag Archives: Kitty Underhay

#BookReview ‘Murder on Board’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘The Sinner’s Mark’ by SW Perry @swperry_history #historical #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Country Club’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder in First Class’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Wedding’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder at Elm House’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder in the Belltower’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Playhouse’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Dolphin Hotel’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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