Hello lovely people, today I’m delighted to be a stop on the blog tour for DEATH PLAYS A PART, the first book in a new series by the wonderful Vivian Conroy!

With high tide comes murder…

When her beloved London theatre closes for renovations, costume maker Guinevere is excited to start a job at Cornisea castle, a centuries-old keep on a small tidal island off the coast of Cornwall. Imagine a whole summer full of stories of hidden treasures, fab food and long walks with her perky dachshund Dolly.

But when a reenactment of a medieval trial in the castle dungeons ends in real-life murder, and accusations threaten the castle’s future, Guinevere and Dolly dig deep into the island community’s best-kept secrets to unmask the killer and save their Cornish summer.

The first book in the Cornish Castle Mystery series with the second instalment RUBIES IN THE ROSES coming August 2017!

My Thoughts:

• I absolutely adored our main character, Guinevere. I warmed to her the moment I started reading, although that may be something to do with her adorable dachshund, Dolly. (Seriously, fluffy animals make EVERY story a 1000% more cute). Guinevere was a smart, capable protagonist, but she was also fully fleshed out–much more than *just* a amateur detective.
• The setting. The reason I was SO excited for this book was Cornwall. I’ve been going to the West Country most years since I can remember, and I was SO looking forward to reading about a place I love so much! Although Cornisea Island is fictional, Vivian has managed to capture the UTTER charm of a close-knit Cornish community.
• DEATH PLAYS A PART was written beautifully. Every time I came back to the story, I felt a sense of calm–it was literally the definition of a ‘cozy’ mystery. It’s the perfect book to curl up with on a rain day, a large mug of tea in your hand.
• I don’t want to say a lot about the plot, because I’m a firm believer in not knowing too much before diving into a mystery. However, this story was tightly plotted, and I had NO IDEA who the killer was. The backdrop of Cornwall, and the the addition of a medieval reenactment was a great and original twist on the murder mystery genre, and this story felt fresh and exciting!
• If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, I really recommend picking DEATH PLAYS A PART up, and I’d also recommend picking up Viv’s LADY ALKMENE series as well! DEATH PLAYS A PART is avaliable to buy here.