This wasn't my favorite in the series but it is always nice to visit with Alex in the Cotswolds. It's a little more convoluted than complex, Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Trap Lane

by Stella Cameron

I’m disappointed. I was sure that Trap Lane by Stella Cameron would be another puzzling, exciting mystery in the Alex Duggins Series. It was indeed puzzling all the way through. I felt like I was missing the backstory, but that was not the case. In fact the characters, including the investigators and the reader are clueless all the way through. Even at the conclusion of the tale, not all of the ends are tied up; and the status of most of the characters (those who are not dead, of course) is unknown.

Setting, mood, and dialogue are all well executed, but the characters fumble around trying to protect each other from various unknown dangers. Secrets obviously abound, but they are vague enough to be uncompelling. The characters don’t seem to understand “obstruction of justice” to the point that they obfuscate the many murder investigations with the end result being more harm than good to those they are trying to protect.

The main characters, Alex and Tony, are likable, but I wished I could alternately shake them into reality or plop them in a new setting. The elderly sisters who run a tea shop have the potential to be interesting characters, but serve more as background. Annie, who is supposed to garner sympathy, is never fully explained and appears a wimp. I like her even less than the stereotyped villainess Neve. Even the thread of the forensic pathologist could have been developed to be interesting. Instead, her potential problems and relationships are mentioned and dropped.

Although disappointed, I will continue to read the Alex Duggins Series, hopeful that the next book will restore my confidence in this series.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Severn House for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #6 in the Alex Duggins Series

Publication: October 1, 2019—Severn House

Memorable Lines:

Accepting that there was nothing she could do to change whatever inner battles he was fighting did nothing to soothe her jumpiness.

So true that love and hate are close neighbors.

What Alex felt for him wasn’t pity, it was closer to grief for the loss of his youthful optimism.

Past Secrets....
Book six in the Alex Duggins series of mysteries and a welcome return to the Cotswold village and it's inhabitants. The landlord of The Black Dog public house finds past secrets returning to haunt him when unexpected arrivals in the village prompt gossip and when a body is discovered nearby Alex herself is pulled into a tense situation. An enjoyable entry in the series.

Alex Duggins, owner of The Black Dog, is back for another romp through the quaint village where she and her boyfriend, Tony reside.

Hugh Rhys, her manager, is caught up in something that makes him furious ...... two women from his past show up. When one of those women disappear, he becomes a suspect. When another body is found, he becomes the prime suspect.

Alex and Tony are determined to prove his innocence, but how much information will they keep to themselves and how much will they share with local law enforcement? How desperate will the killer become as Alex gets closer to the truth?

Although sixth in a series, this is easily read as a stand alone, although I highly recommend starting from the beginning. Alex and Tony, as well as the quirky residents of this picturesque village, have grown and expanded. Having started with the first, it's now like coming home to a family reunion.

TRAP LANE is a solidly written mystery. Twists and turns lead to a surprising ending.

Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this engaging mystery. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I'm happy I requested this ARC because I discovered an excellent series.
It's darker and more violent than my comfort zone but I loved it nonetheless.
The plot full of twists and turns, the fleshed out characters and the setting create a gripping and entertaining story.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

An Alex Duggins Mystery #6

Alex and her friends are back! Alex owns the popular pub, The Black Dog, with her mysterious but reliable manager, Hugh Rhys. Alex trusts Hugh completely.

But when Neve Rhys, as well as Sonia Quillam, arrives, Alex is seeing a side of Hugh she hasn't seen before. Secretive, angry and even more closed-lip than usual.

Hugh has asked Sam, the locksmith, to change all the locks at Green Friday, after the last debacle and when Sam returns to tell Hugh and Alex that the door was open and there is blood and glass everywhere, they head over to investigate.

Are they looking for a missing injured person or is this a murder with no body?

After the police find Mr. Quillam dead in a pond on Hugh's property, all eyes are on him.

Alex is torn between keeping Hugh safe and out of jail and being properly honest with the local police.

So many mysteries in this one! Bodies keep popping up and people keep disappearing and then popping up again. Everyone is keeping secrets and that is not helping Alex.

She is determined to find out what is going on and who is a killer!

This is a favorite series of mine. I was with them up until the end. Which was abrupt and confusing. I even asked a friend to read the last chapter and he kept trying to turn the Kindle page too. What was that all about?

NetGalley/Severn House October 1st, 2019 by Creme de La Crime

The latest book in the Alex Duggins series.

Hugh Rhys is an even-tempered pub manager, but the arrival of two women from his past raises his fury and threatens his reputation. A body is found in a pub near his estate and Alex Duggins and her partner Tony are soon involved in another murder investigation which leads them into danger.

This is the sixth book in the author’s Alex Duggins series, and I have read three of the first five. Hugh Rhys has been a supportive character until this book, and his relationship with Alex and Tony is developed nicely. Alex takes risks, but Tony provides a voice of reason.

Several other characters from previous books appear so I would suggest reading some or all of the first five books. This is a good, solid addition to a series I have enjoyed, although the story was a bit slow at times and the ending left me a little disappointed.

All in all, though, this is reasonable fare, but I do think that the series requires a shot in the arm.

Digger95

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Stella Cameron brings you back to Folly-on-Weir and the Black Dog Pub with Trap Lane. Hugh Rhys, manager and bartender at the Black Dog, has been a supportive character in the past books of this series. Reluctant to share his past with anyone, he has little choice now. When his cousin and his wife arrive to discuss the family’s business and a woman from his past settles uninvited into the home that he has been renovating, he assures Alex Duggin, the pub’s owner, that he can handle it. The disappearance of the woman in his home, who left bloody tracks behind, and the discovery of a body tied to Hugh’s past makes him a prime suspect in the police investigation.

Alex and Tony Harrison, a local vet, have been involved in murder investigations in the past. Neither can believe that Hugh is capable of the crime and Alex throws herself into the investigation. Through the series, her relationship with Tony has gradually progressed. While Alex takes more risks, Tony is there to provide a voice of reason. There are also a number of regulars at the pub who offer observations and gossip to assist Alex.

Stella Cameron brings back several of the characters involved in A Melody of Murder’s investigation. Enough background from this previous story is provided to familiarize the reader with these characters without having to read it. Her pub setting offers a degree of comfort and its’ patrons are welcoming. This is a series that will have you looking forward to your next visit to Folly.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for allowing me to review this book.

Hugh Rhys is the manager of the Black Dog Pub. Someone from his past shows up, a former lover who Hugh is not happy to see. Blood, broken glass are found at Hugh’s cottage and the woman is nowhere to be found. A dead body is found in a pond nearby and Hugh is acting strangely.

This book just didn’t catch me. I didn’t care about the characters and didn’t like the ending. Maybe it was because this is the 6th book in a series and I hadn’t read the previous books. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

This novel didn’t flow for me. It seemed disjointed and none of the characters showed much emotion about anything. No humor, pathos, tension or friendship that I could feel
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for giving me this arc for which I am giving an honest review

Another great Alex Duggins book. I love the interactions among all the characters. We see much more of Hugh Rhys in this book. A lot of his secrets are revealed in this book. There are surprises and twists and turns. The book seemed to end abruptly to me, leaving everything up in the air. Except for the very ending the writing is wonderful! I can’t wait for the next book!

Stella Cameron is a favorite author of mine and I love this series. Trap Lane kept me guessing to the very end. I’ve really become invested in the characters and hope there is more to come. Thanks to NetGalley and the author and her publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of Trap Lane.

Hugh Rhys’ family pays an unexpected visit to him at the Black Dog Pub and he isn’t happy to see them. He’s even unhappier to have a former lover show up in his home and her husband found floating in the pond on the property. When the wife goes missing, the police begin to look very closely at Hugh.

While Alex believes Hugh could never kill someone, she does have lots of questions and little chance to clear things up with Hugh. With so much going on and the fear of yet another body popping up, Alex and Tony are doing their best to keep their faith in Hugh and find the guilty party before they join the body count.

Another great entry in the series full of well developed characters and a few quirky and lovable ones as well. A great whodunit that keeps the answer just out of reach until the final reveal.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Alex Duggins, the owner of The Black Dog pub, and her partner Tony, are involved in the police investigation of Alex's pub manager, Hugh Rhys. Alex trusts him completely, but the visit of 2 women from Hugh's past has him perturbed and behaving strangely. When a man's body is found in a pond by Ruby's home, Hugh becomes the main suspect.
On the whole I enjoyed the book, but I could definitely have benefited from reading the previous books in the series. I was confused at times, because past events are mentioned often and I felt I was lacking information that would have clarified the story, therefore my rating is 3.5.