Murder at Tanton Towers / Amy Myers.

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Title:

Murder at Tanton Towers / Amy Myers.

Author:

Myers, Amy, 1938- author.

ISBN:

9781448309979

Edition:

First world edition.

Physical Description:

213 pages ; 23 cm.

Series:

A British stately home mystery

British stately home mystery.

Abstract:

"Everyone told Cara Shelly that she was crazy to set up a cafae in the shadow of eccentric Kentish stately home Tanton Towers. But three years later, the Happy Huffkin cafae is thriving, and Cara considers the Tanton Towers staff - and its eccentric owners, Max and Alison - to be like family. But one summer evening, Alison comes hurtling down to the cafae to beg her for help. Daphne Hanson, queen of the Towers' costume-clad dancing troupe is lying dead in the orangery. Strangled! But by whom? And why? Determined that the culprit should not be one of her friends, and suspicious of the detective assigned the case - the annoyingly attractive DCI Andrew Mitchem - Cara launches her own investigation. But the more secrets she uncovers, the more she's forced toconsider the unthinkable: that one of her dear friends could be the killer..."-- Provided by publisher.

Subject Term:

Coffee shops -- Fiction.

Mansions -- Fiction.

Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction.

Secrecy -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

England -- Fiction.

Genre:

Cozy mysteries.

Detective and mystery fiction.

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Welcome to Tanton Towers! Explore the eccentric, history-filled house, take tea in the café . . . and visit the site of a recent murder?! First in a delightful new traditional British cozy mystery series.

Everyone told Cara Shelly that she was crazy to set up a café in the shadow of eccentric Kentish stately home Tanton Towers. But now, three years later, the forty-something single mother can't believe her good luck. The Happy Huffkin café is thriving, and Cara considers the Tanton Towers staff - and its equally eccentric owners, Max and Alison - to be more like family than colleagues. Three cheers for Tanton Towers!

But one beautiful summer evening, when Cara's hard at work clearing up after closing time, Alison comes hurtling down to the café to beg her for help. It's trouble - and of the worst kind. Daphne Hanson, queen of the Towers' costume-clad dancing troupe - and the greatest nosy parker in Kent - is lying dead in the orangery. Strangled! But by whom? And why?

Determined that the culprit should not be one of her friends, and suspicious of the detective assigned the case - the deeply annoying, and annoyingly attractive DCI Andrew Mitchem - Cara launches her own investigation. But the more secrets she uncovers, the more she's forced to consider the unthinkable: that one of her dear friends could be the killer . . .

Fans of Richard Osman, M.C. Beaton, Simon Brett, and Nancy Atherton won't want to miss this charming British cozy with a twist of romance!

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

An eccentric 18th-century British home provides the setting for murder. Tanton Towers, the product of a jumble of architectural styles, is open to the public as the current owners, Max and Alison Farran Pryde, are trying to keep up family tradition while covering the costs of upkeep. Cara Shelley is part of the close-knit, often squabbling staff who help run Tanton; one of the property's follies is home to her Happy Huffkin Café. When Daphne Hanson is found strangled in the orangery, Cara's curiosity and instinct to help set her sleuthing. Daphne, whose husband is the accountant for Tanton, was a bit of a drama queen, very nosy and not afraid to step on people's toes in gathering information for a book about Tanton. Max's passion is the collection of works by 16th-century artist Lavinia Fontana of Bologna that he houses in La Galleria and displays as part of the house tour. Naturally, he fears that the murder may involve art thieves. Though Cara has a bit of a love-hate relationship with DCI Andrew Mitchem about the proper way to serve huffkins--traditional rolls from Kent--he's open to her ideas about staff interactions. The house was closed for the day when the murder occurred, and Cara has a hard time picturing any of the prime suspects, the people who work there, as killers. A smugglers' tunnel and Cara's discovery of hidden rooms add to the confusion. Her snooping soon makes most of the staff secretly annoyed with her. Could she be in danger as well? An enjoyable read with a bit of history, a touch of romance, and a tight circle of suspects. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Myers (Death and the Singing Birds, 2021), one of the most prolific writers of British crime cozies, launches a new series featuring divorcée Cara Shelly, who realizes a long-held dream to open her own tearoom. She's chosen stately country house Tanton Towers as the site, figuring that with the hundreds of visitors Tanton attracts each year, her venture will be a success. The tearoom indeed does well, and the Tanton staff become like family. But one evening, after the house has closed to visitors, Cara stumbles across the dead body of Daphne Hanson, a member of the Tanton dancing troupe. Daphne was brutally strangled, and although she was sometimes irritating, nosy, and bossy, surely she didn't deserve that fate. Cara decides to don her amateur-sleuthing hat and find out who killed Daphne and why. Then her old nemesis, handsome DCI Andrew Mitchem, shows up and advises Cara to back off. Undeterred, Cara persists, soon stumbling on another body and putting herself in grave danger. Fans of classic British cozies will enjoy.