Death at High Tide
An Island Sisters Mystery
by Hannah Dennison
About Death at High Tide
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Minotaur Books (August 18, 2020)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1250194482
ISBN-13: 978-1250194480
Digital ASIN: B0818PVX81
Death at High Tide is the delightful first installment in the Island Sisters series by Hannah Dennison, featuring two sisters who inherit an old hotel in the remote Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall and find it full of intrigue, danger, and romance.
When Evie Mead’s husband, Robert, suddenly drops dead of a heart attack, a mysterious note is found among his possessions. It indicates that Evie may own the rights to an old hotel on Tregarrick Rock, one of the Isles of Scilly.
Still grieving, Evie is inclined to leave the matter to the accountant to sort out. Her sister Margot, however, flown in from her glamorous career in LA, has other plans. Envisioning a luxurious weekend getaway, she goes right ahead and buys two tickets—one way—to Tregarrick.
Once at the hotel—used in its heyday to house detective novelists, and more fixer-upper than spa resort, after all—Evie and Margot attempt to get to the bottom of things. But the foul-tempered hotel owner claims he's never met the late Robert, even after Evie finds framed photos of them—alongside Robert's first wife—in his office. The rest of the island inhabitants, ranging from an ex-con receptionist to a vicar who communicates with cats, aren't any easier to read.
But when a murder occurs at the hotel, and then another soon follows, frustration turns to desperation. There’s no getting off the island at high tide. And Evie and Margot, the only current visitors to Tregarrick, are suspects one and two. It falls to them to unravel secrets spanning generations—and several of their own—if they want to make it back alive.
About Hannah Dennison
Hannah Dennison was born and raised in Hampshire but spent more than two decades living in California. She has been an obituary reporter, antique dealer, private jet flight attendant and Hollywood story analyst. For many years Hannah taught mystery writing workshops at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program in Los Angeles, California.
Hannah writes the Honeychurch Hall Mysteries and the Vicky Hill Mysteries both set in the wilds of the Devonshire countryside where she now lives with her two high-spirited Hungarian Vizslas.
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My Thoughts
Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison has Evie Mead, a recent widow, meeting with her accountant to go over the finances. Evie’s sister, Margot Chandler, flew in from Los Angeles to be with her during this time of mourning. Evie receives a note written by her deceased husband, Robert regarding a loan he made to Mr. Jago Ferris who used Tregarrick Rock as collateral. While the accountant sorts through the financial quagmire, Margot decides the sisters need to get away for the weekend. She makes reservations for them at Tregarrick Rock where access is determined by the tide. The beautiful Art Deco hotel has an unfortunate seventies interior (shag carpeting). Mr. Jago Ferris, a rude and condescending man, tells Evie that he does not know her deceased hubby, but she soon finds evidence to the contrary. While fog surrounds the island, Jago is murdered. The local detective tries to pin the crime on Evie and Margot. Another woman is killed, and an employee does a runner. Margot and Evie are stuck at the hotel until the constabulary complete their investigation. The sisters decide to do a little snooping on their own to speed up the process. If the killer has his way, one of them will leave the island in a body bag.
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| Rough seas in St. Mary's Harbour |
Death at High Tide by Hannah Dennison is the debut of An Island Sisters Mystery series. It is November in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England where Evie Mead just lost her husband, Robert to a heart attack. She is learning that her financial status is shaky, and Evie is glad to have her sister, Margot there with her. It turns out that Evie might be the owner of Tregarrick Rock which is part of the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast. Margot believes Evie needs to get away and they head off Tregarrick Rock. Evie Mead and Margot Chandler are as different as two sisters can be. Evie likes to wear comfortable clothing and is a homebody while Margot is a film producer who lives in Los Angeles and likes to wear designer clothes plus name drop. Margot is loud and outspoken. She does not hesitate to interfere in Evie’s personal affairs. However, Margot does not like Evie asking about her life. The characters lacked development. I would have liked more information on the sisters and the secondary characters fleshed out a bit more. I did feel that Death at High Tide was a slow starter with the death of Jago Ferris not occurring until the second half of the book. After Detective Sergeant Patty Williamson arrives on the island, the action begins to pick up. The police force may be small, but they are thorough. DS Patty Williamson has here eye on the two sisters and she is not about to let them head home. Evie takes matters into her own hands and begins searching for clues. She is new to the sleuthing game and makes some rookie mistakes. Evie and Margot discuss the evidence and come up with various theories. Those readers who devour mysteries will be able to solve this whodunit easily. I loved the descriptions of the Isles of Scilly and Tregarrick Rock. It sounds like a beautiful place to live despite the challenges getting there. The Art Deco hotel sounds like a gem despite the garish décor (rip out the 70s tacky and restore it to its former glory). Death at High Tide transports reader to the Isles of Scilly with pirate picture propaganda, a condescending curmudgeon, a prying patron, a secretive sister, an erratic employee, fatal fog, and temperamental tides.
Death at High Tide ireleases August 18 and is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and Books A Million. As part of the tour, the author is giving away a special prize. You can click here to enter or use the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck! All the pictures I included today are from Isles of Scilly. Thank you for stopping by today. Next time I am sharing Love in Unlikely Places by Linda Byler. I hope that you have a restful day. Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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