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MURDER AT THE CHARITY BALL



SYNOPSIS

Kitty Underhay is dancing… with death.

Winter 1934. Kitty Underhay is enjoying a night off from wedding planning as she attends a charity ball at the home of Lady Eliza Foxley. She’s excited to see her father, roguish Edgar Underhay, who is also a guest in the house. But the evening of cocktails and waltzing turns into a dance macabre when Edgar finds their lively, fun-loving hostess dead, strangled by her own silk stocking.

Who has made this uncharitable donation to the evening’s entertainments? When suspicion falls on Edgar and he is arrested for murder, Kitty has to act fast if she doesn’t want her father walking her down the aisle in shackles. Together with her fiancé Matthew, they vow to clear Edgar’s name and discover who used hosiery to commit homicide.

Lady Eliza’s widowed sister is the main beneficiary of her will, but before Kitty and Matt can question her, she is struck down by a severe case of poisoning. Time is running out for Kitty to solve this case and make it to the church on time. But with a devious killer on the loose, will she end up leaving as a newlywed, or newly dead…?


Title: Murder at the charity ball
Author: Helena Dixon
Series: Miss Underhay Mysteries #11
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication date: January 20, 2023




Helena Dixon splits her time between the Black Country and Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon. She now writes historical 1930's set cozy crime. 


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REVIEW

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

This 11th installment in the Kitty Underhay series felt both as an ending and a new beginning, as we finally got a resolution in some plots that have been running in the background from the first book. It was so nice to finally see Kitty walking down the aisle, and I’m so excited for the new chapter that lies ahead of her.

It’s Christmas time. Kitty and Matt are tying the knot on Christmas Eve, but one week before the wedding, while attending a charity ball, their hostess is murdered and Kitty’s father is arrested as the main suspect. With the wedding so close, will they be able to catch the killer before they say “I do”?

This was such an enjoyable read! Kitty, Matt and the rest of the cast already feel like family after accompanying them in so many adventures, so it was inevitable to share the joy and excitement about their upcoming nuptials, and feel for them when those were endangered.

It was so nice to see back Kitty’s father and all her family together. Ms Dixon really made me feel part of that family reunion. I love how supporting characters as Alice or Mrs Craven have grown so much throughout the series, becoming all of them essential pieces in a really well oiled machine.

I loved how the mystery almost had a locked room vibe, with a pretty small pool of suspects to choose from. The story had some good twists and turns that kept me on my toes.

As I said at the beginning, “Murder at the charity ball” will give long time fans of the series much needed closure. At the same time, it opens a new chapter that I’m sure it’s gonna be as delightful as the one that just ended. Their marriage and their new living and business situation might change some of the dynamics we’ve grown used to, but the new ones promise lots of good moments ahead. I, for once, am really looking forward to them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 






 

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