I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Date with Evil, the eighth novel to feature Samson O’Brien and Delilah Metcalfe of the Dales Detective Agency, set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Buncliffe.

Samson is in London helping the Met, so Delilah is left to run the agency with newly minted detective Ida Capstick. With missing washing, produce thefts and inheritance investigations among others they have little time to spare when Mrs Lister visits and insists that her estate agent son, Stuart, is not backpacking abroad and is missing. Delilah is glad to see Samson return, before she gets totally overwhelmed, and all the cases collide into something sinister.

I have not read this series before and what an omission that has turned out to be. I thoroughly enjoyed Date with Evil, which is an amusing cosy with a sharp edge that doesn’t shy away from the worst in human nature.

The plot is fun. It could be called outrageously over the top with all sorts of shenanigans, including murder, kidnapping and fire bombs, but that is just the tip of the iceberg and that’s the point, so much action and crime in a small town. It is an entertaining read with never a dull moment. It held my attention throughout.

To make the read more interesting the author has a fine line in humour and badinage. The dialogue is funny, notably on the subject of the fledgling romance between Delilah and Samson, where everyone has an opinion and isn’t afraid to voice it, to much squirming and embarrassment from the recipients. It’s a small town so nothing is secret and everything is fair game for comment, except, obviously, for the identity of the person behind this latest mayhem. I say latest because much reference is made to previous mayhem, which I assume was covered in earlier novels. This works as a stand-alone but I think familiarity with past events would have added to my enjoyment.

There is a warmth and friendship between the characters that adds to the reading experience. Everyone is ready to help in their own way and it seems very natural. The obvious exception is the perpetrator, who is, in melodramatic fashion, particularly evil and sociopathic. The reader knows who it is as the novel is told from various points of view, but they don’t know the lengths he will go to or why.

Date with Evil is a fun read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This series never fails to disappoint and I'm in awe how the author manages to gather all the complex subplots running through the series to a fabulous conclusion.
The banter and love between the community and depth of characterisation continues in this novel as it delves deeper into the murky side of the Yorkshire town.
Deliah and Samson have to be the most perfect crime busting duo making this a joy to read.

This latest book in the brilliant series does not disappoint! Julia Chapman’s writing goes from strength to strength. The many strands of various crimes and misdemeanours come together in a magnificent fast paced, well plotted tale. I can’t wait for book number 9!

Samson O’Brien is away helping his former Met colleagues on a case and Delilah Metcalf is rushed off her feet trying to keep the Dales Detective Agency and the Dales Dating Agency going. Both businesses are busy and, despite help from Ida Capstick, she is struggling.
Luckily Samson soon returns, just as a local mother asks him to investigate her missing son.
As ever nothing is straight forward and what seems a simple case quickly becomes far more complex than he could ever have imagined. It will expose long held secrets and put lives in danger.
This is fast paced, twisty and full of Yorkshire heart and wit. Set in one of the most beautiful places in the country what more could you want.
These Bruncliffe books warm my heart. Samson, Delilah, Ida, all the characters are well created, with interesting stories. The crimes are intriguing. They have it all and are one of my favourite reads.

I never get tired of this great cosy crime series. Julia successfully manages to keep the stories and characters fresh in each new book. While there are the expected small rural town stereotypes, each characters' background is gradually developed in each book which makes the reader really feel they know the people in the stories and be much more emotionally involved with what happens to them.

I thoroughly enjoy every new book and highly recommend this series if you are looking for something light and fun but with an unexpected depth. I personally think need to read them in order to get the most out of the stories.

This was a great read and is definitely cosy crime with a very hard centre. All of the elements of a standard cosy crime novel are present in this latest instalment of the Dales Detective. We have a close knit community with a colourful cast of supporting characters who stay just the right side of stereotypes, there is the local coffee shop where gossip is exchanged and the amateur detective who is struggling to keep her agency going. However, although the crimes initially seem minor, we soon find that something very serious is going on in the Dales and the book has some very dark scenes.

I love the way that the author weaves all of the different strands together to create a multi-layered mystery that covers some very serious issues. Delilah and Samson are both likeable protagonists and I enjoyed the inclusion of Nina and Delilah’s nephew Nathan in the detective agency. My favourite character is still Ida though. She initially seems a bit of a caricature but rapidly becomes a character that you care about. The combat trousers are a great touch.

This is the eighth book in the Dales Detective series and follows almost directly on after the events of the previous book. I think that it would be quite difficult to enjoy this one without having read the previous books in the series.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan, for my ARC.

Detectives In More Hot Water....
The eighth in the Dales Detective series and the detectives find themselves in more hot water with a case that turns more and more complex - is there an organised network of evil at work in the vicinity of Bruncliffe? It’s odd, but the agency is certainly swamped with cases. All will come to a head and perhaps put the agency staff themselves in the utmost danger. With likeable protagonists, a colourful and engaging cast of supporting characters and a firm sense of place, this series as a whole is most enjoyable and each book provides a good dose of escapism

This feels like rough edge cosy crime. Yes, it’s set in a picturesque village. Yes, there’s a tea shop selling delicious cakes and tarts. But the crimes that find their way to Bruncliffe are definitely not cosy. In the eight outing for Delilah Metcalfe and Samson O’Brien, the detectives cannot predict how several of their cases are about to collide, at a time when the latter has a big decision to make, and the former is struggling with two businesses. A missing adult son, missing washing and missing food are just part of what goes on in this novel, as well as the overriding sense of evil and panic that readers will have felt since the series beginning. This network will stop at nothing to get their own way, not worrying who gets in their way – after all, everyone is expendable, right? And ok, yes, there’s a smidgeon of romance through too, for those who love a love story.

The Dales Detective Agency is snowed under with a bewildering array of seemingly random, unconnected cases.

But are they? Surely there can't be a connection between stolen washing and a missing estate agent?

What on earth is going on?