Honey Driver and her police detective fiance Steve Doherty are looking at their options for their wedding. But their meeting at a church near Bath goes awry when a body is discovered in the pews, dressed in a wedding dress.
Marriage Is Murder is a cosy murder mystery set in and around Bath in England. It is the 11th book in the series and I have not read any of the earlier novels but this didn’t affect my understanding of Honey and Steve’s characters.
Honey works in a hotel and Steve is in the police. He enjoys using her intuition to help solve his cases and she is more than happy to oblige. They are older characters, well established in their own personalities and comfortable in their own skins.
The initial chapters set up a neighbourly quarrel over land access and I thought I guessed who the victim would be. So I was surprised when the vicar is attacked and then another character is found dead! There are more twists to follow and I also couldn’t work out how the crime links to the prologue which talks about marriages of convenience. I liked the mystery and was intrigued by the connection between the different plot strands.
There is a gentle humour to the book which radiates through the descriptions and dialogue. This added a layer of warmth and lightheartedness in contrast to the murder. I felt that the descriptions were quite vivid and helped me to imagine the characters and settings.
Marriage Is Murder is a warm and enjoyable cosy murder mystery.
MARRIAGE IS MURDER an absolutely gripping English cozy mystery (Honey Driver Murder Mysteries Book 11)
LOVE MISS MARPLE? THEN MEET HONEY DRIVER!
Wedding bells, wedding gowns . . . and murder!
Honey and her detective fiancé Steve are visiting a pretty church in an idyllic English village, scouting out possible wedding venues. Trees, songbirds and the scent of flowers envelop them. But as usual when Honey is around, things are not quite as they seem . . .
On arrival, Honey and Steve discover the vicar unconscious on the floor. When she finally comes around, the vicar tells a strange tale of a woman seen floating across the village green at twilight, in a pure white bridal dress.
Honey and Steve are unsure what to make of it.
The following day, Steve is called back to the village. An elderly woman has been found dead — sitting in the front pew of the church, dressed in a lavish wedding gown.
Honey and Steve are about to tackle their strangest case yet.
Fans of Faith Martin, Jane Adams, Frances Evesham, M.C. Beaton, Clare Chase or Jeanne M. Dams will love this addictive cozy mystery!
MEET HONEY DRIVER
As the boss at a Bath hotel, Honey Driver is in charge one day and washing dishes the next. As a widowed mum, she’s balancing mothering an increasingly challenging teenage daughter alongside a new and budding relationship with local police officer, DI Steve Doherty. As the police liaison for the Bath Hotels Association, she’s supposed to be staying out of trouble . . .
READERS LOVE JEAN G. GOODHIND:
“Honey’s earnest, charming quirkiness, her sometimes ribald humor, the zingy ripostes that pepper the dialogue, and the detailed descriptions of one of England’s loveliest cities will appeal to ardent Anglophiles and British cozy fans alike.” Booklist (USA)
“The kick-off to Goodhind’s new mystery series — fast moving with a likeable heroine and an impeccably rendered Bath background . . .” Kirkus Reviews
“Quirky characters and intriguing goings-on in my favourite city . . . an absolute treat!” bestselling author Jill Mansell
JEAN G. GOODHIND
Jean, the alter ego of bestselling historical author Lizzie Lane, has lived in and around the Bath area for some time and was indeed a member of Bath Hotels and Restaurants Association — so well in touch with the hospitality trade in that fair city. However, unlike Bath hotelier Honey Driver, she was never asked to be Crime Liaison Officer and neither does she collect antique underwear! However, her daughter assures her she is just as zany as the quirky Honey Driver and will never grow old gracefully.
BOOKS BY JEAN G. GOODHIND:
HONEY DRIVER MURDER MYSTERIES
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MURDER, BED & BREAKFAST
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MENU FOR MURDER
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WALKING WITH MURDER
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THE JANE AUSTEN MURDERS
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MURDER BY LAMPSHADE
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MURDER BY MUDPACK
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MURDER AT THE ROMAN BATHS
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MURDER FOR CHRISTMAS
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MURDER AT THE MANOR HOUSE
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A CROOKED MURDER
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THE HONEY DRIVER MURDER MYSTERY BOX SET BOOKS 1-4
Nicole left town shortly after the disappearance and suspected murder of her best friend. She has always believed her parents might have been involved. Now she is forced to confront the past when her young pregnant sister goes missing. Could her parents be involved in another disappearance or have they been innocent the whole time?
The Night She Vanished is a thriller set in America.
Nicole left town and married her high school sweetheart. But she has never managed to escape the past. When her sister Aimee goes missing she returns to her hometown, even more anxious for her safe return when she discovers Aimee was 8 months pregnant. Then some bones are found at an abandoned property, could this be Aimee or the remains of her best friend at last?
This book is full of tension and emotion. Nicole has always thought that her parents knew something about her best friend Lori’s disappearance and is now terrified that they have done something to her sister. She even suspects her dad could be the father of her sister’s unborn child but he strenuously denies this. There is a real sinister atmosphere and no one seems to give a straight answer.
Most of the book is set in 2022 but there are some chapters set in the summer or 2008 when Lori went missing. This heightens the tension as we wait for the worst to happen to Lori. Remains are found in the present and Nicole has to deal with this shock as well as coping with being back in her childhood home with her parents.
The Night She Vanished is an entertaining and engaging thriller.
The Night She Vanished: An absolutely gripping and totally nail-biting psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist
My parents seem to be the perfect couple. But no one knows what I know…
Everyone in the small Midwestern town of Henderson looks up to my perfect parents. With dependable jobs as a midwife and the town sheriff, they help this close-knit community feel safe. But the locals didn’t grow up in my parents’ house. They don’t know what I know. And they wouldn’t believe me if I told them…
After my best friend vanished when we were just fifteen, I left town and never looked back. I couldn’t prove it, but I think my parents killed her.
Now, years later, my little sister has vanished. I have no choice but to go home and play happy families again. Because I have to find out what my parents have done to her. I have to try to save her.
But when bones are discovered on a local farm, and all the evidence leads back to our front door, I realize I was wrong about absolutely everything. And that coming back was the deadliest thing I could do…
An utterly gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat long into the night. If you like Freida McFadden, Lisa Jewell and Gone Girl you will love The Night She Vanished.
About Wendy Dranfield
Wendy is the bestselling author of the Detective Madison Harper crime series.
She is a former coroner’s assistant turned crime writer who writes a mixture of standalone thrillers, crime series and short stories. Some of her books have been shortlisted for various writing competitions and awards, including the Mslexia novel writing competition and the International Thriller Writer Awards.
You can find more information on her website: wendydranfield.co.uk
Author social media
Instagram: @wendy_dranfield
March 2020, covid hits and Cassie scoops up her son Noah and heads for a remote caravan. Noah has impaired immunity and his mum is desperate to keep him safe. But she is acting illegally, ignoring the stay home lockdown rule, and the locals want her gone… 1939 Ruby Summers is a young woman who dreams of a sparkling future in science alongside her Italian love. But as war devastates Europe, her Edmondo becomes the enemy and the locals turn against them…
Letters to a Stranger is an absolutely stunning book. The format is a series of texts, emails, letters and diary entries written by Cassie, Ruby and a host of other characters. I found this structure really effective and guzzled the book so quickly, unwilling to put it down!
Cassie is scared about her son’s weakened immune system so braves breaking the law to take him out of London. This takes them away from her dentist boyfriend Stuart who cannot stop working which she feels risks compromiseing Noah’s health. Living in a caravan has some quirks and she quickly develops a rapport with the owner Austin even though they cannot meet in person.
Meanwhile, Cassie receives a letter from a care home resident Ruby and the pair start sharing their stories. Ruby was 17 at the outbreak of WW2 and in love with Italian Edmondo but his nationality becomes a major issue. She faces divided loyalties as her heart is torn betwern the man she loves and her country.
The book is completing absorbing and I read faster and faster, wanting to know what would happen to these two wonderful women. The short messages keep the pace rapid as events unfold and they are faced with impossible choices. My only quibble was the speed of the postal deliveries! The juxtaposition of the war and lockdown was so clever and it was a reminder of the human cost of national policies.
I also felt an emotional connection to this book because my own great grandfather was Italian who was proudly in the British Merchant Navy during WW1 yet experienced negative attitudes which forced the family to change their surname immediately after the war.
Letters to a Stranger is an utterly wonderful, emotional, and fascinating novel.
Book Description:
England, 1940. Dearest Ruby, you must have heard the news by now. The very worst has happened. Our countries are at war. What can I do? How can I stop this nightmare from happening? One day soon we’ll be together again. I swear. I love you. E. x
Present day. Ruby Summers has lived an extraordinary life. Now, at ninety-six years old and living in a quiet countryside retirement home, Ruby may be an elderly lady, but her memory remains perfect.
She remembers the summer in rural Norfolk eighty years ago when she fell in love with Edmondo, and the stolen moments spent in the orchard dreaming of their future. But tears fill her green eyes when she also remembers the September morning they embraced as they listened to war being declared on the wireless. As her village turned against Edmondo and his Italian family, Ruby knew she would be forced to make an impossible choice – one that would lead to a betrayal her heart never recovered from, and an earth-shattering secret she has never shared…
But when lonely Ruby decides to take part in a letter-writing scheme for the elderly, and single mother Cassie replies, she realises this could be her chance. Her last chance. By revisiting her past, can she finally share the secret that has haunted her for all these years? And will her unexpected connection with Cassie unearth truths even Ruby never knew were hidden – or will it tear both their lives apart?
This totally gripping and irresistible story of wartime love and heartbreak will captivate readers who love Lorna Cook, Fiona Valpy and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Author Bio:
Sarah Mitchell grew up in Norfolk and studied law at Cambridge University. She practised as a barrister in London for nearly 20 years before turning to writing. Sarah and her husband now live in beautiful North Norfolk with three almost-grown-up children, an extremely affectionate dog and a horse called Joey. Her debut novel, THE LOST LETTERS, was inspired by her parents’ experiences in the Second World War and her desire to explore the heart-breaking impact of the war on women and children. By contrast, THE COUPLE is a dark psychological thriller that twins themes of right and wrong with the age-old complication of an all-consuming past love. Her third novel, THE ENGLISH GIRL is a story inspired by an incredible true love story, a beautiful, sweeping tale of hope, courage and heart-breaking choices. Now, her fourth novel, LETTERS TO A STRANGER, explores themes of love, betrayal and redemption, through the eyes of young Ruby Summers who is forced to make an impossible decision when Italy joins the Second World War and her village turns against the love of her life.
Buy Link:
You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo
Heather Vernon has served half of her sentence for killing her husband. She leaves prison determined to prove her innocence and be reunited with her sons. But whoever really killed Liam will do anything to stop the truth from being revealed…
The Mother is a psychological and crime thriller set in Bath in England. I started reading this book days after watching The Catch on Channel 5 which is an adaptation of one of T.M. Logan’s other books (which has shot to the top of my TBR pile!)
Heather has been wrongfully convicted of murdering her beloved husband. Her heart feels broken from being separated from her two boys and she is desperate to get them back despite the terms of her parole.
The book is written mostly from Heather’s first person viewpoint which enables us to see her emotions and descisions so clearly. There are also some chapters from 2013 to show the police interviews and the way evidence mounted up against her. Her frustration and desperation is palpable and her emotional responses are easy to relate to.
Heather is supported by Jodie who is also on parole, Owen who is a conspriracy theorist and disgraced journalist, and Amy her sister in law. Together they try to uncover the truth but it soon becomes clear that all of them are in terrible danger. This creates even more tension and unease as the risks are revealed. There were some huge twists that I certainly wasn’t expecting.
The Mother is a grippling thriller and I couldn’t put it down!
The unmissable up-all-night thriller from the million-copy bestselling author of NETFLIX hit THE HOLIDAY
THE MOTHER
By T.M. Logan
Master of the up-all-night thriller
Publishing in Hardback, eBook, and Audio from Zaffre on 2nd March 2023
Framed for murder. Now she’s free . . .
A woman attends a funeral, standing in the shadows and watching in agony as her sons grieve. But she is unable to comfort them – or reveal her secret.
A decade earlier, Heather gets her children ready for bed and awaits the return of her husband Liam, little realising that this is the last night they will spend together as a family. Because tomorrow she will be accused of Liam’s murder.
Ten years ago Heather lost everything. Now she will stop at nothing to clear her name – and to get her children back.
T.M. Logan is a Sunday Times bestseller whose thrillers have sold more than 1 million copies in the UK and are publish ed in 18 countries around the world. The Holiday was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and will soon be a major TV drama. Formerly a national newspaper journalist, he now writes full time and lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children. Follow him on Twitter @TMLoganAuthorFollow him on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram
Dr Anne Wiley has never lost a patient on the operating table. But when she recognises the man in front of her, she freezes and gives up his resuscitation. Would he have died anyway or did she kill him?
The Surgeon is a psychological thriller set in America. There are some graphic surgery descriptions which some readers may be sensitive to.
Anne is a dedicated doctor and surgeon. Incredibly, she has never had a patient die during one of her operations. So her team, and even she herself, are surprised when she gives up the resuscitation of a patient. His heart hadn’t given any sign of damage but just won’t start. She looks down at his face and recognises him from her past, then immediately calls time of death. After the op she battles with herself about whether she did the right thing or if she could have saved him. Then an investigation into his death and her behaviour is launched…
The majority of the book is written from Anne’s first person perspective so we can see her dilemma and emotional anguish. The rest of the book is written from the third person viewpoint of Paula, a determined lawyer and investigator. She is hugely ambitious and is having an affair with the prospective new mayor of the city. About a third of the way trhough the book, these women’s connection is revealed although there are more twists to follow…
There were plenty of twists, tension and drama to keep the reader entertained. The moral dilemma is fascinating as Anne ponders her culpability in the death. I felt the initial link between Anne and Paula was obvious but I was totally engrossed in finding out how events would play out. The ending was a bit too open ended for my liking but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book overall.
The Surgeon is a tense and entertaining medical and psychological thriller.
Media Pack
Author: Leslie Wolfe
Book: The Surgeon
Publication Day: March 8th 2023
Buy link(s)
Audible:
Description:
Trusted surgeon. Loving wife. Murderer?
Before my world came crashing down, I had it all. The successful career I dreamed of. The beautiful red-brick home where I could relax in front of the fire. The handsome, devoted husband whose blue eyes and charming smile always made me feel safe.
As I call time of death, my voice is steady. My colleagues stand hushed around me, their eyes on me, confused, concerned.
I have never lost a patient until today.
My hands tremble inside their gloves. I slide down the cold tiled walls, my heart racing in my chest.
I have never hated a patient until today.
But what choice did I have, once I recognized him?
And what will I do to protect myself, if someone learns the truth?
A totally gripping psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages, gasping for breath until the final jaw-dropping twist. If you love Freida McFadden, Shari Lapena and The Girl on the Train, you won’t be able to put this down.
Author Bio:
Leslie Wolfe is a bestselling author whose novels break the mold of traditional thrillers. She creates unforgettable, brilliant, strong women heroes who deliver fast-paced, satisfying suspense backed up by extensive background research in technology and psychology.
Her novels have a consistent presence in genre bestselling lists and a solid sales track record, with more than a million copies sold. Her bestselling series include the Detective Kay Sharp series, the Tess Winnett series, the Baxter & Holt series, and the Alex Hoffmann series.
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