With thanks to Bookouture for my stop on the Books-On-Tour!
Detangling the plot:
A winding path leads past the beautiful begonias to an overhanging oak tree. But underneath, a deadly secret is hiding…
Beth Haldane cradles a warm cup of tea and admires the view of crisp, red autumn leaves scattering the lawn of her little garden. But the peace and quiet is interrupted when her loyal pet pooch sniffs out something suspicious. At the bottom of a freshly-dug hole is a bone: and it looks worryingly human.
Even for a mystery-loving amateur sleuth like Beth, the discovery of a body beneath her own lawn is a little too close for comfort. But when the police insist that she must know something about the remains, digging up the truth herself is Beth’s only option.
With gossip flying all around Dulwich Village, Beth has her work cut out to find the culprit. Could a local cat-sitter, with keys to every home on the street, have been involved? Is her ex-actress neighbour a little too good at acting innocent? And was a whispered secret at a dinner party meant to point Beth in the right direction?
Scouring her garden for missed clues, when Beth discovers a shining silver engraved coin she’s certain it will lead to the victim’s identity. But the arrival of a threatening anonymous message sends chills down her spine… can Beth find a killer hiding in plain sight, before she’s the one pushing up daisies?
Bobs and Books honest review:
To start, I read this as a standalone and it totally worked- although I am intrigued about the previous reads after reading this one.
This starts as quite a showstopper, and I was eager to race through to work all of this out. A creepy, punchy start to the book felt suspenseful. A few too many dog scenes for me as I am scared of dogs, but if you are a dog lover then you will embrace this! Tense, dark and claustrophobic.
About the author:
Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Alice is an avid reader of crime fiction, her favourite stories are cozy crimes with a strong sense of place. When she couldn’t find a series about her beloved south London, she decided to write her own – and single mum amateur sleuth Beth Haldane was born. Alice also writes twisty psychological thrillers for HQ Digital under the name A.M. Castle. The Perfect Widow was a top selling audiobook in 2019 and The Invitation hit the top 50 on Amazon UK in 2021. Alice lives with her two children and two cats and, if she isn’t writing or reading a whodunit, she’ll be watching one on telly.
Author Social Media Links Website:https://alicecastleauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alice.castle.355 Twitter: https://twitter.com/AliceMCastle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alice_castle__/
Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/alice-castle
Out now
Thanks so much for reviewing my book, glad you enjoyed it - and sorry about the dogs! I know how you feel as my sister in law has a dog phobia too xx