Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A brilliant read set in Yorkshire. Her books are hugely enjoyable.. Francis Brody books do not come out quick enough. I have read all her books and thoroughly enjoyed them.

There is a lot to like here- but it didn't grab hold as much as I had hoped.

Kate arrives at a brewery in Yorkshire that is struggling, but it isn't clear if it is sabotage from within or without. This is my first in this series, and I think that was a disadvantage- I wan't up to speed on Kate's character or story, and as such she seemed a little distant to me. There are effectively two mysteries, making things feel disjointed. The narrative structure didn't quite work and in the end I found it a bit of a chore to pick up.

The positives are what I knew I would like- the early 20th century setting and the private detective elements are fun and well done.

Thank you NetGalley. I enjoy the Kate Shackleton series very much and look forward to each new instalment eagerly. This one was an absorbing read and a fascinating peek into the evolution of pageants for women.

‘Death and the Brewery Queen’, twelfth in the Kate Shackleton 1930s detective series by Frances Brody, is a story of two halves and two murders. As always, sensible Kate is on hand to bring calm and control to a messy situation.
Kate and her sidekick Jim Sykes are employed by a brewery owner to sort out some business irregularities at Barleycorn Brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire. Is it a matter of employee pilfering, aggressive competitors, inefficiency or fraud? This is a low-key beginning, a gentle start which allows Brody to establish a wide cast of characters. The portrayal of the brewery and the town is the foundation for the series of linked crimes that follow. Threaded throughout the book is the story of Barleycorn’s wages clerk, Ruth Parnaby, and her quest to be crowned Northern Breweries’ beauty queen. The story is told in multiple viewpoints – Kate’s voice is first person, but in the voices of Mr Sykes, Harriet and Ruth we gather information that Kate doesn’t know. It does seem rather a long wait for the first death, after which the story speeds up and the false clues and connections begin to make sense.
Kate is a memorable, admirable heroine. She is firm and managerial when she needs to be, determined and unafraid of confronting male officialdom but also well-connected which helps break down barriers and find information possibly quite difficult to confirm quickly at that time. And she’s not afraid to take risks. She also proves empathetic to the struggles of the grindingly poor people involved in the outer circles of the story. Kate, a widow, has her own close family – niece Harriet, employee Mr Sykes, housekeeper Mrs Sugden, and of course her bloodhound Sergeant Dog – who each bring different but essential skills when on the hunt for a murderer.
This is a stop-start read, in contrast to the previous Kate Shackleton books I’ve read, but enjoyable nonetheless. Brody excels at drawing her 1920s and 1930s settings, so realistic and believable. A special mention for the scenes in Scarborough’s Grand Hotel, which I visited as an awestruck child.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

Death and the Brewery Queen by Frances Brody was a nice book to sit and read. It wasn't a difficult to follow read and I really enjoyed the story. The pace of the story was enjoyable, and it was a good distraction from all thats going on in the world just now.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC.

Another good addition to Kate Shackleton series.
It’s an engrossing and entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The character development and the storytelling are as good as usual, the historical background is vivid and well researched.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Recommended
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine

I received a free ARC via NetGalley and the publishers, in return for an unbiased review. It features a kind of beauty pageant for Brewery workers, which is different, and was a nice enough story if not particularly strenuous plot. The pageant seemed to take up most of the story, meaning the crime and murder was a fairly small part, I felt. Nice enough as I say, but not taxing.

This is the 12th of Brody's Kate Shackleton series, but this book was my introduction to the series. There were a few minor details in the book regarding the characters' relationships that would probably have been more apparent to me if I had read previous books in the series, but this book can be read as a standalone novel.

The book is a cosy, comfortable read that covers a variety of characters and settings. There are plenty of twists in the book and I was eager to get to the end to learn all the details. However, I found the book rather slow=paced towards the middle and it was difficult to stay engaged with the book at certain points. The pace picks up towards the end of the novel and I found the characters in the story quite compelling.

Lovers of Agatha Christie beware, you are falling steadfastly in love with Frances Brody's crime fiction writing. The book is gently paced, filled with intrigue. Mystery and our Kate’s charisma. The book is powerpacked and can be read in one go.

The Kate Shackleton series is now on its 12 book and shows no sign of faltering. This is another strong story, with the author clearly taking time to research the era and the brewery industry..

The characters are very well written, Mrs Shackleton and Jim Sykes are now so familiar to us they’re like old friends, a detective duo that are in tune with each other, but clearly have their differences in opinion in some matters.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

In the Kate Shackleton series by Frances Brody , the author does a very good job bringing the period between the wars to life. Through her research a strong sense of authenticity prevails, which make her books very satisfying reads. Her characters are well drawn and quite unforgettable. I throughly enjoy this series and look forward to many more. Highly recommend.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

In their 12th outing, Kate and Sykes are trying to find a missing nephew for the owner of Barleycorn Brewery, but things at the Brewery are not all they seem and it's not long before they are investigating two murders. Alongside Kate & Sykes, Harriet plays an important role in this story with Sergeant also proving his worth.
There's something very comforting about having a new Kate Shackleton book to read each year, this year more than most! The series hasn't lost steam at all and I hope we can look forward to a few more mysteries to solve in years to come.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ebook to review.

This is a gentle-paced historical mystery. It is the twelfth book in this enjoyable series featuring Kate Shackleton and Jim Sykes and is set in the spring of 1930. Kate and Sykes are engaged to carry out work for the owner of a brewery who is struggling to keep on top of his business. Before long they find themselves dealing with murder.
I have enjoyed reading this series for a number of years now. The story is nicely paced with multiple plot lines. As always the characters are likeable and Kate in her efficiency and resourcefulness is very reassuring. It is very refreshing not to have to deal with the personal life crises of the main characters. A nice quick and entertaining read.

Death and the Brewery Queen by Frances Brody is superb. The story is centred on the fictional Barleycorn Brewery in the real town of Masham, Yorkshire. Ruth Parnaby, a wages clerk at the brewery, has won the Brewery Queen of the North Riding contest. These industry queen contests, based upon the village Rose Queen or May Queen contests, actually took place until the 1980s. Brody points out in the introduction that, although there were queens of railways, coal, cotton, wool and textiles, there was never a brewery queen. That was confirmed by an exhibition held at Leeds Industrial Museum in 2017-2018.

William Lofthouse, Barleycorn’s owner and married to one of Kate’s friends, is concerned about the business but is evasive about what exactly concerns him. He agrees to Kate sending in her assistant, Jim Sykes, to “straighten things out”. Whilst Jim’s investigating and uncovering trivial misdemeanours, there is a murder. The murderer is unmasked and we think that’s all solved and sorted but then there’s another death. And even after we know who was responsible for THAT one, there is yet more action! Those are not spoilers – just look at how much of the book is left at each stage. Any mystery where a murder is solved half-way through the book is likely to have further action in the second half, isn’t it? Close reading of the last few pages will reveal that a fourth (minor) character died off-stage, presumably peacefully.

Amongst all this, Kate comes to stay in Masham and her niece, Harriet, comes along to the Lofthouses’ garden party, where she becomes great friends with Ruth. Harriet becomes Ruth’s companion, accompanying her on events as an assistant. The happy relationship between the two young women works well with Ruth starting to refer to “Auntie Kate” too! I enjoyed seeing more of Harriet in this book and was willing a romance between Harriet and Ruth’s brother, George.

Brody has created a truly Dickensian couple in Ruth’s vicious bullying father, Slater Parnaby, and his terrified wife, Annie. All the characters are beautifully drawn individuals with little danger of the reader trying to remember who’s who.

I really really recommend this highly enjoyable book that happens to be a mystery.


#DeathandtheBreweryQueen #NetGalley

Kate And The Brewery.....
The twelfth Kate Shackleton mystery and Kate is faced with a death in a fermentation room. When Kate is asked to investigate by the brewery she must work hard to uncover the truth. Enjoyable, gentle mystery with plenty of twists and turns as well as a satisfying denouement. A worthy addition to the series.