I was having a hard time getting into this book, so I set it aside with the intention to come back to it. When I tried to come back, I found that I couldn't remember anything about it, which is a good indicator that I shouldn't continue.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BolindaAudio for a free copy of #DeathAtTheDolphin by Gretta Mulrooney. All opinions are my own.

3 stars since I DNF'd and can't give a full review.

When Daisy Moore's secret work at Whitehall concludes at the end of the war, she takes on the role of general factotum at the Dolphin Hotel in Fernfield. When a local charity worker is found murdered, Daisy becomes determined to see that justice is done, despite Inspector Thaxted’s disapproval of her involvement. As tensions rise and more lives are at risk, Daisy and Thaxted must collaborate to catch the killer before more deaths occur.

This was a pleasant start to a series. I wasn’t sure about Daisy when I first met her, but she really grew on me. Intelligent, straight-forward, she was a competent character to follow through the story. I loved how she interacted with Inspector Thaxted.

The mystery was full of twists and turns. Daisy’s method of finding clues was reasonable and I enjoyed how she put things together. The end surprised me, but in a good way. I liked how the story was resolved.

Overall, this was a fun mystery. Readers looking for a historical mystery set just after WW 2 will definitely enjoy this one.

Death at the Dolphin by Gretta Mulrooney is an engaging mystery set at the end of WW2. The main character moves to a village near Oxford following a tragedy in London and begins a new job at a hotel. A murder livens up what otherwise would be a mundane life following the excitement of London.
As the main character, Daisy, digs into the mystery surrounding the murder of a local lady, she uncovers secrets and tensions among the villagers and develops friendships with many of the characters including the local police inspector, Her enthusiasm to uncover the truth soon threatens her own existence. This is a novel full of unexpected twists, offering a compelling mix of suspense and emotional depth, making a satisfying read. I listened to the audio book and am looking forward to the next one in the series.

A clever mystery set in post-war England.
I felt for Daisy at the beginning of the novel as she went from doing a highly important job that required great intelligence to bring surplus to requirements once the men returned from war. She was also left alone in the world after a house fire.
I loved that she had some friends who kept an eye out for her and found her a job. There were such a lot of really nice characters in this book. Working for a hotelier/actor sounded like a strange mix but it turned out to be very interesting especially after the murder occurred. Daisy's sharp mind worked overtime trying to figure it all out much to the annoyance of the very capable Inspector Thaxted. The little village had a surprising amount of suspects and I was completely stumped until the final reveal. This was a clever mystery that kept me guessing. I hope there will be more books with Daisy and Thaxted.
I enjoyed the narrator's performance with the personalities of the different characters shining through. The narrator made the characters feel real and relatable making a very pleasing and enhanced listening experience.
A captivating and suspenseful novel for fans of historical mysteries.

I had high hopes for this mystery. Daisy, the protagonist was a delight. the small town setting and time period (post WW2) were charming. The story had twists and a few surprises, but there were so many characters I had a hard time following along. The murder was well done and Daisy's sleuthing engaging. But overall I thought it was a little meandering. I would recommend it and I will keep an eye on Ms. Mulrooney for future books.
Thank you to NetGalley and @Bolindaaudio for preview audio. The narrator was top notch!

1945 and Daisy Moore needs a new life. Her exciting job with the Government has finished and she lost her Mom and home in a tragic fire. Hope comes in the offer of a job and accommodation in Fernfield, Oxfordshire. A village life is not as exciting as London until a murder takes place at the Dolphin hotel and Daisy decides to investigate.

Well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Good strong characters who have been affected by the war in different ways. Daisy is a quirky character and has a great mind. A well paced novel that is at times serious, caring, fun and intriguing, enjoy.

4.5 stars!! A thoroughly enjoyable read, jam packed with humour, action and crimes to solve.

Daisy is a delight and quite the Poirot in her role of solving the many illegal activities that occur in a small town in the English countryside post war. I like hearing her cheeky thoughts as well as her words and she is quite the character. Having been stationed 'In Whitehall' during the war, Daisy's quick thinking and finely tuned brain turns to these activities after an unfortunate accident sees her home, her mother and cat go up in smoke. Daisy starts a new job as a factotum and inserts herself into many a persons business and different situations.

The book is really well written and the solving of various crimes happen throughout the book leading to an almighty crescendo at the end. I enjoyed reading about the characters and think (and hope) that Inspector Thacksted will grow in Daisy's affections. I hope she finds many more adventures to keep her brain from rotting!

I listened to an audiobook version of this tale and think the narrator did a fine job of her many accents and character afflictions. I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bolinda Audio and Gretta Mulrooney for the chance to listen to this book. All opinions are my own.

TW for a pet death early on.

I loved this book so much. Daisy is a fun character to follow, and I enjoyed her interactions with both Inspector Thaxted and Felix Koller. This book finished and I wanted the next in the series.

This is a fun little cozy mystery set in a hotel around VE day in England, and follows a young woman who has a lot of changes she needs to make. I don't want to get into any spoilers, but a guilty conscience and loss of what she has known drive her to move to the countryside and work for an eccentric older man as his "factotum". This book is full of fun characters you want to get to know better. I can't wait to read more adventures from Daisy.

Thank you for the ARC!

This cosy mystery is perfect for fans of English village life, especially if you love stories set right after World War II. Daisy Moore, a former codebreaker, finds herself unemployed and homeless after a series of unfortunate events. She lands a job working for a glamorous actor who owns a hotel. When a local do-gooder is murdered, Daisy uses her unique skills to help solve the case.

The story is full of interesting details about the time period, and Daisy is a quirky and lovable character. The narrator does a great job with the English accents. If you enjoy a good mystery with a touch of humour, this is the book for you.

Death at the Dolphin is a historical cozy mystery that takes place in Oxfordshire after VE Day. England is still recovering from the war, with rationing still in place. Daisy Moore has lost both her mother and her job at Whitehall. So, she’s happy to take a job at a hotel and as a helper to an aging actor. Things are pretty boring until the body of a local woman is found at the hotel. The woman was known for her altruistic traits and pacifist beliefs, which not everyone appreciated.
Crime mysteries that rely on amateur sleuths often fall flat for me. But I appreciated that Mulrooney crafted a story that didn’t rely on coincidences or far stretched circumstances to allow Daisy to investigate. And I found Daisy an interesting main character, just the right amount of brains and spunk. She didn’t get the benefit of a proper education and isn’t ashamed to ask when she doesn’t know a word. And the relationship that develops with the detective was well crafted with each giving the other respect for their abilities.
Mulrooney excelled when it came to providing a sense of time and place, especially the small town “everyone is in everyone else’s pocket” atmosphere and anyone not born there is an outsider.
There are plenty of red herrings and I was totally at a loss for who the murderer was. I will definitely follow up with this series.
I listened to this and a large part of my enjoyment was due to Emma Noakes’ narration. She just had a great way with all the voices.
My thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.

Thank You for the opportunity to listen to Death at the Dolphin by Gretta Mulrooney.

This was a charming little mystery set in a small town in post-war England, just the kind of setting I like.

A girl starting off her life after the unfortunate death of her mother, which could or couldn't have been her fault, stumbling upon a mystery that she tries to solve and ends up finding her people and her calling. What's not to like?

For fans of an English village mystery, especially one set in just after WW2, this is your book. Daisy Moore has been made redundant from her secret war work in the code-breaking center at Bletchley. And she's accidentally set fire to her family home, leaving her orphaned AND unemployed. So when she's offered a job by a friend of her family priest, she jumps. Hired as factotum for a somewhat glamorous actor who owns a hotel and lives separately from his wife, Daisy quickly finds a use for her particular set of skills.

Then comes the murder of a beloved local do-gooder in the hotel where Daisy works.

This is a solid mystery, with plenty of timely details and a fleshed-out setting. Daisy is a quirky, oddly naive young woman — though to be fair, one cannot overestimate the invisibility of LGBTQ+ during the late 1940's in the UK. I did not guess the killer, which is a sort of a touchstone for the genre, and for a moment forgot entirely that the guilty party even existed. And though I wanted to like it more, I found the book is breezy, entertaining, and fun. Narrator Emma Noakes does a nice job with the various English accents.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the advance listening copy in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

I really enjoyed this. At the heart of the story, it’s a simple murder mystery. But around this, Gretta Mulrooney has created a character who’s intriguing. Daisy has a shadow in her life. She moves from exciting post war London to a quiet Oxfordshire village to take up a new post. And there’s the interest; the author really captures the dynamics of post war life, village tittle tattle and the dynamics of relationships within the village.

It’s a gentle and engaging tale which I enjoyed. I’d listen to more from this author and thought the narration throughout was excellent.

Thanks to NetGalley and @Bolindaaudio for an ARC of this audiobook

Gretta Mulrooney's "Death at the Dolphin" offers a captivating glimpse into post-World War II England through the lens of a classic whodunit. Set against the backdrop of a quaint Oxfordshire village, the novel weaves together elements of historical fiction and mystery, creating a narrative that is both engaging and informative.

The protagonist, Daisy Moore, embodies the spirit of a generation emerging from the shadows of war. Her transition from London's wartime excitement to the insular world of Fernfield village provides a compelling contrast, highlighting the social dynamics of the era. Mulrooney's attention to period details, such as food rationing and the mention of Woolton Pie, adds authenticity to the setting, immersing readers in the challenges of post-war life.

The murder mystery at the heart of the story is well-crafted, with the victim's pacifist beliefs and connection to an Austrian Jewish refugee adding layers of complexity to the plot. The use of a hotel's trademark stone dolphin ornament as the murder weapon is a clever touch, tying the crime intimately to its setting.

Mulrooney excels in character development, particularly in her portrayal of Daisy. The young protagonist's determination to uncover the truth, despite the resistance she faces as an outsider and a woman, adds depth to her character and reflects the changing role of women in post-war society.

While the novel follows many conventions of the cozy mystery genre, it distinguishes itself through its historical context and the underlying themes of prejudice and social change. The tension between locals and outsiders, coupled with the lingering effects of the war, provides a rich backdrop for the central mystery.

"Death at the Dolphin" is an entertaining and thoughtful read that will appeal to fans of historical mysteries and those interested in post-war British society. Mulrooney's skillful blend of period detail, character development, and mystery craftsmanship results in a charming and thought-provoking novel.

This book has the makings of a good mystery that does not quite live up to its potential. After consideration, I think the problem is that there are too many characters that detracts from the actual story and gets in the way of properly developing Daisy's character. I did not like Daisy until very late in the book; although Inspector Thaxted faired better than she. That said, given the last few chapters, I will read the next book in the series.

The narrator did an acceptable job of voicing the characters.

Really enjoyed the story in this one, the plot was great. The premise led on to a really twisty storyline and a punch cast of characters, the only thing I would have changed was the cover art, which I thought could have been a little more refined or modern to entice readers, overall a great listen and I’ve recommended to the girls in my book club

Death at the Dolphin was an unexpected delight! This charming mystery, set just after the end of WW2, ticked all the right boxes - from an atmospheric setting of a small village to the wonderfully well-drawn, original and engaging characters and witty realistic dialogue. The narration was outstanding, bringing the story to life with distinct yet subtle voices for each character. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope for a sequel or perhaps another installment in the series.

I downloaded this audiobook from NetGalley and really enjoyed it.

In particular, l loved the main character, Daisy Moore, recently demobbed from war service into a world in which it’s hard for women to earn a living. She ends up in rural Oxfordshire as the factotum to the actor friend of her former priest and settles in for a bit of a dull post-War existence.

However, the murder of a local, initially blamed on a German Jewish refugee, soon sweeps Daisy into its investigation, using some of the skills she developed in her old job in Whitehall. By the end, the police are suggesting she sign up with them …

Three word review: Demobbed and dangerous.

EXCERPT: If only.

If only I hadn't been distracted by the cat.

If only I hadn't been obsessed by work and a crucial message from Antwerp.

If only I'd remembered to turn and check the hearth.

If only.

I'm convinced that I was responsible for my mother's death. Her regular refrain, railed through a dense fog of fag smoke, used to be: 'Daisy Moore, you'll be the death of me.' It demonstrated a certain prescience n her part. I was a head-strong, curious, accident-prone child, breaking limbs, tearing my skin, falling - usually onto my head. The first time I did that, I was two and came tumbling down the narrow, lino-covered stairs. Maybe all the bashes on my skull accounted for the way I turned out.

I view myself as an accidental killer. That may be why I take to solving crimes. A kind of restitution.


ABOUT 'DEATH AT THE DOLPHIN': Even in peacetime, death is just around the corner.

London, VE Day, 1945. As Britain takes its tentative first steps into peace, Daisy Moore’s secret wartime work at Whitehall comes to an end.

Convinced that she caused her mother’s death, homeless and with no other job in sight, Daisy should be happy to find herself in Fernfield working at the Dolphin hotel. Instead, she finds the quiet corner of Oxfordshire oppressive and small, and she misses London.

Then a body is found in one of the rooms with the head bashed in by a stone dolphin from the window ledge. The victim is Lucinda Laidlaw, a local charity worker and a pacifist. The villagers thought she was a busybody, and they don’t like foreigners.

Daisy is sure she can use her skills to identify the killer. She spent the war decoding ciphers, and murder is surely just another puzzle. But Inspector Thaxted isn’t convinced he needs the help.

The list of people who wanted Lucinda dead keeps growing and Thaxted’s investigation is going nowhere. Then Thaxted’s prime suspect, a young Jewish refugee, is attacked and left for dead. Can Daisy and the inspector work together to find the killer before anyone else dies?

MY THOUGHTS: Life after the war wasn't the peaceful idyll that one might think. There was still rationing. People were still suspicious of outsiders. And people like Daisy, who had held down important jobs in the war effort found themselves unemployed and, in Daisy's case, homeless.

Daisy is intelligent, has an enquiring mind and finds her position as general factotum to an actor who also owns a hotel, not particularly stimulating. So when the prominent and much-loved Lucinda Laidlaw is found in an unoccupied hotel room with her head bashed in, Daisy can't resist trying to solve the murder.

I liked Daisy. She's not backwards incoming forwards. She's bright, intelligent and likes cats. She's not afraid to test her theories and ruffles more than a few feathers, including those of Inspector Thaxted who, at one point, cheerfully admits that he would like to throttle her!

The village where the mystery is set is small, the inhabitants close, the class structure very much in evidence. The inhabitants like nothing more than a good gossip amongst themselves, but when it comes to sharing information that might solve a crime, they're a bit more close-lipped and loyal to their alliances.

I honestly had no idea who had killed Lucinda but, when it came, I greatly enjoyed the resolution.

If you enjoy a good old-fashioned whodunnit, Death at the Dolphin will satisfy your needs.

I enjoyed Emma Noakes narration of Death at the Dolphin.

P.S. I note that Gretta Mulrooney passed away in 2023, so there may well be no more of this series to come which would be a great pity. But she does have a good catalogue of back titles which I intend to explore.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.1

#DeathattheDolphin #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Gretta Mulrooney was born in London of Irish parents and did an English degree in Derry. She has been published for over twenty-five years. Gretta was always an avid reader of crime fiction and decided, in retirement, to turn to crime. She passed away in 2023.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for providing an audio ARC of Death at the Dolphin for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Historical fiction stories can be so realistic and this one is. This story is also very relatable to one’s life during the wartime. Daisy Moore has a lot to think about and go through. To find out what you’ll need to read the book.