I always enjoy a cosy mystery and I am delighted to be featuring one on the blog today: The Silver Rose Dating Agency by Angelena Boden.
When lonely widow Kitty Merriweather moves to Derbyshire’s
Hope Valley, she joins the Silver Rose online dating site because it offers a
safe place for the over sixties to find romance.
There, she meets the enigmatic Harvey, a scientist working
on a conservation project in Bali who promises her “hot days and stormy
nights.”
Love blooms quickly but Kitty breaks all the rules laid down
by the agency, putting herself at risk. When little things don’t add up she
dismisses them as being unimportant. Nothing matters more than her plans for
them to live happily ever after.
When she confides in her new friend, Edna Reid, octogenarian
and former café owner, Kitty gets angry at Edna’s implication she is likely the
victim of a scam. The more Edna hears about Harvey, the more she is convinced
he’s only interested in Kitty for her money.
Using her knowledge of computers Edna finally uncovers the
truth, but where does black magic and murder fit into this intriguing cosy
mystery?
My Thoughts
It is always refreshing to read a story which is centred around older protagonists and the range of characters in this story do not let you down. There is humour amongst the everyday life on show and at the same time, touches of poignancy at some character's loneliness and air of being misunderstood. Edna is indefatigable and the driving force behind the unravelling of the central mystery and I must admit that I found the character of Kitty to be difficult to read. I could never quite get the measure of her until near the end.
The setting is rural and has all the idiosyncrasies which a remote village might have. There is certainly an air of Agatha Christie about the tale and the inclusion of the internet scam gives the story a contemporary feel.
In short: sleuthing in the Peak District
About the Author
Angelena Boden has spent thirty- five years as an
international training consultant, specialising in behavioural management and
conflict resolution. She trained in Transactional Analysis, the psychology of
communication and behaviour, her preferred tool for counselling and coaching.
She originates from the Peak District but has spent a life
time travelling and living in places as far apart as Vancouver, Dubai, Paris,
Seville and Iran. Now semi-retired in Great Malvern, she writes every morning,
walks the hills and paints landscapes every afternoon and fits family and
reading in between.
She is the author of two novels published by Urbane
Publications (rights reverted) and two self-published cosy mysteries and a
number of business books (Management Pocketbooks). Angelena is a regular
blogger for a mental health publisher (Trigger) and Autumn Voices website which
promotes authors over 60.
You can follow Angelena here: Website
Book link: Amazon UK | Amazon US
Thanks to Angelena Boden and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Check out the rest of the tour!
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