A crisp February morning. The sun is shining down on Little Clarsden, an English village nestling in the county of Berkshire. At its heart is the village green,,,
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It has recently come to my attention that I must make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from the publisher. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.
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For a chance to win a copy of Jayne's first book in the series, More Than Murder, click on the link below. (open to UK residents only)
Good Luck!
The Blurb
The mystery’s deep, the water’s cold, and the locals are packing more than just fishing gear...
TWO RETIRED SISTERS. ONE FLOATING DEAD BODY
Julia, a retired head teacher with a fondness for order, and her half-sister Frankie, who believes that rules are more like vague suggestions, are back—this time in the picturesque Cornish village of Portscatho.
Their morning swim off Tatum’s beach is rudely interrupted by a floating corpse. The police declare the death accidental, but the sisters have other ideas.
Soon, they’re knee-deep in smugglers’ tunnels, taking a bumpy ride in the back of a builder’s van, and facing down a gun-toting local with questionable fashion choices.
Can the sisters keep their heads above water long enough to uncover the truth or will the killer make sure they sink without a trace?
My Review
This was an easy and entertaining read and I enjoyed it very much.
In fact, this was my second foray into the antics of the main characters, Julia and Frankie. It is the second book in the series but it works perfectly well as a standalone novel. However, if you would like to win a copy of the first book in the series, More Than Murder, follow the link to my review of that book for details of how to enter.
Julia and Frankie are half-sisters. Having inherited their aunt's cottage in Cornwall, the will stipulated that they must both live together in the cottage for a year before the cottage becomes theirs. However, they are very different and haven't always got along. This book takes place in the latter part of this one-year proviso to their inheritance.
They are fabulous characters and I love the way they have such different personalities yet complement each other very well. Julia, a retired headteacher, is as organised as Frankie is disorganised and impetuous. When they discover a body floating in the lake, they suspect foul play and it falls to them to investigate what happened and to prove that this was murder and not an accidental death. They are really fun characters and add much humour to the story.
The book has been well written and I felt that the author had portrayed her plot and characters extremely well. The Cornish setting is nicely described and the perfect location for her to have set the books.
The story moves along at a good pace with some twists and turns along the way. It was easy to read and I got through it in a couple of sittings. It is the perfect read for a lazy weekend and I highly recommend it.
Publishing on 7th May, The Body that Floats is the second book in the Julia and Frankie Mystery series. My review of the first book, More Than Murder, can be found here.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1068325021
Publisher: Chapters Crime Press
Formats: paperback
No. of Pages: 284 (paperback)
Series: Book 2 in the Julia and Frankie Mystery series
Preorder Links
About the Author
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Jayne Chard began writing plays when she was eight years old and wrote her first “book” at fourteen.
After graduating with a degree in psychology and drama, she went on to win the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Buzz Goodbody Director Award. She directed a number of theatre plays, including shows at the Royal Court and Riverside Studios. During this time, Jayne continued to write, and two of her plays were performed on the London Fringe. Attracted to the small screen, Jayne became immersed in directing TV dramas. Now a multi-award-winning film and TV drama producer, her credits include the BBC flagship brand, Silent Witness and three feature films.
In addition to her television career, Jayne was instrumental in establishing a veterinary clinic on the remote island of Koh Tao in Thailand and also worked as a radio presenter. Jayne lives in the West Country with her partner and two cuddly cockapoos.
You can also find Jayne at:
For a chance to win a copy of Jayne's first book in the series, More Than Murder, click on the link below. (open to UK residents only)
Good Luck!
(ARC and media courtesy of the publicist)
(all opinions are my own)
(Bookshop.org affiliated)
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