MURDER ON LINE ONE by Jeremy Vine

3 STARS

The premise of this sounded interesting. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me. The story started off very slowly and by that point, I'd lost interest in the characters. However, as the book moved along, the story did pick up, as well as the characters and their development. The ending was satisfactory.

Overall, worth a read.

Murder on Line One is not merely a mystery. It's a thorough analysis of how we recover from a loss. Incorporating humour and romance provides much-needed respite. The plot is filled with red herrings and hints, and I was held in suspense until the very end. The protagonist has a strong sense of character development. In addition to mourning a family member, a radio DJ is also having difficulties since he was laid off. It was a fun read, and I believe it will be a huge hit.

The three main characters in the book, Edward, Stevie and Kim, are drawn together by what appear to be two tragic accidents. Edward, former radio presenter, is approached by Stevie to help solve the mystery surrounding her grandmother's death. Kim, former lover of Edward is called in to help. Together they uncover a widespread scam and eventually solve the mystery.
I was attracted to this book both by the genre and the author. I felt that something which Jeremy Vine had written would be well written. In that, I was not disappointed. Both the description of the characters and settings is well done and brings them alive. However, if I had not been reviewing the book for NetGalley, I might well not have given up early on. The start is long winded. The relevant information could have been covered just as well in far fewer words.
Once the book got going, I found it more enjoyable as the different strands of the plot came together. Disappointingly, though, I solved the mysteries fairly early on.

The main character is Edward Temmis a local radio presenter. His audience was mainly elderly women. One day he is approached by a young woman who is looking for help at locating a letter that her grandmother sent to him at the radio station. She believes that the letter might help prove that her grandmother was murdered and did not commit suicide as the police had concluded.

This book was not for me. It opens with a long detailed scene of an amateur football team playing a match. I don’t know if it is because I don’t like football but I was immediately bored. I could not understand why there was so much detail around this football match. It did make sense in the end. Not a lot of other things in this story made sense to me. I am used to suspending my disbelief a little for this genre but some of the things that happens just pulled me away from having any interest in the story. I was more interested in a subplot than I was in the main story.

I would describe the book as slow and repetitive and to be honest there was several points where the book could have ended but didn’t. I felt that the author just wanted to add twists. This made the ending was over complicated. I am still processing and trying to get the full story of what actually happened straight in my mind. This could actually be because I had lost interest and was not paying full attention. I am not quite sure. It is a shame because I really enjoyed the characters.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book as it is written by another tv personality who thinks they can write a murder mystery! Think Richard Osman, Rob Rinder et alia but in fact I was pleasantly surprised. mr Vine is not simply jumping on the bandwagon- he actually has an interesting story to tell. Although the book got off to a slow start which was mostly setting the scene, the pace soon picked up and I was turning the pages quickly, thoroughly enjoying the story.
Mr Vine writes what he knows about, the life of a radio presenter which works well as it makes the background more authentic.
Edward Temmis is the radio presenter in question, taking a break from his job after the hit and run death of his young son. When he is approached by Stevie, a young woman whose grandmother has died in mysterious circumstances and who was an avid listener to Edward’s morning show, Edward is persuaded to look into the matter. Throw in Kim, an estate agent who knows Edward well, we have a band of unusual detectives!
I liked the character development, particularly in the case of Edward- he is grieving the loss of Matty but desperately trying to get on with his life. Kim is dealing with an abusive husband who is suffering mental health issues and she harbours feelings for Edward who was once her client.
There are moments of humour too which lightened the seriousness of the subject - Stevie is a breath of fresh air and very likeable, dealing with all life throws at her in a wonderful manner.
I must admit that I guessed the perpetrators of the crimes but I am an avid crime thriller fan so that was probably down to my knowledge of this genre.
I rather liked the end when all was revealed- a bit “Death In Paradise” but definitely entertaining.
From the blurb it looks like this is going to be a series and I will certainly be looking out for the next book as I’d like to catch up with all these interesting characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

I wanted to love this as the premise is soooo up my street it’s crazy but I just .. liked it ?

I don’t know whether it was because it could have been shorter or what but it didn’t have the suspense and grip that I was hoping for.

Is it a good pallet cleanser? Yes , is it entertaining? Also yes, I just feel there was something missing and I’m not quite sure what it was.

I’d still definitely recommend this book as it’s easy to settle into for the most part.

The beauty is we’re all different and what might not have hit for me might be your favourite book ever 🫶🏼

Riding the wave of broadcaster-turned-author comes Jeremy Vine’s entry into the cosy thriller genre. I had access to the arc of both the ebook and the audio version and would recommend reading rather than listening. Presenting and acting are very different skill sets and I am getting frustrated by the number of writers who are doing a terrible job of reading the audio version of their own books.

The novel’s central character, Edward Temmis, felt like self-indulgent wish-fulfilment, with the lionisation of a local radio host by his adoring fans. The plot’s twists seemed fairly obvious to me from quite early on, despite also feeling far-fetched. Overall it was okay-ish but I wouldn’t particularly recommend it or want to read another book about the same characters. Once was definitely enough.

With thanks to NetGalley, the piano the author for an arc of this book.

Really enjoyed this murder mystery set amongst the backdrop of a radio station. Edward used to present the evening slot but is taking time off after the tragic death of his son, Matty, in a road accident

He's approached by a young woman named Stevie, who has tourette, who believes the death of her granny was suspicious and feels strongly that she was murdered .

He makes friends with Kim a local estate agent who he also has a fling with and the three of them form a friendship.

They discover that there are a large number of the elderly community that have been scammed and they are determined to solve who did it!

Really enjoyed the plots that had plenty of twists and turns and humour too!

Maybe it's because I am of a certain age (not as old as the typical listener to his radio show, I hasten to add), but I really quite like Edward. There is something about him that just drew me in and, as one of the main protagonists in Jeremy Vine's new series, that's pretty important. This is a cosy crime story, and it's quite fun in an unfortunate victims of crime kind of way. For it appears that, far from the sunny shores of the coastline, and the cream teas of tourist trap coffee houses, someone is preying upon the vulnerability of the some of Edward's older audience members, and there is something nefarious afoot in the country lanes, villages and towns of Devon.

There is an air of tragedy about Edward that actually takes you by surprise right at the start of the book. It made Edward's personality a little confusing at first, but the more I learned about him, the more sympathy I felt towards him and the more endearing he became. He does have a good heart, even if fate has dealt him more than the odd rough hand. There is tragedy in his past, that leads to a lot of reflection and a strange attitude towards his own safety at times perhaps, but he was a really sweet character who I was drawn to. I think the Jeremy Vine has pitched him just right, sharing the sadness of his story, but allowing his spirit, the one that clearly made him a very popular presenter on the local radio show, to shine through when it needed to.

There are two other key characters in this book who really make this an unconventional, but compelling trio of unexpected crime fighters. Firstly we have Stevie, whose grandmother recently died and who believes there was far more to it than meets the eye. It is her appearance in Edward's life that acts as the catalyst for what comes to pass, and which also leads to some of the more comedic moments in the story. She has literally no filter, speaks without thinking, and says what is probably on the minds of most of the characters who are likely too polite to say it. I really liked her, her punchy character and determination in spite of being hit with a real setback surprisingly early in the book. Then there is Kim, Edward's estate agent and someone with whom has has a clear connection. She too has reason to need to help Edward and Stevie to get to the heart of the problem, a case of things coming a touch too close to home. Add in the various personalities of Edward's super fans, honest in the way only the older generation could be, and you have a wonderfully eclectic and genuinely lovely cast of characters who make this book great fun.

The book examines the sadly all too common romance scam, and the vicious behaviour of people who are too willing to prey on the vulnerable and lonely people who are perhaps just looking for a little friendship. There are still a few unexpected twists in this particular story, and the heart of the motive is one I've heard before. A sense of entitlement that is probably exacerbated by modern living. It felt strangely plausible and even though the ending was quite quick when the final reveal came, it was not without a few shocks in the final few chapters too.

I found the pacing of the book was perfect for this kind of story. There is a mixture of emotion and humour throughout, and the dialogue, particularly between the three main characters was fun and fresh. There are scenes between Edward and his ex-wife that stir up emotions, and by the end of the book I was kind of left hoping that Edward had reached a point in his life where, if nto closure, he at least had understanding for all that happened. If you are a fan of cosy or golden age style crime fiction, but with a decidedly modern theme, then this could well suit you. I'm definitely interested to see how the author develops this series. Edward Temmis may not quite be a Jack Kilian, Midnight Caller, type or radio show host, but he's got the wits and the personality to hold his own with the finest amateur detectives. Let's see where that leads us.

2 Stars
One Liner: This didn't work

Edward Temmis feels adrift when he is let go from his beloved late-night take show on the radio. He then meets Stevie, whose grandmother listened to his shows and died under mysterious circumstances. Edward finds his purpose and tries to investigate the case with help from Kim, a local real estate agent. Soon, he discovers that Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one among his listeners who died. Can he find who has been targeting his listeners and why?
The story comes in the third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
Well, seems my inability to resist mysteries has put me in a tough spot this year. This is the third new mystery book that backfired.
The premise is pretty cool. Imagine a radio show host trying to solve the murder of his listeners, all of whom are seniors and mostly women. Amateur sleuths are fun, but not always.
I guess the writing style is the big question mark here. If you like it, you might enjoy the book more. I found it interesting in the first two chapters but then my head started to spin, and oh boy, it did spin like a spun candy machine!
While I appreciated the themes of grief (loss of a child, grandparent, etc.), abuse, etc., I couldn’t empathize with the characters. It was hard to feel for the main character as well, and that didn’t help (at all). Some of the dialogue was odd too. Was it British humor? IDK!
I decided to do what was needed and switched over to speed-reading. It helped some. At least, the plot started to progress. Still, this book should have been 70 pages shorter. You don’t need 400 pages for a mystery. There’s too much repetition.
The mystery is actually decent but I couldn’t enjoy it much. I appreciate the topic even if the execution wasn’t good. The criminal was obvious, so I had to wait for them to catch up. There isn’t much sleuthing either. Still, when we get to the ‘why’ part, I’m disappointed. It can be better than that. I’m sure of it! While there’s a subplot, I could guess that one too.
One thing I did like about the book was the setting. The sea is an integral part of the place, so it does play a good role. The house on the cliff is also good and can be a metaphor for the MC’s life.

To summarize, Murder on Line One was a slow and repetitive mystery. I can see its potential but it’s not for me. Those who like the author (he’s a popular journalist I guess) might enjoy it more.
Thank you, NetGalley, and HarperCollins UK, (HarperFiction), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I had a good time with this book. But there was just something that kept taking me out of the story. I think it could have been shorter.

However, I’m planning to reread this as I just don’t think I was in the mood for it at this time.

This was a long drawn out tedious book to read. I ended up skim reading it at the end just to finish. It was so obvious (to me at least) who was the person that had driven into Edward and his son and again so obvious who the person doing the catfish scam was.
Didn't really enjoy this and wouldn't recommend. 3 stars is being a bit generous if I'm honest

This is an enjoyable read and as one may expect from radio presenter and now author Jeremy Vine, the book has as its main protagonist a radio personality, who has been recently released from his post.

Edward is out of a job, his marriage is over and his son has been killed by a hit and run driver. Now living in a property literally falling into the sea he becomes involved in uncovering a fraud that has been committed. Meeting up and investigating the case with Kim and Stevie, who have involvement with potential victims is a welcome distraction.

The plot is good and a slow burn to start. The characters are likeable and keep the interest of the reader. I enjoyed the storyline and the potential of the case being built was a good concept, one that is becoming more prevalent in recent times.

Definitely one for those who enjoy a good mystery with flawed but interesting characters and a good twist at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Murder on Line 1 Jeremy Vine

3 stars

I must admit I originally selected this book because of Jeremy Vine, whom I have met once and also because it was set around a radio station as I was a presenter on Hospital Radio some years ago.

Edward a forty something radio presenter has been hit with a terrible tragedy, a hit and run driver killed his son Matty, who was just 11 and seriously injured Edward. His grief is so overwhelming that he has been unable to return to his radio programme and is working in a garden centre.

Although he now feels ready to return to his radio programme which was very popular especially with the older generation of Sidmouth, which is where this book is set, the programme chief refuses to reinstate him. When Edward subsequently discovers that over 60 of his regular listeners have been involved in on-line scams , losing over a million pounds in total, he realises that the only way they could have been contacted is through the radio station's computer which holds their contact details.

Together with Stevie the granddaughter of one of the victims and Kim, living in an abusive marriage, whom Edward had had a minor fling with before Matty's death and for whom he still has feelings , the three of them try to discover what has happened.

I enjoyed reading this book but found it quite repetitive in places and thought that the whole story did not really seem very realistic, I did not really engage with the characters and found the ending implausible. It was worth reading but will not remain long in my memory.


Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net Galley

Radio talk show host is let go after having a year off after the death of his son and now works in a garden centre, then he discovers elderly ladies are being scanned out of their life savings and Stevie approaches him saying her gran had died in a house fire and things don't seem right to her and wants him to investigate.
Some great characters especially Stevie.
It's a slow start and could have been a lot shorter as it does go on in places, but a great story-line.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

A brilliant new voice in cosy crime centring around a radio host, who has suffered a personal tragedy and is on long term leave from work. When Stevie contacts him about the death of her beloved gran, one of his avid listeners, it soon becomes apparent that her death wasn't accidental. With the help of local estate agent and friend, Kim, the trio soon uncover a web of deceit, and a deathly money making scheme, all linked somehow to the radio show. Someone is targeting the vulnerable listeners, and it is time they were stopped. An intelligent and twisty crime with loveable amateur detectives at its core. A superb cosy thriller. Fingers crossed there will be more from this trio in future. #murderonlineone #jeremyvine #netgalley #cosycrime

Edward hosted a late night radio phone-in programme, until his son, Matty, died, and PTSD cost him the job. His fans – mainly female and 60+ – protested. But he still lost his job. Brooding and lonely (he’s divorced) he contemplates an empty future. But then Stevie, the grand-daughter of one of his fans, tells him that her grand-mother has died in suspicious circumstances, and that she thinks the death is linked to the contents of a letter that the gran had sent to Edward. A letter he had never received. With the assistance of Kim, a local estate agent and briefly his lover in the past, they start to investigate, thereby discovering a large criminal enterprise. Who is behind it? Was Stevie’s gran actually murdered or only driven to suicide? What is the connection to Edward’s radio show?
An interesting premise then, and a promising puzzle or two. The characters are varied, clearly described, and their actions are logical. The writing is good, although it is heavy on ‘whimsical’ metaphor. Personally, I solved the main puzzles quite early on, but I read a lot of books in this genre and there is sufficient obfuscation that many readers will be surprised with the solutions.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I'll admit I struggled to get into this for a bit. There was a lot of character back story building but, the further into things I got, the more it all clicked into place!

The story follows a late night radio talk show host who has lost his son in a tragic road accident. After losing his job, a young woman tracks him down after her grandmother (an avid listener and caller of his show) dies in suspicious circumstances. They team up with a local estate agent, who our main character had a fling with, and discover that the grandmother wasn't the only one of the show's listeners who were targeted.

Murder On Line One is a very character-driven story, focused on an unlikely team of sleuths from very different demographics.

The characters have depth and it really drove the plot forward. I absolutely did not see the ending coming, but the author did a great job at throwing suspicion on several people to have you guessing right to the end!

Edward Temmis is a radio talk show host, who has recently experienced a family tragedy and subsequently lost his job. He meets Stevie, who lost her grandmother to a house fire - she is convinced it is not straight forward and asks him to help her discover the truth. Helped by local estate agent Kim, they find themselves embroiled in a mystery. Can they solve the case and stay safe?

I enjoyed the basis of the story, but lost interest early on a few times due to the very wordy style. It was a faster paced second half, I knew the culprit early on, but fun to see the characters begin to realise and reveal. I did feel like the whole book needed editing down, it was definitely too long.

I am not going to try and describe this book in the traditional way because of it's delightful complexity.
 I would rather - explain it as I would a plate of delicious spaghetti. Tangled threads with seemingly wild loose ends appearing. Blanketed  in a delicious sauce all the way through, rich with hints of crunchy, crumbly morsels here and there. sometimes a little spicy other times a little cool and frosty, at all times delectable.
The unruly ends all amalgamate in time, culminating in an exciting denouement .
This is my first time reading and reviewing a Jeremy Vine book and it will definitely not be my last.  Five stars. Obviously would definitely recommend.