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The Dales Detective #1
En dødbringende date
10t 57m
I Yorkshires idylliske dale er døden en hyppig gæst. Ekspolitimand Samson O’Brien og lokal giftekniv Delilah Metcalfe må alliere sig for at fange morderne og skabe tryghed for Bruncliffes indbyggere.
Samson O’Brien er blevet suspenderet fra politiet og flytter tilbage til sin hjemby, Bruncliffe, som ligger i Yorkshire-dalene. Her starter han Dalenes Detektivbureau, mens han forsøger at redde sit ry. Samtidig kæmper Delilah Metcalfe med at holde liv i sin forretning, Dalenes Datingbureau.
Da Samson får sin første sag og skal efterforske et angiveligt selvmord, tager alting en uventet drejning. Snart forfølger han et spor af dødsfald, der fører ham hele vejen tilbage til Delilahs datingbureau og til en mistænkt, som både Samson og Delilah holder meget af. De to indser, at de er nødt til at arbejdesammen, hvis de skal opklare det mysterium, der forfølger datingbureaet. Men det er nemmere sagt end gjort …
I Yorkshires idylliske dale er døden en hyppig gæst. Ekspolitimand Samson O’Brien og lokal giftekniv Delilah Metcalfe må alliere sig for at fange morderne og skabe tryghed for Bruncliffes indbyggere.
Samson O’Brien er blevet suspenderet fra politiet og flytter tilbage til sin hjemby, Bruncliffe, som ligger i Yorkshire-dalene. Her starter han Dalenes Detektivbureau, mens han forsøger at redde sit ry. Samtidig kæmper Delilah Metcalfe med at holde liv i sin forretning, Dalenes Datingbureau.
Da Samson får sin første sag og skal efterforske et angiveligt selvmord, tager alting en uventet drejning. Snart forfølger han et spor af dødsfald, der fører ham hele vejen tilbage til Delilahs datingbureau og til en mistænkt, som både Samson og Delilah holder meget af. De to indser, at de er nødt til at arbejdesammen, hvis de skal opklare det mysterium, der forfølger datingbureaet. Men det er nemmere sagt end gjort …
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First published March 3, 2017
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About the author
Julia Chapman
30 books428 followersJulia Chapman has led a nomadic existence, spending most of her adult life abroad. Having published a series of novels set in the idyllic French Pyrenees, she has now turned her hand to crime. Currently writing the Dales Detective Series, she lives and writes in the stunning Yorkshire Dales where her books are set. The first in the series, Date with Death, makes its debut in March 2017.
Contact her on facebook (Julia Stagg or Dales Detective) or on Twitter @DalesWriter
Pseudonym for author Julia Stagg
Contact her on facebook (Julia Stagg or Dales Detective) or on Twitter @DalesWriter
Pseudonym for author Julia Stagg
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 679 reviews
May 10, 2017
Date with Death by Julia Chapman is a 2017 Minotaur publication.
I think the characters enjoyed some nice dialogue, had a bit of chemistry between them, and worked pretty well as a team once they got past some initial awkwardness.
The secondary characters are all essential to the story and provide comic relief as well as deeper character analysis.
This charming, cozy series definitely has potential and a lot of wiggle room for growth and development.
I am on board for the next installment and will be very interested in what adventures Sampson and Delilah will embark on next.
3.5 stars
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
I think the characters enjoyed some nice dialogue, had a bit of chemistry between them, and worked pretty well as a team once they got past some initial awkwardness.
The secondary characters are all essential to the story and provide comic relief as well as deeper character analysis.
This charming, cozy series definitely has potential and a lot of wiggle room for growth and development.
I am on board for the next installment and will be very interested in what adventures Sampson and Delilah will embark on next.
3.5 stars
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
October 24, 2020
I really enjoyed this murder/mystery book. It wasn’t full of tension or buckets of blood and gore but, it was gentle and had me thinking a lot of the characters were guilty. I didn’t guess right at all. It had the slow burn of an Agatha Christie book but, with a modern vibe. It was set in the Dales and even mentioned the vet Mr Herriot at the end which was nice. I have another one in this series so I’ll be reading that one soon.
If you want a gentle read about murders in a dales village then, you may want to give this a go.
If you want a gentle read about murders in a dales village then, you may want to give this a go.
April 8, 2017
Delilah Metcalfe is a struggling business woman trying to keep her two businesses afloat with the bank breathing down her neck. When Samson O’Brien arrives back into town after leaving everything behind more than a decade before and not even returning for his best friend's funeral he doesn't find himself with a warm welcome. In fact Delilah doesn't want to take him on as a tenant but breaks down and signs the lease because she could really use the money.
Samson has decided to return home to set up a detective agency while on leave from his job in law enforcement after he found himself attacked. Samson knows his hometown would be far from the problems of his job and hopefully they wouldn't follow him home. His first case has him crossing paths with Delilah though when he needs to investigate the death of a man that had been a customer of Delilah's dating service. When more deaths follow the two team up to solve just what is happening in their small town.
Date with Death is the first book in the new cozy mystery series, The Dales Detective. Now when we start with the two main characters being Samson and Delilah I wondered if this wouldn't just be a silly story but it actually turned out to be a pretty good mystery.
There was a good amount of character building in the story and I felt I got to know the town well. I really liked both the main characters and the small town every knows everyone vibe going on. The mystery had me guessing as to the how's and why's for quite a while and was interesting to follow along. I'd definitely be interested in what is in store for Samson and Delilah in any future books.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Samson has decided to return home to set up a detective agency while on leave from his job in law enforcement after he found himself attacked. Samson knows his hometown would be far from the problems of his job and hopefully they wouldn't follow him home. His first case has him crossing paths with Delilah though when he needs to investigate the death of a man that had been a customer of Delilah's dating service. When more deaths follow the two team up to solve just what is happening in their small town.
Date with Death is the first book in the new cozy mystery series, The Dales Detective. Now when we start with the two main characters being Samson and Delilah I wondered if this wouldn't just be a silly story but it actually turned out to be a pretty good mystery.
There was a good amount of character building in the story and I felt I got to know the town well. I really liked both the main characters and the small town every knows everyone vibe going on. The mystery had me guessing as to the how's and why's for quite a while and was interesting to follow along. I'd definitely be interested in what is in store for Samson and Delilah in any future books.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
April 5, 2020
Ho hum. Here's a novel featuring Samson, a suspended police officer back in his Yorkshire Dales home town for the duration of investigations to clear his name, and Delilah (yes, I know....) who runs a struggling dating agency. Death follows death. Suicide? Murder? Accident? Or does something unsavoury link these deaths? Of course it does, and Samson and Delilah are here to work it out.
There are so many characters I don't think I ever sorted half of them out. It took me ages to get into the plot though finally I did want to see how it all worked out. Though not that much.
It's an OK read, suitable for a long train journey. I shan't bother to read any more books by Julia Chapman (or her alter ego Julia Stagg, who writes books set in the French Pyrenees) though. Which is a shame, as I'm a fan of both the Dales and the French Pyrenees, both of which I have called home.
There are so many characters I don't think I ever sorted half of them out. It took me ages to get into the plot though finally I did want to see how it all worked out. Though not that much.
It's an OK read, suitable for a long train journey. I shan't bother to read any more books by Julia Chapman (or her alter ego Julia Stagg, who writes books set in the French Pyrenees) though. Which is a shame, as I'm a fan of both the Dales and the French Pyrenees, both of which I have called home.
May 2, 2018
This cozy mystery, first in a series that count three up to now, has a lot of potential = a team of one real detective and one amateur-sleuth who owns a dating company, with lots of dry humour.
It starts off at a small pace but soon, it gets more thrilling.
I wouldn’t want to live in a small town like Bruncliffe, where everyone know everything about anyone, where the grapevine is faster than any phone connection, but the two main characters together with the town’s people are a nice bunch.
There are some winks to known characters, to begin with the bible’s lovers Samson & Delilah, but also to James Herriot, the vet from « All Creatures great and small » - in this little town, although they carry another name, all vets are named « Herriot » (easier to remember, according to the town’s people).
I’m looking forward to reading the 2 other installments in these series.
It starts off at a small pace but soon, it gets more thrilling.
I wouldn’t want to live in a small town like Bruncliffe, where everyone know everything about anyone, where the grapevine is faster than any phone connection, but the two main characters together with the town’s people are a nice bunch.
There are some winks to known characters, to begin with the bible’s lovers Samson & Delilah, but also to James Herriot, the vet from « All Creatures great and small » - in this little town, although they carry another name, all vets are named « Herriot » (easier to remember, according to the town’s people).
I’m looking forward to reading the 2 other installments in these series.
January 4, 2022
J’ai découvert ce livre chez France Loisirs lors de mon achat trimestriel. Il trônait entre les romans des séries Agatha Raisin et Mary Lester. Chacune de ces deux séries ayant un nombre conséquent de livres et ayant déjà trop de livres à lire, j’ai opté pour les Détectives du Yorkshire. C’est mon tout premier « cosy mystery » et pour ceux qui ne connaissent pas ce sous-genre du roman policier, voici les ingrédients d’un « cosy mystery » : un cadre cosy, of course, des personnages improbables et hauts en couleurs, des rebondissements savamment orchestrés, une campagne anglaise, une enquête et beaucoup d’humour.
L’histoire prend place dans le petit village de Bruncliffe, en plein cœur des vallons du Yorkshire. Sa tranquillité va être mise à mal par le décès d’un des habitants et le retour de Samson, ancien résident du village ; et il faut dire que ce retour ne fait pas l’unanimité.
L’histoire est somme toute classique. Elle ne révolutionne pas le monde du roman policier mais je l’ai trouvé agréable à lire. L’enquête prend vraiment son temps et commence réellement qu’à un peu plus de la moitié du livre mais ça ne m’a pas choqué car l’auteur réussit vraiment à nous embarquer dans son intrigue. En tout cas, le suspense est présent jusqu’à la fin et j’ai réussi à me faire surprendre..
Mais alors ! Qu’est-ce qui nous tient en haleine tout le long de ce livre ? Et bien c’est notre côté commère et notre voyeurisme. Effectivement, on vit au rythme du village, on fait connaissance avec chacun des habitants et on tend l’oreille, histoire de se mettre une histoire croustillante sous la dent. A chaque page tournée, on espionne les personnages, on cherche la vérité, on dévore littéralement le livre.
L’auteur a réussi à faire en sorte qu’on s’attache à chaque personnage, même aux plus ronchons. Aucun des personnages ne vous laissera insensible. Mais que serait cette histoire sans notre duo principal : Samson et Delilah. Rien à voir avec le couple biblique, quoique, Samson apparaît un peu comme un sauveur, puisque policier du MET (Metropolitan Police à Londres) suspendu par ses supérieurs, il débarque dans son village natal pour ouvrir son agence de détective privé. Et il va être rapidement mis à contribution pour résoudre ce soit disant accident. Delilah, elle, va se retrouver mêlée à l’enquête car les personnes décédés étaient des adhérents de son agence de rencontres. J’ai vraiment trouvé ce couple irrésistible avec leurs chamailleries mais aussi une résurgence d’une amitié passée.
Pour mon premier « cosy mystery », je ne suis vraiment pas déçu. J’avais continué à acheter les suites sans avoir lu ce premier tome et bien, je suis content de l’avoir fait car je vais pouvoir suivre « rapidement » leurs enquêtes. (Rapidement ne veut rien dire chez moi lol mais je les lirais c’est sûr)
L’histoire prend place dans le petit village de Bruncliffe, en plein cœur des vallons du Yorkshire. Sa tranquillité va être mise à mal par le décès d’un des habitants et le retour de Samson, ancien résident du village ; et il faut dire que ce retour ne fait pas l’unanimité.
L’histoire est somme toute classique. Elle ne révolutionne pas le monde du roman policier mais je l’ai trouvé agréable à lire. L’enquête prend vraiment son temps et commence réellement qu’à un peu plus de la moitié du livre mais ça ne m’a pas choqué car l’auteur réussit vraiment à nous embarquer dans son intrigue. En tout cas, le suspense est présent jusqu’à la fin et j’ai réussi à me faire surprendre..
Mais alors ! Qu’est-ce qui nous tient en haleine tout le long de ce livre ? Et bien c’est notre côté commère et notre voyeurisme. Effectivement, on vit au rythme du village, on fait connaissance avec chacun des habitants et on tend l’oreille, histoire de se mettre une histoire croustillante sous la dent. A chaque page tournée, on espionne les personnages, on cherche la vérité, on dévore littéralement le livre.
L’auteur a réussi à faire en sorte qu’on s’attache à chaque personnage, même aux plus ronchons. Aucun des personnages ne vous laissera insensible. Mais que serait cette histoire sans notre duo principal : Samson et Delilah. Rien à voir avec le couple biblique, quoique, Samson apparaît un peu comme un sauveur, puisque policier du MET (Metropolitan Police à Londres) suspendu par ses supérieurs, il débarque dans son village natal pour ouvrir son agence de détective privé. Et il va être rapidement mis à contribution pour résoudre ce soit disant accident. Delilah, elle, va se retrouver mêlée à l’enquête car les personnes décédés étaient des adhérents de son agence de rencontres. J’ai vraiment trouvé ce couple irrésistible avec leurs chamailleries mais aussi une résurgence d’une amitié passée.
Pour mon premier « cosy mystery », je ne suis vraiment pas déçu. J’avais continué à acheter les suites sans avoir lu ce premier tome et bien, je suis content de l’avoir fait car je vais pouvoir suivre « rapidement » leurs enquêtes. (Rapidement ne veut rien dire chez moi lol mais je les lirais c’est sûr)
February 8, 2023
3,8⭐️
Le meilleur cosy mystery que j’ai lu jusqu’ici !
Bon j’ai pas lu beaucoup de cosy mystery donc je suis pas extrêmement bien placé pour dire ça. Pourtant ce roman se dénote du genre. Tout en gardant une touche de légèreté et de fraicheur on s’ancre dans un réalisme plus plausible comparé à d’autres cosy. J’ai beaucoup aimé le village anglais bien campagnard, bien nos régions ont du talent avec sa bande d’habitants très attachants et très irrespectueux de la vie privée des autres 😂
On est tout de suite connecté à Samson et Delilah, par leur passé commun et leurs blessures qui rendent le livre assez touchant. Le duo qu’ils forment un peu malgré eux est dissonant et pourtant on attend qu’une chose : qu’ils restent ensemble. Elle avec sa myriade de grands frères, lui avec sa famille fracturée. L’intrigue sur la vie des personnages m’a d’ailleurs plus happé que l’enquête elle-même, c’est ce que j’aime dans ce genre qu’on laisse de la place à l’évolution des protagonistes et aux relations qu’ils entretiennent.
Loin du coté farfelu et parfois loufoque des cosy, l’intrigue tient la route et est plutôt convaincante ! On se plonge avec plaisir dedans et malgré une simplicité et le fait que j’avais deviné quelques trucs le tout était tout à fait logique. Je regrette tout de même quelques longueurs et un début un peu lent. Bien que le meurtre arrive tôt, il en faut du temps pour que nos personnages enquêtent réellement !
Le meilleur cosy mystery que j’ai lu jusqu’ici !
Bon j’ai pas lu beaucoup de cosy mystery donc je suis pas extrêmement bien placé pour dire ça. Pourtant ce roman se dénote du genre. Tout en gardant une touche de légèreté et de fraicheur on s’ancre dans un réalisme plus plausible comparé à d’autres cosy. J’ai beaucoup aimé le village anglais bien campagnard, bien nos régions ont du talent avec sa bande d’habitants très attachants et très irrespectueux de la vie privée des autres 😂
On est tout de suite connecté à Samson et Delilah, par leur passé commun et leurs blessures qui rendent le livre assez touchant. Le duo qu’ils forment un peu malgré eux est dissonant et pourtant on attend qu’une chose : qu’ils restent ensemble. Elle avec sa myriade de grands frères, lui avec sa famille fracturée. L’intrigue sur la vie des personnages m’a d’ailleurs plus happé que l’enquête elle-même, c’est ce que j’aime dans ce genre qu’on laisse de la place à l’évolution des protagonistes et aux relations qu’ils entretiennent.
Loin du coté farfelu et parfois loufoque des cosy, l’intrigue tient la route et est plutôt convaincante ! On se plonge avec plaisir dedans et malgré une simplicité et le fait que j’avais deviné quelques trucs le tout était tout à fait logique. Je regrette tout de même quelques longueurs et un début un peu lent. Bien que le meurtre arrive tôt, il en faut du temps pour que nos personnages enquêtent réellement !
October 21, 2018
Dévoré en quelques heures, je me suis régalée avec ce cosy-mystery. J'ai hâte de lire la suite maintenant !
February 18, 2020
Cette première incursion à Bruncliffe s'est donc conclue sur une note réjouissante !
D'un côté, le mystérieux Samson O'Brien débarque à moto pour ouvrir une agence de détective privé. Or cet homme est loin d'être un inconnu car il a quitté la région quatorze ans plus tôt et rentre au pays en provoquant un tollé auprès de la population. Delilah Metcalfe, la première, lui colle un pain en pleine figure. Précisons qu'il s'agit aussi de sa propriétaire...
Les finances de son agence matrimoniale étant dans le rouge, elle range finalement sa fierté dans la poche et accepte d'empocher son loyer. Pouvait-elle imaginer que les prétentions de son voisin seraient utiles plus tôt que prévu ? Car Delilah est en train de perdre ses clients dans des circonstances inquiétantes... Un vent vengeur souffle sur Bruncliffe !
Bref. On s'envole pour 380 pages d'une lecture étonnamment frétillante. Je n'aurais pas parié là-dessus au début car les premiers pas ne sont vraiment pas frivoles (on comprend que Samson se met au vert à cause de son boulot et que le passé des Metcalfe et des O'Brien n'est guère radieux). Et puis l'histoire laisse place à un peu de désinvolture (mais ça zigouille à la chaîne). Les personnages secondaires sont drôles, certaines situations sonnent cocasses. Une bonne ambiance s'installe, avec l'air de la campagne en toile de fond. Ça fait un bien fou... doucement mais sûrement on prend ses marques, on aime ça et on se donne même Rendez-vous avec le mal !
#challengebritishmysteries chaperonné par @lou_myloubook et @hildelle
D'un côté, le mystérieux Samson O'Brien débarque à moto pour ouvrir une agence de détective privé. Or cet homme est loin d'être un inconnu car il a quitté la région quatorze ans plus tôt et rentre au pays en provoquant un tollé auprès de la population. Delilah Metcalfe, la première, lui colle un pain en pleine figure. Précisons qu'il s'agit aussi de sa propriétaire...
Les finances de son agence matrimoniale étant dans le rouge, elle range finalement sa fierté dans la poche et accepte d'empocher son loyer. Pouvait-elle imaginer que les prétentions de son voisin seraient utiles plus tôt que prévu ? Car Delilah est en train de perdre ses clients dans des circonstances inquiétantes... Un vent vengeur souffle sur Bruncliffe !
Bref. On s'envole pour 380 pages d'une lecture étonnamment frétillante. Je n'aurais pas parié là-dessus au début car les premiers pas ne sont vraiment pas frivoles (on comprend que Samson se met au vert à cause de son boulot et que le passé des Metcalfe et des O'Brien n'est guère radieux). Et puis l'histoire laisse place à un peu de désinvolture (mais ça zigouille à la chaîne). Les personnages secondaires sont drôles, certaines situations sonnent cocasses. Une bonne ambiance s'installe, avec l'air de la campagne en toile de fond. Ça fait un bien fou... doucement mais sûrement on prend ses marques, on aime ça et on se donne même Rendez-vous avec le mal !
#challengebritishmysteries chaperonné par @lou_myloubook et @hildelle
October 13, 2023
4,5/5
J’ai clairement rien pigé au début, quid d’introduire un peu mieux tes personnages Julia ??? 🤷🏻♀️
En revanche, la suite m’a 100% convaincue. C’est le meilleur cosy mystery que j’ai lu : les 2 protagonistes sont un bonheur à suivre, leur vie recèle des mystères et ils ont un vrai background assez profond et quelque chose de très humain, notamment chez Delilah qui m’a énormément touchée.
Concernant l’intrigue, j’étais à fond dans l’histoire et pour le coup c’était vraiment bien ficelé j’ai pas vu venir la plot twiiist 👀 c’était pas le mobile le plus convaincant de l’histoire, mais assez loin des trucs improbables qu’on peut avoir parfois en cosy donc ça me va.
Bref je me lance le tome 2 de ce pas 👣
J’ai clairement rien pigé au début, quid d’introduire un peu mieux tes personnages Julia ??? 🤷🏻♀️
En revanche, la suite m’a 100% convaincue. C’est le meilleur cosy mystery que j’ai lu : les 2 protagonistes sont un bonheur à suivre, leur vie recèle des mystères et ils ont un vrai background assez profond et quelque chose de très humain, notamment chez Delilah qui m’a énormément touchée.
Concernant l’intrigue, j’étais à fond dans l’histoire et pour le coup c’était vraiment bien ficelé j’ai pas vu venir la plot twiiist 👀 c’était pas le mobile le plus convaincant de l’histoire, mais assez loin des trucs improbables qu’on peut avoir parfois en cosy donc ça me va.
Bref je me lance le tome 2 de ce pas 👣
March 26, 2023
The Yorkshire Dales are one of my favourite places on earth. So what better than a detective set there? I really enjoyed this and would like to read the rest of the series.
December 10, 2019
Recently, I've been trying different cozy mysteries - you know, those that are edited with covers... well, much like this one.
Agatha Raisin : nice, just not great - perfect for a trip on the train.
Hannah Dennison and her Honeychurch : I didn't like the characters and the story was a bit messy.
All in all, I didn't hold much hope for the Dales Detectives, but they did measure up !
It's not a cozy mystery like I thought it would be : of course, small village where everybody knows everyone, the Yorkshire mountains, tea and cakes, a big dog and all that, but the story was well built, the characters well written, there was humour but not too much. I wasn't in a hurry to finish it, for once ! A good series, I'm looking forward to reading the others, even if I found out who the murderer was easily.
PS : special mention for Ida, the cleaning lady, with her temper and her particular way of speaking (and earning her paycheck !) ^^
Agatha Raisin : nice, just not great - perfect for a trip on the train.
Hannah Dennison and her Honeychurch : I didn't like the characters and the story was a bit messy.
All in all, I didn't hold much hope for the Dales Detectives, but they did measure up !
It's not a cozy mystery like I thought it would be : of course, small village where everybody knows everyone, the Yorkshire mountains, tea and cakes, a big dog and all that, but the story was well built, the characters well written, there was humour but not too much. I wasn't in a hurry to finish it, for once ! A good series, I'm looking forward to reading the others, even if I found out who the murderer was easily.
PS : special mention for Ida, the cleaning lady, with her temper and her particular way of speaking (and earning her paycheck !) ^^
September 4, 2017
***1.5***
371 tedious pages of hardcover which really needed a decent editor to eliminate a good third of unnecessary filler. I love me a good cozy but I couldn't determine if this was suppose to be humorous or not. And I most definitely could not connect with either h or H; especially when she literally runs off after her dog is injured.
371 tedious pages of hardcover which really needed a decent editor to eliminate a good third of unnecessary filler. I love me a good cozy but I couldn't determine if this was suppose to be humorous or not. And I most definitely could not connect with either h or H; especially when she literally runs off after her dog is injured.
July 10, 2020
"En résumé, un tome 1 qui m'a totalement conquise et dès les premières pages. Ce mélange de feel-good et de policier marche super bien. Je n'aurais jamais pensé qu'un tel choix pourrait fonctionner... Et pourtant ! C'était frais, drôle, prenant, avec une enquête intéressante et des personnages attachants. Bref, le cocktail parfait pour passer un super moment !"
http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/ho...
http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/ho...
April 9, 2017
Visit the locations on the Literary Travel Agency A Date With Death
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What a charming, lovely novel! I do love a cosy crime mystery and with a soft spot for all things Yorkshire, this was just my cup of Yorkshire Tea. There is a mystery at the heart of it, but the comings and goings of the villagers and the secrets behind those twitchy curtains got me! It’s an easy read and a charming one with a dose of Grantchester and a dollop of Agatha Raisin brewed together.
I loved the idea of the Dales Dating Agency, the speed dating night, farmers driving about on those all terrain cars, the wandering ramblers who might just appear from the hills and up from the valleys – oh and that cake shop! Every time it was mentioned, I wanted to sit and sniff the pages in the hope that one of the cakes would appear from in the book. I could smell and almost taste them!
The landscape – the gorgeous ondulating landscape draws you in and I loved the characters. There was also a more serious story – one man returning to face his past and his father and everything was nicely and neatly wrapped up – although with just enough threads to leave you wanting more.
I’ll definitely be back for more Yorkshire Tea and chat with this lot!
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What a charming, lovely novel! I do love a cosy crime mystery and with a soft spot for all things Yorkshire, this was just my cup of Yorkshire Tea. There is a mystery at the heart of it, but the comings and goings of the villagers and the secrets behind those twitchy curtains got me! It’s an easy read and a charming one with a dose of Grantchester and a dollop of Agatha Raisin brewed together.
I loved the idea of the Dales Dating Agency, the speed dating night, farmers driving about on those all terrain cars, the wandering ramblers who might just appear from the hills and up from the valleys – oh and that cake shop! Every time it was mentioned, I wanted to sit and sniff the pages in the hope that one of the cakes would appear from in the book. I could smell and almost taste them!
The landscape – the gorgeous ondulating landscape draws you in and I loved the characters. There was also a more serious story – one man returning to face his past and his father and everything was nicely and neatly wrapped up – although with just enough threads to leave you wanting more.
I’ll definitely be back for more Yorkshire Tea and chat with this lot!
February 13, 2019
Sérieusement, à part la couverture, ce livre n'est absolument d'aucun intérêt. C'est une suite de clichés, la poursuite d'une intrigue sans intérêt et un dénouement inepte.
(1) Une suite de clichés parce que l'auteure/autrice (?) veut camper un contexte d'un village du Yorkshire (ses jolis vallons) et de ses habitants (bourrus mais attachants, évidemment) mais en fait c'est une suite de clichés à l'emporte-pièce. Combien de fois ai-je lu en guise d'explication, des phrases du style, "tu connais Bruncliffs" ou "tu sais comment c'est à Bruncliffs". Ben non, justement, je ne sais pas comment c'est à Bruncliffs. A titre de comparaison, quand Stephen King écrit sur Derry, on comprend Derry parce que justement, il explique les histoires des gens, leurs liens. C'est immersif et on devient Derry. Là... non. En gros les gens du Yorkshire sont des bourrus pas malins qui boivent de la bière et qui ont la rancune tenace (mais on comprend pas toujours pourquoi... et d'ailleurs, on s'en fout un peu en fait). Bref, c'est vrai que le Brexit ne donne pas une image très fut-fute de l'anglais moyen mais il mérite mieux ! On résume : une intrigue idiote, une fin sans intérêt parce qu'un mobile idiot. Je suis rarement aussi sévère mais le genre policier dans sa version "cosy", c'est comme cela que l'on dit, de ce représentant du sous-genre est complètement vain. L'auteure pose déjà les jalons du tome 2 à la fin du 1er. Personnellement, je retourne lire autre chose.
(1) Une suite de clichés parce que l'auteure/autrice (?) veut camper un contexte d'un village du Yorkshire (ses jolis vallons) et de ses habitants (bourrus mais attachants, évidemment) mais en fait c'est une suite de clichés à l'emporte-pièce. Combien de fois ai-je lu en guise d'explication, des phrases du style, "tu connais Bruncliffs" ou "tu sais comment c'est à Bruncliffs". Ben non, justement, je ne sais pas comment c'est à Bruncliffs. A titre de comparaison, quand Stephen King écrit sur Derry, on comprend Derry parce que justement, il explique les histoires des gens, leurs liens. C'est immersif et on devient Derry. Là... non. En gros les gens du Yorkshire sont des bourrus pas malins qui boivent de la bière et qui ont la rancune tenace (mais on comprend pas toujours pourquoi... et d'ailleurs, on s'en fout un peu en fait). Bref, c'est vrai que le Brexit ne donne pas une image très fut-fute de l'anglais moyen mais il mérite mieux ! On résume : une intrigue idiote, une fin sans intérêt parce qu'un mobile idiot. Je suis rarement aussi sévère mais le genre policier dans sa version "cosy", c'est comme cela que l'on dit, de ce représentant du sous-genre est complètement vain. L'auteure pose déjà les jalons du tome 2 à la fin du 1er. Personnellement, je retourne lire autre chose.
August 10, 2019
This is a first in a series, and possibly a first novel. Hopefully it's a debut novel, as the author has plenty of room for improvement. Naming the main characters Samson and Delilah really put me off, especially as they were both born in a small town in the Yorkshire dales, not a place for fancy names, as a rule. Apart from the names, I liked each of them as a character, and most of the secondary characters could be interesting.
I found the writing quite pedestrian, and the plot was really far-fetched, with no hint as to the identity of the villain until he's finally caught in the act: a character who isn't mentioned by name previously, except very briefly as one of a crowd, and with no hint of motive is not the norm for a detective novel. It could be me, but I also found it hard to discern much humour in the book. On the other hand, I did finish it, so it wasn't all bad.
I found the writing quite pedestrian, and the plot was really far-fetched, with no hint as to the identity of the villain until he's finally caught in the act: a character who isn't mentioned by name previously, except very briefly as one of a crowd, and with no hint of motive is not the norm for a detective novel. It could be me, but I also found it hard to discern much humour in the book. On the other hand, I did finish it, so it wasn't all bad.
April 22, 2020
Ma collègue m'ayant vivement recommandé cette série de roman, je m'y mets enfin. Je me doutais que j'allais aimer car c'est tout à fait l'ambiance que j'aime (et ma collègue me connaît bien).
Au final pas de surprise en effet, j'ai bien aimé, ça se lit vite et sans prise de tête, un sympathique "cozy mystery" comme on dit. Je pense que je commence à en lire trop car j'ai compris assez tôt qui était l'assassin et son mobile (ou alors j'ai une âme de psychopathe, au choix...).
J'ai été agréablement surprise par l'écriture que j'ai trouvé moderne et dynamique, c'était très agréable à lire.
Voilà, une nouvelle série à suivre !
Au final pas de surprise en effet, j'ai bien aimé, ça se lit vite et sans prise de tête, un sympathique "cozy mystery" comme on dit. Je pense que je commence à en lire trop car j'ai compris assez tôt qui était l'assassin et son mobile (ou alors j'ai une âme de psychopathe, au choix...).
J'ai été agréablement surprise par l'écriture que j'ai trouvé moderne et dynamique, c'était très agréable à lire.
Voilà, une nouvelle série à suivre !
June 30, 2025
It was fun! A quick read too.
I listened to the audiobook, which was really well-done, but wow as a non-native I quickly gave up on ONLY listening to the audiobook, and got the ebook as well.
The plot was good, with some plot twists here and there that weren't too bad! And even when the main characters were being idiots it wasn't too frustrating.
My main problem was the spacing, as the mystery was slooooow to unravel. The first half especially was reaaaally slow. The characters were nice but there were a looot of them and I didn't quite get attached enough to really enjoy the story to its fullest.
But it was cozy, and a good mystery. So I would still say I enjoyed it!
I listened to the audiobook, which was really well-done, but wow as a non-native I quickly gave up on ONLY listening to the audiobook, and got the ebook as well.
The plot was good, with some plot twists here and there that weren't too bad! And even when the main characters were being idiots it wasn't too frustrating.
My main problem was the spacing, as the mystery was slooooow to unravel. The first half especially was reaaaally slow. The characters were nice but there were a looot of them and I didn't quite get attached enough to really enjoy the story to its fullest.
But it was cozy, and a good mystery. So I would still say I enjoyed it!
April 20, 2017
Would probably appeal to people who live in the Dales. Reasonable plot but didn't really grip me. Would suit the Midsomer Murders treatment on television.
May 5, 2018
enjoyable mystery series. Really like the characters and the interplay between them. And looking forward to next in the series to see what is up with Samson.
July 19, 2018
Entre 4,5 et 5 mais comme ça faisait longtemps que je ne m'étais pas autant régalée lors d'une lecture, j'arrondis à 5 :) Cela ferait une super série télé !
November 3, 2025
Setting: 'Bruncliffe', Yorkshire Dales, England; modern day.
Delilah Metcalfe is struggling to keep her small businesses running in the Dales village of Bruncliffe - her website business and her dating agency - so is forced into renting out the ground floor of her offices. But she is dismayed to realise that her new tenant's business has the same initials, D.D.A., as her own business! And her dismay turns to annoyance when she becomes aware of the identity of her tenant, a man who fled his home village several years ago...
Samson O'Brien has been an officer for the Metropolitan Police for several years but has taken some time off, expecting some fallout from an undisclosed incident which could, he fears, end his career. So he reluctantly moves back to his home village to set up a detective agency. The locals can't see anyone wanting to use a detective agency but Samson is immediately approached by a mother whose lecturer son has been deemed to have committed suicide in front of the local train - but his mother is convinced that he would not do this...
As a second and then a third young man dies, Delilah becomes aware of the link between the victims - all three were signed up to her dating agency. Initially, Delilah tries to keep this link from Samson, fearing for her business, but the pair end up having to work together to try to solve the murders....
This was an unusual one for me. If it hadn't been the choice for one of my Book Groups, it's not a book I would have picked for myself, largely because the cover screams 'cosy crime', which is not a genre I usually read. However, it didn't really read like I would expect a cosy crime book to read - there was quite a degree of threat to the main characters and an escalating level of violence as the story developed, which seems to go against what I expected of that genre.
So, overall, I found it to be an unexpectedly good read and one where I may well read more of the series. Having said that, the main characters called Samson and Delilah? Seriously?! - 8/10.
Delilah Metcalfe is struggling to keep her small businesses running in the Dales village of Bruncliffe - her website business and her dating agency - so is forced into renting out the ground floor of her offices. But she is dismayed to realise that her new tenant's business has the same initials, D.D.A., as her own business! And her dismay turns to annoyance when she becomes aware of the identity of her tenant, a man who fled his home village several years ago...
Samson O'Brien has been an officer for the Metropolitan Police for several years but has taken some time off, expecting some fallout from an undisclosed incident which could, he fears, end his career. So he reluctantly moves back to his home village to set up a detective agency. The locals can't see anyone wanting to use a detective agency but Samson is immediately approached by a mother whose lecturer son has been deemed to have committed suicide in front of the local train - but his mother is convinced that he would not do this...
As a second and then a third young man dies, Delilah becomes aware of the link between the victims - all three were signed up to her dating agency. Initially, Delilah tries to keep this link from Samson, fearing for her business, but the pair end up having to work together to try to solve the murders....
This was an unusual one for me. If it hadn't been the choice for one of my Book Groups, it's not a book I would have picked for myself, largely because the cover screams 'cosy crime', which is not a genre I usually read. However, it didn't really read like I would expect a cosy crime book to read - there was quite a degree of threat to the main characters and an escalating level of violence as the story developed, which seems to go against what I expected of that genre.
So, overall, I found it to be an unexpectedly good read and one where I may well read more of the series. Having said that, the main characters called Samson and Delilah? Seriously?! - 8/10.
January 4, 2026
There were so many charachters and i didnt know who the hell was who again. It took me like 50 pages to remember that when a Delilah shows up, it is not a random person but she is in fact the main charachter whoopsie
All of this resulted in me not really understanding the ending. They were like "omg this guy did it?!" and I was like "who the hell is this guy???" And to be honest with you, i still dont really know who the guy is, but good to know his name? I guess?
Anyway it could also be a me fault and that I took way too long to read this book with way too big of gaps in between, so either blame the author or just my memory :)
That being said, I did have a lot of fun reading this book! <3 It took a while for me to get invested, but once I was, I could not stop! The characters that i could remember were all really fun, and it was interesting to see all of their dynamics, especially because it's in a small town, and i just love a small town story! Very excited to see what the people of Bruncliff are up to in the next book(s) and when Samson and Delilah will end up together because their chemistry man!! It's insane! :D
All of this resulted in me not really understanding the ending. They were like "omg this guy did it?!" and I was like "who the hell is this guy???" And to be honest with you, i still dont really know who the guy is, but good to know his name? I guess?
Anyway it could also be a me fault and that I took way too long to read this book with way too big of gaps in between, so either blame the author or just my memory :)
That being said, I did have a lot of fun reading this book! <3 It took a while for me to get invested, but once I was, I could not stop! The characters that i could remember were all really fun, and it was interesting to see all of their dynamics, especially because it's in a small town, and i just love a small town story! Very excited to see what the people of Bruncliff are up to in the next book(s) and when Samson and Delilah will end up together because their chemistry man!! It's insane! :D
August 20, 2019
Si vous êtes las de l’humour vache et des excentricités d’Agatha Raisin, essayez donc la série best-seller de Julia Chapman ! Amour, humour, mystère, ce cosy mystery-là ne vous décevra pas ! C’est idéal pour chasser le blues et le stress de la rentrée !
Dans le sillage des romans d’Agatha Christie, vous ne pourrez que savourer l’enquête complexe, prenante et fouillée de ce duo de détectives amateurs à l’humour très british !
Quatre tomes des enquêtes des détectives du Yorshire sont d’ores et déjà disponibles et un cinquième à paraître le 21 novembre. Voilà qui promet des tea-time d’automne bien corsés !
Dans le sillage des romans d’Agatha Christie, vous ne pourrez que savourer l’enquête complexe, prenante et fouillée de ce duo de détectives amateurs à l’humour très british !
Quatre tomes des enquêtes des détectives du Yorshire sont d’ores et déjà disponibles et un cinquième à paraître le 21 novembre. Voilà qui promet des tea-time d’automne bien corsés !
February 8, 2024
Småmysig
June 5, 2018
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
17/20 - Une ambiance que j'ai adoré et des personnages assez fascinants à suivre <3
17/20 - Une ambiance que j'ai adoré et des personnages assez fascinants à suivre <3
July 16, 2019
Un cosy mystery plein d'humour.
December 31, 2023
4.5. Probably the best 'first' book in a series (usually the very first books aren't the best in the series). I LOVED IT! There were a lot of people to keep track of though, but I'm sure that will get easier as the series goes on.
June 29, 2018
De l'humour british, un village où tout le monde se connaît, un détective plutôt sympa à suivre et beaucoup d'ingrédients originaux et sympathiques. Un thriller léger et guilleret!!
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