We are returning to the London Murder Mysteries today with the 3rd in the series, Calamity in Camberwell. You can read a review of the 1st in the series, Death in Dulwich here and a book spotlight on the 2nd ,The Girl in the Gsllery, here. There is also a chance to win a signed copy of Calamity in Camberwell. Details on how to enter this Giveaway are at the foot of this post.
Beth Haldane, SE21's answer to Miss Marple, worries she is
losing a kindred spirit when her friend Jen, the only other single mum in the
playground, suddenly gets married and moves to Camberwell.
Soon Beth has to face much more pressing fears. Has
something gone horribly wrong with Jen's marriage? What is her husband really
up to? Why is her daughter leading Beth's son astray? And where on earth IS Jen
anyway?
As Beth's friends push her to start dating again, Beth turns
to Met Police DI Harry York for help. But will they solve the mystery in time,
or will it turn out that in south east London, not everyone gets to live
happily ever after?
My Thoughts
The third in Alice Castle's London Murder Mysteries series is eminently readable and I felt as though I was coming home to a familiar scene. Beth's character is warm and engaging and I particularly enjoy her observations on life around Dulwich and its neighbouring boroughs. It is easy to feel comfortable with her as we can see her doubts and insecurities as well as her warmth and love for her son.
The mystery around Beth's friend, Jen and her whereabouts develops slowly, as it does for Beth. You share her doubts about certain people but there are so many other considerations for Beth- particularly her doubts about her son's tuition and Jen's thoughts on whether to start dating again. In some ways, this is a very gentle story despite some violent acts and you feel carried along. It was quite a surprise to me to suddenly realise that the book was about to end and I certainly had not seen the twist coming. I am looking forward to number 4- with Alice Castle, you are in good hands.
In short: Cozy crime behind suburban curtains.
About the Author
Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper
journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Her first
book, Hot Chocolate, set in Brussels and London, was a European hit and sold
out in two weeks.
Death in Dulwich was published in September 2017 and has
been a number one best-seller in the UK, US, Canada, France, Spain and Germany.
A sequel, The Girl in the Gallery was published in December 2017 to critical
acclaim. Calamity in Camberwell, the third book in the London Murder Mystery
series, will be published this summer, with Homicide in Herne Hill due to
follow in early 2019. Alice is currently
working on the fifth London Murder Mystery adventure. Once again, it will feature
Beth Haldane and DI Harry York.
Giveaway (International)
Win a signed copy of Calamity in Camberwell. To enter, just follow the link below and good luck!
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box
below. The winner will be selected at
random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter
and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right
to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the
competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with
third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed
to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after
which time I will delete the data. I am
not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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