Green-fingered Ally is providing the mistletoe to decorate the church hall for Christmas. As the tree lights are switched on, there is a fatality…
Murder Under The Mistletoe is the second book in the Abby Finch series. I have not read the first book and I think it would have been beneficial as there were lots of mentions of Abby’s past and her ex’s death which I believe were covered in the previous book.
Abby is happy to be reunited with former teacher Edward which makes his subsequent death even more upsetting. She is also feeling unsettled after meeting ‘silver fox’ Gregory who has a curious way of making people do things for him. He turns his attentions on Abby and hints at blackmail to coerce her…
Ooh my hackles were raised by Gregory. He is unpleasantly smarmy and I wasn’t surprised when his real personality becomes clear. I instantly thought he should have been the victim and Abby soons reaches the same conclusion. Edward’s past does raise some potential motives too but overall I was convinced that Gregory was supposed to die.
I found the mystery intriguing and enjoyed being introduced to the village and meeting the characters. In particular I really liked Abby as the main character. However, there were quite a few so I struggled a little to keep the relationships clear in my head especially as there were mentions of Abby’s recent past which are significant and featured in the first book.
Murder Under The Mistletoe is an enjoyable murder mystery and I look forward to catching up on the first book.
MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Liz Fielding
MEET ABBY FINCH. SHE’S THE BUSY MUM OF THREE, AN EXPERT GARDENER AND THE STAR OF YOUR NEW FAVOURITE COZY MURDER MYSTERY.
Abby Finch heads to the old church hall armed with mistletoe and holly ready to help decorate in time for the festive season. But she arrives in time to witness a horrifying sight. Edward Marsh reaches to test the antique star at the top of the tree. There’s a fizz and the lights go out.
Abby hears the sickening thud of a body hitting the ground. When the lights turn back on Edward is dead.
It soon becomes clear it was no accident.
The real victim should have been Gregory Tatton, a dapper silver fox, popular with the ladies of the seniors’ lunch club. And a known blackmailer . . .
Abby is desperate to know the truth, but putting herself in danger isn’t on her Christmas list.
Who’s been naughty? Who’s been nice? And who’s hiding the fact they’re a murderer?
Fans of Faith Martin, Jane Adams, Frances Evesham, M.C. Beaton, Clare Chase or Jeanne M. Dams will love this addictive cozy mystery!
MEET THE DETECTIVE
Brilliant gardener and the busy mum of three, Abby Finch’s dreams of winning gold at Chelsea Flower Show were put on hold by an unplanned pregnancy and marriage. But she wouldn’t have it any other way. These days she’s kept on her toes looking after her beloved family, running her own business and dealing with her imminent divorce. In an effort to keep things cordial, she’s allowed her ex to bully her into restoring the garden of his family home. Thankfully she’s surrounded herself with a great group of friends to lean on.
THE SETTING
Pretty Maybridge is a charming village set in the sheep-dotted Cotswolds hills, with a long history stretching back to Tudor times. It’s the type of place where everyone knows each other, but there’s a wonderful bookshop on the corner of the bridge, a popular riverside café and a bustling market at Christmastime. And with Bristol nearby and a big supermarket round the corner.
LIZ FIELDING
Award winning author Liz Fielding was born with itchy feet. She was working in Zambia before her twenty-first birthday and, gathering her own special hero and a couple of children on the way, has lived in Botswana, Kenya and the Middle East, all of which have provided rich inspiration for her writing.
She has written more than seventy books, several of which have won awards, and sold over 15 million copies. In 2019 she was honoured with the Romantic Novelists’ Association Outstanding Career Award. She lives in West Sussex.
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.
