It's rare for me to give 5 stars to a "cosy" mystery, but this one really hit the mark for me! It strikes a perfect balance between intrigue and humour, with great characters, a little "will they? won't they?" romance and an action-packed plot leading to a satisfying conclusion. I love the cover by Julia Murray, too!
Poppy McGowan works as a researcher for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), working on a stimulating "real life" show for kids. When her builder discovers a skeleton beneath the floorboards of the cottage she's renovating, it seems a great opportunity to film a segment on suburban archaeology. Things don't stay fun for long though - firstly, the head archaeologist Dr. Julieanne Weaver, a long-time nemesis of Poppy's, threatens to whack a heritage order on her property, then said archaeologist is found dead in the excavation pit that was once Poppy's living room!
Drawing on her skills in researching and natural tenacity, Poppy sets out to discover who, apart from herself, might benefit from Dr. Weaver's untimely death. Her search leads her from the many curious characters who work at the Museum of New South Wales, to the murky and tangled web behind both the ultra-conservative Australian Family Party and the Pentecostal-style Church of Radiant Joy. Her investigations lead to a wonderfully high-camp denouement, featuring heroes, villains and members of local government.
Pamela Hart successfully blends a light-hearted mystery with some deeper messages about politics, the news media, attitudes to women and the LGBTI+ community, and the hypocrisies rampant within certain religious lobby groups. As a counterpoint, Poppy's parents and broader family, who are practising Roman Catholics, provide many moments of domestic levity.
Digging Up Dirt was a stimulating and highly enjoyable read and I'm delighted to learn that it's the first in a new series by author Pamela Hart. I'd highly recommend the book to any and all lovers of crime and mystery, especially those who seek a less gritty, more up-beat style.
My thanks to the author, Pamela Hart, publisher Harlequin Australia, HQ & Mira and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic new title.

I am a big fan of Pamela Hart’s stories and this one is a little different from what I have read before, a cozy mystery and I was so excited to read it and I was not disappointed at all a renovation, bones found, a murder, a who dun it that I did not guess till the very end, this one had me turning the pages.

Poppy McGowan works for ABC TV researching children’s shows and she loves it she has previously worked for the museum and is thrilled to have bought a house in the inner suburbs of Sydney and the renovations have begun, but when bones are discovered under the house Poppy wants to make sure they are not human before calling the police and calls in a favour from her friend Annie who works at the museum for help.

Dr Julieanne Weaver arrives which does not make Poppy happy they have worked together before and friends they are not, enemies would be more like it, she announces that they are the bones of a rare breed of sheep kept during very early settlement and slaps a heritage order on the property and starts an archaeological dig bringing in another archaeologist Dr Tol Lang, who happens to be Dr Weaver’s boyfriend.

Life is turned upside down for Poppy when Julieanne’s body is found at the dig site and she and Tol become number one suspects but being the researcher she is Poppy does not give up searching for the killer and there are a lot of people it could be when they get to the bottom of Julieanne’s life and what she has been doing including political parties connected to a church. Poppy finds herself doing a current affairs spots for the ABC not what she wanted.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is witty, entertaining and there are lots of twists that I didn’t see coming, I loved Poppy and her family they are all wonderful characters and I think that Pamela Hart has hit the spot with her first cozy mystery and I do look forward to more Poppy stories, I do highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a great read, one that will have you thinking.

My thanks to Harlequin Mira for my ARC to read and review

Poppy McGowan loved her little home in Annandale, Sydney. Her renovations were going along nicely until bones were discovered under the floorboards. With the only person available at the time to check if they were human or animal being archaeologist Dr Julieanne Weaver – Poppy’s nemesis – Poppy knew things were bound to go wrong. And with Julieanne’s declaration that the site was of historical significance, Poppy’s renovations were immediately put on hold.

When Julieanne’s body was found at the dig site in Poppy’s home, and the police were called, Poppy came under suspicion as the murderer. It was common knowledge that Poppy didn’t like Julieanne and that the feeling was mutual. Dr Tol Lang, the other archaeologist, was also a suspect so between them, Poppy and Tol were determined to find who killed Julieanne. Poppy wanted her house back; she wanted to continue the renovations. But until Julieanne’s killer was found, Poppy’s house was a crime scene…

Digging Up Dirt is the first in the Poppy McGowen Mysteries by Aussie author Pamela Hart, and also her first foray into cozy mysteries. I’ve loved her work as a historical fiction writer, and also her children’s books as Pamela Freeman. In my opinion she has nailed the cozy mystery genre also. With plenty of twists; Poppy doing all she can to find the ‘bad guy’; great characters; intrigue and more, Digging Up Dirt is one I recommend highly. I’m keen for the second in the series 😊

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

Poppy works for the ABC and is in the process of renovating her dream home when bones are found under the floor. This would be dramatic enough but amidst the investigation into the bones, one of her enemies is found murdered in her home. With the victim having links to political parties and radical church groups, Poppy uses her Journalism skills to try and clear her name and uncover who the real killer is. Really enjoyed this one.

ABC TV researcher Poppy McGowan is having her new heritage home renovated but plans come unstuck when bones are found under the floor boards…..does she call the police or get on old enemy from the museum to come and decide if the are human or not?. Dr Julieanne Weaver proclaims these to be not human but things become even more complicated when she is found murdered in Poppy’s house.
This is a cozy mystery but for me it was a little slow and I found that I didn’t really connect with the characters at all. If your looking for something very light, this may suit your needs.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

Poppy’s house renovations are interrupted when bones are found, are they human?

Archaeologists Julieanne and Tol stop all of Poppy’s building work, their investigations are further delayed when a murder is committed!

There’s a long list of suspects, politics get in the way and family connections are questioned. Poppy works hard to solve the murder, she wants her house back and a little romance wouldn’t hurt either!

This book is a bit slow at times but the right amount of mystery and romance keeps the reader interested!

‘I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own’.