It was the setting that had me picking up this cozy mystery by new-to-me author Kate Hardy. A murder at the site of an uncovered Roman baths? Intriguing! Plus, the author combines a present-day murder with a past one which makes for two crimes for the price of one. The Body at the Roman Baths is the 5th entry in the author’s Georgina Drake Mystery Series. It reads easily as a standalone, touching on some of the earlier stores in the series but without making one feel that they’re missing information needed to read this one.

Georgina Drake is a 53-year-old photographer and amateur mystery solver. She’s widowed, and currently dating Detective Inspector Colin Bradshaw. Her latest project is photographing some Roman ruins found as part of an archeological site on her friends’ Sybbie and Bernard’s property, Little Wenborough Manor. The site had originally been found in the 1860s by Bernard’s relatives but for reasons unknown, it had been covered and forgotten about until the present day. One of the lead archeologists, Trish, had also discovered that one of her relatives, Timothy, had been involved in the initial find, a man who had disappeared shortly after the discovery, never to be heard from again.

But what was supposed to be an exciting day of photography and uncovering ancient secrets quickly turns to tragedy when the tarp covering a beautifully tiled peacock mosaic is pulled back, revealing a dead man on the floor, blood having seeped out from a head wound. It’s the other lead archeologist, Simon, whom no one had heard from since yesterday. The archeological crew is now under suspicion for murder. And with the finding of the body, Inspector Colin is called to the site.

While Colin is investigating Simon’s murder, Georgina and her friends turn to solving the puzzle of what happened when the site was first discovered and Timothy’s disappearance. Georgina has a supernatural hand in her sleuthing, as ever since she first moved into her current house, she’s had conversations with the ghost of a woman who died there, Doris. She doesn’t see her, but she hears her through her hearing aid and Doris is able to commune with the deceased and give her clues to help her solve the cases she’s been involved in. And this one is no exception, as Doris is able to give her pertinent information. As she’s been hearing Doris’s voice for a while now, Georgina opens up to Colin about what she hears from Doris, but Colin doesn’t want to hear it. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, and this puts a strain on their relationship. Will they be able to solve their respective cases, and come to a compromise to continue their relationship?

I really enjoyed this story! I wasn’t sure at first about the whole hearing ghosts thing, but I got used to it and with her other friends also having stories about ghostly encounters and believing Georgina, it was woven well into the story and didn’t seem out of place. I loved the idea of solving a historical mystery at the same time as a present-day one and that also unfolds well, with good pacing and uncovering of secrets. Now granted, some of the clues and discoveries come about pretty easily (there is a treasure trove of old papers at the Manor that Georgina and her friends pour over) but there were also some surprises and catching the present-day murderer required some good detective work on the part of Colin and his police partners. Georgina, her daughter Bea (an actress who comes to visit her Mom), Colin, and their friends are all wonderful characters and it’s overall a feel good story (murder notwithstanding) with a satisfying ending (for Georgina and Colin, and for their cases). In the author’s note, Ms. Hardy reveals that she lives in Norfolk, that she is deaf and uses hearing aids (same as Georgina) and that her inspiration for the story was the real-life Roman ruins near where she lives. It all adds to the authenticity of the characters and the story. I highly recommend this for cozy mystery readers and I plan to read more from this author.

This review will be posted at All About Romance and Goodreads and feedback updated with the link.

Georgie has been invited to photograph a Roman mosaic uncovered at a friend’s farm. When a body is uncovered, Georgie’s boyfriend Colin is called to investigate. Meanwhile, Doris (the ghost Georgie hears) tells Georgie about an old murder that needs solved. In the process, Georgie decides to tell Colin that she talks to a ghost, adding tension to the story.
The mysteries were well-done and fun to read about. I enjoy this series so much and this was a good addition.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

How have I slept on the Georgina Drake mystery series??

So glad that Storm Publishing sent this one over via NetGalley- I LOVE Georgina now!

My first in this series, I did not feel lost, we catch up with Georgina and her pals quickly.
In this installment we get a couple murders, one current and one that is a rather cold case- set in the 1800s!
Georgina has some remarkable talents and while it's a cozy mystery, there is enough suspense to keep you on your toes. It kept me wanting more and I look forward to reading others in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read and review prior to publication in Feb 2025.

Another wonderfully enjoyable mystery! I love everything about these books, from the appealing heroine, Georgina, to the sense of community, family and friendship, the atmospheric locations, and the involving plots. This book combines an excellent mystery with a very compelling character-related subplot that had me one hundred per cent hooked! I was racing through the pages to see what happened – highly recommended!

I love this series, the premise of having a ghost talk to the main character is fabulous. If you like a cosy mystery with great characters, good plots and a village setting, then you will love this book.

Georgina is at the archaeological site to photograph the roman mosaic floor, when they uncover to find a dead body instead. With the help of her ghost friend Doris, she looks for more clues and tries to find out who the murderer is. Enjoyed this one and this series and would highly recommend.

Another cracking read from Kate Hardy. I always look forward to the next book in this series and they never disappoint. This one has the enticing setting of a freshly-uncovered Roman mosaic, and there are plenty of subplots to give the story interest and texture. I don't want to drop in any spoilers, but I will say that the admission about Georgie's friend Doris was handled really cleverly.
I would recommend this book, and the whole series.

This is another entertaining read from Kate Hardy in this series, where Georgina Drake, a photographer, tries to resolve mysterious deaths, with the help of Doris, who is literally a voice from the past.

This time there is a murder at an archaeological dig in the grounds of Little Wenborough Manor, home of Sybil and Bernard, Georgies friends. And that murder is connected in some way with the one that Doris needs help with.

I love the premise of this book, that someone wearing hearing aids can speak to someone from the past, like Doris. We get to learn more about the usual cast in this series, about Sybil’s background, the connection between the two incidents and an interesting view of the way digs are unearthed. I like the relationship between Georgie and Colin, a Police Inspector, who loves Georgie but is very straitlaced, and can’t quite believe where she gets some of her information from. And Bert also plays his own part in the investigations. An entertaining read full of character, good research and a touch of the paranormal. Recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really enjoy how Ms. Hardy writes her stories where they are not quite a dual-timeline, yet two crimes (or more) get solved by the end of the book from two different time periods. This was no exception. Doris is a key player, even as she is hidden from most of the group around Georgie. There are challenges to many different relationships as well as increasing depth as people continue learning to trust and accept each others differences. I like how we get to see and hear things from Georgie's perspective and occasionally get a glimpse into Collin or one of the others.

I really need to make the time to go back and read the books in this series that I've missed!

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

The Body at the Roman Baths is book 5 in Kate Hardy’s A Georgina Drake Mystery series. This was the first book I had read in the series and I found it to be easily read as a standalone, although I am interested enough in the characters to go back and read other books in the series.

I found this mystery unique in that there are two murders being solved, one in present day, and a historical murder that the characters solve through research, and a bit of paranormal help from Georgina’s ghostly friend.

I did feel like this book concentrated more on the historical mystery than the present day one, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book.

I would recommend The Body at the Roman Baths to any lover of cozy mysteries with a hint of the paranormal. I look forward to checking out other books in the series.

Murder past and present

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. The story hooked me in and took me along for a fun mystery sleuthing adventure with an endearing middle aged heroine and her supportive friends. Despite being about murder, the book has a warm cozy and happy feel. Georgina is a middle-aged widow and photographer who lives in Little Wenborough, England. What makes Georgina unique, is a ghost named Doris who speaks to her through her hearing aids. She and Doris solve unexplained long ago murders together. When she is asked to photograph a mosaic unearthed at a local dig site where a Roman bath is being excavated, the body of one of the archaeologist professors is discovered. When Doris lets Georgina know that a previous death occurred tangently related to the dig site, solving that death parallels the investigation of the recent murder. This well written story has a little bit of everything just like you would expect from a good cozy mystery - low angst, sweet moments, friendships, laughs, real life issues, imperfect characters, painful pasts, small town quirky people, gossip, love interest, mysteries, unexpected plot twists, and secrets. Despite this being the first book I’ve read in the series, I did not feel as if I was dropped into the middle of a plot and missing some back story. I enjoyed Georgie’s investigation and the discovery of the past.

The Body at the Roman Baths is the first book by the author I've read. I was drawn to it because of the title.

Our two main characters are quite fun, but starting with book 5 in a series does mean a lot has gone on that I don't know about. However, I was happy to accept they were a couple and move on with the resolution to the mystery, or rather the two mysteries.

The two plots are quite fun, drawing together on occasion, and I found the addition of 'Doris' to be quite quirky and not at all what I was expecting. It certainly helps solve some of the more difficult parts of solving old crimes.

Overall, it was a fun read. It was a little quirky and a little repetitive in places, and the ending was never really in doubt. Still, Roman-era archaeology and a Victorian mystery—what's not to love?

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Do you believe in ghosts? That's the question that drives a wedge between Georgina and boyfriend Colin this go-round. After finally working up the courage to tell him about her ability to hear ghost Doris, Georgina is somehow surprised when he doesn't simply shrug and accept her ability without question as her daughter and close friends have. Colin's disbelief aside, Georgina manages to stumble across another body, this time while at a photo shoot for an ancient mosaic uncovered at Little Wentworth Manor during an archaeology dig. The victim, Simon, was heading the project with his associate who discovered the body with Georgina. Given the nature of the site, restricted, the suspect list isn't lengthy but as it turns out, there are others who might have benefited from his death, too.

It's while looking into this death that Georgina manages to stumble into a very cold case, ie mid-1800's, in the same area. Not only are there no bones from that case for dog Bert to dig up, one of his not so endearing traits, but even Doris isn't able to pinpoint a body. Colin, while respecting Georgina's request that they spend some time apart for awhile, has few leads for either case, alas, but does realize how much he misses Georgina. We even get his point of view a few times, which is always a nice touch and doesn't leave us guessing as to his feelings. Toss in some possibly related heritage crimes, ie theft of relics, usually relatively valuable ones, and it's a complicated case. As for the cold case, Georgina has the help of daughter, an actress but one skilled at not just computer research but digging into family tree matters. I love how the author manages to weave in Bea despite her no longer living at home.

I won't detail the plot further other than to say despite some quirky issues with my early, not final copy, which have already been corrected , I was fully sucked in and enjoyed the story. The characters are likable and bring a variety of skills and knowledge to the story, a real plus. Toss in Doris's other worldly resources, let's call them, and while no one person has the answer, it's fascinating to see it all come together at the end. The trend of this series seems to be a current and cold case with some sort of historic connection, so this former history major fully enjoys it. Thanks #StormPublishing for introducing me to Georgina and company and allowing me an early peek at what's going on in their world. I genuinely feel like these are people I could know and enjoy the company of, ghosts included. A great mix of mystery and history with a very decided human touch. Heck, readers, even the ghosts are intriguing with full stories, making them easy to accept and like.

Another great story. I read this in one sitting. This time a body is found at an archaeological dig on Sybbie's property, Little Wenborough Manor. Georgie is there when the body is found and although she doesn't get quite as involved as in previous cases, she does help Colin by pointing him in the right direction. There's another historical case for Georgie to work on too, but this time there's a direct link to the current case. A great set of mysteries with the historical one being quite sad. Very enjoyable, cozy read!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Kate Hardy for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

Love this Norfolk cozy crime series.
Book five Georgina Drake.
And the dead body of the lead archaeologist Simon Butterfield is found at Wenborough Manor, the quiet village of Little Wenborough.
Georgina is photographing the Mosaic and Sybbie, Bernard and Trish everyone of them is a suspect in the murder enquiry.
As we read on lots are pulled out the woodworks, with so many clever details, will keep readers guessing right up to the ending.
Loved it.

enjoyed this further adventure with Georgina and Doris. There are two murders here, one in the present day, of a not particularly likeable person; and one in the past , where someone more or less vanished off the face of the earth. It worked well, as both stories unfolded, and especially the female characters interactions. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, this mechanism gives a chance to reveal information that might not be possible any other way in the story. It was nice to have the historical story put to rights .The gradual development and issues in Georgina and Colin's relationship is an interesting sideline, and I hope there is more to come for these characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a copy to read and review.

cozy-crime, widow, archaeology, archaeologist, suspense, local-law-enforcement, local-history, hearing-issues, photographer, ghosts, supernatural, murder-investigation, murder, rural, Norfolk, small-town, friends, friendship, relationship-issues, heritage-crime, secrets, thefts, unpleasant-victims, cold-case, due-diligence, pet-dog*****

Georgina Drake is a middle aged, widowed photographer who has come to have a relationship with DI Colin Bradshaw while working together. Further helping Georgina is the audio presence of a young woman who became a ghost fifty years ago but is rarely heard from and then only by Georgina due to her new hearing aids. The DI doesn't believe a bit of it.
This time Georgina is surrounded by friends at a new Roman archaeological dig where the body of one of them is found just in the center of the beautiful tesserae mosaic. There is also a historical cold case for the friends to investigate because it involves family.
Excellent series that is relatively easy to follow despite the many twists and turns.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from Storm Publishing via NetGalley.
Avail Feb 26 2025
#TheBodyattheRomanBaths by #katehardyauthor #GeorginaDrakeMysteriesBk5 #stormbooks_co
#BritishCozyMystery #Ghost #hearingImpaired #RomanArtifact #HeritageCrime #Archaeology #coldCase #NetGalley #goodreads #bookbub #librarythingofficial #barnesandnoble ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #BritishDetective #MurderInvestigations

A decent read which I chose because I loved the Ruth Galloway books set in Norfolk. Unfortunately, to did not enjoy this as much but it is still worth a read. The formatting for the final few chapters read as the plot outline which the author hadn’t got round to actually writing yet but it still had a good ending.

Georgina Drake is set to photograph an ancient Roman mosaic. As she arrives at the dig site along with her friends, Sybbie, her husband, Bernard and the dig site crew Georgina was all set until she wasn’t. Once the mosaic floor is revealed there is something else on top of it. The lead archaeologist was found dead on the floor. How could this happen? Now here is another murder Georgina has become involved in. You see Georgina is somewhat amateur detective who helps out solving crimes with her partner DI Colin Bradshaw.
Georgina, her friends, and with the help of her daughter to be they start to unravel the clues to this murder mystery. As they dig further and further into the past of this archaeological dig, they find that upon the same site a century ago someone vanished. As Georgina and Company dig into the past, they find many questions and answered, and since her friend Sybbie husband, Bernard or tied to the dig Georgina must find out the truth. This is a double murder mystery. Will they be able to figure this out in time before the dig has to move on? Who killed Simon and why?
I always enjoy cozy mysteries. Again this is a new author for me and this is book 5 in the series so as always I’m wondering will I have to read previous books to understand everybody’s connection. Kate Hardy made it easy to connect everyone so I didn’t feel like I had to figure out how everybody was connected. What I really liked is that Georgina has a little ghostly friend who talks to her. Doris had some good dialogue in this book, so we bought some humor to the story. I love the setting. The characters were interesting and I like the plot of the story. Having two mysteries in one made me want to finish the book quickly, which I did. I would be really interested to read more about Georgina and her friends in future books. I would also like to go back and read books one to four series. Thank you,NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

Excitingly, one of Georgina Drake's best friend’s, Sybbie and her husband,  Bernard, have an archaeological dig taking place on their land. A beautiful Roman mosaic floor is now ready to be photographed and admired but when a body is discovered marring the unveiling everything comes to a halt. Georgie's ghostly friend Doris is soon telling her about an unsolved murder linked to both the current dig and two of the families concerned with it. Can Georgina help partner DI Colin Bradshaw sift through the clues or will secrets from the past destroy more lives and reputations?

Book five in Kate Hardy's original cosy crime series is another brilliant read. The idea of having Georgina converse with a ghostly companion through her hearing aids is brilliant and added to the interlinking murder cases means this series is now a must read for me. This has all the required twists, turns, and red herrings needed as well as an excellent secondary storyline all of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Storm Publishing, but the opinions expressed are my own. This series just keeps getting better and better. Highly recommended.