 Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this latest instalment in the Exham-on- Sea series of mysteries.  Murder at the Gorge A joke? A prank? Or something more sinister? When the Exham-on-Sea residents are targeted by anonymous emails containing apparently harmless nursery rhymes, no one knows whether to laugh or shudder until an unexplained death touches the town. Libby Forest, baker, chocolatier and Exham’s very own resident private investigator, alongside her partner Max Ramshore, set out to solve the puzzle before more people die. But when Max’s ex-wife arrives on the scene, ahead of Max and Libby's long-awaited nuptials, things go from bad to worse. With the town and their relationship under threat, Max and Libby need the help of the Exham History Society if they're going to find the nursery rhyme killer in time. Murder at the Gorge is the seventh in a series of Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries set at the small English seaside town full of quirky characters, sea air, and gossip. If you love Agatha Christie-style mysteries, cosy crime, clever dogs and cake, then you'll love these intriguing whodunnits. Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3cnJN1F  A My thoughts: I'm really glad to have discovered this lovely series of mysteries. While it can certainly be read as a standalone ( I really admire the way Frances Evesham put all the background knowledge to make a newcomer feel completely at home in Exham-on-Sea), I am going to go back and read the first six books. Libby Forest and Max Ramshore are preparing for their wedding, while two seemingly unconnected things happen. Max's ex-wife, a blast from the past, calls him and asks for his help. She has been getting strange e-mails. It appears somebody has been stalking her. On his way back home, Max also find a dead body of Carys Evans. it does seem that Exham-on-Sea has an unusually high murder rate, but who am I to complain, being a life-long reader of mysteries? In the meanwhile, Libby discovers that the village has been inundated with poison-pen e-mails. Since Carys was the first resident to have received one, the villagers feel threatened and ask Libby to investigate. I loved both Libby and Max, and their mature relationship, based on mutual love and trust. Since this was the first time I've read a book from this series, i was also happy to meet other villagers and learn about their distinct personalities and life stories. While it was exciting to follow the investigations, for me, the most interesting aspect of this book was immersing myself in this fictional world. The pace was just right- it never dragged, but there was enough time for the development of the story. Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read with great protagonists. I also liked the way the old theme of poison pen letters was re-invented to fit our modern world. Some things (envy, greed, gossip, gullibility to name just a few) do not seem to have changed that much over the course of human history. On the plus side, other things, such as love, respect, friendship, desire to help the others, and, of course, human curiousity are also going strong. Hope Francis Evesham continues to add more stories to her lovely series. Thank you to Rachel, NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.  Author Bio Frances Evesham is the author of the hugely successful Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries set in her home county of Somerset. In her spare time, she collects poison recipes and other ways of dispatching her unfortunate victims. She likes to cook with a glass of wine in one hand and a bunch of chillies in the other, her head full of murder―fictional only. Social Media Links – http://facebook.com/frances.evesham.writer http://twitter.com/FrancesEvesham http://instagram.com/francesevesham http://bookbub.com/authors/frances-evesham Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/FrancesEveshamNewsletter   Comments are closed.
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