I am excited to be hosting the blog tour for A Mystery of Murder (Jan Christopher Mysteries, Episode 2) by Helen Hollick #JanChristopherMysteries #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @HelenHollick @maryanneyarde

 

 

A Mystery of Murder

Jan Christopher Mysteries, Episode 2

By Helen Hollick

 

‘Had I known what was to happen soon after we arrived at Mr and Mrs Walker’s lovely old West Country house, my apprehension about spending Christmas in Devon would have dwindled to nothing.’

Library Assistant Jan Christopher is to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, DS Laurie Walker and his family, but when a murder is discovered, followed by a not very accidental accident, the traditional Christmas spirit is somewhat marred... 

What happened to Laurie’s ex-girlfriend? Where is the vicar’s wife? Who took those old photographs? And will the farmer up the lane ever mend those broken fences? 

Set in 1971, this is the second Jan Christopher Cosy Mystery. Join her (and an owl and a teddy bear) in Devon for a Christmas to remember.

Will the discovery of a murder spoil Christmas for Jan Christopher and her boyfriend DS Laurie Walker – or will it bring them closer together?

When you find bones in the backyard, what does that do to your Christmas spirit? Jan is spending Christmas in Devon, with her boyfriend’s family, when she finds herself surrounded by different kinds of drama. A neighbour who refuses to spend money on fixing his fences. A young woman who blames Jan’s boyfriend, Laurie, for the disappearance of her sister. Rumours surrounding the vicar, after his wife disappeared and he brought a young woman into his house. But the biggest drama comes when Laurie’s father discovers human bones in his compost heap.

This book may be a mystery, and it is certainly a big mystery, with many different intertwining paths, but it is not the kind of book that keeps you on edge throughout the whole thing. In fact, it is a rather laid back sort of novel, the kind that you can relax while reading, and simply let the story happen, without feeling the need to read as quickly as possible, or even perhaps skip to the end, because you simply cannot stand another moment without knowing who the bad guy is. In fact, I had a lovely bath while reading this book, and it was a very relaxing experience.

This author has a particularly unique style of writing. There is quite a bit of sarcasm in the writing, and I found it amusing that this book wasn’t simply a story, but an experience. You almost have the feeling that the author is reading the book to you, and is adding in their own little quips every now and again. That was something I greatly enjoyed, for it gave a wonderful tone to the novel, which is welcoming and makes you feel at home in the story.

I loved every second of reading this book, and it gave me that particular spark of joy when you know the Christmas period is coming, and you can start feeling festive. The whole mystery is well thought out, and I must admit, I did not manage to figure it out. I blamed the wrong person the whole time! I will certainly be getting a hold of book 1, and I suggest you do the same – at least read this book, for it is utterly amazing!

Head over to Amazon to buy your copy.

This book is available on #KindleUnlimited

Helen Hollick

Helen Hollick and her family moved from north-east London in January 2013 after finding an eighteenth-century North Devon farm house through being a ‘victim’ on BBC TV’s popular Escape To The Country show. The thirteen-acre property was the first one she was shown – and it was love at first sight. She enjoys her new rural life, and has a variety of animals on the farm, including Exmoor ponies and her daughter’s string of show jumpers.

First accepted for publication by William Heinemann in 1993 – a week after her fortieth birthday – Helen then became a USA Today Bestseller with her historical novel, The Forever Queen (titled A Hollow Crown in the UK) with the sequel, Harold the King (US: I Am The Chosen King) being novels that explore the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Her Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy is a fifth-century version of the Arthurian legend, and she also writes a pirate-based nautical adventure/fantasy series, The Sea Witch Voyages. Despite being impaired by the visual disorder of Glaucoma, she is also branching out into the quick read novella, 'Cosy Mystery' genre with the Jan Christopher Mysteries, set in the 1970s, with the first in the series, A Mirror Murder incorporating her, often hilarious, memories of working for thirteen years as a library assistant.

Her non-fiction books are Pirates: Truth and Tales and Life of A Smuggler. She also runs Discovering Diamonds, a review blog for historical fiction, a news and events blog for her village and the Community Shop, assists as ‘secretary for the day’ at her daughter’s regular showjumping shows – and occasionally gets time to write...

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