Deadly Whispers in Lower Dimblebrook (Isabelle Darby Cozy Village Mysteries #1) by Julie Butterfield
Genre: Cosy Mystery
Read: 22nd January 2021
Amazon
Published: 30th October 2020
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
When Isabelle Darby moves to the delightfully cosy village of Lower Dimblebrook, she’s searching for peace and quiet as well as a chance to escape from heartbreak.
After making friends with Fiona Lambourne, another newcomer to the village, Issie is left reeling when tragedy strikes and Fiona is murdered, the second wife Anthony Lambourne has lost in unfortunate circumstances. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the local gossips insist that Fiona had been embroiled in an affair before her death, something which Issie knows not to be the case.
Determined to clear her friend's reputation and solve the mystery of the rumours, Issie takes on both the gossips and the handsome but stern DI Wainwright, making both friends and enemies along the way!
MY REVIEW:
I am excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for the first in Julie Butterfield's simply delightful cosy mystery series DEADLY WHISPERS IN LOWER DIMBLEBROOK.
Oh, my delightful wonder! I feel like I have stepped right into Midsomer County (minus the wonderful Tom Barnaby and the cheeky Ben Jones) and lost myself completely in this simply delightful Cotswold village. Although there aren't near as many murders in Lower Dimblebrook as there is in Midsomer. I was completely immersed within the first few pages and found myself cheering Issie on as she laid into the gossipy villagers in the local shop. Where do I begin with this...dare I say it again...delightful cosy mystery?
The story jumps right in as we find ourselves in the village shop alongside Isabelle "Issie" Darby as she hears Doris Stokes eagerly relinquish the juicy bit of gossip she has discovered. A body, right there in Lower Dimblebrook, for all to see as seen by Colin Bradbury as he passed by in his van and pulling over for details. But not just any body...that of Fiona Lambourne, of THE Lambournes of Lambourne Estate...the big house!
Issie couldn't believe her ears and told Doris stokes in no uncertain terms that she was mistaken and should be ashamed of herself for spreading malicious gossip. Fiona was her friend and they were meeting for lunch later that day, and Issie was here to purchase items for that lunch. But she left in a hurry after her altercation with Doris Stokes and without making any purchases. Issie hurried home and called Fiona's mobile, knowing that it was all a dreadful mistake and that they would both laugh about it together later. But Fiona never answered. And she never arrived for lunch. And Issie found herself in tears that maybe, just maybe, village gossip Doris was right and that Fiona was dead.
A couple of miles out of the village in the old disused car park for the woodlands was a crime scene. At the centre of it was the Range Rover belonging to Fiona Lambourne and a body laying beside it. DI Wainwright had just been promoted and found himself in this village backwater when he would rather be back in the city. He is joined by DC Jenny Cotterill who had grown up in Upper Dimblebrook and now lived in a village not far from where they now found themselves. Cotterill was a local and new how villages such as these worked and proved to be a useful asset to the investigation team.
Their first point of call is to Lambourne House of course to question the widow, Anthony Lambourne, and his mother Cecelia Lambourne. Both are shocked to learn of dear Fiona's tragic demise and could think of no one who could possibly want to harm her, let alone kill her. So who did murder Fiona and why? Then Wainwright discovers that this is Anthony Lambourne's second marriage, his first ending rather tragically as well. However, that was investigated fully at the time and ruled an accident. But Wainwright didn't believe in coincidences...
It isn't long before DI Wainwright finds himself at Issie's door to question her, as Fiona's closest friend. But almost from the first moment DI Wainwright didn't endear himself to Issie...in fact he infuriated her. And the feeling was somewhat mutual although, unlike Issie, he found her rather endearing and often popped back to her little cottage. Whether it be for questioning, updating...or just because he liked the scenery.
Then when Issie hears, from Doris once again, that Fiona had embarked on an affair and it was the talk of the village, she had had enough. Determined to clear her friend's name of any impropriety or infidelity, Issie embarks on her own investigation and before long calls on Doris to help her disprove the rumours that seem to be nothing but deadly whispers. After all, no one has actually seen this so-called man that Fiona was supposedly involved with. It just became rumour that fuelled the gossips.
And then Issie remembers Fiona telling her about Sophie Lambourne's diaries and how she had found them in the attic and began reading them, her obsession with Anthony's first wife propelling her. Issie had a thought as to where Fiona had hidden them, away from the the prying eyes of Cecelia. Upon finding them, Issie decided to read the last two diaries to see if she could find a link between Sophie and Fiona's deaths.
But is that altogether wise? The all-seeing, all-knowing eyes of Lower Dimblebrook seem to know everything Issie does before she's even contemplated it! But Issie soon discovers that the village grapevine can be a help instead of a hindrance.
The residents of Lower Dimblebrook are a delightful bunch - something akin to Midsomer or even Miss Marple's own St Mary Mead. Issie had left the busy life in Bristol behind after the collapse of her marriage and moved to the delightful village in the Cotswolds for a change of scenery and a change of lifestyle. She rents Brook House Dairy cottage from the equally delightful Madeleine Halesowen who is an absolute hoot! Although Issie kept to herself for the first several months of living in the village, and after discovering that she was indeed the talk of the village also, she decided to become more involved in the village. And so she befriends Doris Stokes, self appointed fountain of knowledge, the vicar's wife Miriam Hollier as well as Mrs Harris from the village shop. But the highlight of her days are the quiet conversations she shares with Madeleine, who always seems to have tea or elderberry gin or Pimm's on hand as if expecting her. But more than that, I love Geraldine! I hope, by some misfortune of Doris' friend Betty, that Issie gets to keep her. She is a welcome addition.
I thoroughly enjoyed DEADLY WHISPERS IN LOWER DIMBLEBROOK despite figuring out very early on in the story who the murderer was as it was staring me in the face throughout. It certainly didn't deter from my enjoyment as it was lovely escape from reality that I found myself completely immersed that I never wanted to leave.
I cannot wait for the second book. I am tempted to jump onto Amazon and purchase it right now - but my TBR list is so huge as it is I may never get to it...lol As I am on the tour for this book is how I have come to read it...and I am so glad I did. A mystery or two, a little romance, a chocolate box village where everyone knows everything about everyone...well, almost...what more could you ask for? DEADLY WHISPERS IN LOWER DIMBLEBROOK is a delightful little piece of the Cotswolds in this cosy mystery that you will never want to leave.
I would like to thank #JulieButterfield, #RachelsRandomResources, #ButterfieldBooks for an ARC of #DeadlyWhispersInLowerDimblebrook in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
She wrote her first book purely for pleasure and was very surprised to discover that so many people enjoyed the story and wanted more, so she decided to carry on writing.
It has to be pointed out that her first novel, 'Did I Mention I Won The Lottery' is a complete work of fiction and she did not, in fact, receive millions in her bank account and forget to mention it to her husband - even though he still asks her every day if she has anything to tell him!
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