Highly Amusing
Bob & Shirley’s Guide To Murder by Suzy K Quinn is a wonderfully amusing light-hearted contemporary cosy crime novel which I absolutely adored. I read it in just two sittings, pausing only to sleep. It is the first book in the new Bob & Shirley Mystery series which promises to be fabulous.
The action is seen in the first person, alternating between married couple Bob and Shirley who own a pub in a village. Their close relationship is visible to all as the dialogue bounces between them.
A dead body in the pub garden sets Bob and Shirley up to investigate. Their amateur sleuthing certainly gives Miss Marple a run for her money. They too, are friendly with the local constabulary.
A young woman in police training is first on the scene, unfortunately her stomach does not match her enthusiasm! With each new detail that Bob points out, the female P.C. loses her stomach again! Quietly spoken and teetotal, she is in direct contrast to the previous elderly male police officer who was beer drinking and loud.
Village living brings highs and lows. There are gossip, speculation and rivalry, but also friendships, camaraderie and loyalty. We drop in on pub quizzes and lunches, fitness classes and the local Waist Watchers – who spend more time in the pub talking about losing weight than actually doing something about it! Their leader is partial to fish and chips and alcohol, as noted by Bob.
Suzy K Quinn has cleverly constructed her novel which has many references to quintessential British items and traditions. When talking about local history, Bob observes “Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond is absolutely not historically accurate.” Those of us of a certain age who grew up on the Carry-On films, will instantly recognise the character played by Sid James. This familiarity helps the reader feel like they belong to village life.
The author’s style is personable and easy to read. Every page makes the reader chuckle. “Man cannot live off prosecco foam alone. Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and a nice, cold beer are life’s essentials.” And Shirley notes: “When God was giving out charm, Bob was at the back of the line, correcting some-one’s grammar.”
Bob prides himself on his vast knowledge, but like all clever men, there are areas where the brain power is dimmer. “She’s [Bob’s daughter] gone to a pole dancing class… For years, I had hoped she’d try folk dancing. And here she is trying out Polish dance all of her own volition.” Shirley doesn’t have the heart to correct him!
I absolutely adored Bob & Shirley’s Guide To Murder. Bob and Shirley were very likable and believable lead characters. Please write fast Suzy K Quinn as I want to hear more, more, more about Bob and Shirley’s adventures.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
Bob and Shirley’s Guide to Murder
Bob and Shirley run a lovely country pub. They also solve murders …
A warmly funny, gloriously British cozy crime and murder mystery series that can be read as standalones or part of a series. Set in a village where the pub is the heart of country life and served with warmth, wit and a very good Sunday roast.
“Murder? In our quiet, little English village?
Great Oakley is a place of hanging baskets, tearooms and riverside walks. We’ve won ‘Britain’s safest village’ 10 years running. I keep three pound coins, a box of toffees and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol on my dashboard at all times, and I’ve never needed to lock my car.
Certainly, Bevvy Hogg was disliked. She ran the local Waist Watchers group, yet came to our pub for fish and chips, treacle tart and a bottle of Chardonnay every Friday. But I don’t think she was murdered …”
When Bevvy Hogg is found dead in the Goose and Gander pub garden, with an empty treacle tart plate beside her and several dress sizes slimmer than anyone remembers, Great Oakley’s winning streak as Britain’s safest village comes to an abrupt end.
Purchase Links
Author Bio –
Suzy K Quinn (hello – it’s me!) is writing this bio in the third person. Which feels duplicitous and also a little egotistical. But here goes …
Suzy K Quinn writes book club books and murder mystery series, and has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. She’s a bestselling author in the US, UK and Germany and will soon, very possibly, have written more books than she’s read.
Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband and two daughters. She is a twin, an incompetent parent of two and now fully decaffeinated. Her twin sister, Cate Quinn, is also a bestseller author. When Suzy isn’t writing in cafes, she is walking around woods dictating like a lunatic.
Suzy loves her readers and is ALWAYS happy to chat on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzykquinn You can also get a free book at her website:
http://www.suzykquinn.com
Social Media Links –
Profile – https://www.facebook.com/suzykquinn/
Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/suzykquinn
Tiktok @suzykquinn
Instagram @suzykquinn
Twitter @suzykquinn
Threads @suzykquinn
Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Bob and Shirley’s Killer Cuppa Puzzle (Open INT)
One of Great Oakley’s five open gardens served poisoned tea. Can you work out which one before Bob does?
‘Like Murdle and a cozy mystery rolled into one.’
Murder mystery logic puzzle stories for fans of The Killer Isn’t Alice, Murdle and Can You Solve the Murder?
These are ‘Puzzlories’. Read them like stories, solve them like puzzles. Each one takes about an hour to read and solve.
It’s Open Gardens weekend in Great Oakley. Five gardeners have opened their gardens to the public, and each is offering a unique drink, cake, flower and interesting garden feature to their fellow villagers.
Unfortunately, one garden owner poured poisoned tea. Probably not on purpose. But you never know. There are more murders in Britain’s safest village than you might imagine.
Village pub landlady Shirley Duffy visited all five open gardens before returning to the Goose and Gander for a much-needed beer and a sit down. One of those five gardens was the scene of the crime.
The trouble is, Shirley’s memory is known to be … selective. She can remember every cake she’s eaten since 1987, but not necessarily when and where she ate it. And she can’t remember which garden served tea on Saturday afternoon.
Shirley’s husband, Bob, is frustrated that Shirley can’t remember one garden from another. But he finds many things about his wife frustrating, and loves her anyway.
As Bob presses Shirley for details, the clues pile up. Your job is to note them down and work out who served the tea before Bob does.
Twenty clues, one in every short chapter. Fill in your detective’s grid, cross off your suspects and name the poisoner.
Grab your notebook, put the kettle on (carefully) and see if you can beat Bob to the answer.
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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