I am honoured to be closing the Book Tour for MURDER AT THE WILLOWS with a review stop. This is a stunning addition to the brilliant Rina Martin series.
MURDER AT THE WILLOWS
Format – Kindle
Publisher – Joffe Books
Publication Date – 16th March 2023
Genre – Crime thriller, mystery and suspense
Author – Jane Adams
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Meet Rina Martin, a retired actress with a taste for tea, gardening and crime solving.
She played a TV sleuth for years, but now she has to do it for real.
There’s something strange about the scene. Famous local artist Jean appears to have passed away in her sleep. Her body is leant against an old tree in the garden of her home, the Willows. Her legs are outstretched, hands tenderly clutching a small blue flower.
But upon closer inspection, things don’t add up. Where is Jean’s trusty walking stick? She can’t move anywhere without it. Why did she choose to slumber on the ground when there is a comfortable lounge chair nearby? Where did that blue flower come from . . . not from her garden, that’s for sure.
The clues soon point to murder. But dear Jean was beloved by the community, who would do such a thing? Her grandson is determined to uncover the truth and hires Rina to investigate.
The trail leads Rina to a series of shocking secrets, stretching back over twenty years. And a murderer who still has unfinished business . . . Can our favourite amateur sleuth catch this killer before it’s too late?
If you love Agatha Christie, Jeanne M. Dams, Glenda Young, Stella Cameron and Frances Evesham, prepare to be hooked by this page-turning whodunnit mystery.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MURDER AT THE WILLOWS:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oohh this was so good! I love mysteries that have layers like this one did, it keeps me on my toes.’ Lori C.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A very easy read . . . with lots of twists and turn to keep you glued . . . I couldn’t put it down and read in one sitting.’ Avril H.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An absolutely delightful cozy. I haven’t read the previous books but I will now.’ Karen K.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another fabulous instalment in this wonderful series . . . I would love to have tea and cake at Rina’s house.’ Amanda P.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I WILL be reading the previous seven books in the series soon . . . there’s never a dull moment with this mystery!’ Cindy A.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it.’ Aileen G.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fun story . . . taking the reader on an exciting journey.’ Beatrice M.
THE DETECTIVE
Determined and compassionate, Rina Martin on a mission is an unstoppable force. When Rina retired from acting, she bought a B&B in Frantham on Sea. There, she has a quirky cast of full-time boarders. She only wanted a quiet life. Instead, events propel Rina into full investigation mode, and she gets a taste for sleuthing. Can she help it if crimes just keep turning up on her doorstep?
THE SETTING
Tucked away in a charming little bay on the Jurassic coast, Frantham on Sea is a typical Victorian seaside town, with a picture-perfect promenade, B&Bs, and a grand hotel perched atop the headland. At the end of the promenade is the police station, where the officers’ days have always been short and uneventful — until Rina comes to town, and things take a turn for the sinister.
My Review
This is book 8 in the Rina Martin series and I haven’t read any of the others so I can confirm it works perfectly as stand alone. Although, like me you will probably want to go back and read the previous books after reading this one.
An elderly artist is found dead. It appears that she passed away peacefully in her sleep but appearances can be deceptive and the people that know her think there is something wrong and one of those people is Yolanda, a detective who was one of the first on the scene.
Yolanda reports in to DI McGregor and it soon becomes clear that this is not what it seemed and the artist is not the first to die holding a flower.
A very different and intriguing read that kept my interest all the way through. The suspense builds gradually and there are many twists and turns all the way to the mind-blowing ending.
I love the characters they are all different with their unique personalities and we get to know them very well through the course of the book. Picking this series up at book 8 I thought I would have missed the character building especially the main characters like Rina and Mac but thanks to the phenomenal skill of the author I found I got to know them quickly although there is still that feeling of wanting to start at book 1 and really get to know them.
In summary this is a gripping read with well defined characters and a unique story that is perfect for anyone who loves crime fiction.
Thank you to Joffe Books for the advance digital copy.
JANE ADAMS
Jane Adams is the author of more than thirty published crime novels. The first, The Greenway, was nominated for both the Authors’ Club award and the CWA John Creasey for best debut novel.
Jane is constantly amazed at where life has taken her. Writing had never been on her ‘possible careers’ list, but she says once stories take root in your brain, they just have to be told – and she feels very fortunate that people want to read them.
In addition to writing, Jane teaches creative writing, read and mentor for The Literary Consultancy, and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and FRSA.
BOOKS BY JANE ADAMS
DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT SERIES
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THE GREENWAY
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THE SECRETS
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THEIR FINAL MOMENTS
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THE LIAR
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DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT BOOKS 1–3 BOX SET
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THE COMPLETE DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT BOX SET
MERROW & CLARKE SERIES
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SAFE
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KIDNAP
DETECTIVE RAY FLOWERS SERIES
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THE APOTHECARY’S DAUGHTER
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THE UNWILLING SON
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THE DROWNING MEN
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THE SISTER’S TWIN
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THE DETECTIVE RAY FLOWERS BOX SET BOOKS 1–3
DETECTIVE ROZLYN PRIEST SERIES
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BURY ME DEEP
RINA MARTIN MYSTERY SERIES
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MURDER ON SEA
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MURDER ON THE CLIFF
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MURDER ON THE BOAT
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MURDER ON THE BEACH
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MURDER AT THE COUNTRY HOUSE
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MURDER AT THE PUB
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MURDER ON THE FARM
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THE RINA MARTIN MURDER MYSTERY BOX SETS BOOKS 1-4
STANDALONE NOVELS
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THE OTHER WOMAN
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THE WOMAN IN THE PAINTING
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THEN SHE WAS DEAD
FOLLOW JANE ON
AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS
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