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bwilhoite8's review
3.0
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I'm not a huge fan on really descriptive details but with the island setting and the hotel I did feel like it was necessary. Parts of the book bored me and I didn't like most of the characters. I kept putting the book down to read others. I will however give the second book a try and have hope to like it more since the introduction to the island is done.
lindstx84's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
carolsnotebook's review
3.0
I loved the setting in Death at High Tide. We have a 1920s hotel that was updated a bit too much in the 70s on a remote island in the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall. The island can only be reached at low tide and it’s off season, so very few people are staying there.
Like any good isolated setting, we have a limited number of people. Evie and her sister, Margot, are our main characters. Evie’s husband has recently died, leaving Evie on pretty shaky financial ground. But, there were papers that suggested she may be the owner of the hotel, so Evie and Margot head off, to see the hotel and to get away for a weekend. The sisters are a good pair, opposites who nevertheless support each other when push comes to shove. We’ve got the husband and wife who own the hotel, a couple of staff, and an older, nosy woman who lives there year round. They’re all a bit quirky, but not likeable, even the sisters rubbed me a bit the wrong way. But this is the first in the series and maybe I’ll like them better in the second.
The mystery was okay, several suspects and red herrings, but I guessed who the killer was early and was right, which really shouldn’t happen. I don’t try to guess, so for me to know early, the author had to be telegraphing it pretty hard.
Overall, Death at High Tide was a fine start. While I didn’t love it, I can definitely see potential with both the hotel as a setting and the sisters as the lead sleuths. There’s also a potential romance in the offing, in typical cozy fashion.
Like any good isolated setting, we have a limited number of people. Evie and her sister, Margot, are our main characters. Evie’s husband has recently died, leaving Evie on pretty shaky financial ground. But, there were papers that suggested she may be the owner of the hotel, so Evie and Margot head off, to see the hotel and to get away for a weekend. The sisters are a good pair, opposites who nevertheless support each other when push comes to shove. We’ve got the husband and wife who own the hotel, a couple of staff, and an older, nosy woman who lives there year round. They’re all a bit quirky, but not likeable, even the sisters rubbed me a bit the wrong way. But this is the first in the series and maybe I’ll like them better in the second.
The mystery was okay, several suspects and red herrings, but I guessed who the killer was early and was right, which really shouldn’t happen. I don’t try to guess, so for me to know early, the author had to be telegraphing it pretty hard.
Overall, Death at High Tide was a fine start. While I didn’t love it, I can definitely see potential with both the hotel as a setting and the sisters as the lead sleuths. There’s also a potential romance in the offing, in typical cozy fashion.
midlife_cozy_nerd's review
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
annette45's review
5.0
I loved this book! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great comfort read with all the humor, fun, mystery, intrigue, and everything I love in cozy mysteries.
I can't wait to read the next book when it comes out. If you haven't checked this out, then you should. It was a delightful and enjoyable cozy mystery with a great story, characters, and well written.
I can't wait to read the next book when it comes out. If you haven't checked this out, then you should. It was a delightful and enjoyable cozy mystery with a great story, characters, and well written.
kendrarousseau's review
2.0
1.5 stars
Well, perhaps cozy mysteries aren’t for me. This one certainly wasn’t. I was hoping for an easy little escape, which I suppose I did get, but I really disliked this and it slowed my reading way down. For a murder mystery, this was verrrrry slow. The first murder didn’t even happen until 50% of the way through the book. I think what put it over the top for me was how much I disliked ALL of the characters. I found them one-dimensional and uninteresting. The only thing I can say I liked about this book was the island setting. That combined with the fact that I bothered to finish it bumps this up just a bit.
Well, perhaps cozy mysteries aren’t for me. This one certainly wasn’t. I was hoping for an easy little escape, which I suppose I did get, but I really disliked this and it slowed my reading way down. For a murder mystery, this was verrrrry slow. The first murder didn’t even happen until 50% of the way through the book. I think what put it over the top for me was how much I disliked ALL of the characters. I found them one-dimensional and uninteresting. The only thing I can say I liked about this book was the island setting. That combined with the fact that I bothered to finish it bumps this up just a bit.
debrajoreads's review
4.0
I was asked to read an advanced copy of book two in this series. I’ve had this one on my tbr list for a while but there were mixed reviews. So I decided to read it.
I loved the book. I found the characters all extremely quirky, some endearing and some hatable. The setting was great. I love lighthouses and I mean what better setting is there for a mystery than an island?
Let’s talk about the plot. This was such a nod to Ms. Christie. Several people on an island, all with their own motives, no way on and no way off, and everyone is a suspect. Brilliant.
I had both the digital and audio versions of this book. I highly recommend the audio. The narrator is great and the accents make the story even better.
I cannot wait to move on to book two.
I loved the book. I found the characters all extremely quirky, some endearing and some hatable. The setting was great. I love lighthouses and I mean what better setting is there for a mystery than an island?
Let’s talk about the plot. This was such a nod to Ms. Christie. Several people on an island, all with their own motives, no way on and no way off, and everyone is a suspect. Brilliant.
I had both the digital and audio versions of this book. I highly recommend the audio. The narrator is great and the accents make the story even better.
I cannot wait to move on to book two.
cheri325's review
3.0
Evie's older husband dies suddenly, and she finds out that she might have inherited a hotel on an island off the coast of England. Accompanied by her sister, Margo, Evie sets off for a weekend on the island to see what is going on. But things aren't what they seem, and bodies start dropping.
This was a cute cozy mystery. There's little in the way of character development, and I easily figured out "who done it." But I enjoyed the cast of characters and the story and am interested in reading more from this author.
This was a cute cozy mystery. There's little in the way of character development, and I easily figured out "who done it." But I enjoyed the cast of characters and the story and am interested in reading more from this author.
rubenstein's review
2.0
I have no idea how this is by the same author of the Honeychurch Hall series. This was so over-the-top cartoony, characters the reader is meant to root for were downright awful and unlikable, diarrhea is an actual plot point. One character, a woman in her 80s, is supposed to be an interesting eccentric - clearly meant to be a fan favorite - but her obsession with pop culture was practically beat over the reader's head. The Big Reveal literally is told through the town vicar who has some telepathic link to animals and can read the cat's thoughts.
I don't know what happened with this book. The setting and cat were great, but that's where the good starts and ends.
Full thoughts to come.
I don't know what happened with this book. The setting and cat were great, but that's where the good starts and ends.
Full thoughts to come.