Member Reviews
3.5 stars. This is a quick and fun cozy mystery. The main character, Daphne, is a wedding officiant. When the groom dies minutes after the ceremony, she brings her amateur sleuth game to figure out who killed him and becomes embroiled in a generations-old family feud in the process. I enjoyed the Australian small town setting and the RV life that Daphne and her husband are enjoying in their retirement-both gave the story a memorable spin.
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook.
I was able to find the audio version through my local library.
I always like a good cozy murder mystery. But this one I just didn't feel. I really did try thinking it would get better but I don't know I felt like this was a rough draft of a novel or written by a teenager. I found the main character very annoying and just the whole plot was over the top unrealistic.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I have read historical fiction by this author but this is the first of her cosy mysteries for me. This is the first book in the series but the series is a spin-off from another so there are quite a few references to previous events and other characters which were explained. The mystery had a few twists and I liked the characterisation with an older female and her husband. However, Daphne was not particularly to my liking with tears never very far away and a bit of an inferiority complex about her physical appearance - rather too 'tender' for me, I prefer stronger characters. However, I'm sure this middle of the road novel is likely to be enjoyed by readers who like short and quirky cosy mysteries.
I really loved this book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end
A good quirky read. Everything you'd expect from a murder mystery, plot worked well and overall an enjoyable read.
As someone who loves mystery and whodonnits this book was amazing. I was on my toes the whole story wondering who done it. I really liked the characters. Having not read other works by this author, I was able to come in and feel immersed in the world. I will now be going back and reading other works that include these characters. I was fully immersed into this world without having previously read other books with these characters so I think it is a good standalone story, but I love when stories connect subtly. I would highly recommend this as it wasn't too gory and had a really good storyline. Some mystery and whodonnits can be overdone such as the police consultant who partners with a police or fbi guy, but this was a new angle. I had never heard of celebrant before. I never realized all the work that goes into being a celebrant.
Princess Fuzzypants here: Daph and her husband John travel around southern Australia in a caravan named Bluebell. In a post retirement career, she is a celebrant and she is in town to officiate at a wedding. But from the moment she arrives, she wishes she had not accepted the job. The two families make the Hatfield and McCoys look like pikers and things go from verbal snipes to murder. These are not nice people and while John would like to depart quickly, Daph gets more deeply involved in the feud between the families.
She is asked to celebrate the life of the deceased- twice- but when the news of the murder gets out, her nascent business might be threatened. Even though she was not a suspect, future clients cancelled. If she does not help uncover the killer, she may have no business left.
She does work compatibly with the local police who find the information she shares and her observations helpful. But even when Daoh and the police discover the guilty parties, there is still one element they missed. I do confess I suspected it but there were still bits that caught me by surprise, as they did Daph.
I did like Daph and John. They are a sweet older couple who love and support each other. They are amiable and endearing characters and I suspect there could be further adventures as they ride the roads with Bluebell. Five purrs and two paws up.
Till Daph Do Us Part is a good start to the series. I loved the writing and the murder mystery kept me guessing till the end. Having said that, the main character, Daphne, was not up to my liking. I did not understand her obsession to solve crimes. At times, she was (emotionally) hurt by the suspects and John had to come to her rescue - this happened a lot many times and I would have loved to see Daphne a tad stronger than this.
The mystery behind the murder was really interesting. Family feud, resentful relatives and a black widow - quite a long list of suspects but nobody wants Daphne to poke her nose where it does not belong.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I might not have liked the main character but I loved the mystery.
Till Daph Do Us Part by Phillipa Nefri Clark is the beginning of the Daphne Jones Mysteries. Daphne Jones and her husband, John are traveling in their caravan, Bluebell to Daphne’s next gig. Daphne is enjoying her new career as a celebrant (she marries people as well as officiates at funerals). The couple arrive in Little Bridges to marry Lisa Brooker and Steve Tanning at the Brooker residence. Not long after the I Do’s, the groom is found floating facedown in the pool. Daphne believes it is murder, but the police will need to wait for the coroner’s report. Daphne soon learns that this is Lisa’s third wedding, and all the grooms were from the Tanning family. She also discovers that the two families have been feuding for a couple of generations. Daphne convinces her husband to stay in town so she can do a little sleuthing. Till Daph Do Us Part is not a long book, but it felt like it. The pacing was slow (helpful for an insomniac like me). We are given little background information on Daphne and John Jones. I wish the author had taken the time to introduce our characters. I did discover that they appeared in a different series by this author. While we are told the town, we are not told what country. I only knew because of an author’s note at the beginning. Later there is a reference to Melbourne. While Daphne likes to help people and sleuth, her seemingly perfect husband likes to fish. John is happy to drive the car with the caravan attached, set up the campsite (took him over an hour because he likes it just so), drop off Daphne at her events, prepare dinner, open doors, and, of course, fish. John and Daphne were high school sweethearts who married after graduation. John has retired as a realtor and Daphne has started a new career as a celebrant. She likes to brighten people’s lives. If there happens to be a mystery along the way, so much the better. Daphne does have an eye for detail. She keeps detailed notes and likes to pass along her findings to the local constables (who would prefer it if she spent her time knitting). The mystery was straightforward. There are several suspects, a couple of red herrings, and good clues. I found this mystery a cinch to solve (early in the book). I appreciated the twist at the end that might or might not surprise some readers. I liked that there were a couple of incidents along the way that added to the mystery (did not help the pacing though). John helped Daphne with the whodunit. His new hobby is genealogy, and he was able to provide some helpful information. There is a good wrap up at the end that answers all the lingering questions. Till Daph Do Us Part is okay, but it is not my type of cozy mystery. I do want to let you know that words are not spelled as they are in America (British/Australian spelling). I enjoyed the descriptions of Bluebell, Daphne and John’s renovated caravan. It sounded like a cozy caravan (aka travel trailer). Till Daph Do Us Part is an upbeat whodunit with burdensome bride, a blotto bridegroom, a murdered mate, feuding families, a cozy caravan, and a curious celebrant sleuth.
Daphne Jones is a travelling celebrant. This book, the first in a new series by the author, sees her visiting the town of Little Bridges to host a marriage. When a member of the bridal party is found dead, Daphne finds herself caught up in solving the murder. Can she help the local police and do so without getting herself into trouble along the way?
I found the main character and her husband John a bit annoying if I'm honest, their relationship was too perfect and sickly sweet. I did however like the way he seemed to be her researcher, with his technology obsession, his information was certainly useful to Daph! The author also says she enjoys writing books set in Australia, but until I read a reference to Melbourne I genuinely thought it was a US set book.
On the whole, a perfectly readable cosy mystery.
NetGalley ARC Educator 550974
Daphne is a sweetheart, married to the love of her life, John. This romance and sleuthing book won't appeal to everyone. It's a one sitting read and the first in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and all for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. Mainly, I found her list of suspects to include anyone that wasn't happy about the union.. and the waiter. Also, it seemed that there were a lot of insults in this about her age and weight that put me off but then also she was super sensitive to this as well. And the relationship between her and her husband was overly sweet.
The writing was easy to get swept up in and this would be great for cozy mystery readers, which I am, but this was just too cozy (is that a thing?) for me.
This was a delightful cozy mystery. It featured Daphne Jones, an amateur sleuth and wedding celebrant. It was a thoroughly engaging mystery. I look forward to reading more Daphne Jones mysteries. I highly recommend this book to other cozy mystery readers.
Daph and John JONES are a very sweet and loving couple. Daph has some personal insecurity issues, but John thinks she's perfect. We know this and that they are JONESES because we are told many times. A few other issues I had was a vandalizing character with no real reason given for what the individual did and the big old fashioned denouement at the end ala Death In Paradise where Daphne spells out all the motivation for the characters to have done the deed then eliminated them until she gets to the really culprit. It's fine, just old fashioned, a bit like the show Death in Paradise despite it being a contemporary production.
The author does sprinkle in some background info. on the couple but doesn't develop them. Apparently, this isn't their first go around solving a crime. As the first book in the series, I wondered why we didn't start there. A nugget was dropped about a mysterious person Daphne would like to see again. That's it. Why? I'm thinking said potential character might pop up in a future book, but would the average reader remember the reference in a year or more time? It just frustrated me.
It would have been nice to have a bit more detail that would more firmly place us there after the warning that the story was set in Australia and that Aussie/Brtitish English was used. It truly could have taken place in any English speaking country for the lack of detail.
It was a clean, easy read.
An amazing book. Kept me on my toes at all times. The relationship between Daphne and John was the sweetest. They made me hate and love just the right characters till the end. As a healthy woman, I have also been on the other side of those weight jabs from strangers and near dear people, but love how Daphne handled it. And John's support for it. The story was a little slow sometimes but it kept up with its intrigue the entire time! Would definitely suggest people to read this book if they are/were fans of Nancy Drew, Hardy boys etc. Loved it.
This book took me longer to read than it should have. It's also a book I wanted to love and just didn't. This is the first book in a new series and features Daph, an Australian traveling celebrant, and her husband John. I just couldn't get invested in their characters. Daph is really quite the busybody and John comes across as too perfect to be true.
There's a lot that I like about this book, including the main character of a traveling celebrant of weddings and funerals who travels the British countryside with her husband. The plot of the mystery works fine, and the resolution is satisfying overall. The one bit I can't really get past is Daphne's "perfect" husband, John. For me, he comes across as condescending and patronizing. I have a wonderful, supportive husband who does many gentlemanly things like opening doors for me, etc. And I like that. But John's thoughts (His girl was happy and he found himself grinning...He had to grin. Her mind was ticking over and who was he to stand in her way? If there was one thing he knew about Daphne Agatha Jones, it was that she didn't give up..."That's my girl. You did good.") made me kind of want to slap him. I'd read more in this series if John could could be just a bit less "perfect." He's a cardboard character right now, and an annoying one, at that.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I tried a few times with this book but I just didn't like the main character Daphne. And her obsequious husband.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance read.
I loved getting to know Daphne. She has such a wonderful and warm heart. Clues led her to three murderers. Kept guessing until the last minute. Looking forward to reading the next sequel.
Daphne had a peculiar feeling in her gut from the moment she arrived at the Brooker residence, and it wasn’t from her hurried lunch.
Daphne Jones adores her new career as a travelling celebrant, visiting a different small town every week to marry happy couples or help with sad goodbyes.
But it isn’t supposed to be both at the same time!
When a member of a bridal party ends up face down in a swimming pool, Daphne embraces her inner sleuth, believing this death was no accident.
Amid old family feuds, resentful relatives, and missing funds, there are plenty of suspects, and none of them appreciates Daphne snooping in their business. One wants her out of town, one wants her reputation destroyed, but with a heart of gold and a way with words, this celebrant sleuth is not giving up. Unless the killer finds her first...
This book needs to be on your radar! I love it so much!