Tuesday, September 3, 2019

BLOG TOUR - The Vicarage Murder



Today is my day for the Blog Tour for The Vicarage Murder by Faith Martin.

DESCRIPTION:


The Vicarage Murder (Monica Noble #1) by Faith Martin

Discover a new series of murder mysteries set in an idyllic English village. From million-selling author Faith Martin.

Meet Monica Noble: the vicar’s wife with a taste for solving crimes.

Please note this book was first published as “AN UNHOLY MESS” under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO.

IN A QUIET COTSWOLD VILLAGE ALL HELL IS ABOUT TO BREAK LOOSE

Monica Noble is throwing a party to welcome the village’s new residents. The guests include Margaret and her cheating husband Sean, who’s a celebrity chef. Also on the list are an Oxford university professor, a 40-something divorcee, and the owner of a chain of gyms.

Then as the drinks are flowing, a shotgun blast rings out. One of the guests is found dead.

DCI Dury and Sergeant Jim Greer are soon on the scene and discover that the victim had many enemies. Almost all the guests harbour secrets and motives for murder. Even Monica’s daughter comes under suspicion.

When another villager is strangled to death nearly a week later, the stakes are raised.

Can Monica help the local detectives save her daughter and solve the murders before anyone else pays the ultimate price?

This is the first of a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with great characters and baffling crimes which will keep you gripped till the final page.

Perfect for fans of classic whodunits by authors like Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, TE Kinsey, and J.R. Ellis.

MONICA NOBLE was widowed young, leaving her to raise her feisty daughter on her own. That is, until she met and fell in love with Graham Noble, a country vicar (pastor), who enticed her to leave her high-flying job in advertising in the city and move to the Cotswold countryside. There she found bucolic life very pleasant indeed — until murder started to rear its ugly head. And she discovered, to everyone's surprise, that she had a flair for solving the most unholy of crimes.

FAITH MARTIN is the best-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE and JENNY STARLING mysteries, which have topped the global best-seller charts.

More MONICA NOBLE mysteries coming soon. Join the Joffe Books mailing list to be the first to hear about the next in the series.

JENNY STARLING MYSTERIES
Book 1: THE BIRTHDAY MYSTERY
Book 2: THE WINTER MYSTERY
Book 3: THE RIVERBOAT MYSTERY
Book 4: THE CASTLE MYSTERY
Book 5: THE OXFORD MYSTERY
Book 6: THE TEATIME MYSTERY
Book 7: THE COUNTRY INN MYSTERY


MY THOUGHTS:

Title:  The Country Inn Mystery
Author:  Faith Martin
Series:  Detective Monica Noble #1
Format:  Kindle ARC
Genre:  Mystery/Thrillers
Date Published:   August 30, 2019
Publisher:  Joffe Books
No. of Pages:  205
My rating: 4.5 Stars

From advertising executive to vicar's wife to amateur sleuth. Monica Noble is still rather surprised that she gave up her high-powered career, power suits and heels to settling in the Cotswold countryside with her gentle, well-loved and well-respected new husband. Not only is Monica adjusting to her new life, but her 15 year-old-daughter Carol-Anne has had to change schools and now has a new stepfather.

Monica and husband Graham are among a new group of villagers who have purchased luxury flats in a former vicarage. Most of the units have been sold, while a few are still being renovated. 

Monica and her neighbors throw a party so that everyone can get to know each other. When one of the neighbors is apparently shot during the party, suspicion falls onto several people. One person the police zoom in on is Monica's daughter, Carol-Anne. so Monica is determined to discover answers herself so that the police will look elsewhere.

Everyone meets DCI Jason Dury and Sergeant Jim Greer as they begin to question everyone and look for the motive behind the murder. In addition to the inquiries, Graham still tends to those in his flock.

What a great book! I enjoyed the gentle love between Monica and Graham. I also enjoyed the short spurts of dialogue as the killer plots the perfect murder. Faith Martin did an exceptional job with this book, and made identifying the killer pretty much impossible.

The Vicarage Murder was an excellent book. This promises to be a delightful series. I look forward to reading the upcoming titles. I have read two other series by this author and have always been entertained. That definitely was the case here. 

Many thanks to Joffe Books, NetGalley and Books n All Book Promotions for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

*This book was previously published as An Unholy Mess under the author's pen name, Joyce Cato.


AUTHOR BIO:

Faith Martin was born in Oxford, and has spent all her life within twenty miles of the university city, even working at Somerville College for five years before turning to writing full-time. The author of the popular DI Hillary Greene novels, she also writes more classic-style 'whodunits' under the pen name Joyce Cato, but began her writing career as Maxine Barry, winning an award for penning romance novels! A popular writer for over 25 years, she has had nearly 50 novels published so far. Her hobbies include walking her now ageing dog, wildlife-watching, reading and (reluctantly) gardening.  

6 comments:

  1. This sounds like a treat - I wants. Your reviews are always a delight!

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  2. Great review Robin, this book looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. I am really glad you enjoyed reading this book. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post and for putting this book on my radar.

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