Kitty Underhay is back and as winter envelops Torbay in the foggy, sleety weather no one likes she is representing her aunt, proprietress of their establishment, The Dolphin, at the Hoteliers' annual dinner. With her friend Captain Matt Bryant as her partner for the evening and dismayed by their dining companions she is hopeful a late evening of dancing will relieve the tension surrounding their table.

All that is forgotten however, when the most objectionable of their fellow diners, a prospective client of Matt’s, collapses and dies before their eyes and, once again, they find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation. 

While private detective Matt is looking for the reasons the dead man had wanted to hire him Kitty tries to distract herself from the horrors of the evening by delving deeper into her own search for information relating to the disappearance of her mother many years earlier.

As the death toll rises they find new clues which could lead them straight to the killer. Danger begins to stalk them and they must save themselves if the families are ever to find out who killed their loved ones.

This is such a good series and this instalment moved the under stories along very nicely thank you as well as providing a cracking murder to solve. All the antagonists were richly and realistically drawn and the protagonists were familiarly delightful as usual.

Without spoilers there is plenty to consider as Kitty and Matt’s personal lives move on apace and I can confidently suggest the changes hinted at will mean the next book will be one to definitely look out for as well.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review. What can I say?  I loved it.

Another delightful episode in the lives of Kitty Underhay and her partner in crime solving, Matt. I am enjoying this whole series very much.

There are the usual murders, heaps of suspects and always a hint of danger for Matt and Kitty. I like that the police are not idiots and also that they are happy to accept information from our clever pair of sleuths. There are some great historical facts in there with the fiction, especially the food. Imagine a restaurant meal of cottage pie followed by jam roll and custard and a pot of tea. The delights of an old fashioned English cuisine.

This was a quick, fun read with characters I want to know more about. I am already looking forward to book 5.

I could not wait for this next instalment in the Miss Underhay Mysteries series! Once again Kitty and Matt find themselves in the midst of another murder; one that will have you guessing whodunnit after the second body shows up! Woven amongst this new murder is the continued search for answers about Kitty’s mother Elowed’s disappearance. Kitty's search begins with a desire for closure, but as she discovers more, her quest is now for justice. Matt and Kitty’s romance is finally taking a step forward in this book and I so look forward to this new dynamic as the series continues.

Do yourself a favour, if you haven’t already dived into this cozy mystery series, and take the plunge. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

A big thank you to Bookouture for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #MurderontheDanceFloor #Goodreads #BookBub
** This review can be found on NetGalley, Goodreads, BookBub and Amazon.ca after the publishing date.

November 1933. Amateur sleuth-cum-dutiful granddaughter Kitty Underhay stifles a sigh of boredom as she attends the annual Hoteliers' Association Dinner and Dance on behalf of her grandmother, the proprietress of the Dolphin Hotel. She hopes the company of ex-army captain Matthew Bryant will enliven the otherwise dull evening. That is, until bullish and overbearing local councillor Harold Everton drops dead into his bowl of consommé. This is the 3rd book in the series but can read as a stand alone. Although I highly recommend you read the first two. This is fun couple and the mystery was clever, kept my interest until the end, and made me excited for the 4th! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

It seems that even if Kitty Underhay tries to live a normal life, murder seems to follow her around. In this her fourth outing, murder is found at the dinner table at the Imperial Hotel. Kitty and her close friend Captain Matt Bryant are also at the table. 

The victim it seems has ingested potassium cyanide and is a pompous unpopular local councillor Harold Everton. 

He previously has spoked to Matt and asked him if he could help with something in his capacity as a private investigator. 

Also at the table is the councillor's downtrodden wife, his equally downtrodden daughter, a nephew who seems to have money, a married solicitor who was always advising Everton as well as a brother and sister hotel owners who seem to want answers from Everton as to why planning applications were not being approved. 

It is a lot for the police to check through and Kitty and Matt soon find themselves embroiled in the affair and when an accident turns out to be murder it seems that perhaps those who know too much might be the next victim. 

Are Kitty or Matt in danger?

This is an equally interesting read to the previous books in the series. It can be read as a standalone and is a good introduction to the series, you meet all the main characters. Kitty's grandmother, Mrs Treadwell, her bumptious and annoying friend Mrs Craven who makes me smile every time she appears on a page. Then there is Alice, an employee of the hotel but also when needs must she comes to Miss Kitty's aid as a confidante, friend and ladies maid when the role suits. 

What perhaps you don't get a sense of is the back story which runs through this story and we start to get some answers about Matt's past and his experiences of war. Plus the disappearance of Kitty's mother is also investigated more and it seems more questions are raised than answers given. It is therefore reassuring to know that there will be more Miss Underhay. 

Great for fans of historical mysteries, with plenty of diversions and twist with a bit of threat involved, these really are gentle reads but show the spark that Kitty has and how perceptions are changing about women in more dominant roles. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Murder On The Dance Floor", the 4th book in the Miss Kitty Underhay series. Once more Ms. Dixon has written a brilliant addition to this series.

The story is set in November 1933, Kitty's grandmother Mrs. Treadwell asks her to represent her and the Dolphin Hotel at the Hoteliers Dinner Dance being held at The Imperial Hotel. Kitty and Alice Miller (who has acted as her lady's maid and chaperone during several cases) are staying over at the hotel, while Captain Matthew Bryant will be Kitty's escort for the event.

Seated at their table are Councillor Harold Everton and his wife Marigold, and her daughter Daphne, his nephew Thomas King, Ivor Stilitoe and his wife Gladys. The owners of The Conway County House Hotel Mrs. Lavinia Braddock and her brother Clive Hendricks while not originally seated at their table are somehow switched to be there.

Councillor Everton had wanted to speak to Matt about something but he never had the chance. After taking a sachet for his indigestion, he slumps over dead on the table. Since it seems everyone had access to his sachets, it could have been anyone at the table.

Matt believes the murder of Councillor Everton is related to planning council applications. Someone was making money on promises regarding applications going through and then they're refused. Inspector Greville and Doctor Carter are also on the case.

As in previous books Kitty continues on the trail of what happened to her mother Slowed when she disappeared in June 1916. Father Lamb brings her a box that just before Jack Dawkins insisted be delivered to Kitty. Inside are some photos and newspaper clippings. These lead Kitty to the Glass Bottle Public House - a rather seedy place in a questionable part of Exeter. The owner is missing and Kitty wonders how she could get into the tunnels that start under the Glass Bottle. She's quite certain that her answers will be found there.

After another dead all the pieces fall into the puzzle of what happened to Councillor Everton. Matt gives Kitty some insight into his life and offers her some choices. A shocking discovery answers some questions while bringing more to be answered.

I highly recommend this series and am eagerly awaiting the next book to see what new adventures Kitty embarks on. She did say she wanted to learn how to drive a motor car!

First time I've read this author. I enjoyed the story and the mystery kept me guessing. I liked the characters and their relationships. I also liked the setting.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Which Death Mars The Evening.....
The fourth in the Miss Underhay mysteries finds Kitty attending the Annual Hoteliers Association dinner and dance as a representative of the Dolphin Hotel on her aunt’s behalf. Kitty is finding the whole event rather tiresome that is until death mars the evening when a local councillor drops dead into his soup. Kitty and, sidekick, Matt waste no time in starting their own investigations but with bodies piling up they have to work against the clock.. Enjoyable and relaxing cosy mystery with likeable protagonists and a colourful cast of supporting characters. A worthy addition to the series.

3.75 stars
This is a fun and readable historical cozy series, set in England after WWI. Kitty Underhay helps manage her grandmother's hotel and has agreed to attend a hoteliers' dinner to represent her family. Her friend verging on boyfriend Matt Bryant agrees to escort her. As is often the case in mysteries, Kitty is pretty much a magnet for dead bodies and doesn't get too ruffled when a dinner companion drops dead during the soup course.

Kitty and Matt can't help but insinuate themselves in the investigation. The murder victims' business associates and family come under suspicion and Kitty is a whiz at sympathetic listening and often finds tidbits to pass on to the police. Meanwhile, in a continuing series plot thread, Kitty finds a little more information on the mysterious disappearance of her mother when Kitty was just a child.

Kitty and Matt's relationship develops, but they have to navigate around Kitty's fierce independence and desire to be a modern woman, and the ghosts of Matt's past. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. Murder on the Dance Floor is the fourth title in the Miss Underhay cozy mystery series set in 1930s Britain; it takes place several months after the events of the previous book. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but there is an overarching mystery involving Kitty's mother who disappeared during WWI. The book begins with a priest bringing a box that belonged to Jack Dawkins following his death; Kitty and her grandmother had hoped Jack might be able to provide a clue into Elowed's disappearance. Following the visit, Kitty's grandmother gets a cold and is unable to attend a local event for owners of area hotels and insists Kitty attend in her steed as everything has already been arranged. Kitty asks Matt to attend at her grandmother's urging even though the budding relationship between the two has cooled in recent months.

At the banquet, Kitty is shocked when one of her tablemates, Councillor Everton suddenly dies and it is apparent his death was not natural. The councillor had contacted Matt prior to the event hinting that he was interested in engaging Matt's investigative services, but didn't give Matt any details on what exactly he needed investigated. Kitty and Matt must work together to determine which of several suspects with solid motives actually did the deed. The mystery is typical of a cozy with a few twists; the real draw here is the characters. Readers of the series from the beginning will appreciate some developments in both Kitty and Matt's budding relationship as well as in Elowed's disappearance. The end of the book nicely sets up the next title which I look forward to reading. This is a series that is a good way to spend an afternoon checking in with old friends.

I love the Kitty Underhay series and Murder on the Dance Floor does not disappoint! Kitty is anticipating a nice evening of dinner and dancing with Captain Matthew Bryant when someone at their table is murdered. But in addition to investigating and catching a murderer, they also follow clues regarding the disappearance of Kitty's mother years earlier. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to the next one!

This series is becoming a favorite and I think it improves with each instalment.
This was excellent and I read it in one setting, a page turner I couldn't put down.
It was great to catch up with the characters and I was happy to read about the developments in the Kitty/Matt relationship.
The cast of characters are well thought and likeable as usual and it is interesting how Kitty changed and grew. She's now a strong and independent woman who is facing some hard realities but also some sweet news.
There are two POVs in the story and this makes the plot more interesting as Matt becomes a MCs on his own.
The mystery is solid, full of red herrings and twists, and the solution came as a surprise.
I can't wait to read the next instalment because I want to travel back to the Dolphin hotel.
This was a highly enjoyable read that i strongly recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Miss Underhay Mystery Series has been a favourite right from the first book (Murder at the Dolphin Hotel). I wasn’t disappointed by this instalment.

I always enjoy returning to the world of the Dolphin Hotel. I am very fond of the characters in this series - Kitty, Matt, Kitty’s grandmother, and Alice particularly. They are well written and believable, as well as likeable. I enjoyed exploring a little more of the relationship between Kitty and Matt, and some progress finally being made! There is also a new discovery in Kitty’s hunt to find out what happened to her mother. Both of these felt like a rewarding payoff for all that has happened so far in the series.

The mystery at the centre of this story was an interesting. I enjoyed finding out the facts alongside Kitty, Matt, and the Inspector. Helena Dixon has produced yet another murder mystery that I can solve at the same speed as the characters, which I greatly enjoy. I find that with many mystery stories, I have a very strong feeling of the culprit quite early in the plot.

Overall, this was a well written, interesting, and enjoyable murder mystery, with characters that I could really connect with. I definitely recommend it.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

Very enjoyable read-there are great characters that you can relate to-even if the story takes place almost a century ago. While it is the fourth in a series, I have only read the preceding book and had no trouble following along. There is a mystery surrounding the disappearance of Kitty's mother some years ago that seems to run through the entire series but doesn't cause any issues in understanding the plot etc.

Kitty and Matthew are attending the annual Hoteliers' Association Dinner when one of their table mates dies. He had a history of a bad heart but it turns out he was poisoned. He had talked to Matthew about doing some investigating for him but they hadn't had time to meet yet. Was it related to the murder? There are a lot of underlying currents-the deceased was a bit of a bully, his wife and daughter were downtrodden, he had a bit of power in his office. Many reasons to want to see him dead and Kitty and Matthew start down the investigating path. Enjoyed that very much!

Kitty was bequeathed a box from a man who had known her mother. When investigating it's contents, it seems to point to an Inn with a bad reputation and a possible underground route. So, Kitty also investigates her mother's disappearance.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. However, any opinions expressed are my own.

This was a free ARC via NetGalley and Bookouture in return for an unbiased review. I read the first in the Underhay series via NetGalley and liked it - I am a fan of historical cosy mysteries, it’s set in Devon (near to the town I live in, and I’ve been to Dartmouth and Torquay on holiday as a child), and the characters are likeable. So when I saw a new book, I requested it quickly. I soon realised there must have been two more books since the first one I’d read, and I’d missed them - so I’ve duly bought those and will now go back and fill in the gap. Thankfully this book didn’t spoil much of the stories, beyond Matt having been wrongly arrested for murder in one of them.

Anyhoo, onto this book. There are effectively two mysteries going on, one involving the Councillor at the dinner event, and one as Kitty investigates her mother’s disappearance (something else that seems to have progressed since book 1). It was good to understand a bit more about Matt’s background and history, and I’m glad about the developments between him and Kitty. All the characters are well written and vivid, and I look forward to going back and reading the books I missed, as well as seeing future books.

🎶 “It’s murder on the dance floor
You’d better not kill the groove
DJ gonna burn this god damn house
right now” 🎶

Am I the only one that upon reading the title of the new Kitty Underhay mystery can’t help humming Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s song?

As the lyrics say, Ms. Dixon did not kill the groove in this new instalment of a series that it’s fast becoming a beloved one for me. Love me some historical cozy mystery!

It’s always such a pleasure to meet back with Kitty, Matthew, Alice, Grandma and even Mrs. Craven! It’s like meeting with old friends.

Although this could be read as a stand-alone I seriously recommend starting with book 1, because the serialized plot throughout these novels has some serious development here. And also to learn about Kitty and Matthew’s relationship from the beginning to see how it has evolved. They are so cute together! I love how theirs is an equal partnership and how Matthew encourages Kitty on her investigations, not expecting her to be a wallflower as some people expected women to be at that time.

Although the murder mystery wasn’t my favorite one of the series, I think it was well resolved. It’s always nice to see them work together as a team.

You can call me a visionary, but I think that their Christmas is gonna be everything but uneventful, and I can’t wait to read about it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

1930s, law-enforcement, private-investigators, England, historical-fiction, historical-places-events, historical-research, angst

Despite being part of a series, you can't feel like you're out of the loop because the author keeps inserting useful tidbits. Kitty, who runs her grandmother's hotel, and her partner in solving crimes, Matthew, as well as her maid, Alice, are faced with a murder now and an ongoing mystery regarding Kitty's mother's disappearance 17 years ago. The current murder has lots of suspects with motive and probable means and opportunity, but nothing even hinting at proof. It's a good thing they have the local police on their side. The disappearance of her mother seems to have some sort of connection with the underground rivers and smuggling during the Great War. Lots of interesting characters and puzzles. I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!