There’s a scene in Dream of Death where the main character, whose name has slipped my mind already, is invited to tea with two eccentric ladies, who serve her weak tea and dry half-burnt molasses cookies. I feel like that scene is a fitting description of this book. Weak tea is exactly what comes to mind when reading this. Not terrible. Just weak. Even the title is weak: vague and forgettable and seems to have no real connection to the story.

I should start with the admission that I am not a frequent reader of cozy mysteries, so perhaps this book suffers from my unfamiliarity/ lack of passion for the subgenre. But I’d still like to think that there are certain standards for writing interesting and compelling mysteries, even cozies. I read this as an ARC, so I’m hoping the most egregious mistake, one of continuity of events, has been corrected by publication time, and so I won’t mention it here. But there are other complaints too. The heroine has a number of TSTL (too stupid to live) moments–for instance, running into dark woods to search for a missing woman, after one woman has already been murdered, WITHOUT HER PHONE OR A FLASHLIGHT! (Also, packing her phone charger in her checked luggage–who does that??) Then she’s surprised when things don’t go well. Also, in general, the police tell her not to meddle in the investigation, and she actually just ROLLS HER EYES at them and keeps on meddling. Of course, one of the detectives “keeps her updated” on information about the investigation in a way that did not seem at all realistic or professional, even if he was trying to get into her pants.

She also meddled in the affairs of a mentally handicapped adult character multiple times in this story–while she’s presented as caring about him very much, and desperately trying to help him and advocate for him, her behavior is inappropriate and reckless and seems actually harmful to his mental health. I was angry at her several times for how she interacted with him.

The romance in this story somehow felt both forced and dragged out. I appreciate the reality of two people who have lost beloved partners having some qualms about risking a new relationship, but the story still dragged out their interactions (should we? shouldn’t we?), while somehow imparting far more seriousness to a relationship than their actual interactions warranted. Longing glances do not a relationship make.

And diversity in this book? Well, there’s a hotel employee who is described as of mysterious ethnic origin (turns out to be Romani, I think), and gets described by things like her “exotic” clothing and her broken English. Not a very nuanced portrayal. There’s also a brief mention of a black character, who literally only exists for how he affects a white female character. I get that this is set on remote Scottish islands, and incorporates a historical story as well, but this story is still so white it glows in the dark.

There were, however, elements that I didn’t care for that I’m guessing were more conventions of the subgenre than poor writing, per say. Heavy-handed descriptions of EVERYTHING, especially food and clothing (I was surprised not to see recipes at the end of the book, honestly). A weird moment of magical realism wherein the antique dealer heroine gets funny tingly sensations when touching certain antiques that turn out to be valuable finds. And of course, the MC’s meddling in the investigation despite police instructions. Also, there’s an attempt to force suspense towards the end of the book which just does NOT work–it’s obvious the person is a red herring meant to horrify or at least disappoint us. I was not in suspense; I just rolled my eyes.

I also found it interesting to note story elements from several British crime dramas and/or novels in this book. Was the similarity to the mentally handicapped adult suspect in Raven Black accidental? How about the back story for the love interest in Dream of Death being almost exactly like that of David Tennant’s character from Broadchurch? I guess if it’s small enough similarities it’s just sampling, not plagiarism?

Despite the issues I had with the writing, I managed to read most of the book in one day. It is relaxing escapist fare, and I honestly didn’t know whodunit until the final reveal (although I knew several people who did not do it, despite the book trying to fake me out). Also, not knowing much about antique dealers and evaluation, I did not realize how suited they might be to investigation, with their eye for detail and interest in research. So that was an interesting aspect to the story. If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, especially ones set internationally, and don’t mind a glaring lack of diversity and the occasional lapse in logic, you may enjoy this book very much. And you’d be in luck, as apparently this is the beginning of a series. Given the resolution to this story, I’m not sure what such a series might entail (other than murder, obviously), but I guess finding out will be part of the fun for those who do read more in the series.

A Dream of Death is a cozy mystery. Kate flies to Scotland to help her sister in law with something. This is also the place where her husband died a few years ago. Now, a day after Kate's arrival, a murder occurs. Who is the killer? What was their motive? With help from people from her past, Kate investigates the murder. It's a well written thoughtful story. The setting of Scotland is vividly portrayed, and the entire story has an overall mystery atmospheric feeling about it. Kate is strong, relatable and intelligent. I wanted things to work in her favor. She's a sympathetic character. The other characters are likeable and charming. The story is a cozy mystery type, but the content is a little heavier but not too much. It's the perfect balance of mystery and intrigue with a bit of romance and charming. I recommend for anyone who enjoys a fun romance mystery. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am so enthusiastic about 'A Dream of Death' by Connie Berry. My attention was grabbed from the very beginning, and the tension didn't let up until the entirely satisfying conclusion. The book was full of history with an exciting locale, engaging characters and generations old family secrets. In addition was the beginning of a romance for widow Kate Hamilton. All combined I was enchanted and highly recommend it. The story of Kate needs to continue and I can't wait.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A Dream of Death by Connie Berry was a suspenseful mystery that kept me turning the pages until the end.

Ms. Berry is a "new to me" author but I will be looking forward to more of her books in the future. Her descriptive writing regarding the Scottish island, the home and characters made me feel as if I was with Kate every step of the way. I liked Kate and admired her tenacity as she tried to ferret out clues in order to prove that the gentle handyman, who was her husband Bill's oldest friend, didn't commit the murder. The plot was smoothly paced with well hidden clues, red herrings, few suspects and enough twists to keep me guessing until the dramatic reveal.

Kate Hamilton is a young widow who hasn't been back to the Scottish island where her husband grew up and later died; she wouldn't be there now if it weren't for a telephone call from her sister-in-law begging her to come.

When she arrives she finds her late husband Bill's family home much changed; his sister Elenor has turned it into a hotel (which she did know) and renovated the property to the point of being unrecognizable to her. While she's curious to find what it is Elenor found so dire she needed Kate's help, Elenor refuses to tell her until after the annual Tartan Ball that evening.

But there's more surprise yet - at the ball, Elenor announces her engagement to a local, Hugh Guthrie, who's written a book about an eighteenth-century inhabitant, a copy of which Elenor has left for Kate to read. But when Elenor is found dead that evening by an arrow to the neck - the same way as the woman in the book - Kate wonders if the coincidence is more than that.

When Bill's childhood friend and protector Bo Duff is accused of the murder, Kate knows that it's not possible, but it seems the police aren't interested. Then when she starts to receive threatening notes she also wonders if she's not right about Elenor's murder - and if the killer is closer than she wants them to be...

Since this is a new author, I usually try to give them a pass as to setting and characters; and while I thought the setting wasn't given much aside from descriptions of the hotel, I didn't really get a feel for Kate; she seemed withdrawn into herself, showing very little emotion at all and somewhat with a dull personality, but perhaps this is what the author was going for; after all, she was widowed at a young age and didn't seem to handle the loss. For myself, I couldn't see how Tom was interested in her, though why she seemed intelligent enough, it was this dullness of personality that bothered me. I couldn't imagine her enjoying much in life.

Aside from that the mystery was written well and I enjoyed the story line. The clues were there throughout but the culprit wasn't that easy to figure out. There was plenty of intrigue and suspense as Kate went about trying to find Elenor's killer. With enough twists and turns to keep anyone interested, this is an admirable first novel. Since I love mysteries, I decided to read it, and was not disappointed; but I won't say any more about it, because I don't want to give away the ending to anyone, but I will say I would have liked to see it end differently, not that it was bad, for it was not; but I just would have preferred otherwise.

Kate found herself going back to fulfill a promise made to her husband two weeks before he died three years ago. Finding an attraction that surpasses that which she felt for her husband was not on the charts, but love, she did find in the place she first lost it, but can she hold on to it in the face of everyone being a suspect in her cousin's murder. This tale is shrouded in a dark cloud of mystery, of an unsolved murder mystery a couple hundred of years old to the present day copy cat murder. What a juice of a puzzle, deeply captivating and thrilling, with a bunch of awesome characters all embedded in an absolutely delightful storyline.

A intriguing mystery, interesting setting, and a protagonist I was rooting for. I'm already looking forward to another book in this series.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Hamilton, Antique dealer, Mom, and widow flies from Ohio to Scotland to help her estranged sister in law, Elenor, who says she urgently needs Kate’s help. Staying at her late husband’s family estate, turned hotel, Kate has to face the loss of her husband here several years ago as well as the loss of her sister in law in less than 24 hours since her arrival.

What was it that had Elenor so frightened? Unfortunately Kate never got a chance for Elenor to tell her. All she has is a book Elenor asked her to read, a few old newspaper clippings, and a note written in code that means nothing to Kate. While Kate and Elenor were never close, Kate feels she owes it to her sister in law to figure out what had her so frightened.

Why was Elenor murdered? Was it a local upset when she announced that she was selling the hotel? Did it have something to do with a historic and unsolved murder that took place at the hotel centuries ago? Kate isn’t sure who to trust as everyone had a bone to pick with Elenor, but are they enough to kill over?

It's been awhile since I've read a first book from a new author and been completely immersed right from the very start, but Connie Berry has changed that. The setting is dreamy, the characters are well defined and written and the mystery is well though out and full of red herrings. If you’re a cozy lover, the one is for you! Smart, snarky and totally relatable, I will be keeping a watch for the next entry in the series!

Kate Hamilton gets a phone call from her former sister in law Elenor with a plea for help. The problem is that Elenor was always prone to exaggeration and is, in general, a not very likable egocentric person. In addition, Kate has not been back to the Scottish island of Glenroth since the accidental death of her husband several years ago. However, when Elenor is found murdered the day after Kate’s arrival one event after the other is happening and Kate is trying to discover the reason for the murder as well as the murderer. The book is well written with lots of suspense and a bit of local history sprinkled in. I found it an enjoyable read.

When a mystery takes place in Scotland, it always peaks my interest. I am so glad it does or I wouldn't have been able to read this gem! This book had it all, wonderful characters, a gorgeous setting, and a mystery that just ties everything in! The way the author ties in the past and present really weaves together a tale that you aren't able to put down.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for letting me have the chance to read this book had me on the edge of my seat very good suspense mystery

cosy-mystery, law-enforcement, Scotland, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, murder, suspense

I was hooked when Kate's luggage including the phone charger went to warmer climes well south of Cleveland instead of the Scottish Isles where they were supposed to go.
A widowed antique dealer who grew up in Wisconsin, she has come at her self absorbed sister in law's begging to the place where she spent her honeymoon more than twenty years ago, and three years ago saw her husband die suddenly. Said sister in law is beloved by few, but there are many who remember Kate fondly.
On her first night there she meets a vacationing CID detective inspector from Suffolk also staying at the inn. Later that night the first body is found and the danger and sleuthing begin. Well, the first murder this century. The characters certainly are and the plot twists and red herrings abound. An excellent read that kept me up way too late!
Can't claim to be unbiased as Kate and I both come from Southeast Wisconsin, have ties to both Cleveland and the North Sea, and have a love for antiques.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I generally never read cozy mystery but somehow this book attracted me with it premise and story. And I have to honestly say, I quite enjoyed the book from the beginning to the end. It was a quick read and had me quite intrigued throughout. I quite enjoyed her style of writing and this may have been my first book by Connie Berry, this most certainly will not be the last. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a chance to read the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Antique dealer Kate Hamilton’s husband died on the Scottish island of Rothsay, so returning there is difficult, but she’s determined to find a way to get along with her sister-in-law, Eleanor. And because Eleanor owns a boutique country house hotel on the island, Kate agrees to attend the autumn Tartan Ball. A shocking murder, which appears to be a copycat of a two centuries old killing occurs almost as soon as Kate arrives on the island. Police arrest Bo Duff, the handyman who tried to save Kate’s husband’s life, a man Kate doesn’t believe is capable of killing anyone. Luckily for Kate vacationing DI Tom Mallory is amenable to helping Kate uncover the identity of the real killer. I really enjoyed this story, the setting had so much atmosphere and I liked Kate, who was a level headed heroine, not the ditsy type that often shows up in cozy mysteries