A very enjoyable and light mystery that kept me hooked and entertained. I had fun and was surprised by the twists and the solution
The narrator did an excellent job
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Death by Dickens by Penelope Cress is the first and a series. It is an enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns, great characters (Steve and Penelope) and good humour.

This cosy murder mystery did not seem to me to be like the first in a new series. References to some of the background of MIke Atwell, the main character, appeared to allude to previous events that the reader might have read about before.

However, once I had got into the book, that did not worry me as the characters are amusing, and the plot so twisty that I could not wait to discover who was the murderer. I missed all the clues, but that did not spoil my enjoyment of the book.

The audiobook is well narrated by Adrian Hobart.

This was an interesting story with unique characters. It didn't feel like the first book in the series, however, and there were many times when I felt as though I'd missed something important because of references to a past that the reader doesn't ever see. The murder mystery itself was intriguing and the ending wasn't predictable, which I greatly appreciated.

the ending was a bit rushed and as a former resident I would have liked more broadstairs content. Despite this I enjoy getting to know the cracking detective team and look forward to reading what Mike does next.

This is a quirky tale, inhabited by a disparate range of characters. There’s a murder mystery to solve and retired police officer, Mike Twell leads the investigation. He’s helped by his ex wife and her dogs and a teenage hacker, Dex. They’re all a bit off the wall, but engaging and in a way, it’s their story and interactions which take centre stage. The murder of a crime writer in a hotel is almost secondary, but it’s there to be solved and it’s very much in the tradition of a Christie whodunnit.

I wasn’t sure at first if I was going to get into this gentle tale, but I was seduced after some 30 minutes of listening. Narration throughout is superb. Well paced and easy in the ear, overall, this made an interesting and refreshing break from some of the harder edged crime stuff I read, The characters are really well depicted and at the heart of the story is a carefully drafted murder mystery with clues to allow the reader to work along with the investigation. I missed them all! The characters took over and I literally lost the plot because they were engaging in their own right. Clever writing and I’d look for more. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Retired detective inspector Mike Atwell is persuaded to take over a small private investigation business and ends up teaming up with his quirky ex-wife, her dogs and a teenage hacker to solve the mystery of a writer's murder and the theft of local conifers!
The characters are all likeable and in spite of it being centred around a murder it is a light and humorous read. If you are expecting / wanting a serious crime procedural then this is not for you but it is a very cosy and entertaining listen.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced listener copy of this well narrated, fun audiobook.

*This cozy mystery follows retired police detective Mike Atwell as he investigates the murder of famed mystery author Imelda Bywater during her annual seaside writing retreat. With the help of his quirky ex-wife Sharon and a genius teen hacker named Dexter, Mike delves into the glitzy world of writers, agents, and obsessive fans to uncover the truth.

The novel is filled with twists, humor, and engaging characters, making it a delightful read for fans of Agatha Christie-style mysteries.

I enjoyed this, in a made for tv movie type way. It was cozy and good fun, I’d probably read more in the series. I always think it’s odd to describe murder mystery’s as cozy or fun, but all of the characters were endearing in one way or another and I particularly liked Sharon and the dogs.

Retired detective turned private eye, Mike hasn’t even reached his new office when he’s called to a murder scene, the death of an author in a hotel owned by Mike’s ex partner on the force. He recruits Dex for her hacking and coding skills, and ex wife Sharon recruits herself. They make quite a hapless team, but they get the job done. I was actually so caught up in the humour that I missed the glaringly obvious whodunnit.

This isn’t for you if you want a serious and technical murder mystery, but if you’re looking for something a bit more lighthearted you’ll enjoy it.

I enjoyed the audio narration.

Huge thanks to Quest by W F Howes Ltd. Via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧