Expiry Date

Bea and Ant work in Costsave just trying to get by when one of Bea’s regulars, Julie, stops coming in. Julie often sports a black eye from her abusive husband and when a body turns up Bea fears the worst. An unsolved crime from 2005 resurfaces and Bea is surprised to find it connected to her family, but what really happened?
This is the third book in the series and although you can read it as a stand-alone (as I did) I would recommend reading the series in order just so you know all the characters and references to past cases. I really enjoyed this book, it was a super quick read with a lot going on and although it was a light-hearted mystery it did touch on more serious topics like Julie’s domestic abuse. I thought Bea and Ant were a great duo, they had such a natural friendship and were always looking out for each other.
I’ll definitely look out for more books in this series in the future as it was nice to escape to Bea’s world for a bit. Reminded me of M.C.Beaton books but for a younger audience.

Expiry Date is part of the Ant and Bea series but can be read alone without any prior knowledge of the series. It's full of twists, turns and lots of mystery. The characters are warm and welcoming, gripping you on the first page and drawing you seamlessly in to the characters world, that you feel lost when the book ends.

This is the first book I have read in this series, there are two before this one which I will now definitely have to read.
I flew through this book in less than 24 hours. It was such a fun, cosy read, with added suspense and loveable characters.

I found this book such an enjoyable read. There was always something happening to keep me hooked and wanting to read more.

I read this book fine as a stand-alone but I enjoyed it so much I will be reading the other two books in this series.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and literary fiction however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for opening up my mind to something totally different.

Thoroughly enjoyable time spent with Ant and Bea. An engrossing who dunnit set in a small town with a good selection of characters to keep you intrigued in the plot until the reveal.

Expiry Date is the third book in the Ant and Bea Mystery series by Rachel Ward. Although this is a continuation of a series it can also be read as a standalone. This is what I did and feel as though it hindered my reading experience very little, if at all. That being said I would very much like to pick up the other books in the series as I very much enjoyed these characters. If you are already familiar with these loveable protagonists from the get-go, I do think you would enjoy the start of the novel slightly more as it is definitely set at a more leisurely pace. This was also a definite plush for me as it gave me the worldbuilding I was looking for and gave me chance to get to know the characters involved. Needless to say, I think you would enjoy this book either way.
Our story starts when a regular customer at the shop in which Ant and Bea work at goes missing with her children. Bea suspects her husband is involved and may have harmed her. Soon after this another body is found leading Bea and Ant to delve back into the past and examine some harsh truths that often hit too close to home.
As well as being a light-hearted mystery, perfect for the summertime, this book does also handle some more difficult topics such as homelessness, parent imprisonment, loss of a parent, severe anxiety and agoraphobia, drugging, and domestic violence. These could be potential trigger warnings however nothing is expressed in too much detail and in my opinion, everything is handled with care.
The plot in this book is straight forward and easy to follow whilst still being interesting and engaging with a satisfying ending. If you read a lot of this genre you may find it too simplistic however if you are looking for a feel good book, or are new to the genre then I would definitely recommend picking it up.
Similarly, the pacing of the book is very good, and I personally flew through it. Once you get sucked into the story it is amazingly easy to keep engaged and reading and, in my experience, the last portion of the book sped by even faster.
The characters in this book are definitely one of its biggest strong suits, and I can only imagine how great they must be if you have been with them for two prior books. There are great friendships and overall, the portrayal of a community is very realistic. I enjoyed the fact that the author did not rush into things and really spent a lot of time allocating extra material for character and relationship development.
The setting of this book is also very realistic, and I do think that this helps to get you engaged with the storyline. Whilst elements of this small-town mystery are simplistic, the sense of routine it brings really aids its believability and shows more than anything that anyone can be a hero, or at the very least can do something good for those around them. This heart-warming aspect is sure to engage other readers in the same way it engaged me.

This was my first encounter with Bea and Ant, and what a great experience it was! This book is fun, full of mystery and so down-to-earth it is easy to just befriend the characters and become part of the story. I leaped into the pages, turned myself into a supermarket customer, I had eyes and ears everywhere. It felt comfortable but bits and pieces kept tickling my curiosity. Not a dull moment with this team and the people around them! A vanished woman, a chorus, family secrets, and the struggles we are familiar with. What’s not to love? I recommend Expiry Date to anyone who wants a cosy mystery with a clever writing, heart at its core, endearing characters, and the kind of mystery that you can feed on forever – smart but not overwhelming. Just perfect for a brilliant reading time!

An engrossing and entertaining cozy mystery. Even if it's the 3rd in a series it can be read as a standalone.
I appreciated the quirky and fleshed out characters, even if some of Bea's choices left me wondering, the setting and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book!

I had no idea that this was continuation of a mystery/crime series, but this can be read as a standalone too! This a light-hearted mystery that kept me engaged throughout! I loved the characters and the plot. And the writing was right up my alley! This book was quite short so was easy to get through and the pacing really helped wrap up the story. Although I didn't get some of the references, I'm hoping to pick up other books in this series! Highly recommend if you are looking for a memorable mystery series!

This was a great YA Thriller!

I got through this one quite quickly and didn't want to put it down.

I enjoyed reading it, and hope to read more from the author when I'm able to.