*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author, Storm Publishing and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: Beneath the ruins of a Victorian greenhouse, a skeleton is unearthed – and with it, years of buried secrets in Raven’s Edge…
When decades-old human bones are discovered beneath the old glasshouse behind Foxglove & Hemlock, the local florist, DS Harriet March and DI Ben Taylor find themselves digging into Raven’s Edge’s murky past. As a frosty wind whips down the cobblestoned lanes of the village, the two detectives feel an ominous chill that has nothing to do with the weather…
The discovery coincides with the arrival of enigmatic novelist Iris Evergreen at Raven’s Hollow, a gothic monstrosity of a mansion that’s been sitting empty for years. Harriet is shocked to uncover a web of hidden secrets connecting the skeleton, Raven’s Hollow and, most alarmingly, her own family history.
Just as Harriet begins to piece together the puzzle, a heavy snowfall blankets the village. And there, half-buried in a snowdrift outside Raven’s Hollow, lies another body – this one still warm. As sirens wail in the distance, Harriet realises with a shiver that this killer is anything but history. The past and present have collided in Raven’s Edge, will DS Harriet March be the one to pay the price?
Filled with buried plots, tangled romances and deadly intrigue, this cosy village mystery will keep readers guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch, Agatha Christie, and anyone who loves their murders with a side of charm!
Having read the first two books in this series of murder mysteries set in the mysterious village of Raven’s Edge, I did wonder how many family skeletons could be left in the villagers’ closets, but I should have known that Louise Marley had plenty of surprises up her sleeve (or should that be under her wing?) for me yet!
This story does stand-alone in many ways, but it brings back previous main characters DI Ben Taylor, Milla and DS Harriet March, along with the rich and powerful Graham family’s influence, which all made the backstory richer for me being in the know. Plus they are just really good mystery stories and therefore well worth reading on their own merit.
We get more focus on Harriet in this story, along with a brand new resident to the village – author Iris Evergreen. There are plenty of dark secrets still to uncover and the village mythology continues to be a little bit creepy, a little bit fairy-story-ish and overall delightfully ominous. I loved the sweet touches of romance in the sub-plot and the multiple mystery threads of skeletons, missing men, Iris’s traumatic history and Harriet’s struggle to find balance in her personal and professional life as all of the chaos unfolds around her.
The characters in the story (and the previous books) really come alive for me, and form a neat contrast to the more fantastic plot elements, keeping the atmosphere perfectly balance between murder mystery and classic fantasy elements – look out for Snow White and glass coffins this time round!
I feel this series is getting stronger with each book I read, as the characters and mythology develop and deepen, and I am really excited to keep following and find out what comes next and whether my favourite Raven’s Edge residents (Whit, for one) can survive all these murders unscathed.
Harriet was more bothered about whether her cappuccino was getting cold, but politely turned towards the flower bed where Amelia had been digging. Whatever had been planted there was now a mountain of dead stuff on the path; only bare earth remained, with a neat pile of tea-coloured sticks beside an ominous hole.
Harriet did a double take.
Damn.
On her day off too.– Louise Marley, Murder at Raven’s Hollow
Purchase Link: Murder at Raven’s Hollow on Amazon
About the author
Most of my stories are set in small villages filled with quirky characters. These are partly inspired by the places I’ve lived in over the years, although the characters are straight out of my imagination! I currently live in Wales, close to a famous library and two ruined castles. My husband thinks we moved here by accident.My first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg’s Write a Bestseller competition. As well as eight novels, I’ve written short stories for women’s magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Before becoming a full-time writer, I worked as an administrative officer for the police.When I’m not writing, I enjoy visiting big old houses, which I use as inspiration for the houses in my novels, and reading other people’s books when I ought to be writing my own.
Website: https://www.louisemarley.co.uk/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LouiseMarleyAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouiseMarley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisemarleywrites/
Don’t forget to check out the other blog stops on the tour for more great reviews and content (see the poster below for details)! And check out my previous reviews of Murder at Ravenswood House and Murder at Raven’s Edge.
