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The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust-Up
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26A cosy crime/mystery novel from the beloved author of
Tuesday Evenings with the Copeton Craft Resistance
and
The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up
.
Something is amiss at the Paradise Heights Miniature Railway. And this suits Fleck Parker just fine – she’s on the hunt for a new puzzle to solve. Expensive equipment and supplies have disappeared and nobody knows why. Who could possibly wish harm on a community group delivering Sunday afternoon fun on a fleet of jolly little engines?
Fleck is frenetic as ever as she feeds a hungry baby, placates a cranky toddler, executes an (almost) on-time school run and investigates crime – all without losing her Wordle streak. Her best friend, Trixie, is scrambling to manage the Many Hands Society Craft Shop, where volatile volunteers are becoming a real problem.
Fleck has never met a puzzle she didn’t want to solve, and this one is just the ticket. Nobody suspects the cheerful mum asking questions at the railway as she tries to untangle the conundrum. But idyllic bushland and miniature villages hide a sinister mystery, darker and more complex than anyone imagined. Will Fleck’s attempts to derail the thief land her on the wrong side of the tracks?
Something is amiss at the Paradise Heights Miniature Railway. And this suits Fleck Parker just fine – she’s on the hunt for a new puzzle to solve. Expensive equipment and supplies have disappeared and nobody knows why. Who could possibly wish harm on a community group delivering Sunday afternoon fun on a fleet of jolly little engines?
Fleck is frenetic as ever as she feeds a hungry baby, placates a cranky toddler, executes an (almost) on-time school run and investigates crime – all without losing her Wordle streak. Her best friend, Trixie, is scrambling to manage the Many Hands Society Craft Shop, where volatile volunteers are becoming a real problem.
Fleck has never met a puzzle she didn’t want to solve, and this one is just the ticket. Nobody suspects the cheerful mum asking questions at the railway as she tries to untangle the conundrum. But idyllic bushland and miniature villages hide a sinister mystery, darker and more complex than anyone imagined. Will Fleck’s attempts to derail the thief land her on the wrong side of the tracks?
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 31, 2026
2 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was so thrilled when NetGalley andSimon & Schuster (Australia) | Affirm Press gave me access to the arc of Kate Solly's latest book. This author is a must read writer for me - whatever she creates I will consume. This is her third book and the second set in Paradise Heights.
Fleck aka Felicity Parker is coming into her strength as a detective - she is very very good at solving puzzles, mysteries and crimes. The book opens with her solving the mystery of the who grafittied her favourite cafe - a place she often goes for a coffee and a chance to work in peace without the distraction of home and family. With this crime solved, she is quick to look for a new challenge and her husband, Matthew offers up his minature train groups issue - a case of missing goods. Very quickly it is evident that things may be a little more serious than they appear - perhaps even a situation of sabotage. Fleck finds herself with several suspects and she absolutely has a new mystery to solve.
It was so lovely to return to Paradise Heights and revisit all the characters from the previous book. Fleck has the most wonderful support team of characters and her family is just charming. What is so strong about Kate Solly's work is she writes with an absolute understanding of people, community and circumstances - it feels real. It is as though you could walk down the street and into Many Hands, the community craft shop, and join in on crafting class or stop in at the park and let your children play on the equipment while catching up on the local gossip. There is a story running behind the main plot, that makes your teeth grind because it so captures the nature of someone trying to promote a very unsavory 'pyramid' scheme. You really want to slap the woman - I would have definitely had Trixie's back, Fleck's best friend and the coordinator of Many Hands, if she had walloped Lynette. There is a gentle charm to the storytelling in this book (yes, even though I wanted to be violent towards Lynette).
If you haven't had the chance to read Kate Sollly, an Australian author, and you like a good cosy mystery that is built on interesting female characters then it is absolutely worth picking up her books. I would definitely read The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up first before this one as it really builds a sense of the characters and the community, however this book could be read as a stand alone. Her first book, Tuesday Evenings with the Copeton Craft Resistance, is fabulous as well. but not connected to this book. Please consider putting Kate Solly on your TBR list - you won't regret it.
Fleck aka Felicity Parker is coming into her strength as a detective - she is very very good at solving puzzles, mysteries and crimes. The book opens with her solving the mystery of the who grafittied her favourite cafe - a place she often goes for a coffee and a chance to work in peace without the distraction of home and family. With this crime solved, she is quick to look for a new challenge and her husband, Matthew offers up his minature train groups issue - a case of missing goods. Very quickly it is evident that things may be a little more serious than they appear - perhaps even a situation of sabotage. Fleck finds herself with several suspects and she absolutely has a new mystery to solve.
It was so lovely to return to Paradise Heights and revisit all the characters from the previous book. Fleck has the most wonderful support team of characters and her family is just charming. What is so strong about Kate Solly's work is she writes with an absolute understanding of people, community and circumstances - it feels real. It is as though you could walk down the street and into Many Hands, the community craft shop, and join in on crafting class or stop in at the park and let your children play on the equipment while catching up on the local gossip. There is a story running behind the main plot, that makes your teeth grind because it so captures the nature of someone trying to promote a very unsavory 'pyramid' scheme. You really want to slap the woman - I would have definitely had Trixie's back, Fleck's best friend and the coordinator of Many Hands, if she had walloped Lynette. There is a gentle charm to the storytelling in this book (yes, even though I wanted to be violent towards Lynette).
If you haven't had the chance to read Kate Sollly, an Australian author, and you like a good cosy mystery that is built on interesting female characters then it is absolutely worth picking up her books. I would definitely read The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up first before this one as it really builds a sense of the characters and the community, however this book could be read as a stand alone. Her first book, Tuesday Evenings with the Copeton Craft Resistance, is fabulous as well. but not connected to this book. Please consider putting Kate Solly on your TBR list - you won't regret it.
March 9, 2026
I was lucky to receive an early review eARC of this book from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley and I was so delighted to jump back into Fleck's world!
Returning to Paradise Heights felt like catching up with familiar neighbours, and Kate Solly once again delivers a cosy mystery full of charm, humour, and small-town intrigue.
In this novel, which marks Kate Solly’s third book and her second set in Paradise Heights, Fleck finds herself drawn into another whodunnit, this time surrounding the local miniature railway. The mystery unfolds with Solly’s trademark wit and gentle pacing, making it an easy and enjoyable read that fans of cosy crime will happily settle into.
One of the highlights for me was revisiting the returning cast of characters. Seeing familiar faces like Trixie, Ranveer, Dima and Bev again added a lovely sense of continuity and nostalgia to the story, and the community dynamics remain one of the series’ strongest elements.
As with any small-town mystery, not every personality is easy to love. Lynette in particular will likely test readers’ patience, and I suspect many will have strong opinions about her throughout the story.
Overall, this was a fun and entertaining cosy mystery that delivers exactly what the genre promises: an engaging puzzle, memorable characters, and plenty of light-hearted moments along the way. It was thoroughly enjoyable to return to Paradise Heights and another solid story from Kate Solly that I'll be looking forward to adding a physical copy to my shelf at home!
If you enjoy cosy whodunnits with quirky community characters and a touch of humour, this one is well worth picking up.
Returning to Paradise Heights felt like catching up with familiar neighbours, and Kate Solly once again delivers a cosy mystery full of charm, humour, and small-town intrigue.
In this novel, which marks Kate Solly’s third book and her second set in Paradise Heights, Fleck finds herself drawn into another whodunnit, this time surrounding the local miniature railway. The mystery unfolds with Solly’s trademark wit and gentle pacing, making it an easy and enjoyable read that fans of cosy crime will happily settle into.
One of the highlights for me was revisiting the returning cast of characters. Seeing familiar faces like Trixie, Ranveer, Dima and Bev again added a lovely sense of continuity and nostalgia to the story, and the community dynamics remain one of the series’ strongest elements.
As with any small-town mystery, not every personality is easy to love. Lynette in particular will likely test readers’ patience, and I suspect many will have strong opinions about her throughout the story.
Overall, this was a fun and entertaining cosy mystery that delivers exactly what the genre promises: an engaging puzzle, memorable characters, and plenty of light-hearted moments along the way. It was thoroughly enjoyable to return to Paradise Heights and another solid story from Kate Solly that I'll be looking forward to adding a physical copy to my shelf at home!
If you enjoy cosy whodunnits with quirky community characters and a touch of humour, this one is well worth picking up.
March 23, 2026
What a beautiful cosy mystery! This was such a lovely story and I enjoyed being back in a town created by Kate Solly.
This story was well paced in a way that gently moved through the story whilst keeping you interested the whole time. It was a lovely relatively low stakes mystery told in such a way that you knew it was really important to Fleck and I enjoyed following her character.
The relationships between the characters were realistic and enjoyable to watch developing. I also really appreciated how accurate the children were portrayed when they featured in this story.
I enjoyed reading Kate Solly’s writing and look forward to reading more of her work.
I didn’t actually realise this was a sequel until I was partway into the book and enjoying it too much to put it down and read the first one. I was still able to enjoy the story and the characters as there was enough context given to the characters in discussions of their past. I am looking forward to going back and reading the Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch Up and learning more about these characters.
This story was well paced in a way that gently moved through the story whilst keeping you interested the whole time. It was a lovely relatively low stakes mystery told in such a way that you knew it was really important to Fleck and I enjoyed following her character.
The relationships between the characters were realistic and enjoyable to watch developing. I also really appreciated how accurate the children were portrayed when they featured in this story.
I enjoyed reading Kate Solly’s writing and look forward to reading more of her work.
I didn’t actually realise this was a sequel until I was partway into the book and enjoying it too much to put it down and read the first one. I was still able to enjoy the story and the characters as there was enough context given to the characters in discussions of their past. I am looking forward to going back and reading the Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch Up and learning more about these characters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I thoroughly enjoyed The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust-Up. It’s a cosy mystery with so much heart, humour and everyday relatability woven through it.
Fleck Parker is such a fun main character. I loved that she doesn’t pretend she’s not investigating. She openly tells people she wants to be a detective, which makes her curiosity feel honest and endearing rather than sneaky. Watching her juggle babies, toddlers, school runs and sleuthing made her feel wonderfully real.
The miniature railway setting is charming and unique, and the Many Hands Society Craft Shop adds even more community flavour and personality. Beneath the bushland charm there’s a darker thread running through the mystery, which adds just enough tension without losing that comforting cosy feel.
Joyful, easy to read and thoroughly entertaining, this is another great story from Kate Solly.
Fleck Parker is such a fun main character. I loved that she doesn’t pretend she’s not investigating. She openly tells people she wants to be a detective, which makes her curiosity feel honest and endearing rather than sneaky. Watching her juggle babies, toddlers, school runs and sleuthing made her feel wonderfully real.
The miniature railway setting is charming and unique, and the Many Hands Society Craft Shop adds even more community flavour and personality. Beneath the bushland charm there’s a darker thread running through the mystery, which adds just enough tension without losing that comforting cosy feel.
Joyful, easy to read and thoroughly entertaining, this is another great story from Kate Solly.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was thrilled to read another adventure with Fleck Parker and her friends in Paradise Heights, as I adore Kate Solly’s writing and humour. I felt like I knew all the characters in The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust-Up, and that so many of them were friends.
I didn’t want this story to end and I hope we see a lot more of Fleck and her detectiving.
5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) | Affirm Press for sending me an advance copy.
I didn’t want this story to end and I hope we see a lot more of Fleck and her detectiving.
5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) | Affirm Press for sending me an advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved this book. I didn’t want to leave the charming yet thrilling world of Paradise Heights. Fleck Parker is the perfect protagonist and amateur sleuth to guide us through this story. I have read all of Kate Solly’s books and, while I’ve loved them all, this is my favourite. Gripping, pacy, fun and filled with the heart and warmth I’ve come to expect from Kate.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews