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A Walk Through England Mystery #1
A Deadly Walk in Devon
For fans of M.C. Beaton, Martha Grimes, and Alexander McCall Smith, the first in a charming new mystery series set in the English countryside, as a retired San Diego police detective embarks upon group walking tours in England’s most scenic counties…
After a long career as a detective in San Diego, Rick “Chase” Chasen has traded in his badge for a change of scenery in the coastal comforts of Devon, England, until a local murder takes him on a deadly detour . . . Still grieving the death of his long-time partner, Chase reunites with his dear friend and fellow Anglophile Billie Mondreau for a seacoast holiday of historic sightseeing. Assigned a pair of guides from the tour company Wanderers, Chase and Billie join seven other like-minded Americans looking forward to an English getaway. All except for Ronald Gretz. The wealthy entrepreneur behind the international Golden Sunset nursing home chain doesn’t like anything about walking, touring, or England. Coarse and opinionated, Gretz’s complaints get on the nerves of his fellow Wanderers—and his long-suffering trophy wife.
But Gretz’s gripes are tied to his own nerves being frayed. He has been receiving threatening texts and emails signed “An Avenger.” Convinced someone means him harm, Gretz asks Chase to watch his back. Soon, Gretz falls afoul of several “accidents,” leading to more friction with the other walkers. Until one final “accident” results in Gretz dead at the bottom of a cliff. Chase, whose investigative instincts remain sharp, knows Gretz’s death was no accident. While helping the police investigate, he discovers that members of the tour group not only disliked the victim but had legitimate motives for wanting him dead. Now, he just has to uncover who among them is willing to kill . . .
After a long career as a detective in San Diego, Rick “Chase” Chasen has traded in his badge for a change of scenery in the coastal comforts of Devon, England, until a local murder takes him on a deadly detour . . . Still grieving the death of his long-time partner, Chase reunites with his dear friend and fellow Anglophile Billie Mondreau for a seacoast holiday of historic sightseeing. Assigned a pair of guides from the tour company Wanderers, Chase and Billie join seven other like-minded Americans looking forward to an English getaway. All except for Ronald Gretz. The wealthy entrepreneur behind the international Golden Sunset nursing home chain doesn’t like anything about walking, touring, or England. Coarse and opinionated, Gretz’s complaints get on the nerves of his fellow Wanderers—and his long-suffering trophy wife.
But Gretz’s gripes are tied to his own nerves being frayed. He has been receiving threatening texts and emails signed “An Avenger.” Convinced someone means him harm, Gretz asks Chase to watch his back. Soon, Gretz falls afoul of several “accidents,” leading to more friction with the other walkers. Until one final “accident” results in Gretz dead at the bottom of a cliff. Chase, whose investigative instincts remain sharp, knows Gretz’s death was no accident. While helping the police investigate, he discovers that members of the tour group not only disliked the victim but had legitimate motives for wanting him dead. Now, he just has to uncover who among them is willing to kill . . .
320 pages, Paperback
Published December 24, 2024
158 people are currently reading
7404 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas George
2 books68 followersAfter a career in journalism and corporate communications, I plunged into my dream career: mystery author. I used two of my passions--long-distance walking and popular music--as inspiration. The third book in my "Walk Through England" mystery series, "A Crushing Walk in Cornwall," comes out in March 2026. The first book in my Adam Parrall series (Adam's a retired rock drummer), "You've Lost That Livin' Feeling," will be released in January 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
March 17, 2024
It appears that this book may be the first in a series in which the main character takes walks around different parts of England. If this is so then, based on this one, I will certainly be up for reading more.
As the title indicates the first walk is around the cliffs in beautiful Devon. Rick Chasen, nicknamed Chase, is a retired, American detective who has recently lost his husband after many years together. Trying to get over this, he meets a friend in England and they join a walking tour with a group of Americans. Their walk ends when one of the group is murdered and Chase find himself helping the police in the investigation. Another murder follows before they work out 'who dunnit.'
The book has a Golden Age feel to it in the way a group of suspects are kept together in a country house while the smart detective works with the not so smart police to solve the crime. Chase himself is an appealing character and I hope to see more of him in future books. I enjoyed it all very much. Four stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
As the title indicates the first walk is around the cliffs in beautiful Devon. Rick Chasen, nicknamed Chase, is a retired, American detective who has recently lost his husband after many years together. Trying to get over this, he meets a friend in England and they join a walking tour with a group of Americans. Their walk ends when one of the group is murdered and Chase find himself helping the police in the investigation. Another murder follows before they work out 'who dunnit.'
The book has a Golden Age feel to it in the way a group of suspects are kept together in a country house while the smart detective works with the not so smart police to solve the crime. Chase himself is an appealing character and I hope to see more of him in future books. I enjoyed it all very much. Four stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
December 23, 2024
(rounded up from 3.5 stars)
Have you ever thought about taking a walking vacation? If so, this book might change your mind! Chase is a retired detective from San Diego, still mourning the death of his husband. He has come to England for a walking vacation, something he’d done a few others times so he knows what to expect. He is joined by Billie, a woman he got to be friends with on previous walks. The location is in Devon, England, as you can tell from the title.
We quickly meet the tour leader, Sally, and the other participants. None of the other characters appealed to me at all, so I was glad this was a fictional tour, not one I actually had to deal with! The murder victim (well, the first victim, as there will be ore than one before the book is done) was pretty obvious; he was incredibly obnoxious and he was concerned about threats he had been receiving.
One of the only appealing local characters was a potential new love interest for Chase, so that added promise. This is a nice start to a new cozy mystery series, to add to the increasing number of “quozy” mysteries that have started being published.
I bounced between the print/ebook copy of the title from Kensington Cozies and the audio copy from Recorded Books. The audio was well narrated by Donald Corren, who did a great job with a lot of different accents.
Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the chance to listen to the audio version and to Kensington and NetGalley for the chance to read a review copy of the book.
Have you ever thought about taking a walking vacation? If so, this book might change your mind! Chase is a retired detective from San Diego, still mourning the death of his husband. He has come to England for a walking vacation, something he’d done a few others times so he knows what to expect. He is joined by Billie, a woman he got to be friends with on previous walks. The location is in Devon, England, as you can tell from the title.
We quickly meet the tour leader, Sally, and the other participants. None of the other characters appealed to me at all, so I was glad this was a fictional tour, not one I actually had to deal with! The murder victim (well, the first victim, as there will be ore than one before the book is done) was pretty obvious; he was incredibly obnoxious and he was concerned about threats he had been receiving.
One of the only appealing local characters was a potential new love interest for Chase, so that added promise. This is a nice start to a new cozy mystery series, to add to the increasing number of “quozy” mysteries that have started being published.
I bounced between the print/ebook copy of the title from Kensington Cozies and the audio copy from Recorded Books. The audio was well narrated by Donald Corren, who did a great job with a lot of different accents.
Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the chance to listen to the audio version and to Kensington and NetGalley for the chance to read a review copy of the book.
December 29, 2024
I listened to the audio version of this book amd I have to say it almost completely ruined my enjoyment of what was quite a cosy mystery.
The narrator, Donald Corren, is American. Now because I hadn't read the synopsis properly I didn't realise that most of the characters are American so I'd been expecting an English accent. However, Mr Corren, has a pleasant voice and his male US characters were fine. What really grated was his accent for the locals who were, to a man and woman, given Irish accents. I beg all narrators, if you cannot do or don't know an accent then please don't attempt it. It drove me crazy.
That said, the story itself was interesting and kept me guessing all the way through. I'm notoriously bad at guessing whodunnit and I got it wrong several times during the course of a book. Our detective is a retired Police Officer who has taken the trip to get over his broken heart, having lost his long term partner.
Chase finds himself trying to solve the murder with the "help" of an inept local detective, several members of the walking group and long time friend, Billie.
He's better at it than I am.
Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.
The narrator, Donald Corren, is American. Now because I hadn't read the synopsis properly I didn't realise that most of the characters are American so I'd been expecting an English accent. However, Mr Corren, has a pleasant voice and his male US characters were fine. What really grated was his accent for the locals who were, to a man and woman, given Irish accents. I beg all narrators, if you cannot do or don't know an accent then please don't attempt it. It drove me crazy.
That said, the story itself was interesting and kept me guessing all the way through. I'm notoriously bad at guessing whodunnit and I got it wrong several times during the course of a book. Our detective is a retired Police Officer who has taken the trip to get over his broken heart, having lost his long term partner.
Chase finds himself trying to solve the murder with the "help" of an inept local detective, several members of the walking group and long time friend, Billie.
He's better at it than I am.
Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for the audio advance review copy.
July 28, 2024
It was good, a bit longer than it needed to be ….
April 24, 2024
On page two the protagonist mentions their 6 hour flight from Atlanta to London. Direct flights from Atlanta to London are 8-9 hours. Getting such an easy thing to look up wrong made me wonder what else will be poorly researched. And then on page 3 he mentions having a panic attack triggered by nearly getting run over (page 1), except that I didn't get any sense of panic attack. No pounding heart, no shakes, no stammering. Just a quick "whew, didn't get run over" relief which anyone would feel, and then quickly going into catching up with the friend he was meeting in England. I don't need a long drawn out panic attack scene. I do need a few detailed dropped in to be convincing, and it wasn't. Those two jarring things dropped me out of the book.
April 7, 2024
A debut mystery with an attractive location, a promising premise (all the suspects are members of a walking tour group), and a workmanlike plot (logical, no loose ends) is, alas, sunk by its characters, who tend to be sour, full of self-pity, or constantly abrasive (for no good reason than to establish them as S.O.B.s.). I caught myself thinking, "Gee, I'd hate to be stuck on a tour with these people," and then wondered why I was forcing myself to keep reading. The $27 investment, I guess, and my original high hopes--but I wasn't enjoying it, and I've read mysteries by the thousands.
February 17, 2024
A Deadly Walk in Devon is a debut novel and the first book in the Walk Through England Mystery series. In it a group of Americans on a guided walk in Devon, England includes a man named Gretz. I’ve read a lot of cozy mysteries, and Gretz is right out of cozy mystery central casting. The grouchy, hard to get along with, unlikable man who is obviously going to be the murder victim and about whom other characters say, “If you did kill him, we don’t blame you.” (p. 148 of the ARC)
I’d guess the author has also read a lot of cozy mysteries. Besides the unlikable victim we have the bickering couple, the clueless Chief Inspector, the attractive young new widow, and a whole cast of suspects hiding secrets. I hope in the sequels that the author can strive for a little more originality, instead of a cookie cutter cozy. I think we might see some of the walkers return in future books, and maybe they will be fleshed out a little. The climactic confrontation of the killer was truly eyerolling in its implausibility.
I love England and have yet to do a walking tour, so the premise of this book appealed to me. Unfortunately, there is not as much “walking” as I had hoped. Once the murder occurs, the group stays in one place. Still, I enjoyed the English setting.
The book is narrated by ex-detective Rick Chasen, and at one point he mentions that he likes whistling as he walks. That would certainly be grounds for murder if I were on a walk with the guy. Although this is marketed as a debut, there were references to the main character’s previous cases which originally made me wonder if I’d missed something.
At one point Chase’s walker friend Billie jokes, “I’ll kill you if you don’t. Oops. Guess I shouldn’t be joking about murder, should I?” (p. 131 of the ARC) Is the author poking fun at cozy cliches or just being cliched? I can’t tell. The main character is supposed to be a huge baseball fan, but I wondered if the author is. At one point the main character muses, “I often looked at my success rate through the lens of baseball, where batters typically fail to get a base hit seven out of ten pitches.” (p. 170 of the ARC) I think he means seven out of ten at bats. I read an advance reader copy, so maybe that will be fixed when the book is published. I do give the author points for trying to redeem Bill Buckner, who is unfairly blamed for costing the Red Sox the World Series in 1986. Although I felt like the author made some rookie errors (ha ha) in his debut, I enjoyed it enough that I might read book two.
The cover is very attractive and I imagine similar matching covers on the whole series that will look great together. If you enjoy the sometimes outlandish stories in M.C. Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series, you may enjoy A Deadly Walk in Devon. I read an advance reader copy of A Deadly Walk in Devon from Netgalley.
I’d guess the author has also read a lot of cozy mysteries. Besides the unlikable victim we have the bickering couple, the clueless Chief Inspector, the attractive young new widow, and a whole cast of suspects hiding secrets. I hope in the sequels that the author can strive for a little more originality, instead of a cookie cutter cozy. I think we might see some of the walkers return in future books, and maybe they will be fleshed out a little. The climactic confrontation of the killer was truly eyerolling in its implausibility.
I love England and have yet to do a walking tour, so the premise of this book appealed to me. Unfortunately, there is not as much “walking” as I had hoped. Once the murder occurs, the group stays in one place. Still, I enjoyed the English setting.
The book is narrated by ex-detective Rick Chasen, and at one point he mentions that he likes whistling as he walks. That would certainly be grounds for murder if I were on a walk with the guy. Although this is marketed as a debut, there were references to the main character’s previous cases which originally made me wonder if I’d missed something.
At one point Chase’s walker friend Billie jokes, “I’ll kill you if you don’t. Oops. Guess I shouldn’t be joking about murder, should I?” (p. 131 of the ARC) Is the author poking fun at cozy cliches or just being cliched? I can’t tell. The main character is supposed to be a huge baseball fan, but I wondered if the author is. At one point the main character muses, “I often looked at my success rate through the lens of baseball, where batters typically fail to get a base hit seven out of ten pitches.” (p. 170 of the ARC) I think he means seven out of ten at bats. I read an advance reader copy, so maybe that will be fixed when the book is published. I do give the author points for trying to redeem Bill Buckner, who is unfairly blamed for costing the Red Sox the World Series in 1986. Although I felt like the author made some rookie errors (ha ha) in his debut, I enjoyed it enough that I might read book two.
The cover is very attractive and I imagine similar matching covers on the whole series that will look great together. If you enjoy the sometimes outlandish stories in M.C. Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series, you may enjoy A Deadly Walk in Devon. I read an advance reader copy of A Deadly Walk in Devon from Netgalley.
November 27, 2023
A Deadly Walk in Devon by Nicholas George is a great cozy mystery that is the first book in a new series: Walk Through England Mystery.
I really, really enjoyed this first book that focusses on a retired detective, Rick “Chase” Chasen, grieving over the loss of his husband, and his adventures in touring on foot the stunning English countryside. With his American friend and counterpart Billie Mondreau, we are transported to Devon, England with this first book. But it ends up being much more than an English walk and vacation…a murder occurs within the touring group…good thing Chase is there to investigate and solve the crime before the killer strikes again.
This is such a unique angle for a cozy mystery; to incorporate a real locale within England for each murder/mystery is just brilliant. The murder/mystery was creative and engaging, and I liked the cast of characters. If the rest of the series is as good as this first entry, we are surely in for a treat.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/26/24.
I really, really enjoyed this first book that focusses on a retired detective, Rick “Chase” Chasen, grieving over the loss of his husband, and his adventures in touring on foot the stunning English countryside. With his American friend and counterpart Billie Mondreau, we are transported to Devon, England with this first book. But it ends up being much more than an English walk and vacation…a murder occurs within the touring group…good thing Chase is there to investigate and solve the crime before the killer strikes again.
This is such a unique angle for a cozy mystery; to incorporate a real locale within England for each murder/mystery is just brilliant. The murder/mystery was creative and engaging, and I liked the cast of characters. If the rest of the series is as good as this first entry, we are surely in for a treat.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/26/24.
December 14, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free audio arc of this book.
The book was ok. It is a murder mystery set in th countryside of England with some insufferable characters. The members of a walking tour group, with the main character being a former detective, find themselves involved in a murder case when one of the members is found to have been pushed from a cliff.
The storyline was pretty straightforward, but nothing really out of the box to surprise you. I did not guess who the murderer was, so that was a plus as normally I can tell who it is right away with these kinds of books. I'm being generous and giving 3 stars as I do think it's a decent quick read on a rainy day. However, I do not think I'll continue on with the series.
The book was ok. It is a murder mystery set in th countryside of England with some insufferable characters. The members of a walking tour group, with the main character being a former detective, find themselves involved in a murder case when one of the members is found to have been pushed from a cliff.
The storyline was pretty straightforward, but nothing really out of the box to surprise you. I did not guess who the murderer was, so that was a plus as normally I can tell who it is right away with these kinds of books. I'm being generous and giving 3 stars as I do think it's a decent quick read on a rainy day. However, I do not think I'll continue on with the series.
February 1, 2025
Alas! This was fine, but also just like, totally underwhelming. A mystery (I've seen it called cosy, but I dunno about that) with a retired gay cop at its helm. Chase has been recently widowed, and goes on a walking tour in England with an old friend of his. They're part of a tour group, and one of the members, an ill-tempered and unlikeable older man named Gretz, comes to Chase with a plea/demand for help. He's been receiving threats and he thinks he's going to be killed. After a number of increasingly dangerous "accidents", Gretz finally does meet his end, and Chase, along with the local police, have to figure out who among their tour group had the motive and means to carry out a murder.
This was just... lacking, In what way? All of them, idk. Despite the cosy atmosphere it tried to cultivate with the country walks and all the Anglophilia (lol) and most of the story taking place in a tidy little inn... something about the writing was dry and charmless. Chase was fine as a protagonist, and I liked the burgeoning new romance for him and his old man flirting. But otherwise he was such a flat character. The writing... idk, it kept TELLING me everything; no show. And I felt like I couldn't hear anyone's voice as I was reading, because the writing was just so bland and samey.
As a mystery, it was... not great? Chase made 'deductions' that just felt like leaps, and sometimes he delivered a piece of insight that other characters would sit back and ruminate on, but I would just be left feeling like '...really?' (An example that comes to mind are his thoughts about Corky yearning for a father figure.) And as a whole, the mystery felt a little nonsensical. We were asked to accept things that made no sense. There's a really big coincidence that I thought would turn out to be a plot point... but no. Just a coincidence.
And I have to say again, Chase as a main character didn't do a lot for me. When he wasn't being bland, he was being snarky in a way that absolutely did not appeal to me. One character makes a comment about how he's surprised that Chase is gay, given that he's so rugged and manly. That's definitely really annoying; I can see why Chase was irked. But why was his response, “We’re not all limp-wristed drag queens, you know.” Like whoa, jeez, my brother in Christ, calm down. A couple of his comments about Summer also made me side-eye him so hard. IDK, for me, a mystery needs a great plot and a sleuth I love, and when the plot started to let me down, I was hoping it could at least deliver on the latter? Nope. Chase was sort of a chode. I didn't particularly like any of the other characters; none of them made me curious or intrigued. The subplot about elder care facilities was interesting, at least, and a good emotional hook. But the way the villain was handled, and the mens rea... it did not click together for me in a meaningful way. And then add the fact that the writing was often stilted and flat... this just all-round didn't offer me much.
Oh well! I tried it. I probably shouldn't have finished it, but again: oh well! Very much doubt I'll continue the series.
This was just... lacking, In what way? All of them, idk. Despite the cosy atmosphere it tried to cultivate with the country walks and all the Anglophilia (lol) and most of the story taking place in a tidy little inn... something about the writing was dry and charmless. Chase was fine as a protagonist, and I liked the burgeoning new romance for him and his old man flirting. But otherwise he was such a flat character. The writing... idk, it kept TELLING me everything; no show. And I felt like I couldn't hear anyone's voice as I was reading, because the writing was just so bland and samey.
As a mystery, it was... not great? Chase made 'deductions' that just felt like leaps, and sometimes he delivered a piece of insight that other characters would sit back and ruminate on, but I would just be left feeling like '...really?' (An example that comes to mind are his thoughts about Corky yearning for a father figure.) And as a whole, the mystery felt a little nonsensical. We were asked to accept things that made no sense. There's a really big coincidence that I thought would turn out to be a plot point... but no. Just a coincidence.
And I have to say again, Chase as a main character didn't do a lot for me. When he wasn't being bland, he was being snarky in a way that absolutely did not appeal to me. One character makes a comment about how he's surprised that Chase is gay, given that he's so rugged and manly. That's definitely really annoying; I can see why Chase was irked. But why was his response, “We’re not all limp-wristed drag queens, you know.” Like whoa, jeez, my brother in Christ, calm down. A couple of his comments about Summer also made me side-eye him so hard. IDK, for me, a mystery needs a great plot and a sleuth I love, and when the plot started to let me down, I was hoping it could at least deliver on the latter? Nope. Chase was sort of a chode. I didn't particularly like any of the other characters; none of them made me curious or intrigued. The subplot about elder care facilities was interesting, at least, and a good emotional hook. But the way the villain was handled, and the mens rea... it did not click together for me in a meaningful way. And then add the fact that the writing was often stilted and flat... this just all-round didn't offer me much.
Oh well! I tried it. I probably shouldn't have finished it, but again: oh well! Very much doubt I'll continue the series.
April 21, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. Enjoyed this walk, and look forward to other titles to come in the series. I especially appreciated both the fact that the main character was LGBTQ AND that he was an older man. Recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
April 28, 2024
An overly generous 3 stars. Suffice to say, this apparent series can continue without me.
December 16, 2024
Source: Kindle Unlimited
I briefly met Nicholas George earlier this year at a cozy mystery event at my local bookstore. The event was a bit of a whirlwind, but included short presentations by a bunch of authors about their books. He seemed like a nice guy and I was intrigued by this one, but forgot about it for a while until I saw it pop up on KU.
I didn't remember much beyond the general premise, so was pleasantly surprised that the MC is gay as this genre is overwhelmingly heterosexual. I liked the romance plot although it took a backseat for most of the story. The walking tour sounds very appealing to me, minus the murder of course. I need to look into those!
Overall, I enjoyed the setting and mystery. I was not sure about the killer as just about everyone had some kind of motive. There were a few inconsistencies that bothered me, most notably Corky's changing hair color (from "russet" to "raven" and back). I also found some of Chase's thoughts/comments questionable, especially him claiming "he suffered more" from his estrangement with his sister than she did (how would he know that if she won't talk to him??)
Diversity report: Gay MC. I think all the characters are white.
I briefly met Nicholas George earlier this year at a cozy mystery event at my local bookstore. The event was a bit of a whirlwind, but included short presentations by a bunch of authors about their books. He seemed like a nice guy and I was intrigued by this one, but forgot about it for a while until I saw it pop up on KU.
I didn't remember much beyond the general premise, so was pleasantly surprised that the MC is gay as this genre is overwhelmingly heterosexual. I liked the romance plot although it took a backseat for most of the story. The walking tour sounds very appealing to me, minus the murder of course. I need to look into those!
Overall, I enjoyed the setting and mystery. I was not sure about the killer as just about everyone had some kind of motive. There were a few inconsistencies that bothered me, most notably Corky's changing hair color (from "russet" to "raven" and back). I also found some of Chase's thoughts/comments questionable, especially him claiming "he suffered more" from his estrangement with his sister than she did (how would he know that if she won't talk to him??)
Diversity report: Gay MC. I think all the characters are white.
December 30, 2024
This cozy mystery has a good premise...a varied group of individuals on a walking tour of the English countryside. One of them falls to their death and suddenly another is a murderer...but whom? Good thing Chase is a former American detective. The story was a bit slow for me and the characters weren't as interesting as at first glance. But it's a decent whodunnit with a nice background. Don't expect too many twists and turns here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for this ARC. All opinions are mine.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Cozies for this ARC. All opinions are mine.
November 28, 2023
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this book.
When retired detective Rick ‘Chase’ Chasen books a walking tour in England to try and recover from the loss of his long-time partner, he hopes to get refreshed and not be forced to investigate a murder. However, a grumpy participant on the tour immediately asks him to find out who is ‘out to get him’. After several ‘incidents’ involving the intended victim, Rick tries to watch for anything suspicious. Even though attentive, the man eventually falls off a cliff, and it seems like he was murdered. The detective brought in enlists the help and insight that Rick can offer to help solve the case, but that can still not prevent another murder before all of the clues fall in to place.
This was a pleasant cozy mystery, with an interesting cast of characters.
When retired detective Rick ‘Chase’ Chasen books a walking tour in England to try and recover from the loss of his long-time partner, he hopes to get refreshed and not be forced to investigate a murder. However, a grumpy participant on the tour immediately asks him to find out who is ‘out to get him’. After several ‘incidents’ involving the intended victim, Rick tries to watch for anything suspicious. Even though attentive, the man eventually falls off a cliff, and it seems like he was murdered. The detective brought in enlists the help and insight that Rick can offer to help solve the case, but that can still not prevent another murder before all of the clues fall in to place.
This was a pleasant cozy mystery, with an interesting cast of characters.
July 29, 2024
***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
A poor mystery, written poorly.
So much of what makes a good murder mystery is attention to detail and compelling characters - neither of which are present here.
If you’re going to include “facts” in your writing, you’d better make sure they’re true - “Bobby” is not Scottish slang for a “piece of shit”. It is children’s slang for penis. Possibly the author was thinking of “jobby” - assuming they were thinking at all. This lack of detail is jarring to a reader who knows better, and makes your main character (who is supposed to be knowingly explaining this) look silly.
The characters are flat and uninteresting, collectively they only seem to have one gear and little nuance. The murder victim is unlikeable - which is not in of itself an impossible quality, but his unlikeability is so pantomime you can’t get past it. Anytime a character has to explain their actions they go about it as if they are reading from a reference book. The English police inspector is such a cardboard cutout stereotype I’m surprised he doesn’t fall over - no one this side of Enid Blyton, even in Devon, is going to say “toodle pip” once, let alone multiple times.
A poor mystery, written poorly.
So much of what makes a good murder mystery is attention to detail and compelling characters - neither of which are present here.
If you’re going to include “facts” in your writing, you’d better make sure they’re true - “Bobby” is not Scottish slang for a “piece of shit”. It is children’s slang for penis. Possibly the author was thinking of “jobby” - assuming they were thinking at all. This lack of detail is jarring to a reader who knows better, and makes your main character (who is supposed to be knowingly explaining this) look silly.
The characters are flat and uninteresting, collectively they only seem to have one gear and little nuance. The murder victim is unlikeable - which is not in of itself an impossible quality, but his unlikeability is so pantomime you can’t get past it. Anytime a character has to explain their actions they go about it as if they are reading from a reference book. The English police inspector is such a cardboard cutout stereotype I’m surprised he doesn’t fall over - no one this side of Enid Blyton, even in Devon, is going to say “toodle pip” once, let alone multiple times.
March 24, 2024
In A Deadly Walk In Devon by Nicholas George is a new cozy mystery set in England in the first book we meet Richard Chisholm a.k.a. Chas and his best girlfriend Billy as they join a Devon walking tour. Chas is still mourning the loss of his partner Paul and he is also a retired investigator from America as are most people on the tour everyone seems lovely until the Grets get there everyone seems to be there for the beautiful scenery and everything Devon has to offer but is someone there with an ulterior motive? As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Gretz get to the hotel mr. Gretz gets pickpocket and and this is the first time he tells the group someone is out to kill him in soon the other memberss can’t help but to agree even though the things that happen could either be looked at as coincidence or intentional when he was found dead at the bottom of the cliff no one can dispute he is now dead. It isn’t until after his death that we learn there’s more than one walker that has a motive but who did it? When I read that those who love Alexander McCall Smith would love this book by Nicholas George I was all in I am a huge fan and after reading A Deadly Walk In Devon I can definitely see the validity of that reference this was a great book it is a cozy mystery with brilliant writing although in the beginning it was easy to pick who the victim was going to be is the book pretty much followed a cozy mystery recipe but that is not a bad thing because I love as I have recently realized cozy mysteries and can’t get enough of them. This is a great book and one I highly recommend I want to thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
January 17, 2025
First in a new series. Enjoyed the set-up for this one as I’ve always thought a guided walking trip could be fun. This mystery involved a retired gay police investigator from San Diego who has recently lost his long-time partner on a walking trip in Devon with his knitting (another hobby of mine) gal pal Billie. One of the group isn’t happy about the trip and becomes the guest everyone hates and of course is murdered. Who did it isn’t obvious although the bullies in the group stand out. Kind of put me off the walking vacation a bit 😆. Anyway as to the book - some good writing and an interesting setting makes me interested in the next in the series.
June 20, 2024
This was a cute and quick read. Just a tiny bit more violent than a regular’cozy’…I began it because I enjoy walking in the UK, but I have to admit that, just like the book’s characters, I was frustrated that the murders kept them from hiking as much as we’d all like.
But I enjoyed it and I’ll read a few more in the series. 😊
But I enjoyed it and I’ll read a few more in the series. 😊
February 18, 2025
3.25. It was a quick and easy read but nothing new. Too much pining for lost partner followed with too much eagerness over a new possibility. The setting was great. I would have liked them to have hiked another day before being stuck in the hotel. I’m not sure the murderer was believable. Anger yes, murder no.
February 18, 2025
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and Kensington for the opportunity to provide this review. This was an excellent start to the series. It is true whodunnit with the cast of characters all seemingly to be part of the murder. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series
April 29, 2024
Charming.
December 20, 2024
Enjoyed this light mystery novel. Nice twists and turns.
October 24, 2025
A little slow but cozy and fun. I would read another one.
December 7, 2025
A strong cozy, with well developed characters that set the stage for future installments.
August 26, 2025
Beautifully executed story with scenic descriptions and well-paced revelation of clues and details.
Plenty of surprises in the main character arc as well as the mystery and suspects. Looking forward to book two.
Plenty of surprises in the main character arc as well as the mystery and suspects. Looking forward to book two.
July 29, 2025
I was looking forward to spending time in the English countryside but the writing was just okay, never bringing the beauty of the area alive. It was difficult to connect with any of the characters including Chase, the retired detective. The writing was somewhat repetitive early on, though once the novel got going it was more engaging. I'm debating whether I will read the second in the series.
April 18, 2024
Clunky. Paint by numbers. Implausible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2024
Really enjoyed so many aspects of this book and hope there will be a sequel. Also, hope that the author will provide more than just clichéd characters for all the women in his next book and that maybe his main character won’t be such a know it all asshole.
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