What a brilliant cosy murder mystery this turned out to be – a real page turner that had me entertained and enthralled throughout.

After winning a weekend in a renowned hotel, with the chance to meet with glamorous and celebrity guests, it is definitely something Eve Mallow eagerly anticipated. However, things never quite go as planned for obituary writer, Eve, and she is right on the scene when a victim of murder is found – much to the chagrin of her arch nemesis, the police officer in charge of the investigation! There are plenty of suspects and it will, once more, need Eve to keep a cool head and piece together the evidence to ensure the true perpetrator is brought to justice, preferably without antagonising the police officer even more – but can she do so before anyone else is killed and keep herself safe, too?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, meeting the celebrities, discovering what Eve uncovered and learning more about her secret relationship that you’ll need to read about for yourself. Gus, her dachshund, is her sounding board, she discusses everything with him and he’s great at distracting folks whilst she’s endeavouring to question them. The story is filled with twists and turns, great characters and a beautiful seaside setting. There are so many possible killers – and potential victims! It is a delightful story to escape into, one which keeps you guessing until everything suddenly falls into place. It is a great investigation with an added hint of romance. I certainly look forward to reading more about the adventures of Eve and Gus in this series in future!

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

Weekend Holiday Turns Into Murder
This book is the fifth in a series and can be read independently from the others. Our sleuth wins a weekend holiday at an exclusive hotel and murder follows. The author writes in the fashion that the reader discovers clues and makes logical decisions along with our heroine. While there are no surprise clues, the ending is quite surprising. The book was full of twists and turns that were both fun and exciting. This is a wonderful, modern British mystery.
I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Mystery at the Abbey Hotel by Clare Chase is an intriguing cozy mystery featuring retiree Eve Mallow. Eve has won a weekend at the hotel, which she could never have otherwise afforded. The owner, and master hotelier, Debra Moran, had gone to her car to fetch some papers and not returned. It wasn't long before they had found her body in the woods. Now they had to find her murderer. There were so many suspects: her estranged sister who had shown up uninvited; the wife of her manager with whom she may have been having an affair; her ex-husband whom she had beat out in her purchase of the hotel; others?

Eve is a clever amateur detective who isn't always welcome when she arrives to investigate. This enquiry had been an accident. She was here innocently enough, wasn't she? It nearly cost her life. If her friend, Robin hadn't show up? Robin was an interesting guy... in the guise of a gardener; he was hiding from organized crime. As a police officer he had dome some serious damage to their undertaking and had run for his life. He and Eve were slowly developing a relationship and they worked well together. The romance was not filled with the same kind of passion that one between younger people might have been but it was real and welcome. Fun to watch. Eve's life in the village was not exciting on a day-to-day basis, but the murders in which she involved herself provided more than enough excitement for anyone. This is a delightful cozy with fun characters, well-written with interesting plots and good mysteries. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Mystery at the Abbey Hotel by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my won. #netgalley #mysteryattheabbeyhotel

Taking a well deserved break with her faithful dog Gus, Eve Mallow is enjoying a long weekend at the Abbey Hotel when the owner Debra disappears and then unfortunately is found dead. Disappointed that the officer in charge is Detective Inspector Nigel Palmer Eve does what she does best and decides that she needs to delve further into the stress and fractious relationships between Debra and her staff

Another intriguing case for wannabe Investigator Eve

Eve takes a well-earned break at a luxury hotel in a nearby location in this mystery. The change of location is glamorous and promises to be a feast of delicious food and people watching. An unexpected death makes Eve realise, the veiled animosity she sensed between some of the guests and employees may be clues to solving a murder.

This is an addictive cosy mystery with eccentric characters, clever clues and an atmospheric setting. I have read most of this series, and it continues to engage me.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This book is another great adventure of Eve Mallow that I couldn't put down. I love the characters and the setting, I could picture everyone and everything as if I were there.

I definitely 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.

Just wonderful. Thrilling. Mysterious. Addictive. Full of twists. Brilliantly written. Loved. Loved. Loved. Do read this one.

Mystery at the Abbey Hotel is the fifth instalment in the Eve Mallow Mystery series, set in the fictional coastal village of Saxford St Peter, Suffolk, in which Eve has lived for 18 months. Part-time obituary writer, Monty’s teashop employee and amateur sleuth Eve, is taking a much-needed and well-deserved weekend break from her busy life at the grand but elegant Abbey Hotel, with sidekick - daschund Gus, after claiming the winning ticket in a local draw in aid of Cancer Research allowing her to stay half price. The hotel is situated in St James on the Marsh and surrounded by lush foliage, dense woodland and perfectly manicured topiary. It is owned by glamourous, prominent London boutique hotelier Debra Moran, who had only recently acquired it. Presiding over her new venture, she brought her trademark dinners, exclusivity and personal welcome to a countryside setting. It had been rumoured that Debra vetted her guests before allowing them to stay at one of her establishments, so Eve is anticipating well-behaved guests to converse with, not to mention several celebrities. Among the guests are Debra’s ex-husband and fellow hotelier Chester Paxton, owner of The Kingsham in Chelsea, Bianca Gresham who is one of the world’s most famous and high-end fashion designers and her husband, Miles.

Also present is Yash Astor, an international jet-setting financier as well as Debra’s sister Amelia who she has been estranged from for over two decades and who had booked her stay under the pseudonym Amanda Morton. Oh, and not forgetting Debra’s protégée Harper Reece and her husband, Edmund. When Debra goes missing, a search of the Abbey’s vast grounds starts in the darkness of the late evening. She had only been going to get some papers from her car ready for Harper to sign regarding their joint business venture, but she never returned and now everyone was rightly concerned. Then a shout; she had been located. Eve and Harper rush to the area where Ivan Stanford, the hotel’s head of housekeeping and Debra’s right-hand man, was standing over her prone body. There was bruising around her neck, a sign of strangulation, and blood on her forehead. Can Eve identify the killer and their motives before they strike again? This is a superb addition to a brilliant cosy mystery series with likeable protagonist Eve back in action. The quirky characters and stunning settings are what make this a captivating read but the twists, drama and murder also make it compulsive and thoroughly gripping from the moment you pick it up. Escape from the stresses of everyday life into a world inhabited by charming characters and dastardly crimes. Highly recommended.

Who doesn’t love a great cozy mystery, a who dunnit, and a few twists and turns along the way? That’s exactly what you get from this fantastic read.

Eve Mallow is an obituary writer and wins a stay at a luxury hotel. She is in much need of a weekend away and there’s no better place to unwind and people watch, then at the very private Abbey Hotel. But Eve’s relaxing weekend is quickly interrupted when Diane’s body, the owner of the hotel, is found in the hotel gardens. A murder has taken place and Eve finds herself among the suspects. Eve is tasked with writing Diane’s obituary and at the same time she has to prove that she is innocent. Eve is a super sleuth and she is in her element of interviewing the other guests and trying to figure out whodunnit. The guests are such an interesting and eclectic group of people, and their interactions with each other are very entertaining. I really enjoyed the introduction of Gus, he and Eve make quite the pair.

This is book five of a six book series and it is every bit as good as the rest of them. You can read it as part of the series or as a stand alone. I look forward to reading the final book in this series but will be sad when this wonderful series comes to an end. I highly recommend this book, series and author. Thank you Clare Chase for such a wonderful story.

I love this series and i think this is the best installment.
It's gripping, complex and highly entertaining, an interesting whodunnit that i thoroughly enjoyed.
Eve is at her best, I loved how she observes and she's able to understand how the relationships between the people works and how the author developed this character adding changes to her life and making her relationships evolve.
The setting is fascinating, I would be happy to be able to sojourn in such a luxurious and unique place.
The plot is tightly knitted, fast paced, full of twists and turns. I wasn't able to guess the culprit and the solution came as a surprise.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series as I think there will be plenty of developments and another excellent mystery.
A very enjoyable story that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love the genre of cozy mysteries. This was a fun, interesting book to read. The first I've read from this author, the 5th in a series.. The descriptions are well written and colorful. I was in suspense throughout the entire story.

Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful book. I'm looking forward to reading more Eve Mallow stories.

4.5 Stars
Eve Mallow obituary writer has won a luxurious long weekend at the luxurious Abbey Hotel & she can even take Gus her beloved dachshund. Abbey Hotel, famed for its glamorous owner Debra Moran and an array of celebrity guests. For a confirmed people-watcher like Eve, it’s perfect: she can observe the rich and famous while sipping tea in the gardens. But her relaxing break takes a shocking turn when Debra is found lying dead in the shadowy woods around the hotel. When the investigation gets underway, Eve finds herself trapped with a wide range of suspects. As Eve begins her research for her article she uncovers a whole host of secrets.
This is the fifth book in the series & it could easily be read on its own. There are threads which have developed throughout the series, one of which takes a step forward in this book, that said coming cold to this book won’t spoil your enjoyment. I love Eve who is like a terrier once she starts researching. There are plenty of suspects as well as twists, turns & red herrings. Also the body count starts to rise so can Eve find the murderer before more die? I really, really enjoy this series & love the often quirky inhabitants of Saxford St Peter so I look forward to more books
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is number 5 in this cozy mystery series by Clare Chase, although I am late to this particular party in that this is the first one that I have read. Despite this being the case it was easy to read and understand as a standalone novel and I would not hesitate to go back and read those prior to this.

Our main character is Eve Mallow, a professional obituary writer and part time sleuth. Eve is at a newly opened hotel as a guest and right in the centre of the action when murders start to occur. I enjoyed her character although the start of the book was a bit slow to get going, but it soon got consuming and I found the book hard to put down. I was willing Eve to put the pieces together of the mystery, which she eventually did, but not before almost being a murder victim herself. I enjoyed the way the author brought in some historical information with the smugglers museum and the potential threat to Eve being in this setting.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hang out the bunting, dust off your thinking caps, polish up your powers of perception and fine tune your lie detecting radar because there’s cause for celebration. Eve Mallow is back in town! Get ready to perform another round of mental gymnastics along with Suffolk based Eve as she puts her (and yours!) super sleuthing skills to the test once again in cozy mystery number five. Still considered a relative newcomer to the village of Saxford St Peter, having taken up residence eighteen months ago, Eve has an uncanny knack of turning up in the wrong places at the right time or should that be the other way around?!? Death seems to snap closely at Eve’s heels, (as well as her silent sounding board/ collaborator Gus the dachshund) which is hardly surprising given her official job title. She may be a part time obituary writer, part time local tea shop employee but she’s a full time amateur detective,whose natural curiosity, love of people watching and fascination in the lives of her fellow human beings often leads her into the path of trouble and danger. Eve constantly outshines the boys in blue, namely DI Palmer who is remarkably quick to form incorrect assumptions about the likely culprit, proving to be a thorn in his side every time there’s a murder to solve. Given her 100% success rate so far can Eve make it fifth time lucky without coming a cropper? If you prefer your crime without the carnage, your villains without the visible violence, your baddies without the brutal bloodshed then this is a series worth investigating, if you haven’t done so already.

Even sleuths of Eve’s calibre need a break from time to time and that’s where we find her this time around, arriving at the Abbey Hotel, StJames on the Marsh, recently acquired by the renowned hotelier Debra Moran. Expecting a weekend of fine dining, relaxation and good conversation Eve is joined by a number of other guests keen to sample Debra’s hospitality. Ex husband and fellow hotelier Chester Paxton, fashion designer Bianca Gresham and her husband Miles, financier Yash Astor and estranged sister Amelia Moran have all been invited to witness the hotel’s transformation. Last but by no means least Debra’s protege Harper Reece and her husband complete the numbers in this select and exclusive gathering. Whatever delights chef Nicole has created to satisfy these guests appetites rest assured by the end of the first evening death will be on the menu and Eve’s mini break will turn into a murder investigation. Debra Moran, irreverent, charismatic and the hostess with the mostest will have fallen victim of a killer whose motive is yet unclear. This is one weekend to remember and all for the wrong reasons!

Be prepared to draw up a seemingly never ending checklist of potential suspects in order to answer the million dollar question as to who out of everyone stands to gain the most from Debra’s demise. As well as the resident guests, employees of the hotel and local business people will fall under Eve’s spell, offering up crucial information without even realising they’ve been subjected to a gentle grilling! There’s no escape since Eve’s eyes and ears are everywhere! Give your grey matter a lively workout as you rummage through a jumble of motives and theories, in which jealousy, greed, infidelities, adoration and adulation could all provide the motivation necessary to turn one of these characters into a killer. But is this a killer of a lone victim or will there be more bodies to discover before Eve can expose their true identity?

I’ve read every single book in this super snugly series so by now I know exactly what to expect when I turn over the eye catching cover and begin the first page. For some that may be erring on the ‘too predictable ‘ side but the reverse of that is the warm feeling of familiarity that washes over you the minute you step into Eve’s world. As a creature of habit I love the comfort and security that these storylines offer, cocooning me in a blissful state suspended from reality. I’m more than happy to let the author whisk me off to this imaginary community where friendship, loyalty, camaraderie and good humour exist in abundance until murder darkens another doorstep. The author’s writing with imagery of the woods and deserted marshes as areas that are isolated enough for foul play to occur sets an atmospheric air, whilst also paying justice to the landscape and the history of the surroundings. Once more, all the regulars are hovering in the background ready and willing to lend a friendly ear or in Moira’s case divulge a tidbit of gossip, under the guise of assisting Eve with her enquiries, although I felt on this occasion their appearances were few and far between. My favourite place in this east Anglian rural idyll is Viv’s tea room, Monty’s, but with most of the action taking place in neighbouring St James on the Marsh there was no time to feast my eyes on all the delectable goodies Viv has on her menu. Although a change of scenery is appreciated, I missed the interaction Eve has with her fellow inhabitants of Saxford St Peter so perhaps the next murder can take place amongst the chocolate brownies or failing that amongst the tinned goods in the village shop?! That would set Moira’s tongue wagging nineteen to the dozen! Compared to other fictional amateur sleuths I follow avidly such as Fiona Leitch’s Jodie Parker, Joss Stirling’s Jess Bridges and Katie Gayle’s Epiphany Bloom, Eve as a character is rather more staid, the most sensible and straight laced of the lot. In terms of her personal life this series is a slow burner and if I have one criticism to make is that after five books I’d really love Clare Chase to push Eve’s boundaries, encouraging her to let her hair down and realise her romantic desires towards local gardener cum guardian angel Robin Yardley. This is one potential love interest that has been simmering away behind the scenes for far too long!! I don’t think I’ll be the only one to comment on this state of affairs since Gus gives every indication he is of the same opinion too judging by his behaviour towards the gentleman in question. Regardless of what happens in future investigations I now consider myself a die hard fan of Eve Mallow and as long as Clare Chase keeps writing this series I for one will keep on reading them. I shouldn’t forget to mention that every single investigation can be read as a stand alone, if for some mysterious reason these books have bypassed your attention. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the fifth book in the Eve Mallow series and as the series progresses so does the quality of Clare Chase's writing. Well rounded characters, beautifully described location and an interesting and intriguing plot line involving a murder at a new local hotel where Eve is staying on a short weekend break.
The suspects are plentiful and as Eve balances writing her obituary with trying to solve the crime she once again finds herself in danger.
Total escapism and easy reading.

This is my first book by Clare Chase but it’s the fifth in the Eve Mallow’s series.
I was mainly attracted to the cover and am incredibly glad I have as I really enjoyed this read.

I really loved this mystery and Eve is a really likeable and quite realistic character with a great personality.

This cozy mystery was really gripping and I was really compelled by the amazing writing and there were plenty of twists and turns that kept it all really mysterious to me.

I also loved the setting and felt that both the character and the village descriptions were really interesting.

I would highly recommend this book to any fans of cosy mystery novel and can’t wait to read further books by the author.

Wow.. book five already and still as fresh as it was with book one, with absolutely no signs of flagging! Obviously it's always best with a series to start from book one and read in order although the main story is self-contained so you don't have to, but you really would get the best from the series characters and their development if you do.
So Eve is having a bit of a break away at the luxurious Abbey Hotel when things go a bit south when the owner is found dead; murdered! Being no stranger to investigations - I refer you to her previous books - Eve, surrounded by suspects, starts to, well, have a chat to them. She gets away with doing this as she has in previous books, by combining it with her day-job - as an obituary writer. But who would have wanted Debra Moran dead? Who stands to gain and, strangely enough, who stands to lose? There's a whole host of eclectic characters, most with reasons to be in attendance, as well as a few outwith the Hotel, in the village nearby. But has Eve bitten off more than she can chew with this one as soon there's another incident and the stakes become all the more higher?
I love this series. I love Eve and her trusty sidekick and assistant, Gus (the dachsund). It's refreshingly different - unique even - to have an obituary writer as the main character but it's so clever too as it gives Eve reasons and pretty much carte blanche to talk to all and sundry. Which she does with complete aplomb.
As with the previous books, the story gets on with itself very well. Description is enough to set the scene or progress the narrative, nothing to distract. We also have a cracking cast of rather, shall we just call them, interesting characters, all of whom are a bit shady and start off as suspects. Secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour aplenty throughout the plot. But who has the biggest motive, enough to do the deed, and why? Well, you'll just have to read for yourself to find that out. All I'm saying is that the ending, when it came, left me wholly satisfied. Roll on book six...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

hotelier, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, friendship, England, murder, murder-investigation, cosy-mystery, writers, small-town, ex-cop*****

Eve Mallow (and her trusty dachshund) was excited to have won a stay at a local five star hotel and was wowed by the famous charismatic woman who ran it. Until she found herself writing her celebrity obituary, Eve's gig writing is of obituaries for niche market magazines so she was in position to sleuth to find what really happened while performing the usual interviews and due diligence as well as her day job waitressing. Most of her fellow guests have reason to be suspects, but Eve was dismayed when the CID sent the detective who always discounted her. Lots of red herrings, suspense, and plot twists as well as the usual interesting characters. Of course I stayed up way too late just to finish it!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

Eve has won a stay at the luxurious and very private Abbey Hotel and she is thrilled to be there. When the owner Debra is found murdered in the gardens, just minutes after being seen by Eve, everyone who was present is suspect.

The suspects include an ex husband, a sister from whom she has been acrimoniously separated for years, a young protege and her husband (whom Debra is sponsoring) and a Manager who appears to be more than just a manager, and several friends. . There are several other characters on the fringes of this story as well and they are all suspect, including Eve.

Eve who has solved mystery murders before, much to the chagrin of DI Palmer who views Eve with suspicion because death seems to follow her where she goes, works in close tandem with Robin who is working undercover as it were. Eve who found Debra to be charming is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, especially when a second murder takes place in a very similar fashion. Pursuing clues, she is flummoxed by a
third murder and it is only after that the strands are put together to catch a very clever murderer who has covered his tracks so very well.

Chase is my go to writer when I need to relax after a long day. Guaranteed great writing and unusual, intricate plots but this time Gus did steal the show! Obituary writer, Eve Mallow, gets to spend a weekend away at a local hotel when she wins a local raffle. When glamorous owner, Debra Moran, is found dead it's up to the intrepid amateur detective to find out the who and why. Excellent.