Not everyone is who they seem in this fantastic story of secrets, greed, and treasure. A fabulous who-done-it that had me flying through the pages. Hannah Dennison has a great cast of characters to complement her interesting story line. I am definitely adding the rest of this series to my must-read list.

In Danger at the Cove, Evie and her sister Margot are renovating an Art Deco hotel on Tregarrick Island off the Cornish coast of England. When Margot invites her old Hollywood friend, Louise, to the still-a-construction-zone hotel to help with marketing, the dead bodies start piling up. And what’s with the recently discovered shipwreck near their coast? Could it contain treasure?

I really enjoyed the first book in this Island Sisters Mystery series, Death at High Tide. Unfortunately, this book failed to grab my interest as well. The book begins as a character-driven cozy mystery. I couldn’t start my armchair detecting until the victim is found at about the midpoint in the book. That felt like a long-time to wait. However, once the mystery got going it was a great twisty ride that even included a treasure hunt on a shipwreck!

Even though I didn’t feel as much of an Agatha Christie vibe with Danger at the Cove, the book was still fun to read! 4 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Drama, drama, drama. Poor Evie is surrounded by drama and death. Evie is a kind and trusting soul while her older sister and co-hotel hostess Margot has some well-earned trust issues. Evie wants to think the best of people, even if everyone doesn’t which is why she felt the need to look into the death of a less than stellar employee. Interesting story line, plenty of suspects, as well as misdirection aka red herrings. An excellent venue, one that you would want to visit especially with the 1930s formal wear for dinner service. Typical small town, it is an island after all when the tide is in. Detective Patricia (Patty) Williamson is quite a character and I am thinking that her interrogation techniques would be quite useful for parents with teenagers. The story moved at a good pace and kept me guessing up to the end and has enticed me into finding a lamb hot pot recipe to make over the weekend! Looking forward to further sisterly escapades by the sisters and maybe a little romance, I foresee an Evie/Candor development.

This was truly an enjoyable read that had me guessing until the very end! I always enjoy a good mystery that can do that. The story setting is lovely and the characters are engaging. This book is definitely worth reading!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for a gifted copy of Danger at the Cover by Hannah Dennison. All opinions are my own.

Danger at the Cove is the second book in the Island Sisters Mystery series. Evie and Margot are getting ready for the grand opening of the Tregarrick Rock Hotel. Evie is taken by surprise by a few visitors who show up to visit Margot. Things really get out of control when the body of a staff member is found. What else can go wrong?

This was a fun cozy mystery. I love the relationship between the sisters. My favorite part of this cozy is that the police officers are intelligent. Patty is a lot of fun. She has a way of pulling information out of the witnesses without actually saying very much. It was refreshing to read a cozy that the main character isn't the only one with a brain.

It worked as a standalone but I do feel I missed out by not reading the books in order. This was a light and fun read. I will definitely be reading the first book and following this series.

Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: August 17, 2021

Danger at the Cove by Hannah Dennison was a worthy second entry into the Island Sisters series. Evie and Margot are sisters who are leasing this ARt Deco Hotel on Tregarrick, one of the Isles of Scilly off the Coast of Cornwall. Between Evie's inheritance and Margot's divorce settlement they had thought to have plenty of money to bring it up to date. With the recent kitchen fire and the rewiring that was now required that was beginning to look less and less the case. Their open ho use was just days away and the place was a shambles. Now Margot's friend from Hollywood, Louise Vanderhooven, was arriving at any time. When she arrived she announced that her new boyfriend, Randy, was on his way as well. Ollie, one of their likable but not always reliable employees, had taken their boat to the larger island for mail, and some groceries. He didn't return on time and Evie, at least, was worried. Living on a small island got very complicated.

This story is told first person by Evie, so there are parts left untold. The police officer from the mainland is Patty and she is a character with her own ways of doing things, most of which work famously, in the end. Margot becomes more convinced than ever that Hollywood is no longer for her, after Louise's visit. Dennis and Kim, the two real employees, always are available and always do a good job. There is so much detail, important stuff, in this novel it is hard to summarize. Let it be said there are surprises aplenty. You won't regret reading it, even for a moment.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Danger at the Cove by Minotaur Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #minotaurbooks #dangeratthecove

Evie Mead is pleased with how the renovations are coming along on the Tregarrick Rock Hotel and is looking forward to the future. If things continue as they are everything might be done by opening day. When an old famous friend of her sisters shows up unexpectedly wanting special treatment Evie isn't happy. Her sister Margot begs her to let Louise stay and due to a recent loss Evie agrees. She believes she can use the woman's stay as an opportunity in helping give the hotel the improvements it needs. Evie doesn't like having Louise there and things go from bad to worse when an employee is found dead. After a second death the sisters know they must put there heads together and figure out what's going on before their dreams go poof before their eyes. As they dig into the past more and more clues float to the surface but can these two sisters put the pieces together before their future is sunk? This was a fun read that was filled with a mystery that I took pleasure in digging into. The characters were relatable and the location lovely I could see it in every page I read. I look forward to seeing where this author takes the characters to next.

I jumped into this book without reading the first, and don't feel like I missed too much. As is typical with cozy mysteries, it spent a lot of the first few chapters laying background for the main characters and the setting, so I knew what was going on. Unfortunately, this also made for an extremely slow start. We don't really get to any mystery until halfway through the book, which I'm not against, but it was hard to stay enthralled in the beginning. But the second half! This is a book that started weak, and ended strong! I ended up really enjoying the ending, and while I could predict certain overarching plot elements, I definitely didn't call all aspects of the mystery and it caught me guessing. I also like that our main character wasn't trying to unnecessarily involve herself in a criminal investigation she had no business being in. Really, she wasn't even trying to solve it, she just happened to be present in situations that gave us necessary information. This seems a lot more natural and realistic than some cozies. I would definitely try another book in this series!

Thanks to Minotaur Books for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars - 7/10

Outstanding Modern British Who Dunit
The book has a little of everything. There is murder, high finance, Hollywood Movies, renovating an old hotel on an island, and sunken treasure. The local detective is one of the best characters I have read in a very long time. She is a great reason to read this novel. But the rest of the book is just fantastic. There are plenty of twists in the plot that I just loved. I highly recommend this story. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This was a real rollercoaster ride of a murder mystery with lots of twists and unexpected happenings. I was never sure who to trust, but there was one person from the start that I definitely didn't trust. I didn't guess whodunit, but I enjoyed finding the path to finding out.

I'm liking Margot a little bit better toward the end than I did to start with. Kim was a fun new character with her mad hashtag skills, and once again I got a big kick out of Patty the detective inspector and how she was able to worm information out of people. You just can't not like this lady, lol. After all the murder and madness, the Tregarrick Rock hotel was able to do its grand opening, and I know if I was in Evie's shoes, I'd have been breathing a huge sigh of relief!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Evie and Margot are renovating the Tregarrick Rock Hotel and are almost finished. Their first “guest” a friend of Margot’s is coming for a surprise visit and there’s an even bigger surprise as her new boyfriend shows up also. The area is experiencing an extreme low tide and a shipwreck has become visible in the bay. There’s lots of talk between the guests and workers about treasures. When one of the workers is found dead near the ship wreck, Evie tries to find who killed him.

I enjoyed this book. I haven’t read the first in the series. I mostly enjoyed the characters and I loved the setting and the inn. I look forward to more.

Disappointed that the body didn’t show up until midway through the book, but glad when Detective Inspector Patty Williamson, and her Columbo ways, appeared. Her brashness quickly extrapolated each person’s bits and pieces to come to a plausible, if convoluted, reasoning as to why the death occurred, even if she had to use Kevin Bacon and Bacon’s Law.

I’m still not a hundred percent sold on this series; I think it is growing on me, yet, I am not fully on board. I like the sister’s being chatelaines of the estate, I like the remoteness, but there is still something missing, maybe a truer sense of danger and intrigue, which I think would make me a full-fledged fan.

One of the visiting characters is of a type I just can't stand, very self centered and a Diva. I skipped a few chapters in the hopes she would be the one killed. She wasn't killed but because less the focus of the book so I was able to continue to read. The mystery was good, and the murderer was not who I was expecting (I know I missed a few clues). But overall a good read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A traditional whodunit featuring two sisters, Evie and Margot, in the Isles of Scilly. They are getting ready for the grand reopening of a 15 bedroom boutique hotel but are struggling with the cost and getting it done in time. When Margot's annoying friend shows up it adds to the stress but little did they know that was just the beginning of a lot more trouble.

The elaborate setting descriptions and details add a lot to the story. They really help to paint a picture of the area. There are a variety of characters with some to like and some to dislike. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I have to be honest and say that I began reading Danger at the Cove with a bit of trepidation because of my reaction to the first book in the series, Death at High Tide. In that first book, Evie's sister Margot was a Diva of the highest order, packing six months' worth of clothing for a weekend stay and demanding a herd of minions be constantly at her beck and call. I have no use for divas, especially when they're major series characters. Fortunately, all the renovations being done at the Tregarrick Rock Hotel have evidently knocked most of the diva out of Margot, and her high-end attitude is seen mainly in what she wants the hotel to become.

On the other hand, Evie is much more my type of character. She tends to be a bit more hesitant and doubtful of her own abilities than I'd like, but she's still mourning the death of her husband. Evie wants to take the hotel back to its glory days when it was a writers retreat, and I'm all for that. I loved the descriptions of some of the rooms in the old place, just as I enjoyed the ambiance and bits of history about the Isles of Scilly that Dennison weaved into her story. Anyway, what's not to like about shipwrecks, treasure, and clinging to the side of a cliff during a raging storm?

For anyone who does like divas, they can feast upon the character of Louise. Good old Louise. I wanted to wring her scrawny little neck but, knowing that she was just temporary, I was able to restrain myself.

What made me happy was that Danger at the Cove reminded me of my favorite Dennison series, the Honeychurch Hall mysteries... the way the characters play off each other, the gentle humor, the enjoyable mysteries to solve. If this is the direction these Island Sisters mysteries are going to take, I am going to be very happy indeed. Bring on book three!

I went into this book with no expectations and no familiarity with the author. What I found was lots of lovely descriptions of what sounds likely truly picturesque island scenery but none of the characters really had any depth. The book is told in first person but it takes quite a long time for the protagonist to introduce herself. I also stumbled over a lot of the names of places. I think that a pronunciation guide in the beginning may have been helpful.

Probably not something I would read again.

This is the second installment in the charming Island Sisters series, set in Britain’s Scilly Isles. Sisters Evie and Margot have taken over an old hotel and are managing it for the owner. They are on the hook for repairs, which are turning out to be massive. As the book opens, they are a few days out from their grand re-opening, and they are working full tilt to get everything ready in time.

Because the books are set on the tiny island of Treggarick Rock, accessible only by boat and at certain times because of high or low tide, every story is going to be essentially a locked room mystery. Because the décor of the hotel calls back to the 30’s, this adds a decidedly golden age feel to the proceedings.

Margot, formerly of LA, gets news that her buddy Louise, a very recent widow, is coming to stay to nurse her wounded heart. When Louise shows up, she’s not grieving that much (she is in fact waiting for the arrival of a new boyfriend), and she’s incredibly high maintenance, refusing to take in the quaint charm of the hotel and instead looking for things like a helipad and high-speed internet (cell phone reception on the island is spotty).
Louise also comes bearing other news: she’s optioned a book for film, a book that Margot has long wanted to make into a movie, and she seems to have found a financial backer in the form of her new boyfriend, Randy. When Randy shows up, he’s incredibly handsome and fit, and chats as easily with Louise as with Evie and Margot, as well as with the guys working on the electrical systems of the hotel.

Margot and Evie are working on a shoestring budget, however, and are not sure how Margot can supply any financial backing to the project. Things are complicated when one of their employees takes off in their boat for the day and disappears. Increasingly alarmed calls from the man’s girlfriend as to his whereabouts have everyone on edge, and indeed, he is discovered dead.

Dennison has structured the book so that that murder is discovered just about exactly halfway through. She spends the first half giving a thorough examination of her characters and setting, leading up to the remains of a shipwreck visible only at low tide. It’s on expedition to see the ship that the body is discovered. The second half is then devoted to investigation. By that time, as a reader, you are totally invested in the characters, in Evie and Margot’s hotel project, and probably dying to visit the Scilly Isles.

These books have a very real and enduring charm. I love the two main characters, who are a good yin and yang (Evie is practical, Margot dreams big), and I love everything about the setting. There’s even a map provided in the front of the book to orient the reader to Treggarick Rock – another golden age touch. This also had a wonderful mystery at the center, character based but with some great clues throughout. This is a standout read.

I really enjoy this series! The nautical theme is fantastic, and the author does a great job of fleshing out the characters and the setting. The story was well-paced, and I had so much fun trying to solve the mystery.

“Danger at the Cove” by Hannah Dennison the second instalment in the "An Island Sisters Mystery" series. I am really enjoying this series!
A surprise visitor makes an appearance on the island—and murder ensues.

I loved visiting Tregarrick Rock Hotel off the Cornish coast again. I found myself engrossed in the story and reading it in one day.

The characters of Evie and Margot couldn’t be more different but they are making it work. I think people need to read book one to understand the differences in the sisters and their hopes for the hotel. I hope they come to a compromise. I loved Mister Tig the tuxedo cat although he didn’t feature as much in this story! There is staff now but still the main few like Dennis, Kim, Vicor Bill and lastly Cador. I’m hoping we see more of Cador in the next book.

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns as well as a few surprises. I didn’t suspect the killer till almost the end just before Evie did.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Minotaur Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions

cozy-mystery, island-life, Scilly, family-dynamics, friendship, innkeeper, secrets, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, murder, murder-investigation, red-herrings, relationship-issues, relationships, relics, restoration*****

The characters drove me batty because they were so (disgustingly) realistic! The publisher's blurb is excellent, and this is one of those books that proves the adage that books in series get better with each new one (unlike TV!). Trying to give a decent review without doing the spoiler thing is hard, so I'll just say that I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!