It’s been a quiet few weeks on the crime front in Somerset and Sukey Reynolds is starting to wonder if all the villains have gone on holiday. When she's summoned to charming Sycamore House it seems that Sukey has tempted fate. The body of Fenella Tremaine, one of their residents, is discovered by the caretaker in the garden,. The police quickly close in on Marcus Ellerman, a neighbour and colleague of Fenella’s, with whom she often crossed swords, both in and out of the office. When his distinctive ornamental dagger is found to be the murder weapon, the case seems closed. But Sukey has a hunch that the police are barking up the wrong tree, however when there’s another murder the case looks to be cut & dried.
Another delicious page turner with plenty of red herrings & twists and turns. In Sukey’s private life her relationship with reporter Harry is a welcome change from her gruesome work. This is the twelfth book in the series & the series just keeps on getting better. Well rounded characters & a fast pace story all made for an enthralling read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

👮 Good, but Sukey does not seem as front and center🤔

🔍 I really enjoy this series, mainly because DC Sukey Reynolds and her instincts usually confound her male boss and detect the key to the latest murder investigation's solution. In this book, Sukey does not seem as prominent in the police investigation of a string of deaths.

I also like the snippets of off-duty life, including Sukey's relationship with her young adult son and her love life, that get folded into each book in the series. Her son Gus barely gets a mention in this story, and the romancing of her reporter boyfriend seems in a bit of a rut, with boyfriend Harry constantly pumping her for information so he can get a scoop for his newspaper.

It's not my favorite of the half dozen or so books I've read in the series, but the murder mystery with all of its false leads and twists was well-written, and, again, an enjoyable Sukey Reynolds Mystery read.

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This twelfth book in the Sukey Reynolds cozy mystery series provided me with an afternoon of entertainment. These stories are quick reads and the police procedural aspects add another dimension to the plots.

DC Sukey Reynolds of the Avon and Somerset CID and her team get a call to a posh block of flats known as Sycamore House where the body of a resident, Fenella Tremaine, has been found in one of the rubbish skips. The entire gang at CID gets involved in this very complicated investigation even though they find that their main suspect indeed owned the murder weapon in question. Interviews, visits, and more murders further muddle the case but the detectives stay on it, hunting down every lead and clue, until they find the killer.

I have really enjoyed all of the books in this series and am sad to know that the next one will apparently be the last installment. I like Sukey as a character and as a police detective. She's come a long way since her days as a scene of crime officer -- both professionally and personally. I like the shorter length and the writing style as well. I find that reading this type of novel gives me a nice break from my more typically grisly crime thrillers.

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

This installment in the Sukey Reynolds' series felt a bit disjointed. But, in reality, life is rather disjointed and we shouldn't expect our criminals or events in books to behave any better. Throughout the book the main question seemed to be whether the crimes were linked in any way. Everyone seemed to want to go off in their own direction. Even the suspects and witnesses appeared to not be sure what was happening. I do like that I was a bit surprised by the ending. It made sense in hindsight, but through the course of the story, the needed clues just weren't there! And, I'll reiterate, I am really liking this more independent Sukey. The job change and move have done her well!

This series of books just get better and better. Wow We're now, on the twelfth book in this Sukey Reynolds Mystery series.
Death at Sycamore House is Betty Rowlands lastest instalment and I just loved it.
I always find her books an easy cosy mystery read but this one had a few red herrings within the story which took me by surprise!
I read this book in one sitting and was just hooked..........Thats what you call a good book!

I highly recommend this book and all of books by Betty Rowlands especially this series.

Another 5 star read! Brilliant!

This book was previously published as Unnatural Wastage.

Big Thank You to Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is book 12 in the Sukey Reynolds books. Detective Constable Sukey are on the case of a murdered woman named Fenella Tremaine which some people like and others don't. A neighbor is suspected of killing her because they had had a disagreement at work. They interview people that are neighbors as well as work associates. More people become suspects too.
I really enjoy this series.

Plenty of Twists as the Bodies Stack Up
This is a page-turner you will not want to put down. There is plenty of police procedure and duplicitous suspects. The final reveal is shocking. Another fine mystery in a series of fine mysteries. This book has less of Sukey's personal life and much more of her professional life. I love this series. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Another Sukey mystery. This time there seems to be several possible murderers. Lots of twists that will keep you guessing. You'll read until the end to find the muderer.

I have read a few of Betty Rowlands books and liked all of them. This one is a good bet, as are most by this author. Keep up the good work. Recommended.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

I think that Death at Sycamore House is one of my favourite Sukey Reynolds books. Perhaps it's because I 'know' more of the supporting cast now, seeing as they've appeared in the last few books. This one also involved less of Sukey jumping to conclusions for no apparent reason.
The mystery revolves around the death of woman who had certainly ruffled some feathers. There is a fairly obvious main suspect, although there are one or two others who certainly seem to have some kind of motive to do away with the victim. This was one of those stories where I guessed who had done it quite a while before Sukey, but the why remained a complete mystery until the big reveal. I think that there's probably enough clues to work it all out though, it was just me that missed the mark trying to get to the bottom of it.
There was even less of Fergus (Sukeys now grown-up son) in this book, I thought he'd been forgotten all about until he was mentioned in the last chapter. I suppose it would be odd for a grown-up son to be around all the time. One of the great things about these books has always been Sukey's regular supporting characters and as I'm sure I've mentioned before, it's taken a while to adjust to the sudden change that occurred halfway through the series.
This is the second to last Sukey book, I'm going to miss her when I've finished.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Whilst I probably enjoyed the earlier books in this series more (when Sukey was a CSI) I do still look forward to the latest in this series! Imaginative murders and unexpected suspects keep the reader guessing to a satisfactory conclusion. Very readable and highly recommended for fans of this genre.

I recently found this author so I haven't read very many of this series but those I have read those I have read are very good police procedurals. The 12th inste of Sukey Reynolds series has Sukey working with Vicky to solve a murder where the woman's body is thrown in the garbage bin. She was stabbed in several places and bleed out. The knife is located and belongs to a neighbor, Marcus Ellerman, who was constantly arguing with the victim. All the clues point to Marcus when a second murder occurs. It didn't seem that the two murders are connected but Sukey feels that they might be committed by the same person. There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Sukey's romance with the handsome journalist is moving right along. Are the two separate murders connected and Sukey is right about them? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.

Disclosure: Thanks to Bookouture for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is the 12th book in the series and I would recommend that it is not read as a stand alone to understand the characters.

I enjoyed this and felt that it was going more along the lines of a cosy murder mystery which some of the other books in the series have lost.

There were lots of characters and red herrings to keep it interesting but I felt the cat with a sixth sense did not need to be part of it.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc.

When the body of a female resident in a private block of flats at Sycamore House is reported to the Police Sukey Reynolds is part of the team brought in to investigate. The victim Fenella Tremaine is found with a knife in her back and her body put in a recycling bin. This then brings together another suspicious death at a local Care home that the victim was about to give evidence to the court. Are these deaths connected and what is the link?
The characters come to life and the story has twists which are not expected again a good read by Betty Rowlands

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another great enjoyable Sukey Reynolds cosy mystery story. How I love this series. No.14 please.

Another fantastic cozy mystery from Betty Rowlands.
In her unique style, Betty Rowlands is able to take a plethora of individuals and several murders and mastermind a brilliant way to connect them.
I love Sukey Reynolds, a new detective investigator. In this book, a woman is stabbed and her body dumped in the garbage bin of the building complex in which she lives. This is followed by the death of an interior designer and the death of a housekeeper who works in the complex. On the surface these deaths do not seem related, but with lots of twists and turns things are not always as they appear. Great book that kept had me reading well into the night to see how it ends.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Another great story by an author I enjoy in a series I cannot get enough of. Sukey is a police officer in her small village in England. When a woman is found dead in the garbage with a knife in her back, Sukey's boring weekend comes to an end. A lot of characters, as there are two apartment complexes with a lot of people to choose between, and a few red herrings as well. Fun to follow the trail with them, and really enjoyed this one. Highly recommend if you like cozy murder mysteries.

Sycamore House is an apartment block set in beautiful grounds where life seems to be taken at a leisurely pace and nothing very exciting ever happens. That is until the body of a resident is found in their rubbish skip with a knife in her back! As life in the local CID has been very quiet lately Sukey Reynolds' regret at the life lost gains extra resolve as there is little else going on to distract her and her team. When another body is discovered however, the pressure increases exponentially and everyone knows they have their work cut out to get results quickly.

Once again I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Betty Rowlands and was delighted to find all the main characters still there and this time more of them get their own scenes to move the story along in a fast and convincing manner. The characterisation is, as usual, vividly accurate and all of the residents of Sycamore House come alive on the page. Sukey's private life is almost as important as the investigation itself and so there is no let up in the discussion and dissection of the case, especially as love interest, Harry, is a local journalist!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good cosy crime series with a reassuringly familiar cast and brilliant storylines.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Again I say this book series should be on the hallmark movie mystery channel.

This was another great cozy mystery.

Sukey is back along with her team member Vicky as they investigate a murder at the Sycamore House where they learn the victim name is Fenella Tremaine. When they start to investigate there is a suspect but not enough evidence to arrest if it's isn't bad enough two more murder victims happens that has Sukey not convince that they have their suspects.

Sukey is also trying have a private life with Harry who also have a unique way of investigating too.

It’s gone very quiet in the CID office where Sukey Reynolds is based, and the team are trawling through old cases. Until they are called to a posh block of flats just north of the Downs, where the body of a resident has been found in a skip. A suspect is quickly found but no evidence. Two more murders follow, and the clues still seeming to point to the same person. Sukey isn’t convinced. She is also trying to enjoy her private life, with Harry, a journalist with a very enquiring mind.

I’m new to Betty Reynolds books, this being only the second I have read. I enjoy her style of writing, descriptive and well written. Two small niggles - the phrase “I put it to you” which is repeated in the interview scenes quite a few times but feels out dated and not quite right. The other is the use of ‘Uniformed’, meaning the uniformed officers. Having worked for my local police force for a number of years, we always called them uniform or uniforms. However, this is another good read with enough twists and red herrings to keep the reader interested to the end.

Thanks to netgalley and Bookoutre for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.