"You are absolutely not selling William Dobson, Rupert!" ~ Opening of A Killer Ball At the Honeychurch Hall
A Killer Ball at the Honeychurch Hall (Honeychurch Hall Mystery #3) by Hannah Dennison
Minotuar Books, 2016
Crime Fiction (Cozy); 286 pgs
Source: NetGalley
Trying to get her business off the ground, antique dealer Kat Standford is hoping she can convince Rupert and his mother to sell some of their family's artwork. The family is in dire need of money for repairs, and this seems the perfect solution to Kat. But while visiting an abandoned wing of the family's estate, Honeychurch Hall, Kat falls into a hidden room, a double hide, and finds the body of a young woman who appears to have died under suspicious circumstances. Kat's own mother, Iris, seems to have known the victim. And with the reappearance of someone from Iris's past, red flags are going up for Kat at an astounding rate. Could her mother have been involved in the woman's murder? What is her mother hiding? Any why does everyone seem to want to keep the police in the dark?
This is my first visit to Honeychurch Hall and what an entertaining time I had! Honeychurch Hall seems to be a hotbed of scandal, secrets and cover-up with some rather eccentric characters that add to the charm of this series. I had no problem falling right into the small community of Little Dipperton, despite this being the third book in the series. It stands well on its own, although I imagine there are some threads mentioned in this one that likely got their start in an earlier book.
I rather like Kat, who is smart and funny. She's still recovering from her break up with her ex -boyfriend from the sounds of it, but there were small hints of another possible romantic prospect. I wasn't sure what to make of Iris, Kat's mother. The two seem to have a complex relationship. It's clear they love each other, but Iris's evasiveness, especially about her past, bordered on being annoying at times. Still, I quite liked her character and found her more amusing than anything else. Iris and her brother, a parolee recently out of prison, make a comedic pair to be sure.
The mystery itself was intriguing, tied closely to the Hall's past. I had no idea what direction author Hannah Dennison was going with it, although I had my suspicions. A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall had me laughing and kept me guessing all the way to the end. This was such a fun book to read. I can't wait to read more of this series.
This is my first visit to Honeychurch Hall and what an entertaining time I had! Honeychurch Hall seems to be a hotbed of scandal, secrets and cover-up with some rather eccentric characters that add to the charm of this series. I had no problem falling right into the small community of Little Dipperton, despite this being the third book in the series. It stands well on its own, although I imagine there are some threads mentioned in this one that likely got their start in an earlier book.
I rather like Kat, who is smart and funny. She's still recovering from her break up with her ex -boyfriend from the sounds of it, but there were small hints of another possible romantic prospect. I wasn't sure what to make of Iris, Kat's mother. The two seem to have a complex relationship. It's clear they love each other, but Iris's evasiveness, especially about her past, bordered on being annoying at times. Still, I quite liked her character and found her more amusing than anything else. Iris and her brother, a parolee recently out of prison, make a comedic pair to be sure.
The mystery itself was intriguing, tied closely to the Hall's past. I had no idea what direction author Hannah Dennison was going with it, although I had my suspicions. A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall had me laughing and kept me guessing all the way to the end. This was such a fun book to read. I can't wait to read more of this series.
You can learn more about Hannah Dennison and her books on the author's website. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.
© 2017, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
I love fun books like that!
ReplyDeleteKathy - Me too. :-) I'm excited about reading more in the series.
DeleteThis sounds like a lot of fun! Who can resist a book with am intrepid heroine, a hidden room and an unexpected murder? And the fact that it made you laugh makes me want to read it even more. :)
ReplyDeleteLark - It is! I have a copy of the next book in the series and am looking forward to reading it.
DeleteThis sounds like a good time! I love when there's a good dose of humor.
ReplyDeleteChristy - It was a lot of fun to read. :-)
DeleteI like the sound of this one. I want a hidden room. One without dead bodies of course. This does sound like a fun story to read. Great review!
ReplyDeleteCarole - Thank you! I would like a hidden room too! I'm not sure where it would could go in my current house, but one can dream. :-)
DeleteSounds like a very fun read!
ReplyDeleteEustacia - It was! :-)
DeleteThis is my genre and I love the sound of this book. I am adding this one to my list, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCindy - I hope you are able to read this one and enjoy it. I look forward to reading more in the series.
DeleteA book that can keep you laughing is worth a try!
ReplyDeleteJenclair - I need to read more books that make me laugh. :-)
DeleteI wondered how this series would be if you didn't start at the beginning so I'm pleased to see you had no problem getting into the story. I just read the 4th book not too long ago and really enjoyed it! This is one of those series that I look forward to the next one every year.
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I wouldn't have minded knowing a bit of the back story that was mentioned in this one, but the author did a decent job of bringing me up to speed (and I don't feel like previous books were spoiled). This one could definitely stand well on its own. I do want to go back and read the previous books though. I am glad you enjoy this series!
DeleteEven the name Honeychurch Hall is so evocative! thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteMystica - Isn't it? I love the title.
DeleteOkay, I'm in! I like cozies and I like this setting and the fun time you had with it, so thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteRita - I hope you like it if you give it a try! I thought it was a good one, at least. :-)
DeleteThis sounds really fun. I probably should spend some time with some cozies this summer. I could use some light reads!
ReplyDeleteIliana - It is! I have had good luck with cozies as of late.
DeleteThis one sounds like a fun read! :)
ReplyDeleteMelody - It is a fun one!
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