Alexi is newly single and unemployed so she heads for her friends’ hotel Hopwood Hall in the countryside. They are concerned about another friend who has disappeared. Alexi’s journalist instinct kicks in and she is convinced that there is something sinister behind Natalie’s disappearance. She joins forces with ex cop Jack who is also looking for Natatlie…
A Date To Die For is the first book in a new cosy murder mystery series set in London and the south of England.
We as readers are instantly drawn to Alexi as she adjusts to drastic changes in her personal life and career. She is accompanied by the wonderful Cosmo, a fearsome and magnificent cat who is a brilliant judge of character. She meets Jack who is also hugely likable and there is a romantic tension between the pair so I’m hoping for more in future books.
The case itself surrounds a missing woman. Natalie has vanished and Jack’s sister runs the dating agency that she had joined. He quickly investigates the dates and discovers huge secrets from Natalie’s past could actually be responsible for her disappearance. There are some big plot twists and I wasn’t able to unravel the mystery before our investigators.
A Date To Die For is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery. It sets up the main characters well so I am looking forward to reading more from this series.
A Date To Die For
The start of brand-new Cozy Crime series! Welcome to Hopgood Hall.
An unlikely duo…
When investigative journalist, Alexi Ellis, falls victim to cutbacks, she and Cosmo, her anti-social feral cat, head for beautiful Hopgood Hall, where they plan to lick their wounds in the boutique hotel run by her old friends, Cheryl and Drew Hopgood.
A missing woman…
But when she arrives Alexi discovers Cheryl and Drew both distraught. Their close friend, Natalie Parker, who recently settled in the area, has gone missing. Alexi’s sure the woman has just taken a trip somewhere, but she still has a nose for a story and agrees to look into it.
A case to solve!
So too does ex-Met Police detective turned private eye, Jack Maddox. Natalie Parker had been using his sister’s online dating agency and Jack needs to find her before his sister’s business is ruined.
Reluctantly, Alexi, Jack – and Cosmo! – join forces to find out what happened to Natalie. But soon they discover secrets that someone desperately wants to make sure are never revealed!
Perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Frances Evesham and Emma Davies.
Evie Hunter has written a great many successful regency romances as Wendy Soliman and is now redirecting her talents to produce dark gritty thrillers and cozy crime for Boldwood. For the past twenty years she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the world on interesting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK.
Minor celebrity Crystabel is hoping her wedding to Giles will boost her career. But they are not the loved up couple they appear. She started dated him on the rebound and is still in contact with her ex, while GIles is in love with one of her bridesmaids. The wedding definitely won’t go ahead once Giles is found stabbed to death with Crystabel standing over him with a bloody dagger…
A Marriage To Murder For is the third book in the Hopgood Hall cosy murder mystery series. I have previously read and reviewed the first two books: A Date To Die For and A Contest To Kill For.
Alexi’s foray into hotel management is still not very successful. She has encouraged her friends and business partners to host weddings but this new venture looks doomed to failure. Bridezilla Crystabel and her henpecked fiance Giles are their first clients and on the joint stag and hen night there are incidents aplenty. By the end of the evening Giles is dead and Crystabel is the chief suspect but Alexi and Jack’s observations may provide alternative suspects and motives.
Straightaway we are sympathetic to Giles as he is bossed around by his bride to be. This contrasts with Alexi and Jack’s relationship which is getting stronger. However, her newpaper editor ex Patrick is still hovering in the background especially once he sniffs out a story. Alexi and Jack want to resolve the murder quickly to protect the hotel so start their own investigation into the hen and stag guests. Once again there are touches on gentle humour and the inclusion of Cosmo the cat adds light relief to the grisly matter of murder.
A Marriage To Murder For is an enjoyable murder mystery.
A Marriage to Murder For
The high society wedding…
Social media influencer Crystabel Hughes is determined her wedding to Giles Preston Smythe will be the talk of the town. No matter the cost or the upset, nothing will stop this wedding!
A cheating groom…
But for Alexi Ellis and the rest of the staff at Hopgood Hall, Crystabel’s demands are becoming increasingly extreme. And when Alexi spots the groom getting up close and personal with one of the bridesmaids, she fears trouble is only a bouquet toss away.
A killer bride caught red-handed?
And Alexi’s fears are confirmed when the groom is found dead on the night before the wedding, stabbed through the heart – the person holding the dagger. his beloved bride-to be Crystabel.
Hopgood Hall doesn’t need any more bad press, but the race is on to find the killer and close the case before Crystable live streams her dilemma.
Can Alexi, Jack and Cosmo find out why Giles was killed? And, more importantly, can they stop the killer before they strike again?
Perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Frances Evesham and Emma Davies.
Evie Hunter has written a great many successful regency romances as Wendy Soliman and is now redirecting her talents to produce dark gritty thrillers for Boldwood. For the past twenty years she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the world on interesting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK.
Trying to recover their business after the last murder case, Alexi and her friends host a cookery show at their hotel. But death isn’t far behind…
A Contest To Kill For is the second book in this series featuring journalist Alexi and private investigator Jack. There are spoilers about the last case which occurred in the first book A Date To Die For.
Four contestants are battling it out on a reality cooking show when one is found dead. The main suspect is head chef Marcel who admits to sleeping with the contestant and his knife was used to stab the body. But he declares his innocence and Alexi and Jack believe him. Plus the hotel needs him to be exonerated to save their own reputation!
Alexi and Jack grew close in the last book but they have been apart while they try to sort out their lives and emotions. This leaves a romantically charged atmosphere in this book especially as Alexi’s ex is on the scene. Alexi’s huge cat Cosmo has a starring role once more which offers some light relief and softens the tone.
The murder happens quite early on and the amateur sleuths spring into action trying to clear their friend Marcel’s name. The chapters are quite long and I felt that this slowed the pace. There are twists and reveals up until the end to keep us guessing
A Contest To Kill For is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery.
A Contest to Kill For
The competition is fierce….
Desperate to try and rebuild the reputation of Hopgood Hall, owners Alexi Ellis and Cheryl and Drew Hopgood agree to host a reality TV baking show, spearheaded by their arrogant but enigmatic head chef Marcel Gasquet. Hopefully the ratings will bring in bookings to the struggling hotel and Cosmo, Alexi’s antisocial feral cat, is hoping to get a starring role too!
The temperature is high…
Fiery and hot-headed, Marcel’s antics makes for brilliant television, but off-screen trouble is brewing. One of the contestants, femme fatale Juliette Hammond, makes it clear that she will do anything to secure the winning prize – even if it means sweetening up the prima donna chef.
The results are deadly!
So when Juliette is found dead, all eyes turn to Marcel. Has his fiery French temper got the better of him or has someone else fallen victim to Juliette’s devious ways?
With the reputation of the hotel in tatters and Marcel’s liberty on the line, Alexi needs answers and fast. And the only person she can turn to for help is her old friend and private eye Jack Maddox. Jack’s working his own case, but he can’t refuse Alexi and he knows more than anyone that this murder could cost them everything!
Evie Hunter has written a great many successful regency romances as Wendy Soliman and is now redirecting her talents to produce dark gritty thrillers for Boldwood. For the past twenty years she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the world on interesting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK.
