by Cynthia Chow
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer along with a link to purchase the book where a portion goes to help support KRL & an indie bookstore.
The eighteenth Duke of Chellingworth is getting married, and the entire village of Anwen-by-Wye is eager to celebrate the wedding of Henry Devereaux Twyst to Stephanie Timbers. While everyone seems to have an opinion on which tradition should be honored during the ceremony of the first sitting duke in one hundred years, the one that concerns the Dowager Duchess are the Morris Dancers. That is why Henry’s mother Althea enlists the ladies of the WISE Enquires Agency to locate Aubrey Morris, the appropriately named and very missing Morris Dancer hired to lead the newlyweds from the church to Chellingworth Hall. Since the Twysts are allowing the Agency to work out of and one to live on their property, the WISE agents feel obligated to make this case their priority.
The Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and English ladies all utilize their individual particular skill sets to discover whether the young dancing musician left on his own or disappeared because of more nefarious means. While they focus on searching for the Morris Dancer and his symbolic accessories, the Agency also accepts other assignments that include the Case of the Missing Sleeve and the trending Case of the Crushed Cyclist Con.
The ladies of this English Village mystery series will delight readers with their warm humor, cleverness, and unique detecting skills. The very pregnant Carol Hill fires up her tablet and computer to search records online, working-class Annie wields her talent for gossip, veteran army nurse Mavis MacDonald fearlessly interrogates, and posh Christine Wilson-Smythe smooths the way with her social connections. The author excels at allowing the personal lives of her characters to continue outside of the investigation, and inserting them seamlessly into the novel. All of the women are affected by the relationships between parents and their children, and all reflected in distinctly unique manners.
Not to be overlooked are the many moments of humor that occur with the women’s interactions with one another. Mavis pointedly remarks how fictional detectives would most likely find themselves arrested or at the minimum lose their licenses, and while as an honorary WISE agent, Althea demonstrates her love of Monty Python. This may only be the second outing for the WISE Enquires Agency, but their trust in one another and considerable competence ensure for many future clients and successful cases.
To enter to win a copy of The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “morris,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 13, 2016. U.S. & Canadian residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.
You can use this link to order this book & a portion goes to help support KRL & an indie bookstore:
Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section.
Looks great, hope to get a chance to read it; thanks for the chance to win 🙂
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
Glad you like the sound of it 🙂
I just discovered this cozy author and look forward to this new release! Sounds like a great setting and another good mystery. Thanks!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m so glad you like the sound of it 🙂
This book sounds wonderful. I would love to win a copy!
So pleased you found my work! 🙂
This is not the type of book I would usually read, but this looks like a great book.
diannekc8@gmail.com
Thanks Dianne 🙂
I have entered by email, but am commenting in support of the book synopsis/review. I am a Downton Abbey fan, and no matter the contemporary era, I love the UK flair. It seems this story may include information worth googling. What are the Morris Dancers?
Hello Kathleen – oh yes, please google Morris Dancing – it’s an ancient type of folk dancing seen across the UK and it’s quintessentially British. 🙂
I love the name of the agency – WISE – for the Welch, Irish, Scot and English ladies!!
Being Welsh myself, I’m glad that one comes first 😉
I have fallen in love with the review -and I know I will love this book.
So pleased you like the sound of it 🙂
I am so pleased you like the sound of it 🙂
I’m looking forward to meeting you on May 18 when you speak to the Welsh Mystery and Writers Tour!
We have a winner!