A nice quick read. Somehow I missed the two in the middle but it didn't seem to matter. The Charity Shop ladies join forces once again to find the killer and have some antics along the way with new characters added for flavor. This would be a good series for someone who enjoys cozy mysteries set in England that can be read in one day.

A powerful, well-researched story that draws you in from the start. A compelling and rewarding read from cover to cover

An easy and enjoyable cosy mystery.

Partial Sue, Daisy and Fiona are working in the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop when they hear the tempting sound of an ice cream van. Much to their surprise, it's Daisy's daughter, Bella. Who fresh from a tough divorce, wanted a new venture. However, what Daisy doesn't know is that the van's former owner was murdered by the Vanilla Killer - and his body kept in the freezer!

That is until Bella starts receiving poison pen letters. To protect her, the ladies decide there's only one thing they can do... catch the Vanilla Killer.

I particularly love the dialogue - it's relatable, believable and highly entertaining. In fact, the narration itself has a charming and whimsical tone which is perfect for a cosy mystery. Albeit every British stereotype comes in to play!

I will say I saw the twist/reveal coming which was a bit of a shame.

FYI: I read the uncorrected proof on NetGalley.

I do love the ladies of Charity Shop Detective Agency. While I have enjoyed the previous titles, sadly, this one did not hit the target for me. I never really became invested. I think the plot of tracking down an ice cream truck killer was just too thin for me. I can suspend disbelief with the best of them, but was unable to do so for this tale.

While I was disappointed with this release, it will not keep me from eagerly awaiting their next adventure!

My thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Joffrey Brooks and NetGalley for this ARC in return of my honest review.

This is the first “Cozy Mystery” I have ever read and picked it as an enjoyable read over the festive season .

I enjoyed the beginning of this book as there were some great one liners in it and I thought it was going to be a quick easy read that sucked me in quickly. Im not sure if it is the genre that isn’t for me or if it was this particular book. Sadly it fell short, I skipped through much of it as it seemed to take forever to get to the point. Perhaps this is how cozy mystery’s are? While the tea ladies were quirky, they were beyond frustrating at times and their antics ridiculously unbelievable.

I will try another cozy mystery in the distant future, however sadly this one is a 2.5 star, rounded up for the enjoyable one liners.

Another wonderful mystery! The thing I like most about this series is that the detectives are three elderly women. It's a delight to see them work together and gives this series a somewhat quirky, very British feel. (I mean, in what other book would you have a character called Partial Sue because she's partial to things?) Themes in murder mysteries often repeat and yet Boland has actually managed to find something novel with ice cream vans. Great story, great characters, extremely satisfying end. Highly recommended.

I have yet to read a book by Peter Boland that I have not truly enjoyed. He brings together, lovable, sometimes quirky, and always endearing characters with a solid mystery each and every time. It’s what keeps me coming back for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I have been teetering on the edge of engaging with cosy mysteries for a while, but hadn't quite bitten the bullet (so to speak) until now. I didn't realise that the 'The Vanilla Killer' was the fourth in a series - I thought it was the first cab off the rank, but I still enjoyed the characters and didn't feel too left out, even though there may have been a little bit of context that I was missing. All the characters were enjoyable, and I found that I particularly enjoyed the voices of the old ladies as they did their best to be a crime-fighting syndicate, solving murders and (attempting to) be prepared to kick whoever the villain was to the curb.

I will note that I was quite fond of the tea banter particularly, and can absolutely relate to the various complaints made about the rather snobbish tea house - sometimes one just wants a good cup of tea without any pomp or circumstance!

I did find parts of this one a bit slow, and there was definitely a need for some suspension of disbelief in this novel, but I suppose that is part of the charm of these kinds of novels. I think the hardest thing for me to believe was the absolute bastardisation of due process and police investigation, and unfortunately the main characters didn't think that the rules applied to them. I'm not sure how fond I will be of future cosy mysteries I stumble across, but this was an enjoyable first foray in its own way.

A fun cozy mystery that takes you on so many twists and turns. At first, it didn't grab my attention and I couldn't really get behind some of the stuff that happened in this book, but it was still an enjoyable read. I was surprised by the ending, and am glad with how everything turned out. The characters were a fun group of older women, who take matters into their own hands when one of their daughters buys an ice cream truck, and ends up getting threatened, leading them to believe it is related to an old murder of the owner of that same ice cream truck.

I love this series and always buy the books as I want more and to read a lot more stories featuring Dog ladies, their rivalry with the Cat Ladies, the humour, and the solid mysteries
This is another well done cozy mystery that starts with a mix of humour and tense description of how to bury a body in a refrigerator even if a killer with a backache is a great idea
There's an ice-cream seller killer, his cart being bought by one of the dog ladies daughter, a bizzarre tea-room and a lot of fun.
Go, get it, read it and enjoy
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is an easy fun mystery series full of humour and great dialogue however also a little mad at times and I feel like you do have to suspend logic over certain things which seemed a bit too silly but as long as you dont take it too seriously its a fun series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of The Vanilla Killer.
3.5 stars
This was a fairly average cozy mystery. Enjoyable to read but not very gripping as a mystery. I didn't pick up on the killer which is always a plus in a mystery. This is the 4th in a series, and I haven't read the others, so I came into this without a huge introduction. It can be read stand alone but I feel it could be better as a series.

I always enjoy his.books, good flowing plots, and good characters
It caught my attention from the first pages
.I recommend this book.as well as the series.
Given arc by Net Galley and Joffe books

The vanilla killer by Peter Boland.
The Charity Shop Detective Agency Mysteries Book 4.
I really did enjoy this book. I love this series. Partial Sue, Fiona, and Daisy are back. I did feel for Bella Daisy's daughter. I certainly didn't like Sophie or Alan. I was unsure about Jed. It certainly wasn't who I thought it was. I was definitely surprised. Twisty and gripping. I read this book in two sittings. I definitely didn't see another twist. I would definitely recommend this book.

I loved this cosy mystery, it was a great read overall and it kept me interested all the way through, looking forward to reading more in the series.

The detectives from the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop are back in another cracking read from Peter Boland.
Partial Sue , Fiona and Daisy are joined by Bella, Daisy’s daughter Bella .
Bella has just bought a an ice cream van which unfortunately has its own grisly past when a former owner was found dead in its freezer .
Daisy’s luck goes from bad to worse when she starts receiving nasty letters and someone punctures the tyres will Bella be the next victim of the “ vanilla Killer”?
The ladies begin to investigate who is behind the harassment and what ensues is a humorous and enjoyable cosy mystery .
The ladies make a great team and they always get the culprit!
An easy to read mystery which is well paced and leaves you wanting more !
Looking forward to the ladies next case .
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books.

Fiona, Partial Sue and Fiona are back, and this time are joined by Daisy's daughter Bella. Bella is overjoyed to have found a new vocation in owning an ice cream van, until she finds out what happened to the previous owner! There seems to be a sinister undertone to the world of ice cream in the local area, and the ladies soon discover it's not all sunshine and Greensleeves.

I really enjoy the Charity Shop Detective books, yes they are cosy crime but there's all great characterisation, especially with Fiona, I would definitely pay a visit to the Dogs Need Nice Homes shop if it were on my high street!

When Daisy's recently-divorced daughter Bella invests in an icecream van, she brings more than just frozen treats and Greensleeves to the door of the Charity Shop Detective Agency. Because, unbeknownst to her, Bella's van has a dark past and the icecream scene in Southbourne is hiding some dangerous secrets. Then when Bella begins to receive anonymous threats, Daisy, Fiona and Partial Sue swoop in to try to catch the Vanilla Killer before any harm can come to her.

I think this is my favourite instalment to date. Boland has reigned in the (charming) wittering of the older ladies - a little - and that has had a positive effect on the pace of the story. There's much more action, and to his credit, I did not identify the villain until their identity was revealed. The Epilogue was clever and had me literally laughing out loud.

A great holiday read.

The Vanilla Killer is the fourth book in the Charity Shop Detective Agency Mystery series. Bella, the daughter of Daisy, has brought an Icecream Van and thus this is where the mystery starts. The van’s freezer once held the body of its owner, a poison pen letter, and rebuilding oneself after divorce. When things start to go wrong for Bella, her mother Daisy, and friends Fiona and Partial Sue are on the case to find out who is behind the horrible letters and slashed tyres of Bella’s icecream van.

The ladies throw out some wild theories including an Ice Cream Mafia and a drug dealer. With the prospect that Bella could be in great danger, the ladies go about to solve the mystery that plagues poor Bella. Will they be able to save her or could she end up like the previous owner of the van?

This is a cute little mystery book in the series. Nothing too heavy, a little crazy at times, witty humour and dialogue driven plot, and I swear you can hear Greensleeves playing everytime the icecream van is mentioned.

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This book has an interesting plot and I like the humor it uses :) the dialogs are well written, and the pace of the story is excellent.