Review: Death between the Vines

Death between the Vines by G.J. Bellamy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Brent Umber is a former thief turned private detective. After solving a tricky issue involving the stepson of a Police Chief, he is invited to assist local officers in solving the murder of Sheila Babbington, an apparently devoted wife and mother who was stabbed in the heart in her own vineyard in broad daylight. There are multiple suspects, but apparently no motives, or if people might have motives they have alibis.

Brent's methods may be unorthodox, he isn't interested in evidence so much as whether someone presents as innocent or guilty ... and guilty of what.

This is a hard one to review, I enjoyed reading it but I couldn't tell you what happened because it all got so convoluted and there were multiple conflicting motives and (frankly) the characters weren't distinct enough for me to be able to keep them straight in my own mind.

Accordingly, I am in two minds as to whether to read the second book, although the introduction does intrigue me.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.



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Review: The Mumbai School for Murder

The Mumbai School for Murder by Meeti Shroff Shah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The blurb

Writer and traveller Radhi Zaveri returns home to Mumbai’s posh Temple Hill after spending years living in New York City, in search of inspiration and a salve for her broken heart. To the world it seems she has it all. But little do they know that she hasn’t written a word in more than a year, that she is devastated at the sudden disappearance of her American lover and that she is still haunted by her parents’ death, which happened almost two decades ago and for which, she holds herself responsible.

Ms Venus is found dead at her desk, the school tries to claim it was natural causes, but Radhi isn't convinced. Ms Venus was a famous writer of poetry who had made enemies: a junior English teacher, the school's owners, the school's head, students that she had reported for misdemeanours, and parents of children who had misbehaved. Ms Venus had high moral standards and would not hesitate to report wrong-doing. In addition, the person who found Ms Venus' body reported that her face was bright - a sign of cyanide poisoning. Ms Venus also appears to have left Radhi a clue scrawled across a book of her poetry which Radhi had asked to sign.

Meanwhile, Soam Mehta, one of the students Ms Venus had reported for vaping in school, who subsequently lost his role as school sports captain as a result, has gone missing. Is this a sign of a guilty conscience? Or could Soam be so distraught he has taken his own life? Or, alternatively, could Soam have seen something on the night Ms Venus died?

Radhi almost has too many suspects as she investigates Ms Venus' death and Soam's disappearance. But she doggedly follows the truth, uncovering other secrets along the way.

This is the third book to feature Radhi, I hadn't read the others but this was very easy to read as a standalone. It was easy to read, engrossing, and shone a different light (yet again) on contemporary life in India for a modern woman. I would definitely read more in this series.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe

A Touch of Magic at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarah is an author of grisly detective stories with a hint of the supernatural. Now fifty years old, she has bought a cottage in the village of Budbury, sight unseen, on a whim. Partially to escape a relationship gone wrong in London, partly for space to walkalong the beach, and partly to get away from her slightly annoying older twin sister Sally, and her parents. As a writer Sarah relies heavily on her imagination, but that also means that she can become prone to flights of fantasy where she imagines that every creak and groan from her cottage means she is being attacked by zombies, or vampires, or werewolves, or something.

Immediately Sarah is struck by the welcoming nature of the villagers (even though she actually would prefer to be left alone), and soon she has made friends with Cherie, the owner of the Comfort Food Café and the many women who congregate there. ON one such afternoon Sarah is initiated into what I refer to as the ladies' Diet Coke moment ... another newcomer to the village, a thirty-something man runs along the beach past the café most afternoons topless and the women shamelessly ogle him as he passes. The man keeps himself to himself, lives alone in the woods, and people have heard loud howls coming from his property, speculation is rife that he may be a werewolf.

When Sarah finally meets the clothing challenged hunk, Aidan, the truth is more prosaic. As a man fourteen years or so younger than Sarah, Aidan is definitely a toy boy, although his air of assurance makes him seem much older, and he seems to be interested in Sarah romantically. But after her last two relationships crashed and burned Sarah is not willing to take chance on something that clearly won't last the distance.

Then, when Sally yet again disparages Sarah's ability to attract a man and laughingly says at least she won't have to worry about Sarah asking to invite a plus one to Sally's daughters' eighteenth birthday party, Sarah may just have snapped and told a little white lie ... that Aidan would be accompanying her.

This was cute, cosy and perfect for a gentle romantic read cuddled up under a blanket.

Special offer at 99p when bought.

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Review: Murder in Venice: A BRAND NEW instalment in the cozy mystery series from T A Williams

Murder in Venice: A BRAND NEW instalment in the cozy mystery series from T A Williams by T.A. Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Dan Armstrong, a retired detective from Scotland Yard, now living in Italy and acting as a private investigator, when he isn’t writing crime novels, receives a request from a world-famous actress Alice Graceland to meet her in Venice. Excited that she might want to make one of his novels into a film, Dan travels to Venice, where Alice has bought and renovated an ancient fortification on an island. Sadly for Dan, Alice isn’t interested in making one of his novels into a film, instead she is hosting a murder mystery evening for a small group of influential Hollywood movers and shakers and wants Dan to play the role of the detective. As one would expect from someone rich and famous, the murder mystery evening will involve costumes, paid actors, and a sumptuous feast prepared by Alice’s staff. Alice herself will play the role of the Doge’s wife, the real power behind the throne and she will be the victim. Dan will encourage the guests to discuss their theories as to who murdered Alice’s character and then reveal the murderer’s identity.

However, when Dan returns to Venice two weeks later for the party it appears that the other guests are not Alice’s friends, in fact the atmosphere could be cut with a knife. The guests are even arguing amongst themselves. Alice’s PA tells Dan that she suspects Alice is writing a reveal-all memoir, and that the guests all feature heavily. Indeed, Alice admits as much to Dan, confiding that she wants to confront each of the guests with what they did and give them a chance to apologise/confess as appropriate, if they do she will temper what she has written in her draft memoir.

I think we can all guess what happens, there is a real murder and Dan will have to use his knowledge of the individuals and the crimes exposed in Alice’s memoirs to determine the murderer and the reason.

This was another enjoyable detective story featuring Dan and his trusty Labrador Oscar, the only issue I have is that if Oscar trusts/likes a human I know they can’t be the murderer – unless T.A. Williams mixes it up in the next book.

Anyway, if you like the idea of a cosy mystery set on an island in the Venice lagoon with descriptions of food that will have you salivating, look no further.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: The Burning Grounds

The Burning Grounds by Abir Mukherjee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

The book opens with Sam Wyndham investigating the body of a man left at the burning ghats, which ordinarily would be perfectly normal, it is after all where the Bengalis of Calcutta bring their dead. However, the man has had his throat slit and Sam can already tell that the body is that of none other than JP Mullick, Indian entrepreneur and industrialist. Sam is in disgrace at work for various reasons, so he is astonished when his boss allows him to investigate JP’s murder.

Meanwhile, Sam’s friend/former partner Suren Banerjee, who has spent the last three years in Europe, has recently returned at his father’s request/command. Suren had fallen in love with a French girl, Elise, while in Paris and is feeling rather love-sick but he must honour his father’s wishes. Suren is ordered by his father to investigate the disappearance of his cousin Dolly. Dolly has always trodden an unusual path for an unmarried Indian woman, setting up her own photography business for women only. However, her reputation has been besmirched by rumours that she has been associating with beggars and street women (and taking their photos). Dolly has gone missing, and her family are concerned.

Despite their mutual prickliness after not having spoken in three years, especially when Sam discovers Suren has been back in India for over a month without contacting him, Sam and Suren agree to work together to try to discover who murdered JP and where Dolly has gone. Perhaps inevitably, it turns out that the two investigations are linked.

This is apparently the sixth book in a series featuring an Indian policeman and a British detective, Suren Banerjee and Sam Wyndham set in 1920s Calcutta. I had read a book featuring an Indian female police officer and a British Scotland Yard criminalist by Vaseem Khan about a year ago and without paying much attention thought this was the same series. However, this was reasonably easy to read as a standalone novel.

I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Sam wasn’t a particularly likable character, in fact I don’t think any of the characters were likable, there was both too much politics and not enough at the same time. By which I mean that, for all his feelings of British superiority, Sam speaks in a very modern way about the tyranny of the British occupation of India which I don’t think a man of his time would have done. Similarly, Suren is apparently pro-independence and yet doesn’t actually seem to be doing anything about it, just wandering around with no purpose (although that’s just me judging him for abandoning the love of his life with no farewell just because his father decreed it.

The plot itself was good, but I have read something similar before (without spoilering the why) and so it was nothing new.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Law Maker

Law Maker by Susie Tate
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clara Morris has a big secret. She tries to keep under the radar and has accepted a job as a teacher's assistant at the exclusive Molton Prep, even though with her qualifications she should be a teacher in her own right. She guards her privacy fiercely, and has it written into her employment contract that she doesn't have to meet any parents EVER. Her one indulgence is lusting after the impossibly handsome Lord Sterling when he comes to collect his sone Ozzie from school.

Unfortunately, Lord Rafe Sterling, criminal barrister and tipped to be the UK's youngest ever Judge, isn't good at taking no for an answer. Ozzie is dyslexic and spends his evenings lauding the wonderful Miss Clara to the skies, but Ozzie tells his father that Miss Clara said his brain works differently Rafe is on the warpath.

Although initial impressions aren't good, Rafe is surprised that this mousy young woman (who looks like a child) who barely spoke above a mumble becomes incredibly fierce when she thinks someone is labelling Ozzie as stupid. First Rafe is intrigued and then fascinated and, because he's from an aristocratic family used to bending others to his will, he soon makes Clara an offer she can't refuse to tutor/nanny Ozzie for a few hours every evening after school.

But Clara isn't hiding any old secrets, making the wrong move has landed her in the hospital more than once and what she is hiding could have massive repercussions for her, Rafe, and her beloved brother.

I love Susie Tate, she nearly always includes characters with real issues, and as a UK General Practitioner she knows first hand the problems, diagnoses, symptoms, and feelings that come with them. This book is no exception, in this case domestic violence - there are trigger warnings in the blurb so this isn't a spoiler. I thought she did this really well, not doing a Hollywood lite version of violence, this was shocking and frightening.

Rafe was a true alpha male, his breeding, education, money, and job make him authoritative, but strangely Clara finds it comforting and it makes her feel safe. Especially when she's behind electronic gates and driven to work in a bullet proof car by a close security officer.

If you fancy a romance between a bossy billionaire lawyer single dad and his son's teacher, laughs, tears, extreme bravery, and a lot of swearing - well you're in luck!

I received an ARC from the author via BookFunnel.

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Review: Fire Must Burn

Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sparks and Bainbridge are inveigled into setting up an old friend of Sparks' with a planted girlfriend.

Back in the 1930s when Iris was at Cambridge University she met Tony Danforth, they were good friends for a while, even dated a little, but he joined the Socialists (and perhaps the Communist Party) and went off to fight in Spain, later he went to Singapore for the duration of the war. Apparently he's back working at the Foreign Office but MI5 has suspicions that he may be a spy for the Russians or the Chinese and want him vetted - which is where The Right Sort marriage agency comes in. Iris will 'accidentally' bump into him, get reacquainted and offer their services - Tony has already been advised that a married man is viewed more favourably than one who is single - they will then introduce him to an MI5 spy who will clear or condemn him.

Iris is torn, she hates lying to an old friend, but if he is a spy then she wants that uncovered.

Meanwhile, Gwen discovers from her boyfriend that Tony was involved in a scandal at Cambridge - something that may have precipitated his departure to Spain - could the past shed light on the present?

Yet another wonderful mystery featuring our redoubtable heroines, loved it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The High Tide Murder

The High Tide Murder by Emylia Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cat and Jayden are having a weekend alone in The High Tide hotel overlooking Trebaron Cove. But things aren’t going to plan. First Cat meets Summer, a girl she went to school with who is now a social media influencer, at the hotel to post some content with her surfer boyfriend and they agree to meet for drinks (and maybe dinner), instead of a romantic dinner at deux.

Then two couples arrive, Kathy and Drew Schofield and Steve Bradshaw with his girlfriend Mae. Ostensibly the couples have come to celebrate Drew’s retirement from the Police and their wedding anniversary, but there seem to be undercurrents between the two couples, Steve having been recently let go from the same police force. At dinner, the foursome are loud and obnoxious, resulting in the hotel owner, Elliott King having to intervene when they made a waitress cry.

Late that night during a storm there was a power cut and in the morning, Summer finds Drew’s dead body below his bedroom balcony. Was it a drunken accident or was it deliberate? Steve is convinced its murder, then Jayden notices that the Instagram post Summer made of the storm shows two men arguing on Drew’s balcony.

But there seems to be a plethora of suspects, let’s face it Drew was not liked in the police force (old-school copper seems to be the kindest epitaph). But as Ally and Jaden dig deeper it seems like Drew’s death may relate to something that happened many years ago, which may involve someone else who was at the hotel that night.

Another great yarn from the Shell House Detectives, although Gus is off-stage for most of the action.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Happy Christmas: A Hilarious Holiday Marriage of Convenience Romance

Happy Christmas: A Hilarious Holiday Marriage of Convenience Romance by Kelsey Humphreys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Janie Rowland is down on her luck. Her no-good brother has got in debt and she has literally had to liquidate all her savings, sell all her possessions, and move home to live in her granny's dilapidated house in Juniper Falls to try to get by, even now she's getting threatening emails and texts for the balance of the funds owed. She's a genius accountant (allegedly) and has taken a job working for a cutesy mayonnaise subsidiary of the global Clark Industries empire.

One day, while dressed as a hot dog at an expo in Vegas Janie is unlucky enough to run into Benedict Clark, a British trust fund fun-loving guy who she has met on numerous occasions at various family and friends' parties. Benedict is the sort of guy who is seen in gossip magazines with models and actresses hanging off his arm, he's a terrible flirt and a thrill-seeker.

Benedict pulls rank and gets Janie to spend the afternoon with him, life is becoming difficult, his father has laid down an ultimatum - get serious or he'll lose his trust fund and rumours will be spread that will make him unemployable.

Benedict comes up with a plan, they already know each other so its not impossible that they might have fallen in love. Get married before Christmas, attend a few events as a couple in the first year, then stay loosely married for another four years before getting divorced. In return, Benedict will pay Janie an obscene amount of money.

Janie has had terrible luck with men, her ex dumped her at their engagement party then got back with her, only to dump her again - in a small town that sort of thing is never forgotten.

Juniper Falls is one of those hokey towns that goes big for the Autumn/Winter holidays (it also brings in plenty of tourist dollars which helps the town stay afloat for the rest of the year) and Janie and Benedict agree to participate in a weekly event to give enough photo opportunities to give credence to their fake relationship.

Of course the chemistry is off the charts, but neither of them wants to be the first to say they've caught feels ... until the inevitable misunderstanding.

A lovely opposites attract, billionaire romance.

Free on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: Let the Bells Ring Out

Let the Bells Ring Out by Milly Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Seven people on their way to 'celebrate' very different Christmases get stuck in a snow storm in Yorkshire.

Frank and Gracie, a middle-aged couple who run a pub, this Christmas was supposed to be his last chance to rescue their marriage but everything has gone wrong from the start.

Elizabeth, a young woman on her way to spend Christmas with her fiancé (who also happens to be a director in her father's business), his family, her father, and various relatives, being driven by Vincent.

Jane, a widowed octogenarian en route to spend Christmas with her stepson and his wife.

Roo, an orphan in a dead-end job, who was expecting to spend Christmas alone after her fiancé and best friend had an affair, got pregnant and are planning a Christmas wedding.

And finally Tim, a retired businessman who was going to play Father Christmas at a corporate event.

They all meet at a small train station, some of them awaiting a replacement train service, Tim because his car breaks down, and Elizabeth and Vincent because the snow is making driving conditions too difficult. When a train arrives to take them to the next main station where they can get connections it is not just a normal train. This is the Yorkshire Belle, an American millionaire's pet project en route to Scotland for him and his family to spend the holidays travelling in style - think the Orient Express but fancier. When the brakes seize up due to ice on the tracks the guard and driver go off to get the engineer, leaving the seven passengers on the train.

In their own ways each of the passengers is feeling unhappy or unfulfilled, but spending a few days together, trapped on a train, with only the dulcet tones of Brian 'the real BBC' on the radio to keep them company, friendships develop and they may even make some life-changing decisions.

If you like a bit of fantasy with your cosy Christmas stories then this is the one for you. Although I could see the twist I still enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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