This is not my first Helena Dixon book - won't be the last either - and it is the third instalment in the Miss Underhay mysteries. Never fear, it reads well as a stand alone, but be advised you WILL want to go back and read the first two!

These characters are endearing. I could see myself - back in the 1930s, my favourite era for cozy mysteries - having any one of these as friends. Well, except maybe the villain!!!

Kitty is determined to clear Matt of this bogus charge, and the antics that ensue will have you turning pages until the very last one. A great rainy - or sunny - afternoon that I highly recommend!!!

[Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. I was not required to write a review. The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.]

I have really enjoyed the first two books of this series and so I was looking forward to Murder At The Playhouse, especially when I saw the absolutely gorgeous cover!

Murder At The Playhouse is a historical cozy mystery set in the 1930’s with a likeable amateur sleuth and plenty of memorable characters.

Poor Matthew is locked in a cell, accused of the murder of a young woman found dead on the golf course behind his house. He’s banned from looking into the case so it’s up to Kitty to find out more.

I enjoyed the fact we got to know Matthew a little better in this story, he’s starting to open up after his traumas during the war. We even got to meet his parents which was interesting to say the least! I also love the slow burn romance going on between Matthew and Kitty, I’m rooting for them to get together.

I liked the attention to detail these novels have with nice historical facts and features that makes it stand out from other modern novels set around this time.

There’s also a nice sub-plot building with Kitty’s mother and I’m anxious to see how that pans out.

Murder At The Playhouse is a puzzling whodunnit and a must for fans of golden age mysteries! I can’t wait to read more of this series.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of Helena Dixon’s ‘Murder at the Playhouse’ in exchange for an honest review. It’s available now in ebook, audiobook, and paperback.

This is the third in Dixon’s series of cozy mysteries set in the 1930s featuring amateur sleuth Miss Kitty Underhay.

It opens in the late summer of 1933 in Dartmouth with news of the body of a young woman in evening dress being discovered on a local golf course. Kitty is shocked to hear that her friend, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant has been arrested. It turns out that aspiring actress, Pearl Bright, had been strangled with one of Matt’s bootlaces.

According to Matt, two young women in evening gowns had turned up on his doorstep quite late the night before and were “rather loud and giggly”. They told him they were attending a party at his neighbours and were on a scavenger hunt. They begged him for a bootlace. He obliged and went to bed.

So very circumstantial evidence but the local police inspector still feels it warrants arresting him. Kitty is outraged and stomps about demanding his release. Matt and Kitty had recently quarrelled but she wants to help clear his name.

It turns out that the party was held at the Davenports, an influential local family with strong ties to the theatre. Members of the local amateur drama society are also involved. Kitty uncovers a web of deceit in her quest to discover the identity of the real killer. Of course, more bodies turn up before the final reveal.

This is the epitome of the historic cozy. It is playful yet respectful of the tropes of the Golden Age of Detective mysteries and presents an engaging whodunnit with two likeable leads in Kitty and Matt.

I enjoyed it very much and pleased to see Book 4, ‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ will be published in October.

This is the three installment in the Miss Underhay Mystery series. If you haven’t read the first two books, don’t worry you can definitely still enjoy this one as a standalone (I definitely recommend the first two though!).

After the quarrel at Enderley Hall, Miss Kitty Underhay and Captain Matt Bryant aren’t exactly on speaking terms when the story first opens. Matt is interrupted one evening by a loud knock at the door where he discovers two girls that are partaking in his neighbor’s scavenger hunt. Being the gentlemen that he is, Matt offers up the item that the ladies seek and continues his night in solitude. Everything comes crashing down when one of the girls ends up dead and he becomes suspect suspect number one.

While Kitty may not be happy with the way things ended at Enderley Hall with Matt, she will hardly stand for Matt to be wrongfully accused of murder. Even though everyone wants Kitty to simply do what is becoming of a lady and not be involved in such matters, Kitty decides to investigate on her own to clear Matt’s name. In doing so, Kitty has to go head to head with very influential people while not losing herself along the way.

I’ll be honest, of the three books this far, I felt that this one was much more subdued in terms of the spark that Kitty and Matt have since they are both still nursing the wounds of the row they had at Enderley Hall. Even though Kitty refuses to be chalked up to a fragile woman who needs to be constantly protected, there’s still hesitation between her and Matt which was a bit frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, they end up getting into their normal stride, but the first half of this book isn’t the snark that we’ve grown to love with this dynamic duo.

One thing that I always love about Kitty is her determination to always throw herself into the messiest of situations without any care for what people might think of her. It is clear that she goes to head with some pretty influential families, and rather than lose her cool, she manages to get information while being involved in high society events that would normally bore her to tears.

I always enjoy the fact that Helena Dixon introduces us to some many possibilities surrounding the murder at hand, but nothing is ever overly obvious. There’s always lots of twists and turns that really keep you guessing and then second guessing up until the very end.

Overall, if you love cozy mysteries and historical fiction, definitely pick up this series!

Thank you to Bookouture for the blog tour invite and providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

I love a cozy mystery and definitely don’t get to read them enough, so I was delighted to review this!

Kitty is gobsmacked to discover that her friend and partner-in-crime, Matt has been arrested for the murder of a girl who had been attending a party locally. But although Kitty and the police know Matt couldn’t have done it, the evidence is against him. Kitty sets out to discover who the real culprit is, and to clear Matt’s name. But as she does so, the killer realises that she’s poking her nose in and she ends up putting herself in danger. Will she be able to clear Matt’s name? And will she make it out alive?

I was completely sucked into this delightful story. As we all know I love historical fiction, and teaming it with a cozy mystery is a dream! The plot is fantastic and I flitted back and forth between characters and who I thought was the murderer, and was actually still quite surprised by the ending!

I’ve not read any of the the previous Miss Underhay Mystery series, so this was my first meeting with Kitty and Matt and I adore them. Kitty is a charming and determined young woman, caring and resilient but definitely with a hint of fieriness hiding under the surface. Matt is also a charming gentleman, with his own past issues and I really really want them to get together! Kitty’s Grandmother is also brilliant, and I love that there are interfering busy bodies in this who are tolerated, but you can still see how their behaviour affects the main protagonists.

Dixon’s writing is wonderful and descriptive, and I honestly felt like I was back in 1933. I could picture the outfits, the hotel, the theatre, the cars and the scenery; the writing brings it all beautifully to life. The way the characters greet and speak with each other, and how Kitty formally dines every night with her Grandmother, just makes it even more real and gives a good sense of what times would have been like.

As well as being beautifully written, it is easy and enjoyable to read and follow; I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want it to end! I’ll definitely be reading the first two books when I have time, and looking out for more from Helena.

If you love a good murder mystery that will keep you turning pages and thoroughly enchant you then you should definitely check this out. Highly recommended by me.

Kitty Underhay likely thought solving more than one murder was more than enough for her. Already quite busy with her hotel, and the time she spends with her grandmother is quite enough. Still reeling after a heated argument with dear fried, ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, Kitty is unbelievably shocked when she discovers constables knocked at his door to arrest him for the murder of his neighbor, a young actress.

Kitty has no doubt that Matt is innocent, and will do anything to clear his name. While Kitty often wonders if there is any future between her and Matt, she has her own mystery to solve. So it seems that Kitty is deemed to certainly be an amateur detective. Despite the objections of the inspector in charge of the case, Kitty leaves no stone unturned when it comes to proving Matt's innocence. As she delves into things, she finds herself at the home of Stanely Davenport, a man previously very involved with everything to do about the theater.

Quite naturally, the more Kitty digs, the closer she comes to unveiling the real murderer, thus placing herself in great risk, as she has done at least a couple of times before. Despite her ardent efforts to clear Matt's name, Kitty is still searching for information about her mother, as she had gone missing years ago. Can the pair work to work both matters out? Or will they both end up losing their lives in the process?

I am truly loving this series by Helena Dixon. Both Kitty and Matt are quite likable characters. I love their slow romance, one built on friendship, affection and shared purposes. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series and to see when they finally become a couple, especially with Matt's past military past, trauma and other losses. Their age difference works for me as well, as I think he is perfect for Kitty. Another thing I like about the series is that Kitty is a strong young woman, intelligent, focused and caring. So, this was an enjoyable treat for me to read.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

1933 When a body of a female is discovered on the Churston golf course next to Captain Matthew Bryant's home he volunteers what information he knows. Unfortunately this results in his arrest. Kitty Underhay knowing her friend is innocent, investigates. As the investigation involves the Torquay prominent family the Davenports, Kitty must act with caution. But she is helped by Mrs Craven, friend to her grandmother and finder of the body, and chambermaid, Alice.
An enjoyable and well-written historical cozy mystery, with its cast of likeable characters. Another good addition to this series.

Late Summer, 1933. Kitty Underhay & dashing ex-army captain Matthew Bryant are not speaking after an argument a few weeks before, when there’s a heavy knock at the door and he finds himself arrested for murder. The body of aspiring actress Pearl Bright has been found, strangled with one of Matt’s own bootlaces, and the evidence seems to be stacked against him. The local constabulary might have locked Matt up, but before they can throw away the key, Kitty hears the news and hies to his aid, determined to prove his innocence. And when her investigations lead her to the home of retired theatre impresario Stanley Davenport, and the local amateur dramatics society. But Kitty’s digging is bringing her to the attention of the killer.
This is the third book in this enthralling series, it could be read on its own but to fully appreciate it I’d recommend reading in order as there is the developing relationship between Matt & Kitty that is gradually building throughout the series also the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Elowed, Kitty’s mother sixteen years ago. A very well written book that had me hooked from the start when Matt had been arrested. Strong characters & a well paced story with plenty of red herrings & twists & turns had the pages flying by & I read it in two sittings. I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Another enjoyable cosy mystery from Helena Dixon. I really enjoyed the first and second books in the series and the third keeps up the high standard of the earlier books.

The main story is investigating the murder of a young actress. Initially Matthew is suspected. Kitty is asked by Matthew’s anxious mother to look into this.

Also the backstory of what may have happened to Kitty’s mother is bubbling away and the mystery of this gets ever deeper.

The relationship between Kitty and Matthew grows ever closer and we see some moments where the two are wondering about their growing fondness for each other.

This is a great story and one that cosy mystery lovers will happily immerse themselves in.

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third in the series of cozy mysteries set in the 1930’s with Miss Kitty Underhay and her good friend Captain Matt Bryant working together this time to expose a murder pinned on Matt.
A party at his neighbours including a treasure hunt saw him as the person last to see a young female partygoer and supply her with the shoelace she has been searching for as a scavenger hunt find and untitled murder weapon.
Once Matt has been exonerated he and Kitty start to look into the crime and another murder happens.
Having not read the first two books I found this well written, easy to like the characters and enjoyed the easy pace of life portrayed. The friendship between Matt and Kitty is becoming a good starting romance and I have already bought books 1 and 2 and will be looking out for the next instalment when it is due out in October 2020.
Highly recommend as an entertaining read.

Whoa!! The stakes were raised in this book 3. Author Helena Dixon wrote another historic cozy where plain ole determination set about making inroads and solving a murder.

A young actress was murdered, and Matt was arrested. It was after all his bootlaces that strangled her. But how could Miss Kitty Underhay allow anyone to throw him in the slammer? On she went to find the killer and save Matt.

Set in the 1930s, the book was quaint yet a fast read. The author was clever in placing Kitty in quite a few precarious situations and raising the tension in the story. A second murder added to the pace. Now Kitty had to move fast. A secondary theme of finding her mother too continued in the background.

Characters were eclectic, with maid Alice making her presence felt with her observations. Motives and suspects were plentiful, the web of deceit soon enveloped the characters. It took all of Miss Underhay's determination to cut through them and reveal the killer. Investigation had its twists, I could guess the murderer, but that didn't deter me from the charm of the book.

I quite enjoyed this historical murder mystery, set in supposedly cozy times, where friendship was tinged with love, but nothing spoken outrightly, and where murders occurred at regular instances.

Murder at the Playhouse by Helena Dixon was a captivating read. Ms. Dixon has written a wonderful, historical cozy murder mystery set in the 1930s on the south coast of Devon that captures the reader’s attention. The main characters of Kitty and Captain Bryant must prove Captain Bryant’s innocence and discover who the real muderer is before someone else is killed. Kitty is also trying to figure out what happened to her mother and work on her relationship with Captain Bryant. The book has it all, thrills, romance, humor, and a great setting, the seaside. It would make a great beach read.

This is book three in the series by Helena Dixon and it reads just as wonderfully as book one. I love Helena Dixon's take on the 1930's and her protagonist, Kitty Underhay is a spirited young woman whose grandmother owns a hotel, but she wants more out of life. A budding friendship/romance with Captain Matthew Bryant seems to be in her cards.

There's a body of an aspiring young actress, Pearl Bright, and she's been found strangled at a golf course. Matthew Bryant goes to the police with some information which could provide assistance, unfortunately it lands him in jail, being arrested for the possible murder of the young woman. After Kitty hears about the arrest, she goes about trying to prove his innocence and clear his name. Her trusted employee, Alice, is quick to help her. I love how Alice's character is developing, she makes an excellent Watson for Kitty's Sherlock.

This is a great murder mystery series with a feel of the Golden Era/Agatha Christie whodunnit to it. The author does an excellent job with her characters and has a well-written plot. I love the heroine, Kitty. I look forward to reading her further adventures. I definitely recommend this book to lovers of cozies, historical fiction cozies and spunky heroines.

I would like to thank Helena Dixon, Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wonderful cozy I was drawn right into the story full of charm ,humor a mystery perfect read for me.For lovers of fun well written cozy’s this one is for you. #netgalley#bookouture

I really liked the dynamics between the characters in this historic cozy mystery. In general I love cozy British mysteries to begin with but the author adds in authenticity from the 1930s that I really appreciated. The hero and heroine are very likable and the supporting cast helps make the story a fun read. Though it wasn’t very difficult to figure out who the murderer was, the story was still very enjoyable.

I love this cozy mystery. It was a read the made me so engrossed that I was able to read it very quickly. Fun and witty with a lot of quirky humor thrown in. This book kept me entranced. Great read!

I enjoyed the first two books of this series very much and couldn't wait to read this one! I loved the story especially with the little twist that one of our main characters was suspect of murder. The story is fast-paced and easy to read and I really couldn't put it down. I was glad to see things develop between Kitty and Matt as well as learning a bit more about the disappearance of Kitty's mother (an ongoing background story since book 1).

I recommend this book to any fan of cosy mysteries (and read the first two as well!)

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of Murder at the Playhouse in exchange for an honest review.

Helena Dixon has written another delightful story with Miss Kitty Underhay, her grandmother Mrs. Treadwell, Captain Matthew Bryant and Inspector Grenville during the fall of 1933.

When Matt is arrested for a murder he didn't commit, Kitty is hot on the trail of the murderer. Even though Kitty and Matt parted on bad terms after their last adventure at Enderley Kitty is not about to let Matt be punished for a crime that she knows he would not commit.

During a party at the Davenports, Matt's neighbours a young woman is found strangled with a bootlace at the Churston Golf Club. There are plenty of suspects - Peter Davenport and his friend Sebastian Prior are hiding something. Tilly and Laurence Tilney are a film producer and his actress wife. Saira Conners is being pressured into a marriage with Peter that neither of them seems to want. BeBe and Dickie Deville are a pianist/composer and his chanteuse wife. Mr. & Mrs. Davenport are all about getting a knighthood arranged so they are trying everything to keep scandal firmly on everyone else's doorstep.

The dead girl is identified just in time for another murder to occur. Of course, it would not be a Kitty Underhay book without Kitty placing herself in the line of great danger.

We are also given nuggets of information about Kitty's missing mother Elowed. A man named Jack Dawkins enters the picture and he claims to have also been in love with Elowed. He leaves behind a deathbed confession that may help Kitty piece together what happened to her mother.

Can't wait for the next book in the series!!

I enjoyed Murder at the Playhouse. Kitty and Matthew are interesting characters and I've enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Having Matthew as one of the suspects was an excellent plot twist and the mystery was well done. I always appreciate it when I am not sure who "done it" until the reveal. The secondary characters were intriguing and the on going investigation into Kitty's mother and her disappearance is as well. I look forward to their next adventure!

The party at the Davenport’s had been noisy with many people wandering around, especially those participating in the treasure hunt. But it was the following morning when Kitty Underhay discovered her good friend, Captain Matthew Bryant had been arrested for the murder of a young woman found on the golf course. Of course, Matt was innocent, and Kitty proceeded to the police station to tell Inspector Grenville he had made a mistake. Kitty was the proprietor of the Dolphin Hotel and along with her grandmother, ran the hotel very well. But she was about to take some time off to find a murderer and prove Matt’s innocence.

As Kitty investigated, the danger intensified and with another death, the police as well as Matt and Kitty were desperate to find the culprit. But would they? It seemed the killer was also desperate…

Murder at the Playhouse is the 3rd in A Miss Underhay Mystery series by Helena Dixon and once again I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, filled with tension, Kitty was once again up to her usual tricks putting herself in danger. A loyal friend, Kitty and Matt’s friendship had some bumps last book, but seems to be on track in this one 😊 An excellent historical cozy mystery series, Murder at the Playhouse is a great addition. Looking forward to #4. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.