cosy-mystery, law-enforcement, private-investigators, England, relationships, family-dynamics, friendship, amateur-sleuth, murder, murder-investigation, intrigue, 1930s*****

Having read others in this series, I stuck my nose into this one as soon as I got it. 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 (a private investigator), as well as her maid, Alice, are out in the country with family and friends for Christmas and there are two sets of mysteries this time. The interactions between ongoing characters holds my interest, but it's the development of the sleuthing that I really like. Devious plot twists and red herrings combined with exceptional characters make this a must read. Loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

Compliments first of all on the continuing beauty of the covers in this series! Whoever the artist is keep them! No compliments however to the person who wrote the Goodreads blurb which has very little to do with the actual book at all.

That apart this fifth foray into the Miss Underhay Mysteries is as good as the first four. This one has a delightful old fashioned Christmas setting with lots of food and drink, presents under the tree, stockings, snow and, of course, Midnight Mass.

Less in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, quite a few people die and Kitty, Matt and the Inspector are kept busy trying to discover whodunnit. The characters are all engaging, from the lady of the manor to the servants and the local villagers.

After five good books I think I can count on this series to be entertaining and I look forward to the next one.

"Kitty Underhay’s hymn book is open...at murder.

Winter, 1933. Kitty Underhay is enjoying a restorative break from sleuthing on a visit to her family at Enderley Hall. The only thing marring her peace - aside from the uncomfortable sensation she has of being watched – is the obvious history between her beau, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant and another guest, the beautiful Juliet Vanderstafen. So, when the parish clerk is found dead on her front doorstep, Kitty leaps at the chance of distraction.

The police are happy to conclude that Miss Plenderleith met her unfortunate end on a patch of ice, but Kitty isn’t convinced this was a case of bad weather and worse luck. And when the Reverend Crabtree fails to show for tea the next day, she heads to the church to speak to him. But she arrives to find the clergyman hanging from the bell rope, dead.

With Matt seemingly wrapped up with his alluring Austrian, Kitty must solve the case on her own. But as she snoops into parish affairs, she makes some less-than-saintly discoveries. Just who has broken the sixth commandment? Meanwhile the killer is preparing a churchyard grave for Kitty, and she’ll have to use all her wits to avoid falling in...

An addictive, absorbing and completely unputdownable Golden Age cozy murder mystery, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss."

I love all mysteries evoking the Golden Age of detection!

5th in the Miss Underhay Mysteries, Murder in the Belltower by Helena Dixon is another exciting historical mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. Spending Christmas with her newly acquired relatives, Kitty Underhay was accompanied by her friend and (for the period of the holiday) maid Alice, at Enderley Hall. Kitty’s friend Matthew Bryant, ex-army captain and now PI, was also invited, along with guests from America and Austria.

Freezing conditions with snow and ice see the winter of 1933 and Christmas at Enderley Hall also facing murder, mayhem and mischief as Kitty searched for clues, while positive Matt was hiding something from her. Would Kitty discover who the murderer was? And would she also discover more about her mother’s murder?

I’m loving this series – the covers are enticing and the content always intriguing. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

**Just a warning – the blurb is almost all completely wrong in the way things are set out – part of it didn’t even happen!

Kitty Underhay is spending Christmas with her family at Enderley Hall, joining her is Alice her maid, and her boyfriend Matthew who not only is a private detective but seems to be employed by the government on occasion, this visit turns out to be one of those times.

We meet a wide variety of eccentric guests including Delilah and Corny (we needed to know more about them, perhaps they are going to be featured in another story??)

The Christmas festivities are marred by the death of the parish clerk after she had left a party at Enderley Hall, was it an accident or is there something much more sinister going on.

I really enjoyed this book, and cannot believe that I have missed the first four in the series. There is a side story about the death of Kitty's mother but it is explained and doesn't detract from the book or make you feelyou are playing 'catch up'. Highly recommended

Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for this ARC. I love this author! Another great mystery that keeps you guessing and great character development. Can't wait for the next one!

Unputdownable British Country House Mystery
This is book 5 of a wonderful series of British mysteries. While these can be read in any order, the reader will get the best enjoyment if read in sequence. These mysteries take place in the early 1930s and are complete with fine autos, dressing for dinner, and country house parties. Our heroine is bright and appreciated by her family for her talents. The mysteries are great! In this episode, there is concern about possible espionage with secret formulas being stolen by England's European enemies. The intrigue is back-dropped by the Christmas season at the manor house. This is a totally engrossing story that makes your mind work while teasing you with the opulence of British Aristocracy. I found myself reading the book through dinner and staying up way too late to finish the story. I have read all of the books in this series and hope that the author writes twenty more! I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Another fantastic read by Helena Dixon. In the fifth book of the Miss Underhay Mystery, Kitty is invited to visit her relatives at Enderley Hall for the Christmas season. Kitty's aunt and uncle have also invited several others to attend the festivities and stay at the hall, including Matt. Naturally, the holiday season can't be without a bit of mystery and death. When a neighbor is found dead outside of her home the morning after the big Christmas party at the hall, Kitty is intrigued and must find out what happened. She's also curious as to why Matt is really at the Hall and what his connection is with a couple of the house party members.

This was such an enjoyable and light read. I loved that it was set in England, during Christmas time. Helena Dixon did a wonderful job of describing the hall and all the Christmas festivities. I had a clear picture of everything!

I love the Miss Underhay Mysteries and Murder in the Belltower did not disappoint! Kitty and Matt are spending the holidays with her family at Enderley Hall, looking forward to relaxing and seeing where their relationship will go when a murderer strikes a recent guest. The characters are interesting and the story is very well done. Fans of the series get to know more about Matt's history and see where their romantic relationship is heading while they solve another mystery. Thank you to #Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of #MurderintheBelltower.

Kitty Underhay is spending Christmas at her relatives home Enderley Hall, hopefully without the dead bodies that littered the place the last time she was there for a visit. 

Alongside Kitty is her dependable maid Alice, taken from the Dolphin Hotel that Kitty runs alongside her grandmother in Dartmouth. 

Now that Kitty is officially stepping out with Captain Matthew Bryant, she is delighted that an invitation has been extended to him as well. To make up the eclectic house party along with Kitty's Aunt, Uncle and cousin; there is Hattie, a distant relation of Kitty's Uncle, Lord Medford. Simon Frobisher; a botanist, The Cornwells; two Americans wanting to experience an English Christmas and Victor and Juliet Vanderstrafen who it turns out know Matthew Bryant from his previous work. 

It seems this mix of people and the transudations in the house are going to make for an interesting Christmas. 

When some village disputes make there way to a cocktail party given at Enderley Hall it isn't long before a dead body turns up. 

Enter Inspector Greville, it seems there is much to this death and when rooms are mysteriously searched and it appears someone might be watching Kitty, it only seems inevitable that another body is going to be found. 


But this time it looks like suicide and it seems that Kitty cannot resist all the intrigue and questions she has and when she thinks Matthew is keeping something from her, she turns to sleuthing, ably assisted by Alice who innocently with her downstairs gossip possibly hits on a clue or two herself. 

This really is a wonderful example of a murder mystery set in a country house. Who are all these people thrown together? What secrets are they holding? And is their behaviour a true reflection of who they really are? 

Helena Dixon carefully weaves the tale and the mystery to it's denouement in true Christie style and you could briefly imagine that Poirot was sitting in a corner nodding sagely at Kitty. All the characters are there to be liked and loathed in equal measure and you get a real sense of setting and place as the story progresses. 

Whilst each of these books can be read as standalone, there is a common thread running through them all, of course there is the burgeoning relationship between Kitty and Matthew but also the disappearance of Kitty's mother. I implore you to start at the beginning they are an absolute joy to read. 

I cannot wait to see what Kitty gets up to next.

Murder in the belktower by Helena Dixon.
Miss underhay mysteries #5.
Winter, 1933. Kitty Underhay is visiting family at Enderley Hall. How long will it be before a body is found? Who will it be?
A very good read. Even though I haven't read the first four I still enjoyed this book. Kitty and Matt were my favourite. I didn't like Victor. I didn't trust him. Looking forward to reading more from this series. 4*.

With snow on the ground, and the UK in lockdown once again, this is the perfect time for the 5th outing in the ever-reliable Kitty Underhay series. This time, Kitty and Matthew are invited to spend Christmas at Enderley Hall with Kitty's cousin Lucy and a cast of suitably shifty characters. Unknown to Kitty, Matthew has been instructed by his former bosses in the diplomatic service to keep an eye out for strange goings on, and when two of the guests are from Matthew's own secretive past events get a little difficult for Kitty. Matters are complicated even more when it transpires that the man suspected of killing Kitty's mother is a local, whose family have been living in the area for many years. With the strange feeling that someone is watching the house, the body count starts to mount up...

I confess to really enjoying this series, and with each book we delve deeper into both Kitty's and Matthew's past lives. The cast of characters is exactly what you would expect from a country-house murder mystery set in the 1930s, and the plot rattles along. Excellent stuff. A strong 4 stars.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Its not much of a surprise that what should have been a relaxing sojourn in the country with family and the romantic interest turns into another cosy, murder mystery.

Once again things are just not what they seem. And Matt and Kitty... well circumstances determine that they cannot work together as they have in the past. The ambiguity of the situation brings out a little of the green-eyed monster in Kitty. How interesting

Once again, the characters are thoughtfully written. Some are highly likeable while others are quite the opposite, Once again, I really struggled to have any sympathy for the 'bad guys".

I have read four Kitty Underhay novels and enjoyed how each of the individual stories develop. This one doesn't see Kitty's personal story move along as much as I would like. I'm feeling just a little thwarted. This is a fascinating thread involving her relationships with her grandmother (who owns the hotel they both live in), Matt ( her now boyfriend) and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of her mother (many, many years previously)

With thanks to #NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for my free advanced reader copy to review in exchange for an honest opinion

Kitty Returns....
The fifth book in this series of cosy mysteries featuring Kitty Underhay finds Kitty needing to take a break from sleuthing to visit the ancestral home of Enderley Hall. Her family awaits! What Kitty doesn’t expect to find, however, is murder most foul. Will Kitty be able to find a killer before she becomes the next victim in line? Enjoyable, relaxing reading with a likeable protagonist and a colourful cast of supporting characters providing some much needed escapism.

Kitty Underhay, boyfriend Captain Matt Bryant, and ladies maid, Alice, have been invited to spend Christmas at Enderley Hall. Having only known her aunt, uncle, and new best friend, cousin Lucy, for about six months Kitty is excited to take the chance to get to know them all better. With the prospect of interesting company and a white Christmas in the offing the three of them are looking forward to some rest and relaxation away from the traumatic events of their recent investigations.

With a varied guest list including two people from Matt’s past and Lucy's slightly strange aunt things aren't quite as relaxed as they'd hoped. After a guest at their first festive gathering of the season is found murdered the convivial atmosphere is shattered and once again Kitty and Matt find themselves in the middle of another police investigation.

Trying to stay positive, even when Matt seems to be busy reconnecting with the young woman he had been acquainted with when working in Egypt, Kitty concentrates on the murder case and her mother's disappearance. Danger hovers close by however, and it soon becomes clear that the killer hasn't finished yet.

This is the fifth installment of the Kitty Underhay series and it is like reconnecting with old friends. The relationship between Kitty and Matt is gradually changing and Alice is as lovely as ever. There is a similarity to the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers but only ever in a positive way. This is a country house murder story that works on every level and gives a few hints of what is to come. I am already looking forward to book six.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a lovely, nostalgic, read and I highly recommend it.

In December 1933 the remains of Elowed Underhay were discovered in the cellar of the Glass Bottle Public House. Ezekiel Hamett was sought in connection with the murder of Elowed and his half-brother, Denzil Hammett, whose body was also discovered. Kitty Underhay's long search for her mother, who disappeared in June 1916 was over. Now she's determined that the man responsible for her murder will be brought to justice.

Just before Christmas Kitty sets off for Enderley Hall to visit her aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Medford and her cousin Lucy for Christmas. She's delighted that she'll be accompanied by Alice, on temporary promotion to lady's maid and that Captain Matt Bryant will be joining her at Endeley Hall. She hasn't quite come to terms with the fact that she and Matt are officially walking out together. There's quite a house party at Enderley Hall: cousin Hattie will be there, along with Lady Medford's companion, Miss Hart, plus two Americans, Delilah and Cornelius Cornwell and Austrians Count Victor Vanderstafen and his sister, Juliet. Simon Frobisher, a botanist, is using Lady Medford's library and joins the party.

Kitty's disturbed to find that Victor and Juliet Vanderstrafen clearly know Matt Bryant. Juliet seems drawn to Matt - and he to her - but Victor clearly dislikes Matt. Kitty's uncertain if this is because of prior history - they were all in Alexandria at the same time - or because he would treat anyone who got close to Juliet in the same way. Then there's the fact that Matt's obviously hiding something.

However, Kitty is here for a rest. She's been involved in far too many murders of late and she's determined to enjoy herself. It isn't to last, though. After a minor altercation at the first evening's party, two of the guests leave early and one of them, Miss Plenderleith, is found murdered the next morning.

I found myself just a little disappointed as I started to read this book. I've had the misfortune of missing two books in the series, so the last one I read was Murder at Enderley Hall, set in June 1933. Murder in the Belltower looked set to be essentially the same story with a few different characters and added snow. I never really managed to get rid of this feeling. If you've read the two intervening books, or if you're new to the series you probably won't have this reaction - and can definitely add half a star to my rating. The book would read reasonably well as a stand-alone.

The characterisation is good: I loved Alice, the maid. She really sparkles! I want to hear more about her. The location - both the place and the time of year - are good. You get a real feel of a Christmas house party in the early thirties. The plot was neat and well written. It's cosy crime - and none the worse for that. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

Set in 1933 this is a fun murder mystery set in the delightful Enderley Hall. When an accident happened Kitty believes it's murder and its down to Kitty to solve it.

I absolutely love cosy murder mystery books and this is another series to add to my list. I found it fast paced and enjoyable. I loved the characters and the storyline. Lots of twists and turns and a few red herrings. I am terrible at guessing whodunit and I didn't guess this one. Loved it

It's Christmas time in the Miss Underhay Mysteries series, so I couldn't have read this at a more perfect time!

In this new installment Kitty's back to Enderley Hall with Matthew (great to finally see them dating) to spend Christmas with her family on her father's side. When the parish clerk is found dead, and with Matthew engaged in a secret side job, Kitty must solve the case on her own.

Although it's always a pleasure to meet back these characters, and Kitty and Matt are so cute together, I have to say this one was my least favorite one in the series.

For once, the story moves way too slow, with the first body not making its appearance till halfway through. Kitty doesn't sleuth that much this time. Instead there seems to be an endless stream of dinners and after drinks that weren't quite as nice as seeing her investigate. Also there were some side plots that, imo, didn't add much to the story and their resolution felt a bit lacking.

The murderer's unveiling was quite Poirotesque, and was nice seeing Kitty lead, although the actual villain felt a bit trite. The fact that it was not made completely clear the reason behind the murders was a bit disappointing too.

Although not my favorite one I'm still coming back for book 6 as I really wanna know what happened to Kitty's mom, and hoping to see Kitty and Matthew back to form.

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

A charming cozy mystery set in post WWI England. Enjoyable read with great characters.

Murder in the Belltower has Miss Kitty Underhay returning to her aunt and uncle's estate, Enderly Hall, for a Christmas house party. Accompanying Kitty is her beau, Matthew Bryant and her maid Alice. There are a few other guests at the house party-Kitty's dear cousin Lucy, her aunt's new companion and her uncles cousin Hattie, as well as a botanist who is using the library for research, an American couple and an Austrian count and his sister.

Before he leaves for Enderly Hall, Matthew gets a telephone call from his former superior officer who alerts him that he and his host to be, suspect that some of his guests may be dangerous enemies. He is asked to be observant and is also told that he is bound by the Official Secrets Act and can not discuss the case with anyone.

We get an interesting and sometimes charming view of life-the feuding church ladies, issues with the vicar, the other members of the house party etc. And Matthew not being able to discuss things with Kitty causes tension between them. especially once the deaths/murders start happening.

There are twists and turns that will keep you guessing.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 5th Miss Underhay story and it's as entertaining, fast-paced and cosy as the previous four books. I enjoyed being back at Enderley Hall for a typical "country Christmas" and seeing Kitty' family. There are a few storylines (the mystery around Kitty's mother, murder, spy...) that mix well together. I only regret that one villain was a bit too obvious and that Matt's dimple was mentioned a bit too often.

I recommend this book to any fan of cosy mystery.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.