An Old Murder Rears Its Head
This book is the third in a series but they can be read in any order. This story moves quickly. About halfway through I began thinking that our heroine does not read or watch many mysteries. I like that the reader finds out information as the sleuth does. It is my favorite point of view for a mystery. The character development is great and the plot is decent. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

After dealing with a couple of difficult situations where murder was the name of the game, Kate Palmer is looking forward to taking it easy for a bit. In fact, she is rather excited that her sister Angie is renovating tea rooms due to a recent inheritance. Once all is done it should be a really relaxing environment of sipping tea and sharing gossip. However, plans are instantly stilted when the work begins and a body is found in the cellar. True to form, Kate is determined to solve this murder, much to the consternation of love interest Woody Forrest. As Woody is a rather newly retired Detective Inspector he is more than familiar with murder and the dangers of getting too close. Woody patiently assisted Kate in previous cases, but this time he puts his foot down and tells her to stay away.

Kate's interest only grows when someone she and Woody met on their flight home from California has an unusual connection to the case at hand. Having read the previous book in this series, A Body at Seaview Grange, I have been able to get to know Kate and her dogged nature to look for clues wherever she can and how Woody reluctantly helps her every time.

Not only do I thoroughly enjoy the quaint little village where they reside, the characters are truly endearing. I also enjoy the fact that Kate and Woody's relationship is growing stronger despite Kate's stubborn nature. The mystery element in this book, combined with the relevant danger, proves more than compelling, thus making A Body at the Tea Rooms another delightful read by Dee MacDonald.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This is the third and final book in the fabulous cozy mystery, Kate Palmer series. I loved every book it was a fantastic and I hate to see it come to an end.

Semi-retired nurse Kate Palmer is at it again and ready to solve a crime. When her sister Angie has almost completed the renovations of the Tea Rooms, she finds a dead body in the cellar. But luckily her sister Kate is a super sleuth and she is on the case. The villagers suspect Angie is the murderer and Kate is determined to clear her sister’s name. Kate teams up with the handsome Detective Woody Forrest who is retired but takes the case. As the finger pointing continues, there are so many intriguing details, with awesome twists and turns. I really like the detailed description of the characters, especially the relationship between Kate and Woody. The eccentric personalities of the villagers is so captivating that you are sure to quickly flip page after page. This “curl up on the sofa” mystery will keep your attention and reading quickly, unable to stop until you get to the end. As you flip the last page you are completely stunned as the culprit is revealed. The charming mystery is so entertaining, a true laugh out loud and enjoyable read.

Dee MacDonald, does a fantastic job of keeping the reader very engaged and yet not knowing whodunnit until the last page is turned. I loved this series, and I highly recommend it. It was such a fun cozy murder mystery. Thank you Dee MacDonald for such a wonderful series.

I so enjoyed this 3rd in series. Kate as a protagnist is a delight and a very savvy investigator. This was another fun book in this charming series. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

Kate Palmer and her her boyfriend Woody , her sister Angie and Irish friend Fergal are all assisting in solving a complex mystery. The author places this series in a charming village on the Cornish Coast.

Angie bought a café near the beach .When a skeleton is found in the cellar of the café the mystery is up to Kate , Woody and friends to solve. Angie is hoping to make money off the history of the skeleton but clues soon point to a nefarious murder from not that long ago. Add in a strange couple that is trying to be their friend when the DNA points to their family and clues abound in this well crafted mystery. Kate has news of her own that is shocking everyone in this book and she will need her friends and boyfriend by her side.

A fun mystery with the loved characters from the first books. I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment

I love this series and it always makes me smile and turning pages.
This is another good addition and I had a lot of fun and was happy to catch up with Kate and the characters.
The author delivers an engrossing and entertaining story, full of twists and turns,
Kate is a great character: a clever and mature woman who is never reckless and know how to listen.
All the characters are fleshed out and interesting as usual.
The mystery is solid, it starts with a bang and the twists and turns kept my attention alive.
I can't wait to read the next installment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a great and traditional cozy that got to the dead body rather quickly. Yeah! Sometimes, I find that cozies can take a bit to get set up and going. Not the case here.

A body is found in a basement and it leads to all sorts of rumors around town as to who it could have been. The owner of the property, Angie, who is the sister of the main character, Kate Palmer, thinks that she's going to benefit financially from this macbre turn of events. After all, she's turning the place into a tea room/pub at night and who wouldn't want to come for a drink or meal at the sight of a mysterious death? Sadly, she was probably on to something with that, but things don't always go according to plan.

Kate, the main character, is a busybody and needs to get answers, sometimes overlooking that actions she takes may hurt those she cares about. But she does have the best intentions at heart. Her relentless nature is actually admirable, and it has her taking action to get to the bottom of who was found in the cellar and how he came to be there. Was it murder and, if so, who did the dastardly deed?

Full of twists, secrets, and danger, Kate will need to navigate through all of them to get to the truth. Will she be able to do so and walk away unharmed? You'll need to read the book to find out. No spoilers here! Well worth a read.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book for honest review. Thank you to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "A Body at the Tea Rooms" in exchange for my honest review.

This is the 3rd book in the Kate Palmer series. We are once again treated to a visit with Kate Palmer, her boyfriend Woody Forrest, her sister Angie and her slightly dubious, yet charming Irish friend Fergal. Of course there is some mention of Barney the springer spaniel that Angie still continues to forget to walk. The sisters live in Lavender Cottage in Lower Tinworthy, a seaside village on the Cornish Atlantic coast.

Angie after inheriting some money for her former mother-in-law bought a café near the beach which is is converting into what she hopes will be a true money-maker. When a skeleton is found in a cupboard in the cellar of the café Angie starts dreaming of smugglers and pirates and how that will bring in the tourists. Kate and Woody have a feeling that it will prove not to be centuries old but Angie is positive it is.

At the beginning of the story Woody and Kate are just returning from a visit to the United States where Woody is from originally. At the luggage carousel at Heathrow they run into Aaron Hedgefield of Tremorron House. He insists on giving them a lift home instead of spending 4 hours on a bus. Soon they are invited to dinner at Tremorron and meet Aaron's wife Eve.

When DNA evidence points towards the Hedgefield family, they seem to want to become very good friends with Kate and Woody. Why are so many suspicious deaths linked to this family? People that had information they were planning to take to the police. Kate soon uncovers a secret pregnancy that produced twins. Adoption papers that show a link to the skeleton in Angie's cellar.

Of course, Kate cannot resist meddling, making lists and as usual nearly getting killed in the process. She's a delightful character that often forgets that she's a nurse and not a detective.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the series and I'm eagerly awaiting the next one.

A quick and easy read in this series of books, set in Cornwall and featuring nurse and amateur detective Kate Palmer.
In this, the third outing for Kate, she is still in a relationship with retired policeman Woody and lining with her sister, who is now renovating an old property into a tea room. The story starts as a skeleton is found in a disused cellar. Kate and Woody start investigating and this leads them to make discoveries and put themselves in danger.
The characters are likeable and the plot was enjoyable, but I felt that there was something missing that I had enjoyed in the previous books. The ending, however, was good and not as I had predicted.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, it's short. As much as I appreciate that the MC isn't young (a typical twenty- or thirty-something as is usual in cosy mysteries), this feels like it needs another go-round with an editor to both flesh it out and tidy it up. The characters aren't particularly robust and conversations are liberally peppered with exclamation marks, adverbs and italics. It feels like it needs one more draft to tighten it up.

And, although I've not spent time in Cornwall for several decades, it's a beautiful place and deserves more focus and description than it gets here.

Kate's sister Angie has uncovered a skeleton during renovations on a building she is hoping to convert to tea rooms. Kate is drawn into helping solve this mystery. Who is it, and how did they get there? And why does the skeleton have a credit card belonging to the local landowner's son? This being a contemporary mystery, DNA is requested and this is where it all fell apart for me because from this point on (24%) there's only one obvious and predictable result.

Not a series for me, I'm afraid.

A Body at the Tea Rooms is the second instalment in the Kate Palmer Cosy Mystery series, set in the fictional village of Lower Tinworthy, Cornwall. Semi-retired registered nurse Kate has ventured over the Atlantic to The Sunshine State of California accompanying her retired Detective boyfriend Woody Forrest on a trip to visit his family. They are on the return flight home when they serendipitously find that Aaron Hedgefield, an affluent Cornwall landowner, is on the same flight from Los Angeles and offers them a ride back to the village instead of them taking the four-hour bus trip they had psyched themselves up for. But no sooner than Kate reaches the door to Lavender Cottage she is approached by her flustered sister Angie. Angie had recently inherited a large sum of money unexpectedly from her ex-mother-in-law and decided to purchase The Locker Cafe, near the beach, with the plan to renovate it and rename it Tea Rooms; she also hoped to obtain a licence to open it as a bar in the evenings. However, during the gutting of the property, Angie had come upon an old cellar she didn't know even existed. There she had uncovered a skeleton behind a bricked-up wall. Kate and Woody begin their investigation almost immediately alongside the new Detective Inspector, Bill Robson and are informed that the remains had likely been there anywhere between 10 and 40 years. Interestingly there was some modern clothing found in the six feet by six feet gap in which the bones rested.

It soon becomes clear that there are connections to the Hedgefields up at the Tremarron Estate, so Kate and Woody are shrewd and decide to take Aaron up on his offer of dinner made on their journey from the airport back to the village. They hope that perhaps they will discover or learn something helpful that could break the case. Kate becomes like a dog with a bone, following leads as though her life depended on it and she has a suspect in mind but she's searching for evidence to back up her theory before revealing it to Woody. Can Kate use her sharp investigative skills to discover who the remains belong to, what exactly happened to them and the motive for the killing? This is compelling, gripping and compulsively readable cosy with plenty of high stakes action and dizzying drama throughout. The setting once again comes alive on the page; a quiet, quaint, chocolate box village on the coast rife with gossiping busybodies and community spirit. And how could I forget the characters? The story is peopled by quirky, nosy villagers with eccentricities in abundance who you really can't help but find likeable and affable. I love how easy and quick these books are to get through and with an intriguing mystery at its heart, loveable characters who almost feel like friends, some unexpected twists in the tale and a stunning rural setting this is a guaranteed great read. Highly recommended.

This is the third book in the Kate Palmer series, but reading the other two isn't necessary to understand the general layout.

Nurse Kate Palmer still works at a local clinic a couple days a week. She and her sister Angie moved to Cornwall for the scenery and small village vibe. They have settled into a routine, Kate at her clinic and spending time with her American retired cop boyfriend Woody, and Angie trying to start a coffee shop/wine bar in an old building.

In the midst of renovations, Angie and her Irish boyfriend discover an old body/skeleton in the cellar. The mystery part of this book is pretty interesting as Kate and Woody try to discover the identity and life story of the skeleton. There are some unexpected plot twists and turns.

I have a harder time with the characters. These are quick and undemanding reads but I never really clicked with Kate. Aside from the typical unbelievable nosiness common to heroines in cozies, I couldn't tell you much about her or her personality. And her relationship with her sister is exasperating. Angie is pretty flaky, and she has a drinking problem, and the usually sensible Kate doesn't know how to deal with her.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ms MacDonald is a safe bet if you like British cozy mysteries. She's written a few now and knows her niche. This has a fun plot and characters, and I enjoyed the ending.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

Kate Palmer returns from spending Christmas in California with Woody to the news that a body has been discovered in the cellar at her sister Angie’s new tea rooms If the village gossip is to be believed, the unfortunate man was connected to the wealthy Hedgefield family. Kate is reluctant to get caught up in the investigation but a curious card in the victim’s jacket pocket sparks her interest. Not to mention the ridiculous rumour Angie is somehow involved! Kate teams up with handsome retired Detective ‘Woody’ Forrest to untangle the baffling case.
This is the third book in the series & once again a well written page turner. Kate is like a terrier once she gets a whiff of a clue & won’t let go, I love how she wheedles clues just by chatting. I also love her relationship with Woody & how it’s developed throughout the series. Her relationship with Angie often has me smiling at the bickering sisters who also love each other. There are twists & turns before the murder is uncovered, I did work out some of what had happened but not everything. I read the book in a couple of sittings & look forward to many more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

7th book from this wonderful author and the 3rd of this delightful series and by that you can already tell I am a fan
The author has the ability to bring you into her wonderful world of ( in this series’ ) Cornwall, ageing characters with more than a ‘glint’ still in their eye and heinous murders, secrets and plots that fall into Kate’s path
Kate is this time trying to work who wthe unfortunate man found in the cellar of the renovated Tea Rooms her gin, man loving Sister Angie has found was and wether certain villagers know more than they are letting on and with the help of ‘Woody’ her ‘man friend’ she sets out to discover the truth and she meets a wide cast of colourful characters on her way including Ida ( a wonderful gossip ) who I adored and the ‘posh folk’ up the ‘posh house’ with their ‘fancy ways’
Another mystery is on the way to being solved but not before a dose of high drama and action threatens both Kate and Angie
These books are so unlike most I read and I love everything about them, the predictability of my enjoyment of them is never wrong and the only bad thing about them is when they end
Roll on Book 4

10/10
5 Stars

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'A Body At The Tea Rooms' by Dee MacDonald.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Dee MacDonald, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 10th May 2021.

This is the second book I have read by this author and it is the third book in the 'Katie Palmer' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read the second book in the series 'A Body In Seaview Grange' which I enjoyed and would recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I am also a fan of Dee's previous book 'A Body In Seaview Grange' and if this is half as good as that it is sure to be a great read. It also stated in the synopsis that this book is 'Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis.' I am a huge fan of Agatha and Faith so am looking forward to see if it lives up to this. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 40 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Cornwall, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited Cornwall on several occasions so am looking forward to see if I recognise anywhere.

This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonist being Kate Palmer. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


Well done Dee on another successful cosy mystery!!! This book is very smoothly written with vivid descriptions which really help you see what's going on around you as well as the storyline. The blurb and the cover compliment the novel perfectly.

The plot really sucked me in and I really enjoyed curling up on the sofa and getting dragged into this cosy mystery. I was so absorbed I read it in one sitting. The storyline was realistic which I always prefer as it makes it more enjoyable to read when you can see that it is something that could happen. Although it is part of a series it worked well as a standalone as any previous characters and relationships made were adequately explained in just the right amount of detail. This book is well constructed and traditional and what starts off as one murder becomes quite multi layered with all the characters backgrounds coming out. It was a very compelling read. I would never have guessed who did what and I was completely shocked by the mega twist. Congratulations Dee, it is getting harder and harder to surprise me and you did just that!!! I must admit I wasn't shocked in the second book in this series so it just goes to show how Dee has definitely improved even further, as although I wasn't completely shocked in the previous book it still held some surprises!! I'm looking forward to the next book in this addictive series.

I loved meeting all the characters again who are a delightful mix of personalities with intriguing backgrounds and each one was very compelling. I really enjoyed the main characters of Kate, Woody and Angie and think they really worked well together as a team, well Kate and Woody but I also enjoyed Kate and Angie relationship develop and am looking forward to see where it leads in the next book. I am certainly looking forward to reading more Dee McDonald's books especially the first which I still haven't got around to and any further books in this series.

Congratulations Dee on another successful book, keep up the fantastic work and I look forward to meeting Dee, Woody, Angie and even Fergal again!!

Overall an intriguing and compelling cosy mystery that is perfect for Agatha Christie fans.

Genres covered in this book include Mystery, Thriller, Cosy Mystery, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and anyone who enjoys a good mystery by the fire.


275 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Oops! I somehow contrived to miss book two. It did not really matter though as I managed to piece together what had happened to the main characters before A Body at the Tea Rooms opens.

Kate seems destined to be involved in detective work as her sister finds a skeleton in the cellar of her new cafe. The rest of the book is mainly Kate running around finding out information from various interested parties. Kate and ex Inspector Forrest have a nice developing relationship. Angie also seems to have found someone although she may well move on at any time.

There is an interesting mystery involving DNA and related family members, which is fun, and the story is fast moving. A twist or two at the end turns the whole investigation on its head and a certain policeman leaves ignominiously. Serves him right! It was all very entertaining and definitely a good read.

Although this is the third in the Kate Palmer series, this is my first read by Dee MacDonald. I was in the mood for a cosy mystery and Cornwall always does it for me. Having not read any of the previous books in the series, I didn't feel as though I had missed out on anything nor did it impact my experience at all. As the characters are few, I didn't feel lost coming into the series at Book 3. However what was refreshing was that the main characters are older and not the usual younger type who find themselves caught up in crime and mystery in these books.

Semi-retired nurse Kate Palmer moved to Cornwall a year ago and in that time she has several solved mysteries under her belt. She bought the quaint Lavender Cottage in which she lives with her sister Angie who, although being two years older, appears to be going through a second childhood I doubt she really ever left. And then there is Woody Forrest, recently retired Detective Inspector, who having assisted her on the previous cases is now looking forward to enjoying the quiet life with Kate. Also in the mix is Fergus who is somehow or other attached to Kate's sister Angie, though exactly how she isn't quite sure.

The story begins with Kate and Woody having returned from sunny California where she was introduced to Woody's family. On their return to Heathrow they met Aaron Hedgefield who was driving back to Cornwall and offered them a lift instead of taking the four hour coach trip. Having hit it off with Aaron, he invited them to the Tremarron estate sometime. But no sooner were they in the door when they were assailed by Angie who was in a whirlwind of excitement with what had just taken place in the village.

Having come into a surprise inheritance from her ex-mother-in-law, Angie bought the old Locker cafe intending to gut it out and re-open it as a Tea Rooms by day and a bar by night. But in the process of doing so, discovered an old disused cellar and uncovering skeletal remains behind a bricked up wall. So excited by the prospect that this could be an old pirate or smuggler that had somehow met his fate below the old building, Angie began making plans on how to cash in on the find.

Kate's interest was piqued and she couldn't help putting her recently discovered investigative skills to use to identify whose remains they indeed were. Despite Angie's excitement over it being historically linked to smuggling or the like, Woody received information that the body had more than likely been there between ten and forty years. Added to that was the more modern clothing found with the remains, so it was hardly likely to be one of Angie's smugglers.

But when it appears that the body may be linked to the Hedgefield family up at Tremarron, Kate and Woody decide to take Aaron up on his offer of dinner with them in the hope they might be able to discover something more about the family. In the meantime, Kate sets out to investigate what she has already discovered to try and prove what she now suspects...before sharing it with Woody.

But will her investigating get her into hot water and put not only hers but her sister's life at risk? Or will Kate uncover the truth once again? Village gossip, DNA, grand country house, gardeners, cook, an old boathouse and two untimely deaths around the time the remains were sealed behind the wall in the cellar...this book has it all!

A BODY AT THE TEA ROOMS is a delightful cosy mystery that is a very easy read. So easy that I read it in one sitting when I went to bed...and didn't stop until I finished it just after 1am. There are no complexities or twisted tales here. Just like an afternoon in Midsomer on the Cornish coast.

Of course, like all good mysteries, there is a twist at the end which I didn't even anticipate I was in such a relaxed state with the book! But it was a good twist and certainly explained a lot bringing everything to a satisfying conclusion.

Although the third book in the series, A BODY AT THE TEA ROOMS can be read perfectly well on its own...as I read it. Kate and Woody are extremely likeable, even if I could've throttled Angie at times, as they bounce ideas off each in an effort to solve the case.

An enjoyable read, A BODY AT THE TEA ROOMS is perfect for fans of cosy reads and Agatha Christie.

I would like to thank #DeeMacDonald, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #ABodyAtTheTeaRooms in exchange for an honest review.

Returning home after a wonderful holiday in America, practice nurse Kate Palmer and her partner retired detective Woody Forrest are glad to be back in their small Cornish village. Kate's sister Angie is full of news about her latest venture  especially as a body has been discovered in the cellar of her soon to open tea rooms.

Wanting to help Angie while keen to continue honing her recently discovered investigative skills, Kate is soon deeply involved in identifying the body and trying to find out why he was in the area to start with. With a reluctant Woody's assistance and the local police chief discouraging her every move it soon becomes clear there is more going on than it seemed at first.

This is the third book in the Kate Palmer series and gets better with each installment. I found Angie very annoying in the first book but she has mellowed and is now a likeable and vital part of this series dynamic. Kate and Woody are good as a couple and bounce clues off each other thus helping the reader work out what's likely to happen.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is an easy to read, well written, cozy crime series with empathetic and believable protagonists.

Loved this cozy mystery and this one certainly kept me engrossed, Angela has been renovating the coffee shop and unearths a skeleton, soon Kate finds her self wrapped up in the mystery trying to find who the body is and what happened to leave them buried and missing for years

Recommended for those like me who like a break from grisly, gruesome murder mysteries

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Bookouture, in return for an honest review. While the third book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Kate Palmer is a retired nurse. She and her significant other, retired DI Woody Forrest, return from holiday and are lucky enough to get a ride to their small Cornish town with local wealthy landowner, Aaron Hedgefield. Arriving back, Kate’s astonished to learn her sister’s newly purchased location for a future tearoom is now the location of an old body! How did he die and why? What do the remains have to do with the Hedgefields? How did they end up in the basement of the building? So many questions! The new DI wants no help from either Kate or Woody but the Hedgefields do. So, sleuthing takes center stage as Kate and Woody work on the who, what and why of the murder.
This is a solid cozy and one with interesting, clearly written characters. The author paces the story well and the ‘why’ is a fun twist at the end of the book. I look forward to the next in this series.