Have to admit I read this a while ago but due to circumstances have only just got to leave feedback. I remember reading this and thoroughly enjoyed the story line, the characters and the bond between the characters. It was one of those where you think just one more chapter

I totally enjoy the Alex Duggins series, the characters are great, and the setting is wonderful. I so want to visit Folly-On-Weir. Looking forward to #6.

My thanks to Severn House and Netgalley.
I hated this book. Is this one of those cozy mysteries? I actually don't know. There was way too much jibber-jabber, and very little action. Drove me bonkers! 😤 I'm sure other people would enjoy this book, but for me it's too slow. 🐌🐌🐌🐌

Whisper the Dead
A Cotsworld village mystery
by Cameron, Stella
Severn House
Severn House Publishers
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 01 Apr 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Whisper the Dead through Severn House and Netgalley:


As the New Year Arrives winter is once more holding Britian’s Cotswold Hills in an icy grip. But what is causing the residents of Folly on-Weir the most concern is the new housing development that‘s going up. As she passes the site one afternoon Pub Owner Alex Duggin’s is confronted by the horrible scene of a construction trailer on fire and a man desperately tries to break down the door.



Alex Duggin’s finds her efforts to help as well as the findings of the Police Forenscic pathologist draw Alex and her friend Tony Harrison into a major murder investigation that will reach into the tight knit folly community and into Alex’s past.


I give Whisper the Dead five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This book started well for me. It's a police procedural, but, with the owner of a pub/restaurant being a lead character as it's she who is present when a trailer bursts into flames with someone inside.

I didn't read book one, which may be part of the reason I struggled to connect with any of the characters and struggle I did. There is also a lot of dialogue - too much for me and it made it a difficult read.

It's an OK read with some good plot lines and at times I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, all in all, it was just a bit too difficult to get through for me to give more than 2 'it's OK' stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

Whisper the dead by Stella Cameron.
A new year arrives and winter holds Britain’s Cotswold Hills in its icy grip once more. But it’s the construction of a new housing development that’s causing the residents of Folly-on-Weir most concern. As she passes the site late one afternoon, pub owner Alex Duggins is confronted by the terrifying scene of a construction trailer on fire and a man desperately trying to break the door down.
Her efforts to help – and the subsequent findings of the police forensic pathologist – draw Alex and her friend Tony Harrison into a major murder investigation whose tentacles will reach right to the heart of the tight-knit Folly community – and into Alex’s own past …
A very good read with likeable characters.  I liked Alex she was my favourite character.  4*.

Stella Cameron’s Cotswold village mysteries are excellent, non-formulaic cozies with more depth than the average cozy mystery.  The characters, both central and supporting are complex, with their histories, feelings, and goals driving the plot. When Alex’s curiosity leads her to view the new housing development, she ends up rescuing the developer trying to enter a burning trailer.  It also means she is on the scene when a murder victim is discovered. In addition to worries from being drawn into another murder investigation, Stella is concerned for her mother, who is behaving strangely.

Murder, deception and family secrets all play a role in Whisper the Dead.  If you like classic British mysteries and series like Midsomer Murders, you will definitely enjoy Stella Cameron’s Whisper the Dead.


5 / 5


I received a copy of Whisper the Dead from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


-- Crittermom

On her way home from a book auction, pub owner Alex Duggins passes by a new development being erected. She sees a building trailer on fire and ends up saving the life of a man trying to break a door down. She becomes embroiled in his life, and in the mystery surrounding the fire where one man died. Shortly after that, another body is found. Much to the consternation of the local police - which is nothing new - Alex, and her friend and lover, veterinarian Tony Harrison, become entangled in this murder mystery.

Alex discovers that her present is tightly connected with her past. This fifth book in the delightful Alex Duggins Mystery series offers quite an enjoyable read with a surprising villain, along with other nicely connected plot twists, especially concerning Alex’s mother, Lily.

Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for the ARC for review.

Alex Duggan is back and once again gets dragged into another murder. She's checking out the new housing development when she sees a man desperately trying to open the door of an on-site trailer that is fully engulfed in flames.

The man himself is starting to burn and Alex pulls the man away from the flames and uses her coat to dowse his legs which have burned. The man turns out to be Robert Hill, the owner of the development.

When the firefighters find a burned body inside the trailer, the owner and Alex are drawn into a murder investigation. The man is found to have been killed before the fire. But there will be more deaths before this investigation ends.

Alex has a love/hate relationship with the local law enforcement. She seems to always be where the police don't want her. But this time around, she becomes a valuable resource for the cops.

This is another well written novel with Alex, her boyfriend, and her mother in the middle of the chaos. This time around, a lot of the book centers on her relationship with her mother, Lily. Lily has been keeping secrets all her life, but they are starting to bubble out, leading Alex to question everything she thought she knew. She's really surprised when the arson has a direct bearing on her past ... and maybe her future.

Many thanks to the the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime drama. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Whisper the Dead

by Stella Cameron

Whisper the Dead starts off with anything but a whisper. The reader and Alex Duggins, owner of the pub The Black Dog in Folly-on-Weir, are thrown immediately into a violent scene which segues into fire and explosions. This cozy mystery focuses more on the mystery than the cozy as Alex finds herself caught up in a chain of events with threads that go off in multiple directions and soon become a tangle involving a real estate developer and his family, seemingly unrelated townspeople, and Alex’s own mother and her personal history. It’s hard to see initially how all of these can be related and understand how and why Alex can be at the center of it all.

Author Stella Cameron works magic with words, characters, and plot. If you have been following the series, you will be glad to reconnect with the locals of Folly-on-Weir. If not, you will find that you get to know them quickly, including the likable veterinarian Tony who is always Alex’s support and sounding board. Should you be searching for a complex mystery in the cozy mystery genre, look no further than Whisper the Dead.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Severn House for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #5 in the Alex Duggins Mystery Series, but good as a standalone

Publication: April 1, 2018—Severn House

Memorable Lines:

Too much emotion had rushed in since yesterday and it muddied her thoughts. This pile up of personality clashes made a hard time harder.

Smoke from cottage chimneys rose straight into the still, pink-tinged, early-morning sky. Snow sliding from the bare branches of an oak tree swished to softly pepper the drifts below.

The windows, cranked open a measly half-inch, had lost any battle with the coating of hot air and thick, grimy steam that painted the glass. More falling snow closed away the scene outside, but they all knew it was as cold as hell wasn’t, and sleet was starting to strafe the land.

A quite good mystery with an interesting plot and interesting characters.
Even if it was the first in this series I read there where no problems in understanding tha characters and their relationship.
It's well written and interesting.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley

EXCERPT: "This is going to be a conversation we should have had years ago, but Lily wasn't ready. I had begun to believe she never would be."

Alex served Mary and took tea for herself. She didn’t feel like eating.

"So," Harriet said, resuming her seat, "what don't you know?"

"Everything," Alex replied. "I don't know a thing."

ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Alex Duggins comes across a terrifying scene at the site of a new housing development, once again she is drawn into a case of brutal murder.

A new year arrives and winter holds Britain's Cotswold Hills in its icy grip once more. But it's the construction of a new housing development that's causing the residents of Folly-on-Weir most concern. As she passes the site late one afternoon, pub owner Alex Duggins is confronted by the terrifying scene of a construction trailer on fire and a man desperately trying to break the door down.

Her efforts to help - and the subsequent findings of the police forensic pathologist - draw Alex and her friend Tony Harrison into a major murder investigation whose tentacles will reach right to the heart of the tight-knit Folly community - and into Alex's own past ...

MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book I have read in this series, the first being Out Comes the Evil.

The premise for the plot was good, but I failed to become involved in this dialogue driven novel. When I say dialogue driven, I mean there is a lot of dialogue. A LOT.

This series is purported to be character driven, but I would strongly disagree. The characters have little depth, and although we learn quite a bit about Lily's background in Whisper the Dead, it is not enough to carry the novel.

Not everything in the sub-plots makes sense. The author dwells on irrelevancies, trying to make them seem important in an effort to create suspense or red herrings, but it doesn't work.

The ending uses exactly the same format as the earlier book in the series that I read - a clichéd ending where the killer confesses all and explains their actions to those about to be killed - which knocked a good 1/2 star off my final rating. In addition to this, I didn't find anything much to like about the ending. It was clumsily executed, and not well thought out. In fact, it made the rest of the book look quite good.

I had hoped that this series would develop both character and plot wise, but this hasn't happened. And while, after the first book that I read, I was prepared to give it another chance, I definitely won't be reading any more in the Alex Duggins mysteries. 2.5 reluctant stars

Just because I found this to be an unsatisfying read doesn't mean that you won't love it. This is my personal opinion, my reaction to the book. Most reviews for this book are positive, so if you enjoyed the excerpt and like the summary of the plot, please go ahead and read Whisper the Dead by Stella Cameron. You may be one of the many who enjoy this book.

Thank you to Severn House via Netgalley for providing a digital copy ofWhisper the Dead by Stella Cameron for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com. https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

A village murder mystery.

This is my first encounter with a Stella Cameron murder mystery. I gather that this is the fifth in a series featuring local pub owner, Alex Duggins. It is set in the Cotswolds and it certainly reminded me of the ‘Midsummer Murders’ format.

The set opens with many of the villagers complaining about a new building construction in the area. Alex feels that she needs to investigate for herself. As you can imagine the action begins...

A sudden explosion, followed by the building construction owner, Bob Hill, running with his trousers aflame and Alex is on the spot to assist him. In this close-knit community, it is not surprising that many of the characters know each other. This includes the police officers, Alex’s friend/ lover Tony, her mother Lily and many more.

Alex becomes embroiled in a series of gruesome murders and of course, there are various subplots too. This could be read as a stand-alone mystery; however, the reader would probably enjoy it more if they had been introduced to the characters from previous books. I think that anyone who enjoys a ‘Whodunnit’ mystery will enjoy ‘Whisper The Dead’.

Galadriel.

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

This is my first book by this author and therefore my first book in this series. The mystery is very interesting and you aren’t sure who the villain is until very near the end. I thought it was somewhat of a slow read with many characters and many strings to follow, but the mystery was still a viable one. I think that it would probably have been easier to follow had I read the earlier books in the series. So, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as a stand-alone read – however, it did get easier to follow as I got further into the story. I did have trouble becoming truly invested in the characters, but maybe that comes from not reading the earlier books as well. There were a number of things that just didn’t make sense to me – for instance – why would the police accompany an adult witness to a crime home in order to explain why she was delayed. Also, why would it cause worry/panic for said fully grown adult when she had called to tell them she was going to be late. Then, there was the way the detectives treated Alex – she was the enemy one minute and their best friend the next. I’m not sure how Alex’s detective skills were in the previous books, but they were non-existent in this one. Things just happened to her she didn’t really do any investigation that I could see. If you are like me and want a strong romance to accompany your mysteries, I didn’t see it in this book. You have a father and son dating a mother and daughter. The younger couple is the central romance and I can see his love and affection for her quite plainly, but I don’t see hers for him. Again – maybe it is because I didn’t read the previous books.

Alex Duggins moved back to Folly-on-Weir after her marriage fell apart. She now owns and runs the local inn/bar/diner named The Black Dog. Luckily it is a very successful and profitable business for her and she has several quirky employees. She also has Tony Harrison, the village veterinarian for a friend and lover. He’s definitely in love with her and wants more from the relationship – and I think she wants the same, but she doesn’t show it quite as readily.

There is much gossip in the town about a new development and most of the people don’t seem to be particularly happy about it. Alex hasn’t seen it and as she is returning home from Stanton she decides she’ll just run by and take a look. As she draws near she smells an acrid stench wafting toward her in the waning light. It isn’t from someone’s chimney – it is a fire. As she approaches the construction trailer, she spots a man floundering on the ground with his legs on fire. She helps the man and calls the police and the fire department. As the fire subsides to the point where the firemen can enter the structure, they find a charred body. Thus – the first of several murders to occur in this small Cotswold village happens.

Strange things happen and Alex receives several back-handed threats. Why does anyone want to threaten her – she certainly didn't witness anything other than the aftermath of the fire. Another mystery is coinciding with the mystery of the fire and that mystery has to do with Alex and her origins. Lily, Alex’s mother, is simultaneously dealing with issues as well. Will those issues finally cause Lily to Alex who her father is? You’ll have to read it to see, but I can tell you that I did not like Lily nor find her the least bit sympathetic. Because she was embarrassed about being an unwed mother, she won’t tell Alex anything about her father – nor has she told the father. How selfish is that? Alex is an adult and wants to know about her origins and she has every right to know - as does the father.

After three murders and a confluence of investigations, we finally have the solution and it took us quite a few twists and turns to get there.

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

On her way home one evening, Alex Duggins decides to stop by and check out some new home construction that is creating a stir in her community of Folly-on-Weir. What she happens upon is a burning construction trailer and a man with his clothing on fire…which ends up with a body being found inside the trailer.

Being the owner of the local pub, much of the action takes place with the police, friends, family, and potential suspects, coming by the pub as Alex and herself in the middle of several mysteries. Lots going on in this book, but it all weaves together well and you’ll be surprised by the ending. A real page turner!

While this is the fifth book in the series, it is the first one I have read and I was not lost at all…rather I was quickly entranced and could not put the book down! Great character development and a fantastic plot by the author.

Had I read previous Alex Duggins mysteries I may have been able to understand how a pub landlady could have been involved in helping the police in other books. However intrigued by this I continued to read the whole novel but felt the end left questions unanswered.

I'd not read the earlier books in this series, which I think might have helped a bit to understand she of the characters other than Alex, but I still enjoyed this mystery set in the rural UK. Alex's mom Lily has secrets- and those are always dangerous. When Alex finds the local real estate developer on fire outside a construction trailer, the investigator forces some of those secrets to the surface. An interesting group of people live in the village, there's a little romance (and a somewhat frustrated suitor), and a nice setting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book. The views expressed are my own.

The story begins with Alex Duggins rescuing a man from a burning construction trailer. Inside however, there is a dead body and police begin their investigation. Soon a second body is found, a person somehow related to the first one and the actions heats up to find whether there is a connection. The police seem suspicious of Alex, thinking she knows more than she is telling them.

This is the fifth in a series of mystery novels featuring Ms. Duggins. She owns and successfully operates a country inn, pub and restaurant in southwest England. Her mother, Lily, and Hugh Rhys help out. Tony, a local veterinarian is her romantic interest, hoping to get a commitment to more than friendship from Alex. ) There's an assortment of other characters apparently carried over from earlier books in the series. Everyone seems to have a dog or two, which fits in well with the rural England atmosphere.

While the murder investigation is going on, Alex's mother Lily is going through a crisis in her life, which also affects Alex. Lily raised Alex as a single mother and never told Alex the identity of her father The death of Lily's own mother, from who she was estranged, brings things to a head, albeit with plenty of melodrama.

From the beginning the story is woven with a sense of dread, A reader can sense that bad things are going on and things are going to get worse before getting better.. Alex is threatened by the son of the man she saved from the fire while his wife cozies up to her. Gladys, a long time friend of Alex and her mother starts acting strangely and mysteriously disappears for short periods of time without explanation. When Gladys's closest friend is killed, things seem to spiral out of control.

While this can be read as a standalone, the characters will likely mean more to a reader who has read the previous books in the series.
Recommended for its complex mystery, interesting characters and strong atmosphere.

Alex and her mother Lily have a close relationship, but there have always been things her mother just won't talk about. While she knows a little of the past, her mother and the people who knew her when Alex was a baby aren't talking about it either.

After all the chatter around the pub about the new development, Alex takes a drive to see for herself. After almost getting run off the road on the way, she is definitely not expecting to find a fire and someone injured!

From there the oddest characters seem to be coming out of the woodwork! Everyone is acting odd and Alex is determined to find out why and who is frightening her mother?

I really enjoy Brit Lit. And I like this series. And there is a shocker of an ending! Eagerly awaiting the next one!

NetGalley/Severn House  April 01,2018

I enjoyed this novel even though it's not my usual tense, gritty thriller.
The writing is gentle and reminiscent of an episode of Midsommer Murders and I will admit to finding the (often very colourful) characters difficult to keep track of. Mind you, that's probably because this is the first of Stella Cameron's novels that I've read so I wasn't as well acquainted with them as some may be.
The writing is good and the novel makes for good company over a weekend.