Lynda Wilcox

Another Verity Long story - I love them all!

An Appetite for Murder

My review -

Verity is called upon to solve a cold case – if she can. Her assistant, Constable Lansdowne, seems to be an unlikely helper initially. A restaurant critic for a local posh magazine has been killed so Verity and Lansdowne look at colleagues and possible restaurateurs who may have had a grudge. I love the characters in these books. There’s a puzzle to solve, but there’s always a lot of fun on the way. They usually give me ideas for food, too! This is another great addition to the Verity Long stories.

Lynda Wilcox

Verity Long does it again. Great, funny and well up to the usual standard.

Long Tramp to Murder

Amazon.com link

My review -

Verity, now working cold cases part time, spends the rest of her time as researcher for her old employer, author Kathleen Davenport. She currently finds herself with two murders on her hands. One is the old one she’s been asked to look into, involving the death of an elderly lady ten years ago. The second occurs at a local garden centre when she and her employer are there. KD finds the body – and just about everyone who knew the victim had a reason to want her dead.

Verity, the eternally nosy and feisty investigator, worries away at both cases, officially and unofficially. This story, with its two murders, years apart, contains all the trademark wry, dry and witty humour of the author’s Verity Long series, and, as always, I enjoyed it immensely. I received a review copy of this book.

Lynda Wilcox

Another Verity Long mystery is a reason to rejoice. I love the character and this is no exception.

Long Deathly Christmas

Amazon.com link

My review -

Verity and her new husband Jerry are invited to spend Christmas with his siblings and their spouses, at his brother-in-law’s palatial mansion, Thornley Park. She meets her new nephew and niece, Thornley and Cecilia. Verity asks Thornley if she can call him Thor, which delights him as his own name is a real mouthful. During the festivities, the Tremayne Treasure, a miniature painting, goes missing. Verity’s investigative juices spill over and she gets her teeth into another mystery.

I loved all the characters here, and especially the eight year-old Thor. I’d love to think he’ll appear in future stories. He brings out aspects of Verity’s character she didn’t know were there. I had a slight problem with the timeline of one of the characters, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment of this tale. As usual, some of Verity’s thoughts made me laugh aloud. A great story.

Lynda Wilcox

Another excellent Verity Long story. 

Long Cold Death

Amazon.com

My review -

Verity is helping out with a cold case – an unsolved murder from a year ago in which a teacher was found dead in a school kitchen freezer. Ostensibly undertaking a survey on behalf of the board of governors, she starts her usual snooping, finding the dead woman was not a popular person (epic understatement!). It’s not helping that her side-kick from the force, Becky, is next to useless, moping and distracted. Another puzzle for Verity to solve.

This is another mystery in which just about anyone could have done it, and Verity has to untangle the knots. All I can say is I wouldn’t like her job. I’d be an abject failure. Lynda Wilcox always manages to fool me. The humour which threads through these stories carries them onward and I often end up giggling. Another feather in Verity’s cap and another hit for the author.

Lynda Wilcox

This is the fifth book in the Verity Long series and I never tire of them. 

Long Drive to Death

Amazon.com

Verity Long, now Mrs Farish, has been employed part time as a researcher on the Cold Cases team of the local police where her husband is a Detective Inspector. She still works mornings researching for her old employer, Kathleen Davenport, the crime writer. Her husband decided she needs a constable as a side-kick. Their first joint effort is a 20 year old case of a body in a burnt-out car and they discover four local people went missing at that time.

There's an interesting relationship which develops between Verity and her new assistant as they interview the families of the missing persons to try to find if one of them was the body in the car. Verity, even working hand in hand with the police, manages to put herself in danger. This is another of the successful murder mysteries in this series and I hope Lynda Wilcox never runs out of ideas.

Lynda Wilcox

People call these cosy mysteries but there's nothing cosy about the predicaments Verity Long finds herself in. I love these stories.

Murder by the Glass

Amazon.com Murder by the Glass

My review -

Once again, researcher Verity Long can’t keep her nose out of a murder. She’s usually reprimanded by her long suffering boyfriend, a detective inspector of police, but this time she’s left him behind. Verity and her boss, crime writer Kathleen Davenport, are taking part in a wine-tasting weekend and, on their first morning, Verity finds the body of another guest. With a cast of a dozen, plus the staff, can Verity narrow it down? Should she leave it to the police? Of course she should, but they can’t be contacted.

This novella is another classic Verity Long mystery. I’m a huge fan of these stories and find them gripping and interesting but not gruesome. That doesn’t mean there’s no danger – especially to feisty young women who can’t help themselves when it comes to a bit of amateur sleuthing. Verity fans – prepare for a treat. Everyone else – come in and join us! Another great story which I enjoyed very much.

Lynda Wilcox

Another Verity Long story and if you haven't yet read any, you're missing a treat!

Married to Murder

Amazon.com Married to Murder

My review -

The ever-nosy Verity Long can hardly help becoming involved in her latest case as she’s in the next room when the body is found. She’s in the throes of planning her wedding to the gorgeous Inspector Jerry Farish and in so doing she discovers nasty goings-on in the world of wedding planning. Jerry is out of touch for several days and has been seen dining with a blonde so Verity seriously wonders if her own nuptials will go ahead. Several people are in the frame for the murder and of course, Verity can’t leave ill enough alone.

I find reading a Lynda Wilcox book like slipping into something comfortable and grabbing a glass of red - so relaxing. They are elegant, urbane, witty and utterly charming – and I never guess who the baddy is! Verity is the kind of person who would run towards an unexpected noise in the night. I am the one who would sit under the table with a towel on my head till it went away.  Still, opposites attract and I love these characters and hope there are many more stories to come. Lynda Wilcox is Queen of the Cosy Mysteries for me.

Lynda Wilcox

This is the first in a new series and features twin girl private detectives.  It's ace!

The Lockington Legacy

Amazon .com The Lockington Legacy

My review - 

The Lockington Legacy is a very valuable diamond necklace which is stolen during a private house party attended by a wonderful selection of self-obsessed characters. The newly formed Gemini Detective Agency investigates. The idea of twin girl investigators is an inspired one. One twin is logical and analytical and the other intuitive. What a team! The case becomes more involved and soon the girls are investigating a murder. Lynda Wilcox has a warm and comfortable story-telling voice which is always easy reading but full of humour. I very much enjoy her style of mystery stories which are so far removed from the gritty crime and police drama category. There is most definitely room for both. This is a very enjoyable read and I hope to see more of the Geminis before too long.

Lynda Wilcox

This is the third of the Verity Long novels - though I first met her in a novella.  I absolutely love this one!

Scouting for Murder

Amazon.com Scouting for Murder

My review - 

This is the third in the Verity Long series of crime stories, though I first met the character in the novella A Novel Way to Die. I knew I wanted to read more and have been working my way through them. I think this is my favourite. The hapless Verity is once again early on the murder scene and feels compelled to try to find out who the culprit was. She is not involved with the police (except for a given value of ‘involved’) and her on-off relationship with Inspector Jerry Farish makes me want to slap her into seeing how good he is. If she doesn’t want him, I’ll have him!

The story is a gentle murder mystery, you might say, and a great read. As suggested by the title, Verity is helping out at a Brownie Camp after having found one of the scout leaders shot in the throat with an arrow. Her involvement puts her own life in danger but it takes more than that to deter her. If you’ve read and enjoyed the others in the series, as I have, you really must read this. It’s excellent.

Lynda Wilcox

This is the second in the Verity Long series.  I love this character.  Long may she knock back the Merlot - although I'm a Shiraz girl myself!

Organised Murder

Amazon.com Organised Murder

My review - 

Verity Long, author’s research assistant, once again finds a corpse and becomes drawn in (due largely to her nosey nature!) to investigating. Her old love comes back into her life which complicates things with her current boyfriend, the Police Inspector in charge of the case. She also becomes involved with a motley group of would-be thespians, acting as prompt at their rehearsals in order to continue with her sleuthing.

Lynda Wilcox has created a wonderful character in Verity. She’s intelligent, thorough and no doubt a damned nuisance! She enjoys good food and a glass or several of Merlot. The humour is dry, witty and not at all forced. Much of it comes from the author’s choice of language and I love that kind of book. I imagine it’s classed as ‘cosy mystery’ although being hanged in a church isn’t my idea of cosiness! It’s miles from some of the hard, gritty and true-to-life gangland murder stories I enjoy but there’s room in my life for both. I’ve really enjoyed these books and look forward to reading the next. This was a great read!

Lynda Wilcox

This is the first in the Verity Long stories.  I came across them by reading the novella which features the same characters.  I love the style and the humour so I came back for more!

Strictly Murder

Amazon.com Strictly Murder

My review - 

This is the first in a series of murder mysteries in which the brilliantly conceived character of Verity Long acts as unofficial sleuth. Verity is the researcher for a successful crime writer and in this story she finds a body while she’s looking for a house to rent. It's the body of a well known 'celebrity' who fronts a dance show. Feeling that because of this she is somehow involved, she’s unable to let it go, in spite of finding herself ‘interested’ in the senior police officer in charge of the case who want her to back off.

This is a funny story and most of the humour comes from the characters and the author’s own take on things. I loved the writing style, the dialogue, the interaction between characters. I started this series by reading a recent novella featuring these characters and soon realised I’d have to read the lot! It’s a really good romp – with bodies!

Lynda Wilcox

This is my first Lynda Wilcox book.  I can see it not being my last!  Great fun, this story.

A Novel Way to Die

Amazon.com A Novel Way to Die

My review - 

This is the third book featuring Verity Long, the sort of young, sassy, intelligent and feisty gal I still am – in my head! It’s the first I’ve read though, and it’s a novella rather than a full length novel, as the others are. There’s a crime writers’ conference and authors, researchers, agents and publishers are gathered there. The murder victim is the sort of creep who has you cheering the murderer! There are crime writing clichés (it’s a locked room mystery) and lots of wry humour. I love mysteries and thrillers, and often read the hard, dark and gritty kind, but this is light, frothy and a total delight!

I loved the writing style. There was some really good description of the gardens in the early morning, for example, which delighted me. It wasn’t self-conscious; it was part of the scene setting but was so good. Naturally, most of the characters were two-dimensional – there were plenty of them and the work isn’t long enough to go any deeper – but they were all individual – no mixing up characters who are too many and too similar. I found this an easy read and a well-balanced story. I enjoyed it very much.