Category Archives: Stella Cameron

November 27, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Playing Fields by Stella Cameron

Title: The Playing Fields by Stella Cameron
Alex Duggins Mystery Book Seven
Publisher: Severn House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 240 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

When two bodies are discovered within six weeks of one another, it would appear that a serial killer is at large in the sleepy Cotswold village of Folly.

Six weeks after a battered body is found in the grounds of the village cricket club, DCI Dan O’Reilly and his team are no further forward in the investigation. No witnesses, no leads, no clues whatsoever. Then a second body is discovered in the nearby tithe barn used by the local amateur dramatics society, artfully posed just like the first. Could there be a serial killer on the loose?

When evidence leads O’Reilly to visit the Black Dog pub, owner Alex Duggins and her partner Tony are once again drawn into a police investigation.

But Tony is dealing with some disturbing news of his own. Someone from his past has reached out and threatens all he holds dear. Are they who they claim to be, and what do they really want . . .?

Review:

The Playing Fields by Stella Cameron is an intriguing mystery. Although this latest release is the seventh installment in the Alex Duggins Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Pub owner and artist Alex Duggins knows something is going on with her fiancé veterinarian Tony Harrison but she has no idea what. Just as she is ready to announce their engagement and set a wedding date, Tony finally reveals what has been troubling him. Neither of them quite knows what to make of his revelation but they decide to wait and see if anything comes of it. Meanwhile, they continue planning for their future together.

Detective Chief Inspector Dan O’Reilly is settling into his new home when he is called to a murder scene that bears a startling resemblance to an earlier murder. Dan and his Sergeant LeJuan Harding are a bit at a loss since there is little evidence at either murder scene. They do however, both uneasily agree there might be a serial killer in their midst. Dan is frustrated by the lack of assistance by possible witnesses who instead chose to confide in Alex instead. He has been told in no uncertain terms to make sure neither she or Tony interfere in this latest investigation. So, he is less than thrilled to have to try to convince Alex to reveal these details to him.

The Playing Fields is a fast-paced mystery with a compelling storyline. The cast of characters will be familiar to fans regular readers of the Alex Duggins Mystery series while newcomers won’t feel too lost since plenty of backstory is provided for each character. The murders are certainly unique but it is relatively easy to guess the killer’s identity. However, Stella Cameron adds just enough tension to keepsreaders on the edge of their seats until this clever mystery’s dramatic conclusion.

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Filed under Alex Duggins Mystery Series, Contemporary, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Severn House Publishers, Stella Cameron, The Playing Fields

September 30, 2019 · 11:56 pm

Review: Trap Lane by Stella Cameron

Title: Trap Lane by Stella Cameron
Alex Duggins Mystery Series Book Six
Publisher: Severn House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 224 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Although he has always kept his past carefully hidden, as the ever-reliable manager of her well-stocked pub, The Black Dog, Hugh Rhys has Alex Duggins’ total trust. However the unexpected arrival of two women from his past raises the fury of the usually even-tempered Hugh, threatens his carefully-crafted reputation and sends shockwaves through the village.

When a battered body is discovered in a deep pond near Hugh’s estate, Alex and her partner Tony are once again pulled into a chilling murder investigation. With Hugh’s odd behaviour ensuring that he becomes the police’s chief suspect, Alex determines to prove his innocence. But she’s about to find herself walking a dangerous line, looking for a killer she may wish she had never found …

Review:

Trap Lane by Stella Cameron is a perplexing mystery that includes personal intrigue, murder and a missing person.  Although this newest installment is the sixth installment in the Alex Duggins Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Hugh Rhys, the manager of the Black Dog, is a very enigmatic figure who is very tight-lipped about himself. So when Neve Rhys shows up asking to talk to Hugh, pub owner Alex Duggins’ curiosity is piqued. Hugh’s reaction to Neve is very much out of character, which makes Alex even more curious about their somewhat volatile relationship. Later that evening, she is surprised and somewhat uneasy after unexpectedly spotting unexpectedly him at his vacant house when he should be at work. The next day, a local locksmith is shaken when he goes to Hugh’s house to change the locks and discovers blood on the floor. Detective Inspector Bill Lamb and Detective Sergeant Jillian Miller are called in to investigate the inexplicable disappearance of an unknown person. Alex knows a bit more about the case than she is revealing to the authorities but after she discovers the body of a murdered man close to Hugh’s house, will she divulge this information to DI Lamb? And can she completely trust that Hugh is not involved in this latest murder to occur in Folly-on-Weir?

Alex is torn between protecting Hugh and aiding Bill during the investigation. Her partner, Tony Harrison, wants to keep her safe so he is the voice of reason when he urges her to come clean with investigators. Alex continues to hold back as she waits to see what Hugh does next. She continues to be troubled by his behavior but could she have so misjudged her friend and pub manager?

Hugh is absolutely furious with the unexpected visitors who have arrived in the village. He keeps quiet about the identity of the person staying at his house but does this mean he has anything to do with their apparent disappearance? What exactly is going on between him, his cousin Perry and Perry’s wife Neve?  And what, if anything, does Annie Bell have to do with the unfolding mystery?

Trap Lane is an intriguing mystery that takes quite a few unexpected twists and turns. The characters are extremely engaging and the picturesque setting springs vibrantly to life. The investigation is a little slow moving initially but it does not take long for the pace to pick up.   Multiple story arcs feature characters from previous books in the series along with regular cast members. Stella Cameron brings this suspenseful mystery to a satisfying yet somewhat abrupt conclusion. I enjoyed and recommend this latest addition to the Alex Duggins Mystery series readers who enjoy cozy mysteries.

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Filed under Alex Duggins Mystery Series, Contemporary, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Severn House Publishers, Stella Cameron, Suspense, Trap Lane

March 28, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: Whisper the Dead by Stella Cameron

Title: Whisper the Dead by Stella Cameron
Alex Duggins Mystery Series Book Five
Publisher: Severn House
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 256 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

With plot twists galore and an array of credible suspects, this traditional village mystery series will appeal to fans of M.C. Beaton and Midsomer Murders

When Alex Duggins comes across a terrifying scene at the site of a new housing development, once again she is drawn into a case of brutal murder. 

A new year arrives and winter holds Britain’s Cotswold Hills in its icy grip once more. But it’s the construction of a new housing development that’s causing the residents of Folly-on-Weir most concern. As she passes the site late one afternoon, pub owner Alex Duggins is confronted by the terrifying scene of a construction trailer on fire and a man desperately trying to break the door down.

Her efforts to help – and the subsequent findings of the police forensic pathologist – draw Alex and her friend Tony Harrison into a major murder investigation whose tentacles will reach right to the heart of the tight-knit Folly community – and into Alex’s own past … 

Will appeal to fans of M.C. Beaton and Midsomer Murders.

Review:

Whisper the Dead by Stella Cameron is an engaging mystery set in the cozy village of Folly-on-Weir.  Although this latest release is the fifth installment in the Alex Duggins Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Pub owner Alex Duggins is on her way home when she decides to stop and check out a new development. To her shock and dismay, she arrives in time to report a fire at the construction site. While the developer, Bob Hill, manages to stagger to safety, his friend, architect Lance Pullinger is not so lucky.  Detective Chief Inspect Dan O’Reilly and Detective Sergeant Bill Lamb have a few questions for Alex once it is determined that Lance was murdered. The case takes an ominous turn when another murder victim is discovered and a much loved local woman is bludgeoned to death. Although her best friend and boyfriend Tony Harrison urges her to stay out of the investigation, Alex continues nosing around to see if she can uncover any new information especially since these strange occurrences coincide with her mom Lily’s reluctant confession about their past.  Will DCI O’Reilly and DS Lamb unmask the killer before they strike again?

It is really difficult keeping things under wraps in the close-knit community but O’Reilly and Lamb manage to keep a lid on the recent deaths a little longer than usual. By all accounts, Lance was an easy-going man who does not seem to have put down roots and Bob is a little vague when it comes to divulging information about him. The investigation takes an interesting turn when the next victim is discovered since she appears to have some connection to Lance, but exactly what their relationship is remains a bit of a mystery. Lamb and O’Reilly are already stymied when another victim is found and they are unable to see exactly how her death fits in with the first  two.

Alex, Tony and the rest of the crew at the Black Dog pub are rather mystified by Lily’s unaccustomed moodiness. Although she is not initially forthcoming about the cause of her unhappiness, she does finally divulge a few details about what is going on. Alex knows there is much more to the story, but Lily has always been reticent to discuss the past with her daughter. When someone for her past casts an ominous shadow on  Lily’s life in the present,  she reveals a bit more information that affects both her and Alex. However, when it becomes apparent that this person might be connected to the recent deaths, Alex takes her concerns to Dan and Bill. What no one can quite decipher is how these seemingly disparate bits fit into the recent murders.

With quite a few story arcs, Whisper the Dead is a very intriguing whodunit. The cast of characters are richly developed with interesting back stories that play a fairly large role in the unfolding events.  The investigation into the murders sometimes takes a backseat to the personal  dramas but all of the storylines eventually converge as Stella Cameron brings the novel to a fairly exciting and rather surprising conclusion. This latest addition to the Alex Duggins Mystery series is wonderful cozy mystery that fans of the genre will enjoy.

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Filed under Alex Duggins Mystery Series, Contemporary, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Severn House Publishers, Stella Cameron, Suspense, Whisper the Dead