This is the third book in the Epiphany Bloom Mysteries and it is as enjoyable and funny as the previous two. Once again, Pip is unemployed. After a fire at the clothing museum caused by her hiring a fire dancer for an event, she has been terminated. Pip is wallowing and sleeping, when her roommate and BFF Tim, asks for her help. His sister has been accused of cheating on an exam and could be expelled from her expensive and elite school. Tim and Pip head over to the school to sort it out and Pip gets herself hired to go undercover as the "sports teacher" and find out who is involved with stealing and selling exams. Throw in a murder, a runaway llama and the fact that Pip is one of the most unsportslike people around and you know you are in for some fun.

Pip is the best sleuth ever. She bumbles her way around, has one adventure or catastrophe after another, yet still seems to solve the crime. I love her creativity and ingenuity. The activities she came up with for both her PE classes and her investigation were a interesting. She is definitely plucky and doesn't give up easily. Tim and Jimmy are both still around. Neither are a romantic interest, yet, but they are both great friends. And Pip's mom seems to have a beau, which helps to keep her off Pip's back. Her sister, Fliss, didn't get much airtime in this one, but when she was in the story, her malapropisms continued. There were a few I chuckled at, but I loved her insistence that the correct phrase is "Well, you could knock me over with a fender." When Pip insisted it was feather, she responds, "Don't be silly, Pip. It has to be a fender. You couldn't know someone over with a feather." Then we have the police officers who really don't have a clue what they're doing. "Good thinking", said Goodall. "We don't want civilians turning over bodies and trampling all over the evidence, make a mess of things. That's our job." There were several secondary characters including students, teachers, the head teacher, secretary and parents that all add to the story and make viable suspects in the exam scheme and possibly the murder. I will say I had figured out the culprit of the murder partway through, but the why was interesting.

I will say that there is a great mystery, but also a lot of fun. This is a series you can't take seriously, just sit back, read and enjoy. I love seeing what Pip is going to do next and what Fliss' next verbal mishap will be. Will there be romance in Pip's future? How long with she remain working at Hurlingham House? I look forward to every new book ready to laugh as well as solve a mystery. If you are looking for a cross between a cozy mystery and a humorous caper, pick up this series, you will be highly entertained.

I’ve read and enjoyed the first book in this series so had an idea of what to expect in this one and wasn’t disappointed. It’s probably best to at least read the first book before this one, it doesn’t really work as a stand alone because of the character development and changes that take place in each book.

This is shaping up to be a fun series, I found myself laughing at this book in places and that’s something that rarely ever happens with me and books. I like Epiphany as a character, she’s fun, kind and trying to do her best even though that does have a tendency to end in disaster at times. This time she’s at a school investigating exam cheating. I got so caught up in this part of the story that the murder rather caught me by surprise, I’d completely forgotten the title and blurb included a death. Epiphany (Pip) and the other characters are brilliantly described, this is another one of those books where I felt like I was there, invisibly obviously, but right next to Pip the whole time, experiencing everything she did. I even got the same anxious feeling as her when the headteacher summoned her to the office!

I don’t want to say too much, the last thing I want to do is give anything away. However I can say this is a brilliant read, it’s ideal escapism, perfect if you like a heroine that’s not perfect by trying her best. It involves murder, cheating, some running, a bit of bingo and llamas amongst other things. Clearly something a little different.

If you’re after a cosy mystery that will take you on a bit of a whirlwind adventure without you having to leave your sofa then this is an ideal book for you. I’m definitely catching up on book 2 when I have time and this series is now on my list of ones to look out for. More please!

About Death at the Gates : Hurlingham House school is a high-achiever’s heaven, full of happy, hard-working pupils. There’s just the small matter of the dead body on the field… Sounds like a case for Epiphany Bloom!

When Epiphany Bloom’s best friend’s sister Claire is accused of trading exam papers for money, Epiphany agrees to see Ms Peters, the headteacher of Claire’s fiercely competitive school, to provide moral support. Claire has always been a model student and is loudly protesting her innocence: surely it’s all just a misunderstanding.

But when Ms Peters hears about Epiphany’s previous sleuthing exploits, she enlists her help to track down the true culprit!

Taking a job as a PE teacher, Epiphany soon realises she has plenty of suspects for the exam scam mastermind. The broke young teacher with a shady past? The father willing to buy his daughter anything – including grades? The school governor desperate to keep Hurlingham House at the top of the ranks?

Then Epiphany finds one of them dead at the school fair, and it becomes clear someone is taking the cut-throat culture of the school too literally – and when mysterious accidents start happening around her too, it seems the killer knows she’s onto them.

Can Epiphany solve the murder as well as clear Claire’s name, before she becomes the next victim? This is one test she can’t afford to fail…

A charming and totally addictive cozy mystery with a hilarious and warm-hearted heroine. A must-read for fans of M.C. Beaton, Lee Strauss and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.

My Thoughts: I am so pleased that I was given the opportunity to read Death at the Gates, the third instalment in Katie Gayle's Epiphany Bloom Mysteries series as it was a truly tremendous cozy mystery and it did not disappoint!

The pacing moved along at a fair rate of knots and I loved the exciting plotline. Epiphany ‘Pip’ Bloom, takes a teaching job as she needs to feed her three-legged cat, called Most and Smokey Robinson, her grey kitten. Pip also needs some dosh coming in to pay the rent on the flat she shares with Tim, her landlord and her flatmate. As luck would have it, a temporary opportunity for a PE teacher at Hurlingham House school is up for grabs whilst the current teacher, Mrs Hatfield is on maternity leave.

Full of thrills, richly humorous and totally addictive, this tale held my attention from the very first chapter. Pip has her work cut out as she attempts to uncover who is behind the exam deceit. Pip is a great narrator; a likeable central character, though hapless, but with ingenuity and plenty of grit. Katie Gayle's clever writing meant I didn't want to put this book down and there was plenty of harebrained frivolities. This brilliant story was masterfully executed by the author, with a good reveal. Filled with drama and action Death at the Gates is pure escapism and I shall be looking out for the next instalment in this series by Katie Gayle who clearly has talent. I recommend Death at the Gates as a hugely worthwhile read that should thrill even the fussiest cozy mystery reader.

Disclosure: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Death at the Gates by Katie Gayle for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Epiphany Bloom is at it again, when Epiphany’s best friend’s sister Claire is accused of selling exam papers. Claire has always been a top student and proclaims she is innocent. Epiphany meets with the head teacher at the school, Ms Peters. But Epiphany’s sleuthing reputation precedes her and Ms Peters ask her to find out the truth. Epiphany is on the case with plenty of suspects from a broke teacher, a father willing to buy his daughter anything and the school governor of Hurlingham House that does what ever is necessary to keep the school at the top of the ranks. But, then Epiphany finds one of the suspects of the exam scandal dead at the school fair. The scandal just rose to the level of murder. But can Epiphany find the murderer and clear Claire’s name before she becomes a victim herself? I highly recommend not only this book, but the entire series is a must read. This cozy mystery is a wonderful story filled with suspense and plot twist and turns, that will have you flying through the pages. I enjoyed this series from beginning to end, it is an entertaining must read.

Thank you Katie Gayle for such a wonderfully well written series. It is a laugh out loud, enthralling series. The characters were relatable and the storyline was fun and totally kept me guessing all the way to the end. I loved it.

My Thoughts: I absolutely love the Epiphany Bloom series, this is book 3 and was just such a delight.

This one didn’t feel as intense or action packed as the others but part of me appreciated that because although it was the same premise as the others it made this feel different, it was slower paced and more easy going but with a very serious undertone like the other two!

There are small issues like cheating in exams and expulsion from school but soon escalates to hostage taking and murder? – poor Pip just can’t do things by halves, does trouble just follow her around?

With all the old favourites returning this was heartwarming and felt like I was back with old friends ❤️

I loved the flirtatious banter between Pip and a couple of the other characters, I won’t mention who just incase you haven’t read them, but let me just say that I wish she would just make up her mind 😂

I adore the covers of these books too, they’re colourful and eye catching and definitely just make me want to pick them up!

I cannot wait to see where the 4th book in this series takes us ☺️

Epiphany Bloom is back on the case in Death at the Gates, the latest gripping instalment of Katie Gayle’s addictive cozy mystery series.

Claire Peters is headmistress at Hurlingham House, an exclusive school for high-achieving students where hard work is key and slacking and falling behind is simply not an option. When Claire is accused of trading exam papers for money, she turns to her sister’s best friend, amateur sleuth extraordinaire Epiphany Bloom, for help! Claire begs Epiphany to come to the school and get to the bottom of this case, find the true culprit and help her clear her name! Epiphany vows to leave no stone unturned in order to help Claire prove her innocence, so taking a job as a PE teacher at Hurlingham House, Epiphany is determined to keep her eyes and ears open – even if it soon transpires that behind the gates of the elite school lies, deception, skullduggery and murder are in abundance!

Who is behind the exam scam mastermind? Is it the broke young teacher with plenty of skeletons rattling in the closet? The father who would do anything and buy anything for his daughter – including academic success? Or the school governor who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Hurlingham House at the top of the ranks? When one of them is found dead on the school field, Epiphany’s investigation reaches a dangerous crescendo that places her directly in the line of fire. As mysterious accidents start happening around her, Epiphany finds herself in a race against time to clear Claire’s name and solve this case- before it’s her body that’s found on the school field!

Malory Towers meets Stephanie Plum in Katie Gayle’s fun, hilarious and absorbing new cozy mystery, Death at the Gates. Epiphany Bloom is on top form in this engaging and enjoyable tale and in Death at the Gates, she needs to use all of her wits, nerve and talent for sleuthing in order to get to the bottom of this investigation.

Full of charm, humour and red herrings, Katie Gayle’s Death at the Gates is another winner cozy mystery fans will lap up.

I’ll admit, I wanted to strangle Pip in the first 25% of the book! Katie Gayle has written the characters SO well, I find myself chatting to them and thoroughly overly involved in their fictitious lives! Soon, Pip hits her stride and, with a mystery afoot, she is in fine form. The anecdotes had me chuckling throughout! Pip as a PE teacher is just marvellous and then there are the llamas, oh the llamas! I can’t help but think of this story every time I hear someone speak of them, it’s turned into a family joke!

The mystery is interesting and I congratulated myself on working it out before Pip and then squeaking at my kindle each time she didn’t talk to the “right” person. The book is full of great characters and I can’t wait to get back to them in the next one in the series.

If you love fun, cosy mysteries, get this one today! If you haven’t read the preceding two, you will want to when you’re done with this one! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended!

Epiphany Bloom fans are spoiled for choice, as two books featuring the accident-prone, almost-detective have been published this year.

In Death at the Gates, Epiphany – or Pip to her friends – is tasked with clearing the name of her dishy flatmate’s sister in an exam papers scam, which quickly turns to murder! Can Pip help Claire, before she gets herself into more life-threatening trouble?

I really enjoy crime books like this – the crime and mystery part is dead on and makes complete sense, but there are also elements of comedy, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Our heroine for instance. Pip is a great character and you could spend ages, I’m sure, reading about her mishaps in the world of work, all across the globe! She’s delightfully self-aware, but a bit hard on herself sometimes.

The supporting characters are also great – Mummy, the thorn in Pip’s side, and Pip’s sister Flis, who is inexplicably successful with her blog, despite her wide range of malapropisms and penchant for cooking soup that smells like wet carpets.

All three of the books so far have been a delight – bright and funny, but with dastardly goings-on, the further adventures of Pip are definitely on my must-read list!

Another great cosy with a delightful charm to it, a great mystery at its heart and distinctive characters, especially Pip who is her usual bumbling self throughout, but you can't help but love her.

I adore Pip and all her antics and she has fast become one of my favourite characters. In book 3 she has yet again got her knickers in a twist and is down in the dumps over the mishaps from the previous book. This can be read as a standalone as it fills in the details but I would thoroughly recommend reading them all.

This time her flatmate Tim needs her help as his sister Claire has been accused of cheating and exam tampering. So undercover as a PE teacher she goes, what could possibly go wrong???

Well if you’ve read the first two books you will know that the answer to that is everything and before long there’s a dead body too.

Told with playful and ineffable humour, and featuring a chaos causing mistress of mayhem and a lovable cast of supporting characters (including some cute animals) these are Fun with a capital F. Don’t be blindsided thinking these are just an easy read though as there’s always a cleverness to the plots that make these stand out as crime fiction too.

Hurlingham House school is a high-achiever’s heaven, full of happy, hard-working pupils. When Epiphany Bloom’s best friend’s sister Claire is accused of trading exam papers for money, Epiphany agrees to see Ms Peters, the headteacher of Claire’s fiercely competitive school, to provide moral support. Claire has always been a model student and is loudly protesting her innocence: surely it’s all just a misunderstanding. But when Ms Peters hears about Epiphany’s previous sleuthing exploits, she enlists her help to track down the true culprit! Taking a job as a PE teacher, Pip soon realises she has plenty of suspects for the exam scam mastermind. Then Pip finds one of them dead at the school fair, and it becomes clear someone is taking the cut-throat culture of the school too literally and when mysterious accidents start happening around her too, it seems the killer knows she’s onto them.
This is the third outing for Epiphany & is another well written fast paced entertaining read. This book is easily read on its own. I love the self taught detective & how she fearlessly lands herself in dangerous situations. A delightful mix of humour, suspense & murder. I’m loving this series & look forward to many more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

It’s brilliant catching up with Epiphany ‘Pip’ Bloom again in another wonderful cosy mystery from Katie Gayle. The writing style as always is charming and great fun as we follow Pip as she tried to uncover the clues to the mystery.
I loved meeting Pip’s mum and sister again, and the llamas added that touch of hilarity. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

Another fast paced mystery from the Epiphany Bloom Mystery series! In this latest installment Pip goes undercover at an elite girl’s school to find out who is behind the “exam scam.” Adventure and mayhem follow Pip as she brazenly goes after suspects, putting herself in deadly and dangerous predicaments. A perfect combination of suspense, deceit, and a dash of humor, Katie Gayle perfectly executes this clever, entertaining and original cozy mystery. I will be anxiously awaiting the next adventure of Epiphany Bloom.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my advance copy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Death at the Gates is number three in a cozy crime series, featuring the hapless but adorable self taught detective, Epiphany (known as Pip) Bloom.

In book 3 we start by hearing how Pip has lost yet another job by somehow allowing a fire to start at the clothing museum she was working at during her last case. She is summarily fired and back to the drawing board for job ideas. While mulling this over one of her would be love interests, flatmate Tim, asks Pip for help as his sister has been accused of exam cheating at her exclusive school.

Pip starts at the school as a supply PE teacher and despite knowing nothing about sport does a decent job of keeping the girls exercising whilst trying to find clues. While doing so Pip helps at the school fun day and stumbles upon a body, the father of a student at her school, while chasing down one of her mothers llamas.

The story is definitely the best of the series so far. The characters of Pip, Tim, other possible love interest Jimmy and Pip’s family are very well established and have become like friends to the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Pip try and find clues and avoid the ever increasing attempts to stop her and indeed stop her permanently.

The writing style is very relaxed and amusing, the character of Fliss, Pip’s sister is hilarious again with her malapropisms and the introduction of her mum with the llama farm and all the associated capers is certain to keep the reader interested and chuckling along.

I am looking forward to the next in the series and would highly recommend this series by Katie Gayle. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fun book about Pip. I have loved reading this series and each one is slightly funnier than the previous one.

As usual Pip has trouble at work, and I love how she looks back at previous jobs that have gone wrong. I will write a full review for the blog tour but I'm happy to say that this is another enjoyable read.

Epiphany Bloom is not having much luck with work. Having secured a job in a clothing museum at the end of the previous story, this sees her being sacked after a firework display at an exhibition goes badly wrong - who’d have thought it, nylon is really flammable!

Tim’s sister is then accused of cheating at her posh private school and she is adamant she hasn’t, Tim pleads with Pip to investigate and goes undercover as a PE teacher in the school. What could possibly go wrong?

These books are enormous fun and it’s good to see the return of Pip and her friends and family.

4 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

What a hoot! Gayle has create a delightful character in Epiphany, who manages to both create and solve problems. This is a nice sendup of school culture and you, like me, might find yourself laughing out loud. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

This is book three, and in my opinion the best to date, Well done Katie Gayle! There is always so much more going on than just the resolution of the murder and it means that I enjoy every page.

Some of the scenes were described in such a way that I wasn't just smiling, I was laughing! Then there was just that one scene about the access 'code' I rolled my eyes and blushed just a little. No spoilers, but you will know what I mean when you read it.

I did have a strong sense of whodunnit and gave myself a high five when I was proved right. This did not detract at all from the overall story.

I really think that we move forward just a smidge on the romance front. Just how long can Pip keep the status quo? I'm really curious as to how long we'll be kept hanging?

Looking forward to joining Pip on her next case. It's going to be swell.

My thanks to #Netgalley, the author and the publisher, Bookouture for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 4.5⭐️

We’ve had a lost boy, a lost dress and now the potential loss of a school’s outstanding reputation as Epiphany Bloom puts her private investigative experience to good use for a third time. On this occasion, Pip, at the request of landlord Tim whose sister Claire has been accused of exam cheating, is going undercover as a school sports mistress in an effort to weed out the sneaky culprit. Protesting her innocence and keen to clear her name, Claire welcomes Pip’s involvement as does the headmistress of Hurlingham House, Ms Alexandra Peters. She is equally determined that this matter should be dealt with internally, avoiding police involvement or news of the scandal reaching the ears of the school board. Despite some initial misgivings concerning the appropriateness of the plan, Ms Peters invites Pip to take up the temporary teaching position and the rest as they say is history…or geography…or maths…or in Pip’s case PE! (Sorry I just couldn’t resist that lame joke!)

For those of you already familiar with our crazy crime stopper, this is the moment where you put your head in your hands and inwardly groan at visions of the inevitable sticky mess Pip is going to land up in. Where there’s a catastrophe you can be sure Pip is right in the thick of it! Basically there’s NEVER a dull moment when she’s around. In the wake of yet another extreme employment disaster that sees the contents of the museum of movie memorabilia and vintage costumes go up in smoke, our lovable lunatic is desperate to find another job. So desperate that impersonating a PE teacher sounds like a good idea. Accident prone, clumsy and uncoordinated with no understanding of such things as the offside rule or how many team members are required for a netball match, you know that no matter how hard Pip tries to act like a bone fide sports teacher every day will be full of madness, mayhem and mishaps. Even with boxing pal Jimmy to pass on some exercise tips, PE classes under Pip’s tuition will certainly be unique. She might not be a natural sportswoman but you’ve got to award this young woman an A* for enthusiasm and effort and inventiveness!!

Having first hand experience of the world of private education I know what a highly competitive, ruthless environment it can be. In the interests of writing entertaining fiction the authors have adopted a tongue-in-cheek approach, exaggerating the worst traits of these privileged pushy parents guarding the school gates in order to provoke a laugh or two. Do they succeed? You bet! They magnify the pressures staff, parents and students face in achieving those all important top grades and the measures they’ll employ to get them so that you feel like there are no end of wannabe scoundrels stalking the corridors. What’s wrong with a spot of exam paper leaking if it earns these girls a coveted place at a prestigious university as well as upholding the reputation of the school? But will that be the only crime committed within these hallowed grounds? Frankly it’s astounding the lengths some people will go to in their desire to maintain Hurlingham House’s position as an exemplary educational establishment for these precious princesses. Some, it will seem, will even resort to murder. When the father of one of Pip’s pupils is found dead just outside the school grounds whilst the fete is in full swing, discovering the mastermind behind the sale of exam papers suddenly plays second fiddle to unmasking a killer. Naturally Pip is hot on the trail in another ‘laugh till your sides split’ often shambolic attempt at solving the crimes.

In my opinion this writing duo have hit the comedy jackpot with their creation of the barmy Ms Bloom. The words “it could happen to anyone” are never far from her lips.This woman needs to come with a hazard warning but in all honesty don’t take her or the storyline too seriously! This series is meant to be fun, first and foremost and I look forward to every new book with a certain amount of glee, ready to laugh along at Pip’s expense. Katie Gayle have found a winning formula for this series which I’d describe as cozy crime meets comic capers. Pip is an unforgettable queen of carnage and together with her loyal hangers on ensures that fictional sleuthing doesn’t get much better than this! Once again she upstages all concerned with performance worthy of an Oscar. Whilst every effort is made to misdirect the reader with the staff room supplying a handful of potential suspects, disputes involving power hungry parents and students displaying a flair for flouting the rules, literally ANYONE could be guilty of the crimes.

This latest instalment in the life of this irrepressible young lady wouldn’t be the same without a few well loved regulars to share in her numerous embarrassing, cringeworthy and most hapless moments. Magnolia by name but not by nature, Pip’s mother as always adds to the never ending drama, this time with Sally the runaway llama in tow. Put mother and daughter together and the phrase “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” springs to mind. I loved the cameo appearance made by the environmentalist campaigner with a speech impediment,Fwog dude, but was hoping for more from the love triangle that potentially exists between Tim, the computer geek and all round nice guy and Jimmy “the glove” who’s responsible for whipping Pip into shape. Some progress in this department would be greatly appreciated! There’s much to be said for taking things slow but any budding romances seems to have ground to a halt! Bringing up the rear is sister Flis who I found amusing and endearing in the beginning but who is now starting to grate on my nerves (sorry!) and how can I forget moggy Most and kitten Smokey Robinson, guaranteed to win over the cat lovers amongst us?

For me this isn’t quite 5⭐️material because the authors have made it slightly too easy this time around to guess who is responsible for both crimes. BUT having said that I’ve taken Pip to my heart and wouldn’t change a thing about her even though at times she’s as daft as a brush, infuriatingly inept and unintentionally destructive! Underneath all the buffoonery lies a heart of gold, an ability to achieve results and most importantly of all she possesses enough positivity and exuberance to power up the National Grid! If you’re in need of a chuckle, a guffaw, a chortle, a snigger or a giggle to lighten your mood then you’ve come to the right place. Pip inadvertently puts your own life into perspective; a bad day at the office is nothing compared to her worst highlights! Highly recommend and you don’t need to have read the previous two books in the series to enjoy this one.

My thanks as always to the publisher Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

In the third instalment in the Epiphany Bloom mysteries series, Pip has once again found herself between jobs due to circumstances beyond her control. As she is fond of saying: "It could have happened to anyone." Enters Claire, the sister of Pip’s roommate Tim, who is accused by the headmistress of her expensive high school of cheating on an exam. Tim asks Pip to put her investigative skills to use to prove his sister’s innocence and Pip soon finds herself posing as the new sports teacher, investigating a cheating ring and, soon enough, a murder.

I really enjoy Pip as a main character. I love amateur sleuths in general, and Pip has a mix of enthusiasm and lack of still that make her efforts very entertaining. I like how clumsy and disaster-prone she is, and her Alexis Rose-like tendency to drop details of outlandish past experiences then move on without developing the stories further. The secondary supporting characters are deliciously odd, and the small doses we are afforded are enough to enjoy them without becoming annoying. Pip's sister Fliss, an influencer who peppers every conversation with an alarming number of malapropisms, is a particular favourite of mine.

The mystery was complex and well constructed. The several threads woven together - the exam cheating ring, a nearby property development, its supporters and protesters - muddied the waters when it came to identifying the motive for the murder. The clues were obscured just enough to make the discovery satisfying without making the guess too easy on me as a reader. With the caveat that I realized while reading that I personally don't really love a high school setting (I find the cliques, the mean girls, the bullies, and all that stuff repulsive), I really enjoyed this book.

For those who like their mystery with a side of romance (and why wouldn't you?), there is a nice hint of burgeoning romance with two potential love interests, Tim and Pip’s friend and trainer Jimmy. I look forward to how this will continue to develop in future novels of this series.