Thank you netgalley for the arc read!
Loved this book was such an easy read and the suspense was just right! This was my first book by the author and definitely enjoyed it. Will look at more of her works.

I didn't love the characters but I found them entertaining and it was a fairly snappy read. I also liked the unique setting of Romania. I'd guess that as the characters develop more depth as the series progresses, they will become more enjoyable.

I enjoyed this book, appealing characters and an interesting plot in a foreign locale. The book is labeled as first in a series but there are multiple references to at least four of the characters solving a murder previously , so it was kind of confusing. The murderer was fairly obvious but getting to the how was challenging.

This was a strong start to the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery series, it had that mystery element that I was looking for and was engaged with what was happening. The characters had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed getting into this world. It left me wanting to read more in this world and was invested in the mystery element to this. Dawn Brookes wrote this perfectly and was glad it was so well done.

This book is a part of "Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mystery" series. I hadn't heard of this series and hadn't read any book in this series, but that didn't dilute my pleasure of reading this book.

Lady Marjorie is a recently-widowed, senior woman who decides to take a trip to Romania with her cousin, Edna. No points for guessing the plot of the book - a woman is murdered at the opera house and Lady Marjorie solves the mystery with some help from her cousin and friends. Marjorie and Edna have a hate-love relationship. Marjorie is often annoyed by Edna's behavior, but also has spurts of empathy for her.

This book reminded me of "The Thursday Murder Club" series. A group of senior citizens, each one of them having their own quirky personality, a not-so-competent police force and the onus of solving the crime falls on the senior citizens.

The plot is very interesting and the book is fast paced. It kicks off with the murder at the opera, but the story soon takes a lot of twists and turns, keeping the reader hooked. Even though I was trying to keep all the clues and alibis in my head, I couldn't have guessed the murderer. Characterization could have been better - at times, characters are quite predictable and cliched. This doesn't take away the thrill of the plot.

An entertaining cozy murder mystery with loveable characters and cute humour. I very much enjoyed the friendship between Marjorie and Edna. It's not perfect but you can tell that they mean a lot to each other which makes the teasing between them even more adorable. The case kept me hooked and the writing style was very easy to get in to.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book. This was the first book I have read from this series and enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more of this series. Marjorie and Edna are on their way to a Danube River Cruise from Bucharest to Budapest on the way to Bucharest they meet Fredrick, who is also going on the cruise and decide to travel with him to the hotel to meet up with the rest of the travelers. At the airport they meet Horace, a man they had met on a previous trip, also going. When they arrive at the hotel they get to meet the other traveling guest who happens to be a family. It turns out that Fredrick knows one of the women from years ago. That first night they all go to The National Opera. Marjorie is looking forward to it and enjoys it until one of the quests is found dead outside. Marjorie and Edna are thrown into another mystery to solve before they can enjoy their cruise.

An easy to read cozy mystery, short and quick

I haven’t read any previous books from this author but it wasn’t a problem. Thoroughly enjoyable too. The characters do have history but it wasn’t a real spoiler

Looking forward to the next book in this series

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

Definitely a cosy mystery, hardly any blood and gore at all. A senior's holiday to Romania turns out to be anything like their expectations. A night at the opera and one of their party, a demanding ex operatic diva storms off in an interlude and then found dead slumped against the wall outside. The police believe heart attack or similar. Our amateur sleuth, Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe is not convinced. Her holiday is with her ghastly cousin in law Edna, Horace (never quite worked out who he was), Frederick, long time ago fiancé of the dead diva plus the diva's husband, daughter, sister and brother-in-law plus a couple of friends. They were all pretty unpleasant characters and it wasn't long before I was rooting for Faith, their ever suffering tour guide. Another death occurred as they were on a train to somewhere and Marjorie was wondering who next (personally by this time the whole lot of them were candidates to me. She persevered and all worked out in the end. The fact that is was set in Romania was irrelevant to the story, it could have been Blackpool or anywhere. This was a shame as there were so many lost opportunities to describe context. Other than a brief bit about the opera house, all we got were people sitting around in hotels or cafes drinking coffee, apparently disgusting tea and brandy. Even Edna's wig shopping forays could have been anywhere. The family was certainly an unpleasant one, greed abounded as did mis-direction. The story was ok and decent enough for a quick read, no problems with the writing, just the characters and weak context. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe endures her sharp-tongued cousin-in-law, Edna Parkinton, to enjoy the delights of the Romanian Opera house. When a petulant opera diva is killed during their visit, Marjorie, Edna, and their fellow senior sleuths must sift through a web of secrets and suspects who seem more interested in their vacation than solving the crime. With tensions high and time running out, the pensioner detectives race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again—or they end up behind bars.

I thought this was the first of a series, but it reads like there have been multiple adventures that came before it. Thankfully, enough information is given so that the reader is not left in the dark. Lady Marjorie was a fun character to follow. Edna, on the other hand, took some time to warm up to. Sometimes their bickering was a bit much, but I liked what each person brought to the mystery.

The case was interesting. I enjoyed how Lady Marjorie went about putting together clues to discover the culprit.

Overall, it was a cozy mystery, perfect for a weekend. Readers looking for a mystery with feisty, elderly protagonists will definitely enjoy this one.

I enjoy this author's books. The mystery kept me guessing. I liked the setting and the characters. I look forward to more in this series.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

˗ˋˏ ♡Thank you Dawn Brookes and NetGalley♡ ˎˊ˗

This was a good mystery that had great mystery elements! I was an overall fun read and the characters were done really well, most of them were likable. However, I would say the start of it was a bit slow for me which lead it to losing some points, but overall it was a good solid read! This was light and entertaining, would recommend!

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and her outspoken cousin-in-law, Edna, are on holiday in Romania. Their first excursion is a night at the opera, which ends with the suspicious death of a fellow traveller who had a reputation as a diva when she was an opera singer. The two amateur sleuths are in their eighties, but age is no barrier to investigating an untimely death. There is a diverse mix of personalities in the travelling group, and tensions, which are already high within the group, escalate with the death. I like the witty dialogue, the larger-than-life characters and the ethos the author creates with well-described settings and relationships.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Lady Marjorie Snelthorpe has agreed to join her cousin-in-law, Edna, on a holiday tour in Romania. They have very different personalities and Edna enjoys ruffling Marge’s feathers which makes for some delightfully witty situations and dialogue. Fellow travellers on the tour include Horace, who they met on a previous vacation, and Frederick, who has an interesting connection with another member of the party. The other members of the party are a family group which includes Dolores, a former opera singer and diva, her daughter, her sister and brother in law, plus a couple of friends. It’s a fun and eclectic mix of characters with tensions within and between the two groups.

The tour doesn’t go as planned with Dolores found dead outside the opera house. Marjorie is convinced it’s murder but when the police suspect suicide the tour group are allowed to continue on their journey. Another death soon follows and Marjorie, Edna and Horace are determined to find the murderer.

The story has good pace with some excellent descriptions of the opera, the train journey and the hotels. There is an enjoyable mix of mystery and suspense with some nice plot twists. A very enjoyable light hearted read.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
This is the first book in the Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mysteries series. Lady Marjorie and her obnoxious cousin-in-law Edna go on a relaxing vacation in Romania. They meet a lot of friends and have fun, but then something goes wrong. A member of their group, an Opera Diva, is found murdered. This is the story of how they solve the murder. Some of the characters were likeable, others not so much. I thought it dragged in some spots, but it was a solid cozy mystery. I will read the next one in the series if I am given the chance.

A delightful and fun cozy mystery
The idea of four feisty octogenarians solving murder mysteries in exotic locations sounds wonderful. This is first in the series.
Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and her irrepressible cousin-in-law, Edna, arrive in Romania for a relaxing escape on an organized tour, starting with a night at the opera. But their evening of culture strikes a fatal note when a demanding opera diva, Dolores Hagman, found dead. 
Marjorie and Edna, along with friends, Horace and Frederick, team up to find the true culprit. This is quite the fun group with their own differences, but they all investigate in detail, which means they may be amateur sleuths, but determined to find the truth. The dead woman's family was more concerned about their own selfish goals. Everyone got secrets of their own.
Wonderful enjoyable characters, exciting enough mystery, suspense, and suspicious circumstances with several suspects. Marjorie and Edna's quirky relationship was fun to read. Some little plot twists here and there with entertaining points of view. The vacation mystery setting is superb with perfect climax. It reminds me of the book, The Thursday Murder Club, with pensioners solving crimes in their own entertaining way.
It's a light, fun read. It was originally released a few years back, and now three books in the series are re-released by Storm Publishing.
Thanks to @Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Book Review: Murder at the Opera House by Dawn Brookes

Dawn Brookes brings readers a delightful mix of mystery, intrigue, and humor in Murder at the Opera House. Set in Romania, this charming whodunit follows the dynamic and often squabbling cousin duo, Marjorie and Edna, as they stumble upon yet another murder that needs solving.

From the start, Brookes introduces a well-crafted plot that keeps readers guessing. The opera house setting provides a captivating backdrop, with its dramatic flair and a touch of old-world elegance. The murder is intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages, but it's the quirky chemistry between Marjorie and Edna that really steals the show.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of Murder At The Opera House.

Four sassy seniors meet up on a holiday trip and end up helping to solve murders. What they do not bank on is the fact that someone traveling with them could be responsible for the murders.

I just could not get into this book. I just was unable to feel invested in the story or the characters.

A great book. I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series. Loved the characters and the twisty clues. A very easy read with a different setting. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery; it kept me guessing until the very end! And those characters are a hoot too!