Many thanks to publisher Bookouture for my spot on this Blog Tour.

Oh my! For an obituary writer, Eve Mallow got into more scrapes than anybody I knew. Author Clare Chase sure knew how to put her into some risky situations. I loved how Eve used her intelligence and talking skills to get everyone to share their secrets.

Verity Nye was engaged to Rupert, heir to the Seagrave Hall. Amateur sleuth Eve quite liked her and was aghast when a body swathed in folds of cloth fell down a window in the third floor. It was Verity who died on impact.

A cozy murder mystery, the story started slow but soon gained speed as Eve’s investigation progressed. I loved that the author kept me befuddled with the number of suspects who had an axe to grind with the victim. In the midst of the old fashioned investigation through interrogations and surmises, romance too was hinted at.

I loved seeing Eve blossom with every story. I thought the author couldn’t surpass her previous book, but I couldn’t be more wrong as the body count increased. I found myself more immersed in the happenings of the village and its inmates, especially during the village fair.

Skirmishes with the local cop were bound to happen, egos clashed. Yet Eve persevered; her determination was a doggone fun sight to see. Her sleuthing skills had me cheering her on right from the beginning. She did put herself in risk but that was who she was.

Down the pages, I forgot to conduct my own investigation and just went with the flow of the village dynamics. The last few chapters and ending were a revelation. Quite an entertaining read. Perfect before my afternoon siesta.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!! STRICTLY HONEST AND UNBIASED.

All my reviews can be read here

It’s Eve Mallow’s first visit to the local village fair. But amidst the booths, stalls, tables and tents lurks something darker… A mysterious fall means a new case for amateur detective Eve!

The charity fair at Seagrave Hall is a key date in the Saxford St Peter calendar – a chance for the villagers to nose around the house and grounds and cross paths with the rich and famous.

New resident Eve Mallow is particularly excited by this year’s special guest: the explorer Verity Nye, who is engaged to the heir to the Hall. Eve loves Verity’s determination, and she can’t wait to meet her.

But when they talk, Verity hints that she has something troubling on her mind. So after the festive mood is tragically interrupted by Verity’s fall from a third-floor window, Eve can’t be sure that it’s an appalling accident. Especially when one small boy claims he saw someone behind her…

Soon Eve finds herself tasked with writing Verity’s obituary. As she dusts off her notebook and begins her interviews alongside her trusted dachshund sidekick Gus she realises she has a fine array of suspects before her. Could it be a corrupt charity manager, the distraught fiancé, or jealous cousin Cora? And can Eve find out before her questions cause the killer to turn on her?

Publication Date: June 2020