Death at High Tide is the delightful first installment in the Island Sisters series by Hannah Dennison, featuring two sisters who inherit an old hotel in the remote Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall and find it full of intrigue, danger, and romance. When Evie Mead’s husband, Robert, suddenly drops dead of a heart attack, a mysterious note is found among his possessions. It indicates that … among his possessions. It indicates that Evie may own the rights to an old hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isles of Scilly.
Still grieving, Evie is inclined to leave the matter to the accountant to sort out. Her sister Margot, however, flown in from her glamorous career in LA, has other plans. Envisioning a luxurious weekend getaway, she goes right ahead and buys two tickets–one way–to Tregarrick.
Once at the hotel–used in its heyday to house detective novelists, and more fixer-upper than spa resort, after all–Evie and Margot attempt to get to the bottom of things. But the foul-tempered hotel owner claims he’s never met the late Robert, even after Evie finds framed photos of them–alongside Robert’s first wife–in his office. The rest of the island inhabitants, ranging from an ex-con receptionist to a vicar who communicates with cats, aren’t any easier to read.
But when a murder occurs at the hotel, and then another soon follows, frustration turns to desperation. There’s no getting off the island at high tide. And Evie and Margot, the only current visitors to Tregarrick, are suspects one and two. It falls to them to unravel secrets spanning generations–and several of their own–if they want to make it back alive.
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Start with a wonderful tuxedo cat (Mr. Tig), add in an island hotel, two interesting sisters and—of course—a little murder. There’s nothing here not to love.
In this new series, “An Island Sisters Mystery,” Death At High Tide gives us an introduction to Evie and Margot, sisters with more in common then readers will initially expect. Set in a hotel in an out of the way island that can only be accessed during low tide, we learn about family secrets, old wounds, and a possible future.
The characters in this first book are invigorating. The sisters appear to be very different from each other, but they learn and grow throughout the story, and towards the end, we begin to understand what makes them special. The hotel is a large part of this story as the series is based on it, and though it is described as old and in need of updating, it holds charm and promise of what it can become. Detective Patty would be a great character in her own series. I liked her attitude and the way she handles everything, especially the sisters.
I love the setting. A hotel that can only be reached by boat or a weird type of tractor is unique, although Agatha Christie used something similar. This story does have the feel of Ten Little Indians as well, making Christie fans want to check it out. Many of Christie’s books began at a hotel or by the sea, so this new book is not out of the ordinary. There are plenty of suspects, twists, and turns, and possible scenarios that can and do evolve into real evidence and a solution most will see coming.
In general, the characters are a bit rough around the edges, but with the first book in a series, this is not uncommon. The victim was not likable, but readers will want to know who the killer is even if they don’t care about the motive. The pace is good, and the writing smooth and precise. I will be checking out the next book in the series, which hopefully will continue to feature the hotel as the backdrop, and recommend readers read Death At High Tide with an eye towards future installments.
Death at High Tide is a wonderful start to a new series. Sisters Evie and Margot find themselves at a hotel on one of the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall, and several people wind up dead. And there’s a terrific cat. What’s not to like? Great fun.
When Evie Mead’s husband Robert has died, it seems she is left with nothing despite the fact that her husband is a successful businessman. His accountant delivers the bad news and seems surprised when his assistant produces a letter indicating that Evie has inherited a hotel on one of the Isles of Scilly.
Evie’s sister Margot pushes her to take a weekend trip to visit the hotel and check out her inheritance. While Evie would rather leave everything in the hands of the accountant she finally agrees to the trip.
Upon their arrival the sisters find a worn down hotel filled with an eclectic assortment of residents. When she confronts the owner with the contents of her husband’s letter, the man denies knowing Robert and assures her he is the hotel’s owner. As Evie roams the hotel she finds photographic evidence of the connection between the hotel’s owner and her husband.
A murder occurs at the hotel, quickly followed by a second. The number of suspects is limited only to the number of hotel inhabitants. No one can leave the island, and law enforcement can not arrive until the tide goes down. In the meantime Evie begins working to find the identity of the killer, and clear herself and her sister of the crime.
I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it. This is the first book in a new series, Island Sisters Mysteries. It was a great introduction to the characters and setting. I felt that Evie and Margot were well-developed. They are very out of touch with each other’s lives since Margot is living in Los Angeles while Evie has remained in England. The “local” characters have been introduced and I’m ready to see their roles in future books. I pictured the island as one I might see in the Pacific Northwest: rocky, dreary and rainy. The plot was very engaging from the beginning and it was hard to put down. I look forward to the next book. I also recommend her Honeychurch Hall Mystery series.
I can understand the 1 and 2 star reviews. The characters are unlikable even the ones who will be left to be included into the next book in the series. I knew who the bad person was right from the very beginning if not all the details which no reader could cobble together.
Of the two main protagonists, Evie is likable, but will Margo grow on the reader in future books? The characters in this book are like bumper cars. They come in, bounce of the main characters and spin off, it’s very disconnected. I mentioned the possible reoccurring characters are unlikable, they seem to be the type to hold out their hand to shake yours only to pull back at the last minute with a laugh type and one is left hanging.
The ending and set up for the next book is quite implausible (no spoiler details) too.
So, despite knowing who the bad person was and finding the characters less than engaging, I kept flipping the pages and am actually interested in reading the next book to see where it goes. So, this is not a book I’d recommend to most readers, but if you pick it up for free from the library, you might want to give it ago.
This was not a cozy mystery as I believed it was suppose to be. It is a general fiction book. That didn’t stop me from trying to read it though. I could not finish the book as I disliked every character in it. (Margo set my teeth on edge)! The setting was great if only the characters had not been so awful. I could not connect with any of them so the story lost my interest fairly quickly.
This is actually 3 1/2 stars
The premise sounded so promising.
But the characters are either absurdly naive, malevolent, lost in their own world, cryptic (but not in a good way), or something else.
Half way through the book I wondered if there was anyone likable in the story.
There’s even a wise ass police officer who is not likable.
But the idea is fascinating.
Where did the money go from her estate?
Was there a loan with the hotel as collateral? Was it repaid?, but
Why does Lily live there?
I will try book 2.
I hope the author comes up with more multi-faceted characters and makes the sister more approachable.
Oh, and don’t have the guilty party so obvious, so early.
I was thrilled to be selected to receive a review copy of this book from the author through the Cozy Mystery Review Crew.* It sounded like something I’d really enjoy, and I was right. I loved everything about this book!
The main characters were great and very detailed. One was not that likeable at the beginning, but got better as I got to know her more. Besides, it’s nice to have a not-so-perfect major character sometimes! The minor characters also had a lot of depth and added interesting things to the mix.
The mystery itself was fun because of the way everybody (suspects/victim/investigators) were stuck on the island. I enjoyed learning more about the island, the area, and the hotel as Evie tried to get to the bottom of everything. The descriptions were great, and I’d love to see actual illustrations of the hotel’s decor! The mystery wrapped up nicely with a great sequence near the end, and I was only partially right about the “who” and “why” of the reveal.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
*If you’d like to receive free cozy mysteries to review, you can sign up for the mailing list at: http://tinyletter.com/reviewcrew
3.5 stars
Death at High Tide has the feel of an Agatha Christie mystery in many respects, but almost in caricature. In fact it reminds me more of an old Tim Conway / Don Knotts movie – Private Eyes – where all the characters are more than a little “off” and none are especially likable. The closed room nature of the vividly drawn setting (an eccentric Art Deco hotel on an isolated island only accessible when the tide cooperates) definitely gives the book a boost of interest, as do the closely guarded secrets of its inhabitants. While the only character I found consistently engaging was killed off in this first book, I’m still curious as to where the series will go from here. Fans of British cozies should give this one a try for sure!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
Reviewer’s Note: Readers may want to be aware that this book does contain more cursing & coarse language than is typical for this genre.
I’ve read Hannah Dennison’s other books, and was very happy when I found this new series! This book is in a great setting and has many unexpected twists and turns, making it a page-turner. I definitely recommend reading it! I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
Evie Mead is suddenly dealing with several revelations at the unexpected death of her husband. That he died of a heart attack – a here-to-fore unknown condition – is merely the overture. He died virtually penniless. She will most likely lose her home. It seems, however, that she does have ownership of an old hotel on some remote island off the coast of Cornwall.
Thanks to the intervention of her sister, Evie finds herself making the somewhat dubious trek to Tregarrick Rock, to find out more about what her sister Margot thinks is an exclusive spa resort.
Dennison’s talent at weaving mystery into the storyline is clear from the start. There are many secrets on Tregarrick for the sisters to uncover, even though most of the island’s inhabitants would do everything in their power to keep them hidden.
While Evie isn’t entirely likable – her way of acquiescing to those around her quite grated on me right from the start – she is still an engaging type, and her story impels the reader to persevere. I found her sister to be almost a caricature – which isn’t all bad – but I also knew early on that all was not as it seemed. As we meet others of the residents of Tregarrick, we become further invested, questioning each character’s involvement as Dennison pulls you along to the conclusion. It’s a totally fitting ending and I look forward to the next entry in this series.
[I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the author, though I was not required to write a review. The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.]
Death At High Tide is the first book in the Island Sister Mystery series.
Evie’s husband has recently died from a heart attack, and after meeting with their accountant, she learns that she is broke and may have to sell the house to have any money at all. But there has been a note found where her husband had loaned Jago Ferris money, and Ferris had given his hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isle of Scilly, as collateral. Soon Evie’s sister, Margot, arrives to console her sister. Margot lives in Los Angles and works in the movie industry, which she’s not ashamed to flaunt. Margot finally convinces Evie that if she is to inherit the hotel, they should plan to spend the weekend there.
They’re both deflated when they arrive. It is far from the beautiful spa they were expecting. The hotel is in the Art Deco era with well-used 1970s furnishings.
Evie will meet with Jago, where he will deny knowing her husband or anything about the note. She sees pictures of her husband, his first wife, and Jago hanging in Jago’s office. The next day, Evie is out looking for Margot, who has gone for a walk and comes upon Jago’s lifeless body. Since Evie and Margot are unknown to the area or the police, they immediately become the primary suspects. Evie and Margot will have to do some investigation to clear their names. They will soon be considering almost everyone at the hotel for wanting Jago dead. Well, except for Mr. Tig, the hotel’s tuxedo cat.
The book is well-written and plotted. There are plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. Most of the characters are interesting and well-developed. I had a problem with Evie and Margot. Evie seemed too mousey and would have to become stronger if she were to manage the hotel. I thought Margot was a prima donna for most of the book, but by the end was a much better person.
I’m looking forward to learning what will happen with the hotel and how Evie and Margot will be involved.
Evie was living a good life as the second wife of Robert Mead….that is until he drops dead of a heart attack and Evie finds out there was much about her very rich husband she didn’t know. To start with it turns out he left her broke. Then a letter surfaces, the classic “to be read in case of my death” sort of missive. It’s a good thing that Evie’s sister Margot has flown from LA to support her sister in her time of need. The letter tells her that he loaned somebody a whole lot of money and took a hotel as collateral for the loan. Now it’s hers. Margot it ready to go see it even though it is on Tregarrick, a remote island in the Scilly island chain 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall. Even calling it a birders paradise and that its climate resembles the French Riviera – it’s still remote. But off the sisters go to see what Evie has inherited. And then the fun begins.
The sisters want to check it out without tipping their hand but that plan falls apart and the hotel owner insists that he is the owner and never heard of her husband. If so, why are there photos of him in the man’s office? Well one thing leads to another, a murderer strikes and Evie and Margot, as outsiders, have to investigate or take the rap for the crimes.
This is a classic locked room mystery as the island keeps them prisoner at high tide. The killer is amongst them. The puzzle is well plotted and the various island residents are a colorful lot. The banter between Evie and Margot is great with Margot taking the lead from the start when poor Evie is stunned by the sudden shambles of her life. I have already added the next book in the series, Danger at the Cove due out August 17, 2021, to my must be read list.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Evie is a new widow and her sister Margot arrives to help her in her time of need. As if losing hubby is not bad enough she then learns he was essentially broke. This means she may be losing everything because she became a housewife to make him happy. The only possible silver lining is a note he left about a debt owed to him and if not paid the ownership of an island hotel is his or hers by this point. With nothing left to lose they decide to travel to the hotel for the weekend to see what they can find out. They walk into one eclectic bunch of people as they start meeting everyone once they arrive. What they didn’t expect was all the drama they walked into or the death of not one but two of the hotel inhabitants. Suspected of being g involved they start poking around. I must say we get a surprising conclusion that throws them all off balance. A well written cozy that will keep you reading as each new character is introduced along with their quirks. Add in a beautiful setting with plenty of surprise to get a cozy you can’t put down. Overall an enjoyable read. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
This was a fun quick read that I read in a lazy Saturday afternoon! Evie’s husband passes away and leaves her a hotel on island that can only be accessed at certain times due to the tides. Evie and her sister Margot go to check out the hotel but aren’t there long when a dead body shows up. Unfortunately for the sisters they are suspects! I loved the characters and look forward to more books in this new series!!! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison is the first in the Island Sisters Mystery series. The series has great promise.
I love the idea of an older hotel on an island. The sisters make a great team. and are likeable as are some of the area residents. Even with multiple murders, it was easy to know the guilty party.
Hopefully the next in the series won’t be so easy to figure out who done it..
I was given an ARC by the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review,
Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison is a fabulous start to a new series with two marvelous sleuths and a very different setting.
Will Evie and Margot figure out who the killer is before one of them are next?
Evie and Margot
Two sisters, one freshly widowed and one on the way to divorce. Both unsure of the future and looking for clarity and hope. So, a sisters’ weekend to a small island in the off-season (November) at a luxury hotel. Ok, so luxury is a stretch, but the hotel grounds are beautiful, even if the owner is rude, obnoxious, and overbearing.
I like Evie, although I believe that she is mousey and perhaps slightly gullible. However, she wasn’t the only one taken in by the killer. She had a wonderful husband, even if he was older. You can tell from her memories that she loved him. It seemed like Evie was slow, figuring it all out, but honestly, it all hit her once.
Margot is a riot. Although her husband is a cad and never deserved her. Margot throws some of the craziest stuff out there. She will be an excellent funny man to Evie’s seriousness. These sisters are going to shake up the Scilly Isles and give the locals something to talk about.
The Mystery
The mystery was good. I figured it out about halfway through. The flow is outstanding, and the plotting is spot on. The writer’s style is brilliant, knowledge of pop culture, and the whole “Doctor Dolittle” vicar is very entertaining. Seriously, Star Wars is everywhere. The hotel with the Art deco parts and then the 1970s theme (complete with shag carpet) in the main areas is crazy. I can imagine how crazy it all seemed to Evie and Margot.
Five Stars
I laughed out loud in many places; these sisters are hilarious. I especially love their snark with each other. My rating for Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison is five stars. You should check out this first book in this new series; it will make you laugh.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
I watch a lot of British television, so when I read the description of Death at High Tide and saw that it was set off the coast of Cornwall, I knew I had to read it. Cornwall is such a beautiful place. Though I’ve never actually been there in person, I’ve been there through shows like Doc Martin and Poldark. Through this book I got to travel to a place I’ve heard of but know nothing about…the Isles of Scilly.
Well, let’s just say that after reading Death at High Tide, I’m not sure I’d want to jump in a boat and head there…especially not in the fall. If I were already there, I might be okay. Anyway, Margot did not think things through. When she hears that her recently widowed sister may have inherited the only hotel on Tregarrick in the Isles of Scilly, she immediately makes plans for them to visit it. I’ve read some reviews for Death at High Tide, and several aren’t very kind to Margot. Yes, she comes off brash, pushy and self-centered but keep reading. I think she’s probably not always that way (I hope not!). She’s got a reason. As for the other characters, they’re not extremely likable; however, all of them are going through stuff, and some of them just aren’t nice.
When the book ended, I found that I had really enjoyed the mystery, and I understood the characters better. The whodunit is pretty obvious, but how everything plays out still makes putting the clues together and solving the mystery fun. I think you’ll feel the same. This is a series that I’m really curious about. I am excited to see how the characters behave in the next book. Give Death at High Tide a read! It earns four stars from me.
As the book opens, Evie Mead’s much older husband, Robert, has died of natural causes and Evie’s sister Margot has arrived from Los Angeles to help her settle Robert’s estate. At the reading of the will, Evie finds out that Robert was destitute, and she may lose her home. However, a sheet of paper in an envelope at the attorney’s office says Evie will inherit a hotel on one of the small Scilly Islands. Margot decides they have to go check out the hotel. What they find is that the previous owner is still ensconced in the hotel and has no intention of giving it up. When there is a murder, the sisters find themselves trapped on the island at high tide and are the prime suspects.
This is the first book in a new series by Hannah Dennison. She has written a fast-paced cozy mystery with well-developed characters and a unique setting. There are secondary characters who are certain to appeal to the reader, too.
If you like your cozies to have likable, sometimes quirky, main characters, this book will appeal to you. You’ll probably stay up way too late reading this book just to see how the sisters deal with their investigation into the murders simply because neither has clue what they’re doing. Whether you’re a fan of cozy mysteries or new to the genre, put this mystery at the top of your to-be-read list and you won’t be disappointed.
My thanks to Minotaur and Edelweiss for an eARC.
I loved this book. A locked island mystery, very engrossing and suspenseful. The wonderful descriptions of the island; weather, mists, rain, cold, add to the suspense as Evie tries to tweeze out if she owns the hotel on Tregarrick Rock. Her sister Margot has told an elaborate tale of who they are and why they are on the island in the middle of November. Then it appears Margot disappears after acting very strangely since they left for the island. The owners of the hotel, Jago and Tegan are rude and suspicious of Evie. Vanessa the cook is very strange. The only normal person seems to be Cador, Jago’s son. A tale of inheritance, families with secrets, small villages and pasts. I didn’t see the ending coming. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
I received a free copy and voluntarily provided this review.