The prestigious Lavender Bed and Breakfast in Chiddlinghurst, England has a rich, Tudor atmosphere, an enviously manicured lawn… And a deadly problem.A young, beautiful woman, Norah Travis, has been found murdered in one of the rooms with no witnesses and seemingly no motive. Detective Inspector Graham, a man with a singular drive, a penchant for tea, and silent demons of his own, has been … has been brought in to ferret out the perpetrator. Joining Sergeant Harris at the sprawling estate, the duo set their caps to solving a mystery that leaves them frustrated.
It’s a “whodunit” of crafty design with suspects on all sides and nothing clear cut. The proprietors, Amelia and Cliff, have jokes to share and almost nothing to hide, while their long time guest, Tim, seems shiftier. There is an ex-husband, a housekeeper, an old man, and questions galore. But who could it be? It’s a conundrum.
The Case of the Screaming Beauty is a modern murder mystery with an old fashioned feel; a story for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and CSI. Enjoy!
Interview with the Author of the Series
Q – So, what makes the Inspector David Graham series special?
A – When I set out to write these books, I wanted to create something that played like a movie in the reader’s mind. They are books with action, but also soul. They are ensemble pieces containing regular characters that are well drawn with strong personalities, humor and some tragedy. Every time we sit down to plan the books, I love to find out what the characters are going to get up to next!
The Inspector David Graham books are a great mix of genres. They sit firmly in the cozy mystery category and are set on the beautiful island of Jersey in the English Channel between Britain and France. They feature a British detective who is part-Sherlock Holmes, part-Poirot, and, of course, uniquely himself.
Q – In what order should I read the books?
A – The Inspector David Graham cozy mysteries can be read, and enjoyed, in any order. The Case of the Screaming Beauty is a prequel to the other books in the series and is set on the mainland. All the books are complete mysteries.
The events in this prequel take place a few weeks before The Case of the Hidden Flame, the first book in the Inspector David Graham series of cozy mysteries.
If you do want to read them in order, I’d suggest the following sequence:
– The Case of the Screaming Beauty (prequel)
– The Case of the Hidden Flame
– The Case of the Fallen Hero
– The Case of the Broken Doll
Q – Why should readers give these books a try?
A – Because the Inspector Graham series is a gentle, but colorful romp through the wealthy but isolated English island, a place that is picturesque and peaceful but one filled with amoral and snobbish eccentrics with all kinds of vices.
Graham is a complex character who is intriguing from the get-go and yet evolves throughout the series while his sidekicks are worthy, interesting characters in their own right.
Ultimately, readers who enjoy gentle pacing with a plot that twists and turns, features much fun, drama, quintessential British-ness, and, of course, small town murder all the way to the end will get a kick out of this series.
– Cozy Mysteries
– Mystery Series
– British Detectives
– Small Town Mysteries
– Traditional British
– International Mystery and Crime
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The Lavender Bed and Breakfast in Chiddlinghurst, England has a rich, Tudor atmosphere. A young beautiful woman, Norah Travis, has been found murdered in one of the rooms with no witnesses and seemingly no motive. Detective Inspector Graham, a man with a penchant for tea, and silent demons of his own, has been brought in to ferret out the perpetrator with the help of Sergeant Harris.
This is like an old fashion who done it and a nice short cozy mystery.
The Case of the Screaming Beauty by Alison Golden was a well written British detective mystery with great characters, a lovely little hotel with beautiful gardens, and a surprise ending. There was no shortage of suspects in the murder of a beautiful woman. This book was the introduction to Police Inspector David Graham, who is immediately likable. I highly recommend.
I’m off to start the next mystery.
I really enjoyed this mystery. This is the second book in this series I have read. I read book #2 first. This book is written such that in the story’s timeline it is first, but I found no problem with reading them out of sequence. I enjoy the way Alison Golden develops the characters. I also have enjoyed the setting which is on the Island of Jersey.
This is a fun book with the bantering of the married couple, and Inspector Graham is solid. A great book, not overly heavy, interesting characters and tricky plot.
This is a wonderful cozy mystery. Good plot, good sleuthing, good characters, and excellent dialogue.
Who done it, was a surprise fun read
Amelia and Cliff run the Lavender Bed and Breakfast. Amelia enjoys the security of the business and Cliff longs for retirement. Their lives and livelihood change when one of their guests is found murdered in her room. DI Graham is on the case and works to track down the killer. There are no clear suspects, but plenty of ideas based on the conjecture of the B&B employees.
This is the first book in the Inspector David Graham series. I found this book to be interesting. The plot presents a bit differently than the cozy mysteries I usually read. The characters are interesting, though developed a bit slowly. Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book.
Great mystery. Wonderful characters. Unpredicted solution.
While DI Graham’s backstory makes him more human, it doesn’t add anything to this story.
Based on “The Inspector Graham Mysteries: Books 1-4 (The Inspector David Graham Series Boxset Book 1)” borrowed via Kindle Unlimited on November 16, 2018.
I am in shock! This story took a turn so far from where I thought it was going that I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it. I have read two Inspector Graham stories and I really like them. Very unpredictable outcomes and memorable characters make Ms. Golden a great author.
The Case Of The Screaming Beauty – Book 1
Some of the stories that I grew up reading were well-written British police procedurals and many of Agatha Christie’s mysteries. After all these years, I was hoping for that level of enjoyment with this story. I was not disappointed in the least. This story is a combination of police procedural with a good who-done-it component – it definitely keeps you guessing to the end as to who the murderer actually is.
And while the author states at the beginning of the book and in the sales description that this is a prequel to the rest of the series, this is not a super short story like some would have done. The author has provided us a complete story that had me sighing in satisfaction at the end.
Shortly after, I happened to snag a copy of the second book while it was free. The enjoyment of that one combined with this story led me to buy each of the later books in the series – a series that just gets better in my opinion with each new story.
I actually received a copy of this book when I signed up for the author’s newsletter (all newsletter recipients receive three stories, which are the first in each of the series that the author writes). I read it last year and thought that I had posted a review then, but am just now finally posting it – probably because I always want to race to the next book instead of writing up a review for a book that I enjoyed. ~grin~ I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Great beginning for Inspector Graham. I love this style of writing and the locale of the small villages. It is very entertaining and keeps me reading to see what happens to all of the characters. Looking forward to reading more of this series.
I have recently discovered Alison Golden and her three series of books. My favorite are the David Graham mysteries. In this one, a “prequel”, our hero solves the murder of a guest at a B&B. The solution is mostly satisfying, but the Read is, as always, a pleasure. Spending time with these characters, who don’t use unpleasant language, don’t succumb to graphic sexual encounters and although it’s a murder, we aren’t shown the violence. Ms. Golden is an author worth following!
The Case of the Screaming Beauty by Alison Golden is a quick enjoyable read. This book takes place in a small town in England. When the proprietors of a lovely bed and breakfast found out one of their guest have been murder in her bedroom they quickly call the police. Detective Inspector Graham reports for duty all the while trying to drown his own demons though throwing himself into his job. With Police Sergeant Harris and the Medical Examiner’s office helping out with the investigation DI Graham is able to find the murder weapon and the motive which lead to a surprising culprit. This is a lovely story with a few surprises along the way. If you like a British cozy in the style of Poirot you will enjoy this book.