Do you love engaging characters, a puzzling whodunit and captivating settings? Then read on and discover the Swansneck Village Mystery Series!Readers’ Favorite 5 Star Award for the series: “A delightful cozy mystery that will satisfy the most die-hard amateur-sleuthing murder mystery fan. The essence of the novel is deliciously authentic, and I was enchanted with the genuineness of the town and … enchanted with the genuineness of the town and its inhabitants. Jenny is an exciting new sleuth similar in style and disposition to Agatha Raisin”
She was dying to read poetry—and a poem led to her death…
Having returned to her roots in the North of England, Jenny Bradshaw is settling into her new life in the Victoriana hotspot of Swansneck Village. But while checking a used handbag in her shop, Passion for Vintage Fashion, she discovers a page torn from a book of poetry, emblazoned with a murderous threat. What’s more, the previous owner of the bag, Grace Alty, is now dead…
Although the police say she died of natural causes, Jenny suspects otherwise. Especially when her Grandmother states that Grace was a close friend of Jenny’s dear departed great-uncle. But when Jenny gets accused of losing her uncle’s stamp collection, she resigns herself to many months of her grandmother’s wrath; that is, until Jenny resolves to prove her innocence. Determined to hunt down the missing stamp collection, Jenny must first unravel the mysterious circumstances of Grace’s death—and she has several prime suspects in her sights.
Between supporting her old school friend while he competes at the Founder’s Day Fete, and selling vintage fashions at the Swan Mill Hotel Antiques Fayre, Jenny resorts to desperate measures to find the killer, trace the stamps and clear her name. Not to mention having to juggle her other troubles… Like her father heading into a disastrous liaison with the village floozy, or the Clan of village matriarchs plotting to turn her into a kitten-owning spinster!
Poetic Poison is a puzzling whodunit with a cast of complex, eccentric characters you’ll want to follow. If you like mysteries from the golden era, and a plot that keeps you guessing, then you’ll love V.S. Vale’s second instalment in the Swansneck Village Mysteries. A classic series in the making!
Buy Poetic Poison and become immersed in this page turner of a cozy mystery today!
While each Swansneck Village book is a stand-alone mystery, you may prefer to read the series in order from book one, Murder Most Fowl, so you can follow the characters as they are brought to realistic and unforgettable life!
Please Note; This book is written in British English and contains no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.
Genre: culinary / hobby cozy mysteries, cozy british mysteries / women amateur sleuthmore
Murder Most Fowl was one of my favorite cozy mysteries, and I loved this one even more. The characters are getting more flushed out, which is something I love, and Swansneck Village is becoming more real. The mystery was just as amazing, and not easily solved, and the story was a quick read. This was the perfect book to pull out on a rainy Sunday, combined with a nice cup of tea and a cozy blanket.
I love this series. This story was so engrossing I read well into the night (or morning) because it was so difficult to put down. The characters are so wonderful and I could not possibly have guessed the ending. I highly recommend this cozy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a delightful second visit to Swansneck Village! I read the first book of the series a few weeks back. While you don’t have to have read the first book to understand the second–as the author does an excellent job of giving bits and pieces of backstory throughout the first part of the book–you will have a greater appreciation of the diverse cast of characters and what brought Jenny Bradshaw back to Swansneck if you do.
Jenny is well ensconced in village life now, her vintage hat store turning into a vintage clothing store. In a handbag from a box of items purchased for the store, she finds a crumpled poem with a murder threat. It turns out that the woman who owned the handbag died some months earlier. This makes Jenny question whether there was murder involved in some way.
Jenny and her grandmother sort through some of her grandfather’s things at the house she inherited from him. When Jenny first moved in, she simply boxed up her grandfather’s things to make room for her stuff. Now it appears that her grandfather’s stamp collection is missing. So now Jenny has two things to solve. Was there a foul play involved with the woman’s death? What happened to her grandfather stamps?
Along the way, Jenny gets involved in village happenings, like the Founders Day Fete. Also, it seems that a group of older ladies in town see her as a spinster now!
I enjoyed this book so much! The author has a way of drawing you in that is subtle and endearing. As someone who reads other cozies and thrillers, I enjoy the slow pace of her writing. I often get annoyed at books where the pacing is too slow, but surprisingly, I appreciate it here in a way that I don’t in other books. I particularly love the small moments of interactions between friends and family because they seem organic and realistic. For instance, before Jenny goes through her grandfather’s things with her grandmother, the two women just to talk about the past. It reminded me of discussions I’ve had with my mother as we readied old Christmas ornaments and discussed the history of how certain ones came into the family. That sort of intimate writing is rare in any genre of modern book and especially mysteries. Its unexpectedness makes it more special.
The book had some of the common issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage, and I do understand and appreciate the difference between American and British English. But some rules–like the one that should be between independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence–stand in either form of English. I actually do enjoy the use of British spelling, words, and phrases, as they lend authenticity to this tale that takes place in a small town in the north of England. I even learned a few terms that I didn’t know, like dab-hand, and I consider myself an Anglophile.
If you enjoy cozy British mysteries with a large cast of realistic and fascinating quirky characters, you will enjoy this book and the previous one in the Swansneck Village series.
Another murder in the village of Swansneck or is it? Jenny is determined to find out. With several possible culprits, the twists and turns of this story leaves you guessing till the surprising end
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.