Category: reviews

A cosy mystery with a dash of romance set in the vibrant world of jazz.

During an interview with reclusive jazz singer Betty Brown, journalist Virginia Farrell is shown priceless tapes from the iconic 1957 Thelonious Monk-John Coltrane gig at the Five Spot. When Betty
is found murdered, Virginia is determined to recover the tapes and uncover the truth behind Betty’s death.

In the spirit of Nancy Drew, Virginia teams up with her six-foot blonde roommate to investigate the
various suspects. Detective Robert Smith from the Hoboken Police Department joins the case, quickly becoming absorbed by an unsolved murder possibly linked to Betty Brown’s death, as well as an undeniable attraction to Virginia.

Dashiki is a cosy mystery laced with romance, immersing readers in the captivating world of jazz, where musicians, journalists, scholars, and enthusiasts intersect in an entertaining whodunit.

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Florence Wetzel was born 1962 in Brooklyn, NY. Her novels include the thriller The Woman Who Went Overboard and the Swedish mystery The Grand Man.

She has also authored horror short stories, a book of poems and memoir essays, and co-authored jazz clarinettist Perry
Robinson’s autobiography. In July 2024, she published Sara My Sara: A Memoir of Friendship and Loss.

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Giveaway to Win a Paperback copy of Dashiki by Florence Wetzel (Open to UK / US / Canada only)

My thoughts: I like some jazz music and have certainly heard of a lot of the musicians mentioned in this book, which centres around the murder of Betty Brown – who was part of the jazz scene when John Coltrane’s star was in the ascendant.

Now living quietly in New Jersey, she agrees to an interview with reporter Virginia, who is thrilled to speak to her. Only later that day, tragedy strikes.

Despite the police investigating, Virginia decides she should also try to find out who killed Betty and why. A box of tapes from a Coltrane gig with Thelonious Monk was stolen at the same time – a priceless box, which jazz fans would possibly do anything to hear the tapes. No other recording of the show exists.

As Detective Robert Johnson investigates, Virginia, with the help of her flatmate Socks, is also on the case. She knows the jazz world, he the criminal. Who will find the killer and does it have anything to do with the tapes, or possibly something else in Betty’s past?

I really liked Virginia, she’s passionate about jazz, but also about finding Betty’s killer, she liked talking to her and wanted to help her, seeing this as a way to do so. I also liked the detective, desperate to avoid being a walking cliche – no doughnuts, but he’d given in to the power of Sinatra! Both characters were relatable and well written, I could picture them clearly in my mind and enjoyed their developing relationship. Perhaps there’s further adventures in store for them?

Witty, entertaining and clever, this was a fun, musical, whodunnit.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

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This is no peaceful walk in the countryside…

When Jude Gray and DI Binnie Khatri join a local walking group, their expectations for a peaceful outing to the Malvern Hills takes a grim turn. Arguments abound, and the hike ends in tragedy when one of the walkers is found dead in her car.
Initially ruled as an accident, Jude’s instincts tell her there’s more to the story.

As Jude and Binnie dig deeper, they uncover tensions and secrets within the group. From hidden affairs to longstanding rivalries, it becomes clear this death was no accident.
With each revelation, the danger grows. Can Jude and Binnie unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again?

A gripping addition to the Malvern Farm Mystery series, perfect for fans of Frances Evesham, Merryn Allingham, and Faith Martin.

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Kate Wells is the author of a number of well-reviewed books for children, and is now writing a new cosy crime series set in the Malvern hills, inspired by the farm where she grew up. Boldwood will
publish the first title, Murder at Malvern Farm, in August 2023.

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My thoughts: Malvern is supposed to be very beautiful but considering the number of crimes, especially murders, that Jude and Binnie come across, I think I’ll skip visiting!

This time Jude is invited by Binnie to join a local walking group with her dogs, led by the rather strident former police detective Joyce. She seems to upset a few members but she isn’t the first victim of this killer, that’s another member, Becca, who is forced off the road in her car.

Is the walking group cursed? Or is something else going on? As Jude (unofficially) and Binnie (officially) investigate the deaths, and the members of the group as that seems to be the link, they uncover a series of secrets hidden under the sensible waterproof jackets and walking boots.

Clever and full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing, enjoyable as ever and with changes coming to Jude’s farm and life, will crime solving keep her from worrying about that?

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

Morwenna Mutton should be living the quiet life of a librarian and grandmother in Cornwall’s beautiful Seal Bay – if only dead bodies would stop turning up…

After the excitement of her last investigation, amateur sleuth Morwenna is looking forward to things getting back to normal. When local DJ Irina asks to meet however, desperate to share information
she has discovered regarding nefarious goings-on, Morwenna can’t resist.
But Irina never arrives for their drink – instead her body is washed up on the beach, an apparent victim of an accidental drowning. At once keen wild bather Morwenna knows something is amiss as
Irina was a strong swimmer who knew the local conditions well. What had Irina uncovered and who would want her dead?

When the local news dubs Irina’s murderer The Cream Tea Killer in honour of Cornwall’s famous delicacy, the clock starts ticking. Now the murderer knows Morwenna is on their trail, no one in her
family is safe. She must get to the truth before the killer gets to her…

If you love The Thursday Murder Club, Agatha Christie and Richard Coles then you’ll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries.

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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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My thoughts: This is a really fun series set in a fictional village in one of my favourite parts of the country – Cornwall (don’t tell my Devonian relatives but I take my scones the Cornish way – jam first!)

Morwenna is up to her eyeballs in this case as a friend, local radio DJ Irina is found killed, hours after telling Morwenna she was onto something and needed her help. Morwenna’s reputation as an amateur sleuth and someone with her ear to the ground means that newly arrived DCI Blessed asks for her help to catch the killer. But what Morwenna uncovers goes much further than a single death.

Despite the heavy subject matter, the tone of this series is always light and there’s plenty of humour and Cornish-ness too. Morwenna’s granddaughter is still after a puppy and promises the practice the way of peace, rather than punching annoying bullies, in order to twist her family’s arms into getting one. Always very funny.

A gripping and entertaining read from first to last page, more please!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

Beneath the ruins of a Victorian greenhouse, a skeleton is unearthed – and with it, years of buried secrets in Raven’s Edge…

When decades-old human bones are discovered beneath the old glasshouse behind Foxglove & Hemlock, the local florist, DS Harriet March and DI Ben Taylor find themselves digging into Raven’s Edge’s murky past. As a frosty wind whips down the cobblestoned lanes of the village, the two detectives feel an ominous chill that has nothing to do with the weather…

The discovery coincides with the arrival of enigmatic novelist Iris Evergreen at Raven’s Hollow, a gothic monstrosity of a mansion that’s been sitting empty for years. Harriet is shocked to uncover a web of hidden secrets connecting the skeleton, Raven’s Hollow and, most alarmingly, her own family history.

Just as Harriet begins to piece together the puzzle, a heavy snowfall blankets the village. And there, half-buried in a snowdrift outside Raven’s Hollow, lies another body – this one still warm. As sirens wail in the distance, Harriet realises with a shiver that this killer is anything but history. The past and present have collided in Raven’s Edge, will DS Harriet March be the one to pay the price?

Filled with buried plots, tangled romances and deadly intrigue, this cosy village mystery will keep readers guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch, Agatha Christie, and anyone who loves their murders with a side of charm!

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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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My thoughts: The quirky, witch inspired village of Raven’s Edge is the site of another clutch of mysteries – there’s a skeleton in the garden of the local florist, a dead man dumped on the roadside and a newly arrived resident looking for her father.

Harriet is up close and personal in all of these, she lives in a flat above the florist’s and is the first one to spot that the bones are human, so much for a day off. She’s also a bit more involved in the other mysteries than she’d perhaps prefer, thanks to her mother.

I like the tone of this series, the interconnected nature of the things that Harriet, Ben and their colleagues are investigating, their working relationship and Harriet’s exasperation at things makes me chuckle. This third installment is really enjoyable and despite being set in much better weather than now, felt perfect for hunkering down and reading. Great stuff.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

Forty years ago

It should have been the happiest night of her sister’s life. When she was crowned Miss Sunshine Sands.

But nothing was ever found except her pink satin sash that washed up on the shore.

Now

Journalist Zoe Kincade arrives in the rundown seaside town of Sunshine Sands to report on this year’s talent show. The motionless Ferris wheel blurs into the dark sea beyond and polystyrene chip trays bounce along the pavement.

She checks into the Forget-Me-Not hotel, a faded Edwardian terrace that has seen better days.

The last place her beautiful older sister Jane was seen alive.

Zoe has spent forty years trying to block out the pain. Any chance of a happy marriage and living in some kind of peace were shattered because of that night.

She was only a little girl when Jane disappeared. She just remembers how much she looked up to her big sister.

Now Zoe is determined to find out the truth.

And no amount of glitter and sparkle can hide the dark truth of that night.

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Sally-Anne grew up in a small village just outside Sheffield. Her mum was a beautiful homemaker with numerous practical skills and talents, who kept the home going. Her dad on the other hand was not at all domestic, he was an avid reader of true crime books, lover of Carry On films, political scandals and wine. Sally-Anne takes after her dad.

Much to her parent’s disappointment, at 16 years old Sally-Anne left a promising job in the advertising department of the Derbyshire Times to pursue a performing arts course. This led to many jobs, few of which involved acting. She has tended bars, worked as a film and television extra and provided care in one of the last Victorian asylums in England.

Coming from a working-class background, her writing is inspired by those women who are constantly left on the side-lines and ignored. She takes the underdog and gives her the freedom to do what she wants (good or bad) and see where that takes her. With a diet of Hammer House and Tales of the Unexpected as a child, along with a love for the ridiculous, it is no surprise that her books have chilling themes with a hint of dark humour.

After living all over the UK and USA, she is currently residing back in the North of England and living alongside a menagerie of animals, including five pet pigs.

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My thoughts: Two things that are always a bit seedy, faded seaside towns and beauty competitions combine in this clever and dark read.

Decades after her older sister vanished after winning the Miss Sunshine Sands competition, journalist Zoe heads back to the tatty B&B they stayed in before to document the latest incarnation of the competition and look for evidence about her sister’s disappearance. What she finds is darker and more disturbing than she could have imagined.

Full of twists and creepy moments, with unreliable and untrustworthy people all around, both in the flashbacks and in Zoe’s present, this is a clever and compelling read.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.

PUT THE KETTLE ON AND DISCOVER AN UTTERLY CHARMING MURDER MYSTERY SET IN A SLEEPY ENGLISH SEASIDE TOWN.

It’s a perfect summer’s day in Southbourne. And Partial Sue’s in one of her rare generous moods. She wants to treat all the ladies of the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop to supper.

But before the ladies can shut up shop and head to the chippie, the air is filled with the strains of ‘Greensleeves’. And a clapped-out old ice-cream van lurches into view. The gang can barely believe their eyes. Especially when they see who’s behind the wheel. Daisy’s daughter Bella.

Newly divorced Bella’s only just rid herself of her rotten husband. Now she’s landed herself in an even stickier situation. This banger may be stocked with sweet treats, but its freezer once held something much more sinister — the dead body of its former owner!

Everyone in the village knows the van’s sinister history. Except poor Bella. The culprit slipped away without a trace. But the village folk all say it’s just a matter of time until the Vanilla Killer strikes again!

When Bella starts receiving poison pen letters, the ladies can’t help but worry. What if their beloved Bella’s next?

There’s only one thing for it, the ladies agree over a steaming pot of tea. They need to put the Vanilla Killer on ice . . . before anyone else dies.

Fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood, Janice Hallett, Simon Brett, Ian Moore and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will adore this exciting new talent in cozy crime.

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After studying to be an architect, Pete realised he wasn’t very good at it. He liked designing buildings he just couldn’t make them stand up, which is a bit of a handicap in an industry that likes to keep things upright. So he switched to advertising, writing ads for everything from cruise lines to zombie video games.

After becoming disillusioned with working in ad agencies, he switched to writing thriller novels (or was it because he just wanted to work at home in his pyjamas?). He soon realised there’s no magic formula. You just have to put one word in front of the other (and keep doing that for about a year). It also helps if you can resist the lure of surfing, playing Nintendo Switch with his son, watching America’s Next Top Model with his daughter and drinking beer in a garden chair.

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My thoughts: After Daisy’s daughter Bella buys an old ice cream van at auction, which the gang recognise as having been the scene of its previous owner’s death, they get embroiled in the town’s mysterious underbelly. Is there an ice cream mafia as Partial Sue keeps saying or is it something else?

The three most unlikely detectives start looking for the Vanilla Killer, and whoever it is that has the local ice cream sellers running scared.

You wouldn’t expect a cosy seaside town to be so crime-ridden, but the Charity Shop Detectives always manage to find the worst of the local community. Although, that could just be Sophie from the other charity shop!

This series is funny, wry and very entertaining. This book made me laugh and I do enjoy Partial Sue’s deeply unusual view of the world.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.