A Racing Murder (Ham Hill Murder Mysteries #2) by Frances Evesham
Genre: Cosy Mysteries, Crime fiction
Read: 8th June 2021
Published: 15th June 2021
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
The next thrilling Ham-Hill Murder Mystery from bestselling cosy crime author Frances Evesham.
A winning horse. A fierce rivalry. A sudden death.
Belinda Sandford thrills to the cheers of the crowd as her beautiful grey racehorse, ‘Butterfly Charm’, thunders past the finishing post first at Wincanton Racecourse. She feels like the luckiest girl in the world.
But joy soon turns to despair as a stewards’ enquiry overturns the result and awards the race to her long-time rival, Alexandra Deacon.
When Alex is found dead in suspicious circumstances, a host of accusing eyes turn to Belinda and her distraught mother begs Adam Hennessy, her neighbour, retired police officer and publican, to help clear her daughter’s name.
As Adam, and local hotelier Imogen Bishop, dig deep into the murky and powerful undercurrents of the horse racing world, they lay bare the lives and loves of local jockeys, grooms, trainers and owners.
They soon uncover a web of secrets hidden within the spectacular Somerset countryside as they strive to find the killer in time to prevent more murders.
A brand new cosy mystery series from the bestselling author of A Village Murder, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Betty Rowlands and M.C. Beaton.
MY REVIEW:
I'm excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Frances Evesham's cosy mystery A RACING MURDER.
This is the second in the Ham Hill Murder Mystery series by Frances Evesham and is a delightful little cosy mystery reminiscent of Midsomer Murders and quaint chocolate box villages. I'm sure I said something similar when reviewing the first book but I can't help it...Midsomer and Miss Marple's St Mary Mead comes to mind every time. You don't need to read the first book "A Village Murder" as each one reads sufficiently as a standalone. But if you are like me, you probably like to read them in order anyway. But rest assured, this book does outline enough backstory from the previous one so to keep readers up to date.
After being embroiled in the murder of her estranged husband Greg, Imogen is looking forward to concentrating on getting the hotel gardens ready for opening to the public. But as owner and proprietor of the Streamside Hotel, which she inherited from her late father Councillor Horace Jones, she is also preparing for the influx of visitors during one of the area's most anticipated events at the Wincanton Racecourse. Several tables have been booked in the hotel's restaurant so it promises to be a lucrative evening.
Belinda Sandford is a young and up-and-coming jockey riding two year old Butterfly Charm in which her mother owns a stake along with two other affluent couples. But this is to be her first race and, though no one expects her to win (particularly with 25-1 odds), Belinda wants to use this race to make her mark in the racing world. She heeded what trainer Joe Murphy had taught her - to take it nice and steady and then close in for the final chase - despite the favourite being Seasons Greetings ridden by her rival, Alexandra Deacon.
When Belinda surprisingly wins the race at the last minute, the Steward's Enquiry decide she purposely veered her horse in front of Alex to block her rival's progress and declares Alex the winner instead. Belinda is disappointed, particularly as she knows Alex deliberately pulled up her horse to look like Belinda had impeded her, which she all but confessed but she knows she won the race. Despite the outcome, Butterfly Charm's syndicate owners continue with their planned evening at the Streamside even if there is an element of disappointment in the air. That soon changes when news reaches them that Alex has been found dead at the stables after the race and all eyes point to Belinda.
Belinda's mother, Diane, is distraught that fingers are pointed towards her daughter and she enlists Adam Hennessey, who owns and runs the pub opposite the hotel called The Plough, to clear her name. As a retired police detective, a DCI no less, Adam is no stranger to murder or the investigations that surround them. Still with a few fingers in some pies, Adam calls on his forensic pathologist friend James to clue him in with regards to Alex's manner of death. She was found with her head in a horse trough...but was it a stableyard accident or was it murder?
Investigations lead Imogen and Adam, along with painter Dan and journalist friend Steph, to the stable yard in which Alex was employed which just so happens to be a rival yard to that in which Belinda is employed. Is there something more sinister at play which resulted in a young girl's death? But then they discover that Alex was not all that she appeared to be. With jockeys, grooms and stablehands, there was enough gossip revolving around the two yards to keep local journalist John Harris occupied for some time. But did he know something he shouldn't? And would he share that information with fellow journalist Steph?
Throughout their investigations, Imogen and Adam discover a lot more than they had at first anticipated. But is it enough to clear Belinda's name?
A RACING MURDER is a delightful cosy mystery that warms the heart. There are all the elements of village life - eccentricities, the village fair and plenty of gossip - but there is also an element of community. While murder is the theme, the story is also very lighthearted and easy to read. I love Imogen and Adam, as well as the addition of Dan and Steph as their respective love interests to round out the team of four amateur investigators. But of course my favourite character has to be Harley. Who doesn't love a dog who just takes the spotlight on more than one occasion?
I haven't read the author's other series though it has been recommended but if you love a good old cosy mystery rife with village gossip and the like, you'll be sure to enjoy A RACING MURDER as well as the first book "A Village Murder" which I think enjoyed slightly more than this one. I guess because this one was centred around horse racing and I am not a lover of the sport.
I look forward to further mysteries in Lower Hembrow featuring the dynamic duo and their counterparts.
I would like to thank #FrancesEvesham, #Netgalley, #RachelsRandomResources and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #ARacingMurder in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Like many of her readers, Frances loves Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and the grand tradition of whodunnits with intriguing puzzles to solve, villains to be brought to justice and amateur private investigators.
The Exham on Sea contemporary crime series is set in a small seaside town surrounded by the wonderful rolling hills, green levels and narrow roads of the West Country. It’s the perfect place for Frances to indulge in her obsessions with beautiful places, cake and chocolate, overgrown dogs, and aloof, self-possessed cats.
The Thatcham Hall Mysteries sprang from a life-long interest in history, especially the English Victorians. These stories are set in a 19th Century English country house, where gothic chapels, secret rooms, dusty corridors and hidden cottages provide a perfect backdrop for historical mystery romances, where determined heroines have to fight hard against the strict rules of behaviour of the day.
In my spare time, she collects poison recipes and other ways of dispatching her unfortunate victims. She also likes to cook with a glass of wine in one hand and a bunch of chillies in the other with her head full of murder ― fictional only.
Frances loves to hear from readers, so don’t be a stranger. Contact her via any of her social media links.
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