Dartmouth 1933, in a generations-old family hotel, where our protagonist Kitty lives with her Grandmother, following the disappearance of her mother, alongside the absence of her father, believed to be somewhere in America.

With a background like that, who needs a murder to solve along the way? Why we do of course, and this is an engrossing read for a quiet Sunday afternoon. With some lovely little threads left hanging this marks the beginning of what promises to be a great series.

Book 1 in a fun cozy mystery set in 1933 England. Kitty works at her grandmother's hotel, and meets handsome ex-soldier Matt. Together they form a partnership and work together to solve a series of murders. Liked this one a lot, and it is a good start to the series. Highly recommend.

This was a very quick easy read. It was hard to connect with the characters. They still seem to have to trust each other. I found the mystery to be a bit predictable. Also, I thought the synopsis gave away too many spoilers that it became less suspenseful. Still, I recommend this for fans of cozy mysteries and look forward to the next installments!

This is an excellent mystery with a surprising end. It is filled with many twists and turns throughout.
The characters were well developed.
Highly recommend this book

I loved this book. It was a great, fast-paced read that captured you from the first page to the last. I highly recommend.

I couldn't get interested in this one at all and did not enjoy the writing style. I found both the plot and the main character boring.

Atmospheric and entertaining, this one inspired me to book a holiday in Dartmouth! It's the first in a series and I'm really looking forward to reading the next one.

I enjoyed this historical cozy! Set in a scenic location, The Dolphin Resort sounded like a delightful place (well besides the murder and thievery)! Kitty was a very likable character. I highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

Really enjoyed this book. Took a little time to get used to the pace of it but once I did it pulled me in. Good, well-written characters that I look forward to seeing again.

I'm always a little puzzled by the cozy mystery genre. Many cozy mysteries will shy away from coarse language or the slightest contact between romantic leads, yet depict a series of gory murders and other acts of violence in a matter-of-fact kind of manner. So you have to hope that the characters will carry you through these circumstances, even as you wonder how they aren't all immobilized with PTSD. I had a hard time getting into the characters of this particular story, but perhaps it was just me. I would be willing to read another in the series to see where it goes from here.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

This was a well written cosy mystery with a strong protagonist and a well-evoked setting.

The plot was quite fast paced and the relationships between the characters were well built.

Tension ratcheted up and it came to a good conclusion.

This one wasn't so much my style I had a harder time getting into the story line the writing wasn't bad at all I think it was just the style and time period I would try this author again though!

This book has been on my to read list for a couple months and I'm not sure why it took me so long to read it!

Kitty and her grandmother run a popular hotel called the Dolphin. After their quiet town is rattled by a murder and Kitty's grandmother is called away to tend to her injured aunt, Kitty finds herself surrounded mysterious accidents and more dead bodies. Before she left, Kitty's grandmother called in a favor and hired Matthew to provide extra security. Watching Matthew and Kitty work together to solve the deaths was a great read.

Can't wait for the next one.

We are introduced to a holiday spot in 1933s England and the Dolphin Hotel. The proprietress of the hotel is the Grandmother of our leading lady, Kitty Underhay. She has a sad and mysterious past with her mother going missing unexpectedly and her father away, the latter a person Kitty has never seen or heard much (or anything at all) about. In this mix come threatening letters and a forced trip for the Grandmother, meaning additional security requirements to protect Kitty. Captain Matthew Bryant is just the man for the job, he is roped in due to filial obligations, but he is set to appear in every future story. 

There are a lot of deaths, misadventures and investigations to figure out who the perpetrator(s) is but the most enticing prospect continues to be the mystery of the missing mother. The plot was so convoluted that it was tough for me to come to the accurate conclusion of the narrative. I was not even close. Despite all the plus points, I felt like the storytelling style was a little laborious- for me. This is a personal reaction, and I did read this and the next book in multiple sittings over two days, but I should have been able to read it faster given the type of storyline. 
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based only on my reading experience.

4.5 Stars

It's been seventeen years since Kitty Underhay's mother vanished without a trace. Kitty, now twenty-three years old, lives and works at her grandmother's hotel in Dartmouth, England. When her grandmother travels to look after her sister, Kitty is left in charge of the hotel. Unbeknownst to her, her grandmother has been receiving mysterious letters and has hired a new security officer to look after the hotel in her absence. Kitty doesn't think too much of the additional security until a body is found, rooms are ransacked and a rumor began to circulate that Kitty's mother may have been in possession of a valuable ruby when she went missing. When two more bodies are discovered, Kitty, with the help of the new security officer, decides to investigate.

I found this book to be a delightful and easy read. The writing style is engaging, the mystery intriguing and the setting picturesque and atmospheric. The author's excellent research instantly transported me back to 1930s England, a country slowly recovering and forever changed by the war. The main character, Kitty is likable, smart, and independent. Matt, her sleuth partner, is a complex character with a haunting past. There's definitely chemistry between them and I look forward to seeing what's in store for their characters. The mystery or should I say mysteries kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The author did a great job of building the tension throughout the story and the reveal was action-packed. I will definitely be reading the second book and hope we won't have to wait too long to find out what really happened to Kitty's mother.

I received an ARC from Bookouture through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In June 1933, Kitty Underhay is a modern, independent woman. A body is found in the river near the hotel being managed by Kitty and her grandmother. When the local police inspector shows no sign of solving the crimes near the hotel, Kitty steps in to solve it herself. Grandmother had to go to Scotland and was worried that Kitty wouldn’t be able to run the hotel without her. In addition, someone is threatening to take over the hotel. Things add up to multiple dead bodies, dishonest guests, threats to life and limb and a fire. Kitty had hired Matthew to be security until the mystery is solved. Fans of historical fiction would like this novel, set in the 1930’s. Good cast of characters and well written. Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced reader’s copy.

I loved this his whodunit and the setting was perfect. I connected with the characters and hope to read more about them. There were many twists and turns and an ending that I didn’t expect.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Miss Underhay is troubled by Murder at the Dolphin Hotel. Helena Dixon introduces us to a 1930's cozy in rural England. Miss Underhay is managing their hotel in the absence of her grandmother and under the protective eyes of a gallant Captain. Clues start turning up involving her mother and father's mysterious past and bodies start dropping. Was there a treasure? Were her parents still alive? Read this intriguing period piece and find out.

I was fortunate to receive a proof copy of this from Net Galley in return for an unbiased review. This was a new author to me, selected based on the description and cover. And I’m happy I did - you got to know the characters quickly, nice pace to the story, and a hint of romance. Engrossing finish, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48210703-murder-at-the-dolphin-hotel

This murder mystery has a lovely sense of place and time. Dartmouth, Devon is a picturesque setting, and particularly atmospheric during the post-war period. The hotel is well described and easy to visualise, as are the cast of characters. The connection with Kitty’s past that this first mystery, in the series has, gives the story added depth and draws the reader into Kitty’s world.

Kitty is a complex, courageous character, who is easy to like. Her intelligence tempered by an innate naivety makes her the perfect heroine for this type of historical cozy mystery. Matt her partner in amateur sleuthing, has a complex and poignant past, which makes him an enigmatic puzzle, Kitty is eager to solve.

The mystery unwinds with many twists, suspects and murders. The relationship between Kitty and Matt strengthens, in part due to proximity and mutual neediness. You want them to overcome their emotional barriers and let their relationship develop.

The suspense develops well as the story progresses reaching a crescendo when Kitty’s natural curiosity leads her into danger. The ending is exciting and in keeping with the historical period. Part of the mystery remains unsolved, presumably to be revealed as the series progresses.

An easy to read a historical murder mystery, written in a cozy mystery style, which immerses you in the 1930s Devon, with authentic, complex characters and an engaging plot.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.