Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This storyline has multiple mysteries going on at the same time and kept me flipping pages all night. The characters were relatable and believable. Over all a good read

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Frances Lloyd

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

Carrie Dawes finds herself in the frame for murder when a body is discovered in the back of her catering van , as usual not leaving it to her husband to clear her name Carrie and her group of trusted ladies vow to solve the case and find the real killer

Absolutely love this series and could read over and over again

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An officer's wife is accused of murder when a body is found in her van. Complicating that case is the body of a young woman and an execution of a farm worker. A hodgepodge of storylines and twists leads to a satisfying conclusion.

Let me begin by saying that although I have not read any of the prior novels in this series, I had no trouble understanding this story, or the long-standing characters that we were introduced to and their relationships with one another.

My issue with this one was entirely with the absurdity that was this novel - something that was very disappointing considering it had the potential to be so much better than I found it. I enjoyed the way three seemingly un-connected murders were woven together. I enjoyed the fact that the police had a pretty good idea of who was behind it, just couldn't prove it immediately. I love nothing more than an interesting story with well established bag guys, as this crime family was purported to be.

What I didn't enjoy? Well, let's start with the characters, more specifically, Corrie, Jack and Detective Crumb.

When Corrie first finds the body in the back of her van, she rings the police station insisting that the case be handled as though she were simply a member of the public, not the wife of a DI. Except, her husband then proceeds to the crime scene with his partner to begin working said case despite this being a clear conflict of interest on his part. Sure, Corrie knows she didn't do it, and Jack knows his wife is innocent, but a good barrister for any suspect they do arrest will certainly be able to cast doubt simply due to his involvement. Then Corrie decides to keep a key piece of evidence (a note from her ex-husband given to her the night that he died) a secret from her husband even knowing that it could be considered impeding the investigation. I'm sorry what? Shouldn't the two of them KNOW better? She even at first decides she's not going to tell her husband that the murdered man is her ex, even though she knows that fact will come to light sooner rather than later.

Eventually, DI Dawes is called to his superiors office and told that Detective Crumb will be taking over the case and that Jack is to step away and not be involved at all. Which surprises Jack? I'm sorry how long has he been a member of law enforcement? Anyway, I thought at this point the book would get better, but it turns out that Crumb is ..... well he's not all that bright. He becomes so singularly focused on Corrie that it would be laughable, if it wasn't so sad. I mean, he goes so far as to break into her bakery at night trying to find a piece of evidence he thinks will be there. And then (after snooping) he gets information which he immediately runs off to investigate on his own. Like come on... seriously?

And while we're on that point, let me move onto the second issue that I had with this one - the plot.

In addition to the things I mentioned above, there was the issue of Corrie and her friends (including two serving police officers) somehow managing to infiltrate a mob stronghold to gather information that later the police don't find even though they supposedly went over the same location with a "fine toothed comb". First of all, they ALL should have known better. But the fact that they put themselves into danger, found the information and then made the collective decision NOT TO TELL ANYONE until way after the fact? Apparently, this group (before the addition of the two new members) tended to do this a lot throughout the other books.

And then the ending. All of the build-up. Just to have it ..... kind of fall flat. Yes, everything is wrapped up with a nice bow, but after all of that? After the way certain characters had been portrayed as "untouchable" to have things end as they did, really just kind of annoyed me. I wanted a showdown, not a letdown.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Readers looking for an entertaining, absorbing and unpredictable mystery need look no further than Frances Lloyd’s latest, The Eden Park Killer.

Corrie Dawes cannot wait to pack up her van and head back home after spending a long and exhausting day catering for the wealthy residents of the exclusive gated community Eden Park. However, when she opens up her van she sees something that shocks her to her core: a man’s body lying face down in a bowl of leftover trifle with one of her vegetable knives lodged in his back. A shocked Corrie immediately calls her husband Detective Jack Dawes and just when she thought she couldn’t take any more chilling surprises, the police inform her that the victim is her ex Tom Broadbent and that she’s suspect number one!

Corrie hasn’t seen Tom in over twenty years. What could have possibly brought him to Kings Richington? And how did he end up dead in her van? With her freedom and reputation at stake and Jack off the case, it’s up to Corrie to clear her name and find out who killed her ex – especially as the odious Detective Crumb is determined to prove that she lured Tom to her van and then murdered him!

Will Corrie manage to find out who killed Tom? Or will she end up paying for someone else’s crime?

Frances Lloyd never fails to deliver the goods and The Eden Park Killer is another exciting, engrossing and enjoyable crime thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very last page. Fast-paced, witty, tense and full of twists and turns nobody will see coming, The Eden Park Killer is a terrific crime thriller readers will want to gobble up in one sitting.

This had a great overall feel to a murder mystery, it had a great twist and I enjoyed reading this. The characters felt like they belonged in this universe and I enjoyed how they worked in this universe. Frances Lloyd has a great writing style and it left me wanting to read more.

I enjoyed this twisty book. Very interesting and a lot of red herrings. It didn't matter that I hadn't read the others in this series as it reads as a stand alone. I loved the characters and now want to read the others in this series. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

As someone who's gone through a messy breakup, I can relate to the feeling of wanting to scream when I think about my ex. But murder? That's a whole different story! Corrie Dawes' shock and exhaustion are palpable as she discovers Tom Broadbent's body in her delivery van. I loved how the author slowly reveals Corrie's past with Tom, and how it's clear that their history is complicated.

What stood out to me was how the author explores the themes of appearances and secrets. The exclusive community of Eden Park seems picture-perfect, but we soon learn that everyone has something to hide. I found myself wondering what secrets Corrie and Tom had shared, and how they'd ended up in this tragic situation.

Detective Crumb's dogged determination to pin the murder on Corrie added an extra layer of tension to the story. I was on the edge of my seat as Corrie began her own investigation, navigating a web of lies and deceit. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end!

Overall, this book was a thrilling page-turner that kept me up way too late. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with a strong female lead and a dash of humor, you'll love this one. Just be prepared to sleep with the lights on – and maybe avoid trifle for a while! 😳

Sometimes you could just murder your ex. But would you?

A well-written mystery with interesting characters and good, solid plot-twists. Well done!

A young woman is found murdered in a farm silo while a policeman's wife finds her ex husband's body in her catering van. Could there be a connection between two deaths so closely discovered and can Jack Dawes exonerate his wife?
The Eden Park Killer is the 11th book in the DI Jack Dawes series but it is the first that I have read. There are mentions of events that I assume featured in earlier books but no spoilers.
Two murders, a crime baron and a big drugs deal. There is a lot for DI Dawes to unravel. His own wife Corrie is implicated in one of the murders so he is forced to focus on the other death despite being convinced that the two murders are linked. The rather hapless officer put in charge of the ex husband's murder is adamant that Mrs Dawes is guilty. Meanwhile Mrs Dawes herself is investigating alongside her friends.
The case itself held my attention even though we discover connections and culprits quite early. My enjoyment was then focussed on seeing how Jack, his opponent Crump, and Corrie work independently to solve the crimes.
I really loved this book and I want to catch up on Jack's previous cases. There is a wonderful tone to the book with a gentle humour that softens the crime element. Jack and Corrie have a brilliant relationship with each other but also with the other police officers and friends.
The Eden Park Killer is an entertaining and dynamic police procedural and I want the next book NOW!

This book was a quick read. It was a classic agent lead mystery, and the characters were lovable and hilarious.
Two bodies are found on the same night, and a detective must figure out their connection and exonerate his own wife.
This is not a twisty turny thriller, but a good mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Joffe Books via NetGalley.

Corrie Dawes, a caterer for the affluent residents of Eden Park, makes a chilling discovery in her delivery van: the body of her ex, Tom Broadbent, lying lifeless in a bowl of trifle with a knife in his back. She contacts her husband, Detective Jack Dawes, and they're baffled by Tom's unexpected presence and murder. However, Detective Crumb suspects Corrie of the crime and sets out to prove her guilt. With the investigation taken out of Jack's hands, Corrie must unearth the truth to clear her name before facing the consequences of someone else's deadly actions.

In this murder mystery, the storyline ended up feeling somewhat passive and lackluster, particularly as it approached the climax. There was this building anticipation throughout the narrative that unfortunately fizzled out in the resolution. Moreover, while the characters had potential, they fell short of being engaging or relatable. Their depth seemed somewhat lacking, leaving me feeling disconnected from their experiences and emotions.

This is the eleventh book in the highly popular series featuring DI Jack Dawes of the Metropolitan Murder Investigation Team in Kings Richington, Richmond, his sergeant DS Mike "Bugsy" Malone and his team of DCs Aled Williams, Gemma Fox, profiling star Beatrice “Velma” Dinkley, and also Clive “the geek” who has a talent for extracting (hacking) information from various sources. Small time and not exceptionally talented burglar Tom Broadbent witnesses something at the mansion of ruthless crime boss Bernie “The Bard” Shakespeare and flees for his life, stumbling upon Jack’s wife’s food outlet where he spots the name Coriander and realises it might just be his ex-wife from twenty years ago. He leaves a frantic note but all too soon the gangsters catch up with him and he is discovered by Corrie the next morning in her van dead and face down in a bowl of trifle with one of her knives in his back. Before attending this scene, the team are called to the strangled body of a young woman left on top of a silage bale at a nearby farm wearing only glamorous pyjamas. They identify her and find she was living in Bernie’s house on the exclusive gated Eden Park estate, just near where Corrie’s van had been parked. They have to wonder if the two murders are connected but pompous DCS Garland brings in dreadful DI Percy Crump to work the case of Broadbent. After all, Corrie has to be the prime suspect but who will clear her name first - the inept Crump, Jack’s team working covertly or the three “C”s?
Despite the fact that there are some serious crimes going on, there is much humour and charm in the conversations and witty interactions between the characters, making these books an absolute pleasure to read. There are lots of warm and loveable people featuring in this “not quite cosy" police procedural series ranging from Big Ron (Dr Veronica Hardacre) the pathologist with voluminous knickers and sidekick Marigold Catwater, and Chief Supt George Garwood ever panicking that he might not look so efficient if Jack ever left, to Carlene with her fierce loyalty to the Dawes and Garland’s eccentric wife Cynthia, and there are some real laugh out loud moments and phrases. One of my very favourite series!!

Follow the story of Coriander Dawes, catering wizard, and her husband DI Jack Dawes. On a bitterly cold night, Coriander makes her way back to her van after dropping off some beautiful pies to a resident of the affluent gated community of Eden Park. The following morning Coriander gets the shock of her life to find the lifeless body of a man in the back of her van….. a man she knows…. a man with a knife in his back.
Thankfully Coriander has the full support of those around her: protégé Carlene, friend Cynthia and Gemma and Velma, colleagues of Inspector Jack to help clear her name. As the shady Shakespeare family make their presence known and two other bodies appear, it is clear that a cycle of events was put into motion which caused death and devastation to many. Will justice ever be served?

I started off believing this book to be another serious, police based thriller. However it is far from serious. Leave reality at the door and engage your sense of humour! Any fans of Janet Evanovich’s style of storytelling with the Stephanie Plum series will enjoy this read. I definitely smiled on occasion and I have to say that I flew through it. An easy and lighthearted book!

Thanks to Joffe Books, NetGalley, and Frances Lloyd for the opportunity to review book 11 of the Detective Jack Dawes series. What would you do if someone from your past that you hadn’t seen for 20 years shows up dead in the back of your catering van with one of your veggie knives in his back? Sadly, Detective Dawes wife Corrie has that very real problem happen and even worse because she is his wife he is not allowed to investigate. The investigation is put in the hands of a detective that has already decided that Corrie is guilty and that means she and her friends will have to clear her name. Meanwhile Jack is following up on a case that has ties to Corrie’s case and soon they will have to join forces even if they don’t have permission from Jack’s boss.
Loved this book and am adding the rest of series to my ever growing TBR because they are so well written and entertaining.

The Eden Park killer by Frances Lloyd.
Detective Inspector Jack Dawes Mystery Book 11.
Corrie Dawes is shocked to find a dead body in her delivery van. She immediately calls her husband Detective Jack Dawes. He arrives to find out that the victim is Tom Broadbent, Corrie’s ex. Unfortunately Jack has been pulled from the case. Detective Crumb is now in charge and he's determined its Corrie. He will prove it.
I really enjoyed this book. I hated Crumb. This was gripping and twisty. I did like Jack.
I tried to guess who it was but I was wrong. I do hope there is more to come. 4*.

The detective, Jack Dawes, and his team, his wife, Corrie, and her investigative cronies. Procedural versus cosy. Her main role is as a chef producing gourmet dinners to the rich and lazy with a local drug baron, sorry, entrepreneur requiring fancy Christmas party nibbles. Sadly his sons are not all quite as bright so when they end with a body they see fit to dump it in Corrie's van. Jack therefore off the case, conflict of interest, and a superbly bumbling idiot is brought in. He knows that Corrie is the murderer naturally. Total farce but fun. Corrie and cronies are on the case and not above a bit of lock picking whilst dressed as ladies of the night, sort of. The detective team are a nicely mixed group who all gel and work together. The boss is a bit keen on seeing himself as the great god of police but his wife is more down to earth and keeps him under control. The baddies family are a hoot although nasty. Whilst dealing with serious crime the story has a lot of fun too, almost light hearted at times. Just what one needs. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

family, family-dynamics, wealthy, series, situational-humor, verbal-humor, witty, law-enforcement, England, revenge, unputdownable, caterer, cooks, restauranteur, small-business, small-town, women-sleuths, wife-and-husband-sleuths, procedural, multiple-murder, underworld-gangs, cozy-crime, ex-husband, office-politics, false-information, falsely-accused*****

Hilarious! One police team and one wives team do meticulous due diligence while a second police team is led by a veritable farce of a bumbling copper as comic relief. DI Dawes has to recuse himself when his wife is in the frame for the murder of her ex-husband so she and the "Fearless Five" go about investigating on their own. The whole thing is a laugh riot while also being an excellent crime thriller!
Now I have to go back and binge-read!
I requested and received an EARC from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#DIJack DawesMysteries11

The eleventh case in the DI Jack Dawes series, The Eden Park Killer (2023) by Frances Lloyd is a truly engaging gentle crime mystery. Leading up to Christmas, things are quiet for the Murder Squad detective team until two murders hours apart require solving. The investigations find, despite the close geographical proximity, there are no obvious connections. When one of the victims is identified as the former husband of Jack Dawes’s wife, she becomes the main suspect. The cases are then separated as Jack’s team investigates the woman’s body found in a silage pile. Those familiar with the series will no doubt enjoy this murder mystery, but as a standalone read, it was somewhat disappointing, given several unlikely coincidences detracted from the overall narrative. Also, the ending was too passive and anticlimactic, so it's a three stars rating for this police procedural. With thanks to Joffe Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.