I really enjoy the Rachel Savernake series and this was another great read. I liked how it took the action out of the city and to this supposed holiday destination. The drama was written well and i liked how it was shown. The characters, new and old, were all interesting and they all seemed really fleshed out. I liked how the final 3rd of the book wrapped up and there didn't seem to be any loose ends to the story. I liked how this felt like it could also be a stand alone read as there wasn't a great deal of lore dropping from the previous books so none of it would be too confusing to new readers.

Thought this would be for me but I just didn't connect with the characters or storyline. Probably me as it seems very well written - so have put it aside to try later.

Mild-mannered accountant Basil Palmer is determined to kill the man he holds responsible for his wife's death so he adopts a disguise and moves to Hemlock Bay, an up and coming seaside resort. Rachel Savernake is also in Hemlock Bay, she has bought a painting by an artist based there and her interest has been piqued by the reports of one suspicious death and another predicted. All this death is bringing notoriety to the area and only Rachel seems able to get to the answers.
This is the fifth book in the series and is the first I have picked up, mainly due to the beautiful cover artwork! It took me a while to get into the story due to the cadences of the writing and not having the prior knowledge of the character. However, once deep into the narrative I found myself hooked by the period detail and the genuine homage to the Golden Age of crime writing. I got most of the plot but a couple of twists were a surprise to me and it's very clever.

I have been a huge fan of Martin Edwards for ages but have not read any of this series previously. As ever, it's a good story, well plotted, and the clues, characters, and setting is very engaging. I enjoyed the setting in Lancashire, but above all I loved the real feel for the Golden Age that comes across perfectly. I would expect nothing less, having read his non-fiction study of the Golden Age writers, but it was still a joy toread it done so well. I did pick up on most of the clues and liked the conclusion. Overall very enjoyable and I will look up the rest in the series.

The fifth Rachel Savernake book, following Gallows Court, Mortmain Hall, Blackstone Fell and Sepulchre Street, all of which were intricately plotted homages to the Golden Age of Detection. And to be clear, when I say homages, I don’t mean something set amongst the elites of the 1920s with a bright young socialite tripping over the killer at the end of the book.

No, what I mean is that the books are carefully constructed, many-layered mysteries which may have one or two aspects that rarely appeared at the time, and are determined to do something a little differently but could sit proudly alongside the best of the era. And this one is exactly the same – a masterclass that modern day mystery writers would do well to pay attention to.

One of the hooks here is the potential for four distinct crimes to be investigated, even though two of them haven’t happened yet. The murder (sorry, the first murder) occurs just before the halfway point and until it happened, I genuinely had no idea who the victim was going to be. The mystery is an impressive piece of plotting and despite the clues detailed in the cluefinder at the end, I defy anyone to see the complete picture.

Add in the sleuthing team of Rachel Savernake and her entourage and it’s a book to savour. One note – I would like to see a little more of the Rachel – Jacob – Martha triangle that gets a vague hint or two but never gets really developed. There is a little more of Jacob being jealous of Rachel flirting with the police, and Martha does get a bit of development here, but I do like a bit of romance.

If this isn’t a series that you’ve sampled, you really, really should. It’s a series that people should be shouting about and you can guarantee that I will be again in the future.

This book was an absolute treat to read.
I loved the period British seaside setting, and how it evoked a real sense of a golden era in our history.
This is the 5th installment in the Rachel Savernake series. I have not read the previous books (I think I will now)...but the storyline works perfectly well as a stand alone novel.
An entertaining and engrossing tale....perfect for Armchair Detectives like myself.

I haven’t read the previous books in the series but didn’t feel I was missing out too much! This little mystery works well as a stand alone as well:
The scene is always set beautifully and there is a full and interesting cast of characters throughout!

I do like a good mystery set in Lancashire, and Hemlock Bay is certainly that.

This is Martin Edwards' fifth book featuring amateur sleuth Rachel Savernake and her sidekick tabloid reporter Jacob Flint, but I think it would work well as a standalone novel. I particularly enjoyed the period seaside town details in this, especially when Jacob had to act as a Lobby Lud character while investigating a murderer.

A recommended five stars from me.

After the last outing for his sleuth Rachel Savernake, Martin Edwards has given her a holiday by the seaside - one with murder added, of course.

These books deliberately ape the style of golden age fair play detective stories - both in form and setting. The form is beautifully captured. The clues are elegantly laid out and the conclusions justified. Rachel Saverake does sometimes appear to make some implausible leaps in other books. Here the mystery is very fairly played - the clue finder explanation is largely unneeded; the downside is that an astute reader will be ahead at points and the main twist may be too easily guessed.

The setting is nicely drawn again. It is not flawless: a character uses the term ‘Art Deco’ but that. Is a much later term for the style; two women meeting on purely social terms are highly unlikely to have shaken hands in the period. That said, these are small complaints and more noticeable because otherwise the author shows himself to know his golden age milieu very well.

Entertaining stuff.

An enthralling read. Mr Edward writes interesting characters and the story line had me invested to find out what would happen next. The care he puts into setting the scene just makes the story even better.

Whilst Edwards is a “new to me” author, Hemlock Bay is in fact the fifth in the Rachel Savernake series. I was intrigued by the sound of this golden-age inspired mystery and happily read it as a standalone - and I suspect that Savernake is a bit of an enigma even to those who have read the earlier books!

At the outset we meet Basil Palmer and learn that he plans to murder Louis Carson, a man he has never met. He doesnt know where he lives or what he looks like but his quest takes him to the seaside resort of Hemlock Bay in Lancashire. Rachel Savernake buys a painting of the lighthouse in the bay; journalist Jacob Flint is told by a fortune teller that a murder is going to happen in the town. The two of them are sufficiently intrigued to decide to visit - and Savernake soon finds herself with plenty to investigate.

Savernake is an intriguing character who I am keen to know more about - cold and ruthless at times in her quest for justice, she also has a softer side, evidenced by her relationship with Flint and the Trueman family as they all come together to find answers.

What Edwards does so skilfully is weave the multiple strands of the story together.
There are twists and turns galore, no shortage of red herrings and clues scattered throughout - and Edwards helpfully provides a list of those at the end of the book for those armchair detectives who like to be proved right , or for those of us who are less skilled at spotting them! I will certainly be circling back to read more of this series!

Hemlock Bay is the fifth instalment in the Rachel Savernake series, yet it stands confidently on its own, crafting a compelling mystery that intrigues from the outset. The intricate dynamics among Rachel, Flint, and the enigmatic Trueman family add depth, though newcomers may find themselves puzzled by their history and relationships. Rachel, in particular, is a complex character—cold and controlling, with a keen sense of justice that leaves readers wanting to understand her better.

The plot kicks off with Basil, a man intent on murder, armed only with a name: Louis Carson. His pursuit leads him to Hemlock Bay, coinciding with Rachel's journey inspired by a recently acquired painting. As tensions rise and bodies are discovered, the layers of mystery thicken, creating a tapestry of suspense.

The ensemble cast includes both permanent residents and transient figures, each contributing to the unfolding drama. While the clues are skillfully woven into the narrative, their subtlety can leave readers feeling perplexed—until the final pages reveal a treasure trove of hints, prompting a rewarding “aha” moment.

Atmospheric and meticulously plotted, Hemlock Bay may start slowly, but it ultimately captivates with its rich storytelling and engaging twists, making it a delightful read for fans of mystery.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

A puzzling and atmospheric whodunnit set in a secluded coastal resort village during the Golden Age? Well count me in Sherlock !

First let me disclose that I didn't read the previous installments (shame on me !), but that didn't deter from thoroughly enjoying this finely crafted mystery. The characters are very well depicted, and the scene is masterfully set for a series of unfortunate events unfolding in a elegant manner - almost too close to the cozy genre for my taste. If I should find any fault, it is that the twist and turns seemed just a bit too constructed for the enjoyment of the reader, instead of being logically fit into the storyline. This was also confirmed at the end where you can find a list of hints and tips to find solve the mystery called "the Cluefinder". It is very tongue in cheek, and just good fun but I feel it isn't beneficial to the book as a whole.

So yes, it is absolutely very atmospheric, but it lacked a bit of intrigue for my taste.

A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Head of Zeus and Aries Book and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hemlock Bay is fun, entertaining, and is just a pleasure to pick up and read. I spent a few days reading it and I was always excited to get back into the story and carry on attempting to solve the mystery alongside Rachel and the gang.

Set in 1931, this instantly sees the story stand apart from other contemporary crime novels. Not at all graphic or shocking, there’s no ‘against the clock’ chase to catch the killer, but at the same time, the story is completely gripping and addictive. It’s got that classic Christie feel, where you just want to play along with the characters and help them catch the killer. In this case in particular it’s even more fun because there is a #Cluefinder at the end of the book with a number of hints to help you piece together different elements of the case.

Even though this is a Golden Age style detective story, it’s still incredibly complex and has plenty of smaller storylines running alongside the main murder mystery case to get you thinking. It was a real mix of the more emotional reasonings behind the events and pure humour as Rachel, Trueman, Hetty, Martha, Jacob and Inspector Oakes have such a brilliant dynamic.

Hemlock Bay has a lot of characters to keep track of, something which is made even more tricky as you will see that our main suspect is claiming to be somebody else right from the start. It’s definitely a story where you need to keep your concentration the whole way through, but it played on a really unique idea and had plenty of twists and turns to keep this crime fan very happy!

This book is the 5th in the series and can be read as a standalone as I haven't read all of the previous books in the series. The mystery is complex and intricate with the murders that seem impossible to have been committed and left me turning the pages to see where it was going to go next as I didn't succeed in working this one out at all. Another great instalment for all lovers of golden age crime stories. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

“The first rule of murder: Know your victim…”

A very intriguing Golden Age mystery! This one has little clues dropped out throughout causing you to try to figure it out alongside amateur sleuth Rachel Savernake.

It was very well written and the character development was good. Vivid descriptions made me feel like I was in Hemlock Bay myself.

This is the 5th of the Rachel Savernake series, but can be read as a standalone as I did.

I always love a good whodunnit and this one did not disappoint!

The fifth book in a series Hemlock Bay reads well as a standalone. Off course relationships between characters are always better when you have read the full series, but I had no issues.

I will say that I am gutted that I haven't read any other books by Martin Edwards before now, but that's something I am going to make right and pretty soon.
Hemlock Bay is a very cleverly written mystery novel. I knew I would love it as soon as I started reading. It has an air of the golden age of mystery novels. I couldn't put the book down!

It is full of intrigue, little clues dropped throughout that I picked up on, and some I didn't. This is a marvel of a book! The twists and turns as the story unfolded definitely kept me on my toes. The characters are clearly very well developed,and Rachel, for one, she is amazing. Everything combined together had my mind in overdrive!

To add to the uniqueness of the book ,here is a cluefinder at the back of the book. Just in case the reader misses the clues that are unravelled within the story! I think this idea is a great one. Such a pageturning read.
Thanks to Head Of Zeus and NetGalley for my gifted widget to take part in the tour with my honest review.

Martin Edwards is in fine fettle with this fifth entry in his Rachel Savernake series.

Lovers of the author’s ability to recreate in a dynamic way the forms , trappings and tropes of the Golden Age Detective novel will certainly not feel disappointed. Complete with a comprehensive Cluefinder, this is a compelling read, full, as ever, with larger-than-life characters yet dominated by the presence of the enigmatic Rachel.

I found the last in the series less effective than the others but here Martin Edwards is back in top gear with a testing jigsaw of a plot which tantalises to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the digital review copy

Being back in the company and mind of Rachel Savernake has been wonderful. The way she thinks about the conundrums in front of her is so entertaining. Martin Edwards has again written a thrilling and captivating story full of intrigue and mystery.

I always like the way Martin Edwards includes those little clues, those little links that help us as the reader to follow the thoughts of our intrepid investigators- although I must admit I can’t always keep up with Rachel’s speed of thought.

The relationships between Rachel, Jacob, and the Truemans play such an important role in the stories - the support they provide eachother but also their quick thinking and different skills all come to play.

This is the 5th Rachel Savernack book, written in the style of the golden age of crime. I loved the first two books in the series but somehow managed to miss the next two. I had high expectations for Hemlock Bay and certainly wasn’t disappointed as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Like the other two Rachel Savernack books this is also a complex mystery, with several strands and plenty of twists and misdirections. It begins with a Prologue. It is July 1930 as an unnamed couple in a basement room in Temple, London hear a newspaper vendor announce the death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They are discussing death, ending as the man lifts a revolver and squeezes the trigger. Then in January 1931 Basil Palmer makes a New Year resolution – to murder a man he has never met, Louis Carson. But he doesn’t know where he lives, nor what he looks like. This sets in motion a sequence of events, involving numerous people, all with their own agendas, all gathered together in Hemlock Bay.

Hemlock Bay is a seaside resort on the north-west coast of Lancashire. It was originally just ‘a small bay with a splendid beach, flanked by a stretch of sheer cliffs on one side and a tiny secluded cove on the other side of the steep headland‘ and on ‘a treacherous outcrop of rock was an old lighthouse‘. J M W Turner had visited the Bay on a sketching trip and said it was ‘as pretty as Paradise‘. In the past, ships were often wrecked on the shore and contraband was smuggled through a maze of underground passages. But after the end of the First World War it had been developed into a small and select seaside resort. Pleasure Grounds had been built on Hemlock Head, with provision for dancing and all sorts of amusements, known as Paradise, adopting Turner’s description. Jackson, a speculator, and his wife had bought the resort and then opened a new venture, the Hemlock Sun and Air Garden, a nudist club.

Rachel Savernack is intrigued by a surrealist painting of Hemlock Bay depicting a body stretched out below the lighthouse. She and Jacob Flint go to Hemlock Bay, where among others, she meets Virginia Penrhos, the woman who painted the picture, a reclusive doctor named Seamus Doyle, a man named Louis Carson and Basil Palmer under an assumed name. It’s a well plotted novel with interesting characters in a beautiful setting.

Martin Edwards’ Author’s Note at the end of the book is interesting, explaining that although Hemlock Bay is a fictional place it is based on Heysham in Lancashire, overlooking Morecombe Bay (where I enjoyed several holidays as a child). The information in the Heritage Centre in Heysham helped him with the description of Paradise. And the ‘Cluefinder’ at the back of the book listing hints and clues is most enlightening. But I resisted the temptation to read it before I read the book. It is a baffling and most enjoyable murder mystery.