Enjoyable cosy crime story. This dragged a little for me, and didn’t grab me like most of the previous books.

It may be a small niggle but for such a modern characters, I find the calling of Kitty “old girl” and “old thing” rather condescending, especially as Matt is now Kitty’s fiancé and it is also repetitive - if I had a drink for every time he said it, I would’ve been very drunk by the time I’d finished the book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Kitty Underhay and Matt Bryant are one of my favorite cozy mystery couples. I love them more with each book. Murder at the Country Club is the ninth book in Helena Dixon's Miss Underhay series. I started reading this series with book 4 so you can start this series without having read the previous books.

A former client of Captian Matthew Bryant has invited him and his fiancee Kitty Underhay to the popular country club for an archery exhibition and perhaps a spot of business. Before they can discuss business, Sir William is found dead (by Kitty, of course) in the Grotto. There are plenty of suspects and no one is telling the truth. Aided by Inspector Greville, Kitty and Matt try to determine who wanted him dead the most. And the case takes a complicated twist when Lady Lettice's guest Ivan Bolsova, who put on a dance exhibition at the club with his sister, is found floating in the pool. He's not trying to cool off from the oppressive heat, someone has bashed him over the head.

It's the height of summer - the busiest time for the Dolphin Hotel. Kitty struggles with pulling her fair share of the work of running the hotel and her desire to investigate the murders with Matt. She knows this struggle is only going to get worse once she is married and what happens when her grandmother cannot help out?

It's the 1930s and while women had been taking on more employment for the past decade, I love that Matt has no problem with Kitty running a hotel or the fact that she isn't merely running it as the manager. It is her family's hotel and she will inherit it when her grandmother passes as her mother is already deceased. In a lot of the historical fiction that I read the man would still be expecting the woman to give up her work when she marries. But Matt does not. Though he does wonder how it will all work out once they are married. There is a scene where Kitty and Matt are discussing a possible solution and Kitty wants Matt's opinion. I love his response - how does she feel about it. He might be too modern of a man or maybe he's just a fictional man so he can get the response right!

The mystery is interesting. There's a lot of finger-pointing and while you can probably guess pretty early who did it there are some red herrings that will have you second-guessing yourself.

For me though, the mystery is kind of secondary to the characters. I loved getting to see Kitty and Matt just be together. I read this in the midst of a heat wave (one day the heat index was 116°F) so I was as disappointed as them when their trip to the sea was cut short. I was, mentally, enjoying the shady beach spot with them.

If you are looking for a good cozy mystery with a fun sleuthing couple, then I recommend you pick up this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday, June 22 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/06/murder-at-country-club-by-helena-dixon.html

I can't quite believe that this is the ninth book in the Kitty Underhay series, I just can't get enough of these books!

While each novel contains a standalone mystery, there is a secondary storyline concerning Kitty's missing mother that runs through the books, so I would recommend reading previous books first for the best experience.

It's so nice to catch up with Kitty, Matthew and their investigations. This time she's looking into the death of Sir William Winspear. He was an odious man and there's no shortage of suspects for the pair. When a second death occurs, just the day after, it throws their investigation into turmoil. Will this finally be the case that stumps Kitty and Matthew?

I always know when I pick up one of Helena Dixon's books that I'm in for an entertaining story, full of untrustworthy suspects and a puzzling mystery to put my amateur detective skills to the test.

The question of the future for Kitty came up in this book, as she and Matthew are soon to be married and whether she will take over running the Dolphin hotel. This would mean giving up her investigations entirely, so let's hope that doesn't happen!

Murder at the country club is a great addition to this already fantastic series, I can't wait for the next book!

Kitty Underhay is back on the case. Kitty and her fiancé Matthew Bryant are at the Torbay Country Club for the day. They are attending an archery event. While walking Matthew’s new cocker spaniel, Bertie, around the Country Club grounds, Kitty makes a horrible discovery, the body of the host Sir William Winspear. Cause of death is an arrow in his back. Through the interviews of the sporting event, Kitty finds out that Sir William had threatened one of the guests, Ivan. Ivan is a guest of the Country Club and is a Russian dancer, he relies on Sir William for sponsoring him. It seems like an easy case for Kitty Underhay to solve. But when Kitty finds Ivan’s body in the pool the next day, she must continue her investigation before the culprit takes another victim.

I absolutely love the Kitty Underhay amateur sleuth series. Kitty is a very likeable character, and she and her fiancé Matthew are a great pair. This cozy mystery is a fast read and will keep you wondering who the culprit is, until the very end. I found myself flying through the pages, and in a hurry to find out whodunnit. I really enjoyed reading about Bertie the cocker spaniel. What a fabulous addition to a great story. I thoroughly enjoyed this awesome addition to the Kitty Underhay Mystery Series. I look forward to the continuation to this fantastic series.

Thank you Helena Dixon for such a wonderful addition to this series. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.

This is book 9 in the series but you could read it without having read the others and it would still make sense. I've read a couple before and enjoyed the..

A quick, easy to read cosy mystery.

Thank you for the arc.

One of my favorite historical cozy mystery series!

Kitty Underhay is back for her 9th adventure as she and her fiance, Matthew Bryant, become involved in a case of murder and mishap at the swanky Torbay Country Club. Inspector Greville asks them to sit in on the interviews of the Winspear family and their guests, Russian siblings and professional dancers, Ivan and Natasha Bolsolva. One of the cohort surely killed Sir William Winspear in the grotto with a broken arrow.

I really enjoy the period details and the setting -- including that of the Dolphin Hotel. The characters are ones I have come to know and care about since the beginning of the series. There are some long running threads permeating the narrative, so probably best to read them all, in order. Wedding planning has gone on the back burner as Kitty and Matt help the Inspector with figuring out the Winspear family dynamics and narrowing down their suspect list. I'm thinking the next installment might include the wedding and some big changes ahead but I really hope that Kitty stays committed to her grandmother's hotel and that more of the misadventures occur there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

Already onto book nine of this wonderful series and the delightful Kitty Underhay who helps run The Dolphin Hotel in Dartmouth along with her grandmother. Now with her fiancé Matthew Bryant, a private investigator Kitty finds her continuing to get into scrapes of her own and there is often a few dead bodies about!

Having been invited to see an Archery display, some tennis, a dance display and some wonderful food and drink, the last thing Kitty expects to find is a dead body,

But she does Sir William Winspear, the very person who invited herself and Matthew to the club. And he appears to have an arrow sticking out of him.

When it seems he has been thinking about changing his will, heard arguing with one of the exhibition dancers as well as being rather beastly to his own brother and sister. It seems the list of suspects is stacking up. Then one of them is found dead in the swimming pool.

Kitty with her skill of talking to the female suspects finds herself in the middle of the investigation with Matthew and Inspector Grenville and his penchant for biscuits! Can they get to the truth before anyone else dies?

This is a light murder mystery and it’s historical setting adds to its whimsey. That doesn’t mean it is not without pace and plot and also with a backstory running through all the books, it is not a series to be overlooked. I look forward to the next one and re-joining Kitty and if I could I would book into The Dolphin Hotel if only to watch what happens next!

My first book in this cosy mystery series and also my last. Not bad, but dragging and a not easily explainable ending. The main character Kitty is a strong woman, but seems to be more concerned about other things in her life than sleuthing.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This engaging read by Helena Dixon gives Kitty Underhay another opportunity to act as an amateur sleuth. Away for what should be an enjoyable time with her fiancé Matthew Bryant at a posh country club, body of their host, Sir William Winstead, is found by Kitty. There was an arrow in his back. In fact, before his murder, Sir William proudly displayed his archery skills for all to see. Although the police arrive quickly on scene, Kitty doesn’t hesitate to begin interviewing the other guests, especially as the inspector on scene doesn’t get very far. She soon finds that more than one person had motive for killing Sir William.

Suspects to consider include the victim’s much younger wife and a brother-and-sister dancing couple from Russia. Even the servants are not above suspicion. However, when the male dancer is also found murdered, things become much more complicated.

Although this is the ninth book in a thoroughly enjoyable series, readers will be pleased to know that it will work perfectly well as a standalone novel. However, the entire series is a true delight, and will definitely offer many hours of reading pleasure. One thing that makes this series so entertaining is that it is set in the 1930s. The time frame shows that Kitty has to employ crafty skills of deduction as modern conveniences were simply not available at that time. I am truly eager for book ten in the series, Murder on Board, set for release in October.

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

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/cf3To4muGNg

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder at the Country Club’ by Helena Dixon in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 9 in Dixon’s series of historical cosy mysteries set in mid-1930s Devon that focuses on the sleuthing adventures of hotelier Miss Kitty Underhay.

I so enjoy this series and often read them in a single day, usually accompanied by its unabridged audiobook edition. While Dixon always provides background for new readers, it is such a fun series that I have no hesitation in recommending it as a whole.

So just a few details of the plot, though as the title indicates there is going to be a murder at the country club!

August 1934. Kitty Underhay and Matthew Bryant, along with Bertie, his new cocker spaniel, are on an outing to the Torbay Country Club. Mathew, a private investigator, has been invited by Sir William Winspear to discuss his undertaking some enquiries.

We are introduced to Winspear’s family and guests. There is clearly a lot of tension in the party. Following an archery demonstration in which Sir William shows off, Kitty takes Bertie for a walk in a shaded grotto and is shocked to find the body of their host with an arrow in his back. Whodunnit? Well, there’s certainly plenty of suspects.

As some of the female witnesses/suspects are reluctant to be interviewed by Inspector Greville, he makes the sensible decision to seek Kitty’s assistance. So, Kitty and Matthew do have a semi-official role in the investigation. There are also ongoing series subplots that are advanced.

This proved a lovely light summer read with plenty of Golden Age charm, witty dialogue, and historical detail. The next in the series is due for release in October.

Highly recommended.

1934. A invitation to the local golf club for Kitty Underhay and Captain Matthew Bryant results in Kitty discovering the body of their host. But not a likeable man, but to murder him. Inspector Greville investigates with the help of Matthew and Kitty.
Another entertaining and well-written historical mystery in this series. With its cast of likable and varied characters, especially the two delightful main characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of the best in the series that I've read. It had good pacing from the start and pulled me right into the story. It was almost like a closed-room mystery as the main suspects were a select group of people. It became a matter of who had the most motive and thought they might get away with it. As everything was coming together, Kitty spots one clue that just may solve the whole thing.

With two dead bodies and red herrings aplenty this book checks off the boxes expected of the genre. Thank you to Bookouture, the author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Fun and entertaining as usual and kept my attention throughout. I liked the twists and turns and after the events in the previous title, it was nice to have less focus on the Hammetts and more on the mystery which I did suspect the murderer from the beginning. It was nice to see secondary characters as interesting as the main.. It must be time for the wedding soon as well now they have figure out where they will live etc. I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

Helena Dixon did it again and this a great summer mystery as you can feel the sun on your face and makes you wish to be in the quaint Dorset village.
Ms Dixon plays again with the classic Golden Age tropes, I will not say which one because I don't want to spoil anything.
A murder of rich men in a country club, old division and hurt in a family, plenty of suspects.
Kitty and Matt are two great characters as usual, I missed a bit the atmosphere of the hotel but I throughly enjoyed it nonetheless.
It's a bit slow at beginning but after the first chapter I wasn't able to stop reading and turn pages as fast as I could.
I had some suspects but the twists and the solution surprised me.
One note: It would be great if the storyline involving Kitty's mother killers would be closed. At the very moment this part is not adding a lot of fun or suspense and something would make this series even better.
It's the perfect summer read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An entertaining and light read. If you have read any others in this 1920s historical mystery series you know what to expect. It is like eating at a local restaurant with your friends or family like you have done many times. It is familiar, comfortable and satisfying. In a few weeks you look back and have a good feeling about it but you may not be able to distinguish from the other times you’ve been there.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Matthew Bryant & his fiancée Kitty Underhay and Bertie, Matt’s new cocker spaniel are invited to Torbay Country Club by Sir William Winspear. However, the delightful day soon turns to disaster. Walking Bertie in the shaded grotto after an exhilarating archery demonstration, Kitty makes an unsporting discovery: the body of their host, Sir William Winspear, with an arrow in his back. Inspector Grenville invites Kitty & Matthew to sit in whilst interviewing suspects. They discover that Sir William had threatened one of the guests, dashing Russian dancer Ivan, who is dependent on him for patronage. When Kitty overhears a damning conversation between Ivan and his sister, the case seems clear. But the next day Ivan is disqualified as he is found face down in the pool.
This is the ninth outing for Kitty & Matt & it’s just as fresh as the first. I love Kitty, who balances running the Dolphin Hotel with sleuthing but can she continue to do so once she marries Matt at Christmas? Once again there are plenty of red herrings plus twists & turns before the murderer is revealed. As ever Kitty is in the thick of things as is Matt. I love how the characters have developed throughout the series & look forward to many more books in the series. An engrossing mystery which I devoured in a couple of sittings
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

In this ninth book in the series Helena Dixon takes Kitty and Matt for a day out at an exclusive country club. Kitty is looking forward to afternoon tea on the terrace, and dancing on the very superior dance floor for which the establishment is famous. Instead she finds her host murdered, presumably by one of their party, and so the investigation begins.

I really enjoy this series set in Devon, in a place where I used to holiday as a child. Every time Kitty drives her little red car on to the Dartmouth ferry I experience a little bit of nostalgia for those wonderful family trips I enjoyed such a long time ago now!

Since Kitty and Matt have not yet made it to the altar I am sure there must be at least one more book in the series for us to enjoy. I hope there will be many more than that!

Kitty Underhay and her fiancé, Captain Matthew Bryant, along with cocker spaniel Bertie, descended on the Torbay Country Club for an afternoon of sporting entertainment. Matt was to meet with their host, Sir William Winspear, later in the afternoon for an appointment. But when Kitty was walking Bertie through the peaceful grotto, she was shocked to come across the dead body of Sir William. Inspector Greville was soon on the scene and with Matt and Kitty by his side, began to interview all the people concerned.

None the wiser, he allowed the Winspear family and their guests to return to their home not far from the club. That evening, the entertainment continued at the club with Sir William’s wife’s blessing, and Kitty and Matt watched the dancers, Ivan and Natasha, as they enthralled the crowd with their magnificence. The two dancers were also staying with the Winspear family under their patronage, and it was the following day that Ivan was found dead in the swimming pool.

Would Kitty and Matt be able to discover the killer or killers before anyone lost their lives? Kitty was busy at the Dolphin Hotel as well, reluctant to leave it in the hands of her grandmother for too long. Could she juggle the two demanding tasks?

Murder at the Country Club is the 9th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon and it was brilliant! Entertaining – as each of the series has been so far – light, and although the darkness of murder gripped the pages, it was still a fun historical cozy! I hope the author continues the series for a long time to come. Highly recommended.

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

I love this series! Kitty and Matt are wonderful partners in crime – clever, determined and likeable. Coming back to them, and all the regulars, feels like catching up with old friends. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of suspects too: well-drawn and memorable. There were plenty of twists and turns as the plot evolved and a fantastic, action-packed denouement that had me on the edge of my seat. The latest developments in Kitty’s personal life added to the compelling mix. A wonderful, atmospheric page turner.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts expressed in this review are my own. Murder at the Country Club is the ninth title in the now long running series featuring Miss Kitty Underhay and her fiancé Matt. While attending an event at Torbay Country Club and Golf Club at the invitation of Sir William Winspear, Kitty and Matt find themselves involved in yet another murder investigation. Sir William turns up dead after hinting that he had something/someone he needed Matt to investigate and there is no shortage of suspects within his family: his young trophy wife, his spinster sister who works for him but he doesn't respect, or his brother and sister-in-law recently returned to India.

The mystery is one of the strongest ones in the series and I found kept my attention throughout. I liked the twists and turns and found the final resolution to be satisfying. After the events in the previous title, it was nice to have less focus on the Hammetts. I also liked how Kitty and Matt figured out what they will do after they get married with respect to where to live and what will happen to the hotel. I always like getting to see secondary characters like Alice and her sister Dolly. I'm hoping that the next book will feature Matt and Kitty's wedding.