Eight years ago Felicia Grant left her home and the family’s auction house in Stamford and moved with her son to London. Now she has been called home because her father has broken his leg and there is no one else to preside over the Saturday auction. intending to stay only until the auction is completed, Felicia doesn’t plan on a body tumbling out of an old cupboard that was a last-minute addition. If that isn’t enough, her wayward ex-husband appears at the same moment and Felicia finds herself spending more time in Stamford than she anticipated.

Death at the Auction is the first book in a new series. While most cozy mysteries seem to follow a prescribed formula, this book was a very pleasant surprise. Not only is there a lot of well-written character development, there are many descriptions of the picturesque village of Stamford (now on my must-visit list) as well as a well-devised plot. There is a bit of a swing into missing treasure that I found distracting and not particularly germane to the plot but fortunately it was minor. Meanwhile, there was also some interesting and informative tidbits about the world of auctions that I found to be nice addition to the story.

All in all, I enjoyed Ms Bateman’s book and give it 3.5 stars. I’m looking forward to the next installment.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Death at the Auction by E. C. Bateman was a tough book to stay engaged in, although it is the kind of book I usually love. It was a terrific story with interesting characters. I think there was, maybe, too much description in it, making in tougher than it should have been. There were also characters that were not developed enough although they appeared to be meant to be major characters. It was not short of misdirection, for sure. And the setting was certainly unique: an auction house in a small town in England.

Felicia Grant had been called home to Stamford that morning from her apartment in London, where she worked at an art gallery. Her father had fallen and broken his leg. He would be fine, but someone had to run the auction the next day and since she had done it for years, she seemed like the ideal candidate. She had brought her twelve year-old son, Algernon, with her. He had been there many times to visit his grandfather so he was happy with the prospect. Not so Felicia. By the end of the auction, her ex-husband, Dexter showed up, too, for no good reason Fliss could see. Also, in an old wardrobe there appeared to be a dead body. It was a rival auctioneer, a man named Chase. Then the next day, she and Dexter went to see the owner of the wardrobe and they found him dead, as well. Fliss didn’t really fancy herself a detective, but she did have a way of coming upon information and recognizing it’s importance. She developed quite a friendship with Detective Pettifer as they were investigating. There were plenty of other interesting characters, too. And situations. And red herrings. Entertaining, if difficult to get through.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Death at the Auction by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HarperCollinsUKOneMoreChapter #ECBateman #DeathAtTheAuction

Enjoyable easy going whodunnit in a beautiful English town. The descriptions of the town were lovely!! Characters well depicted and very entertaining!
Felicia Grant had driven home to Stamford to take the auction in a spring Saturday for her dad. Her life is now in London, but going home reminds her her where she has come from, but once there is a murder at the auction rooms, everything changes, and there is a lot more going on than she thought for a sleepy country town.
Enjoyable, easy to read, entertaining, but probably not original, more Midsomer murders ….
Thank you NetGalley for the early read.

A whodunnit set in historic Stamford, England, a charming town where murder doesn't happen.... Well maybe not!

Felicia Grant returns to her home town and family business after a falling out with her father. And speaking of falling out, well that is exactly what a dead body does at the auction. Falling out of a Jacobean cupboard which is up for auction, this causes quite the stir and of course a bit of investigation by Felicia.

This is a wonderful cosy mystery, it is cute, has great characters, a cosy small town setting and of course a murder. It is easy to read, enjoyable and entertaining, there is excitement and even a little twist her and there. The lives of the characters also add a different element to the story which I liked.

A great read and a great start to a new series. I look forward to seeing what the next book brings.

Felicia Grant returns to her family's business in order to fill in for her father as auctioneer, but the proceedings are interrupted when a body falls out of a cupboard that was an auction item. As Felicia is drawn further into the investigation, the body count increases and Detective Pettifer races to find the murderer before someone else is killed.

I really enjoyed this first in a new series. While it's cozy by definition because the killings take place "offscreen," it's less cutesy and a little more complex than most cozies. The town of Stamford is quaint, and the characters, including Felicia's son, Algernon, and her ex-husband, a television personality, are interesting. Looking forward to reading the next in the series and hoping this title becomes available to purchase through our library vendor eventually so I can introduce it to my mystery-loving patrons!

[Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced review copy]

I enjoyed this book though it took a few twists and left some things unfinished. Not entirely sure I like the character of Dexter, but that might just be me annoyed at people who dress up like fake archaeologists. It makes sense to have a murder happen at an auction with all the activity and weird things that are up for sale. Some things were left unfinished, but the cliffhanger at the end of the final chapter makes a lot more sense now. Hopefully they will be wrapped up in the next book.

I received a copy of this book for free, but all opinions are my own.

Death at the Auction is the first book in what I am hoping will be a long-running Cozy Mystery series.

This story follows Felicia Grant. Felicia's family owns a popular Auction House in her home village of Stamford. After a falling out with her father over the direction of the business, Felicia left the auction-life behind and moved to London, along with her son, Algernon.

When Felicia gets an early-morning call from her best friend, Cassie, back in Stamford, she knows it can't be good news and it's not. Her father has had a fall. He's okay, but pretty banged up and he'll be unable to auctioneer at the auction set for that very day. Felicia is the only one with the knowledge and expertise to successfully fill in. There's a lot on the line; a lot of money they can't afford to lose.

Can she come right away?

Felicia agrees, packs Algie and off they go. She's full of competing emotions as she heads to Stamford. It's been a while. There's estranged relationships to consider. Additionally, she's been out of the business for quite some time. Will her auctioneering skills have suffered?

Once the auction begins, Felicia slips into her old role with ease. It's actually nice to see so many familiar faces and the buzz of the sale is contagious. All is going swimmingly right up until the final lot. As it is open for bids, Felicia's exuberant ex-husband Dexter bursts in, interrupting the entire process and then a body falls out of a large antique cupboard set at the back of the room. The very dead body of one of her Dad's greatest rivals.

As investigators begin to look into the crime, Felicia, Dexter and a whole-host of locals find themselves as suspects. Felicia, unable to leave well-enough alone, decides to do a little digging of her own. She's determined to clear her name and lift the cloud from over the auction house.

Death at the Auction was a ton of fun. I loved the setting and the characters. It's definitely a great start to a new series. I can't wait to get to know them more. Felicia was so great as a main. She's extremely likable and I found her feelings and motivations easy to understand and relate to. The other characters were interesting as well.

Dexter, her ex, is quite the minx, adding a bit of humor to the story. Their son is sweet, precocious and wise beyond his years. There's also Detective Pettifer, the intrepid investigator trying to get to the bottom of this mess. One of the highlights for me was the relationship that develops between Felicia and Pettifer. He seems to take a bit of a shine to her and the two interact fairly frequently over the course of the investigation.

There's definitely a budding friendship and I could totally see him consulting her on future cases. I loved their back-and-forth and the trust that started to build between them.

I also really enjoyed Felicia's relationships with all of her family members. Her son is such a sweetheart. He's very quiet, yet inquisitive. He sort of does what he likes, but I feel like it's because Felicia has the confidence in him to give him a bit of independence. Dexter and Felicia also have great banter and it was fun watching her interact with her grumpy Dad after such a long time. I want more!

Some of the extraneous variables of the mystery I found a little hard to track, but overall I had so much fun with this. It's a great foundation to build many more mysteries from. I am certainly looking forward to being reunited with Felicia and friends.

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review. If you love a solid Cozy, with a fun group of characters and compelling mystery, you should absolutely give this one a shot!

A really complex storyline with multiple red herrings. A murder is committed in the midst of a busy auction and nobody witnesses anything....apart from a very precocious and very adorable young boy. I was gripped to the mist unexpected end !

Death At The Auction was a very cozy mystery novel and is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie. I adored the English countryside setting and it was a unique story line for the typical whodunnit mystery! I can’t wait to read future books from this series!

Thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter. This is a very very slower burner, but i stuck with it. The last quarter is really fast paced and page turning, just wish the rest of the book was too. The characters are good and so if this is a series I would read the next instatement to see what happens to them. Hopefully the pace will pick up in the next too.

I love cozy mysteries in fall with tea and candles they are just the perfect books for the season in my view. My favorites are British murder mysteries. This one is
set in historic Stamford, England (the pictures are lovely if you google it - which I obviously did …)
Lots of historic homes where the eponymous auction house fits right in. The author does a fabulous job at setting the scene and then a shocking death is discovered.
Cleverly plotted, humorous, with a smart and well drawn sleuth with a complicated family and a clever 12 yo son who might have been my favorite character and a great main detective, good character development. Multiple subplots that make me want to read the next book in this series right now, red herrings, and some twists kept me guessing.
While this is a cozy
mystery, it isn't a "cute" cozy, but really an intelligent
whodunnit. If you enjoy classic British murder mysteries, this one is for you. I will definitely read the next book in this new series !

Great cosy murder, and liked the characters, the scenery and the setting. I was guessing until the end. I would like to read another in the series. I’d like to see pettigrew and Felicias characters relationship develop

It was much better than I had thought at the beginning. When it gathered momentum and the author started to introduce the unexpected twists and turns I started to really enjoy it.
I liked the characters, although I thought the description of the mayor was a bit like a caricature. Also, there was one aspect of the plot in connection with the mayor that did not really go anywhere (or so I thought),
But all in all this novel gave me some very enjoyable hours for which I am grateful to the author. I recommend it to everyone who likes cosy mysteries.

This is an enjoyable little mystery. I was not immediately sucked into this book as I hoped I would be but nonetheless it was a good story and I will read this author in the future.

Compelling cosy mystery, that's how I would describe this book. Great first book in what will hopefully be a long series. Interesting and well written characters in a village setting, perfect. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy.

When an accident forces Felicia Grant back to her family’s auction house in Stamford, she vows it’ll only be a flying visit. But as the gavel falls on the final lot, a hidden secret is revealed—the body of her father’s business rival, murdered during the packed sale. Soon, Felicia is swept into a mystery that has everyone in the community as a potential suspect herself included. As the body count rises and with the people she loves under threat, Felicia takes matters into her own hands. But even the most picturesque place has its secrets
A new author & a new series. A very enjoyable read with strong characters & a well paced story. I really liked Felicia. I was drawn in from the start & engrossed all the way through. There were twists, turns & red herrings before all was revealed. I look forward to more in the series & it seems I may have found another must read author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The first in the Stamford Mysteries Series and a quaint cozy mystery set in Stamford in Lincolnshire. Well written this has got a great plot with so many twists and turns, and lots of suspects, it was very hard to guess who the killer was. The rather inappropriately named Inspector Heavenly was an interesting character as was Sergeant Pettifer, who gave Felicity rather more leeway than a member of the public should enjoy! But my favourite character was 12 years old Algernon.

Briefly, Felicia Grant has returned from London to hold an auction on behalf of her Dad who has had an accident. However the auction is curtailed when a body is found in one of the auction lots. When more bodies are found, and long hidden secrets are revealed, and with everyone a suspect, including Felicia, she decides to investigate.

The relationships between Felicia and her son Algernon and the local Detective Sergeant Pettifer are so well scripted and make the whole story a joy to read. A cosy and delightful crime novel, very enjoyable read.

Death at the Auction is a great who did it book. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Felicity has to go back to her hometown as her father has fallen. He is the local auctioneer and Felicity has to work at the next auction. The auction house gets a last minute sale and when a body falls out of it, everyone wonders who is the murderer.

Enjoyed reading this book, I enjoyed Felicity digging about doing her own detective work. Loved the setting being in an auction house and learning more about the workings of one.

A good mystery novel. 4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy for an honest review.

Modern, cozy mysteries are not my usual genre of choice, but I keep trying to find some additional authors who write in the cozy category whose work I would really like to read. This story has the frantic and dramatic format that isn't my favorite. (Could you really drop a plate of cookies and have one bounce into someone's hair and her not know about it? I think not.) It also has a young child who is involved in the murders because his mother is investigating them, and I will always avoid those books if I know a child is featured in the book. I didn't see anything that warned me of that situation when I requested this book. The main character in this story almost completely took over the investigations from the police and, with the exception of blowing his top once in a while, the police investigator seemed to be just fine with her interference. I believe that would be even more than three strikes, so this was simply "okay" for me but not actually recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an e-galley of this novel.

Thank you NetGalley, E. C. Bateman and HarperCollins UK for the ARC of
Death at the Auction. This is my personal review.
I enjoy a mystery that keeps me guessing.
Felicia is going back to the auction house after her father breaks his leg and can’t work right now. Never ever did she imagine that the first auction she is going to be doing has a surprise she never saw coming. The very final lot of the day shocks everyone when the body of a rival of her father’s is found.
The mystery has a lot of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end.
All the characters and the location all fit together perfectly