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jessicabush1982's review
Okay
I liked the writing. The editing was spot on. I like British mysteries. I really didnt like the cliffhanger ending.
I liked the writing. The editing was spot on. I like British mysteries. I really didnt like the cliffhanger ending.
josy's review
3.0
Some thoughts...
- I liked the characters although Bish has very little on-page time; hope this will change in the next books
- too many characters for such a short book; it was hard to keep track of them
- The mystery isn't solved! I think this is more like a serial than a trilogy
- some inconsistencies in the mystery or things that didn't make much sense
- more gay-fiction than romance?
- interesting enough to read the next book right away
- I liked the characters although Bish has very little on-page time; hope this will change in the next books
- too many characters for such a short book; it was hard to keep track of them
- The mystery isn't solved! I think this is more like a serial than a trilogy
- some inconsistencies in the mystery or things that didn't make much sense
- more gay-fiction than romance?
- interesting enough to read the next book right away
ljpbooks's review
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
suze_1624's review
3.0
3.5*
I think this is really one story split over three books as we have multiple bodies and no real suspect at this time. Val and Bish are a couple and it is by necessity Val’s pov we get. Bish is arrested for the first muder and I found it interesting that his character is autistic as it raises lots of questions about treatment of adults in this situation where everything goes against how they cope.
There are two threads of investigation which Val is kind of going down alongside the police but his focus is in getting Bish released.
This will really annoy those who hate cliffhangers as it just kind of stops when another body, and one we don’t want, is found.
Going to have to move to book 2 very soon!
I think this is really one story split over three books as we have multiple bodies and no real suspect at this time. Val and Bish are a couple and it is by necessity Val’s pov we get. Bish is arrested for the first muder and I found it interesting that his character is autistic as it raises lots of questions about treatment of adults in this situation where everything goes against how they cope.
There are two threads of investigation which Val is kind of going down alongside the police but his focus is in getting Bish released.
This will really annoy those who hate cliffhangers as it just kind of stops when another body, and one we don’t want, is found.
Going to have to move to book 2 very soon!
felicitydisco's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I was thoroughly enjoying this queer cozy - until it just stopped in the middle of the case. Apparently the case continues through the trilogy, which is NOT how mystery series usually work.
brokebybooks's review
5.0
I received this book for free from Silver Dagger Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Happy Saturday everyone! I know you've all been anxiously waiting for this post since last Saturday. Finally, here's my review of the Grasmere Cottage Mystery series #1 and a tour giveaway!
Check out book two, Dead in the Pond, and Dead in the Shop on Goodreads.
Content Warning: Murder, Attempted Murder, Stalking, Arson, Kidnapping, Ableism, Racism.
So, I was actually only supposed to review the first book, Dead in the Garden. Instead, I totally read all three back to back in quick succession. Great reading experience for me, harder to review as I think of all three books as one, like seeing the forest instead of the trees. Which leaves me to review the whole in general terms. I HIGHLY recommend reading this series and you're going to want the next one right away anyways.
Valor is a typical English lad, grew up privileged but was disowned for being gay and falling in love with an Autistic Asian Indian man, Bishan. He and Bishan met in at their boarding school, which comes with an old boys network that isn't the usual terrible scum.
They're life is pretty good until someone murders the former school bully, leaves the body in their garden, and frames Bishan. Not so good.
Valor and Bishan aren't the typical bungling amateurs. They work with the police. They listen and follow the detective's instructions. I love their partnership and cooperation with the detectives and the system. I'm not saying their perfect citizens or are necessarily happy about it, but they do it like most people actually would.
This series stays with the pair while they're trying to survive a murderous terror campaign. Because of the lengthened timeline, it does feel slower and longer than most cozies I've read, The stakes here are real. There's no one really off limits or acts out of bounds for this killer. It makes it more suspenseful than the typical cozy mystery. A particular murder or two was legit shocking and hurtful.
And in the end? Scars remain. Valor and Bishan get their happy ending for now like any good romantic suspense and cozy mystery. But not exempt from real world consequences. I want more of this pair, but it would be difficult to continue the series with more killers.
I will so be keeping an eye out for more of Donovan's work though.
There was this one particular moment I will never forgot. If it was seen through Valor's eyes, it'd be an easy sell as a romantic gesture and the gap between readers and allistic readers would have grown. BUT because it was in Bishan's POV, I was legit confused why Valor thought it'd be romantic! With Valor sputtering and trying to explain and talking about it, it really drove how how different and difficult navigating an allistic world is for autistics.
Brilliant code switching between the two perspectives. I think the Autistic aspect is authentic, but I'm an allistic so YMMV. I can confidently say it really helped me see his POV clearly, the differences, and raise my consciousness going forward.
Bishan's family is soooo cute!! They're supportive but not perfect. They remind me of Simon's family in Simon Vs. actually. I can totally see Valor & Bishan as an older English version of Simon & Blue too.
But I love Valor's found family a little more. That's the stuff I know and love seeing reflected in books. I can never get enough.
My fave though? Their cat, Staccato. He was not harmed during this series. Frogs were only mildly inconvenienced when thrown back over a fence where they below. (Fun article to explain how frogs fly) Birds, not so lucky. Sorry :/
The killer doesn't get a lot of spotlight in the end, and I get why. If this was a standard psychopath, I'd be okay. But the sweeping dismissiveness of "craziness" when there's clear treatable mental health issues and how they lash out with the blame...I am not okay with that. Bishan has trouble navigating an allistic world but it gets explored. The mental illness of the antagonist, not so much. Hence the ableism tag. If you're having a bad or sensitive mental health day, my fellow neurodivergents, wait a bit before finishing this one until you're looking up again.
$5.00 Amazon Giftcard, 1 copy of each book in the trilogy
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!
ICYMI: Last Saturday I had another diverse/non-homogenized cozy mystery, The Last Note, which follows a Cuban American twenty something woman in Miami.This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
About Grasmere Cottage Mystery #1, dead in the garden
Check out book two, Dead in the Pond, and Dead in the Shop on Goodreads.
IMHO: grasmere cottage Mystery Series:
Content Warning: Murder, Attempted Murder, Stalking, Arson, Kidnapping, Ableism, Racism.
So, I was actually only supposed to review the first book, Dead in the Garden. Instead, I totally read all three back to back in quick succession. Great reading experience for me, harder to review as I think of all three books as one, like seeing the forest instead of the trees. Which leaves me to review the whole in general terms. I HIGHLY recommend reading this series and you're going to want the next one right away anyways.
Valor is a typical English lad, grew up privileged but was disowned for being gay and falling in love with an Autistic Asian Indian man, Bishan. He and Bishan met in at their boarding school, which comes with an old boys network that isn't the usual terrible scum.
They're life is pretty good until someone murders the former school bully, leaves the body in their garden, and frames Bishan. Not so good.
Valor and Bishan aren't the typical bungling amateurs. They work with the police. They listen and follow the detective's instructions. I love their partnership and cooperation with the detectives and the system. I'm not saying their perfect citizens or are necessarily happy about it, but they do it like most people actually would.
grasmere cottage mystery series isn't a weekend or two week romp on the wild side.
This series stays with the pair while they're trying to survive a murderous terror campaign. Because of the lengthened timeline, it does feel slower and longer than most cozies I've read, The stakes here are real. There's no one really off limits or acts out of bounds for this killer. It makes it more suspenseful than the typical cozy mystery. A particular murder or two was legit shocking and hurtful.
And in the end? Scars remain. Valor and Bishan get their happy ending for now like any good romantic suspense and cozy mystery. But not exempt from real world consequences. I want more of this pair, but it would be difficult to continue the series with more killers.
I will so be keeping an eye out for more of Donovan's work though.
bishan's perspective is perfection
There was this one particular moment I will never forgot. If it was seen through Valor's eyes, it'd be an easy sell as a romantic gesture and the gap between readers and allistic readers would have grown. BUT because it was in Bishan's POV, I was legit confused why Valor thought it'd be romantic! With Valor sputtering and trying to explain and talking about it, it really drove how how different and difficult navigating an allistic world is for autistics.
Brilliant code switching between the two perspectives. I think the Autistic aspect is authentic, but I'm an allistic so YMMV. I can confidently say it really helped me see his POV clearly, the differences, and raise my consciousness going forward.
Family Is Important
Bishan's family is soooo cute!! They're supportive but not perfect. They remind me of Simon's family in Simon Vs. actually. I can totally see Valor & Bishan as an older English version of Simon & Blue too.
But I love Valor's found family a little more. That's the stuff I know and love seeing reflected in books. I can never get enough.
My fave though? Their cat, Staccato. He was not harmed during this series. Frogs were only mildly inconvenienced when thrown back over a fence where they below. (Fun article to explain how frogs fly) Birds, not so lucky. Sorry :/
Killer Ableism
The killer doesn't get a lot of spotlight in the end, and I get why. If this was a standard psychopath, I'd be okay. But the sweeping dismissiveness of "craziness" when there's clear treatable mental health issues and how they lash out with the blame...I am not okay with that. Bishan has trouble navigating an allistic world but it gets explored. The mental illness of the antagonist, not so much. Hence the ableism tag. If you're having a bad or sensitive mental health day, my fellow neurodivergents, wait a bit before finishing this one until you're looking up again.
About the Author:
Giveaway:
$5.00 Amazon Giftcard, 1 copy of each book in the trilogy
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!
ICYMI: Last Saturday I had another diverse/non-homogenized cozy mystery, The Last Note, which follows a Cuban American twenty something woman in Miami.This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
amullen03's review
5.0
I just loved this book so much! A lot of romance mysteries are to much of one or the other. This one was able to balance everything so well. You have Valor the son of an earl who was disowned for his life choices. He is sarcastic and funny and so caring. Then you have his partner Bishan who has this loving family, he paints and plays music and is autistic. They both went to school together and are just a realistic amazing couple. They wake one day and find a dead body in their garden. And if that is not bad enough all the clues point to Bishan.
I really had a hard time figuring out who was behind everything. This is the first book in a trilogy, so you really don't find out who is behind it. I could not put this book down though and as soon as I was done I needed the next book.
The story is very well written and thought out. I love all the characters. There are very many in this book, but with out everyone of them the story would be lacking. I think the biggest thing for me was How Bishan was portrayed. I have a son with autism and I just loved that there was a character like him. Bishan is brave and strong, he has things he doesn't understand but is still this amazing person who really tries. How him and Valor are together just makes me so happy. I definitely laughed and cried along the way with the story.
I really had a hard time figuring out who was behind everything. This is the first book in a trilogy, so you really don't find out who is behind it. I could not put this book down though and as soon as I was done I needed the next book.
The story is very well written and thought out. I love all the characters. There are very many in this book, but with out everyone of them the story would be lacking. I think the biggest thing for me was How Bishan was portrayed. I have a son with autism and I just loved that there was a character like him. Bishan is brave and strong, he has things he doesn't understand but is still this amazing person who really tries. How him and Valor are together just makes me so happy. I definitely laughed and cried along the way with the story.
broomesbooks's review
3.0
This is a delightful start to a M/M cozy mystery. I’m a fan of quaint, small towns that house remarkable residents. What makes this book unique is the diversity in it. Bishan is autistic and also accused of murdering the man lying dead in the garden.
Valor does everything he can do to get Bishan out of jail and to clear their names. It takes an army of former schoolmates to clean up a mess and to get everyone looking in the right direction and away from Bishan. Some of the best scenes involved the former Harrovians and the shenanigans they managed to get themselves into. There was a true sense of family, that is decided not by blood but by choice.
Now the only down side to this is you do not get the answer to who the killer is. There are two other novellas that you will need to read in order to get those answers. I’m looking forward to starting the second in the series and learning more about Bishan and Valor.
Valor does everything he can do to get Bishan out of jail and to clear their names. It takes an army of former schoolmates to clean up a mess and to get everyone looking in the right direction and away from Bishan. Some of the best scenes involved the former Harrovians and the shenanigans they managed to get themselves into. There was a true sense of family, that is decided not by blood but by choice.
Now the only down side to this is you do not get the answer to who the killer is. There are two other novellas that you will need to read in order to get those answers. I’m looking forward to starting the second in the series and learning more about Bishan and Valor.