Death in an Elegant City – Murder on Location – Book 4 by Sara Rosett – (AUDIOBOOK ~ Tantor Audio)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4 stars

From GOODREADS…

Sightseeing can be murder…

Location scout Kate Sharp is thrilled to be part of a scouting trip to the historic city of Bath, England to research the location for a Jane Austen documentary. But before Kate gets a chance to stroll the elegant boulevards where Austen once lived, murder cuts the sightseeing short. Now Kate must rearrange her itinerary and find the killer before she and the production are shut down permanently.

My Review

Kate Sharp is a location scout. She’s currently back in England working on a Jane Austen documentary in Bath. She’s thrilled to be back in England and working, but unfortunately the crew that she works with, specifically the Producer, Elise, and the Director, Cyrus, are at it again. They don’t agree on aspects of this particular production and it’s making the rest of the crew miserable listening to their verbal sparring sessions.

When the crew finally settles into the Bath Spa Hotel and begins their scouting work for the production, one of the crew members winds up dead and leaves them all scrambling to clear their names.

I almost forgot how much I enjoyed the first book in this series. Even though this is book 4 and I skipped ahead, it was still easy to follow and could easily be a standalone. I loved all the references to Jane Austen’s life and books throughout the story. The location, Bath, heightened my interest in the mystery. I’ve enjoyed several of Jane Austen’s books and I fondly reflected on those memories as I listened. The descriptions of locations in Austen’s books was a plus.

The mystery itself played out well. With almost every character there was at least a hint of suspicion. The actual revelation was clever and believable.

The audio narrator has a voice suitable to cozy mysteries. It’s calm and soothing and excellent for this series. I looked forward to hearing her tell the story.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend the Murder on Location series.

Thank you, Tantor Audio, for a complimentary download of Death in an Elegant City. My opinions stated in this review are entirely my own.

Silent Bud Deadly (Book 2: The English Cottage Garden Mysteries) by H.Y. Hanna

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – 4.5 stars

When Poppy Lancaster inherited a cottage house and gardens she was thrilled, but maintaining her inheritance hasn’t come easy. She’s in need of some extra cash, so when a wealthy couple offers her a job sprucing up their garden for a generous amount of money, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. But when the nosy neighbor next door gets poisoned, Poppy wonders who could have murdered the meddling menace.

H.Y. Hanna’s cozy mysteries are always fun and addictive, and Silent Bud Deadly was no exception. I love how she effortlessly and cleverly weaves in the back story so that you won’t feel lost no matter where you enter the series. The recurring characters are a pleasure to revisit. I was glad to see that Bertie, Poppy’s neighbor who invents strange things that he tends to try out on unsuspecting people, was back in book 2. His antics brought many chuckles during the story. My favorite cat, Oren, the very vocal tabby, and its owner, the enigmatic writer, Nick Forest, were also present in book 2 to my delight.

I also learned much about various poisonous houseplants. Discovering something new while reading an H.Y. Hanna mystery is always a highlight.

Overall, this whodunnit was plausible and highly enjoyable. I definitely recommend this series, especially if you like intelligent cozy mysteries with fun, quirky characters and a great plot.

Another One Bites the Crust by H.Y. Hanna – (Oxford Tearoom Mysteries – Book 7)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-stars

Another One Bites the Crust is cozy mystery done right. HY Hanna always delivers on a solid mystery with plenty of red herrings, engaging characters, an atmospheric setting (in and around Oxford, England), at least one amusing animal and a totally plausible outcome. There’s so much to love about this book, including the sub-plots which keep the story moving along at a pace that keeps you in anticipation of the next revelation.

When famed celebrity chef and former Oxford student, Josh McDermott, (aka “Posh McDishy”) is special guest at the Oxford University Ball, doing a live cooking show, the college ball committee and Josh’s fans are beside themselves with anticipation and admiration. Gemma’s friend Cassie, who attended the same College as McDermott, isn’t enthused. She’s always thought of him as an obnoxious snob who thinks he’s God’s gift to women. His ex-girlfriend would agree with that assessment since Josh dumped her. And then there’s rival chef, Antonio Casa, who believes Josh tried to sabotage him. Clearly, Josh McDermott had foes as well as fans. But when Gemma finds Josh dead before the cooking show competition even begins, she dons her sleuthing cap to determine who might have despised him enough to do him in.

I loved this book. You don’t get to book 7 of 8 in a series if you don’t enjoy it. The audio narrator, Pearl Hewitt, brings the characters to life. The unique voices she uses to portray each character makes it easy to recognize who’s speaking, and the emotions and actions are always performed in an entertaining, realistic way—even the animals! She’s one of my favorite audio narrators, and her skill and proficiency enhanced my enjoyment of this book.

I received a free download of this book in exchange for my honest review which I have given.

Have a great day everybody, and thank you for visiting. 😊

Throwback Thursday – A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson

Throwback Thursday is hosted by Renee of It’s Book Talk.  This meme was created to share old favorites and/or books published over a year ago.  Today I’m going to be sharing an excellent mystery, A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson.

Why I chose this book:

I was astounded by it. This was an audiobook and I was impressed by the narration. As far as the book itself, it was the characters, the mystery, the incredible setting (it was set in a castle in rural England, I mean c’mon, awesome!).  The main character, Hugo Hawksworth, was my first audiobook character crush. This book was just such a great listen and I remember feeling like this ….

See my review of it here.

I googled the author, intent on letting her know how much I enjoyed it. I was DEVASTATED to learn that she had died a few months before I’d read the book.  Seriously, I was so sad when I learned that.

If Ms. Edmondson was still with us today, I’d tell her that I absolutely loved her book, and that it remains one of my favorites to this day. 💐

Thank you for visiting. 

The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4-stars

Roxanne Cartwright, 47, is Fashion Director for YourStyle magazine.  A 30-year veteran in the magazine industry, she’s an ace at what she does and enjoys putting together glamorous fashion shoots for the magazine.  So when she’s told by her new boss that the magazine is being taken in a new direction to cheap, figure-fixing pieces, Roxanne is shocked to learn that her position will be replaced by the new fashion-director-in-chief, Tina Court, who will oversee the transformation. Wary of her imminent dismissal, Roxanne uses her temporary time off from work to escape from London and retreat to her sister’s home in the small village of Burley Bridge in Yorkshire, where they grew up.  After their mother’s death two years before, Della used her mum’s collection of cookbooks to open a cookbook bookshop and effectively changed the Burley Bridge landscape as Roxanne remembered it.  The success of the bookshop has necessitated an expansion, and Roxanne heads to the village to help her sister with the finishing touches before the upcoming party and unveiling of the expanded space.  At first reluctant to relinquish certain duties to her domestically impaired sister, in time Della realizes Roxanne’s effectiveness in handling matters in her absence and the two women become a great team.

Meanwhile, Roxanne is confused about her fashion photographer boyfriend back in London, Sean, who didn’t seem particularly displeased that she’d be leaving for two months.  Sean is the first responsible boyfriend Roxanne’s ever had. Prior relationships consisted of a host of losers, and until Sean she wasn’t much concerned about having a stable relationship with anyone. The idea of a responsible, reliable man who fussed over her and could provide security seemed boring to Roxanne.  But ever since she started dating Sean, suddenly she’s craving commitment.  Nevertheless, something is off-putting about him. She’s heard rumors of his being a philanderer, but she can’t seem to resist his good looks and impish charm.  She believes she’s in love with him, although his odd behavior, particularly that of chiding her for inconsequential incidents, is starting to get on her nerves. Roxanne finds herself continually making allowances for Sean’s bad behavior whenever he apologizes, and she feels conflicted in her emotions about him. Especially since she’s met the owner of the Bakery on Rosemary Lane, Michael.  He’s handsome, talented, available, and he seems to be interested in her.  Suddenly, Sean doesn’t dominate her every thought.  But then Sean shows up and surprises her in Burley Bridge while in Michael’s company, rendering her noticeably flustered. What will Roxanne do?

MY THOUGHTS:  I really enjoyed this book.  I loved reading about Roxanne’s life both in London and then Burley Bridge.  I appreciated that she was a middle-aged woman, as most female protagonists I read about are much younger.  I could easily relate to some of the witty references with regard to her age, and how it sometimes made her feel in the fashion world.  And yet, this book could be read by persons young and old.  Roxanne was a very chic, hip character, and didn’t come across as dowdy in any way.  The relationship she shared with her sister, and that which she developed with Michael’s daughter, Elsa, was endearing and added to my enjoyment of the book.  I was interested to know how she would resolve her relationship issues, but events that transpired in the book ultimately dictated her decision, and I was happy about her choice.  The only negatives I have about this book are that I’m not sure why it’s called The Little Bakery on Rosemary Lane since the Bakery in the story is not center stage.  It’s more in the background, so I found that a little misleading.  Also, I’m not sure how to categorize it.  Although it reads somewhat like a romance book, there wasn’t very much romance in it.  At least not enough leading up to the outcome of the story, in my humble opinion.  There was sort of a few themes going on too.  I would have liked to have seen a little more fulfilling wrap-up of everyone and everything at the end.  Aside from that it was a very good read.  It kept me interested and I would read another book by Ellen Berry in the future.

I received an E-ARC of this book from the publisher via netgalley.  All of the opinions stated in this review are my own.

Painting the Moon by Traci Borum

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 – 4.5 stars

Noelle Cooke has just received word that her reclusive great aunt has died and left her Primrose Cottage and her art gallery, in a little village called Chilton Crosse in England. Settled in a beach house in California and relatively content, Noelle still can’t help but to recall the fond memories of spending time as a young girl with her Great Aunt Joy and grandmother, “Gram,” in the bucolic, tranquil setting of the English countryside. The memories prompt her to immediately arrange a trip to England to settle details regarding her aunt’s estate. Being back in the familiar surroundings of summers spent during adolescence is a welcome respite for Noelle. Having not been in contact with her aunt for several years after many attempts, Noelle is hoping she will uncover why her Aunt Joy suffered a meltdown during a gallery event and retreated to her cottage for nearly a decade. As Noelle navigates Primrose Cottage she discovers a room with a locked door.  Could the contents of that room hold the answers to what happened to her?

Not long after returning to England to claim her inheritance, Noelle is reacquainted with two old friends, both of whom she spent time with when she visited during the summers. Her friend Jill, a sassy, outspoken and generally lovely person is now married and faring well domestically and financially. Her other friend, Adam Spencer, is now a very handsome Architect. Noelle is dismayed to learn that Adam, her childhood sweetheart that got away before things developed romantically between them, is engaged to a woman named Laurel. But if Adam and Laurel’s relationship is solid, why does Adam seem to find so much pleasure in Noelle’s company?

Painting the Moon was a delightful read. I enjoyed getting acquainted with both the primary and secondary characters— particularly Mac, the gardener, who proved to be an asset in many ways to Noelle. I liked the steady progression of the story, and wondering what had happened to aunt Joy to cause her to become a recluse. And what, if anything, would become of Adam and Noelle. There’s also secrets and hidden treasures that added a bit of intrigue to the story.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. Thank you Kathy of Katie’s Cottage Books for reviewing this book on your blog. As a result I have found another great author. And thank you, Traci Borum, for providing me with an e-copy of your book.

 

Review: A Man of Some Repute

A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ THIS WAS AN AUDIOBOOK. I loved, loved, LOVED this mystery set in a castle in rural England.
Lord Selchester vanishes one evening during a blustery winter snow storm while entertaining guests at Selchester castle. His body is never discovered and he is presumed dead.  Several years later Hugo Hawksworth, an intelligence officer injured in Berlin, is reluctantly relegated to a desk job at Thorn Hall supposedly as “a statistician” and is offered lodging at Selchester castle along with his young, precocious sister Georgia (age 13). When Lord Selchester’s body is discovered, Hugo sets about trying to piece together what might have happened to Selchester, and who would have wanted him dead. Lord Selchester’s guests on the night of the murder were peculiarly uncharacteristic for a man of some repute; an actress, a photographer, a local businessman, and a few others who were practically unknown to one another. Why would a man among the ton include as guests somewhat ordinary people?  Eager to dismiss the case rather than engulf the town in scandal, investigators are intent on pinning the crime on Selchester’s dead son Tom Arlingham, and niece, Freya Wryton, since a heated dispute arose between Tom and his father on the night in question, and Freya and Tom, close companions, were seen leaving the castle together that night. Might they have circled back and killed Selchester?  This is one theory, but as other characters and relations begin to surface with possible motives for murder, will that theory ultimately hold water?
A Man of Some Repute was an audiobook Daily Deal that I snagged and I am so glad I did.  My first book by author Elizabeth Edmondson, it will certainly not be my last.  The setting was intriguing and mysterious, and the characters were interesting and alluring, down to Freya’s surly and temperamental horse, Last Hurrah.
Overall, the story was a solid English mystery done right, with an ending that surprised me.  I’ll be back for the next installment in the series.  Highly recommended, especially to those who enjoy a good British mystery.

View all my reviews