‘Utterly delightful!… the perfect cosy murder mystery to become immersed in… keeps you on your toes!… I highly recommend this to the armchair detectives of the world!’ The Two QuillsIt’s Eve Mallow’s first visit to the fair at Seagrave Hall. 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 … 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, 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?
A charming and gripping page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Betty Rowlands.
See what readers are saying about the Eve Mallow series:
‘Stunning… loved the story and the pacing and just everything about it… a great story that I couldn’t put down… The twists and turns were great.’ Crossroad Reviews
‘A fantastic read… had me guessing till the last page.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Plenty of plot twists, red herrings, and misdirection. Kept me in suspense. I loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Drags the reader right into the plot from day one. She writes so vividly… I can almost imagine I’m on the dunes walking Gus, an inspiration of a dog that steals the show. The plot is strong… A Marplesque amateur sleuth.’ Jenny O’Brien, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I really enjoyed reading this! Loved the typical English village location and the very Jessica Fletcher-type protagonist… I am anxious to read more of this character soon!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Delightful and charming… I absolutely adore this series… just keeps going from strength to strength’ Once Upon a Time Book Blog, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I was immediately drawn into the story… keeps you guessing… a sure winner for M.C. Beaton fans.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Hits the ground running… I loved it!… And of course Gus is an excellent side-kick!… cracking… left me hankering for more’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘The plot is well executed, the characters engaging, and I loved it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Why do we need the police when sleuths like Eve are around? This series is getting better and better. Book 3 is my favorite… 5 stars’ B for Bookreview, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I thoroughly enjoyed it… loved the setting… I was reminded of a modern-day Miss Marple.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I loved this book… everything an old-fashioned sleuthing ought to be… I flew through the pages’ Shalini’s Books & Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A cast of characters who are inviting and warm. I love Eve, and the people she befriends in this small village as she digs for the truth… I’m happy to highly recommend this writer and her books!’ Roxx is Reading, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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“Mystery at Seagrave Hall” is book #3 in the Eve Mallow Mystery series by Clare Chase. Eve is looking forward to the annual fete at Seagrave Hall and to meeting the special guest – Verity Nye, an adventurer who happens to be engaged to the Hall’s heir Rupert. While the locals and other vendors are preparing the stalls for the event, a tragic fall results in the death of Verity. Was it an accident or a murder? As an obituary writer, Eve is hired to write the tribute but soon finds herself with more questions than answers.
I’ve really been enjoying this series. Eve’s profession is unusual but it also gives her unique insight and access to solve murders. The villagers are a diverse lot but also fairly typical of small communities. Eve has only been in the area for a bit over a year at this point, but she has quite a good lay of the land and who she can call on for gossip or support or insider information. Monty’s teashop treats sound delish and an evening at the Cross Keys Pub would be a lovely way to end the day in this charming village.
With each new Eve Mallow book I grow more impressed. Eve, Viv, Robin and the rest are such likable and entertaining characters – each one has a distinct personality and outlook on life. The characters pop off the page and I could imagine meeting each one in person. Clare Chase does an excellent job bringing the setting to life, without the need for long dramatic narration.
4.25 Stars
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 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, someone with large black eyes.
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.
This is the third in the series & could easily be read on its own, however if like me you love series then I’d recommend reading from book one. I love that Eve always seems to be at the right place at the right time or from some peoples’ point of view at the wrong place at the wrong time. This was another well written engrossing read with red herrings in abundance, strong characters with plenty of depth added to my enjoyment. I also love how I’m getting to know quite a few of the villagers. Viv’s cakes make my mouth water, I even like gossip Moira & there’s Robin who we are gradually getting to know. I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is the third book in the Eve Mallow mystery series, and they just keep getting better. It is a classic cozy, complete with a charming English village, an amateur detective, a best friend along with some other recurring secondary characters, and a possible romantic interest. While all those elements are often found in cozy mysteries, there is enough about the actions and area that is interesting to make this an enjoyable series and this book is no exception. Having read the series in order, as each book has been readied for publication, I have had the opportunity to experience the growth of Eve’s relationship with others as well as increase my understanding of who she is and how she got to this point in her life. For new readers, while each book stands alone, I believe they will enjoy it most if they read them in order so they are involved in the progression of Eve’s life in the village.
Eve is a 40-something divorced woman with two grown children who has relocated from London to the small village of Saxford St. Peter in England. She writes in-depth obituaries for a magazine on a free-lance basis, and supplements her income by working for her friend Viv in her bakery/cafe. In all three books to date, Eve has been tasked with writing an obituary for a murder victim. Her quest for information regarding the individual fires her curiosity and she winds up as interested in finding the murderer as she is in completing the obit. This puts her at odds with the detective typically assigned to the cases, DI Palmer.
Eve does receive help from Robin, a man everyone in the village thinks is a gardener although Eve knows different. Eve learned shortly after moving to the village that he used to be a detective inspector with the police but has moved to the area and is keeping his true identity secret. In this book she learns more about why he is living under an assumed name and what drove him away from the police department. The only other people in the area who know Robin’s true identity are the vicar and a police constable who serves as a police contact and occasionally feeds Robin information which he often passes on to Eve.
In this novel, the murder victim is Verity, and adventuress who pursues a career as a diver exploring underwater caves. There are multiple suspects including the family of her fiance, who are the resident gentry and who feels Verity is too common for their son. Other suspects include the estate manager, Tilly; her mother, Ivy; and the medic she dives with Pete. Eve sets about to research Verity’s life in part to write the obituary and in part because she wants to solve the murder. She is warned by the current detective, DI Palmer, to stay out of the murder as he doesn’t appreciate her interference and has threatened to put her in jail if he discovers she is going beyond typical research for the obit.
There are several murders which take place and they all seem logical when the case is finally solved. The pacing is good and it is an easy book to read, while at the same time it can be interrupted for other activities without losing track of what is happening and who is involved. SPOILER ALERT (SLIGHT): My one complaint with the book is that Eve again puts herself in harm’s way at the end of the book and has to be rescued. This is a ploy that is somewhat overused in cozy mysteries in my opinion.
My thanks to Bookoutour and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A British cozy mystery that was anything but cozy. The plot was very involved and kept you guessing and reassessing all the way through. I love that it presented a look into the class system and how some of the landed gentry think and how they try to cope with keeping up appearances. Eve is a very entertaining investigator and I love that she keeps us informed as to what avenues she’s pursuing for leads. Gus, the dog, is a great character himself and he is perfectly British being a man of few words, stiff upper lip and all of that. The village and surrounding countryside is a very good character too. And of course, you can’t have a cozy without a whole heap of interesting townsfolk too. Really enjoyed this and will be looking forward to reading more by Ms. Chase.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.