A Clue…?
The second in the Sarah Vane series of cosy mysteries, seaside set, and another dilemma for Sarah to solve. When she finds a dying schoolteacher at the storefront of her friend’s shop, she is flummoxed- particularly when the dying woman utters one word. Is it a clue? Sarah thinks so and she begins to dig. As clues come thick and fast, the bodies begin to pile. Enjoyable and entertaining with a well crafted cast of characters, a nicely plotted storyline and a delightful and well imagined setting.

When I saw that this was only the second in a new cozy mystery series set along the English coastline, I couldn’t resist. It takes place in a fictional seaside town where GP Dr. Sarah Vane has retired and fancies herself an amateur sleuth. When Sarah discovers the murdered body of beloved young teacher Adi Moffat on the doorstep of her best friend, Daphne's shop, she is hot on the trail of the killer, enlisting the help of Daphne and possible romantic interest, Charles.

A fast, engrossing read, with twists and some red herrings, the perpetrator is not immediately obvious. Castle paints a perfect picture of a quaint, seaside village and its denizens. I really enjoyed the humor and quirky characters in the story. Bonuses are the anthropomorphic dog, Hamish and the terror of a cat, Mephisto. And, of course, there are the requisite tea and biscuits.

Grateful to Netgalley for this ARC, due to be published on 05/09/2024. First book of Alice Castle that I've read although this is the second in the series.

Such a great cosy mystery to follow with great characters. Mephisto the cat is probably my favourite but only because I'm a crazy cat lady 😂

The plot develops well and the murderer is a surprise. Didn't expect things to unfold the way they did. Looking forward to further adventures in this series as I can see potential for more adventures