About Death at Ivy House
A quaint cottage in a pretty Victorian terrace with a neatly tended garden stands quiet and still… but inside the bedroom a woman lies dead upon the floor.
Sukey Reynolds is enjoying a quiet period at work, taking time to get her garden in hand, catch up on some cooking and spend time with her son. Murder is the last thing on her mind…
But when she is called to the charming Ivy House to photograph the dead body of a young woman, Sukey feels compelled to drop everything and do all she can to shed light on this baffling mystery. And whilst collecting evidence at a nearby hotel which had a break-in around the same time as the murder, she starts to wonder if the two cases might be linked.
The manager just happened to let slip that one of her guests went white as a sheet after reading about the death and disappeared shortly afterwards. The very same guest whose room was broken into… Sukey has a shrewd suspicion about who this man might be, and she fears he too could be in danger.
Although she voices her theories, her detective colleagues are in no mood for any more of her amateur sleuthing. Sukey realises that if she wants to pursue her lead, she’ll have to do it alone. When Sukey agrees to a secret meeting by a remote river, has she made a terrible mistake? Has the killer lured her into the woods and into a trap?
My review of Death at Ivy House
Death at Ivy House is such a lovely treat of a book to read. This is the first book I have read by the author and I now need to go back and read the rest of the books in this fabulous cozy mystery series. It's a story full of drama, gritty characters and light hearted humour.
Sukey Reynolds is a seasoned Scene of Crime Officer with a desire to become a police detective one day. She's a woman who is incredibly good at her job, and who cares deeply for the victims she meets. But this professional does stray from her own role in the team, as she begins her own investigation into the murder of a woman in the village. What follows is a murder mystery with many twists and turns and many surprises.
Set in the time before smartphones and laptops, this cozy mystery has the distinct feeling of an Agatha Christie novel, and Sukey most definitely has the same determination and drive as Miss Marple. This novel is such a treat because of this character. You can't help but like her. A mum who is juggling it all, trying to do the best for her teenage son and her community.
This book, although a crime mystery, is also full of humour and the blossoming relationship between herself and detective Jim Castle is fun to read. But it was the relationship between Sukey and her son,.Gus, that I found more illuminating. I loved their conversations and easy way they had with each other. Such a joy.
Death at Ivy House is a thoroughly enjoyable read. It has a plot that holds your attention throughout, a cast of colourful characters and a great sense of community and justice. I loved it.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital copy.
Death at Ivy House is published by Bookouture and is available to buy now.
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