Lady Eleanor Swift is let down by her beau so heads on board the maiden voyage of the Celestiana to New York She witnesses a murder and starts to investgate…
Death On Deck is the 13th book to feature Ellie, her unflappable butler Clifford, and her love interest Hugh. It is not necessary to have read the earlier books as there are no spoilers about previous cases.
Ellie is disappointed that her birthday plans are ruined once again by Hugh’s police work. She accepts an offer to travel to New York on a luxury liner but witnesses a murder on the first night. Despite the negative attitude of the crew, she seeks to find the murderer amongst the first class passengers.
As usual, Ellie is supported by her staff especially her butler Clifford. Her character continues to challenge 1930s society’s values about class and gender which is refreshing as well as entertaining. There is little violence or detail about the murder and victim so the book is definitely a cosy murder mystery.
Ellie needs to put her wits to the test as she tries to investigate her fellow passengers. Every one of the suspects seems to have hidden secrets or suspicious behaviour so there are plenty of potential motives.
The luxury of the ship, which is beautifully described, is almost obscene and Ellie’s social conscience makes her feel uncomfortable about her own privilege. The dialogue is witty especially as Clifford despairs of Ellie’s conduct. There is a final chase scene which I loved for the action and tension as well as the detail of the ship’s layout.
The ending will delight fans of the series and leave you with a big smile as you wait for the next book…
Death On Deck is a warm and witty cosy murder mystery.
Book Description:
When Lady Swift embarks upon her first luxury cruise she imagines a gilded ballroom, afternoons on deck taking tea and all the delectable food she can eat. But she can’t seem to escape from murder…
Lady Eleanor Swift is all set to spend her birthday with her beau, dashing Detective Hugh Seldon, until he calls to cancel on her again at the last minute. What’s a girl to do? Pack up her staff and her faithful old bulldog, Gladstone, and head off on a cruise to New York, that’s what!
On the stunningly opulent ocean liner Celestiana, Eleanor tries to forget her worries and make the most of her trip. That is, until she sees a man being shot and falling overboard. On closer inspection of the scene, Eleanor literally stumbles over the likely murder weapon. And the nick in the barrel is unmistakeable: this gun belongs to Detective Seldon…
With some discreet digging, Clifford discovers Detective Seldon is aboard the ship on an undercover mission. Eleanor doesn’t want to make waves but she’s sure that something fishy is going on and he’s being framed. To get Seldon off the hook, Eleanor casts her net wide and searches for the real murderer among a sea of suspects including European nobility, Italian opera stars and American nouveau riche. But does the victim’s expensive gold ring point to a lavish lifestyle or is it a red herring?
When another passenger is found dead in his first-class cabin, a poisoned whisky glass clutched in his hand, Eleanor realises they are really in hot water. Will the killer be Eleanor’s catch of the day, or will she spend her birthday at the bottom of the sea?
A totally charming, unputdownable Golden Age mystery with characters readers will adore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.
Author Bio:
Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.
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Tess finally feels ready to start afresh but her life is thrown back into chaos when her home catches fire and the past refuses to go away…
If She Lives is the third book in this series (I have not read the first book If She Dies, but I have read and reviewed the second book If She Wakes). Although there is a summary in the prologue, I think it would be beneficial to read the books in order so that you can easily understand the nuances of the relationships between the characters.
This is quite a short book so can be read quickly. Tess is still haunted by the past but is ready for the future until she begins to fear the past hasn’t finished with her. She feels ready to move on but the reminders about her suffering and the losses she has endured mean that she needs to resolve things once again.
The book is very dialogue driven so the tension is clear and not slowed down by descriptions of places and people. Tess doesn’t know who to trust and neither did I! Characters she has known previously, and the new people she meets, act in a way that make her – and us – suspicious of their motives.
If She Lives is a tense thriller with a strong yet vulnerable female lead character.
Book Blurb
Tess Parker knows tragedy better than most.
After surviving the death of her daughter and kidnapping of her nephew, Tess is ready to return to normal life. But her troubled past has other plans, and when an old threat reemerges, Tess must seek the help of an unlikely ally to set things right.
No matter what the cost.
Author Bio
Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature. Join Erik’s mailing list to be notified of new releases and author giveaways: http://eepurl.com/cD1F8L
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Sophie and Hector head to Scotland to visit her parents. They pass Gretna Green and thoughts of marriage are swiftly replaced by the reality of murder when a chance encounter is followed by a death. A series of incidents follow and the couple start to fear they are in danger…
Murder in the Highlands is the 8th book to feature Sophie Sayers but it is the first book I have read by this author. It works perfectly as a stand alone but now I am keen to catch up on the earlier books as this one was so good!
Sophie and Hector work together in his bookshop and he buys a book as a gift for her mother. This has disasterous consequences! On their way to see her parents in Scotland, they encounter another bookseller, but while they visit the services, their new acquaintance is murdered in the car park. There is little detail about the murder so this book falls firmly into the cosy murder mystery genre.
Next, Hector seems to become exceedingly accident prone as a series of events result in injury. I loved the build up of incidents. It is quite clear from the outset that the mum’s book is special is some way and someone is trying to wrestle it away from Hector. The loved up couple are blissfully unaware and almost in denial about the dangerous incidents that threaten their trip. I wanted to shout at the pair to realise what was happening and go to the police!
I found the explanation behind the attacks a little convoluted and far fetched, but until then the book was excellent and I can’t wait to catch up with Sophie and Hector’s earlier adventures as well as looking forward to future events.
Murder in the Highlands is a very enjoyable cosy murder mystery.
Murder in the Highlands
Sophie and Hector are heading to the Highlands.
For Sophie it’s a trip home and for Hector it’s time to meet Sophie’s parents… Though their trip has village tongues wagging about a stop at Scotland’s notorious elopement spot, Gretna Green.
No matter what, it’ll make a nice break from the murder and mayhem that has been plaguing their beautiful Cotswolds village. But Sophie and Hector are barely on the road before they’re being hassled by reckless drivers and at their first rest stop a body is discovered.
Then comes a series of ‘accidents’ that leave poor Hector a little worse for wear. Is someone after Hector? Who could even know he was in the Highlands?
Accidents or not, can they find some way to keep Hector safe?
Author Bio –
Debbie Young is the much-loved author of the Sophie Sayers and St Brides cosy crime mysteries. She lives in a Cotswold village where she runs the local literary festival, and has worked at Westonbirt School, both of which provide inspiration for her writing. She is bringing both her series to Boldwood in a 13-book contract. They will be publishing several new titles in each series and republishing the backlist, starting in September 2022.
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An artist is found dead in her garden and the circumstances become increasingly suspicious before eventually being identified as murder. Rina Martin is an actress who plays a TV sleuth and can’t resist investigating in real life too!
Murder at the Willows is the 8th book in the Rina Martin cosy murder mystery series. However, it is the first book of the series that I have read and I did feel a little at sea at the range of main characters and their somewhat complicated relationships.
Jean Hammond has just finished painting her last commission when she is discovered dead, sat against a tree with a flower crushed in her hand. The police initially believe the death to be natural causes this changes when her house is burgled and other clues come to light. The victim also kept something hidden in her studio and Rina receives it which throws her into her own investigation.
There is a lot of build up and the case isn’t identified as a murder until a third of the way through. This felt a little slow to me but did provide me with plenty of time to get to know Rina Martin as our lead character. However, despite the name of the series, I felt that it was actually Mac who was the main focus: he drives the investigation onwards but does defer to Rina’s intuition.
Murder at the Willows is an enjoyable murder mystery. I enjoyed the plot twists and would be interested in reading the previous books in the series to get to know Rina better.
MURDER AT THE WILLOWS by Jane Adams
If you love Miss Marple or Agatha Raisin, you’ll love Rina!
Meet Rina Martin, a retired actress with a taste for tea, gardening and crime solving.
She played a TV sleuth for years, but now she has to do it for real.
There’s something strange about the scene . . . Famous artist Jean appears to have passed peacefully in her sleep as she rested against a tree in the garden of her home, the Willows. Her legs are outstretched, hands tenderly clutching a small blue flower.
But upon closer inspection, things don’t add up. Where is Jean’s trusty walking stick? Why did she choose to slumber on the ground when there is a comfortable lounge chair nearby? Where did that blue flower come from? . . . not from her garden, that’s for sure.
The clues soon point to murder. Jean was beloved by the community, who would do such a thing? Her grandson is determined to uncover the truth and hires Rina to investigate.
The trail leads Rina to a series of shocking secrets, stretching back over twenty years. And a murderer who has unfinished business . . . Can our favourite amateur sleuth catch this killer before it’s too late?
If you love Agatha Christie, Jeanne M. Dams, Stella Cameron and Frances Evesham, prepare to be hooked by this page-turning whodunnit mystery.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE RINA MARTIN MYSTERIES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Cool little multi-layered mystery about a quaint seaside town. Intriguing.’ Mamatufy
‘Miss Marple fans will find a lot to like.’ Publishers Weekly
‘Rina’s kickoff emphasizes people and place, letting the reader in on secrets early and relying on psychological conflict to drive the appealing plot.’ Kirkus
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A new and better Miss Marple . . . she is intelligent, observant and a most welcome to the DI . . . you’ll fall in love with the characters. This reads like a good movie . . . I heartily give this a big thumbs-up.’ Vicki
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is my first book by this author and I will eagerly await more!’ Nancy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Murder She Wrote is an apt comparison — Rina Martin is sharp and no-nonsense. She knows a bit about law, a bit about murder — and a lot about human nature.’ Carmen
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘If you like Agatha Christie and Patricia Wentworth, give these books a try.’ Pamela
THE DETECTIVE
Determined and compassionate, Rina Martin on a mission is an unstoppable force. When Rina retired from acting, she bought a B & B in Frantham on Sea. There, she has a quirky cast of full-time boarders and only wants a quiet life. Instead, events propel Rina into investigation mode, and she gets a taste for sleuthing.
THE SETTING
Tucked in a bay on the Jurassic coast, Frantham on Sea is a typical Victorian seaside town, with a picture-perfect promenade, B & Bs, and a grand hotel. At the promenade’s end is the police station, where the officers’ days have always been uneventful — until Rina comes to town . . .
ALSO BY JANE ADAMS
RINA MARTIN MYSTERY SERIES
1: MURDER ON SEA
2: MURDER ON THE CLIFF
3: MURDER ON THE BOAT
4: MURDER ON THE BEACH
5: MURDER AT THE COUNTRY HOUSE
6: MURDER AT THE PUB
7: MURDER ON THE FARM
8: MURDER AT THE WILLOWS
MERROW & CLARKE
DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT SERIES
1: THE GREENWAY
DETECTIVE RAY FLOWERS SERIES
1: THE APOTHECARY’S DAUGHTER
2: THE UNWILLING SON
3: THE DROWNING MEN
4: THE SISTER’S TWIN
DETECTIVE ROZLYN PRIEST
STANDALONES
THE OTHER WOMAN
THE WOMAN IN THE PAINTING
THEN SHE WAS DEAD
JANE ADAMS
Jane Adams is the author of more than thirty published crime novels. The first, The Greenway, was nominated for both the Authors’ Club award and the CWA John Creasey for best debut novel.
Jane is constantly amazed at where life has taken her. Writing had never been on her ‘possible careers’ list, but she says once stories take root in your brain, they just have to be told – and she feels very fortunate that people want to read them.
In addition to writing, Jane teaches creative writing, read and mentor for The Literary Consultancy, and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and FRSA.
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I recently rediscovered one of my favourite recipes: a creamy rice dish with fake chicken chunks, peas and green beans. I used to eat this regularly when I was vegetarian but once I went vegan I didn’t have soft cheese often. I bought some so got cooking!
1-2 tbsp oil
1 small onion, diced
300g vegan chunks
250g rice
1 stock cube
70g green beans, trimmed and cut into lengths
70g frozen peas
100g vegan soft cheese
Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the vegan chunks and onions for 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Add the rice and stir to combine so the oil coats the rice.
Make up 750ml stock using the stock cube and boiling water, and pour into the pan. Stir well and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the green beans and peas. Cook for a further 10 minutes until the rice and veg are tender, remember to stir every couple of minutes so that it doesn’t stick.
Finally, stir in the soft cheese until combined.
I have never tried this recipe with tofu and I probably never will as it needs the texture of te soya chunks to contrast with the rice. I think it would also make the dish more bland.
The quantities involved above would serve 3-4 depending on appetite and could be served with garlic bread and salad or enjoyed on its own!
