Julia Bird is walking her dog when she finds the body of her vet Eve at the bottom of the cliffs. Did Eve fall by accident, suicidal intent or was she murdered?
Murder on a Country Walk is the 6th book in the Julia Bird series of cosy murder mysteries. There are mentions of events from earlier books and Julia’s relationship with Sean has developed over the series, but there are no spoilers about the crimes.
Eve was a popular vet and her death is upsetting for the whole village. Julia is convinced that it was not accidental and is determined to persuade the police to investigate so starts looking for clues and motives. Eve was passionate about her work and protecting nature, whilst also competitive at the game padel (I’d never heard of this but is sounds fab!) There is plenty of mystery as the suspects begin to emerge. I was kept guessing and thought the conclusion wrapped up the plot nicely.
I really like Julia’s character. She always acts with the best intentions even if she is a bit nosy. She has a really good relationship with the police which is quite refreshing, but she does tend to push the limits. Her relationship with Sean is still simmering and the pair are negotiating towards using the ‘love’ word (nospoilers if they manage this by the end of the book!) Both are in their sixties so it is good to see that age group represented in this way.
Murder on a Country Walk is an enjoyable murder mystery with a likeable and relatable lead character.
Book Description:
Julia Bird loves a walk in the countryside. There’s nothing quite like the fresh air and green rolling hills of the Cotswolds to clear your head. Unless you come across a dead body, that is…
When the local Berrywick vet, Dr Eve Davies, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, the police believe it’s nothing more than a tragic accident, but Julia isn’t so sure. Just a few days earlier when she took her dog, Jake, to the vets, Dr Eve said she believed something awful was about to happen. It turns out she was right…
But who would want the beloved village vet dead? Was it her mother Kay, a down-and-out gambler who stands to inherit her unwedded daughter’s home? Was it her assistant Olga, who was close to getting fired? Or was it her cut-throat tennis partner Will, with whom Dr Eve had an argument shortly before she took a tumble? And who is the stranger skulking around Berrywick peering into people’s windows?
When a second body appears in the exact spot where Dr Eve was found, Julia knows it can’t be a coincidence. Both victims were pushed off the cliff, but why? Should Julia let sleeping dogs lie, or will she be like a dog with a bone to find the murderer?
A totally gripping and charming cosy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love the Julia Bird Mysteries.
Author Bio:
Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats.
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Kitty heads to the local farm shop to buy some cider but finds the farmer dead, crushed in the apple press. A terrible accident or murder…?
Murder in the Countryside is the 17th book in the Miss Kitty Underhay (now Mrs Bryant as she married the lovely Matt a few books ago) series of cosy historical murder mysteries.
Titus Blake certainly had plenty of enemies. But who hated him enough to want him dead? His family seem the obvious choice but who? His estranged brother who married the woman Titus loved and his three sons who all clashed with him are all suspects. But he was universally disliked among the whole village community.
Kitty and Matt have their work cut out for them when they are asked by Titus’ sister in law to prove the family’s innocence by finding the real killer. They have a solid friendship with one police officer but a tense relationship with another. Halfway through the book there are mentions of sexual violence which adds a darkness which is unusual for this series, however I felt this was handled sensitively.
Kitty and Matt always seem to be in the thick of the action, stumbling upon bodies left, right and centre, and this book is no different! There are lots of twists as the investigation progresses and I had no idea who was the culprit. The writing style is easy to read, the characters are vividly portrayed and the ending is quite dramatic.
Murder in the Countryside is an enjoyable addition to the series.
Book Description:
A meandering drive on a beautiful day, a visit to a local apple orchard, a chance for Bertie the dog to stretch his legs but… has Kitty Underhay just found a dead farmer?
England, 1936. On a clear autumn day, Kitty and her mischievous spaniel Bertie take a drive to a nearby village. After a long walk in the rolling country hills and lunch in a pretty tearoom, what could be nicer than to buy a couple of bottles of local cider for her husband – and partner-in-crime solving – Matt? Instead, she finds a body in the orchard…
Kitty is shocked to discover Titus Blake dead, crushed by his own cider press. The new local detective arrives swiftly, making it clear he has no time for amateur sleuths, especially a woman. Hearing his words, Kitty and Matt are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery before the sour inspector. Titus’s estranged brother, reclusive housekeeper and even his long-suffering son soon make their suspect list.
But when the police get wind of Kitty and Matt’s snooping, the inspector firmly tells them to keep their noses out. Now in a race to find the killer, the inquisitive pair are stopped in their tracks when their chief suspect is also found dead in the barn. Can Kitty find the rotten apple before it’s too late, or will the killer feed her a poisoned fruit first?
If you love Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey or Lee Strauss, you will be utterly gripped by this totally charming cozy murder mystery!
Author Bio:
Helena Dixon is the author of the best-selling Miss Underhay murder mystery series and
lives in Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a
cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and
housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010
as Nell Dixon.
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1994, Jennie waits for her best friend to arrive so they can escape their unhappy homes and make a fresh start in London. But Hannah never shows up at the station as planned, and actually disappears completely. Present day, Jennie is a police detective and is called to her former school when a body is unearthed in the basement. Has Hannah been found at last…?
The Reunion is a police procedural and murder mystery with a very powerful emotional thread.
Jennie is haunted by her lost friend and finally she has the chance to investigate and find out the truth. She is reunited with childhood friends but they are now suspects in the murder case and she has to maintain a profesional distance. I enjoyed the police interviews and the way the secrets gradually get revealed as the case progresses. The police characters felt authentic and I thought they acted realistically in the investigation process.
Jennie faces huge emotional upheaval as she discovers secrets about Hannah that make her question just how well she really knew her. Jennie’s career is at risk due to her personal connection with the victim which she is trying to downplay. This puts her at odds with her colleagues and superiors which adds an extra dimension to the plot and her character.
I LOVED this book! Great plot, characters and twists. Jennie is a great lead character. Her emotional involvement in the case means that she is totally focussed on finding the killer. I suspected everyone as their lies and alibis are revealed so I was kept guessing until the end. The tension and dark atmosphere of the book are maintained well while the style of writing is easy to read and engaging.
The Reunion is a gripping murder mystery with a fab lead female detective.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A skull looks up at Jennie from the trench, but it’s not the chalk-white bone and grimacing teeth that send her reeling. It’s the heart-shaped gold pendant, its delicate chain snapped in two. The necklace Hannah never took off. It can’t be Hannah. But it is.
When Jennie Whitmore arrives at her school reunion, she immediately regrets her decision. Why would she choose to surround herself with people who were never nice to her? Who still aren’t, even now she’s a police officer? The only person who truly looked out for her all those years ago was charming, beautiful Hannah. Until the day she disappeared.
Jennie is ready to finally put White Cross Academy behind her, the old school building demolished the morning after the party. But with the demolition comes a call: a teenage girl’s remains have been found on the grounds.
The instant drop in Jennie’s gut tells her that the remains might be Hannah’s, but when she’s called in to examine them, the truth becomes undeniable. Hannah didn’t run away and abandon Jenny thirty years ago; in fact, she never left White Cross at all.
Suddenly, Jennie has a murder to solve. The murder of her best friend. But can she do so before her colleagues discover just how closely connected she is to the victim? Before a mystery stalker makes good on his threats to silence her for good?
The Reunion is a gripping mystery perfect for fans of THE SANATORIUM, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Kelly.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
MJ. Arlidge has worked in television for the last twenty years, specialising in high-end drama production, including prime-time crime serials Silent Witness, Torn, The Little House and, most recently, the hit ITV show Innocent. In 2015 his audiobook exclusive Six Degrees of Assassination was a number-one bestseller. His debut thriller, Eeny Meeny, was the UK’s bestselling crime debut of 2014 and has been followed by ten more DI Helen Grace thrillers – all Sunday Times bestsellers.
Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego – Crime Thriller Girl – she indulges her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at www.crimethrillergirl.com . Steph is an alumni of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California. She lives in Buckinghamshire surrounded by horses, cows and chickens.
A woman’s body is discovered in a botanical garden with Roman coins in her eye sockets. The victim is identified as a Chinese student from a prominent family and the pressure is on for the police to catch the killer quickly…
Nighthawking is the second book to feature DS Adam Tyler. I recently reviewed the first book, Firewatching.
Tyler and Rabbani are supposed to be reviewing cold cases. But they are ordered to join a current case when Chi’s body is found. Rabbani discovers Chi’s identity and finds flaws in the original missing persons investigation. Now the whole team are urged to focus their efforts as the victim’s family prepares to arrive from China and demand results. Could the Roman coins be a vital clue and is there a link to the local metal detectorist group or does Chi’s family have their own secrets?
Adam Tyler still has big family issues going on with his missing brother who he is trying to find, and the mystery surrounding his father’s alleged suicide. He isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers among his superiors but is protected by the longstanding family friend who is the senior investigating officer Meanwhile, Mina Rabbani has been promoted to CID but is struggling to fit in as her superior officers go AWOL and she has to cover for them as well as investigate using her instincts.
This book had a different feel to the first book as we see less of the peripheral characters and the structure has also changed (not explicitly divided into days). Most of the book focuses on the police investigation but some sections show the nighthawkers (metal detectorists secretly searching for treasure). Once again the chapters are quite long and meticulously detailed and this slows down the pace of the plot. The ending has a shocking twist and I can’t wait for the next book to find out what happens next!
Nighthawking is an enjoyable police procedural and I liked the development of Tyler and Rabbani’s characters.
Book blurb
When a nighthawker on the hunt for antiquities instead uncovers the body of a foreign student, Detective Adam Tyler is pulled into a serpentine mystery of dangerous secrets, precious finds, and illegal dealings.
You are a trespasser. You are a thief. You are a Nighthawker.
Under the dark cover of night, a figure climbs over the wall of the Botanical Garden with a bag and a metal detector. It’s a dicey location in the populous city center, but they’re on the hunt–and while most of what they find will be worthless, it takes only one big reward to justify the risk. Only this time, the nighthawker unearths a body. . . .
Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler and his newly promoted protege, Detective Constable Amina Rabbani, are officially in charge of Cold Case Reviews. But with shrinking budgets and manpower in the department, both are shunted onto the murder investigation–and when the victim is identified as a Chinese national from a wealthy family, in the UK on a student visa, the case takes on new urgency to prevent an international incident.
As Tyler and Rabbani dig further into the victim’s life, it’s becomes clear there’s more to her studies and relationships than meets the eye, and that the original investigation into her disappearance was shoddy at best. Meanwhile, someone else is watching these events . . . someone who knew the victim, and might hold the key to what happened the night she vanished.
Smith and his team investigate a spate of murders. All of the victims are killed in their green Ford Fiestas…
The Hitchhiker is the 29th book in the DS Jason Smith series. The books all work as standalone cases but events from earlier books have a huge impact on Smith and his family. Plus the series is FAB-U-LOUS so I think you should read them all!
A series of violent murders inside cars. Police warn the public not to pick up hitchhikers but it soon becomes apparent that the killer is targeting a particular type of car and has a specific purpose. Smith wants to warn the other owners and begins a race against time to protect the next potential victims.
The writing is fast paced, driving the plot forwards thanks to the focus on dialogue. As usual for this series, the tension is high, the action relentless and the plot gripping. There are a limited number of motives and suspects but I still didn’t figure out all the twists. I love the police characters and their relationships. There has been more upheaval in Smith’s personal life but he maintains his wonderful outlook on the world which lightens the tone of the book overall.
The Hitchhiker is another great book in this addictive series.
THE HITCHHIKER (Detective Jason Smith #29) by Stewart Giles
From bestselling author: Stewart Giles comes another brilliant addition to the Detective Jason Smith series.
In the wake of a global pandemic, nobody in their right mind would pick up a hitchhiker.
But what if this hitchhiker is already in your car?
Detective Sergeant Jason Smith has his hands full trying to come to terms with huge changes in his home life, so when he hears about a gruesome double murder, he’s happy for the distraction.
But what he finds in the car, a stone’s throw from his house is beyond comprehension. A man and a woman have been beaten so badly they no longer have faces.
No sooner has the investigation into their murders begun, another victim is taken in her car, and her injuries are much, much worse.
Smith is baffled. And when another victim is murdered he reluctantly agrees to be the face of a public appeal warning drivers not to pick up hitchhikers.
But this hitchhiker is different – this one doesn’t grab a ride by the side of the road, and this one is hell bent on killing until someone says otherwise.
Stewart Giles – Author Bio
After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brought together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
The Miranda trilogy is something totally different. A psychological thriller trilogy. It is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow. I also have another series featuring an Irish detective who relocated to Guernsey, the Detective Liam O’Reilly series. There are also 3 stand alone novels.
Twitter: @stewartgiles
