Murder On The Levels ~ #CosyMystery by @ FrancesEvesham #RBRT #TuesdayBookBlog

• Author: Frances Evesham
• Published: February 2016 by AinsleyAssociates
• Category: Cosy Mystery
• 

Love cosy crime, murder mysteries, clever animals and chocolate? Don’t miss Murder on the Levels, the second Exham on Sea mystery, set in a seaside town in Somerset. 
Two cyclists die on the Somerset Levels, and the Exham bakery gets the blame. Libby Forest runs into danger as she sets out to solve the mystery, save the bakery and rescue her career, helped by Bear, the enormous Carpathian Sheepdog, Fuzzy, an aloof marmalade cat and the handsome, secretive Max Ramshore. 

The second book in this cozy mystery series set in the Somerset seaside town of Exham on Sea. Since helping to solve the murder of a local girl made good the year before, things have been pretty quiet for Libby Forest. That was all about to change. Libby and her goth lodger, Mandy, work for Frank at Wolf the Bread’s bakery and the cycling club have left their sandwiches in the bakery van. Frank asks Libby to take the packages out to the cyclists on the Somerset Levels. 

When an apparent case of food poisoning strikes the cycling club and causes the death of two of the members, the bakery is held responsible. When the enigmatic Max Ramshore gets a phone call to say his son, Joe, a detective sergeant in the local police force, has been affected, he and Libby drive out to the wildlife reserve and what is now being treated as a crime scene. 

Max broke in. “Don’t say anymore.”

Libby gulped. “you mean…”

“Don’t say anything that might incriminate you. Or the bakery.”

Libby’s breath caught in her throat. “Do I need a lawyer?”

The Chief Inspector’s face was inscrutable. “We’ll talk to you properly, later. There’s no need to worry, Mrs Forest, until we find out exactly what happened here.”

When other mysterious and frightening incidents occur, Libby and Max realise there’s more to this situation than meets the eye. Libby is determined to clear the bakery’s name, and by association her own, with Max’s help. When Libby’s daughter arrives unexpectedly Libby finds she has more problems and unwelcome family surprises to deal with.

I’m enjoying getting to know the characters and looking forward to finding out more about the mysterious Max. I love the small town community spirit in Exham on Sea and the mix of likeable and individual residents. A well crafted and interesting story line with all the ingredients for a very entertaining cozy mystery. 

This is based on a copy from the author and is reviewed as part of Rosie Amber’s book review team.

About Frances Evesham

Frances Evesham writes mystery stories: the Exham on Sea contemporary crime series set in a small Somerset seaside town, and the Thatcham Hall Mysteries, 19th Century historical mystery romances set in Victorian England.

She collects grandsons, Victorian ancestors and historical trivia, likes to smell the roses, lavender and rosemary, and cooks with a glass of wine in one hand and a bunch of chillies in the other. She loves the Arctic Circle and the equator and plans to visit the penguins in the south one day.

She’s been a speech therapist, a professional communicator and a road sweeper and worked in the criminal courts. Now, she walks in the country and breathes sea air in Somerset.

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