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Murder on the Marshes

(Tara Thorpe Mystery #1)

Clare Chase (Goodreads Author)

4.10 · Rating details · 1,181 ratings · 117 reviews

The first in a series of unputdownable Cambridge mysteries featuring Thorpe and Blake.

As the sun rises, a young woman – Samantha Seabrook – is found drowned in the ornamental fountain of a deserted Cambridge courtyard, the only clue – an antique silver chain wound tightly around her throat.

It’s Tara Thorpe’s job to discover what happened to Miss Seabrook – but the case ...more

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Kindle Edition, 346 pages

Published July 31st 2018 by Bookouture

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· 1,181 ratings · 117 reviews

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Start your review of Murder on the Marshes (Tara Thorpe Mystery, #1)

Aug 02, 2018 Berit☀️✨ rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, net-galley, blog-tour

4 Brilliant Stars

What a fabulous start to this new series! Really loved everything about it the plot, the characters, and especially the setting.... it was a new refreshing twist on a police procedural. because you also got the investigative journalism insight .... and I really loved the academic setting...

A professor is found murdered in a fountain at the school, without any clues... Tara is an investigative reporter and assigned to write a story about the victims life... DI Burke is assigned ...more

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Jun 29, 2018 Lou rated it really liked it

It wasn't just the exciting premise that I loved, the beautiful cover influenced me too. Yet another thriller writer that seems to have passed me by! Clare Chase has had three other books published from 2014-16 by Choc Lit. You'll enjoy her books including this one if you like Joy Ellis, L. J. Ross, and Faith Martin.

It's dawn and affluent Samantha Seabrook is found drowned in the ornamental fountain of a Cambridge courtyard. The only clue left is an antique silver chain that has been wound ...more

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Aug 03, 2018 Eva rated it really liked it

Welcome to Cambridge and its elite university colleges, whose foundations will be rocked by the murder of one of their own. Samantha Seabrook is found drowned in the fountain of a courtyard. The only clue is a silver chain. How did Samantha get access to this courtyard? Who would want to harm her and why?

The investigation into Samantha’s murder falls into the hands of DI Blake, but he isn’t the only one tracking a killer. Tara Thorpe is a journalist, whose boss wants her to write an article Welcome to Cambridge and its elite university colleges, whose foundations will be rocked by the murder of one of their own. Samantha Seabrook is found drowned in the fountain of a courtyard. The only clue is a silver chain. How did Samantha get access to this courtyard? Who would want to harm her and why?

The investigation into Samantha’s murder falls into the hands of DI Blake, but he isn’t the only one tracking a killer. Tara Thorpe is a journalist, whose boss wants her to write an article about the life and death of Samantha Seabrook. But when Tara receives a warning and realises this same warning was sent to Samantha before she was killed, things become personal. Can DI Blake and Tara Thorpe find the culprit before it’s too late?

The gorgeous Cambridge setting is in stark contrast with the backstabbing, rivalry and competitiveness of the professors at the college. Bar maybe one or two, nobody comes across as especially likeable and everyone seems to have something to hide. Throughout, there is the fascinating angle of the privileged versus the ones who come from nothing and had to work extraordinary hard to get where they are now.

The prologue sets the tone for things to come but its relevance isn’t revealed until the end. I do so enjoy that as I keep going over things like that in my head, trying to figure out how that little teaser fits into the story. For the record, I didn’t have a clue. Nor did I have the tiniest inkling about who the murderer was.

One investigation but two different ways of tackling it and both really held my interest. As a journalist, Tara has other resources available to her than DI Blake has, and vice versa. In their own ways they do the same thing with the same goal in mind. Talk to people, find the clues, put together the pieces of the puzzle and ultimately find the truth. And in Tara’s case, stay alive, as that first warning won’t be the last.

This first instalment in the Tara Thorpe Mystery series does exactly what it needs to. It’s gripping and compelling, has a wonderful setting and introduces us to fantastic characters both professionally and personally. There are plenty more things to discover about both DI Blake and Tara Thorpe and the conclusion of this first book sets things up perfectly for the follow-up. A brilliant start that will leave you wanting more! ...more

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Jun 29, 2018 Elaine Tomasso rated it really liked it

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Murder on the Marshes, the first novel set in Cambridge to feature investigative journalist Tara Thorpe.

When Professor Samantha Seabrook is found murdered in the fountain of St Bede College's private walled garden DI Garstin Blake and his team are assigned the case. Tara Thorpe is asked to write an in-depth article on Samantha following her death so she crosses paths with DI Blake, especially when the police discover that the I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Murder on the Marshes, the first novel set in Cambridge to feature investigative journalist Tara Thorpe.

When Professor Samantha Seabrook is found murdered in the fountain of St Bede College's private walled garden DI Garstin Blake and his team are assigned the case. Tara Thorpe is asked to write an in-depth article on Samantha following her death so she crosses paths with DI Blake, especially when the police discover that the killer may have her in mind as the next victim.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder on the Marshes which is a tense, exciting read with plenty of twists. It is slightly old fashioned in the sense that it relies on interviews, personalities and potential motives rather than technology to solve the case, but modern with its dual point of view narrative, being told alternately by Tara and Blake. I don't feel that the author has got this latter quite right as it can be repetitive and the characters' viewpoints aren't so divergent that the same information seems fresh when presented by the other voice.

The plotting is good as both characters gradually build a victimology. It makes for addictive reading as more and more facts are uncovered, although their arrival at a solution seems like a bolt from the blue and decidedly unheralded. I had an inkling of the killer from about half way through, simply by the way the character was written, but the motive was elusive until the denouement. Minor points in what is, overall, an addictive read.

The characterisation is sufficient for the novel, but not overly so. Much is made of the stalker Tara had when she was a teenager and who was never caught because it has shaped the woman she is today, strong, feisty and independent but aware of the danger around her. Blake, on the other hand, is a man of mystery. Obviously caring and good at his job he has recently separated from his wife, for reasons often hinted at but never revealed. By the end of the novel it's all change for them so it will be interesting to see what's in store for them.

Murder on the Marshes is a credible début which I have no hesitation in recommending as a good read. ...more

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Jun 24, 2018 Janet Newport rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018-reads, netgalley, kindle-books

Thank you NetGalley and BookOuture for this arc.

I enjoyed Murder on the Marshes a lot. Fast paced, twisty, and interesting well-developed characters. Oh, and a very interesting setting! I just ripped right through this book. A wonderful balance of what I feel are the essential elements for a crime novel. This appears to be the first in a series... I hope so as I really enjoyed Tara!

4.5 stars rounded up.

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May 23, 2019 Lee rated it really liked it

Shelves: english, audiobook, mystery, horror-thriller, series, netgalleyreaders2019

After I finished this book I read Clare Chase’s Goodreads author profile where she states that Elly Griffiths is one of her influences. I must say this didn’t surprise me as I had noticed similarities between Murder on the Marshes and the books in Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway series.

The heroine here is reporter Tara Thorpe. Tara is the daughter of an actress and has previously been harassed by a stalker. As such, when she receives a rag doll with a noose around its neck in the mail, she immediately After I finished this book I read Clare Chase’s Goodreads author profile where she states that Elly Griffiths is one of her influences. I must say this didn’t surprise me as I had noticed similarities between Murder on the Marshes and the books in Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway series.

The heroine here is reporter Tara Thorpe. Tara is the daughter of an actress and has previously been harassed by a stalker. As such, when she receives a rag doll with a noose around its neck in the mail, she immediately goes to the police. In turn, the police instantly take the threat to Tara seriously as they’ve just discovered the body of a Cambridge professor who, a few days before she was killed, also received a rag doll.

Tara meets DI Blake, the detective assigned to the case and there’s instant attraction between the pair. It's all very respectable though. In fact, I enjoyed how Blake is the only one who seems to completely respect Tara and her choices when it comes to her safety and security.

While Blake is investigating the murder in the conventional manner, Tara starts interviewing witnesses and potential killers. She is writing an article on the murder but she also, obviously, needs to solve the case before the murderer catches up with her.

The murder plot was pretty good but I can’t say I thought the clues to the identity of the murderer were very useful. They seemed very general. If you guessed the murderer, you would have been doing just that -- guessing.

The Cambridge setting was great. It increased Tara’s vulnerability to attack in unexpected and clever ways. The setting mentioned in the title, however, is a little misleading. Neither of the murders were carried out in marshes.

I liked the romantic aspect of the book. It was added with a light touch for this first book but I imagine it will develop further in the future books in the series. I look forward to it; I will read on.

I’ll read them the old fashioned way though. I didn’t like the narration in this audio version. The narrator seemed to be whispering every line. It was very annoying.

For most of the book I was a little annoyed too by the slut shaming of the victim (I think I noticed it especially because it was also something Robert Bryndza did in Girl in the Ice which I read recently and therefore, it was still fresh in my mind) but I was pleasantly surprised that Chase made some amends in this area by adding an explanation and a measure of empathy towards the end.

Although the mystery plot is wrapped up, the ending cleverly doesn’t answer every question posed meaning, again, I’m sure to pick up the second book.

I’d also admit I could be tempted to pick up one of the books from Chase’s other series. Always a good sign.

3 ½ out of 5

...more

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Sep 20, 2018 Denise added it

Revenge or evening up the balance? A twisty tale with many red herrings...

"Death comes equally to us all, and makes us all equal when it comes." John Donne

Tara Thorpe is a journalist working for NOT NOW magazine when she is asked to investigate and write a feature about the murder of a charismatic and popular professor, Samantha Seabrook, a fellow of St. Francis's College at Cambridge. Professor Seabrook, young and athletic, somewhat impetuous and adventurous, had apparently been killed in a ...more

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Jul 29, 2018 Julie Lacey rated it really liked it

This is a great ‘who-dunnit’ story.
Tara is a journalist and contacts the Police when she receives a threatening note, along with a strange doll.
A body is then found and it transpires that the victim had received a doll with a noose round it's neck a few weeks ago.
Detective Blake speaks to Tara and takes the threat against her seriously. With her link to the death of the woman she starts investigating her death as a story. Blake asks her to share what she finds and she agrees as she knows he ...more

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Jun 24, 2018 Joyce rated it really liked it

4 stars

A woman is found half submerged in a pond on the St. Bede’s College campus. DI Garstin Blake and his team respond to the call. She has been drowned intentionally. She turns out to be Samantha Seabrook, a professor at another college in the Cambridge College system. She is wearing a silver crucifix around her neck.

Tara Thorpe is a reporter for a publication called Not Now. It is sometimes edgy and just skirts the bounds of propriety. Tara is a good journalist who does not appreciate the ...more

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Aug 05, 2018 Amanda rated it it was amazing

‘Murder On The Marshes’ is billed as being ideal for fans of L. J. Ross, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis. I love all three authors and the books and so I was looking forward to starting ‘Murder On The Marshes’. I was not to be disappointed as I loved it but more about that in a bit.
I did feel for the character of Tara Thorpe. She’s a journalist and at some point in her past she has had a traumatic experience which still affects her to this day. She lives a distance away from other houses but she is ‘Murder On The Marshes’ is billed as being ideal for fans of L. J. Ross, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis. I love all three authors and the books and so I was looking forward to starting ‘Murder On The Marshes’. I was not to be disappointed as I loved it but more about that in a bit.
I did feel for the character of Tara Thorpe. She’s a journalist and at some point in her past she has had a traumatic experience which still affects her to this day. She lives a distance away from other houses but she is quite happy with her own company. Tara is tasked with finding out more about Samantha Seabrook, who was murdered by persons unknown. There are similarities between Samantha’s case and Tara’s own case. Tara feels threatened again and so she goes around her house leaving little booby traps to alert her to an intruder if one tries to get into her house. Tara receives a distressing doll, which she perceives to be a threat to her life. Samantha Seabrook also received such a doll prior to her murder. It’s this that brings her into contact with Detective Inspector Garstin Blake. Tara and DI Gerstin Blake work together to try to apprehend the murderer before any further lives are lost. Will they succeed? Well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my days, ‘Murder On The Marshes’ was certainly a read and a half. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story and before you realise it you have become addicted to the book. The author uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I could literally imagine the action taking place in front of me. The characters are so well described that they seemed real to me and they seemed to come alive. The more I got into this book, the more I read and the quicker the pages were turning. I was so into the story, the case and the characters that I didn’t realise just how quickly the pages were turning. Before I realised what was happening I had cleated over 40%. It didn’t take me long to finish the story and when I closed the back cover so to speak I felt disappointed in the sense that I was enjoying the book so much that I just wanted it to continue on and on. For me ‘Murder On The Marshes’ is a real ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down book). My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. Reading ‘Murder On The Marshes’ was much like riding on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with no idea in which direction the story will take you next. On more than one occasion I smugly thought that I had fathomed out who had committed the murder and why, only to realise that I had the wrong end of the stick entirely and it was actually somebody else. I also loved the setting of Cambridge for this series and in time, Cambridge will become just as notorious as Midsomer (‘Midsomer Murders). I for one can’t wait until this happens.
In short I loved reading ‘Murder On The Marshes’ and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Fortunately I don’t have too long to wait because the next book in the series ‘Death On The River’ is due to be released on 17th October 2018. I can’t wait to read it. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*. ...more

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Aug 01, 2018 Renita D'Silva rated it it was amazing

Wow what a book! I love this author's writing and with this book she has surpassed all expectations, setting the standard exceptionally high! One of the best mysteries I have read! Loved it from start to finish and couldn't put it down! A masterpiece! Plotting perfection! The writing is brilliant and flows off the page, the characters stay with you. A thoroughly satisfying, absolutely stunning book! I cannot wait to read more by this amazing author!

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Jul 18, 2018 Els rated it really liked it

Money might not give you everything you crave the most, but it sure helps you finding your way in the world. This does not necessarily mean a happy ending, does it ...

What I love about this kind of books is that you can awaken your inner cop and try and solve the mystery. Little by little, with the help of each interview, the case becomes clearer. I had to conclude,once again, that I would make a lousy DI ...
That means praise to the author for keeping the culprit hidden until the end.

The point ...more

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Jul 01, 2018 Judy Lesley rated it really liked it

Shelves: british, mystery, modern

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital galley of this novel.

This story, set in the environs of the colleges of the University of Cambridge, started out as a classic locked room mystery with a twist: instead of a room we are dealing with a garden. According to the information recorded with the key card codes nobody entered the locked garden gate after it was closed at 5:30 p.m. So how did a murder occur there after midnight? The police discover that an object was sent to the murder ...more

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Jun 21, 2018 Thebooktrail rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-set-in-england, crime-fiction, book-set-in-academia

Visit the locations in the novel

There’s a lot going on at this Cambridgeshire college! Not since Inspector Morse have I read of such goings on. This is going to be a new gripping series of mysteries and subplots I think.Great characters already - I liked Tara from the off. Think she should move from that common though - and parking the car in Garlic Lane was apt when she kicked up a stink afterwards!

It goes to show that what happens in our pasts can have serious repercussions and come back to ...more

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Feb 22, 2019 Michelle rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book and the main characters. It was a good start to a new series. And I always like strong female characters.
I did figure out the killer about three quarters through. But I didn't guess all the details so it made for a nice ending. Got my heart thumping a bit!
Solid four stars for me.

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Jul 10, 2018 Christopher Roden rated it really liked it

Well plotted, and a darned good read.

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Jul 20, 2018 Amanda (Books, Life and Everything Nice) rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley, adult, author-female, country-canada-u-k-australia, fiction

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Clare Chase for an ARC copy of the book. As always, an honest review.

Murder on the Marshes is a fast read that pulled me in right from the beginning. The action is written so there's plenty of it to move the story forward, but not so much to be over the top ridiculous. In general I enjoyed the writing style. The color descriptions and imagery are wonderful. They paint quite a picture.

I also really liked the setting. Many of the main characters are college ...more

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Jul 11, 2018 Ashley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: a-few-of-my-favorites

I began reading Murder on the Marshes yesterday and literally couldn't put it down!! This was an excellent thriller with well developed characters and great twists!! From the first page until the end, Murder on the Marshes is a great ride of mystery, suspense and murder.

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Clare Chase (the author) for allowing me to have this ARC.

**spoilers**

Tara Thorpe is a journalist who has a history of being stalked from when she was a teenager. 20 years ...more

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Aug 02, 2018 Between The Pages Book Club (Gemma M) rated it really liked it

What a great start to a new upcoming series that I looking forward to reading! Hello DI Garstin and hello Tara. Tara takes her career very seriously but with her life at risk will she be able to cope and keep going?

Cleverly written, fast paced and easy to read! Murder on the Marshes kicks off this series brilliantly introducing the characters and setting. A real who dunnit with plenty of twists and turns for the reader to endure.

I enjoy reading this one and I look forward to book two already! A ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Julie Morris rated it it was amazing

I have always been intrigued by books set in the exclusive university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, especially detective books, and especially ones that provide a glimpse into the exclusive and archaic world of the elite universities that most of us never get to see. My love was initially sparked by the brilliant novel Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers and prevailed through my abiding devotion to the great Inspector Morse novels by Colin Dexter. I think I have found another fabulous series to I have always been intrigued by books set in the exclusive university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, especially detective books, and especially ones that provide a glimpse into the exclusive and archaic world of the elite universities that most of us never get to see. My love was initially sparked by the brilliant novel Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers and prevailed through my abiding devotion to the great Inspector Morse novels by Colin Dexter. I think I have found another fabulous series to add to my favourites if this book is anything to go by.

Murder on the Marshes is the first in a new crime series set in Cambridge and I absolutely loved this book. I have read it cover to cover in less than a day and I cannot wait to get my sticky mitts on the second book.

The central character in the book is Tara Thorpe, a journalist working for a sensationalist online paper. When a successful, young, glamorous and attention-seeking professor from the university is found murdered on college grounds, Tara is tasked with getting the in-depth story. She has an added interest in finding out who might have killed Samantha Seabrook, as it seems the same killer may have Tara in his sights.

This book grabbed me by the throat from the opening chapter and refused to let go until the very end. It has absolutely everything connoisseurs of the classic crime novel could want and I am seriously excited to have discovered this great new writer. The story was a fantastic puzzle, filled with twists, turns, red herrings, esoteric clues, dubious characters, tensions, rivalries, all set against the beautiful backdrop of Cambridge and the menacing emptiness of the surrounding Cambridgeshire fens. The author uses the setting and landscape to great effect in the book and it really ramped up the atmosphere. I loved the way she made the flat emptiness of the fens feel claustrophobic, as this is something I have felt myself when visiting that area.

As well as having a great setting and plot, the characters in this book are most appealing and really make the book the compelling read it is. Tara Thorpe, who has a difficult and unresolved past, is very likeable and is a great character to carry the series. I was really involved in her family history and her moral dilemmas and personal struggles and enjoyed the way that the author has left certain issues open to be developed and resolved in future books while at the same time giving this novel a satisfying conclusion, it is very neatly balanced. DI Garstin Blake is also a complex and interesting character and a nice foil for Tara and I really hope that we see more of him in future books and that their relationship develops further.

I have nothing negative to say about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was an accomplished crime novel and I really look forward to reading the next one.
...more

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Aug 01, 2018 Pamela rated it it was amazing

Professor Samantha Seabrook —intelligent, gifted, and wealthy—is found murdered behind the locked gate of a small garden with a fountain. Detective Inspector Garstin Blake is assigned the case as well as the case of finding the individual who is threatening investigative reporter Tara Thorpe, who has received threats very much like the ones she received several years earlier which the police was unable to find the perpetrator. At the same time, she is given the assignment of writing the story Professor Samantha Seabrook —intelligent, gifted, and wealthy—is found murdered behind the locked gate of a small garden with a fountain. Detective Inspector Garstin Blake is assigned the case as well as the case of finding the individual who is threatening investigative reporter Tara Thorpe, who has received threats very much like the ones she received several years earlier which the police was unable to find the perpetrator. At the same time, she is given the assignment of writing the story about Dr. Seabrook for her employer, Not Now. It doesn’t take Blake long to figure out both Seabrook and Thorpe were threatened by the same individual. Tara agrees to share what she finds with Blake as they both begin their investigations of Seabrook’s murder.

Chase develops her story slowly, but never misses a step as she shows both main characters going about their business of interviewing people who knew Seabrook. Slowly, we learn that Seabrook, while successful and charismatic, was not a particularly nice person and there were many reasons why someone might want her dead. What neither Blake nor Thorpe can figure out is why someone is stalking Thorpe.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing, including the plotting, the lack of editorial gaffes, and the ending.

This is an outstanding mystery on so many levels. Chase takes her time developing the characters and the mystery. Her characters are not mind readers so they quickly become baffled and each new piece of evidence discovered merely adds to having to discover who hated the professor enough to kill her.

Slowly, but surely, Chase reveals bits and pieces. The reader quickly learns to not ignore anything Tara and Blake find no matter how inconsequently it might be Eventually, both Tara and Garstin figure out the who the killer was, but not before his murderous spree results in another murder.

The two main characters are strong, intelligent, and good at their jobs. An added bonus is that Cambridge is so well described as to having the reader feel like they are on its streets as the characters go about their business. ...more

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Jul 30, 2018 Mandie rated it it was amazing

Murder on the Marshes introduces us to journalist Tara Thorpe and DI Garstin Blake. Tara arrives home to find that she has been sent a package that contains a small doll with a noose round its neck and a note stating “This is a warning”. With her past history the first thing she does is contact the police. When a Cambridge professor is found strangled, initial investigations uncover that she too was sent a similar doll. When the professors assistant is also murdered the race is on to find the Murder on the Marshes introduces us to journalist Tara Thorpe and DI Garstin Blake. Tara arrives home to find that she has been sent a package that contains a small doll with a noose round its neck and a note stating “This is a warning”. With her past history the first thing she does is contact the police. When a Cambridge professor is found strangled, initial investigations uncover that she too was sent a similar doll. When the professors assistant is also murdered the race is on to find the killer and find out what links the murder victims to Tara.
Tara has been tasked by her editor to write a story about Professor Samantha Seabrook only he is not aware that there is something that may connect them. Her investigations into the story means that she keeps coming in contact with DI Blake who seems to have a bit of a soft spot for Tara and is genuinely concerned for her safety.
Tara has quite a way about her and manages to get all the people in Samantha’s life to open up to her. Despite having to constantly look over her shoulder she is determined to find the real Samantha. The more she investigates the more she finds that the professor may not have been quite the stand-up citizen she appeared to be on the surface. There was certainly no love lost between her and some of her colleagues.
DI Blake is dealing with his own issues at home and is sometimes distracted by this but he is determined to catch the killer. He finds that by sharing some information with Tara, she in turn shares bits of information with him that gives him slight insights into potential suspects and their motives. I am not sure however that he really likes the fact that sometimes Tara seems to be one step ahead of the police when it comes to gaining information.
I am not naturally a gushy person but I have to say that I loved this book. The two main characters work well together despite being in professions that would normally rub each other up the wrong way. The setting in and around Cambridge gives the author plenty to play with when setting the scene for Tara and her stalker. With so many potential suspects the reader will be kept guessing to the end who murdered Samantha Seabrook and why. This is certainly a fantastic start to the series and I can’t wait to see what awaits Tara in the next book.

...more

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Aug 08, 2018 Shell Baker rated it it was amazing

I was super excited to hear that Clare Chase is back with a new murder mystery series.... having been a fan of her writing for the last couple of years and reading Clare's previous books I couldn't wait to get stuck into Murder on The Marshes and meet Tara Thorpe. I am pleased to say that the author doesn't disappoint this is without a doubt her best book to date....I was hooked from start to finish.

Clare does a brilliant job of setting the scene in Cambridge where we follow Tara and Detective ...more

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Mar 02, 2019 Callie rated it liked it

Description builds reader up for a disappointment

Interestingly the description was far more intriguing than the actual writing, which turned out to be a let-down after the first line of the description saying how the book is: "unputabledown" - what kind of word is that anyway?

The writing is slow and at times includes a lot of miscellaneous unnecessary filler... It's one of those books where you pick it up read for little bit, then put it down to later pick it up for little, only to put it down ...more

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Jul 13, 2018 Kath rated it it was amazing

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed this author's first three books published by ChocLit, I was quite intrigued to see what she could deliver next, now she has signed with Bookouture for this, her new series. Well, the verdict is in and, yup loved this one too!
In this book, set in Cambridge, we follow an investigation from two very different sides. On one we have DI Garstin (great name) Blake, the other journalist Tara Thorpe. I found this to be quite novel in delivery and very well executed. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed this author's first three books published by ChocLit, I was quite intrigued to see what she could deliver next, now she has signed with Bookouture for this, her new series. Well, the verdict is in and, yup loved this one too!
In this book, set in Cambridge, we follow an investigation from two very different sides. On one we have DI Garstin (great name) Blake, the other journalist Tara Thorpe. I found this to be quite novel in delivery and very well executed. Working together, but not together, sharing information, mostly one way, chalk and cheese professionally and, on the whole, personally, they just complemented each other brilliantly! But, I get ahead of myself. The book opens with a murder. Professor Samantha Seabrook's to be precise. Found drowned in a college fountain with few clues as to who or why. Blake is assigned the case at the same time as Tara is assigned, by the magazine she works for, to write about Samantha's life following her death. There's another connection but I will leave that out of my review (spoilers). We then follow Blake and Tara as they interview much the same people but for very different reasons, obviously. Samantha is all about information for her article whereas Blake wants to find her killer. They have different questions and indeed methods for extracting information. Gradually they both build a picture of Samantha that leads to many suspects. Seems she had a bit of a knack for rubbing people up the wrong way. It's then a case of whittling them down to figure out who and, more interestingly, why?
Well... I have to say that, at about 3/4 through this book I had completely no idea which one of our suspects was the perpetrator. I'm not usually a fan of comparing but, it reminded me so much of certain episodes of Midsomer Murders or Lewis, both of which I love, so the fact that I had a big pool of suspects but no clue actually felt quite comfortable and familiar. To be honest, it was a very unusual position for me to be in considering I'm usually pretty good at figuring things out before the reveal. Made for a refreshing change indeed.
It also helped that I really connected with both Tara and Blake right from the off. Tara has a bit of a past which explains the way she behaves in this story. She has got where she is today both with her own guts and determination but also with a little help from family. Something that doesn't always sit right with some. Samantha also had a bit of a leg up so there is that knowing affinity between them that adds another layer to our puzzle. Blake is a bit of a typical cop, he has a broken marriage but not much more is given about his personal life. Together they rub along quite well. Obviously they have the usual spats between journalist and cop re sharing and divulging information but, on the whole, they muddle through.
Pacing is perfect and with no superfluous padding, the story got on with itself very well. There were action scenes, others which built up suspense very well, as well as the slower, more cerebral investigative side of things. All of which built up to expose the complete picture which left our characters with the rather exciting showdown. By that time, I had mostly worked out the who, but the complete why was still elusive.
All in all, a great opener to what looks like being a very promising series. One which I am very excited to see develop. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. ...more

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Jul 30, 2018 Rachel (Rae) rated it really liked it

It was really interesting to see the story play out especially from both a journalist and detective's perspective. It gave this story an added edge as people reacted differently to the two people asking the questions. Although to be honest this could be down to Tara and her ability to put people at ease. Both Blake and Tara were intriguing characters especially Tara who has a few secrets of her own from her past. You could feel Tara's fears and worries over the threats she receives, something ...more

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Jul 07, 2018 Lillian Cummings rated it really liked it

Children can be so cruel. Tara can't believe that someone is stalking her again, she went through so much before and she is prepared but still very scared. And now her boss wants her to write a piece on the professor that was found murdered and find out about her life. DI Blake knows there is more to this case but they don't have much to go on as yet and so when he meets Tara he decides that they should share information. Can they really work together to find the killer? What Tara learns about ...more

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Jan 26, 2020 Linniegayl rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery-police-procedural

I quite liked this first entry in the Tara Thorpe mystery series set in Cambridge. During this first book, Tara is working as a journalist for a sleezy publication. When a professor at Cambridge is murdered, Tara is given the assignment to write a feature about the professor. As Tara begins interviewing everyone involved with the professor's life, she meets local Detective Inspector Garstin Blake. Tara is being followed and threatened, with a clear link to the murder, complicating her ...more

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Aug 06, 2018 Nicola Parkinson rated it really liked it

Shelves: joffe-books

This book ticked all the boxes for me, a murder within the first 5 chapters, a gripping story line and characters that are believable, flawed and at points you just want to shake!

It made a change that it was a professor that was murdered on campus and not a student, this quipped my interest even more!

It’s a gripping read that had me turning those pages way after bedtime, I was eager to find out about Tara’s past and what little secrets she was hiding.

I would definitely recommend this book and I’ ...more

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Sep 28, 2018 Kat rated it really liked it

Never having read any other books by this author I was thrilled when I started the book to find what a fabulous author Clare Chase is. From the first few pages it’s clear that this is a murder mystery that’s going to just grip you and get better and better. With a wonderful cast of characters and a beautiful setting in Cambridge and the fens I loved the book, never predictable it makes for a great read and the start of a wonderful new series ...4+ stars and well recommended. Many thanks to ...more

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About Clare Chase

Clare Chase

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Clare Chase finds the current state of the world a bit stressful and has resorted to writing classic mysteries as a form of escapism. Her aim is to take readers away from it all via some armchair sleuthing in atmospheric locations.

Her debut novel was shortlisted for Novelicious’s Undiscovered Award, as well as an EPIC award post-publication, and was chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading. ...more