I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed reading it the plot was interesting and the characters made me want to know more about them. I highly recommend.

Kitty Underhay and her beau Matthew Bryant find themselves involved in another murder mystery following a series of suspicious deaths at a nursing home. A number of break ins and thefts also take place: is there a personal connection with the murder of Kitty's mother and the man on the run?
Murder at Elm House is the 6th book in Helena's Dixon's Kitty Underhay series. There are no spoilers about the cases in the previous books although there is a continuance of the disapearance and murder of Kitty's mother which has been a thread running through each book.
Kitty remains a feisty protagonist despite the danger she faces as she presses for the arrest of her mother's murderer. On top of this she helps her grandmother's friend who is fearful after the mysterious deaths at the Elm House nursing home. Her relationship with Matthew does not seemed to have developed further even though they have decided to take the 'step out'. Kitty is also learning to drive: very modern!
I love the escapism into the 1930s which is brought to life in this series. The class and gender rules and roles vividly contribute to the realism of the plot and characters. There are some surprising developments as secret activities are investigated and I was kept guessing until the end.
Murder at Elm House is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery.

Murder at Elm House is the 6th book in the historical mystery cozy series by Helena Dixon. Released 7th June 2021, it's 238 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is an engagingly entertaining historical mystery set in the interwar period in England. Kitty and her companion Matthew are drawn into skullduggery and murder at an upscale convalescent home in the countryside. There are several disparate subplot threads which entwine to a (mostly) satisfying denouement and resolution.

This is a consistently well written and entertaining modern English mystery series set in the 1930s with well wrought characters and clever plots. The dialogue is well written and never clunky or overwrought. The dialogue is modern, and there are anachronisms, but overall it's a readable and quite enjoyable cozy series.

Well worth a look for cozy mystery lovers.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Hammett siblings are still at large, Kitty Underhay gets herself a red car and there is something suspicious and deadly going on at the Elm House Nursing Home where Mrs. Craven, Kitty's grandmother's good friend is recuperating after a recent operation. As Kitty and Matt Bryant investigate the going ons at the nursing home it becomes apparent to them that there is a connection between whatever is happening there and the Hammett siblings. Plus, Kitty puts her red car, christianed the Red Peril, to very good use. Entertaining and engaging, this is another great installment and I have to say I am getting hooked to this series.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Helena Dixon for the e-Arc of the book.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

1934 England and Kitty and Matt are on the case at Elm House Nursing Home. It seems patients are dying instead of being cared for. Once again I was drawn into a fun, well written historical cozy with likable characters. The story moves at a nice pace and is interesting. I'm looking forward to the 7th book in the series.

Murder at Elm House is the 6th book in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon but it's the first one I have read. It can be read as a standalone.
This series takes place in the 30's. Kitty is an amateur sleuth. Her grandmother's best friend is recovering from surgery at Elm House Nursing Home but she feels something's not right there...
This was an enjoyable book.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of this series, and number 6 doesn't disappoint.

Kitty's grandmother's friend, Mrs Craven, is in a convalescent home after a recent operation, and as the residents and staff start to die one by one she calls upon Kitty and her beau, Matthew Bryant, to investigate. As they delve deeper, they uncover things that are much closer to home than they could have imagined. How can the man suspected of killing her mother, still on the run and evading police capture along with his sister, be involved? And is Kitty's own life at risk?

Having read all of the books I'm enjoying the developing arc of the background story of Kitty's past, as well as the tasty murders in each of the books. Slightly darker in tone than other similar series around at the moment, and all the better for that, I definitely recommend this series to fans of the classic crime mystery.

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

Book 6 of a wonderful cozy mystery set in the mid 30s. Kitty and her police boyfriend Matt are at it again. Fun read, and one I highly recommend.

I liked but didn’t love this one, which was definitely saved by my investment in the series. The main plot felt shoehorned into the underlying story which seemed to unfold too quickly and intricately. Will stick it out to see where Kitty and Matthew end up next!

4.5 Stars

This is the sixth book in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon.

All the action in this new Kitty Underhay book centers around some hinky stuff occurring at a nursing home and Kitty gets targeted as a result of her innocent snooping. This book was fun and sweet just like all the books in this series are. In fact there are some interesting scenes where Kitty gets driving lessons in order to be more independent and not have all the males around her chauffeur her around everywhere. Kitty just took it all in stride even when she has an unfortunate accident that sends her new shiny red car into the shop.

Lots of exciting aspects of this book give the plot a jolt of fun. The mystery is spot on and the relationships are what make this book so good. Just an exciting read which once again is a winner in my book.

One little niggle, though. I was hoping for more of a connection between Kitty and Matt but I almost felt like they lost some ground with each other in some way. They get along well but I didn’t feel like their relationship moved forward. Other than that, it is great stuff.

If you love a good historical cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. Great new must read series for sure!

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.

This is the latest in the Kitty Underhay series and I am pleased to say I have reviewed most of this great collection.

Murder at the Dolphin Hotel

Murder at Enderley Hall

Murder on the Dancefloor

As with all the books, Murder at Elm House is excellently written and a great addition to the series. Kitty and Matthew find themselves looking into a nursing home when one of the residents complains about the unusual going ons there.

I love this series and always love catching up with Kitty and Matthew and their investigations, this book was no exception. Watching their relationship evolve throughout has been interesting and as always the book is littered with historical detail and intrigue.

Murder at Elm House by Helena Dixon is a Miss Underhay mystery featuring Miss Kitty Underhay and her partner, and possibly more, Captain Matthew Bryant. Kitty's mother had been murdered 17 years earlier and although she now knew who the murderer had been, his capture had been elusive. She loved and worked at the Dolphin, a hotel run by she and her grandmother. Captain Bryant was a private detective, having retired from various government departments requiring his unique services. He carried his own baggage, having lost his wife and baby five years before. His feeling for Kitty had been magnifying of late. They had no leads on Hammett, the murderer but Kitty's grandmother had asked them to call on her friend, Mrs. Craven, who was recovering from bunion surgery at a local care home: Elm House. She had some concerns. Her concerns quickly made sense to the two investigators and more things kept happening. The situation escalated and became dangerous for all concerned.

This is a very enjoyable cozy mystery series, taking place in the early '30s, this one in 1934, between the wars. Capt Bryant has just gifted Kitty with a small read convertible automobile, which he has come to refer to as the Red Peril and her quest to learn to drive is outlined in an entertaining way as part of the story. Her grandmother is a character as is Mrs. Craven, who it turns out, is as smart as she is annoying. It is all very formal, based on the time it portrays, which I find appealing. Kitty is very liberated for her day and her grandmother is having trouble dealing with that fact. The plot is good, although it doesn't end with the capture of Hammett, or his sister, who, it turns out, may be even more evil than he is. It does end up with all pertinent characters (those close to Kitty) alive and well, so that is good. If people put as much effort into being productive as they do being criminal, life would be brighter for all concerned. I enjoyed this book tremendously and hope other readers will as well.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder at Elm House by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #murderatelmhouse

Witty and wonderful. Loved this engaging mystery. This was a great read that contained all the elements I look for in a story - it was absorbing, transporting, completely and utterly addictive. Highly recommend this one.

It's a little more complicated. And that made for a most enjoyable read.. Little by little the clues are revealed and the story takes form. In some instances, I ticked the boxes but have to admit there were other elements that took me by surprise! I really enjoyed how both the key story for this book and the longer storyline are carefully interwoven. It certainly kept things interesting.

A fun element included in this story is Kitty learning to drive her car. Oh my, how simple it used to be. Have you heard of a trafficator? Until reading this novel, I had not. SO much 'cuter;' than the term indicator! Of course, having learnt to drive, Kitty could move independently (no taxi required)and the author builds this into the plot very cleverly.

The relationship between Kitty and Matt on both a professional and personal level continues to bloom and once again, I look forward to seeing just where this goes.

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

This is the second Miss Underhay Mystery I have read and I am really enjoying them. Helena Dixon has penned an enjoyable, entertaining Historical, Cozy Mystery series. I do plan to go back and read the ones I missed as I would like to know more about her meeting and relationship with Matt. In this story, a friend of her grandmother's, Mrs. Craven is concerned about what she considers, suspicious deaths at Elm House where she is recuperating after foot surgery. She is also sure that people are coming to the home in the night and leaving in the morning and doing past her room, but she is not sure where they are going or why they are there. She asks Matt, a private investigator, to see what he can find out, and of course Kitty is going to get involved. As well, the search for Ezekial Hammet, the man suspected of killing Kitty's mother is still going on and when both Matt's home and the Hotel that is owned by Kitty's family are broken into, they suspect ties to him. With everything happening, is Kitty putting herself or others in danger?

I really like Kitty, she is spunky, independent, smart and tenacious. I love that she is learning to drive, something that is not common for women in the 1930s. Her frustration as it seems to take so long was a hoot. Kitty and Matt make a wonderful couple and I hope their relationship becomes more serious as the series continues. Matt is also smart and does not treat Kitty as a helpless female. He is the one who bought her the car. He cares very much for her and encourages her to help in this investigation, but he worries for her safety. Mrs. Craven is also a great character. She is a staid, widow with some money. She has some old fashioned ideas about women, which made me smile as often as they made Kitty roll her eyes. The mystery was well written and plotted, with plenty of clues, suspicious characters and red herrings to keep you guessing. Will Matt be able to keep Kitty safe whilst they continue to investigate all that is happening? This is a great addition to the series, that kept me guessing, even though I was sure, several times, that I knew what was going on. I recommend this book and series to those who enjoy a good cozy mystery, especially if you like Historical ones.

Good characters, a well paced narrative, and an interesting setting make this an enjoyable series. The plot twists and turns totally kept me flipping pages at a rapid pace.

Favorite Quotes:

The general’s bushy brows knitted together like two angry silver beetles.

My Review:

Helena Dixon is a smooth storyteller and I enjoy her comfortable and engaging writing style. Her scenes are complete and thoroughly set and flicker through my cranium as effortlessly as a movie reel with colorful and vivid details and descriptions of texture, appearance, sound, smell, and the inner musings of the main characters as they interact. The main characters were instantly likable and appealing while her secondary characters were uniquely eccentric.

Most notably, Ms. Dixon’s clever arrangements of words are of the rare quality that keeps me continually engaged, amused, and ever-curious with a cracking good mystery while still being tame and gentle enough to recommend to my elderly mother’s book club of church ladies; which is admittedly an uncommon occurrence.

And score - I have a new addition to my Brit Words and Phrases list with mare’s nest, which Mr. Google tells me is a deliberate hoax or illusion.

Another wonderful Miss Underhay novel! I can't put these down once I begin. On this, the 6th novel in the series, Kitty is caught up in a mystery at a local nursing home. Several residents who had been getting better suddenly die and their suspicious relatives inherit a great sum. One of Kitty's "friends" also finds herself in a predicament and Kitty must work out what is really going on in this house.

I'm loving this series, they are typically pretty quick reads. This novel took me a little longer than normal to finish. There were a lot of little sub stories throughout the novel and trying to keep everything straight was a little difficult. It still was an enjoyable novel and I look forward to the next book!

Fresh out of an operation, Mrs. Craven decides to turn to Elm House for a safer recovery. Kitty Underhay is dragged into the establishment when drama and crime arise within the nursing home. The Lady Craven insists upon foul play on the deaths of fellow residents. Is this suspicion grounded? Has evil taken holds of an institution meant for betterment?

I really love the relationship between Matt and Kitty. It's the right combination of romance and friendship, both main characters always behind each other's back. The couple fall further in love in this novel.

Dixon concocts great characters. Readers will surely love Matt, Kitty, Alice, Dolly and even stern Mrs. Treadwell! Even the villains are good --- see what I did there --- mysterious, complex, smart and with depth.

In this chapter of the iconic duo's adventure we are introduced to a bigger villain and a more complex web of madness and evil. Ezekiel Hammet, the late Mrs. Underhay's murderer, continues to evade the police. And a person central to Matt's current case may be associated with the antagonist's recurrent escapes.

Murder at Elm House is a fast-paced entertaining, and perfect by-the-fireplace read (especially now that summer is saying its adieus!)