The Georgina Drake mysteries from Kate Hardy just get better and better. It was a pleasure to revisit Georgina and the residents of Little Wenborough - the dead as well as the living! I was so relieved when Doris finally put in an appearance. Having a ghost as your sidekick in a murder mystery is such a great help! And once again, Georgie's spaniel, Bert, is on the scent of a cold case when a very hot one is uncovered. Great to see Georgie and Colin are now partners in more than crime fighting. An intriguing mystery with all the usual characters. Fabulous descriptions of the Norfolk land and seascapes and all the red herrings you could desire. Much recommended.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

A thoroughly enjoyable cosy crime mystery with Georgina being a very likeable character and one of the better amateur detectives that has emerged from the genre lately. Doris the ghost stares much less in this book than the other's as her situation was resolved and I wasn't sure if we were going to see her again but she just make the odd appearance to help out. Normally I dont take to paranormal elements but her situation is key to the earlier books and wasn't too intrusive here. There a re two mysteries to be solved here a current murder and a cold case. While both were enjoyable I did feel little let down as the cases really didn't seem to take much solving this time and the murderer of the current was much more likeable than the victim and the cold case murderer was already dead and gone so it just felt a little flat at the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I didn't realise that this was book four in a series but it was easy to catch up and I will definitely go back and read the other books. I enjoyed the ghost angle as it wasn't overpowering in the story. Easy read. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

Book Title: The Body in the Lighthouse
Series: The Georgia Drake Mystery $4
Author: Kate Hardy
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: October 29, 2024
My Rating: 4.2 Stars
Pages 239

Although this is #3 in this series and my first, it didn’t take long to figure out Georgina and Colin are a couple and Doris is a friendly ghost.
Georgina Drake is a professional photographer as well as an amateur sleuth.
In this story she is commissioned by a magazine to do a photo shoot as well as interview property developer, Eliot Manson who has brought the Summerstrand lighthouse to renovate. It has been empty for twenty years and Manson believes once it is remodeled it will be an idea place to rent out as a Holiday house.
When Georgina arrives it is locked. The windows have been boarded during the renovation. Since his car is there she calls the authorities to do a wellness check. Sure enough they find his body. The police suspect a carbon monoxide leak, but to Georgina’s professional eye, something about the scene looks too staged to be an accident.

As Georgina starts her own investigation with DI Colin Bradshaw, her dog Bert, digs up human bones buried near the lighthouse. Hmmm

Story was an unputdownable cozy mystery that kept me guessing.
Who knew that the pet camera Tara Manson’s girlfriend set up to catch being unfaithful turns out to solve the case?

In ‘A Letter from the Author’ Ms. Hardy gives us readers a lot of inside information. She tells us her inspiration for this story comes from her love of the sea and her fascination with hidden tunnels.

I want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 29, 2024.

My first Kate Hardy novel but definitely not my last. Great storytelling all the way around. I enjoyed the alternating POVs. Fantastic characters that hooked me early on. I could not put this book down. Looking forward to my next Sarah Bonner read.
Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Bonner and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I knew that this was book 4 of an existing series from the NG details however, I’m a sucker for pictures of lighthouses so requested it anyway. I’m really glad that I did as this was a thoroughly enjoyable cosy crime mystery that stood up well as a stand alone novel.
Cosy crime novels stand or fall by their main characters and I thought that Georgina was one of the better amateur detectives that I have read recently. I liked the way that she didn’t push the boundaries of what an amateur investigator could do and all of her actions felt completely plausible. I liked her relationship with the DI too. He is obviously in love with her which is lovely even though he can be a bit stuffy and pompous at times but that made him a bit more real.
It was an engaging mystery with a victim whose death was regretted by hardly anyone and another mystery skeleton to add an extra layer to the investigation. I wasn’t sure about the inclusion of the ghost at first but then grew used to her popping at odd times.
I really enjoyed this and found it hard to put down as I so wanted to find out who dunnit. I’m now going to look out the rest of this series as I would like to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge of Georgina and the others in the book.
Thank you to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'd read the first in this series and enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this offering. Unfortunately, this just didn't connect with me. The ghost/paranormal angle felt unnecessary, and the characters were a little shallow.

I can understand people liking this -- it just didn't work for me.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

3.5* Even though it's book 3 in a series, I had no trouble getting into it.

This isn't a bad cosy mystery but I did find Colin a tad toxic in some of what he thought and said, though he also had insight to think about some of his past actions and behaviours. Unfortunately, he also came across as a bit unprofessional and not in depth enough for a cop - from what I've gleaned from TV, films and other crime novels.

I think his low-key male toxicity/patronising manner was made all the more evident by how Georgina reacted to his apologies. She was as capable and successful as he was, and i think she was experienced enough not to overstep or compromise anything but nope, he still had to say stuff. He was boring, sadly, so it made me eye-roll over how many times he was compared to Mr Darcy - did the author mean Colin Firth, maybe, as the character has been played by several actors, but possibly with Colin Firth being the most noticeable?

It was readable and I'd certainly like to find out more about Georgina and Doris's partnership.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my reading pleasure.

hearing-issues, amateur-sleuth, small-town, photographer, widow, local-gossip, local-history, local-law-enforcement, local-legends, missing-persons, murder, murders, murder-investigation, cold-case, ghosts, cozy-crime, suspense, mysteries, secrets, unpleasant-victims, pet-dog, supernatural, skeleton*****

Riveting quick read!
Photographer Georgina went out to the lighthouse for an appointment with the nasty new owner but her spaniel found a skeleton buried in the yard. So Georgina called her friend DI Colin and then they ALL found the body of the man she had been there to meet. Georgina is always mindful not to get in the way of the law enforcement team but does add to the investigations. Helping Georgina is the audio presence of a young woman who became a ghost fifty years ago but is rarely heard from and then only by Georgina since getting her new hearing aids. Good investigation and even a third dead body!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
#GeorginaDrakeMysteriesBk4 #BritishCozyMystery #Ghost #ColdCase Avail Oct 29, 2024

Ok so first off, I didn’t realize this was part of a series so that’s on me. I feel like if I had read the previous novels I would maybe have less questions but do I think this could be read as a standalone? Sure, it was artfully written and called back to previous books with enough knowledge for you to get an overview of what is being referenced.

Now as for the story, I am not typically a fan of ghost related stories and had I know that was a component of this series I wouldn’t have chosen it. Ghosts aside, this was an interesting read that I feel like had a good, albeit sometimes slow pace but satisfied my itch for a thriller read.

Overall I recommend this story, and thank Net Galley for this ARC. I have added the first book in this series to my TBR as I’m hoping that will be as intriguing and maybe answer some of my questions I have from coming into the series late.

First book I have read from this author. I enjoyed the storyline and twists and turns but I am not into ghosts and found this took away from my enjoyment. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Georgina Drake is a talented professional photographer. She is also in contact with spirits, and uses her hidden gift in her amateur sleuthing. Being asked to photograph the renovations of a nearby lighthouse soon unearths, in more ways than one, another mystery for Georgina to solve.

As I am definitely in the minority I will make this review short and sweet. Far too twee, though with cozy in the blurb I should have known better. Maybe if I had read the previous books I would have been more invested.

With apologies to the author, not one for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

Assignment Turns Chilling…
The fourth outing in the Georgina Drake series of mysteries and our protagonist’s latest assignment is about to open a can of worms. An historic mystery at an old lighthouse turns chilling when Georgina discovers the body of a local and extremely unpopular property developer. Not to be outdone, her spaniel Bert then digs up what appear to be human bones nearby. Are the occurrences linked and, if so, how? Another enjoyable mystery with a likeable protagonist, a solid plot populated by a credible and well drawn cast, a narrative edged with gentle humour and an engaging backdrop.

This is #4 in the Georgina Drake series but it can easily be read as a standalone.

Georgina is a professional photographer and also an amateur sleuth. Her latest photography assignment takes her to the Summerstrand Lighthouse, where she discovers a body. It turns out to be the body of Eliot Manson who isn’t very popular locally. Georgina’s eye for detail leads her to think that there’s something amiss; the scene appears staged, but the police believe Eliot died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Georgina’s spaniel, Bert, then starts digging near the lighthouse and discovers human bones. Could they be connected with the present day discovery?

A great read which had me hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

A mystery with a difference! Well, the mystery of dug up bones and what and whose they are; plus a dead body.
Even though both are discovered at the same location, are they linked?

The story builds as the investigation into both progresses and as someone with a strong interest in esoteric, I like that Georgina receives guidance from spirit.

What a wonderful tale this was.

I have spent the last few days reading excessively as I have been laid up and this book was such a delight.

It is a murder mystery that is expertly plotted. I loved Georgina and the way she investigates. She has a certain style about her ways. I loved that she is a deaf person and felt this added an extra 'sense' to her persona.

Everyone is a suspect and I loved how the story unfolded.

It is a quirky cozy mystery which even included a friendly ghost whom Georgina talks to.

This book is a laid back easy read and one I really enjoyed ..

This is the fourth book in a series, however, it is not essential to have read the previous ones to make sense of this one, although it would be helpful. This was an intriguing plot, with issues from the past impacting today’s events. I liked Georgina and Colin, the two main characters, who were realistic and down to earth. I would certainly read any more of this series if I could get them. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a chance to read and review this book.

Georgina Drake – professional photographer, amateur sleuth – investigates a decades-old mystery at a picturesque lighthouse… This book was definitely a cozy mystery! It had light suspense, intriguing, murder, mystery and a decent who done it! The story was interesting! I would recommend reading this book! I do like a bit grittier book but this book was still worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the author and publisher for sharing this book with me!

The Body in the Lighthouse is the latest installment in Kate Hardy’s Georgina Drake cozy mystery series, and it’s so good!! I love the thrills and twists and turns that this book took me on, as I got to know more about Georgina’s world, friends, and neighbors.

With this being the fourth book in the series, we’ve all gotten to know a little about Georgina’s talent with photography, talking to a friendly ghost through her hearing aids, and helping her love interest solve local murders.

This time around, things are a little different because we have village events going on, a lighthouse that was purchased by a villager’s ex, and stories about ancient legends, and fabled priest holes. When the lighthouse’s new owner ends up dead in a suspicious way, there is no end to the list of suspects.

Will they find the murderer before they strike again? Does it have anything to do with an old legend? And will Georgina’s friendly ghost come back and talk with her again, after seeming like she crossed over?

Pick up this cozy mystery! You’ll fall in love with Georgina and her world!


Thank you so much to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this lovely ARC!!