A little bit slow to get started but I enjoyed it! You need a tea, blanket and a biscuit and then to settle down with this for half an hour - a perfect Sunday!

Death at the Auction is an original and intelligent cozy mystery destined to be popular with fans of the genre. It is filled with endearing characters (very important, in my opinion, in setting up a cozy mystery series). I was especially fond of the disheveled Sergeant Pettifer and twelve-year-old Algernon. Heroine Felicia is a reluctant sleuth who never wanted to get pulled back into the auction house business and certainly wants nothing to do with a murder investigation, but she can’t stand by quietly when those she loves may be in danger. She takes the reader on an adventure into some dark secrets hidden in the sleepy, historic town of Stamford.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for inviting me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I will post reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads on the date of publication.

This is a very funny take on a “who done it” murder mystery! It gave me a little bit of Thursday Murder Club vibe! Felicia Is such a fun character and it was very interesting following her around while sh e tried to find out who is murdering people! A good, cozy, mystery perfect for a rainy fall day!
I’ll likely be reading a physical copy once it becomes available!
Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for letting me read and review this ARC!

This is a standalone cozy mystery with an interesting English protagonist. When Felicia Grant’s auctioneer father breaks his leg, she reluctantly returns home to do the regular Sunday auction even though it’s been eight years since she worked at Grant’s Auctioneers. When the last item of the day has the unexpected addition of a dead body, things quickly go sideways. Felicia’s ex-husband is surprisingly on scene, as is their 10-year-old son and a room full of participants. When further deaths are discovered, Felicia realizes there are too many suspects for the overwhelmed police force to investigate, particularly when she is one of them! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

An enjoyable book. Felicia is unexpectedly called home to take over as auctioneer at her father's auction house where the first body appears. The story is very much character driven with a slightly unbelievable plot, very much like Richard Osman though better. I hope this is the first in a series as I really liked the characters and the mild humour.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.

I received a free copy of, Death at the Auction, by E.C. Bateman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Felicia has to fill in for her father who is an auctioneer, but when someone is murdered, Felicia, has a murder to solve. This town is full of secrets and lies, Felicia and her son are endearing characters, an enjoyable read.

Such an enjoyable read. Setting in the centre of the action at an auction is truly inspired. I don't live too far from Stamford and I love the idea that it's sleepy yet glorious appearance hides some nefarious goings on.

When I started reading I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this novel feeling it was slow to grip me, but that soon changed once I got used to E C Batemans way of writing. Death in an auction house is a different take on a murder site especially considering how many people are in attendance.

Set in the historic town of Stamford, this murder set in the antiques trade is a brilliantly plotted mystery.
Felicia Grant rushes to Stamford to run her father’s auction one Saturday after he fell over the cat and broke his leg. The auction is proceeding normally until things are disrupted by her ex-husband suddenly appearing on the scene and the discovery of a dead body in a wardrobe. After that inauspicious start, life gets even more complicated for poor Felicia who finds that she is not only a suspect in the investigation but also that there seem to be attempts being made on her life.
It’s less of an amateur sleuth mystery than some cosy crime novels as the local police are definitely in charge including the almost sinister Inspector who has the extremely inappropriate name of Heavenly. However, despite threats to her safety, Felicia is unable to keep out of the investigation and she is the one to find the key to everything that has gone on.
I really enjoyed this crime story. The antique trade is a great set up for a murder mystery with plenty of eccentric characters to add local colour. The characters of Felicia and her son and ex-husband are interesting and I enjoyed the family dynamics between them. There is a fair amount of humour interspersed with the drama and plenty of red herrings to keep the reader on their toes. I love novels when I can visualise the setting and the town of Stamford is vividly described which was a real plus for me.
I can definitely see this series being one that I need to look out for.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for inviting me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I read this in one sitting and really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. Would recommend to others

A very readable novel and ideal for fans of Richard Osman’s books. Beautifully set in the gorgeous Stamford, this murder mystery will keep you guessing as the bodies stack up! Full of red herrings, twists and turns, wonderful characters and fabulous houses. This is a cosy murder book, as there are no grisly details, but it is well written and very enjoyable. Highly recommended and I really hope that this is going to be a new series of books featuring Felicia, Algie, Dexter, Peter and the wonderful detective Pettiffer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Death at the Auction was a fun read that kept me reading through to the end. E.C. Bateman's book certainly held my attention with a group of interesting characters, any one of which might have been a multiple murderer.

Bateman's carefully constructed plot provides an unexpected serial killer, a bit of family drama, an especially likable young boy, and a hint of possible romance for any subsequent novels, should this mystery become the first book in a series. There is also plenty of sadness over at least some of the victims. Although I had figured out the identity of the murderer in advance of the ending, I still enjoyed reading how Bateman was going to tie together all the details and the personalities.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I hope lots of people will buy this novel and be as entertained as I was while reading it. And finally, thank you to NetGalley for suggesting this novel for me to read.

This was an absorbing murder mystery. A great cast of characters and a delightful setting. Lots of interesting information about Antique auctions was a added bonus. There were lots of twists and turns some serious, some amusing and some farcical but always interesting.. Great read!

Death at the Auction was a delightful read. The characters were easy to like and the plot kept you guessing right till the end. If you want a nice easy read and a cup of tea then this the book for you.

Mystery and intrigue…written by a talented and gifted author…this book is difficult to put down. Mystery and intrigue…characters who come alive on the pages. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. This is a story read for enjoyment. Curl up in a cozy chair with a warm blanket…grab a cup of steaming herbal tea…relax and read…

The auction world was an interesting setting for a murder mystery, as was Stamford, a region I would love to know more about. The writing was good, and I enjoyed many aspects of the mystery. I enjoyed the interplay and background between Felicity and Dexter. The book felt a bit long to me, with a few too many side characters that ultimately lent little to the proceedings. Perhaps we are introducing members of the community we will see more of in the future? It also felt like the ultimate resolution of the mystery was a bit far-fetched. I enjoyed the writing and would read more of the series.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable cosy murder mystery. Having recently visited Stamford I could picture the scenes in the cobbled streets. I’m sure it will inspire readers to visit this unique town. Felicia is a great main character, complete with foibles, and all other characters are realistically portrayed. The book includes beautiful descriptions - of places, picnics, cakes, antiques…. I’m pleased to see this is the start of a series,I’m looking forward to the next book already!

Love how punchy the start of this is, and the drama unfolds more from there. One of those reads where I pretty much suspected everyone possible!

A welcome addition to the cosy crime reads, and this is up there in terms of close knit communities, tension and surprises aplenty.

Smart and entertaining.

Felicia Grant is back at the family auction house, thanks to an accident her dad suffered. She's taking the Saturday auction at short notice, and hoping it'll be a flying visit.

But when a rival auctioneer's body appears during the sale, everyone is under suspicion.

Somehow, Felicia won't be escaping Stamford any time soon - especially as the body count rises rapidly

A super mystery