Dead on Dartmoor

Devon Mysteries #2

by Stephanie Austin

On the day Juno Browne's van goes up in flames and nearly cooks a dog, Juno meets James Westershall, owner of Moorworthy Chase, a large family estate. She is invited, along with her friends from Old Nick's, to bring along their goods for sale at an upcoming garden fete. Included in the invitation is the newest and most irritating member of the Old Nick's team, Gavin. During the fete Gavin wanders off and is later discovered dead in nearby woods, apparently the victim of a bizarre accident. A police investigation ensues, but results are inconclusive and Juno has a theory of her own. As she begins to investigate, she discovers that Gavin's is not the only strange death to have occurred at Moorworthy Chase, including that of an expert researching colonies of rare bats in caves on the estate. It soon becomes clear to Juno that there is something very wrong at Moorworthy and the caves contain a dark and dangerous secret.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Murder Mystery

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2019

Reviews

[Randi Annie Framnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the traditional autumn fate, old books’ salesman Gavin Hall is found dead on the Westershall estate woodlands pierced with his newly purchased sword. Antique shop owner Juno Browne finds the body and soon uncovers the victim’s secret and gets too close to some very dangerous people and activity.

Dead on Dartmoor is the second book in The Devon Mysteries series by Stephanie Austin, published by Allison & Busby. The story is set in present day tourist town Ashburton close to Dartmoor. We get to follow Juno Brown as she takes part in the traditional autumn fate on Westershall estate when old books’ salesman Gavin is found dead. There seems to be a cover-up going on at the estate and also ties to environmental interests trying to protect an endangered species of bats living in the caves of the estate.

Main character Juno Browne is the owner of local dog walking -and domestic help business. She seems reminds me of a Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple as she seems a magnet for dead bodies. I find her courageous and impressive. When she gets close to danger, she does not back down.

Supporting characters Ricky and Morris are the kind and generous, slightly eccentric gay couple running the costume design business Sauce and Slander. They have an amusing interaction among themselves and with others and seem the kind of friends one could wish for. They were my favorite characters of this story.

Dead on Dartmoor is a quick and entertaining read about country living with entertaining dialogue which reminds me of the Chick Lit genre, only this plot has a creepy vibe. I found the characters of this story very entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the suspicious ones, and the dialogue during the less intense parts of the story was light hearted and amusing.

My favorite part of this story was the great descriptions of local nature and scenery around Ashburton. I really enjoyed the parts describing English village life where neighbors and friends enjoyed each other’s company in their day to day living and were helping and supporting each other through tough times.

The least favorite part I found was the heart breaking descriptions of Oliver Knollys’ life. He had managed to stay under the radar of social services for a year. I felt so sorry for really talented and intelligent Olly who was living on his own for a year following his great-grandmother death. For fear of being found out he was totally isolating himself.

Conclusion: I read Dead on Dartmoor as a standalone which worked perfectly. It is the quick and entertaining read about village life, an exciting murder investigation and mysterious cover-up on old local estate mining caves. This is the first I have read by this author and I wonder what the next installment in the series will be about. Similar authors to explore might be Lucy Foley or Rebecca Tope.

Thank you to my local library, Kristiansand Folkebibliotek, for providing me with this hardcover edition which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4 stars / 5
Main reasons: interesting plot, enjoyable atmosphere, great writing

[Anna Catharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Band 2 der Krimireihe um Juno Browne in Dartmoor war in meinen Augen etwas schwächer als der erste Band. Trotzdem gefallen mir der Humor und die Charaktere sehr gut. Und in diesem Band kommen weitere tolle Personen dazu. Die Handlung war mir manchmal etwas zu langsam und ich hätte mir etwas mehr Spannung gewünscht, aber der Lesespaß mit Juno, Ricky & Morris, Olly und Judith-Marianne macht das wieder wett.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant second book in this series. The same characters are in this one as in the first one and a few new ones added. I loved reading this mystery book, set in Devon. The characters are funny and eccentric which adds to its charm.

[Norma Laming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and I thoroughly immersed myself in these. I like the character development and the plot was interesting. Again, Dartmoor plays an important part in the plot.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly flew through this book, I did not want to put it down. It was interesting, funny in places, emotional, and just a generally great read. I could not guess what the actual mystery was until it was revealed to me, I was convinced it was something else entirely.

Juno is once again a badass female character - I relate to her a lot. She's nosy, she likes to be busy, she's unashamed of what she enjoys, and she really loves the people she surrounds herself with. Some of her decisions in this book were definitely questionable - like everything with Olly and his Nan - but honestly, I'd probably have made the exact same choices if I was in her shoes. I genuinely think the plan with Judith-Marianne was a good one, and I'd probably have done the same.

I love that this book continued to develop Ashburton and Dartmoor even more, the town feels alive and vibrant, and the moor feels open and wild and expansive no matter what time of day or year it's being described. I really love it, you can tell that while the author definitely romanticises the places mentioned, they've also been there and explored them as well.
I love that we got to see more of Ricky and Morris caring for Juno, that we saw more of the relationship Juno has with Sophie and Pat, and as much as he is a bit of a twerp, I really liked Olly too, and I hope we see more of him and Elizabeth in future books. We even got more development from DC DeVille - she's still a bitch, but she's definitely more humanised than she was in the first book.

The mystery kept me guessing the whole way through - The Westershalls are all bastards, and it was obvious that one of them was the killer, but I didn't expect it to play out the way it did in the last few chapters. This book did feel more cohesive than the previous one, possibly because that one was so disjointed and stretched out over several months, whereas this one lasted a few weeks. There was also the fact that the last book had enough to suggest everyone was a suspect, whereas in this book, it felt like we had a clear narrative of 'the Westershalls are bad' even without all the murder.
A solid read, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one.

[Scarlett Rudd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I thought it would be and a plot I didn’t guess

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this was an interesting entry into the Juno Browne cozy mystery series. As before, it is the fantastic cast of supporting characters that make this story worthwhile - Juno is simply their straight man.
I had already guessed what the bad guys were up to way before the conclusion, but the three-star rating is due to the bizarre, illegal, and immoral actions Juno takes in regards to young Ollie's dilemma, her taking advantage of elderly, demented Judith/MaryAnn, and the convenient use of the amazing, guardian angel Elizabeth as the unbelievable two-fold solution to (1) Elizabeth's own homelessness (she was living in her car) and (2) Ollie's lack of a guardian (great-grandma Dolly has been dead and buried in the back garden for the past year).
Perhaps book three will be a tad more credible and, therefore, a much more enjoyable read, for me.

[Loulou · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author is new to me and I enjoyed the story and was able to go with it, right up until Juno discovers the secret of 14 year old Ollie and then, instead of getting actual help for him, she essentially blackmails him into helping her snoop into the death of a mutual acquaintance.

Perhaps she does magically get him help later, I lost interest.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable instalment in this series. A easy read with likeable characters

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this and could really visualise all the settings, but the ending felt quite rushed and a bit unfeasible

[Catriona Kupper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting really into these characters now, it is interesting to see how she handles some of the situation and considering our social services its not surprising smthe actions she takes

[Lorne Strachan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know this author and found her by accident. After the first few chapters I was ready to dismiss the book as a conventional 'cozy' but continued and liked it more and more the further I went. It has some of the elements of a 'cozy' but the book has more. The main character (Juno) and her collection of friends are utterly charming. They don't have the artificial quality that's found in most cozies. There are also a few eccentric touches that make them seem believable and endearing.

Juno is a multi-tasking entrepreneur with a half dozen jobs, interesting friends and a positive approach to life that she's impossible to resist. There are a few events that stretch credulity but I don't care. There are also some real-world issues raised and well integrated into what one may expect of the simple, rural life of Devon. The descriptions of Devon and Dartmoor are really very good and take me back to my own walks there.

As far as I know this Stephanie Austin's 2nd and most recent novel. I'm going to find her first and hope that she will add a third some time soon. This book was a wonderful break from some of the bleak, disturbing 'Scandie Noire' novels I read from time to time. Sometimes I just need to reconnect with normal people after psycho serial killers and this is a great way to do it.

[MollyJoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mostly enjoyable second instalment of the Juno Browne series. Unfortunately the book as a whole was marred by some very questionable (read: immoral/illegal) decisions made by our protagonist which I found difficult to put aside. I also found the conclusion to be satisfying but too quick. Hoping that Juno’s escapades return to her slightly more naive and well-intentioned sleuthing in the next one!

[Sue Tingey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly Enjoyable

For fans of murder mysteries and the beautiful Dartmoor. I couldn’t put this novel down. There was just the right amount of description of the beautiful Devonshire countryside within the story to give me a sense of place but not distract from the unfolding tale as it built to a tense and fulfilling crescendo!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars Dead on Dartmoor continues the series of Juno Browne the "Domestic Goddess" and antiques seller of Ashburton. Juno is continuing to combine keeping all her dog walking and domestic clients happy while also trying to restart the antiques business that had been left to her by Mr. Nickolai in Dead in Devon. On the evening that her old van and only means of transporting her doggy charges to the walks catches fire she is helped by James Westershall who manages to rescue EB (one of Juno's smaller dogs) who is trapped in the van and this chance meeting to leads to a continued acquaintance with James and consequently with his family who live at Moorworthy House and are clearly part of the local aristocracy.

It is therefore really unfortunate that after attending an antiques sale at the house one of Juno's antique selling colleagues, Gavin Hall, is found dead in the woods of the house apparently killed by falling onto the sword he had just purchased. The whole incident looks like a terrible accident but Juno is not convinced and continues to investigate particularly when she discovers that another young man and friend of Gavin had previously been found dead on the Moorworthy property.

Book 2 in the series continues the cast of characters that are introduced in the first novel, particularly Ricky and Morris the costumiers who seem to feature more in this one bringing their own style of flamboyance and humour, but other characters are also introduced including the mysterious homeless Elizabeth and young Olly Knolly who both have a significant impact on the plot.

As with Dead in Devon I feel the genre classification of Cosy Crime could be misleading but I found the plot to be both engaging and thrilling with some very dark moments both in the activities of the criminals and in the personal lives of the characters. Olly in particular caught my heart as a young teenager who is trying to manage at school as well as care for his elderly and bed bound grandmother.

I really did enjoy this novel, it's gripping enough while still being light in style and enhanced by injections of humour. I did think there were some twists in the plot that were less than believable at the time but by the end they had all worked out to a reasonably satisfactory conclusion and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my review of Dead in Devon, the first book in the Devon Mysteries series, I wrote that "Juno is less of a shrewd villager turned sleuth than someone who somehow bumbles into things, gets into scrapes and finally manages to figure out what is going on". Dead on Dartmoor has reinforced this assessment. Here, gangly, awkward Gavin, one of Old Nick's tenants, is found run through with a sword he had purchased at fete held on the grounds of the Westerhall family estate.

When Juno visits one of Gavin's friends Olly to return his backpack and realises that Gavin was keen to visit the Westerhall family estate with a drone, this is Juno's reaction:
"I know what I should have done. I should have called Inspector Ford right away and reported the incident of Moss firing the shotgun. I should have betrayed Olly's confidence and told him everything he had told me. The police have to investigate any incident involving a firearm. But somehow, I didn't; somehow I didn't think Olly's nan would like her house filled with policemen."

Honestly, does anyone like their house filled with policemen. Juno just wants to poke her nose in and play detective. And not only is she insatiably curious, she is also generally foolhardy and reckless. Like when she sees a Moss and Pike truck (yes, of the aforementioned Moss who fired a shotgun at two boys), she slips round the back of the truck for a spot of mischief:

"He hadn't read what I had written on the back of his truck, wouldn't see if now until he reached the end of his journey. Then he could read two names: 'Gavin Hall' and 'Ben Luscombe', and a very large question mark, inscribed in the dust."

No wonder the woman keeps getting attacked. It's not actually a bad book/series, just a pity about the protagonist, who is rather like a cat with nine (undeserving) lives.

[Mark Fear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Junos Transporter geht in Flammen auf. Dieses ohnehin traumatische Ereignis löst eine Verkettung aus, die sie in allerlei Gefahr bringt, neue Figuren in ihr Leben holt und bekannte uns näher bringt.

Dieser Band glänzt mit der, ich nenne es mal Zweitgeschichte um Ollie. Da waren viele Lacher dabei und alles daran war gut durchdacht, spannend und mit bitterbösem Humor gewebt.

Anders hingegen der eigentliche Fall. Oft hab ich mir die flache Hand gegen die Stirn geschlagen, sei es wegen Junos immer wiederkehrender Naivität trotz aller Umstände, Infos und Erfahrungen oder ihrer Geheimnistuerei gegenüber der Ermittler. Mehrmals hätte ein Anruf so vieles einfacher machen können. Klar, dient das für den Spannungsbogen, wenn auch stellenweise etwas erzwungen.

Einiges war wieder zu erahnen, trotzdem konnte die Autorin mich oft überraschen und ich glaube, darauf kommt es an, oder?

Es war ein Spaß und für Fans von Cozy Crime auf jeden Fall einen Abstecher wert.

[Zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this a favourable extra star as Dead on Dartmoor is set close to where I live in Devon so some of the landmarks were familiar to me and gave me a thrill to think there could be these events occurring a few villages over and I may actually run into Juno in my local grocery shop!

The writing is easy to follow, it's fast paced, Juno the main character is likable and relatable - I especially like her practical side, and her kindness. The baddies are not obviously bad to begin with but by the end there is no doubt they are baddies. There is a bigger mystery than you first think and Juno can't help sticking her nose in.

But, there were elements of the story which didn't sit right.
Juno meets a teenager and becomes complicit in his lies. She also meets a demented lady who has absconded from her care home, and drives her away... She gets away with it, and although the authorities are not ideal, I wouldn't want to be doing the things Juno is and getting involved in what are illegal activities and could be argued to be taking advantage of vulnerable people when there is a system that can step in and follow procedure.

For escapism and an easy mystery, I do recommend Stephanie Austin. Her books won't blow your mind, or give you any epiphanies, but it will offer a few hours of entertainment in the countryside. Juno mostly acts like you would want a heroine to act, but does at one time do what you yell at every horror movie female protagonist not to do - DON'T GO INTO THE SCARY PLACE WITHOUT TELLING PEOPLE WHERE YOU ARE. Overall a fun read.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio book read by Mary Woodvine who did an excellent job and made this mystery thoroughly enjoyable.

I really liked this mystery and the character of Juno Browne. I hadn't read the first in the series, but it didn't matter.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I thought the ending was a bit slow and drawn out. I couldn't have done without the extended journey through the tunnels of the mine and the drawn out attic scene.

But all in all, I enjoyed all the conveniences, for instance, it was convenient for Juno to run into Judith twice before she needed her to stand in for Ollie's great-grandmother, and it was convenient for Juno to run into the homeless woman once before the homeless woman saved Juno from GBH and then bringing her to live with Ollie.

[Catsalive · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first in the series, Dead in Devon, because Juno Browne just isn't as likeable in this book. She makes some very bad decisions which damage her integrity & stretch the believability rather thin, or perhaps I just didn't find this story as engaging as the first. The countryside & village life are interesting, & the support characters as delightful & eccentric as you could wish, however, so I'll give the next book a go.

[Charlotte Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cosy mystery with the fabulous Juno Brown finding herself in all sorts of trouble. One of the things I love about these books is that the protagonist is an attractive straight woman but she seems to be happy single and apart from some flirtation quite happily. It's refreshing in fiction these days. As a sequel this had most of the characters from the last book, but a few new additions. My personal favourite is the genteel woman with her Siamese cat on a lead who is living in her car.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have ordered the first book of this series and if it holds up as well as this one (this is number two in the series) I will look for the rest.

A few different characters with their own lives going on in the background, some funny some more intriguing, the story fits together well.
There aren’t any really gruesome discoveries (not to my mind anyway) and there are some revelations of which I saw one or two coming and others not at all.
Juno cares about people and has an inquisitive mind which obviously gets her into hot water, Ricky and Morris I found to be brilliant characters.

[Carol Leggett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juno Browne is not what you'd expect as a heroine "detective". She's a dog walking, caretaking, owner of an antiques shop who somehow becomes involved in solving murders. She's delightfully not super human although some of her acrobatics in this book might suggest otherwise. I have visited the Devon area, and Stephanie Austin's descriptions of that beautiful area are spot on. She clearly loves that area and the people who inhabit it. I'm rooting for Juno and looking forward to more of her adventures.

[Pol B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read two other books from this series , but not in the right order! I don’t think it matters though and I enjoyed this one (the second in the series). I liked the introduction of new characters and I continue to enjoy the familiar setting of the town on the edge of Dartmoor where the main character Juno lives.
The plot is interesting and involves environmental issues as well as the usual crime scenes. It also sees Juno meeting a new set of people who live and work on a large estate in the area.

[Penelope Pitstop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. Plotting is a bit Famous Five and there are quite a lot of times when our narrator says, effectively, “of course I should have called the police but decided to put myself at great danger instead…”

But the incidentals are wonderful. The Dartmoor and Ashburton locations are vividly alive, there’s a wonderful bunch of characters and the writing is very good indeed. 3.5 stars - I shall continue this series keenly.

[Sandra Worrall-Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story contains many subplots that are eventually linked together in a clever and neat way to carry the mystery forward. All of it taking place in well-described settings. However, the final 55 pages dragged on too long, diluting the climax. I personally lost respect for the heroine at this stage.

[Dean Patient · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was actually pleased with this book. I worried about the author from the biography (astrology, eww), as well as the fact that it was based around Dartmoor, given I spent a lot of time around there. However, despite some unlikely encounters/situations, the story was largely believable and quite intruiging

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I was reading backwards, and not for Christmas! I had enjoyed the first book so much, I got another at Castle Drogo, doing their bit for local authors. Lots of interesting history and very current problems coupled with the same great group of characters and nasty villains. Oddly, it was the death of bats that seemed the saddest, just critters killed by accident.

[Eorann · Rating 3 out of 5]

With more editing this could have been good. Less of a who dunnit than a thriller. There was a fair bit of waffle and A LOT of really uncessary stupid choices from the heroine and at one point a policeman who thinks its worth breaking and entering for a photograph he def had enough evidence to get a warrant for. but the cast of characters were fun

[Amy B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighter touch murder and crime, not sinister enough for my taste but a pleasing lack of gore. The relationship with the boy was weird and lacked research or reality, it seemed silly and took the edge off for me.It was just OK.