Everyone knows that I can’t resist a British cosy mystery and that’s exactly what the cover proclaims this to be. Other than the classic murder with some eccentric characters, I didn’t know what else to expect from this debut novel.

Margery and Clementine have lived together peacefully in the Welsh town of Dewstow for years. They work together as dinner ladies at the local secondary school and are simpl waiting for retirement. When one of their colleagues dies in the school freezer, the police rule it a tragic, accidental death but Margery and Clementine are convinced that something else is afoot.

There are plenty of funny remarks in the book and I really loved the humour. It’s very much small British town humour that is based on the outrage of a sudden death in their cosy, quiet community. These people just aren’t used to excitement or crime and no one seems to know where to focus their attention.

Margery does some reflecting in the book. She realises that she wasted a lot of time being insecure about her looks and worrying about trivial matters. I think this is the kind of hindsight that many older people have but you have to live through the years of hating yourself to be able to see how pointless it all was. It’s an important lesson for so many young people to learn and I don’t think it’s really talked about enough in fiction.

Margery and Clementine are a lesbian couple in a small, conservative community and despite living in the 21st century, they still have concerns about how other people perceive them. I loved the acknowledgement of the struggles that LGBTQ+ people go through, even when in established, long-term relationships. There’s a sense that the fear never leaves the marginalised and while that may seem sad, it’s very realistic.

The Dinner Lady Detectives is an amusing, small town, cosy mystery. Unfortunately, the case itself didn’t feel entirely plausible and some of the characters felt very cookie-cutter and difficult to distinguish. If you can suspend your disbelief slightly, it’s a fun read and there are some deeper issues discussed which adds another dimension to it. I’d be interested to read more from Hannah Hendy because as a debut, it was quite enjoyable!

This was a moderately fun read - one you can read and conveniently forget the plot. I love this genre of cozy mysteries by women who are underestimated. While Agatha Christie perfected that genre with her simple and clever writing - this is resolutely not that. The writing is choppy, the motivations of the characters are not clear or established, and is dull. Humour is quite a difficult genre to figure out too and Hannah tries very hard but does not crack the code. Overall, not compelling reading.

Dinner ladies Margery and Clementine have lived together for more than 30 years in Dewstow and both work in the kitchen of a local school, Summerview Secondary. When their manager, Caroline Hughes dies in a mysterious accident, unperturbed by the danger they could find themselves in, the pair decide to investigate.

Reading The Dinner Lady Detectives was heaps of fun. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the absurdities and the chaos that surrounded Clementine and Margery. I could easily imagine them starting up a detective agency following their retirement, should they choose to. The mystery itself was good and for me, the author, Hannah Hendy struck a balance between sentiment and dark humour. I'm looking forward to more adventures with Clementine and Margery.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

An enjoyable cosy mystery with a light tone throughout. A slightly slower paced start but does get more interesting in the second half. If you are looking for a light, corny mystery featuring an odd couple who you wonder how they will ever solve the mystery in front of them!

EXCERPT: Seren leaned forward, conspiratorially. 'There's been a death!'

Margery dropped her teacup in shock. 'Good God!'

'Margery, please don't swear!' Clementine said, turning her head to Seren who was nodding her head vigorously as though she was a person of great importance. As though no one had ever caught her eating profiteroles in the school kitchens walk-in freezer. 'What do you mean, Seren? Who's died?'

'It was a terrible accident! Well, that's what they're saying down at the leisure centre,' Seren said, still nodding. 'I wouldn't have believed it myself, but accidents do happen. You know, just last week I broke my back tooth eating a Cadbury mini-egg.' Margery and Clementine exchanged a look. 'Anyway, she was one of our own. Our kitchen manager, Mrs Hughes!'

'Mrs Hughes?' Margery said, struggling to find her voice. 'You can't mean Caroline Caroline Hughes?'

'Unfortunately, I do, and I have it straight from the mouth of the man who found her! Gary Mathews. Do you know him, works on security? Found her dead Friday night.' She picked the teacup off the floor and handed it back to Margery. 'Do you know the worst bit about it?' Seren paused dramatically. Margery and Clementine shook their heads, enraptured. 'She didn't even get to deliver her last batch of Avon.'

ABOUT 'THE DINNER LADY DETECTIVES': Murder is a dish best served ice cold...

Margery and Clementine are enjoying a peaceful middle-age together in the small, idyllic town of Dewstow, and eagerly awaiting retirement from their work on the front line serving meals to the students at Summerview secondary school.

Their calm life is shattered when their kitchen manager is found dead in the school’s walk-in freezer. The police are adamant that it’s an open-and-shut case of accidental death. Margery and Clementine are convinced there’s something far more nefarious going on, and they take it upon themselves to investigate.

As they inch closer to the truth, it becomes clear that someone will stop at nothing to keep the pair quiet. Will the perpetrator get their just-desserts before their time runs out?

MY THOUGHTS: There have been a few good muder-mysteries released this year featuring older protagonists. I was hoping that The Dinner Lady Detectives was going to join the group but it became evident very early on that this was not to be.

The characters are faintly ridiculous, with nothing realistic nor relatable about them. I initially thought that I might begin to like them better as the book progressed, but that was not to be either. They just irritated me even more.

The plot is very slow moving and, frankly, highly implausible. A body is discovered locked in a walk-in freezer, surrounded by blood, and the local police deem the death accidental. Really?

It just got more improbable as the book progressed, and I rapidly lost interest. I seriously considered abandoning the read several times, but having invested a week of reading time, I forced myself to finish.

Definitely not my cup of tea.

⭐⭐

#TheDinnerLadyDetectives #NetGalley

I: #hannahhendywrites #canelo_co

T: #HannahHendy @canelo_co

#contemporaryfiction #cozymystery #murdermystery

THE AUTHOR: Hannah Hendy is a professional chef by day and author by night.

Hannah lives with her brand new wife (covid wedding!) and two cats in South Wales, UK.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Canelo via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

The Dinner Lady Detectives started out slow but is a cozy you will absolutely love! This was a really interesting setting for a cozy, in a school but not involving students or teachers. I loved the take on the "dinner ladies" and really hope this is the first of a series.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy seemed to drag for me. I liked the idea of these ladies solving the mystery of the death of one of their group but it just went on too long before coming to a conclusion.

Margery and Clementine are enjoying a peaceful life together in the small, idyllic town of Dewstow, and eagerly awaiting retirement from their work on the front line serving meals to the students at Summerview secondary school. Their calm life is shattered when their kitchen manager Caroline is found dead in the school’s walk-in freezer. The police are adamant that it’s an open-and-shut case of accidental death. Margery and Clementine are convinced there’s something far more nefarious going on, and they take it upon themselves to investigate. As they inch closer to the truth, it becomes clear that someone will stop at nothing to keep the pair quiet.
I believe this a debut novel from the author & whilst it was well written for me the characters were a bit flat & didn’t have much depth. I couldn't connect with Clem & Margery & couldn't feel any chemistry between them & I didn't particularly like them, in fact I didn't like any of the characters. I found the pace to be pedestrian & found myself skimming through pages waiting for something to happen. The police were a joke & even with the evidence at the crime scene said it was an accident – really! An interesting first novel & I hope the author hones her craft
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Thank you to Netgalley, Canelo, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

This was a refreshing, hilarious ride. A very unique take on the cozy mystery novel. The protagonist is one half of a middle-aged (60-somethings) couple. Margery and her long-time partner Clementine find themselves in the middle of mystery when their work colleague--a fellow "dinner lady" at the local school--is found dead in the kitchen's freezer.

The rapport between Margery and Clem is great. They find trouble everywhere they go--and Clem is just a hoot. The pacing was a little slow at times and I have to admit to having had trouble telling Clem and Margery apart at first; it took a while for their independent personalities to take shape for me. But overall, this is a great book and I hope only the first in a new series!

I knew I'd love this debut from Hannah Hendy from the moment I read the premise, and Hannah certainly delivered in every way for me: fun cosy and addictive. I thoroughly enjoyed reading. For transparency I did receive an advance copy for review, but opinions are all my own.

Not a long book, but it sometimes felt interminable. Written in the style of P.G. Wodehouse, it bumbles along for most of the book. Two dinner ladies follow up the death of their manager . The book feels old-fashioned and quaint, a twist being that the two main characters are a lesbian couple.
The book started to pick up 75% of the way in and I quite enjoyed the last part. The police investigation is non-existent, the ladies are continually jumping to assumptions about their co-workers. The description of their work seems to be set in the 1950's. Descriptions of practical jokes and sneaking around at night are far-fetched and not particularly funny.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Clementine and Margery are two cafeteria workers preparing and serving meals to students. They are shocked when their manager is found dead in the freezer. Seems like an accident to the police, but these two women have questions. The victim was a rather unpleasant person, but no one should get away with murder, right? Who knew there could be so much drama in a cafeteria!

This was a quick read and the characters were all quite quirky. Nothing earth-shattering, but just a fun read with an enjoyable plot. A cozy mystery is always a good choice to me on a cold late fall night. I wouldn't mind seeing these two again!

A body is discovered in the school deep freezer. Marjory’s and Clemintine two dedicate dinner ladies find there manger frozen solid in a pool of blood obviously this must be investigated even if the police conclude it was an accident.
This was ok, it’s told from Marjory’s point of view which is just as well because Clemintine is a bit of a nippy sweetie and not particularly likeable. The plot trundles along and is fairly readable and silly. These woman are in their mid sixties which these days isn’t that old but they do act as if they are pushing towards ninety which was a bit odd. And there’s a wedding at the end so in Shakespearean terms this is actually comedy with a murder in it.

Tongue-in-cheek, light-hearted and fun ⭐⭐⭐

The Dinner Lady Detectives is a tongue-in-cheek, light-hearted cosy mystery, although some parts may still be a little gruesome for some tastes.

Dinner ladies Marjory and Clementine have lived together for decades and both work in the kitchen of a local school. When one of their colleagues dies in a mysterious accident, unperturbed by the danger they find themselves in, the pair decide to investigate.

The atmosphere is somewhere between a slapstick version of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club and Victoria Wood's Dinner Ladies.

A fun read with lots of colourful and eccentric characters and many secrets to uncover.

3,5* rounded to 4
There's plenty of potential in this cozy mystery but there are also some issues
I liked the unlikely couple of detective: they're funny, clumsy and they're not very subtle.
A sort of "Odd Couple" that made me laugh.
There's a number of funny moments and a lot of quirky characters.
There's also some issues as it was very slow burning and the mystery was a bit predictable.
It's a light and entertaining story and I'd like to read other stories featuring these characters.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Dinner Lady Detectives is a cozy mystery that just did not keep me very involved with the story.
Margery and Clementine did not make me feel connected to them or the story. For me it was a story that had such potential to be a fun read but never got to the point where I cared much about who committed the murder or why.
This may be a book for some to really enjoy but for me it missed the mark.
Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for the copy to read. This is my personal review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All of the opinions given are my own and have been given nothing for my review.

What a pleasant book. This is a tonic to read after reading murders and mayhem.
Margery and Clementine work as Dinner Ladies in the local school. When their kitchen manager is found in the freezer, no one seems to think it's suspicious except them.
They try to convince the local Police that something is not right, but they are told that it was an accident.
They they start receiving mysterious messages and strange things start happening.
A nice quick read.

Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Margery and Clementine are enjoying a peaceful middle-age together in the small, idyllic town of Dewstow, where they work on the front line as dinner ladies (sorry Eduction Centre Nourishment Consultants!)
However, one day their calm life is shattered when their kitchen manager is found dead in the school’s walk-in freezer.
The couple are convinced there’s something sinister going on, and decide to investigate.

This is a great fun and easy read which follows a bit of a trend of pensioners solving crimes and I loved the LGBTQ representation.
If you’ve enjoyed Thursday Murder Club or Marlow Murder Club you should give this one a go 👍

The Dinner Lady Detectives is an occasionally comically absurd cosy mystery that follows two dinner ladies as they become detectives (the clue’s in the name isn’t it really?) in order to find out what happened to their kitchen manager.

What follows is a wild ride as the two end up, among other things, crashing into a fishpond, arrested for trespassing on a crime scene, and getting into a war of words with a gym receptionist. It’s not a serious read, for all that it’s about murder.

On the whole, then, reading this was a lot of fun. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the absurdities and the chaos that Clementine and Margaret wrought. If they somehow chose to stop being dinner ladies and start up a detective agency instead, I think it would be great.

The mystery in general was, I guess, a little obvious—this was more in the kind of sense that once you know who it is you go back and suddenly certain interactions that you thought, that has to be too obvious, are shed in a different light. That’s fine, though, because you’re not really here for the mystery. You’re here for the chaos and fun and it delivers.

So this is, in the end, definitely a book I’d recommend. Especially if you’re on the lookout for cosy mysteries, a subgenre that doesn’t seem to be that represented in LGBT lit.