Saturday 15 December 2018



THE BIRTHDAY MYSTERY by Faith Martin - Crime
Jenny Sparrow arrives at a country manor to cater for a joint birthday party. She has a
sense that something isn’t quite right and is told that there has been a death. On
looking out of the window she sees a body being pulled from the lake. She is catering
for the twins of the owners of the house. Both rather spoilt and wanting their own
way. Jenny soon finds more than cooking gossip in the kitchen.When one of the guests
falls down dead in the middle of the party it is rather a mystery as to who and why as
they were surrounded by other guests. This rather reminded me of the TV series
“Rosemary and Thyme” with Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris. Household helps that
have a nose for something untoward going on and finding out more than the police
and sometimes more than they should. I took to Jenny and her simplicity. Saying
things how they are and being truthful both with herself and others and not letting
those that thought they were above her treat her as such. She also has a crusade
to bring back real food- a woman of my own heart (and cooking!) I had to smile at
one of the police characters being Inspector Mollern- the name of a boat in a
certain Hillary Greene series. A very enjoyable start to the beginning of a series.
I think Jenny and I are going to become firm friends!
Please note this book was first published as “BIRTHDAYS CAN BE MURDER”
under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1
Amazon Top 1000 reviewer.

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HE BIRTHDAY MYSTERY by Faith Martin

Discover a new series of whodunits by million-selling author Faith Martin. These classic-style mysteries will have you scratching your head to work out who the murderer is. Meet Jenny Starling: travelling cook and reluctant amateur detective.

Please note this book was first published as “BIRTHDAYS CAN BE MURDER” under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO.

Jenny Starling is catering the twenty-first birthday party of a pair of posh twins, Alicia and Justin.

But when she arrives at their parent’s country house, she is immediately met by the police. A young man has drowned in the pond. Was it an accident or murder?

Then just after midnight everyone gathers for a champagne toast. But one of the guests falls down dead.

The police are baffled and there is a whole party full of suspects. But when it comes to someone adding the extra ingredient of poison to her own precious recipes, Jenny isn't going to take it lying down. She has a reputation to protect.

Jenny Starling won't stop until the murderer is found.

This is the first of a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with a great cast of characters and baffling crimes which will keep you in suspense to the final page. Perfect for fans of classic whodunits by authors like Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, TE Kinsey, and J.R. Ellis.

JENNY STARLING
In her late twenties, Jenny Starling is an impressive woman. Physically, she stands at 6ft 1inch, and has shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living the lifestyle that suits her – that of a travelling cook. Her famous (and now very rich) father, is a ‘celebrity’ cook, divorced from Jenny’s mother.  Jenny drives a disreputable cherry-red van, and is happy travelling the country catering events and cooking great food. She is on a one-woman crusade to bring back ‘real’ food. And definitely doesn’t like having to divert her attention from achieving the perfect Dundee cake or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve a murder. She finds crime very distracting, especially when there is chocolate to temper or pike to poach. Nevertheless, she is very good at reading people, and with a quick and agile brain, becomes very good at unmasking killers. And her always-undaunted sense of humour goes a long way in keeping her sane when all around her people are dropping like flies.

FAITH MARTIN is the best-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE mysteries, which have sold over 1 million copies globally in just over a year.

FAITH MARTIN
Faith Martin was born in Oxford, and has spent all her life within twenty miles of the university city, even working at Somerville College for five years before turning to writing full-time. The author of the popular DI Hillary Greene novels, she also writes more classic-style 'whodunits' under the pen name Joyce Cato, but began her writing career as Maxine Barry, winning an award for penning romance novels! A popular writer for over 25 years, she has had nearly 50 novels published so far. Her hobbies include walking her now ageing dog, wildlife-watching, reading and (reluctantly) gardening.  

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