Another great read! Very suspenseful and kept me guessing til the end. Loved all the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

I love a good cozy Murder mystery. They are my go to genre. This was a really good whodunnit that had me gripped

From the very start, Death at the Auction grabbed me and took me along for a great ride, meeting some fun and interesting characters along the way, and ending in a satisfying solution.

Like many good cozy mysteries, this one starts off with a (sort of) life-altering event that brings our main character back to her roots. In this case, it’s Felicia “Fliss” Grant, who is returning to help out as an auctioneer at her father’s auction house (which she helped start up) after her father takes a fall and must take it easy for awhile. Things never go smoothly and soon Fliss, her son Algernon, and even her ex-husband Dexter, are all caught up in a murder mystery.

As I said, the opening of the book is quite exciting and probably one of the stronger starts I’ve read in a long time. It was almost frenzied in its action and I was flipping pages as fast I could to see what would happen next. The action does settle down as we start being introduced to the town and its people, but what a way to start things off!

I really enjoyed almost all of the characters in the book even the ones that were supposed to be grating. It was a solid mystery from start to finish and Fliss in particular, is a great protagonist and I’m looking forward to seeing her develop as an amateur sleuth (along with her wonderfully precocious son Algernon) and settling back into life in Stamford.

The romance angle will be interesting as well. There’s both Dexter, Fliss’ ex-husband, who is more charming and irritating, and also the mysterious Jack Riding. It’s too early for me to take a side yet, so it will be fun to see what develops there.

It will also be interesting to see how mysteries and murders turn up – how many deaths can one auction house handle? – as this case was directly tied to the auction house. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!

*** Thank you to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with an e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Small towns with naught secrets? I'm into it!

Death at the auction is a comedy based in the small town full of secrets, auctions, gosspis etc. so it is a perfect environment for unofficial investigation about the murder what happend in the neighbeighood.

So, we have old ladies who seems to know everything about everyone, even though they sitting mostly at their homes, we have old lovers, inner circles, past that coming back as bumergang and great sense of humor.

It was so great to spend some time with this book. I really enjoyed it and had an awesome evening with wine and some funny moments there!

Truly recommend, 5/5.

I loved this cosy mystery! So fun, and engaging and I learned a lot of new words on every page, haha!

So it's a win-win for me. :)

I have been a little apprehensive about cosy mysteries lately, as I have been burned quite a lot! But this was truly enjoyable read.

I must admit, I thought the ending was a little oh-ok-then but still kinda clever.

Cannot wait for the next instalment in this new series :)

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

Death at the Auction is a fun and intriguing mystery that is a very pleasant read and wholly satisfying. A great book to pass an afternoon contently.

A fun, well-plotted and well-fleshed out cosy mystery incorporating a great cast of characters and the charming town of Stamford. I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery centring around a family antiques dealership, and the death of a rival found in a cabinet at Felicia, the MC’s, first auction upon her return to town after a few years’ absence. So much for the flying visit she had planned it to be when it turned out the man has been murdered!

A charming, beautifully British cosy written by someone with an eye for detail and an inside knowledge of antiques. I’m not especially a fan of antiques, but there’s a nice balance and it doesn’t get bogged down in descriptions or history.

It’s definitely going on my TBR list and I will definitely keep an eye out for the next one in the series. Recommended!

A very enjoyable book.
I liked the characters and there was enough action to keep you guessing. I certainly never entertained the actual killer as a suspect.
A good balance between light hearted Murder mystery and tension/suspense.

Well written easy reading mystery perfect for a Sunday afternoon read with a cup of tea and a cake.
Witty, with engaging characters.
Highly recommended
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review

A fun and entertaining novel. I loved the wit sprinkled throughout.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Death at the Auction" by E. C. Bateman is a thrilling mystery novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. The book is the fourth installment in the 'Merlin Parry' series, but it can also be read as a standalone novel.

The story follows Merlin Parry, a retired detective who is enjoying his new career as an auctioneer. When a wealthy client is found dead at one of Merlin's auctions, he is drawn into a complex web of deceit and murder that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. As he delves deeper into the investigation, Merlin must use all of his skills and experience to uncover the truth and bring the killer to justice.

One of the strengths of this book is the author's ability to create a compelling and intricate plot. The story is full of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and the dialogue is realistic and engaging.

The author also does a great job of building suspense throughout the book. The pacing is fast, and the tension builds with each chapter, making it hard to put the book down. The climax of the story is particularly thrilling, and the resolution is satisfying and well-executed.

Overall, "Death at the Auction" is a well-written and entertaining mystery novel that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre. The characters are engaging, the plot is complex, and the pacing is fast and suspenseful. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and engaging mystery novel.

This author creates well-drawn, complex characters, and knows how to build tension and drama that hold readers to the end. With several plot twists it managed to keep me guessing until the end. Even then I was surprised. I’m not easily surprised.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Love the cover on this one!

<b>Death at the Auction</b> is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by E. C. Bateman, and I am here for it! 🙌🏻

The writing was intelligent. The setting (an auction house in Stamford) was charming. The plot was engaging, witty, humorous, and full of twists and turns. The characters were well developed, and likable. I honestly don't have a single negative thing to say. Bring on the next book in the series! 👍🏻👍🏻

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I don’t think I’ve come across many novels set in Stamford, much less cosy mysteries, which is slightly odd, given how many similar towns have more than their fair share of unlikely (fictional) killings. I used to be quite familiar with that corner of England, though less so with the town in question, so I thought I’d give this new series a go. Felicia Grant returns to the town after an absence of eight years to rescue the auction business she set up with her father, after the old man has a fall and is unable to act as auctioneer during his convalescence. Accompanying Felicia is her teenage son, Algernon – seemingly wise beyond his years – and they soon find themselves joined by Felicia’s ex-husband, Dexter, star of a popular TV antiques show, and his film crew.

Dexter is on a hunt for a particular antique that Felicia is about to sell, but the chaos of his arrival is soon overshadowed by the discovery of a dead body hidden inside it. The deceased is soon revealed to be one of Felicia’s father’s business rivals, as well as the star of another TV antiques show, thus putting the whole Grant family onto the suspects list, and stranding Felicia and Dexter, not to mention Algernon, in Stamford until the case is resolved.

Felicia decides to do a little investigating of her own, much to the annoyance of the local police officers, all with the help of Algernon and Cassie – the town’s mayor and Felicia’s long-time friend. The killer, however, is determined to keep their secrets and will kill again to do so, putting Felicia’s family, as well as her father’s employees, in danger, until Felicia is able to team up with the police and help them solve the case.

This book was a bit of a disappointment. I figured out the original murder weapon – though not who had wielded it – very early on, and there were a couple of discrepancies that got explained away far too late in the story for my liking. I also felt that the general disregard for proper police procedure to be stretching things far too much, even in a genre where suspension of disbelief is often a requirement. Not a series I plan on following any further.

Princess Fuzzypants here: After her crotchety father breaks his leg, Felicia rushes from London to handle the auction taking place at the business they once ran together. She brings along her son, Algernon, and in the midst of the proceedings, her ex-husband stops the auction just as a dead body is discovered in a recently added wardrobe. What makes things more complicated is the deceased is a rival auctioneer and when there is a second murder, Felicia wants to make sure she is not arrested for it.

Luckily, the local DS is a good cop. He does not latch onto the easiest most obvious suspect, unlike his insufferable boss. In fact, he and Felicia form a shaky connection. He finds her insights and observations useful but tries to dissuade her from investigating herself. But when there is an attempt on her life and then one on her son’s, there is no way she is backing down. Between the two of them they do solve a number of crimes but she knows she is missing something crucial. When she finally twigs, it might have deadly consequences for both her and Algie.

This is a really entertaining and well plotted story, filled with some great characters. Since Felicia and Algernon are going to settle in Stamford, I suspect their paths may cross again in future books. Good. Five purrs and two paws up.

When her auctioneer father falls and breaks his leg, Felicia Grant is forced to step up to the lectern at their biggest Saturday sale. But as her gavel falls on the final lot, and the body of her father’s rival reveals he’s met his final end, Felicia is swept into a mystery that has every citizen of Stamford as a potential suspect—including her. This is a great new series and I can’t wait for the next one! Well plotted, fun characters and a nicely tied up ending. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

This is the first in what looks to be a good new cozy mystery series, featuring auctioneer Fiona and her son Algernon, who have moved back from the city to help at her dad’s auction house.

Sitting in on her first sale back, a mysterious cupboard appears as a last minute lot, only for a body to be found inside.

Good characters developing and I look forward to seeing how the relationships develop in further books.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think it's a good start for a new cozy series. It's a solid mystery, an entertaining and compelling read that kept me hooked and made smile.
Liked the fleshed out characters and the mystery kept me guessing.
Can't wait for the next story
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

This was a really enjoyable and well-written read. The descriptions of the town were excellent and made me want to visit Stamford. I loved all the characters, particularly Colin and Margaret Creaton. I could picture them in my mind and can’t wait to find out what happens to them next! Twelve-year-old Algernon was a treat too, and the budding friendship between his mum and Pettifer was lovely. There was a lot of humour in this book with a very clever plot (and sub-plots), lots of red herrings and surprising twists. A brilliant whodunnit with a surprising murderer. Fab – count me in for the next one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

A very enthusiastic five stars and two thumbs up for this brand-new series.
I definitely enjoyed this more than Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club.
The murder itself is very surprising and unique in the manner in which it
happens. There is any number of plausible suspects. They are an eclectic mix of the very likeable and very odd sort of people that you would typically find in any little village or town but probably more so at an antique auction. I loved that the mystery was set around the antique world. It is very reminiscent of the antique shows that are always on tv. I found it very easy to picture the scene.
I loved the main characters and the supporting cast. I particularly enjoyed Felicia's little boy Algernon and detective Sergeant Pettifer. I liked how she and the detective developed a little friendship despite being at odds with each other over the case.
As well as a very engaging mystery the story is laced throughout with humour. I found it very difficult to put down this book and was sad when it came to an end. I hope the next book in the series isn't too far away.