Jenny Starling is employed by a village cricket team to provide the refreshments at a celebratory match. However, once again her sleuthing skills are required when womaniser Tris Jones is found dead.
Jenny finds it easier in this book than in the previous ones I have read to get the police on side, possibly due to the fact they are understaffed and Detective Causon is grateful for any help he can get! This makes an nice change to the usual animosity that she faces and the positive relationship makes both characters firmly concentrate on the case.
There are lots of red herrings and secrets to unearth throughout the book. I’ll admit that on this occasion I found it a little tricky to keep up with the characters as we don’t get long to meet them before the first murder. However, after Tris’ death, I felt more comfortable with sorting out the characters and motives in my own head. But then another body is discovered…
The Teatime Mystery is a comfortable and easy to read book. The events are over such a short space of time that there isn’t a lot of time to develop Jenny’s character further but it is an enjoyable read. The English countryside and traditions are evoked well in the manner of Midsomer Murders.
Faith Martin’s Jenny Starling series has such a classic feel and reminds me of Agatha Christie with a focus on the characters and motives rather than on graphic violence and forensic science.
THE TEATIME MYSTERY by Faith Martin
Discover a new series of whodunits by million-selling author Faith Martin. These charming mysteries will have you scratching your head to work out who the murderer is.
Meet Jenny Starling: travelling cook and reluctant amateur detective.
Please note this book was first published as “JUST NOT CRICKET” under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO.
Jenny Starling is doing the catering for the village cricket match. But she’s not expecting one of the players to turn up dead.
Everyone from the village has turned out to watch the match, and with this being the club’s centenary, Jenny Starling has been hired specially to provide her stunning food for the event.
Then the next man up to bat, Tristan Jones, is nowhere to be found. He is discovered behind the pavilion, murdered by a blow to the back of the head with an old cricket bat.
The handsome twenty-something had a reputation as a Lothario, with an appetite for married women. Did a scorned woman or a cuckolded husband kill him?
However, he’d annoyed other people too. He was a stockbroker who took big risks with other people’s money and lost their lifesavings.
Soon another body turns up and Jenny Starling is going to need all her cunning to crack this complex case.
This is the sixth in a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with a great cast of characters and baffling crimes which will keep you in suspense to the final page.
Perfect for fans of classic whodunits by authors like Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, TE Kinsey, and J.R. Ellis.
JENNY STARLING
In her late twenties, Jenny Starling is an impressive woman. Physically, she stands at 6ft 1inch, and has shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living the lifestyle that suits her – that of a travelling cook. Her famous (and now very rich) father, is a ‘celebrity’ cook, divorced from Jenny’s mother. Jenny drives a disreputable cherry-red van, and is happy travelling the country catering events and cooking great food. She is on a one-woman crusade to bring back ‘real’ food. And definitely doesn’t like having to divert her attention from achieving the perfect Dundee cake or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve a murder. She finds crime very distracting, especially when there is chocolate to temper or pike to poach. Nevertheless, she is very good at reading people, and with a quick and agile brain, becomes very good at unmasking killers. And her always-undaunted sense of humour goes a long way in keeping her sane when all around her people are dropping like flies.
THE AUTHOR
FAITH MARTIN is the best-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE mysteries, which have sold over 1 million copies globally in just over a year.
JENNY STARLING MYSTERIES
Book 1: THE BIRTHDAY MYSTERY
Book 2: THE WINTER MYSTERY
Book 3: THE RIVERBOAT MYSTERY
Book 4: THE CASTLE MYSTERY
Book 5: THE OXFORD MYSTERY
Book 6: THE TEATIME MYSTERY
FAITH MARTIN
Faith Martin was born in Oxford, and has spent all her life within twenty miles of the university city, even working at Somerville College for five years before turning to writing full-time. The author of the popular DI Hillary Greene novels, she also writes more classic-style ‘whodunits’ under the pen name Joyce Cato, but began her writing career as Maxine Barry, winning an award for penning romance novels! A popular writer for over 25 years, she has had nearly 50 novels published so far. Her hobbies include walking her now ageing dog, wildlife-watching, reading and (reluctantly) gardening.
It has been a while since I read a history non fiction book. My degree is in History and I love the Tudor period so was thrilled to discover a new insight into the life of Margaret Tudor. She is the sister to Henry VIII who became the Queen of Scotland and whose great grandson was James I who united the two countries.
When I downloaded this book, I didn’t actually know if this was fiction or non fiction. The narrative is very familiar and easy to read, unlike some of the history tomes I have read in the past. Melanie Clegg’s turn of phrase is humorous at times and really engages the reader in the dramatic events she describes.
Like many books about women in history, there is much supposition in this book as the lives of women were not well recorded, even queens. I have read some books in which this has been hugely frustrating. However, this book has such good readability that it doesn’t feel repetitive as the author makes suggestions which seem realistic.
Margaret Tudor is brought back to life with rich descriptions of events and Melanie Clegg does well to suggest the emotional reality that faced the girl who became Queen of Scots aged only 14 and was widowed at 23 years old thanks to war with England and her own family.
This book confused me a little to start with as it was incredibly rich with travel description. A few pages in, the psychological aspect of the book takes over and we see a couple at loggerheads before the man collapses. We are then taken back in time to the start of the relationship between Samantha and Peter and follow it through to the events in the first chapter.
It soon becomes clear that Peter is controlling, and gradually erasing Samantha’s autonomy whilst giving the impression of being a loving partner. He pressures her into returning to work (in a position she doesn’t want) after having their baby (which he also tricked her into having) but soon Samantha feels intimidated due to strange notes being left, possibly written by one of her students. Who can she trust?
It was really clever how S.E Lynes reveals the manipulative side of Peter over the course of The Women. I was willing Samantha to stand up to him. Even though the narrative is in the third person, we still get great level of insight into Samantha’s feelings which allows us to care about her.
The Women in the book’s title are the women that Samantha meets in her teaching role. At first she doesn’t trust them but then discovers their link to Peter and is devastated by the implications for her own relationship. She draws strength from the other women and then plans her revenge on the man who has damaged them all…
I felt that the ending was fitting based on what Peter has done and the book ends with hope that the women can leave the past behind and work through the damage inflicted on them.
The Women has a powerful message about female friendships and abuse, whilst also being a great read!
THE WOMEN by SE Lynes
The night she moves in with Peter, she’s so happy, so exhilarated, so in love. Later, she will remember a much smaller feeling, a tiny one percent in her gut. And she will remember pushing that feeling aside…
Samantha Frayn doesn’t know why Peter Bridges picks her – a nobody with bitten fingernails and a troubled childhood behind her – but she falls quickly. He’s older, charming, likes fine wine and French films, and his beautiful home has real art on its walls.
Peter transforms Samantha’s life in an instant. He sees the better version of herself – the one she’s always wanted to be. It’s only normal that there’s a little friction, when she moves in, over domestic matters like where things are kept, or the proper times to eat, sleep and shower. She’s lucky to be with someone who can help her find a new job, move on from childish friends, and speak with greater sophistication.
But as Samantha notices, more and more, Peter’s temper, she starts to wonder if there might be consequences to breaking the rules of the world he has so quickly built around her.
And then she receives an anonymous note that makes her ask: is she the first woman to feel trapped by Peter? Is she being paranoid, manipulated, or could she be in danger?
You can tell the truth about your life, but someone needs to be listening. Someone needs to trust you. And someone needs to save you from the man you thought you loved.
About the author
Amazon best selling author of ‘intelligent and haunting’ psychological thrillers VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL. THE WOMEN is out for pre-order NOW.
S E Lynes is a writer, tutor and mentor. Formerly a BBC producer, she has lived in France, Spain, Scotland, Italy, and now lives in Greater London with her husband, three kids and her dog, Lola.
After the birth of her third child, she completed an MA in creative writing from Kingston University. Her critically acclaimed debut, VALENTINA, was published by Blackbird Digital Books in July 2016. Her second novel, MOTHER was published by Bookouture in 2017, followed by THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL in 2018. In August 2018, VALENTINA was published in a new edition by Bookouture.
Susie Lynes has also published two children’s books in Italy: Il Leopardo Lampo and La Coccodrilla Ingamba, both available at Amazon.it
Find her on:
Facebook S E Lynes Author
Twitter @SELynesAuthor
The Dancing Girls surpassed all my expectations. I absolutely loved it from the very first page.
The book is divided into three parts, each centred around the victim.
The plot begins with the murder of Jeanine and the subsequent police investigation which throws up very few leads. We are introduced to the killer Martin and the person on his trail, lead detective Jo Fournier.
In the second part of the book, the dynamic changes. We find out a lot of the back story for both the killer and the second victim Emily. Our sympathy develops for BOTH characters even though we are pointed towards the flaws in both.
Meanwhile, the police are continuing to be frustrated in their efforts to find Jeanine’s killer. Jo’s determination to uncover the truth and find evidence power the investigation even though her senior officers want to stop wasting resources on a case with no leads.
The third part of the book deals with the killer attempting to groom a new victim. The woman he chooses is much more demanding which frustrates and excites Martin.
The ending is truly astonishing and unexpected. No spoilers but OMG!!!
The plot and character development is so clever and engaging. Jo is a traditional cop with a troubled personal life: her parents want her to settle down but she is dedicated to the job and it ruins her relationships. Martin is obviously a killer but his devastating story of abuse is heartbreaking to read.
I was completely captivated by M.M. Chouinard’s spellbinding narrative from start to finish. Wow!
Title: The Dancing Girls
Publication Day: 15/05/2019
Author: M.M. Chouinard
Buy Links:
Description:
The light in her wide brown eyes dimmed as she drew her last breath. She might have been beautiful lying there on the floor, if it wasn’t for the purple marks on her neck and the angry red line on her finger where her wedding band used to be…
When Jeanine Hammond is found dead in a hotel in the picture-perfect town of Oakhust, newly-promoted Detective Jo Fournier is thrown into a disturbing case. Who would murder this shy, loving wife and leave her body posed like a ballerina?
Jo wants to know why Jeanine’s husband is so controlling about money, and where Jeanine’s wedding ring is, but before she and her team can get close to the truth, another woman is found strangled in a hotel, arms placed gracefully above her head like a dancer.
While digging through old case files, Jo makes a terrifying link to a series of cold cases: each victim bears the same strangulation marks. But the FBI won’t take Jo seriously, and if she disobeys direct orders by investigating the killings outside of her jurisdiction, it will mean the end of the career she’s already sacrificed so much for, even her relationship.
Just as Jo is beginning to lose hope, she finds messages on the victims’ computers that make her question whether these small-town women were hiding big lies. Jo thinks this is the missing link between the victims, but she knows the killer is moments away from selecting his next victim. Will it lead her to the most twisted killer of her career in time, or will another innocent life be lost?
An absolutely unputdownable and brilliant new crime thriller series that fans of Robert Dugoni, Lisa Regan and Melinda Leigh will devour in one sitting.
Author Bio:
M.M. Chouinard’s first fiction story was published in her local paper when she was eight, and she fell in love with Agatha Christie novels not long after. While pursuing a Ph.D in psychology and helping to found the first U.S. research university of the new millenium, the stories kept rattling around inside her skull, demanding to come out. For sanity’s sake, she released them. She’s currently at work on her seventh novel.
Author Social Media Links:
What a fab premise for a book! The cats (highly intelligent beings, obviously) can investigate murders! I LOVE this idea!
Nero and Marlowe help their hapless human ‘owner’ to find out who, why and how a well known food critic was murdered in her guesthouse. I really loved their interactions with Josie which we as readers get to see from both the feline and human perspective.
A Twist in the Tail is described as ‘cozy’ (US spelling) and it definitely is. There is nothing gruesome, nor any graphic detail. But the danger and anticipation are there!
Josie has bought the guesthouse from her mum’s best friend Millie and is working hard to establish herself as the owner, renovate the property and cater for her guests while keeping bossyboots building inspector Barbara happy. The cats are struggling to make their opinions known and keep trying to communicate with her in order to ‘train’ her to get their own way.
The body of a guest is found in a closed down part of the building. It appears to be an accident but is then found to be murder. The police seem to suspect Josie so she, her mum and Millie start their own investigation: was Charles killed for personal or professional reasons?
There are plenty of suspects to eliminate from their suspicions and lots of red herrings to keep the reader misdirected too (but not the type of herring the cats would like!)
The cat element of the book is a ‘purrfect’ method to add a new dynamic to a murder mystery novel. Apparently, author Leighann Dobbs likes to include animals in her stories so I’m very interested to read more books to see how this works in her other series.
A Twist in the Tail: An absolutely purrfect cozy mystery (The Oyster Cove Guesthouse Book 1)
FROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE USA TODAY BESTSELLING MYSTIC NOTCH SERIES…
‘Talk about inconvenient. Not only did I have a dilapidated mansion and no money to repair it with, two cats I had no idea how to care for and a room full of cranky guests waiting for their breakfast, I also had a dead body on my hands.’
Josie Waters has to admit she may have acted a bit hastily when she agreed to purchase the Oyster Cove Guesthouse – a charmingly gabled Victorian mansion on the breathtaking Maine coast – from elderly family friend Millie Sullivan. But Josie was desperate to flee Ohio and in particular her ex-husband, a chef who loved his job so much he left her for it. And anyway, how hard can running a guesthouse be?
The truth is, Oyster Cove Guesthouse is a mouldering money pit with falling-in roof and a cohort of regular guests who are as mischievous as a litter of kittens. And Millie keeps dropping by to dispense unasked-for advice. And Josie might have made a mistake in promising to adopt Oyster Cove’s two resident cats Nero and Marlowe, and treat them in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed. Josie has never had a cat before… let alone two feisty felines who think they own the place.
Ok, it’s not going well. At least it can’t get any worse, Josie thinks. Until her first guest ends up dead.
A joy to read, with a twist you’ll never guess! A page-turning new mystery series from a bestselling author, purrfect for murder mystery fans, cat lovers and everyone in between.
About the author
USA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.
Her book “Dead Wrong” won the “Best Mystery Romance” award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.
Her book “Ghostly Paws” was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.
