My Review:⭐️⭐⭐⭐/ 5 stars

I must admit I chose this because of the cute cat on the cover…I did not read any synopsis/blurbs about it and do not usually read cozy mystery novels… so I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I devoured every single page. The dialogue was fun and the characters quirky. This is the first installment of the Island Sisters series, and I am so glad I got to read the first one. Margot and Evie head to Tregarrick Rock on the Isle of Scilly after Evie’s husband's death to see if she would be inheriting it. After arriving, they immediately notice how strange everyone is withholding information about her late husband and his connection to them. After discovering a dead body, everyone at the hotel are deemed suspects considering the remote location and everyone having a possible motive/secret. I read all 300 + pages in just 1 day - it was a fun, quick mystery read and I am looking forward to the next installment. I highly recommend if you want a quick, mystery beach read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @minotaurbooks for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! It will be out on August 18th!

"Death at High Tide is the delightful first installment in the Island Sisters series by Hannah Dennison, featuring two sisters who inherit an old hotel in the remote Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall and find it full of intrigue, danger, and romance.

When Evie Mead’s husband, Robert, suddenly drops dead of a heart attack, a mysterious note is found among his possessions. It indicates that Evie may own the rights to an old hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isles of Scilly.

Still grieving, Evie is inclined to leave the matter to the accountant to sort out. Her sister Margot, however, flown in from her glamorous career in LA, has other plans. Envisioning a luxurious weekend getaway, she goes right ahead and buys two tickets - one way - to Tregarrick.

Once at the hotel - used in its heyday to house detective novelists, and more fixer-upper than spa resort, after all - Evie and Margot attempt to get to the bottom of things. But the foul-tempered hotel owner claims he's never met the late Robert, even after Evie finds framed photos of them - alongside Robert's first wife - in his office. The rest of the island inhabitants, ranging from an ex-con receptionist to a vicar who communicates with cats, aren't any easier to read.

But when a murder occurs at the hotel, and then another soon follows, frustration turns to desperation. There’s no getting off the island at high tide. And Evie and Margot, the only current visitors to Tregarrick, are suspects one and two. It falls to them to unravel secrets spanning generations - and several of their own - if they want to make it back alive."

I was sold at the mention of "remote Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall."

Death at High Tide is an entertaining and well written murder mystery. Great plot, quirky characters and a beautiful setting. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Evie Mead's life takes a huge turn when first her husband dies unexpectedly and then she finds she is the owner of a hotel in the Isles of Sicily. Evie travels with her sister Margot to have a look at the place. They are met with hostility from the man who states he owns the hotel and proclaims he never met Evie's husband. Then dead bodies start turning up....and unfortunately at high tide there is no way off the island. Immediately viewed as suspects in the murders, Evie and Margot investigate to find a killer.

This is the first book I've read by Hannah Dennison. I love it when I find a new-to-me author that I enjoy! This book was an enjoyable read for me....a bit of a gothic type feel, a lovely setting, and an interesting mystery. Very engaging! The pacing was perfect....the characters engaging. I can't wait to read more of this series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Hannah Dennison's Death at High Tide is the first in an Island Sisters mystery series. After Evie Mead's husband Robert dies suddenly from a heart attack, she learns that she may own the rights to an old hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isles of Scilly.

Evie and her sister Margot decide to visit the hotel and check it out themselves. There's soon, not one but two murders and the foreigners are prime suspects.

Having read the Honeychurch mystery series by Hannah Dennison, I was excited to see another new series begin with this book. It’s an easy read perfect for a summer day when you want a good mystery with quirky and fun characters. I always enjoy characters who have their lives turned upside down and have to make a new start. Evie and her sister Margot both find themselves in this situation and thus end up on an island where murder ensues. A very enjoyable mystery and one that I definitely recommend.

I’m a big fan of the authors’ Honeychurch series so I was excited to see a new book out. Evidence and Margot are both going through rough times in their personal lives and head off to spend the weekend at a hotel that Evie inherited. They get involved in solving a murder when a long time hotel resident is killed. Although enjoyable I didn’t find myself drawn to the characters.
Goodreads

Death at High Tide gets off to a slow start, and the story involves an awful lot of lying – by almost every character. Robert Mead dies, leaving Evie a widow who is also broke. Her sister Margot comes to offer support, and the two travel to the Scilly Isles to claim Tregarrick Rock, a hotel that may belong to Evie.

When Robert’s accountant informs Evie, there are no assets, his assistant, Cherie, hands her an envelope that contains a document stating a loan to Jago Ferris is secured by his hotel until repaid. Margot and Evie journey to the hotel where Jago disputes the loan, as does his wife, Tegan. Later, Evie and hotel manager Dennis find Jago’s body at the bottom of a cliff.

The debut of a new cozy series, this mystery falls a bit flat and moves at an uneven pace. The most engaging character is Mister Tig, a black and white cat with his very own Instagram account and over 2,000 followers.

This is a great new series to sink your teeth into! It has chick lit, a cozy mystery and charactrers to remember! With most of us staying home thisSummer, being able to 'vacation' in books is even more critical right now! Evie is a great character- she is older, trying to deal with all the secrets unearthed with her husband's death and finding out that everyone around her is harboring secrets as well. A new start is just the beginning of what she needs to move on. What she is expecting, isn't what she gets, but ends up being what she does need- a hotel with issues. This is a charming book and one to savor this Summer!

A new author for me that has written the perfect cozy mystery including an old, somewhat deprecated, hotel; an old, mostly abandoned, lighthouse; and a cat who sees far more than many of the key players in the story.

It has been a rough month for Evie Mead. Her husband had died with a heart attack, he had died bankrupt, and she almost inherited the Tregarrick Rock, a hotel set among the Scilly Isles - at least until someone pointed out that they were known as “The Isles of Scilly--or Scilly, but [were] never called the Scilly Isles”. Situated off the coast of Cornwall in Southern England, they provided a wonderful spring vacation site for tourist. Evie and her sister decide to take a brief respite while they wait for Evie’s husband’s estate to be settled. While there two murders occur - and they are the prime suspects!

The story is well-written though it moves a bit slower than this reader might hope. The first 50% of the book is focused on setting up the characters and setting for the story. The tides play a major role as they move in and out in their daily rhythms. And the cat, wait until you hear what he has to say!

It was a pleasure to read this book and comes highly recommended.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Two sisters head off to a small island in the Scilly Isles when it appears one of them may own the island through a loan default to her husband's estate. Evie, the possible heiress, seems to have a more even personality than her sister Margot who is always name-dropping and drove me nuts. When a couple of deaths occur on the island, it is pretty much a "locked room" mystery because of the tidal changes. Evie, of course, acts stupidly as do many amateur sleuths. The book started very slowly. The murder did not occur until the second half of the book. It began to engage me more after a body was found. In spite of the weaknesses of this first installment, it offers potential as a series. I really liked the blogging cat! I received an electronic advance copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

When Evie Mead's husband, Robert, suddenly drops dead of a heart attack, a mysterious note is found among his possessions. It indicates that Evie may own the rights to an old hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isles of Scilly.
Still grieving, Evie is inclined to leave the matter to the accountant to sort out. Her sister Margot, however, flown in from her glamorous career in LA, has other plans. Envisioning a luxurious weekend getaway, she goes right ahead and buys two tickets--one way--to Tregarrick.

Once at the hotel--used in its heyday to house detective novelists, and more fixer-upper than spa resort, after all--Evie and Margot attempt to get to the bottom of things. But the foul-tempered hotel owner claims he's never met the late Robert, even after Evie finds framed photos of them--alongside Robert's first wife--in his office. The rest of the island inhabitants, ranging from an ex-con receptionist to a vicar who communicates with animals, aren't any easier to read.

But when a murder occurs at the hotel, and then another soon follows, frustration turns to desperation. There's no getting off the island at high tide. And Evie and Margot, the only current visitors to Tregarrick, are suspects one and two. It falls to them to unravel secrets spanning generations--and several of their own--if they want to make it back alive.

The first in a proposed series, there's a lot going on in this mystery. I enjoyed it, but it's hard to explain why.
First, there's the sisters' relationship. The narrator Evie hasn't seen her older sister much since Margot moved to California and it's obvious they are keeping secrets from each other. It's also obvious that Margot doesn't seem to realize that the truth is the best thing to tell the police in a murder investigation unless one wants to become a prime suspect. Also, enough of the name dropping and clothing brands!
Other than the police officer who stands out because she seems to know her job, the rest of the cast of characters are very much types. The unhappy wife, the ex-con with issues, the good looking son who doesn't want to take over the family business, nosy old lady...all were annoying.
After all that, the ending worked for me, mostly, which is why I will probably read the next in this series.

The remoteness and accessibility challenges of the rundown hotel that is the setting for this mystery is very unique. When two murders occur with a very limited suspect pool, the book begins to feel a bit like an Agatha Christie novel. We were well into the book before there was much happening. If the blurb hadn’t said that the two sisters were investigating a murder, you would have been left wondering what the focus was going to be because it took so long for it to become obvious. Even though the book was a bit slow to start, I still enjoyed it. It did hold my interest enough for me to want to see where it would go.

This was an enjoyable read and I liked how the author skillfully told this light drama that kept me immersed in all aspect. From the initial setup of the protagonist being a widow, to the arrival of her sister to traveling to the hotel to the indifferent hotel residents to the murder. Who wanted him dead? Several people had stronger motives than Evie and her sister, but it was uncovering the secrets and the clues that would prevail. The narrative was visually descriptive and I felt like I was on that isolated island along with them as the author intended. There were plenty of red herrings that kept me entangled in what was going on and I was more or less surprised when the killer’s identity was revealed. Again, this was a fun read and I enjoyed the sisters and their role in this terrific new series that I hope is here to stay for a few more adventures.

I really enjoyed this book! It was well written with an interesting group of characters. I loved that the setting is on a small island. It added mystery and ambiance to the story. I look forward to reading more in this series.


I received a digital arc from Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and Hannah Dennison in exchange of an honest review. Thank you.

It took a while to get to the mystery in this mystery. I found it a bit dull, My main reads are mysteries and thrillers and this one will not make its way to my shelf. Sorry. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It gave me Clue vibes, which happens to be one of my favorite movies.
A closed door mystery where once the murder is comitted, no one is allowed to leave the hotel, and lots of secrets start coming out. This was a super cute, and quick read, and I would love to get more books in this series.
So Evie has just lost her much older husband and found out that she might be broke and have to sell her home. Her sister is there with her for moral support while Evie is talking to her husbands laywer. At just the right moment she finds out that her husband loaned some guy a but ton of money and took the guys hotel as collateral.
While at the moment their is no proof of if the loan was ever repaid or not, Evie and her sister decide to visit the hotel for a much needed vacation from everything going on in her life.
First they find out when they arrive that the hotel is actually closed for the season, even though they called and made reservations. Then once they make it to the hotel they meet a whole crew of pretty nutty people. There is an old woman named Lily who takes care of the hotel kitty. The cat has his own instagram, and Lily is the keeper of all the secrets in town. Jager is the owner of Tregarrick Rock, and has a obsession with time, and things being just right. His wife is known to sleep with the tourists that arrive every season, and freaks out when she realizes that the love of her life that she met when she was 17 has just arrived on the island.
Then there is the woman Vanessa who is obsessed to the point of stalker level with Jagers son.
When Jager is killed everyone becomes a suspect including Evie and her sister when everyone finds out that she could possibly have a claim to the hotel.
Honestly I did figure out who the killer was before it was revealed, but it didn't make me like the book any less.
Lots of things are going on behind the scenes of this book, and as all the secrets start to come out, and another murder is comitted. The only witness might be a cat, and the reverand who can tell everyone what the cat saw.

What a fun start to a new series! This mystery features sudden death, sisters, an island, and dramatic tides that make it rather a locked-room mystery. I enjoyed the gothic taste to the book and the questions it raises about long-held secrets and what they do to a relationship.

What I didn't enjoy, though, was how obvious the killer was. From fairly early on, it was clear who was up to no good, and so the big reveal was no big surprise.

Review copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After the recent death of Evie Mead’s husband, her sister Margot comes to help take her mind off things. When a potential inheritance of a hotel on Treggarick Rock comes to light, Margot and Evie travel to the island for a weekend holiday (and to scope out what may actually belong to Evie.) There they meet a charming, quirky cast of characters, some of whom aren’t happy at all to have Evie on the island, and many of whom are keeping secrets that are best left undiscovered. However, when there’s a murder on the island, Evie and Margot become suspects, and must find the truth to clear their names. As they get closer to the truth, their lives are in great danger, and in this case, the truth might literally set them free.

I admit that I struggled at first reading this, not for anything regarding the mystery but because I felt os many of the characters in the book were irritating or flat out unlikeable, which can definitely impede my progress reading. Nevertheless I persisted, and I found as I pushed through the first part of the book, it became more enjoyable, and I was able to breeze through the rest. The mystery was fun even though I could sense the bad guy a mile away, and I found the scenery and charm of Tregarrick Rock rather delightful - I could easily see myself going for a weekend holiday there, just like Evie and Margot.

While I’m not sure that I would rush to read a sequel, I wouldn’t rule it out. I can’t put my finger on it but honestly, I don’t think this book was for me, as much as I love mysteries. That being said, I would recommend this book to people that like cozy mysteries and quick reads. Plus, I know we’re not meant to judge a book by its cover, but Death at High Tide really does have a beautiful cover.

When Evie’s husband, Robert, suddenly passes away, her entire world is turned upside down. Not only did she just lose the love of her life, but also just found out that they were broke and she’s about to lose the house they shared. Then Evie finds out that she might own a hotel she’s never heard of while her sister, Margot, tries to help her sort out the puzzle that her life has become. Armed with her grief, some luggage, and her secretive yet outspoken sister, she takes a trip to Tregarrick Rock to check the place out. The only problem? Someone is murdered at the hotel and now they’re trapped.

When I saw that Hannah Dennison was releasing the first book in a new series, I was super excited because I love her Honeychurch Hall mysteries. Unfortunately for me, I had a hard time getting into this book. I don’t particularly care for Evie and I found many of the characters unlikable, especially Margot and Jago. The one character I did love was super interesting but wasn’t fully developed before they were gone.

My other complaint is that the murder mystery started way too late in the book. If I hadn’t already known that the mystery surrounded a murder from the summary, I would’ve thought that it was actually surrounding Robert’s secrets. However, I did like that Evie and Margot were terrible at investigating once the mystery started because it was very realistic.

I did like the setting of the book. Tregarrick Rock sounds absolutely beautiful even during the off season when the weather isn’t the best for visiting. While the hotel needs some work, it sounds like a beautiful place to stay. I’m not sure how practical it is from a business perspective since going to and from the hotel depends on the tide, but I loved how it was described.

Sadly, this book turned out not to be up my alley. I might pick up the next book in the series when it’s published just to see if the series just had a bit of a rocky start, but we’ll see.