It’s kind of bittersweet knowing there will only be one more Dales Detectives book as every time I meet back up with Samson and Delilah I know I am going to have a great time. This is a great series of books for any fan of cosy crime, the books are well written with interesting crimes and the solves are really not always as I expect but they make sense once everything is known.
This book focuses a lot on the environment and ecological studies which are needed especially in rural areas when planning permission is requested. As I have come to expect from this series, there was a good portion of the book focused on the other residents of Bruncliffe as they recover from the activities of the last book and help solve the ones in this.
The way this book ended has given me hope for the final outcome for the residents, especially Samson and Delilah, when the series ends but I’m guessing it won’t be that simple!lol I can’t wait to find out!

An excellent read!
This series gets better and better.
The characters are amiable and at times it’s like reading about old friends .
Delilah and Samson and the detective agency are back and begin sleuthing after the death of an ecologist and Delilah’s brother Will is arrested for his murder.
Will had an altercation with the dead man so the police see it has an open and shut case .
Delilah knows here brother is a hot head but not capable of murder and needs to find the culprit .
The investigation finds the ecologist wasn’t what he first seemed and he could have a number of enemies.
All the usual characters are involved including the indomitable Ida Capstick .
I Love this series and might go as far to say this is my favourite so far and I loved the ending.
Eagerly looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan.

A decent murder mystery set in the Yorkshire Dales!

The Dales Detective Agency is struggling. Samson is back in London with the day job in the Met; with Delilah remaining in Yorkshire their relationship is under pressure. The murder of a visiting ecologist to the area put's her brother, Will, firmly in the frame but there's no way that Delilah will accept that he was capable of taking a life. Now she needs to work out who did commit murder in order to get Will his freedom ...

This is the first I've read from this author and it was a well-planned, easy read with likeable characters. Most telling, I didn't suspect the actual perpetrator - although, to be fair, I probably had just about everyone else in the frame! If you like a nice enjoyable mystery in a lovely setting, then this could well be one for you. 4* from me.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

We're back in the Dales with Delilah and her team. Samson is down in London, currently being chased by criminals and Delilah and most of Bruncliffe are at the Wedding of harry and Sarah. Much as Samson wants to be there, his work plans had changed and although he tries, he is unable to get even the last train.
The morning after the wedding a body is discovered and all fingers point at Will as he had a disagreement with the deceased at the wedding reception. It's up to the DDA to find out the truth.
Meanwhile, following Rick Proctor's empire demise, the residents of Fellside Court are desperate to know who the new owner is and if their rent will increase.
Also, who is stealing into the patisserie and stealing cake overnight?
Another entertaining and engaging romp through the Yorkshire countryside.

I absolutely adore the Dales Detective Agency series. I love the characters, the dog who farts a lot when he drinks beer and I have a deep affection for Ida Capstick. My all time favourite series of books. I have introduced friends and family to the series and created even more fans of Samson and Delilah. The 9th installment continues a stellar run of engaging storytelling. I would suggest starting at the beginning with book 1 and get carried along with the unfolding storylines. You won’t be disappointed.

Overjoyed to back in the cosy, if somewhat murdery, Dales town of Bruncliffe!

I was apprehensive going into this, the ninth instalment of the Dales Detective murder mystery series. While most of the cases our detective duo Samson and Delilah have dealt with have been self-contained, there were threads and undercurrents that tied the stories together, culminating in the eighth book: A Date with Evil, bringing the main ongoing criminal doings in Bruncliffe to a satisfying end, or so I thought. So how could there be more without feeling like an unnecessary sequel, how can the Bruncliffe residents be put through more drama?

But Julia Chapman has done it again! Still cosy, still maintaining the feeling of community, familiarity, still exploring relationships but with the tongue-in-cheek writing style that repeats the traits of our, now well-loved characters, and still with a very visual sense of drama, so that reader, while following the main characters, catches glimpses of villains lurking in the shadows. In Date with Justice, we get an insight of the aftermath of the climactic events of book 8 on the small town, something that never occurred to me to think about before, but is missing from the Marples, the Poirots, the Midsomer Murders (to my recollection), or the Jonathon Creeks, but Bruncliffe is a community, the people and places tied together and when a part of that is unravelled or undermined, as it was in the earlier books, then everything connected feels the impact, and the sense of connection between the reader and the characters was solidifed just because Julia Chapman explored this.

The link between the uncertainty and desperation facing some of the Bruncliffe residents and the potential motives for the central crime in this instalment also meant that this book felt tied to the others in a way I hadn't expected, with the conclusion remaining unexpected enough, yet unfortunately believable and understandable.

So pleased that I saved this for a long weekend, with nothing to distract me. I had this on my Netgalley tbr for a while but held onto it until I could devote myself to it, an Easter treat better than chocolate.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this e-arc in exhange for an honest review, I remain a fan!

I have just reviewed Date With Justice by Julia Chapman as an advanced reader copy thanks to @PanMcMillan and @NetGalley.

When I say I have just reviewed this book – I devoured it months ago, on the day it arrived thanks to PanMacmillan and NetGalley, I’ve just been unforgivably late sitting down to review.

Once more I loved it. Going back to Bruncliffe is one of my simple joys and I dread the day Julia Chapman finishes the series.

Somehow this cosy crime series manages to wrap in serious issues and is also infused with tension, community spirit and a love story you can root for!

Samson and Delilah begin this instalment finally together but navigating the difficulties of a long distance fledgling relationship. The community is settling down after the chaos wrought by Rick Proctor and his dubious dealings and celebrating a wedding. However, things don’t stay joyful for long and after a fight breaks out and the ecologist involved is found murdered soon after. Unfortunately, the finger of suspicion lands on Delilah’s brother, Will and our two Private detectives spring into action. But what will Samson say when he finds out that his childhood home sneakily snatched from the family by Proctor is up for auction?

The story shows the unsatisfactory truth that the victim isn’t always a victim; and has us asking should the crime always receive punishment?

#JuliaChapman #NetGalley #PanMacMillan #DDA

This excellent series goes from strength to strength, I think this is the best book so far. The emotive story moves at a cracking pace, set in the Dales town with a great set of characters. To get the most out of these books I think you need to read them in order (I’m tempted to start from book one again!), the relationships and personalities develop so well. The town is almost a character itself, the wonderful descriptions take you right there; the author’s love of the area shines right through. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

This is one of a series of books starring Delilah and Samson and the Dales Detective Agency. It was quite a claustrophobic read, as it is set in a small village, where everyone is either related, or went to school with everyone else. I felt that half the characters could be dispensed with, but that is probably because I haven't read the rest of the series. The action around the actual crime was well plotted and this was a good read in spite of that.

Date with Justice is another great outing for the Dales Detectives. The story begins with a wedding that ends with a violent argument and eventually a murder. The victim is a prominent ecologist who is in the area to say if a planned camping venture can be given the go-ahead. The Dales Detective agency become involved when it appears that the prime suspect is Delilah’s brother Will Metcalfe.
This is the ninth book in this series and we meet all of the main characters again. The detective agency has expanded to include Nathan and Nina, two teenagers as well as an out of work gamekeeper however it has more than enough work to keep all of its employees busy. Not only do they have to try and prove Will’s innocence but the local bakery is suffering from a spate of thefts and the residents of Fellside are trying to find out who is buying their home. The author does a great job of making all of her large cast have individual characters and the sub-plots add to the interest of the main story.
This is an engrossing murder mystery although it isn’t quite as grim as the past couple of books have been. We get thrust completely into the lives of the people connected to the case and I loved the way that some of the characters felt really conflicted by the questions that they were having to ask and the thoughts that made them believe the worst of their friends and neighbours.
As always, the Dales setting is gorgeous and the environmental aspect of this story adds an interesting layer to the mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest instalment and will be sorry when the series comes to end after next book which is the final volume.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers, Pan MacMillan, for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Date with Justice by Julia Chapman was a delight from beginning to end. After having felt weighed down by the unremitting gloom and complexity of some of the books in the middle of this series, I felt this latest one had a lightness to it in spite of the fact that it dealt with another murder. But the plotline was resolved by the end of the novel which made a huge difference. Some of the police officers (especially if they're not locals!) are still a bit inept with a lack of attention to detail, and Samson and Delilah are still too inclined to break the law and/or interfere in a police investigation, but there is more co-operation and I found my credulity less stretched than in some of the earlier books. I'm looking forward to the next, and final, book appearing in 2025.

Samson O’Brien is back with The Met working undercover. It’s a job he used to love but this time something is different. He can’t get Delilah Metcalf out of his mind.
Delilah is busy in Bruncliffe juggling the Dales Detective Agency and the Dales Dating Agency but she is missing Samson as much as he is missing her.
Samson is given some time off and travels home to Delilah.
When an ecologist is found dead on the dale side, the police arrest Delilah’s brother, Will. Samson and the rest of the Dales Detective agency swing into action, with Delilah, to prove Will’s innocence.
As they work to find the real killer, they all know that whoever it is, it must be someone in the close-knit community.
With great characters, a beautiful setting and lots of Yorkshire wit and charm, these stories are cosy crime at its very best.

Thank you NetGalley and PanAm for allowing me to read in advance.

"Date with Justice," the penultimate instalment in this series, delivers a captivating continuation of Samson's journey. Returning to London with his reputation intact, Samson grapples with the persistent pull of Bruncliffe and memories of Delilah. The narrative unfolds with a murder at a wedding celebration, turning friends and family into potential suspects and setting off a frantic race against time to uncover the killer.

A recurring sentiment that echoes in each book of the series is the unwavering need to protect Ida Capstick at all costs. Her sleuthing skills and charming way with words consistently bring a smile to my face, making her a standout character that I thoroughly enjoy reading about.

One of the highlights of "Date with Justice" is the ensemble of characters who each get their own chapters, providing a deeper connection to the community. Even the pets have a voice, contributing to the warm and cozy atmosphere of Bruncliffe as they work together to solve crimes.

The narrative is rich with twists and turns, and each chapter concludes with its own cliffhangers, leaving me eager to unravel the mysteries that lie ahead. I particularly appreciated the incorporation of ecology into the storyline, shedding light on the intricate planning and research involved in farming—an aspect that added an intriguing layer to the plot.

As the story unfolds, the town of Bruncliffe showcases its strength in collaboration, emphasizing a sense of unity in solving crimes. This collective effort contributes to the overall cosy ambience of the book.

The culmination of "Date with Justice" is nothing short of perfect. The emotional ending left me with tears of joy streaming down my face, creating a satisfying conclusion to this instalment. Now, the anticipation builds as I must patiently await another year to rejoin the charming community of Bruncliffe in the next chapter of their adventures.

Being a bookseller, I was amazed at the rather low amount of ratings on Goodreads for the ‘Dales Detectives’. On French social medias, it has much more hype, and I can say that it is one of my most requested series. So I looked it up online, and it turns out that Julia Chapman lived in Ariège, next to the Pyrénées, and as my shop is in the South of France, I realised how much people care about books sounding close to home. Anyways, I already sold 60 copies, and I must say it was a joy to talk about it with my clients! I was a little bit worried about the environmental aspect of the story, because it is not something that is usually politically blended in cosy mysteries, but it was really well done, with touches of softness and suspense that are inherent to the series. This volume felt very wholesome, as Samson and Delilah are now surrounded by several people in the village, and it felt like a big family reunion, where everyone gets a conclusion, after going through several ordeals together. The books definitely got better with time, and will remain a great part of the cosy crime canon.

Samson and Delilah are back and this time they are drawn into investigating the murder of an ecologist when Delilah’s brother Will is suspected.
I love the Dales Detective Series, a real cosy mystery but also some fabulous characters I just adore.
Quite a few twists in this one especially on the cake thief that Ida investigates.
This hook leaves you with a big smile on your face even though you don’t want the story to end you have to keep going to find out what happens.
Thank you to Pan and NetGalley for a copy of this book it was fantastic

I loved reading this 9th instalment of the Dales Detective Agency. It is a gentle read, like a warm cup of Cocoa, a perfect holiday read. It is fine as a stand alone book but it’s like meeting old friends again if you have read some or all of the previous books.

Samson, Delilah and the team are investigating the murder of an ecologist, where the evidence points to Will, Delilah’s brother as the murder suspect. Is he really the culprit? And will they find out who keeps burgling the bakery?

If you are looking for a gentle and enjoyable read, this is your book.

After the explosive storyline from the previous book in the series I was unsure where this book would take us but I need not have worried, the series is as strong as ever with its strong sense of community, suspense, characterisation and dynamic between Deliah and Samson. It has everything, danger, romance and characters to love.
I'm distraught to discover this is the penultimate book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Date with Justice, the ninth novel in the Dales Detective series featuring Delilah Metcalfe and Samson O’Brien, set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Bruncliffe.

Samson is in London doing undercover work at the Met when an ecologist is murdered and Delilah’s brother is arrested for murder. Not believing it they start to investigate themselves and discover more than they bargained for.

I thoroughly enjoyed Date with Justice, which has an engrossing mystery told with a dash of humour and a lot of warmth. It should be noted, however, that it touches on themes of abuse that might not suit all readers.

The novel opens with Samson letting Delilah down by not turning up to a wedding as promised. There are laughs to be had in that, but also a fight between Will Metcalfe and the ecologist. The next day the ecologist is dead. After that the evidence gets bleaker and bleaker for Will until a last minute brainwave and examination of wedding videos bring the real perpetrator into focus, with a twist obviously. In the meantime Ida Capstick, cleaner turned detective, is solving a couple of mysteries of her own, giving the townsfolk peace of mind and the reader something to laugh at.

This is an engaging, quirky read with rarely a dull moment. It presents an idealised picture of life in a small town, where everyone looks out for each other and is only too willing to help. This gives the novel warmth and adds some comedic moments, but it also means that help is always at hand for the investigation. It is told from various points of view with the main voices being Samson and Delilah and that means there is always something going on to hold the reader’s attention.

Date with Justice is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I always look forward to my regular trips to Bruncliffe, and this visit is no different. The staffing levels of the Dales Detective Agency have grown, but they all need to play a part this time to determine the innocence of Delilah’s brother, Will Metcalfe. As always, the plot twisted this way and that way, lubricated by a pot of Ida’s strong tea (when she’s not breaking the teapot!). The relationship between Samson and Delilah seems to be a bit forgotten in this one, with a hurried footnote towards the end, almost like the author had taken it in one direction at the end of the last book then changed her mind (although Samson going back to his London life didn’t feel quite natural anyway). I can’t wait for the next one, although heartbroken that it’ll be my last visit there.

This is such a fun, well-written and entertaining series.

A new book is just like visiting old and faithful friends.

I highly recommend these books for any fans of the cosy crime genre, or like me, just anyone who likes a good murder mystery with a whole bunch of quirky and colourful locals thrown in.