Cover Image: Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel

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Member Reviews

This is book 2 in the series. This is an interesting story set in Scarborough. It is a well written cosy murder mystery. The cast of characters are both likeable and unlikeable. Looking forward to the next one

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These books are such fun and an easy light read. They are certainly selling Scarborough to me, I shall be on the look out for the next one. Thanks to Netgalley.

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A second visit to the Seaview, and I really feel that I know the characters now. Helen Dexter is a very likeable, real and sympathetic woman, and Jean and Sally are her right hand women and trusted confidantes. The glamorous best friend, the faithful dog, and the busybody next door are all back again and playing their parts as another murder mystery rocks the hotel with the body of one of the guests found dead on the beach. A lovely cosy crime, with a strong setting and enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep me interested and guessing. And, no, I didn't get it right!

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Scarborough landlady Helen Dexter is back in a second cosy crime mystery which see her hotel taken over by a theatrical production company hoping to revive their flagging careers with a brand new play. But when one turns up dead, Helen and her faithful greyhound Suki must investigate to discover who is playing a real-life murderer!
Though the murder mystery is stand-alone, the plot also relies heavily on moving Helen's story along - will Helen's love interest, Jimmy, come good? Will the hotel inspector award the Seaview 4 stars?
This is very cosy crime, and the plot is a tad plodding, but the recurring cast of characters from the first book should hold the reader's attention. There's Helen herself, Jimmy, her Elvis-impersonator love interest who seems to be hiding something, and her staff and friends, including down-to-earth cook Jean, faithful housekeeper Sally, glamorous Marie and Miriam, the envious hotelier next door.
As a keen murder-mystery reader, I'd have liked more clues scattered through the pages, and a bit more action - maybe another body or two? - but as a gentle cosy crime story, this works well,

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Glenda Young is such an amazing storyteller that I always get excited when she has a new book coming out, whether it's her family sagas or cosy crime series. Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel is the second book in the Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery series set in Scarborough but it can totally be read as a standalone.

Helen Dexter runs a guesthouse in the picturesque seaside town of Scarborough and her latest booking is a group of actors who are performing in the town's theatre, in an attempt to save it from closure. As Helen observes the actors at close quarters, they aren't as friendly towards each other as they first appeared and one of them is about to be murdered. They all appear to have motive but Helen and her faithful greyhound Suki are determined to sniff out the murderer.

Add in a hotel inspector, a snooty neighbour, and a secretive new boyfriend and you've got a hugely entertaining tale. There's more drama and entertainment in this one book than in a week's worth of Coronation Street episodes. The setting is beautiful and Glenda's love of Scarborough shines through in her stunning, evocative writing.

Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel is absolutely brilliant from start to finish. There is so much drama and entertainment crammed into this fantastic book that it's impossible to put down. I loved it and most definitely recommend it.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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A wholly entertaining mystery set in the Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough, the second in a new series of cosy crime and a change of genre for this accomplished author. Good book !! This book was definitely a mind game mystery thriller! It had suspense, intrigue, and a sort of who done it! The storyline was very interesting and flowed nicely! I will definitely recommend reading this one! It was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

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This was an enjoyable cosy crime. This is the second of the series but you don’t need to have read the first to get into the story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an arc of this book in exchange for my review.

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Thoroughly enjoyed it. Did not want to put it down. An excellent follow up to the first book. I enjoyed the complexity of the mystery as well as the added romance. I felt involved with the character's lives and was immediately pulled into the story. Would highly recommend.

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I am a huge fan of Glenda’s work and I have been for a couple of years now. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed each of her saga novels, which are set in the village of Ryhope in what was then (and still is to some of us) County Durham. Glenda has also turned her hand to writing cozy crime. I have a little confession to make- yes yet another one- although I have the first book in the ‘Seaview Hotel’ series, which is called ‘Murder At The Seaview Hotel’, I haven’t actually read it yet. What a mistake to make. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’, which is the second book in the series, I knew that I couldn’t say no. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the main character, who is called Helen Dexter. In fact I warmed to her that much that I began to think of her as a friend of mine and I felt all protective of her. Helen is the owner of ‘The Seaview Hotel’ and she is also an amateur sleuth. Helen has a greyhound called Suki, who just sounds adorable. Helen was married but her husband sadly died and Helen has had to pick herself up and create a new life for herself. She isn’t strictly speaking in a relationship but she has somebody who is keen on her. Helen is a kind hearted and compassionate lady, who would do anything for anybody.
It took me a nanosecond to get into ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first couple of pages, I knew that I was reading something special and that I would find it rather difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time. I was right on both counts. I had initially picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to say that I had made a start on the story but I became so wrapped up in the story that I was still sat there reading a dozen chapters and an hour later. I loved the characters, I loved the storylines and I particularly loved the fact that the series is set in Scarborough- a place that holds many fond memories for me. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ and I had to say goodbye to Helen, Suki and the other characters. I soon cheered up when I realised that it was only going to be a temporary goodbye because I had the first book in the series to catch up on. ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ was a gripping read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ is superbly written but then I think that to be true of Glenda’s books in general. Glenda has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Glenda’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Glenda certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, this story hit the ground running and maintained a steady pace throughout. For me, this book was a perfect example of what cozy crime should be like- drama, mystery and intrigue but without the blood, guts and gore. There were several twists and turns to the tale and I thoroughly enjoyed them all.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Curtain Call At The Seaview Hotel’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Glenda’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Glenda Young for the chance to read the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I had not read the first book in the series and perhaps it would have been easier to understand the dynamics of the regular characters, but it was possible to follow as a standalone book.

It was a cosy crime drama with twists and turns throughout but it kept one's attention as was a book I wanted to read through to find out 'whodunnit'.

It was easy to imagine the characters and their foibles and if one knew Scarborough then I am sure it would be possible to imagine where the action takes place. Sadly though I have visited Scarborough it isn't a resort I know well.

I won't spoil this review by writing a synopsis but it this book is an easy read and I would have said would make a really good holiday novel.

Thank you again to all concerned

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Now I might be biased with this book since I run a crime fiction online bookshop (hint hint) and I also grew up in Scarborough, so really this is a match made in heaven! Plus, I loved the last book ‘Murder at the Seaview Hotel’ so I had high expectations of this outing and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved it. You can read this book as a stand-alone very easily but I really recommend reading the first one as well, especially since it's only one book to catch up with. I can imagine this series going on and on for quite a well - I do love when you get into a series from the start of it's publication journey.

I haven't been reading as much cosy crime of late but this series is now going to be an automatic purchase. There is something special about how Glenda manages to draw her characters - they all have so much depth and warmth to them. I do like how the actual setting in this one was limited mainly to the hotel as you then are thinking about alibis and timings and you get to see how the characters interact in a more observed setting - it's quite like the Golden age of classic crime in this respect. I loved the story - a drama troupe has hired out the hotel whilst they perform in Scarborough but alas the theatre isn't safe to be in at the moment (I am pretty sure this is based on the Futurist!) so they need to rehearse at the hotel. I loved how there were the themes of divas, cutthroat rivalry and getting to see more behind the scenes so to speak! Helen is a character I have started to cherish and I loved how she was getting a bit of confidence back since her husband passed away and there is even a bit of romance again.

Apart from the book being brilliant it is a pure comfort read for me as it allows me to experience being home without all the bumping into random people from school! The first time I took my now hubby down to Scarborough we meet three of my ex-boyfriends within 48 hours. I only had three boyfriends before Rory! Ah small-town life. What I can say is that Glenda knows Scarborough - her descriptions are authentic, the location descriptors are on point, the people are real and warm and all this is spread throughout her pages and it does exude what makes Scarborough special. Shame it's based on the north cliff - can you tell I lived in Southcliff?! What did make this book special is that it brought a very special memory back to life for me. My mum passed away nearly 20 years ago and every summer we would go the rose gardens on the Esplanade to see whether the water lilies had bloomed. I even wore jewellery on my wedding day that was based on water lilies and I must admit reading about the gardens again made me cry. But in a good way!

I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait for the next one. Maybe there might even be a new item on the breakfast this time - I'm going to suggest eggs benedict!

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A great cosy mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and so jumped at the chance to read the second in the series, and I’m so glad I was able to read an advanced copy.

We join Helen who is the proprietor of a lovely seaview hotel, where a group of actors check in that will be acting in a play to save the local theatre.

But as always things don’t go as planned, and Helen has to step in, you see some of Helens love life with a few twists and turns. I love the seaside atmosphere, I feel like I’ve stayed at the seaview.

Even though it’s the second in the series it can be read as a standalone, but as they are such lovely books you’d be a fool not to start with the first. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

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Curtain call at Seaview Hotel by Glenda Young.
Helen Dexter has started a new chapter in her life as sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel.
I really really enjoyed this book. A new author for me. I loved the cover. 5*.

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I loved this unputdownable cosy crime book set in Scarborough. The story is based at the Seaview Hotel that is being run by Helen. A group of actors book in to stay at the hotel prior to doing a show at the local theatre which desperately need funds to save it from closing down. Helen has her own personal problems but she helps the actors as much as she can. A murder occurs and Helen assists the detectives in a very clever way. There is a bit of romance,neighbourly jealousy all thrown in to the storyline.
Well done Glenda Young I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would also recommend the previous book in series Murder at the Seaview Hotel

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A good cozy mystery I thoroughly enjoyed. it's a slow burning novel and I appreciated how the relationships amongst the actor are slowly discovered.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Helen is an interesting character and I liked her.
Even if it's the second in this series it can be read as a stand-alone as there's a lot of backstory
I can't wait to read other books in this series.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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A Helen Dexter Cosy Crime Mystery #2

Helen Dexter has started a chapter in her life as sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel. But things take a dramatic turn when an acting troupe book into the hotel to rehearse a play they hope will save a much-loved theatre from being closed down. Helen immediately picks up on tension between the actors, but there is worse to come when the charismatic leading lady is found dead. Helen is also receiving threatening phone calls and her car has been vandalised. But Helen is desperate to uncover the identity of the killer.

Although this book can be read as a standalone, I would have preferred to read the previous book first as I feel that I've missed out on some of the background story. This was an interesting mystery set in Scarborough. The members of the Dawley's Theatre Company are a mix of likeable and unlikeable characters. This is a well written murder mystery.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #GlendaYoung for my ARC of #CurtainCallAtTheSeaviewHotel in exchange for an honest review.

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Excellent cozy mystery. This is the sequel to Murder at the Seaview. I still have to read the first book but I was able to follow the story. I love Glenda’s writing style. I’m getting her other books asap. This is a fast read with unexpected twits and turns. I recommend it!

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This was an enjoyable mystery to read. I was hooked early on in the story. The story involves more than one mystery, the murder itself and a mystery dealing with the behavior of the protagonist's boyfriend. I highly recommend this book to other mystery readers.

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A great cosy crime novel set in a B&B in Scarborough. Helen, the owner, and her friendly team welcome the cast of a play for a stay. Then an actress dies. Who murdered her? Can Helen save the day and the play?
With tensions and secrets within the cast, Helen acting as promptor and also serving award winning breakfasts, this novel has it all!
Leaves you with a warm cosy feeling and the wish to read further installments of the wonderful characters lives. Excellent read!

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Helen Dexter has started a new chapter in her life as sole proprietor of the Seaview Hotel in Scarborough after her husband Tom died, she aided by her two stalwarts Jean the award winning breakfast cook & Sally cleaner, student & single mum. An acting troupe, Dawley's Theatre group book into the hotel to rehearse a play they hope will save a much-loved theatre from being closed down. Helen immediately picks up on tension between the actors, but there is worse to come when the charismatic leading lady is found dead. With so much at stake, it's clear the show must go on. Helen is roped into helping the troupe with their performance by becoming the prompt, giving her ample opportunity to discover who wanted their diva dead. However, the murder is not the only thing on Helen's mind. She's receiving threatening phone calls, her car is vandalised - and she's just learned of an impending visit from a hotel inspector which could change the fortunes of the Seaview Hotel.
This is the second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. Another well written, engrossing read, with strong characters & a very well paced story. I love Helen who after thirty years of marriage has picked up the pieces & is working hard to make a success of running Seaview & hopes it will gain a four star rating when the hotel inspector visits. She’s also become friendly with Jimmy an Elvis impersonator & is looking forward to him returning from working on a cruise liner. She also has a vulnerable side & isn't afraid to show her feelings. There’s a lovely mix of mystery, humour, along with a smidgen of romance & I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery, there are some red herrings as well as twists & turns. I was left guessing as to who the murderer was. There were also highs & lows for the three ladies at Seaview & I look forward to see how things develop & progress or not in the next book
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

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