Review by Booklist Review
Sampson (Nosy Neighbors, 2024) has a knack for pulling together a ragtag, multigenerational crew of charming characters, and this time, she adds crime to the mix. Nova moved to tiny St. Tredock, Cornwall, to escape a bad situation in London and to marry her boyfriend, Craig. She loves her job at the community center, though the book club's membership isn't as robust as it could be. There's Miss Marple-obsessed Phyllis and her flatulent dog, Craddock; farmer Arthur, who reads romance novels with his homebound wife; teenager Ash, who barely speaks; and Michael, a suspicious figure who runs out of the meeting early. Then the money to repair the community center's roof is stolen, and Nova is blamed. To clear Nova's name, they decide to confront Michael, at Phyllis' insistence, and discover he has disappeared, and his mother has been murdered. Much to Nova's fiancé's chagrin, they continue to investigate, uncovering debts and affairs and a dilapidated cottage by the sea. This cozy mystery has strong caper vibes and lots of bookish references, a real treat for readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Sampson (Nosy Neighbors) delivers a genial and entertaining cozy centered on a ragtag ensemble of bookworms. Nova Davies has moved from London to the small Cornish village of St. Tredock to stay with her fiancé's family while her overbearing mother-in-law plans their wedding. After starting her job at the local community center, Nova organizes a book club whose members range from studious teens to crotchety octogenarians. At first, she struggles to bridge the group's cultural gaps. Then £10,000 earmarked for the community center's roof repair vanishes, and Nova's bosses blame her book club for the loss. When this incident is quickly followed by a murder in St. Tredock and the disappearance of a book club member, the group realizes they're in real danger. Led by elderly Miss Marple fan Phyllis Hudson, the four remaining members launch an investigation, with each gumshoe's quirks proving equal parts helpful and distracting to the cause. From there, Sampson hits a parade of familiar but satisfying beats: unexpected friendships blossom, books provide key clues, and well-placed red herrings keep the pace from flagging. It's a bright and breezy treat. Agent: Hayley Steed, Janklow & Nestbit UK. (May)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Sampson's latest (following Nosy Neighbors) is another fun British amateur sleuth story. When Nova Davies moved from London to a small Cornish village, she started a book club at the local community center. But the five members are unable to agree on anything. Then a large sum of money is stolen from the center during the book club meeting, and one member, Michael, disappears shortly after that. When a dead body is found at his house, he becomes the prime suspect in two crimes: murder and theft. The members of the misfit book club each have a pet theory of what happened and who's to blame--and naturally, each wants to get the last word. Sampson follows the book club members in alternating chapters as they slowly come together to solve the crimes. VERDICT The intertwining perspectives of the disparate members will tug at readers' armchair sleuthing abilities as they try to puzzle out whodunit and why. A good fit for fans of bookish mysteries featuring reluctant allies who learn to work together.--BreAnn Weeks
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A motley crew of book fans turns to sleuthing in a remote corner of the U.K. Ever since an unspecified trauma in London sent her fleeing to Cornwall with her fiancé, Craig Pritchard, Nova Davies has been doing her best to adjust to village life. She tolerates the attempts of Craig's domineering mother to micromanage their upcoming wedding and Craig's gentle teasing over her absent-mindedness. And she loves her job at the St. Tredock Community Center, where she helps facilitate much-needed programs for the villagers. When the theft of the center's roof repair fund from her unlocked office threatens her job, the members of the center's book club rally round Nova. Led by Phyllis Hudson, who fancies herself a latter-day Miss Marple, computer geek Ash Chalabi and elderly farmer Arthur Robinson focus their investigation on the club's most recent addition, businessman Michael Watkins, and his wife, Cynthia. The situation gets dicier when Michael's mother dies, the police suspect foul play, and Michael disappears. The ragtag band proves smarter than you might expect, with feisty Phyllis demonstrating that seemingly batty old ladies sometimes actually get it right. Watching the club members bond is a particular pleasure; each of them grows, with Nova particularly becoming empowered to direct her own fate. But their journey, both separately and together, eclipses the murder plot, and in the end it's not at all clear how the elder Mrs. Watkins met her maker. Lovers of found family tales will enjoy; lovers of puzzles maybe less so. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
