An English Village Mystery: Murder at Raven’s Edge & Murder at Ravenswood House by Louise Marley

I read both book and I think there’s an evolution and this series is full of potential and promises. The characters grew on me and I appreciated the originality of their stories and the mysteires
Many thanks to Storm Publishing and Rachel’s Random Resources for these ARCs, all opinions are mine

Murder at Raven’s Edge by Louise Marley (An English Village Mystery #1)

When Milla Graham returns to her childhood home of Raven’s Edge after eighteen long years away, she finds the perfect English village looks much the same – all rose-covered cottages and quaint teashops full of scones and gossip.

But her nostalgic visit takes a dark turn when the body of a local woman is discovered in an abandoned manor house on the edge of the forest. The murder scene is chillingly close to that of Milla’s own mother, whose death was never solved. As she begins to investigate the connection, Milla realises this quirky village is guarding some dark secrets.
Handsome, grumpy local police detective Ben Taylor doesn’t believe in coincidences, and he doesn’t think mysterious newcomer Milla Graham is as innocent as she seems. Why is she really here in Raven’s Edge, and how come she keeps turning up at his crime scenes, causing trouble? Can he solve this murder case without losing himself – or his heart – to the rather distracting Miss Graham?
When another body is found, everyone becomes a suspect – from the barmaid at the local pub to Milla Graham herself. It seems that in Raven’s Edge, not everybody is as friendly, or as innocent, as they first seem…

** Previously published as Trust Me I Lie**

My Review:
Most of the cozy mystery series first instalment are not the best one as they have to introduce you to a world, the characters and sometimes it can be a bit confusing.
This novel starts in an original way and the first meeting with Milla and Ben is a bit shocking. Milla is not the most likeable characters but she grew on me.
I liked Ben since the beginning and found Harriet funny.
The mystery is intriguing and kept me turning pages as past and present mixes. It’s a bit confusing at times but be patient because the second part is quite exciting.
I’m going to read the second novel in this series and I’m quite curious.
Recommended.

Purchase Links
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CV1CQ68Y
Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CV1CQ68Y

Murder at Ravenswood House (An English Village Mystery #2) By Louise Marley

When a shocking murder rocks the picture-perfect English village of Raven’s Edge, amateur detective Milla Graham finds herself right at the centre of the mystery. Still reeling from her recent breakup with local police officer Ben Taylor, Milla sets her sights on solving the case, hoping to win Ben back.

But when the evidence begins to point to Milla’s old friend and former boyfriend Lorcan Black, she must choose between her loyalties to the past and the possibilities of the future. Meanwhile, Ben is on a different trail – he’s begun to suspect that the murderer could be someone from his own family’s dark history.
Further complicating matters are Milla’s meddling grandmother, Ben’s no-nonsense police partner Harriet, and David the surprisingly young and sexy new vicar. With shocking twists around every cobblestone corner, the truth refuses to stay buried for long in this quaint village, whose picture-postcard façade hides decades of buried grudges, plots, and betrayal.

Will Milla solve the mystery in time to rescue her relationship with Ben? Can Ben face the skeletons in his family’s closet before one of his own relatives meets the same bloody end?

My Review:
This is the second novel in this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it as it’s fast paced, full of twists, and a bit darker than the average cosy mystery.
I was glad to catch up with Milla, Ben, and the quirky cast of characters. There’s someone new and there’s some unexpected turns.
I appreciated the mystery that kept me guessing and turning pages.
Highly recommended.

Purchase Links
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CV249DZ1
Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CV249DZ1

Most of my stories are set in small villages filled with quirky characters. These are partly inspired by the places I’ve lived in over the years, although the characters are straight out of my imagination! I currently live in Wales, close to a famous library and two ruined castles. My husband thinks we moved here by accident.
My first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg’s Write a Bestseller competition. As well as nine novels, I’ve written short stories for women’s magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Before becoming a full-time writer, I worked as an administrative officer for the police.
When I’m not writing, I enjoy visiting big old houses, which I use as inspiration for the houses in my novels, and reading other people’s books when I ought to be writing my own…

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Mystery on Meadowsweet Grove by Clare Chase (An Eve Mallow Mystery #12)

Saxford St Peter is having an open gardens day! But one of the villagers has murder, not marigolds, in mind… And now Eve Mallow needs to unearth a killer.

Everyone in Saxford is delighted when jeweller Cleo Marbeck suggests a prize for the village’s best garden. Flowers are planted, grass is cut, and the competition is on. But the event only digs up dirt… Twenty-five years ago, a young woman fell to her death in Cleo’s house, and rumours soon resurface about Cleo’s part in the tragedy.
Eve’s best friend Viv is hosting Stevie, her son’s fiancée, ahead of the wedding. On the open garden day, Stevie has a horrible flashback: the memory of a woman lying at the bottom of a staircase. But she sees it in a totally different house from the one where Honor died…
Hours later Cleo’s body is found, drowned in her own pond. Almost everyone in Saxford has been in and out of her garden, sowing suspicion everywhere. But Eve is convinced the flashback has triggered the crime… and when the police turn their sights on Stevie, she’ll have to work fast to solve the case and save the wedding.
So who wanted Cleo in the ground? The son of the woman who died, out for revenge? The employee passed over for promotion? Her long-term lover, who she refused to marry? And why do so many suspects live on Meadowsweet Grove?
When someone else takes a tumble downstairs, Eve knows she’s close to grubbing up the truth. But can she catch the killer or is she heading for a fatal fall?

My Review:
There’s always something new and exciting, like a character, a happy event, or something in Eve’s life.
This is one of my favorite aspects, as each book is better than the previous and very entertaining.
The start of this book add something my bucket list, as I love gardening and view an open garden day in an English village as paradise on Earth.
It would be better if no-one is murdered but, as this is a mystery, it’s part of the game and finding the culprit is what you expect.
Eve will investigate, write an obituary, and the balance of the universe will be reestablished at the end of the story.
Another whodunit with plenty of secrets, twists, red herrings, and a very satisfying solution.. Another novel by Ms Chase that kept me reading till late in the night.
Read it and have fun.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Buy Link(s): https://geni.us/B0CM6ZN66Lsocial

Clare Chase writes classic mysteries. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.
Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe 1) was shortlisted for an International Thriller Writers award.
Like her heroines, Clare is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in settings as diverse as Littlehey Prison and the University of Cambridge, in her home city. She’s lived everywhere from the house of a lord to a slug-infested flat and finds the mid-terrace she currently occupies a good happy medium.
As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.
You can find Clare’s website and blog at http://www.clarechase.com

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Murder on the Italian Riviera by T. A. Williams (Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mysteries #7)

A brand-new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany…It’s murder in paradise!

An ex-con…
Private investigator Dan Armstrong is no stranger to working with criminals, but when he’s approached for help by Bianca Moretti, he’s on high alert. Bianca is intelligent and beautiful, and Dan likes her, but he also once sent her to prison…

A suspicious death…
Bianca explains that a guest has been found dead at her father’s luxurious and private retreat on the beautiful Italian Riviera. The police are sure the death is accidental, but Bianca is convinced the man’s been murdered. Dan’s sure he can get to the bottom of things…as long as Bianca is telling him the whole truth.

A very revealing case!
But when Dan arrives at the resort, he’s in for a shock. He finds that the place is a naturist retreat, and everybody is walking around stark naked! Dan is determined to discover the truth, but this is going to mean revealing a whole lot more of himself than he expected.

Can Dan sniff out the truth about this case before Oscar’s cold wet nose causes havoc?

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/italianrivierasocial

My Review;
I think this is the best in this lovely series as there’s a lot of humorous moments, a very solid mystery full of surprises, and a cast of intriguing and well-developed characters.
There’s also some heartache, memories, a wonderful setting.
The descriptions of the place were excellent and it made me visualize the resort and the view of the sea and the mountain.
I read it in one sitting as it’s a page turner, one of those book that keeps you turning pages.
Oscar is the start of the novel and I love this dog and his healthy appetite (he makes me think of one of my cats who never stops eating).
It’s better to read the series in order even if can be enjoyed as a stand alone
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn’t possibly comment. Ask my wife…
I’ve written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I’m enjoying myself hugely writing romance and whodunnits. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. Murder mystery is all very well, but it needs to put a smile on your face, so that’s why I like to inject some humour. I’m having a lot of fun writing the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series set in sunny Italy. They are all standalone books but if you really want to do it properly, start with the first one in the series, Murder in Tuscany. If my books can whisk you away to gorgeous locations, put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.
I‘ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away in south west England. I love the place. That’s why you’ll find leafy lanes and thatched cottages in many of my books. Oh, yes, and a black Labrador.
I’ve been writing since I was 14 and that is well over half a century ago. However, underneath this bald, wrinkly exterior, there beats the heart of a youngster. My wife is convinced I will never grow up. I hope she’s right.

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Bloodshed on the Boards by Judy Leigh (The Morwenna Mutton Mysteries #2)

There is excitement in the air as the travelling theatre arrives in Seal Bay.
When The Spriggan Travelling Theatre Company arrives in Seal Bay to perform a Cornish version of King Arthur the locals flock to be entertained. But for Morwenna Mutton, sexagenarian librarian, wild swimming enthusiast and amateur sleuth, the theatre brings intrigue too. Actor and director Daniel Kitto is not the most popular member of the cast and unbeknownst to him, his role of Uther Pendragon on the opening night is to be his swansong.
In front of a horrified audience, he collapses during the dying moments of the performance in a pool of fake blood, and although the police are content that the causes of his death are natural, Morwenna isn’t so sure. And once it becomes clear that there are a number of people who stand to gain from Daniel’s death, Morwenna’s investigation takes a dangerous turn.
If you love Miss Marple and The Thursday Murder Club, then you’ll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries.

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/bloodshedboardssocial

My Review:
Morwenna Mutton is an eccentric and clever sixty-something that I love as I think the more you age the more you get the right to be eccentric and don’t care about what other think about you.
I was glad to catch up with her and the cast of quirky characters. I liked them in the first instalment in this series and loved in this second one.
This is a well done and highly entertaining cosy mystery: there’s the right level of mystery, small town vibe, weird characters that never take the front seat and makes the mystery an accidental part of the plot.
I love Judy Leigh’s storytelling and style of writng and this solid and fast paced novel kept me hooked and being surprised.
Can’t wait for the next one, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for this arc, all opinions are mine.

Judy Leigh is the USA Today bestselling author of The Old Girls’ Network and Five French Hens and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

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Body at the Dance Hall by Marty Wingate (London Ladies’ Murder Club #3)

1922: Amateur sleuth Mabel Canning is surrounded by the bright lights of London as she chaperones a young American woman to a dance. But when someone is murdered, a deadly tango begins…

Meet plucky woman-about-town Mabel Canning, leader of the London Ladies’ Murder Club and trusted assistant to gentlewomen. When she is tasked with accompanying Roxy, a fun-loving heiress, on a glamorous night out, Mabel can’t wait to sip champagne and practice the foxtrot. But just as Roxy sashays out of sight, a mysterious man warns Mabel that the feisty young redhead is in danger. And someone is dead before the music stops…
Roxy was the last person to see the victim alive, and she stumbles into Mabel’s arms with her daffodil-yellow dress splashed with blood. Determined to protect her ward, Mabel gathers her dashing beau Winstone and her pals from the murder club. Together they trace the weapon back to the ballroom, but when its twin goes missing, it is clear time is running out to prevent another murder on the dance floor…
The police conclude the killer is in Roxy’s family, but Mabel finds herself spinning between a motley troupe of suspects. Mr Bryars, the anxious ballroom manager, is constantly tripping over himself to hide his secrets. But would he kill to protect his reputation? And young Ned Kettle may have looked dashing while waltzing around with Roxy, but he was once a notorious thief. Is the sticky-fingered rogue also a dab hand at murder?
Just as Mabel and her murder club friends quickstep closer to the truth, Roxy is kidnapped, and Mabel comes cheek to cheek with the killer. Can she save poor Roxy and herself? Or has she danced her last dance?

A delightfully witty and utterly addictive whodunnit absolutely bursting with 1920s sparkle, from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, Verity Bright and T.E. Kinsey.

My Review:
Mable and her friends are back and it was a one sitting novel, twisty and entertaining.
This is one of my favourite historical mystery series, the time we met an American heiress, her complex family, and a murder that could or couldn’t be related to Roxy, the young girl being chaperoned by Mabel.
There’s plenty of twists, there’s a complex family situation, a lot of possible culprits and red herrings.
Ms Wingate delivers a very entertaining story and I love her attention to the details and her storytelling that never let the story drags.
There’re changes in Mabel’s life, there something important and I look forward to read the next story because I want to understand what will happen. We also meet socially Lilian, the owner of The Useful Women agency, and learn about her past and private life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and it’ highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookcouture, all opinions are mine.

Marty Wingate is a USA Today best-selling author of both mysteries and historical fiction. Marty enjoys weaving humor into her books and creating characters—from quirky and loveable to sinister and duplicitous—that leap off the page. Before embarking on her series about the London Ladies Murder Club with Bookouture, Marty published three contemporary cozy mystery series (the Potting Shed, Birds of a Feather, and First Edition Library books). She has also published two standalone books of historical fiction and found stories of the past to be compelling. She’s delighted to combine her penchant for both mysteries and histories to bring her readers more satisfying stories. Marty currently resides near Seattle, Washington.
https://martywingate.com/
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Buy Link: Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CQ3ZXYGKsocial

The Missing Maid by Holly Hepburn (The Baker Street Mysteries #1)

London, 1932.
When Harriet White rebuffs the advances of her boss at the Baker Street building society where she works, she finds herself demoted to a new position… a very unusual position. Deep in the postal department beneath the bank, she is tasked with working her way through a mountain of correspondence addressed to Baker Street’s most famous resident: Mr Sherlock Holmes.
Seemingly undeterred by the fact that Sherlock Holmes doesn’t exist, letter after letter arrives, beseeching him to help solve mysteries, and Harry diligently replies to each writer with the same response: Mr Holmes has retired from detective work and now lives in Sussex, keeping bees.
Until one entreaty catches her eye. It’s from a village around five miles from Harry’s family estate, about a young woman who went to London to work as a domestic, then disappeared soon afterwards in strange circumstances. Intrigued, Harry decides, just this once, to take matters into her own hands.
And so, the case of the missing maid is opened…

Purchase Link : https://mybook.to/missingmaidsocial

My Review:
This is the start of an original historical cozy series featuring Harriet, an energetic and clever heroine. She’s a high-class woman who choose to be independent and is being demoted because she rebuffed her boss’ advances.
The new office is a very original one as the post address of the office is the same of Sherlock Holmes and people is writing to the mythical detective asking him to help with their problems.
Most of the letters do not require a complex answer but one attract Harriet’s attention and she decides to investigate.
This is the start of an enjoyable and well plotted story. I liked Harriet and liked the idea behind the series as it is based on Sherlock Holmes’ myth but it’s not another pastiche featuring Doyle’s detective.
Harriet is a kick ass heroine who’s not afraid to visit the darker and seedier side of London, avoid the suitors who are forced on her by her mother. There’s the promise of romance that never send the mystery on the back side, there’s humour, and a vivid and well researched historical background.
The mystery is well developed, and I enjoyed it.
I had fun and look forward to reading the next mystery.
Recommended.
Many thanks Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Holly Hepburn has wanted to write books for as long she can remember but she was too scared to try. One day she decided to be brave and dipped a toe into the bubble bath of romantic fiction with her first novella, Cupidity, and she’s never looked back. She often tries to be funny to be funny, except for when faced with traffic wardens and border control staff. Her favourite things are making people smile and Aidan Turner.
She’s tried many jobs over the years, from barmaid to market researcher and she even had a brief flirtation with modelling. These days she is mostly found writing.
She lives near London with her grey tabby cat, Portia. They both have an unhealthy obsession with Marmite.

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Murder on the Dancefloor by Katie Marsh (The Bad Girls Detective Agency #2)

They DID promise her a killer hen weekend…

Jeanie’s getting married, and – despite her completely impossible four sisters – her best friends Clio and Amber are determined to give her a bachelorette weekend to remember. They’re in matching pink T-shirts and the drinks are flowing…
But the night turns out to be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons when a girl turns up dead on the dancefloor. And – even though she’s a stranger – she is wearing one of Jeanie’s hen T-shirts.
Who is she?
And why are the police convinced that the hens are involved?
Can the newly formed Bad Girls Detective Agency solve the murder?
And in time to get Jeanie up the aisle?

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/dancefloorsocial

My Review:
I had fun in reading the first novel in this series and had fun in reading the new one, a cozy mystery featuring a group of women sleuth the days before Jeanie’s wedding.
It starts with a hen night from the hell that was imposed by Jeanie’s formidable sisters, including a terrible costume.
A body is found on the dancefloor while our heroines are having a sort of fun, and the Bad Girls investigates.
There’s a lot of humorous parts in this mystery and I enjoyed it even if the mystery took the backseat at times.
I was glad to catch up with the characters and laughed out loud. It’s a fast and enjoyable read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Katie wrote romantic fiction before turning to crime. Her debut novel was a World Book Night pick and her books are published in ten languages.
She lives in the English countryside and loves strong coffee and pretending to be in charge of her children. ‘How Not to Murder your Ex’, the first in her Bad Girls Detective Agency series is out now, published by Boldwood Books. The next instalment, ‘Murder on the Dancefloor,’ follows in March 2024.

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A Death in Venice by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #17)

Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!

1924: Lady Eleanor Swift has been on a grand tour around Italy for a month with her butler Clifford. Finally arriving in Venice, she’s thrilled to be attending the famous carnival: all that’s needed is the perfect bejewelled costume for her faithful bulldog, Gladstone. But on her first gondola ride to take in the sights, a passenger collapses into the canal with a knife sticking out of his back.
Eleanor saw an argument break out between the gondolier and the victim, Councillor Benetto Vendelini, and it turns out they’re rivals from the city’s two great families. Vendelini’s murder is sure to reignite their centuries-long feud. While attending a glitzy ball that night, Eleanor learns of a plot to steal a precious family heirloom from the Vendelini household. Is the stolen item the key to solving this baffling murder?
In this floating city of tiny winding alleyways, Eleanor traces the missing heirloom to an antiques dealer in a far-flung corner of town. But when her handbag is snatched by a cloaked thief, she realises the murderer is dangerously close. Can Eleanor unmask this most cunning of killers, before she joins the other victim at the bottom of the Grand Canal?
An utterly gripping historical murder mystery set in Italy, full of intrigue and charming characters. Fans of T.E. Kinsey, Agatha Christie and Catherine Coles will be totally hooked by A Death in Venice!

Buy Link: Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CN6ZXXSBsocial

My Review:
This novel is an entertaining addition to this lovely series, a solid mystery and a love letter to Venice. I loved to see Venice through the eyes of someone in another time and with a different background.
I visited Venice with locals and I still cherish the memories of the less known corners and the atmosphere.
The band of Eleanor and her friend, Gladstone and Clifford plus the ladies, are in Venice during the Carnevale in 1924. There will be murders even if Eleanor is loving the city and what she sees and would prefer enjoy the city and Carnevale.
There’s plenty of twists, feuds that go back in the century and a lot of surprising twists. The book kept me reading and I enjoyed the solution.
The characters are well developed as usual and the solid and tightly knitted plot kept me reading till late in the night.
I cannot wait to read the next one, highly recommended
Many thanks Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Confident woman at office with laptop computer, mobile phone, and schedule notebook.Gradients, Blending tool, Clipping mask is used.

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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A Deadly Walk in Devon by Nicholas George (A Walk Through England Mystery #1)

After a long career as a detective in San Diego, Rick “Chase” Chasen has traded in his badge for a change of scenery in the coastal comforts of Devon, England, until a local murder takes him on a deadly detour . . .

Still grieving the death of his long-time partner, Chase reunites with his dear friend and fellow Anglophile Billie Mondreau for a seacoast holiday of historic sightseeing. Assigned a pair of guides from the tour company Wanderers, Chase and Billie join seven other like-minded Americans looking forward to an English getaway. All except for Ronald Gretz. The wealthy entrepreneur behind the international Golden Sunset nursing home chain doesn’t like anything about walking, touring, or England. Coarse and opinionated, Gretz’s complaints get on the nerves of his fellow Wanderers—and his long-suffering trophy wife.
But Gretz’s gripes are tied to his own nerves being frayed. He has been receiving threatening texts and emails signed “An Avenger.” Convinced someone means him harm, Gretz asks Chase to watch his back. Soon, Gretz falls afoul of several “accidents,” leading to more friction with the other walkers. Until one final “accident” results in Gretz dead at the bottom of a cliff.

Chase, whose investigative instincts remain sharp, knows Gretz’s death was no accident. While helping the police investigate, he discovers that members of the tour group not only disliked the victim but had legitimate motives for wanting him dead. Now, he just has to uncover who among them is willing to kill . . .

Book page: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496745262/a-deadly-walk-in-devon/

My Review:
First thing first: I fell in love with the cover that made me thing of the classic whoduning of golden age.
There’s a lot of blah blah about locked-room-mystery as it’s becoming a sort of synonym of closed circle of suspects. This is a sort of impossible crime, there’s not locked room but there’s a crime who could have been done by a couple of person.
Are they guilty or are they innocent ?
There’s a lot of pieces in this puzzle and almost anyone in the group could be the culprit as there’s plenty of secrets.
Chase is well plotted characters, a man who is mourning the death of his mate but also moving on as he discovers he’s still able to investigate. And there could be a new story.
I had fun and this book kept me reading till 3 am as I wanted to know who-did-it and why. I am a fan of impossible crime and it was a surprise to read a real one as it’s gripping and kept me turning pages.
All the clues are there and I was a bit surprised by the motive even if I felt who the culprit could.
I’m happy this is the first in a series and I hope there will be more soon.
An excellent debut, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Kensington Cozies for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Nicholas George worked as a newspaper reporter before embarking on an extensive career in public relations and communication management. His love of long-distance walking in the U.S. and England prompted him to create his Walk Through England series of mystery novels, set on group walks in the English countryside. Nick co-wrote the feature film “Perfect Match,” prominently featured at the Chicago and Montreal film festivals. He lives in Pasadena, California, with his husband Bert.

Website: https://www.nicholasgeorgeauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nick.duretta

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Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens

February 26 – March 22, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

“Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog? We have bigger crimes to solve. Go find him yourself!” That’s what the Los Angeles Police Department told Basil Rathbone. The City Pound ridiculed him as well.

Asta, the dog from the popular Thin Man series, has also vanished, and production for his next film is pending. MGM Studios offers a huge reward, and that’s exactly what young private detectives Babs Norman and Guy Brandt need for their struggling business to survive. Celebrity dognapping now a growing trend, Basil also hires them to find his missing Cocker Spaniel.

The three concoct a plan for Basil to assume his on-screen persona and round up possible suspects, including Myrna Loy and William Powell; Dashiell Hammett, creator of The Thin Man; Nigel Bruce, Basil’s on-screen Doctor Watson; Hollywood-newcomer, German philanthropist and film financier Countess Velma von Rache, and the top animal trainers in Tinseltown. Yet everyone will be in for a shock when the real reason behind the canine disappearances is even more sinister than imagined.

Jump into Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, Book One of the Babs Norman Golden Age of Hollywood Mystery series, Finalist in the Killer Nashville Claymore Awards for Comedy and First Prize winner in the Chanticleer Review’s Mark Twain Awards for Comedy and Satire.

Get ready for its sequel, Bye, Bye, Blackbird, featuring Humphrey Bogart and the cast of The Maltese Falcon.

My Review:

This is the first book in a new historical cozy series, and I had a lot of fun as it’s witty and fast paced. There’s a lot of historical details and I learned a lot about Golden Age Hollywood, the main stars, and the lifestyle.
Sherlock Holmes aka Basil Rathbone dog disappeared and Asta, the Twin Man dog, is missing too. Big rewards are offered for anyone who find them.
Enter Babs Norman and Guy Brandt, a couple of private detectives who badly need money, who will start investigating and trying to find clue about the dogs’ whereabouts. They will discover secrets and something more sinister than a dog missing.
This is a good mystery, unusual and entertaining.
The plot is a bit too complex at times and it alternates very fast parts with some slower and these issues made the storytelling less effective.
As it’s the first in a series I’m sure the next one will surely be a very intriguing and the storytelling excellent
Cannot wait to read the next one (Bye, Bye, Blackbird) as this one is compelling, witty and entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Level Books, Partners in Crime Tours, and Elizabeth Crowens this ARC, all opinions are mine

Book Details:

Genre: Golden Age of Hollywood Humorous Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: March 2024
Number of Pages: 299
Series: A Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Goodreads

Elizabeth Crowens has worn many hats in the entertainment industry and has a popular Caption Contest on Facebook. She has three award-winning alternate history novels. Awards include 2020 Leo B. Burstein Scholarship from the MWA-NY Chapter, New York Foundation of the Arts grant, an Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention in the Glimmer Train Awards, and two grand prize and five first prize Chanticleer Awards, including Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, the first in her Babs Norman Hollywood series, which is also a Killer Nashville Claymore Awards finalist and part of her three-book publishing deal with Level Best Books

Catch Up With Elizabeth Crowens:
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