A Mischief of Murder – tooting the horn for Ms Hollick’s latest release

Today, I am delighted to welcome Helen Hollick back on my blog, this time as part of her blog tour for her latest release, A Mischief of Murder, organised by The Coffee Pot Book Club. A Mischief of Murder is a cosy mystery – you know, one of those books that go really well with an afternoon cuppa, preferably with a scone (cream first, Helen ). Further down, you will also find my review. But first, some general information:

Blurb:

The village Flower and Veg Show should be a fun annual event – but who added mischief and murder to the traditional schedule?

 July 1973

Old friends and new enemies? Jan Christopher’s Aunt Madge is to be a judge at Chappletawton’s annual village flower and vegetable summer show – a chance for the family to have a holiday in the Devon countryside, especially as Jan’s fiancé, DS Laurie Walker, is still recovering from gunshot wounds and her uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, is enduring injury-related sick leave.

The event should be a fun occasion where friendly rivalry between gardeners, cooks and crafters lead to the hopeful winning of the coveted Best In Show trophy – but who added mischief and murder to the traditional schedule?

 Praise for the Jan Christopher Mysteries:

 “A delight—Miss Read meets The Darling Buds of May, with a dash of St. Mary Mead. Helen Hollick’s signature voice shines throughout, full of warmth and wit. The characters keep growing in such satisfying ways, making every visit feel like coming home.” – Elizabeth St.John

“The Darling Buds of May …but in Devon instead of Kent.” – Alison Morton

 “I sank into this gentle cosy mystery story with the same enthusiasm and relish as I approach a hot bubble bath, and really enjoyed getting to know the central character, a shy young librarian, and the young police officer who becomes her romantic interest. The nostalgic setting of the 1970s was balm, so clearly evoked, and although there is a murder at the heart of the story, it was an enjoyable comfort read.” –
Debbie Young, author of the Sophie Sayers cosy mysteries

 “A delightful read about a murder told from the viewpoint of a young library assistant. The author draws on her own experience to weave an intriguing tale.” Richard Ashen – South Chingford Community Library

 “I really identified with Jan – the love of stories from an early age, and the careers advice – the same reaction I got – no one thought being a writer was something a working-class girl did! The character descriptions are wonderfully done.” Amazon Reader

Buy Link:

 Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/MischiefOfMurder

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

A short snippet

“The tomatoes look nice and fat,” I offered tentatively. “Shouldn’t they be red, though, not green?” Dad pulled a face. Oops. I’d blundered. I moved to a different patch, pointed at something I knew should be green. “The peas look good.”
Dad sniffed loudly and, picking a single pea pod from its stick-twining vine-like tendril, snapped it open to reveal a row of round, green peas within. He selected one, popped it into his mouth, pulling various faces as he munched, much as a wine-taster would sample a fine Burgundy. He selected another and handed it to me. I took it, ate it, making the same expressions. I had no idea what I was supposed to be tasting or what to say.
I opted for: “Hmm, crunchy. Nice and sweet.”
The right thing, as Dad smiled. “You can’t be too careful with peas. Regular watering during cropping deters mildew, but I take care not to wet the leaves. I water at the base of my plants, not over them. Can’t risk sunburnt leaves.”
I immediately envisioned cartoon peas wearing sunglasses and stretched out on sun loungers beside a sparkling swimming pool, relaxing and catching a few rays.
Dad didn’t notice my inattention, for he was rambling on about good pea care.

My review

In this the sixth Jan Christopher book, Ms Hollick has her protagonists back in Devon. Jan’s boyfriend is recovering from injuries sustained in the line of duty, and to get adequate rest he has travelled down to stay with his parents. Fortunately for Jan (and Laurie) their separation is a short one, as soon enough Jan, her aunt Madge and uncle Toby, descend on the Devon village of Chappeltawton.

Chappeltawton is preparing for the annual Garden festival, and Aunt Madge has been asked to act as one of the judges. So, rather unfortunately, has TV presenter Rose, who is deliciously unlikeable, as is her whining sister, Ivy. Ms Hollick juggles  a large cast of extras, from “the squire”—-who isn’t a squire—to long-lost relatives, an obnoxious local DS (we’ve met this gent before in the series. He is as stupid now as he was then)  and the frazzled Heather. Ms Hollick does all this juggling with aplomb.

Soon enough, the bucolic peace is disrupted: the Garden Festival brings out horns, and some people will go to great lengths to sabotage their competitors. But is that why old Jack is dead, or was that just an accident? While Jack’s cause of death may be uncertain, the next body to be found has obviously been murdered—but by who? And why?

Like all cosy mysteries, A Mischief of Murder putters along, inviting the reader to join the protagonists for cream tea or dinner—and the Garden Festival—while peeking at the beautiful Devon landscape. But as always, Jan and Laurie are caught up by the darker webs of human existence, albeit that time round there is no clear-cut conclusion to the whodunnit. But then, that’s how it is at times, isn’t it?

Author Bio: Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, Helen’s historical fiction, nautical adventure series, cosy mysteries – and her short stories – skilfully invite readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between fact and  fiction blend together.

Helen started writing as a teenager, but after discovering a passion for history, was initially published in 1993 in the UK with her Arthurian Pendragon’s Banner Trilogy and two Anglo-Saxon novels about the events that led to the 1066 Battle of Hastings, one of which, The Forever Queen (USA title – A Hollow Crown in the UK) became a USA Today best-seller. Her Sea Witch Voyages are nautical-based adventures inspired by the Golden Age of Piracy. She also writes the Jan Christopher cosy mystery series set during the 1970s, and based around her, sometimes hilarious, years of working as a North London library assistant. Her 2025 release is Ghost Encounters, a book about the ghosts of North Devon – even if you don’t believe in ghosts you might enjoy the snippets of interesting history and the many location photographs.

Helen and her family moved from London to Devon after a Lottery win on the opening night of the London Olympics, 2012. She spends her time glowering at the overgrown garden, fending off the geese, chasing the peacocks away from her roses, helping with the horses and wishing the friendly, resident ghosts would occasionally help with the housework…

Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.hollick

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HelenHollick

Bluesky: @helenhollick.bsky.social

Blog: supporting authors & their books: https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/

Monthly ‘newsletter’ blog Thoughts from a Devonshire Farmhouse:

https://thoughtsfromadevonshirefarmhouse.blogspot.com/