the newest entry in a great mystery series don't worry if you didn't read the earlier ones- while characters from those will pop up, the story here is a perfect standalone. The setting is delightful, the characters well pitched, and the story is interesting.

This is the fourth and final book in the Tara Thorpe mystery series and although I’ve only read books three and four, I’m sad to see it end.
When the body of a twenty year old college student, Julie Cooper, is found murdered in a historical area with her pockets filled with flowers the motive looks sexual. As the hunt begins for Julie’s killer it turns out there’s more to the case than first thought, secrets are revealed and the case isn’t quite as straight forward.
From first page to last, Murder in the Fens had me hooked and it was good to be back with Tara and the gang. This is only the second book I’ve read in the series but I feel like I’ve come to know the characters and looked forward to reading what they got up to.
I enjoyed the mix of personal and professional life that Murder in the Fens gives. Although the case they are working on is interesting it’s good to read about the characters away from the case, their thoughts, feelings and home life. I think it makes it so much easier to visualise the characters and gives you a sense of knowing them. It’s very well done.
The case had me so frustrated as a reader, some of the suspects (there’s a few) had me tearing my hair out nearly, I wanted to give them a shake and tell them to stop being so bloody awkward. It’s clear they know more than they’re letting on to but if they opened up it would make for a short story and one not quite so interesting.
Murder in the Fens is filled with twists and turns and as usual I like to play detective while reading and I went back and forward multiple times thinking I knew who-dun-it. I really would make a rubbish detective I’ve realised.
If you haven’t read any of the series it doesn’t really matter as this can easily be read as a stand alone, I have books one and two ready on my kindle but I am kicking myself that I haven’t read them in order.
I’ll definitely be recommending Murder in the Fens, it’s got a steady pace that really grips you and keeps you on your toes. It’s a story that isn’t easy to put down and I picked it up at every opportunity I had so I could find out what happened next and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Clare Chase comes up with next.

A very good, solid, police procedural.

I wish I had read the other books in the series, but this book can be easily read as a standalone as well.

Tara Thorpe is trying to solve a mystery of a murdered girl, whilst trying to figure out which direction she is going in, in her personal life as well. However, that has to take a back seat to the murder, which involves a cat statue and several members of the academic community at the local University. There isn't a lot of cooperation happening from the people her team interview so clues must be found in a very painstaking kind of way.

Enjoyable read :)

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

After loving 'Death Comes To Call', when Noelle Holton of Bookouture was looking for blogtour reviews for book 4 in the Tara Thorpe series, I was there like a shot!
The Cambridge setting is instantly familiar as we , the readers, find ourselves walking through shady woods and coming across a body.

We share the dismay and horror that Tara and her team feel at the waste of such a young life, Julie is on the final leg of her university years, a passionate political and environmental activist who is about to be involved in some exciting research with her uni fellow.

But was this openly political figure making too much of a name for herself in the small town? Was it her ex-boyfriend, who has been suspended from the rest of the academic year,or had Julie been involved in too deep with her protests...and is there any significance to the flowers that the had on her person?

Alongside this, the characters of Tara, her sidekicks Max Dimity and Jez are developed in  a way that builds on the previous 3 novels whilst not excluding an incomer. This is what I like about the Tara Thorpe mysteries, she is immediately relatable and yet not a cardboard cut out detective, she is very much her own person with a back story that is yet to be fully revealed. Her long term stalker has resurfaced and sleep is not coming easily...

On the other hand, the developments in Blake's marriage with his errant wife is giving me cause for concern-is he being used or does his wife really want to be back with him? There are more secrets to be teased out here yet you never feel that Clare palms the reader off with a 'we'll pick this up next time' approach that other writers do when they reach a dead end in the plot.

She skillfully juggles personal and professional lives, builds up the suspense which neatly contrasts with the expectations of what life in a university town is like whilst leaving the door open for future plot developments. It reminds me of the Ruth Rendell Wexford mysteries or Midsomer Murders, in that on the surface these places appear quaint, charming and steeped in tradition.

However, scrath the surface and something rotten stirs underneath....

I have followed Tara Thorpe from the beginning when she was a journalist, and on as she settled into the Cambridge police force as a detective constable. And I've enjoyed the wee frisson between her and her boss (now) Garstin (what a name!) Blake.

I have to say at this point, I disagree with the cozy (and why isn't cosy when it's British? Grr) mystery label. I said the same regarding the last book, so this time I looked up the kind of things that tend to feature in a cozy mystery. In my opinion, this isn’t one, and that's a good thing. For me anyway, because they're not my cup of tea.

The team are investigating the murder of a young, political active student from Cambridge University. There are crushed flowers in her pocket, and in her digs a felt tip heart torn into tiny pieces. And it looks like she was recently wearing a ring that 's no longer there.

There are plenty of dodgy characters linked to Julie, all of whom must be investigated. Her ex boyfriend doesn't really seem that upset about her death, unlike her best friend who is completely devastated, but she's maybe not telling the whole truth. Julie's predatory lecturer also goes under the microscope, and the master of the college too because Julie had been investigating him. And why the note about Scotland?

I love Tara. Due to her background as a journalist she has a different way of looking at things, tending to be more intuitive, which often yields good results. She has settled in to her role in the police and bonded well with her partner Max. Blake is still troubled by his difficult marriage and now struggling with sleepless nights due to a new baby. Something needs to change. But my favourite characters are Bea and Kemp, Tara's support system. Always loving (although Kemp shows this in his own unique way), dependable and just who Tara needs.

The investigation was interesting, with some good discoveries along the way, and a few dead ends along the way. The pacing is fine, and increases momentum as the case does, to a terrific denouement and the wee bit right at the end made me give a little cheer. You'll need to read it to find out why!

An easy, enjoyable read, and I'm already looking forward to Tara's next (non cozy) adventure!

This is the 4th Tara Thorpe book from author Clare Chase. Previously a journalist and now a police officer, Tara and her colleagues are called in to investigate the murder of Cambridge student Julie.
The victim’s personal and political background must be investigated for potential motives for her death. During the investigation, police discover another body but it is not immediately clear if this is another murder, accidental death or suicide.
This book has lots of background to the police officers especially the relationship between Tara and Blake. I think it would work as a standalone novel because the case is contained and resolved within its pages but I feel like I benefitted from understanding the development of the police team through the previous books.
The murder itself is not described graphically at any point and the focus of the book is upon the police investigation and the potential motives of the characters. The author’s choice of setting in Cambridge is reminiscent of Colin Dexter’s Morse series so it feels familiar yet unique.
Murder in the Fens sets up the next book and I can’t wait to read it and find out what happens next between Tara and Blake, plus I’m wondering what will happen with the news uncovered by disgraced former police officer Patrick…
Read my review of the third Clare Chase book featuring Tara Thorpe: Death Comes To Call

I really enjoyed this book. I adored the story line and loved the main characters. I read this book in one sitting and would highly recommend this book.

Julie Cooper, a student a St. Oswald's College, is found dead in the fens with crushed flowers in her pocket and indications that a ring had been removed from her right-hand ring finger. A crime of passion? DC Tara Thorpe and her team at the Cambridge Constabulary are on the case.

First things first -- the police want to know everything they can about Julie and have no shortage of potential suspects in her murder. A supposed BFF who copies Julie in every way -- dresses like her and engages in the same political activism as Julie -- Bella Chadwick -- who seems to be lying even as she has nothing significant to report, but does lead the team to Julie's ex boyfriend, Stuart Gilmour, who ticks a lot of boxes. And then there is, "John", the academic whom Julie was supposedly helping with a research project. Oh, and the fellow at the college, Julie's tutor, Lucien Balfour, who ticks all of DC Thorpe's boxes for being a total creeper. But the investigation is just warming up, frustration with the progress of figuring out the crime mounts, and the various members of the team are dealing with personal issues when a second death occurs. NO SPOILERS.

I do enjoy this series. I like Tara most of the time but I don't find her that believable as a character. I know she carries a torch for Blake (having read the previous 3 books in the series) and he has a lot of issues to work out before they could possibly consummate their romance. The setting as described always lends an authentic touch to the story and I relish all those details. I don't typically have a problem figuring out "whodunit" in fairly quickly when reading a mystery but I do like the slow reveal as the climax is reached. The writing is good and the pace is fast. I can't wait for the next book in the Tara Thorpe series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Murder in the Fens is the fourth book in the Tara Thorpe mystery series, and what a mystery book this is! This series gets better everyone I read.

With an OMG opening when the body of Julie Cooper and that’s just for starters! I have to say I was hooked. The more I read the more I wanted to know.

The author does a brilliant job of dropping pieces of puzzle has the story unfolds. But I have to admit that the author out done me with my Miss Marple skills…..I had no idea who-dun-it.

Murder in the Fens is a light easy read, exactly what you would expect a cosy mystery to be. But it is also a well and truly addictive read….I couldn’t put it down.

I loved how the author has weaved the goings on with the characters personal life’s along side the investigation. Where we really do get to know them some more and really mixes things up.

Tara and Blake make a brilliant team who you cannot help but like.

This is a perfect Sunday afternoon read which can be read has a standalone, even though I recommend reading the series, if you haven’t already….it is to good a series not to miss. I have to admit that I am gutted to hear this is the last one in the series though.

Perfect for fans Agatha Christie fans

A very enjoyable who dunnit book. Its great to see the different personalities of the police involved in the investigation jump out off the pages. The jealousy, tension and uncertainty between some of the officers is realistically brought to life adding another layer to the story. As the team peel back the layers surrounding the death , it seems that the clues lead them up various alleys and dead ends. With seemingly no one real suspect they have to be even more tenacious and quick thinking to get ahead of the game. The characters seem to take in a life of their own but you know the author has her steady hands on the reins to drive the book to a successfully satisfying conclusion. It was a conclusion that came out of right field for me as I was wrong with my thoughts on the suspect. A fact that added to the enjoyable reading experience I had with the book. Even though its part of a series I found that I enjoyed it without prior knowledge of the characters. So for me a series you can dip in and out of with ease.

Murder in the Fens is the fourth book in the Tara Thorpe series, but I found it can easily be read as a standalone.

Tara used to be a journalist before joining the police, she finds her experience helps with her investigations…

The body of a young woman, Julie Cooper, is found and Tara starts her investigation, with several suspects she has concerns her ‘friend’ Bella knows more than she is telling….

I liked the fast pace of this and they way the detectives thoughts change the more they find out and it gradually builds the picture and the tension….Tara’s stalker is back……will she find out who it is?

Great building of the relationships between the colleagues too……and their messy personal lives adds a feeling of reality to this clever, twisty and compelling cosy mystery. I can thoroughly recommend it.

Thank you to Bookouture, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my in honest, unbiased review.

I was very happy to receive this ARC from NetGalkey and Bookouture since I have read previous books in this series and really enjoy reading it. Murder in the Aden’s was no different and I was very happy with it.
DC Tara Thorpe and her colleagues at the Cambridge police are confronted by the murder of a young student and in this book the university is involved which makes the book that more interesting.
The characters are very likable at least those who are supposed to be and the story keeps the book moving at a fast pace. Lots of interpersonal issues and evolvement.
I definitely recommend this book and happily give it 5 stars.

Murder in the Fens is the fourth and final police procedural to feature DC Tara Thorpe although any of the instalments can be read independently without issue. When a local student is found murdered all of the clues point towards a sexual motive. However, anomalies begin to show themselves and then the police, including Tara, begin to think that there was more to it. What follows is an interesting exploration of secrets and the unsavoury, compromising nature of revenge. As they always say — your actions will come back to bite you in the backside.

There is a lot for you to get your teeth into and plenty of twists and turns along the way. It's an easy but enjoyable read with an excellent plot and characters I have come to appreciate more and more. Both the main plot and the side plot looking at Tara's effective collaboration with colleague Detective Blake are equally as interesting even if it was heading down the cliched will-they won't-they route. This is the perfect series for fans of cozy mysteries and the likes of Agatha Christie, MC Beaton and Betty Rowlands. Recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

"When the body of twenty-year-old Julie Cooper is found - her pockets stuffed full of wilting flowers - in an iron-age hill fort on the edge of the fens, Detective Tara Thorpe and her team are called in to investigate. The evidence points to an illicit affair gone wrong...but is there more to the story?

As always at the Cambridge constabulary, the case turns personal. Detective Blake is exhausted after the arrival of a new baby with wayward wife Babette, and Tara is keen to put as much distance between herself and Blake as she can - both at the station and on the hunt for the killer. Charming rookie officer Jez is the perfect distraction...but is he a little too good to be true?

Then Tara makes a startling breakthrough when she finds an unsettling family heirloom hidden in the late victim’s bedroom - a golden statue of a sinister-looking cat with emerald eyes. As she traces its origins, Tara begins to realise that Julie’s murder is no one-off crime, but a sinister plot with its roots in a terrible secret that was covered up decades earlier."

A delicious Midsomer Murders meets Lynley vibe.

This book really is about revelations! Some were surprising, others were exactely what I was hoping for 🙂

What do we have in this story? People who were sneaky are still being sneaky and following the route to seek revenge. Will they succeed this time or will they fail once again? People (not so) secretly being in love but circumstances keep them apart. Will they finally find a breakthrough and admit their feelings? People trying to get away with murder and inventing schemes to escape being punished. Will they succeed or will the fabulous team unravel everything?

These are only a few things going on. Did this pick your interest? I would certainly think so, because it’s a very entertaining story.

The author created wonderful characters and keeps on developing them. This series is really good. 4 stars.

Thank you, Clare Chase, Bookouture and Netgalley.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Murder in the Fens, the fourth novel to feature DC Tara Thorpe of the Cambridge police.

Student Julie Cooper’s body is found at a local historical site. The cause of death is undetermined, then inexplicable but it’s definitely murder. The motive appears sexual but certain anomalies suggest it might not be. The solution lies in Julie’s character and actions.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in the Fens which is an absorbing read with plenty of twists and turns. I like that the novel is wide ranging with several suspects, motives and avenues of investigation. It is fast moving as the team moves with the information, continually adjusting their perspective and thinking, so there is never a dull moment. The murder may be over elaborate but it seems to fit the rarified atmosphere of Cambridge University.

I like the mixture of the personal and the investigative in the novel. Several of the ongoing personal strands in the series are, if not fully resolved, moved on substantially with the hint of fireworks to come. It will be interesting to see if Ms Chase continues with the series or is content to let it lie as is as there is a certain sense of finality to all the expositions.

I have come to like the characters and the sense of closeness they have. Initially I wasn’t over fond of Tara Thorpe, thinking her as rather arrogant. Four novels in and she’s still sure she knows best but it’s tempered with maturity and experience, making her more likeable.

Murder in the Fens is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Murder in the Fens is the fourth and final book in the Tara Thorpe series. Having read all the other books I was both excited and a little bit sad. This has been a series that I have devoured from the beginning with ease as I followed Tara in her investigations as a magazine reporter to her new career within the police force. I am happy to say that on the whole the book was as good as all the others.
Tara is once again thrown into a murder investigation when the body of student Julie Cooper is found and the investigations into her death were not as easy as the team hoped with several suspects and no one seeming to want to tell the truth. This time she is not given the freedom in the investigation that she had previously, something she is not totally happy about. As she is one of the junior members of the team who doesn’t always play well with others it is probably more in keeping with her rank. She is still primarily partnered with DS Max Dimity and they do have a really good rapport not that this is looked on favourably by DS Megan Maloney. Her objections though are not strictly professional ones and it is nice to see the personal relationship develop between Max and Megan as he slowly starts to move on from the death of his wife.
There is also a further change in the dynamic in the form of DC Jez Fallon. Although he comes across as someone who does not take things seriously, he does surprise you when you least expect it. Constantly trying to get Tara to agree to a date, he does make her see that maybe she really should move on from her feelings for DI Blake. Even with this new team member they really do work well together each one bringing a different element to the investigations.
With it being the final instalment there was a little more of the personal lives of the team than in previous books as the author brought some of the back stories to a close. After the last book ended with the apparent reappearance of Tara’s childhood stalker, I had expected this to take more of a prominent place in the story but it was used more as a vehicle for one of Tara’s old adversaries to try to cause her pain towards the end of the book. This and the way in which Tara and DI Blake’s story was brought to a conclusion left me feeling that they were a little bit rushed .
That being said Murder on the Fens is a great cosy crime book and I would recommend this and the rest of the series to anyone who loves this type of book. They don’t need to be read in order but why wouldn’t you? Now that this series is over I look forward to what Clare Chase is going to unleash on us next and will be one of the first in the queue when the book is released.

I thoroughly enjoyed the new addition to this well-written series and the mystery surrounding the death of a college student was intriguing with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. The relationship between Tara and her boss, Blake is a great ongoing story thread as he struggles with the demands of a new baby and his crumbling marriage while he and Tara try to be professional partners. I’m looking forward to book 5 already!

A murder mystery that kept me on my toes. I did not see who it turned out to be.

Even though this was the fourth book in the series it is the first one I have read. It was so good! I am a huge Agatha Christie fan and let me tell you that Clare Chase is on par with Ms. Christie. As I said I didn’t see who the murderer turned out to be. In fact, the person wasn’t even one I had considered.

A young woman is murdered and Tara along with the other members of her team are on the case. The way they all work together (or not in the case of Tara and Megan are concerned) was interesting. I loved her dynamic with Blake.

We get almost every team member’s point of view in this book. At first I thought it may be too much but after finishing the book I can see how important it was and how much it helped the story. The only reason I didn’t give this book five stars was because I had wanted a little more from a couple of characters.

I have already ordered all of the other books in the series so look for those reviews coming soon.

This fourth book in the Tara Thorpe Mystery series is filled with plot twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. Tara and her team are investigating the death of a college student that is followed by the death of her boyfriend, a faculty member at another college. The case has many leads to chase down, and the book seems to give equal focus on Blake (Tara's boss and unrequited love interest) as it does Tara, Certainly, Blake has more than enough on his plate, including not only the murders but also his deteriorating marriage. The book also returns to the disgraced former officer, Patrick, who has become a PI. Working with the paper where Tara once worked, he is tracking the person who once stalked Tara. The end of the book is very revealing and leaves you wanting to see what will happen next.