small-town, Cornwall, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, cosy-mystery, retirement-community, retirees*****

Part time nurse Kate and her widowed sister, Angie, share a cottage and a small dog near the village and near Kate's retired police detective friend. Seaview Grange is a Victorian grey stone luxury retirement building built high on the cliffs in Cornwall which becomes the scene of a murder disguised as an accident. Kate is immediately involved as she has recently checked in on the victim who told Kate that someone was trying to kill her. The local detective pooh poohed the notion and her police friend simply wanted her to stay out of police business. Get real! Of course there are interesting personal side plots, some surprising suspects, red herrings, and some really colorful characters. Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

Death In Retirement.....
The second Kate Palmer mystery. Kate, and sister Angie, have relocated to a seemingly peaceful Cornish village. A departure from the hustle and bustle of London. Kate, a practice Nurse, is looking forward to a more sedate lifestyle. The last thing she expected was to become embroiled in murder and mayhem. Kate, already having become embroiled in murder (see ‘A Body In The Village Hall’), now finds herself at the scene of another death - dealing with dead bodies was most definitely not on her agenda. A glamorous former opera singer and resident of a luxury retirement home confides in Kate and insists that someone was trying to kill her - when her death does, in fact, occur is it accident or murder? Naturally inquisitive, some would say interfering, Kate becomes determined to solve the crime. With a likeable protagonist in Kate, a colourful cast of supporting characters, a potential love interest and a delightful setting this was thoroughly enjoyable, fully entertaining and satisfied a craving for some gentle escapism. Looking forward to more in what is a new series for this author and a promising departure from her already enjoyable existing catalogue.

Looking for a cozy, British mystery novel? You’ve got to read A Body in Seaview Grange by Dee MacDonald. Set in Cornwall, England, this is book 2 of the Kate Palmer Mystery Series. Seaview Grange is a Victorian grey stone luxury retirement building built high on the cliffs of Higher Tinworthy overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and it’s serviced by the Middle Tinworthy Medical Center. Kate Palmer, a 58-year-old divorced nurse, is on call 3 days a week. Looking for a quieter life, Kate and her widowed sister, Angie have just moved in together after purchasing Lavender Cottage in the picturesque village of Lower Tinworthy. You’ll immediately be drawn to the relatable and superb cast of close-knit seaside village characters and will appreciate the author’s knowledge of the area in describing the coastal community. The novel focusses on 7 residents, 1 stepson and 2 caretakers of the retirement home in addition to the sweet nurse who tends to them. Suddenly, what begins as a visit to tend to a broken ankle turns into a murder investigation as one of the residents, a glamourous Italian opera singer, dies from poisoning. The retirement home is in an uproar. Who could have poisoned her? Who’s next? You’ll get swept up in the local gossip as Kate and the detectives attempt to make sense of this mystery and apprehend the culprit. It’s a fantastic murder mystery, a charming whodunit, really, with lots of red-herrings to keep you guessing until the last page!

This is my first Dee MacDonald read and I’m hooked. Not only do the covers of her previous four fiction novels entice me, but the premise of the plots also sound hilarious. Recently switching to cozy murder mysteries seems to have been a successful transition as she is currently writing the third Kate Palmer Mystery.. I didn’t realize I was reading book two of a series until I was finished, but it certainly didn’t detract from the enjoyment. It could stand alone as a mystery. That being said, I can’t wait to read book one, A Body in the Village Hall published late June. Book two will be published on November 12 and worth the wait.

Thank you to Dee MacDonald, Netgalley and Bookouture for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

District Nurse Kate is visiting Edina in the course of her work at Seaview Grange apartments. Edina has a broken ankle, and is convinced someone is trying to kill her.

When Edina dies soon afterwards, Kate thinks there may be something in it. And when other deaths occur at Seaview Grange, she's convinced.

Another delightful Cornish tale