Ah, I love this new series! Georgina is a wonderful lead character, clever and resourceful, and in this second instalment we get to see more of her appealingly forthright friend Sybbie. The mystery moves along at a cracking pace and the setting is pleasingly atmospheric. As with the first book in the series, I loved the way the story mixes police procedural with Georgina’s amateur sleuthing. Georgie’s developing relationship with detective Colin Bradshaw is a draw too. The continuing subplot focused on Doris, a ghost in Georgie’s house with a mystery of her own, is touching and involving. Can’t wait for book three!

This is the second story in what I hope will be a continuing series. The main character, Georgina Drake, is gradually rebuilding her life following the sudden death of her husband a few years earlier. She’s moved to a farm house in the rural community of Little Wenborough in Norfolk and has built up a small circle of close friends along with an evolving close relationship with DI Colin Bradshaw. The other main character is Doris, a young woman who died in the farm house 50 years earlier. This quirky relationship provides the basis for an interesting subplot with Georgina and Doris trying to discover the mystery surrounding the young woman’s death.

Georgina works as a freelance portrait photographer but agrees to help out a friend by volunteering to take some promotional landscape photos of Hartington Hall. Whilst exploring the grounds she find the body of the Lady of the manor, Karen, in the old ice house. Karen, is the second wife of the irascible owner of the hall, and in the short three years of their marriage has created plenty of enemies. Initially thought to be an accident, the autopsy reveals that she was murdered.

Georgina’s boisterous spaniel Bertie also digs up a human skeleton buried in the roots of an old tree on the estate. She now has two baffling mysteries and someone doesn’t want her investigating.

The story cleverly interlaces the historic and current day murders. The story and characters are very engaging and the descriptions of the countryside and settings are nicely described. It’s a quick read and very engaging. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

This is the second in the series and the author has really got into her stride with the characters. As one would expect from this author, the story is beautifully written, beautifully plotted and a really enjoyable read.

This is the second book in the series and I found it so easy to get into without reading the first.
The Georgina Drake mystery in sleepy little Wenborough, widow Georgina retired photographer is doing a shoot at Hartington Hall, when Posy and Hattie lead her into the old ice house in the woods on the estate,and it is unlocked nobody ever comes here, they are in for a gruesome find, it's the lady of the manor Karen covered in blood on the floor dead, Georgina since moving from London, for a quiet life this is her second murder she has seen nothing is ever dull here.
This book is sharp witty full of humour with lots of entertaining characters all rolled into the chapters.
I enjoyed every bit of it, as this is my first book from this author without a doubt I will be reading more of her work.

Georgie is off with her friend Sybbie to photograph a manor house and gardens. The house belongs to the family of Sybbie’s goddaughters and they are starting tours of the house and gardens. While Georgie is there, she visits the ice house for more photos, but unfortunately she finds a body at the bottom where the ice was kept.
A skeleton is also found buried under a tree, so Georgie now has two mysteries to unravel. Her policeman friend, she (without overstepping and interfering), manages to provide insight and clues to the first murder. With the help of Doris, her resident ghost, she is able to solve the sad tale of the older murder.
I like the characters and the setting of this novel. The pacing is just right and this cozy mystery is well-done.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

A solid cozy mystery set in Norfolk England, the second in a series featuring freelance photographer Georgina Drake, I breezed through this book on a rainy day.

Georgina finds herself embroiled in murder (again) while photographing the estate of her best friend Sybbie's goddaughters Rosie and Hattie. The victim, hilariously named Karen, was the unpopular stepmother to Rosie and Hattie. Adding to complications Georgina's dog digs up old human bones on the estate.

Both mysteries were interesting and while I had a fair inkling who the culprit was I was happily engaged in the various revelations which kept me turning the page. Georgina was also an interesting character - curious, sharp and observant. I hadn't read the first book and at the start there was an implied knowledge I hadn't realised until later, for instance Georgina is hearing impaired or that she was widowed and had kids. However, those were minor added details that had no bearing on the mystery.

Doris the ghost who can only communicate with Georgina was a surprise twist which added a lovely dash of whimsy to the book. I really enjoyed their friendship, as Georgina was also trying to help Doris discover how she died. I am certainly looking forward to book three to see how that story develops, as well as what murder Georgina stumbles onto next.

This is the perfect book for a holiday read, be it summer or winter, or in my case, a rainy, cold summer day.

Mystery Deepens..
The second outing in the Georgina Drake series of cosy mysteries and a photographic assignment at a delightful Manor House turns fatal when Georgina discovers a dead body on the ancient ice house floor. As investigations commence, further horrifying discoveries are made and the mystery deepens. Another enjoyable instalment to this new series with a deftly drawn cast, a frothy plot and a likeable protagonist in a well imagined setting.

I hadn’t read the first book in this series but it was an enjoyable read. It had me hooked from the beginning but I did work out who the killer was after a body was found in the ice house.

Great characters, cozy mystery turning to an enjoyable read with a friendly ghost in the background

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

Another smasher! I love the way these books are written. Murder mysteries of the modern variety with older protagonists who don't have dramatics at the drop of a hat and a ghost added in for good measure without the whole supernatural genre. A bit of something for everyone and a real.hook to grab your attention and making you eager for the next installment.
I guessed who might be behind things about a third of the way through and only because there wasn't a lot said about that person.
The characters are well thought out and very realistic and the book reads easily and flows really well.
If only I knew Shakespeare to get those references, I know I'd find those fantastic as well.
4.5 stars for me!
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Body in the Ice House is the second book in this engaging series and is just as good, if not better, than the first book! Georgina is hired to take photos of Hartington Hall. While touring the ancient ice house, she finds the dead body of Karen Berry, the lady of the manor. Then that same day her dog Bertie digs up some ancient human bones. This time, with the help of Doris the ghost, Georgina has two mysteries to help solve. There are numerous suspects as snobby Karen ruffled a few feathers and was not well liked by either her step-daughters or whats left of the staff. This was a fast paced mystery that had me hooked from the very first page! I love this author's writing style. There is a twisty plot, intrigue, suspense, likeable characters, a budding romance, and an adorable dog. My thanks to the publisher and netgalley for giving me this book to read and review. 5/5 Stars.

This is the second book in the Georgina Drake Mystery series and I was delighted to receive an ARC from Netgalley (I already have it pre-ordered!)

I loved the first book, The Body at Rookery Barn. Georgina - a photographer - is a delightfully relatable heroine, still grieving the death of her husband when two things happen. She hears a warning voice in her hearing aid, and then she finds a body in the converted barn, now a holiday cottage, on her property.

Set in the beautiful county of Norfolk, English as afternoon tea, the second book in the series has a very sure touch and it was a delight to spend more time with Georgie and Doris, the ghost in her ear.

When a body is found in the ice house where Georgie is taking photographs for the guide book to a country manor house and estate, she is drawn into the mystery out of concern for her friends who immediately come under suspicion. Once again working with DI Colin Bradshaw, and with a little help from Doris - the ghost of a young woman who once lived in her house - they hunt down the killer. And when Georgie's beloved spaniel uncovers the bones of a long dead young woman, there is another mystery to solve - this time just for Georgie and Doris.

I would have read this straight through but my kindle ran out of juice just before midnight and I was forced to wait until the morning to find out whodunnit. The book stands alone, but read the first one anyway. This is a series that is going to get better and better. Thoroughly enjoyed, thoroughly recommend.

Let's talk covers oh this cover is stunning and i have not read anything from this author. I did not read the first book in the series.

I love a good cozy mystery without reading the first on some aspects i was confused but will go back and read the first one. I enjoyed the historical fiction in the story with lots of secrets to solve and things that need uncovered.

I loved the main character with a touch of romance which is so refreshing.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

As this second book in the Georgina Drake series opens, she is on her way to a photo shoot with her dear friend, Sybbie, wonderful dog, Bert, and of course, her housemate, Dora the ghost (they communicate via Georgie's hearing aid). They are on their way to a stately home that used to be inhabited by Sybbie's dear friend. When that friend died, it didn't take long for the widower to marry again, much to the dismay of his grown daughters. They plan to turn the home into a tourist attraction so they can keep it up and share the history. When Sybbie asked of Georgie could take publicity photos, she readily agreed.

While everyone was chatting, Dora went off on her own and 'met' another ghost who met with an untimely end at the house more than a century before. When everyone else went to the ice house to grab some photos, Dora had more bad news for Georgie--there was a newer body at the bottom of a fairly larger drop. Turned out is was the second wife who had argued with her husband and stormed off for a London shopping spree--or so they thought..Things move on from there--why was this woman even in the ice house? Did she ever go to London? Did she fall or was she pushed? With a little help from her friends, including Bert and Dora, Georgie embarks on dual investigations to discover what happened to each woman. She also continues to work on the mystery involving Dora, which continues from the first book.

I really enjoy this series a lot.It's well written with a great setting and likable characters. I read the first book in the series, but you don't have to have read it to enjoy this one. The combination of a current and a historical mystery, along with the ongoing storyline involving what happened to Dora is a unique way to structure these books--and the author does this very well. Everything flows together and it never seems clunky. The historical mystery also provides a window into the history and culture of the time, and we see how things have changed or not changed as we move between Dora's story, the new mystery, and the old one. This is a fun read, but also includes some serious issues. If you're a cozy mystery fan and enjoy something a bit out of the ordinary, then this series might just be for you--it's a gem!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read "The Body In The Ice House" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the second book in the Georgina Drake series and it's a wonderful continuation of the story of Georgie, Doris and Colin - and not to forget Bert too who has a very important part to play in this story.

Georgie and her friend Sybbie (Lady Wyatt) are going to Harrington Hall because Sybbie had asked Georgie to photograph the place for her goddaughters Henriette (Hattie) and Rosalind (Posy) Berry. Doris is along for the ride because she has learned that she can leave Rookery Farm if she's with Georgie. No one knows that she's in the car along for the ride except Georgie and Bert. Doris is the best character ever written - she's serious, funny and sad at times. A wonderful friend to Georgie. We know that she died on Valentine's Day in 1971 at the age of 18 - the same day that Georgie was born. Georgie is trying to locate Trev her boyfriend and several new clues are revealed in this book.

While at Harrington Hall Doris give out a similar warning about a dead body as she did at Rookery Farm. Georgie finds a body in the ice house on the property. It appears to be Karen the current Lady Ellingham), who has been portrayed as the wicked stepmother. DI Colin Bradshaw appears and quickly points out that if there is a dead body Georgie will find it.

Later Doris sends Bert off and when Georgie finds that he's been digging - she sees another body. Whenever they smell lavender - the family ghost is around. Doris tells Georgie that the ghost is named Annie and smells of lavender because she used to make sachets.

Karen hated living in the country, she wanted Henry to sell up and move them to Mayfair. There are many theories as to why Karen might be dead and all the suspects seem to live at Harrington Hall. Karen had been accusing staff of theft when things would go missing from the Hall and the girls would mention it to their father.

There is an attempt on Georgie's life which she brushes off as nothing serious. But her life was save by 2 ghosts and a spaniel but she can't tell anyone about it. Then there is another accident - is she getting close to revealing the identity of the killer? Georgie isn't even sure yet who it might be but someone thinks she knows.

The story of Anne Lusher and William Berry is heartbreaking. William died back in 1854 and journals in the Hall fill in his story and they learn how Anne died and why.

An interesting theory develops when they learn that Karen had a habit of marrying older men and the men dying within a few years both of "natural" causes. The girls were worried because Henry had not been acting like himself - was he about to become a victim as well? The entire story comes together when Ellen goes missing and a culprit that perhaps no one considered admits what they have done.

An absolutely wonderful read and I can't wait for the next book in the series. The characters are welcoming and Ms. Hardy's writing style has the reader feeling as if they were also right there with the characters.

I really enjoyed the first in this Norfolk-set cosy crime series and so was really looking forward to the sequel - and very happy not to have to wait too long! Luckily, as my expectations were high, it didn't disappoint! Photographer Georgina and her (ghost) housemate Doris find themselves once again mixed up in crime, but this time they have two murders to solve, one historical and one very much present day.
When Georgina is asked to take some promotional photographs at a local stately home owned by friends of her own good friend Sybbie, she soon realises that gorgeous gardens, a historical house and privilege don't equal happiness. Hattie and Poppy, the owner's daughters, are at logger heads with their stepmother, who is equally unpopular with the village and remaining staff. So when Lady Ellingham is found dead at the bottom of the ice house there is no shortage of suspects. But Lady Ellingham's body isn't the only one found that day - an old skeleton is unearthed in the gardens, a skeleton with an unhappy spirit who appeals to Doris for help in findng out just what happened to her.
Hardy deftly combines this cold and present case together, whilst nicely warming up the romance between Georgie and the Darcy-alike Inspector she met in the previous book and continuing her quest to discover just what happened to Doris fifty years ago. Fun, warm, twisty and with the comfort of old friends, this really is a series to savour.

This is the second book in the series and I hadn't read the first one so wasn't sure what to expect. Having a ghost involved isn't something I would usually read but in this instance it wasn't too intrusive to the mystery or mysteries themselves and was quite funny at times. An all round enjoyable read and will look out for more from this author. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Body in the Ice House A Georgina Drake Mystery Book 2). by Kate Hardy. Storm Publishing, 2024.

Photographer Georgina Drake happily sets out to do a favour for a friend and her two god daughters. Taking publicity photos as they show her around their Tudor estate about to be opened to the public, the group find a body, a recent death. And Georgina’s dog digs up a second victim in the garden, not as recent.

The characters are relatively ordinary, like people we might know. There are other forms of criminal activity, police are involved, there are suspects. This book is well written and engaging. When I started reading, I relaxed a bit; it was intriguing but pleasant, without the gritty unpleasantness I’ve come take for granted, encountered in the last 200+ crime fiction books that I have read.

This is the first book I’ve read by Kate Hardy, an established author. I’ve already downloaded the first in this series and am heading off to begin reading it now.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Body in the Ice House for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheBodyintheIceHouse #NetGalley.

ghosts, widow, photographer, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, suspense, murder-investigation, mystery, cozy-crime, amateur-sleuth, unpleasant-victims, Norfolk, rural, small-town, secrets, unputdownable, cold-case, pet-dog, skeleton, hearing-issues, supernatural*****

The first body Georgina and her pet dog find is from yesterday (definitely a good riddance), but the skeleton that Bertie (literally) digs up is historical in age so not in the realm of the local police. The cold case is that of a young woman who became a ghost fifty years ago who is rarely heard from and then only by Georgina due to her new hearing aids.
Very nice cosy mystery developing into a very enjoyable series that I plan to keep up with!
I requested and received an EARC from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!

This is the second book in my new favorite cozy mystery series, and it's so good to be back with Georgina & her ghost. My girl Georgie is making a habit of finding dead bodies and helping solve the crime, and I am here for it. I enjoyed the added touch of historical fiction in this story; lots of secrets – both from the past and the present – to uncover.

If you’re interested in an ongoing cozy mystery series with a sweet main character, a budding romance, and a sidekick ghost with a forgotten past, check out The Body at Rookery Barn and then this one (release date: February 20)!

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the e-arc!

Georgi Drake has moved to Norfolk to come to terms with the death of her husband, she photographs places and people for a living and finds herself in various murderous situations. A cosy mystery therefore. She is developing a relationship with a local detective, widower but at least involves him in her investigations and takes some notice about his concerns. A sensible cosy heroine therefore. This time the dead woman is wife #2 of local man of the big house. His daughters don't like her, the house staff don't like her, the gardeners don't like her. When she's found at the bottom of the old ice-house no-one is very upset, except the husband, now widower. But he likes the quiet life and simply vanishes to polish his vintage cars. At the same time Georgie's dog digs up a human bone in the garden and we have the mystery of that person too. Georgie, being ably aided and abetted by ghostly Doris, yes a ghost, picks amongst the bones and stories of household to sort both mysteries/murders. Lovely read, well defined characters, imaginative setting but realistic; bit of fun and friendship and a lots of cups of tea and chat. All brought together neatly in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.