A Lethal Walk in Lakeland

A Walk Through England Mystery #2

by Nicholas George

Fans of Carlene O’Connor’s Irish Village mysteries will love the latest novel in this cozy series set in the beautiful English countryside and featuring San Diego sleuth Rick “Chase” Chasen.

Chase has two compelling reasons for returning to England—a group walk along the famed Coast to Coast trail in the picturesque Lake District, and a chance to further his relationship with Mike, the handsome Devonshire doctor he met on his last trip. The walkers, including Chase’s dear friend and fellow Anglophile Billie Mondreau, assemble at a Whitehaven hotel and begin their adventure with the traditional “baptism of the boots” in St. Bee’s Bay. But they’ve barely begun traveling eastward with their genial guide than the group dynamics turns unexpectedly rocky.

The problem is the Uptons—a wealthy family who have arrived from Texas, and whose squabbling antics continually overshadow the bucolic surroundings. Brock Upton, tall and commanding, is traveling with his pint-sized wife and his three siblings, along with a family friend. Every member of the party cites a different reason for joining the tour, and Chase’s instincts tell him they’re all lying. 

Brock’s heart condition hinders their progress through the Lake District’s hills and dales. But that proves the least of their problems when one of the Uptons is fatally poisoned. Years of secrets and grudges emerge, along with a decades-old family mystery. And only Chase’s investigative expertise can find the answers—and uncover a killer in their midst before tragedy befalls the tour again . . .  
 

Genres: Mystery, Queer, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, LGBT, Romance, Thriller

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2025

About the author

After 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.

Reviews

[Kristy Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the A Walk Through England Mystery Series. The mysteries are self-contained so you can read them as stand-alone, but I think you will get a better feel for the main recurring characters if you start from the beginning of the series. The story is told in first person by Chase, a former police detective from San Diego who enjoys going on group walking tours through the English countryside as a hobby, though recently his tours have been plagued with murder.

As with the last, Chase is joined by his walking buddy Billie, who is distracted this time around by financial issues surrounding her retirement account, while Chase is disappointed that his new love, Mike, is tied up with work and may not make the tour. This trip will take them on the popular Coast to Coast trail in the picturesque Lake District in Northern England. They are joined on their walk by guide Charlie, his dog Ramses, avid bird watcher Joe, and various members of the Upton family from Texas.

The rambunctious Uptons are often in conflict, quickly getting on everyone’s nerves and almost getting thrown out of the tour more than once. While I admit that the squabbling family livened the tour up a bit, I was rather annoyed with them myself, not to mention a bit of grievance on my part for the Texas stereotypes (we’re not all like that). This group tour would have been my worst nightmare, and I was right there with Chase as he contemplated ditching the group and moving on to a more relaxing hike elsewhere. It’s not surprising when one of them ends up dead, and just about everyone is a suspect, including me. LOL

Recommended to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a good hike and aren’t too annoyed by squabbling Texans.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Another cosy murder mystery for Rick "Chase" Chasen. This time he and good friend, Billie, are joining the Alfred Wainwright's coast to coast walk from St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay.

Chase now has a new relationship with Mike, the coroner from his last adventure, amd is in a much better place although Mike's work has delayed him from joining Chase on the start of the iconic walk. Billie, on the other hand, is facing financial hardship after being swindled by her financial planner.

The group is further complicated by a loud and quarrelsome bunch of Americans whose real reason for being there is unclear.

The actual murder is a long time coming but before that Chase is kept busy trying to discover the Americans' secrets.

Again, this is a cosy sort of murder mystery. There's thankfully no gory scenes, no bad language and the nod to the British countryside is welcome.

The ending was a little too perfect for me but hey, why not, let's be optimistic. It makes a change from doom and gloom.

A perfectly enjoyable book that would suit fans of Richard Osman.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the advance review copy.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having enjoyed reading the first mystery in this series, I decided to give this one a try. It follows a similar format, with Chase, an ex-US detective, and his friend Billie joining a walking holiday group across the north of England. Unfortunately, most of the other main characters irritated me from the start, with their family bickering and fighting. I was hoping one of them would be the murder victim! I was also hoping Chase’s love interest would make a more significant feature of this story. As before, Chase assists the local police to uncover the murderer.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jillian Digiantonio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having loved the first A Walk Through England mystery, I couldn't wait to read the next one. By now, we're more familiar with Chase and his backstory which allowed Nicholas George to jump right in! While I love a good travelogue mystery, the minor characters in the story annoyed me to no end and it was hard to find any redeeming qualities to care about the ending. Because I felt it got repetitive after the murder, it wasn't my favorite of the series, but I will look forward to more!

[Cam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed in this second installment. I would suggest a sensitivity read for the character for whom autism and PTSD are implied. The mystery is interesting, but it felt rushed. Ultimately, I think these stories could use more information about the surroundings and about the protagonist’s former life as a detective. (And more about the knitting librarian, please!) On the other hand, this series is a great candidate for a light BBC procedural along the lines of Death in Paradise.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.25 stars

A Lethal Walk in Lakeland is the second book in Nicholas George’s A Walk Through England series and reunites us with retired detective Chase. This time, Chase is on a walking tour of the beautiful Lakelands area, but once again, murder strikes someone on his trip. I was intrigued by this series, having spent two weeks in England about six months before reading the first book, A Deadly Walk in Devon.

The book also includes a romantic subplot for Chase and Mike, however this continues to be only the barest of storylines with virtually no real development to the relationship. In the last book, the guys seemed to jump fast into a relationship, given they seemed to have only a few conversations with one another before Chase returned to America.

For a story that should have been exactly up my alley, I struggled with the unpleasant characters, the slow moving mystery plot line, and the barely there romance. I think this is a story and a series where I really love the idea, but am not sold on the execution.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Beth Eats And Reads Walsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the setting & premise of this one—a walking tour through England’s Lake District, and one of the group ends up murdered. But the characters were all unlikable (except Billie, she was the only one who wasn’t annoying) and the dialogue was awkward and unbelievable. Their constant bickering read like teenagers fighting with each other, not grown adults in their 40s. The main character was unbelievably tasked by the local law enforcement with solving the crime, when in real life he would have been a suspect along with the rest of the group. The motive for the murder was weak at best and didn’t really add up. This one really didn’t work for me, unfortunately.

[Vicki]

Enjoyed the first of this new series. The storyline is pretty basic, a group of walkers and one of them is going to die! But the descriptions of the walking and the places the group stays are worth it.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the sweetest series around. Widower Chase, a retired policeman, goes on walking tours of England because he loves the beauty of the British countryside. This is the second book in the series and on each walk, someone has been murdered. In the last book, he met a man, Mike, a coroner in the UK (Chase is American) and sparks flew. In this book they are to be reunited, but that’s not the story – Chase and Mike don’t get together again until toward the end of the book. The real focus is Chase’s walk through Lake Country.

Chase is such a nice guy. He often goes on walking tours with his friend Billie, an avid knitter and fellow walk lover. This tour includes Chase and Billie, but also an obstreperous and loud family of Texans who continually fight with one another, disrupting the trip. The family, the Uptons, take over the trip, despite the tour leader threatening to throw them out without a refund if another punch is thrown.

Neither happens – they aren’t thrown out, and punches are still thrown. When there is eventually a murder, Chase’s puzzle instinct kicks in, and when he offers help to the police on the scene they are happy to accept. They even accept Mike’s help – he’s finished with his own work and has come to meet up with Chase, but Chase offers him up as a fill in coroner. With the two men so invested, it’s inevitable that Chase solves the crime.

This is a weird mix of a professional and an amateur sleuth. As Chase is retired, he’s technically an amateur, but he still has the skills and so far local police have accepted his help. The tone is completely on the traditional side of things. There are fair clues, a suspect circle, and even the traditional wrap up by the detective at the end with all the suspects assembled.

The strongest parts of these book are the scenery, as George immerses the reader in the English countryside, and the characters. Chase, while being a nice, decent guy, is also an interesting enough person to hang a series on. As a reader you’re always glad when he turns up to settle things down. His nascent relationship with Mike seems sweet and might provide the kind of yin and yang between partners ranging from Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence to Moyes’ Henry and Emmy to Maron’s Deborah and Dwight. All of these loving couples are the tentpoles of their books and they add heft and believability to the books. I’m guessing Chase and Mike will do the same.

The mystery part was also quite clever and Chase’s wrap up is excellent. It held my interest, threw in some surprises, and the twists were fairly laid out for the reader. These books could not be a more pleasant reading experience.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want this series to be better than it is. It's not bad, it's just not great.

Pluses:

+ Setting! Sign me up for cozy-ish mysteries realistically set in small English towns (and countrysides).
+ A generally engaging protagonist.
+ Plenty of plausible suspects and a twisty-turny reveal.

Minuses/quibbles (I'm mixing sentences and fragments here; it's late, and I'm tired):

- I don't feel as if the author has fully grasped how to include interesting details/quirks in a fashion that's true to the character. Example: "I felt just as hollow as I did when Carlton Fisk, a popular Boston Red Sox catcher and World Series hero, left Boston to sign with the Chicago White Sox." No true Red Sox fan would think of it that way. They'd think something like "I felt just as hollow as I had when Carlton Fisk left Boston to sign with the White Sox." Sure, many readers won't know what position Carlton Fisk played—some may not even know that the reference is about baseball—but that gives us all we need.
- Inaccurate (I think) descriptions/characterizations of mental illness.
- Errors that aren't true to the character. For instance, a reference to a serial killer being arrested and then hanging himself "in his prison cell four days later." I'm pretty sure even a serial killer would be held in jail, not prison, until trial, and a former police detective would know this and make the distinction.
- Unbelievable characterization, and action that veers into slapstick—I simply don't believe that people (even brash Texans) could get away with some of the behavior that's described, while staying at a lovely English inn.
- Bouncing back and forth between tenses.
- Too many unresolved plot points at the end.

That's a lot of minuses, and I want to be clear that I did, on the whole, enjoy reading this. I just think it needed more work to be ready for prime time.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retired police detective Rick “Chase” Chasen is on another walk in England, this time in the lovely Lake District. His new love, Mike Tibbets, is supposed to join him, but unfortunately a problem has developed at his work as a coroner and he will have to join Chase later. Luckily Chase’s friend Billie Mondreau is with him again, albeit in a somewhat subdued mood; they are joined on the walk by leader Charlie Cross (and his dog Ramses), Joe Scarbun from Canada, and a family of Texans - Brock, wife Jenna, identical twins Pratt and Parker, and Fiona, along with a close family friend Carole. It isn’t long before various family members are bickering and even physically fighting, but Charlie manages to keep a lid on things - until one, and then another, of the group is murdered…. I liked the first book in this new cozy series (“A Deadly Walk in Devon”) and was pleased to see a second one arrive recently; I like Chase, and we get to know Mike a bit more here too. The Texans are, perhaps, a little stereotyped - rowdy, bigger than life, constantly brawling - and I was slightly annoyed that the whole group is referred to as “American” even though Joe is introduced as being Canadian (enough of this slighting of Canada, please!), but once again the story flows nicely and the resolution is quite fairly clued. There are also lovely descriptions of the breathtaking landscape through which the group is walking, an added plus. I don’t think one needs to have read the first book before giving this one a try, as only Chase, Mike and Billie are recurring characters and their relationships are very clear, but both books are worth your time; recommended.

[Thomas Bruso · Rating 4 out of 5]

A leisurely walk through the stunning British countryside and rolling vistas turns disastrous when murder strikes in Nicholas George’s appealing series debut, “A Lethal Walk in Lakeland.”

Introducing an amiable new sleuth, a grieving retired police investigator, Rick Chase “Chasen.”

Former San Diego detective returns to England for a group walk along the famed Coast to Coast trail in the picture-postcard Lake District, along with an assembly of walkers and nature enthusiasts.

Rick also has personal reasons for visiting England. He hopes to develop a relationship with Mike, the charismatic Devonshire coroner he met on the last excursion.

While in England, the visit proves rocky for everybody involved. Rick’s friend and fellow Anglophile, Billie Mondreau, gathers at the Cumbrian Hotel to begin their adventure before setting off for St Bee’s Bay.

Along for the trip are the Uptons, a Texas family whose private, persistent disputes begin a downward trajectory for the entire congregation. Brock and his family, including their friends, have reasons for attending the walk.

However, as days turn into weeks, the trip reveals conflicts between travelers and a past riddled with grudges. A mystery comes to a head when the murder arrives mid-way through the book, and somebody dies from poisoning. As Rick investigates what happened to his fellow traveler, he discovers more than he bargained for.

With breathtaking scenery, an engaging cast of characters, and a puzzling mystery, “A Lethal Walk in Lakeland” is a pure delight.

[Grey853 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Lethal Walk in Lakeland is the second book in the series by Nicholas George. Chase, a retired American cop, has returned to England to do an organized walk in order to enjoy the countryside, but also to meet up with his boyfriend Mike. Unfortunately, Mike can't join him because of a work emergency. Instead Chase has to settle for his other friend Billie. However, she's distracted because of financial issues. Personally, I don't know if I'd have bothered going on a walk if I'd lost everything and was on the verge of eviction, but that's just me.

Others who join the walk are the Upton family, a horrible Texas clan who have no manners and who argue at every turn. They're incredibly unpleasant. Frankly, the leader of the walk should've told them to take a hike off his tour after the first physical fight. While I enjoyed the narration about the walking tour and the conversations between Chase and Billie, the other characters were beyond annoying. I struggled to keep reading or care about anything that was going on because they were that horrible.

Eventually one of them gets murdered, but I just couldn't care. And the solving of the crime came too easily as did the resolution to Billie's money problem.

I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I want more cozy mysteries with a lead gay character. But his relationship to Mike is barely mentioned or developed. It's more like a side note.

Perhaps George will do more with it in future books, but for this one, I was a bit disappointed.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This second book is just as good as the first. I do want to take a walking trip like this...the John Muir walk in Scotland is beckoning. Chase and Billie are back, though Billie is in some financial straits. And there is the dysfunctional Upton family. Guess who is not going to finish this walk? It was a toss up among several unlikable characters.

There is some romance, because Mike is also still in the picture, though they are "geographically undesirable". I had a volunteer at my library who gave up on a second chance of love because the woman lived on the east coast, he lived in California, and neither were willing to move because their children lived nearby. I was sorry it didn't work out for my volunteer, who had lost his beloved wife a year previous. But I have hopes that Mike and Chase will find a solution! And I have big hopes for a third book!

I checked this title out from the library after buying the first one at the 2025 Men of Mystery luncheon. I wasn't convinced enough to buy the second title (especially since I had promised myself to only buy books from two authors I knew, and certainly not from one I'd never heard of). Well, both books are terrific. Highly recommended. The description of the walk and the countryside is enticing, the characters are interesting, and the mystery convoluted enough that I didn't figure out whodunnit until almost the end.

My only cavil is that the financial issues were resolved too easily.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I wanted to read this book as it was set in the Lake district in the UK, one of my much loved places. Chase, an ex police detective from the UK joins an organized coast to coast group walk. His love interest is initially tied up in Devon due to work issues, but another friend from the US is also kon the walk. The group consists of North Americans, mostly a family group and a friend of theirs. The family are pretty irritating from the start and unfortunately, the emphasis was on the family relationships rather than the local area. I did not really get their reasons for being there but was not suprised when one of the family was found dead.
I was not convinced by the investigation. Chase is retired, his partner is a coroner and gets involved (there are no doubt arrangements for cover when the coroner is absent) . I cannot see them being welcomed into a police investigation if they are involved with the group., but this is fiction I suppose. There was not a lot happening until about 40% into the book The cosy mystery genre is not really my thing, so I should probabily give it a wide berth. I do like the Gay love angle.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Chasen (Chase) has planned a walk on the picturesque Coast to Coast trail in Cumbria, joined by new friend Mike. However, Mike has a work emergency but Chase has old friend Bille and new friend Joe, a birder, to accompany him. Then there are the Uptons, a loud, unpleasant, bickering family from Texas. Although ill equipped emotionally and physically for a days long hike, they have come to England hoping to solve a family mystery. That doesn’t happen and after a death on the hike, there is a new mystery to solve.

A Lethal Walk in Lakeland is pure delight. The Cumbrian countryside location is the star here. Descriptions of the daily walks, the trees, flowers, cliffs and rocks are captivating. I loved reading about the inns where the hikers stayed and the meals served. The characters, especially Chase and knitter Billie are well described. You’ll feel everyone’s frustration with the Uptons. The plot is complicated and will keep you guessing. I’m looking forward to the next in this series. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and Nicholas George for this ARC.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 upped to 5
I'm loving this series and loving the characters. This one was slow burning and character driven.
I wasn't sure if I was going to love it but there's a moment when, BANG, everything makes sense and you start turning pages as fast as you can.
This reader had to read till the end and it was past 1 am when felt right to close the book as there were no pages left.
The mystery makes me think of some GAD mysteries that introduce the characters and their relationship. This part is usually relevant in understanding the investigation.
I was good to catch with Billie and Chase, the Upton family were a bit too over the top but also an interesting dysfunctional family.
I enjoyed the twists and surprises, liked the solution and how it was done. I also liked the romance which is well played and meaningful.
I look forward to the next one as I want to know what will happen to the characters and the next walk.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It doesn't seem like the book moves very fast but, somehow, with the way everything happens, the suspense just builds. First you're wondering WHO is going to be dead -- 'cause it's obvious at some point that some one is. And then, of course, who killed 'em? The WHY seems to be pretty obvious, and yet, in the end, though I'd picked up on a couple of the clues, I hadn't completely worked it out.

There's also a side romance plot featuring the lead sleuth and his long distance relationship. First Mike can't join the walk on account of his work load and Chase spends a fair amount of time trying to work out if they can make it work anyway since he lives in Southern California, and Mike lives in Devon, England.

One quibble: it did feel like every thing was wrapped up a little too well. A family that was hugely explosive for most of the book left apparently completely in accord and a bit to lovey-dovey for believability. But having one of your number murdered by another, I guess, could do that to a group. Still I enjoyed it and will be watching for #3 in the series.

[Jon Thorsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and interesting murder mystery with lively characters, but as is so often the case these days, in need of professional editing. Not only would a somewhat shorter book have been a better one, but obvious errors should have been avoided, such as:
* A character who begins the book as Canadian but somewhere along the line becomes American, only to be repatriated in the final chapter
* An inspector referred to (correctly) as Caldwell two sentences after being referred to as Crandall
* Two murders that occur "in the last three days" in one chapter, and "in as many days" in another
* Repeated instances of omitted words (I stopped counting at 20), including in a chapter heading, combined with multiple occurrences of repeated words

Since this is the 2nd book in a series, let's hope it earns a capable editor in future offerings

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have greatly benefited from an editor. SO MANY INCONSISTENCIES AND PLOT HOLES. Fiona’s hair is alternately described as “auburn” and ���raven;” the groundskeeper seems to think it’s perfectly rational to spread poison lethal to humans on raspberries growing on the grounds of a hotel; Pratt somehow inexplicably finds his dead father’s necklace framed on the wall of the hotel, but not until the last day. Also, there was a huge lead up suggesting that a delivery truck driver was actually responsible for the crash that killed the Uptons’ parents years ago, including a record of dents in the truck from the night of the accident, and somehow this is just dismissed and never resolved in the end, despite being a significant part of the book. I don’t think I’ll read any more of these, the writing is too bad.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retired San Diego police detective Rick “Chase” Chasen is a grieving gay widower who is on his second group excursion on the Coast-to-Coast walking trail in the picturesque Lake District in England. He is with his straight friend Billie Mondreau a librarian avid knitter, and fellow Anglophile. Their fellow walkers are a contentious adult family who are burdened with several mental health issues and general family drama. After an extended set-up, we get down to the first murder where things really get going. I really liked it and think that the stories will keep getting better.
I requested and received a temporary review copy from Kensington Publishing courtesy of NetGalley. Thank you! Avail Jan 21, 2025
#ALethalWalkInLakeland #NetGalley #WalkThroughEnglandMysteriesBk2

[Michael Blackford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good mystery, and this book did not disappoint. It is the second book in the series, but if you haven’t read the first one, you will still be okay to read this one.

Chase, a retired police detective, is returning to England from California for another walk, and to spend some time with the man he met on his last walk in England. Looking forward to getting away from Americans for a bit, he’s a bit disappointed when everyone signed up for the tour is American (with a Canadian in the mix). And not only American, but a Texas family of strong personalities!

Things take a horrifying turn when a member of their group dies. How did it happen? Who would want this to happen? It’s time for Chase to dust off his detective skills and solve another case! So much for a relaxing time with his man.

There are so many twists and turns in this book that you will be guessing who did it right up until the end, as any good mystery should be!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for this copy of the book.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What was meant to be a sorta kinda date for Chase, a retired police detective from the US, with Mike, a coroner he met during a previous walk in Devon, turns into another murder mystery for Chase (and his pal Billie ) to solve. Mike can't make the trip (too much death at home) and most of the others on the walk are members of the fractious Upton family. Chase and Billie step up when there's a poisoning. This is nicely done cozy with the addition of the nice atmospherics of a walk through the Lake District. While it's the second in the series, it will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A genial read for arm chair visitors to the UK.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a listen while cooking & going to sleep book for me - 3.5 which I see is GR consensus - I'll likely listen to the next book while cooking as well & see how the series develops

I like the protagonist but his sidekick annoys me - she could be awesome but the author does the character a disservice by making her so gullible & clueless about keeping her mouth shut

It's still a pleasant book & I like the protagonist's inner monologue

George doesn't write women very well

Also ... I know librarians ... they're REALLY detail-oriented & good researchers ... so the sidekick's side story doesn't track for me

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chase is back and this time he is on a walk in the Lakes.
His new love Mike is supposed to join him but is stuck in Devon with an infectious disease outbreak.
He is joined on the walk by a family from Texas. He was rather hoping for UK walkers but it seems that it was Americans and 1 Canadian.
I enjoy these books. I like how slowly they are taking the MCs relationship and also the mystery that goes with each book. I can never solve them until revealed at the end.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Troubled family drama intrude on the pleasant walking holiday of Chase, Mike and friend Billie. The group is plagued by mishaps and family members snipe and blame each other with mysterious innuendo and side remarks. Financial troubles shadow two of the walking group and intrude on their enjoyment. The peaceful hills are marred once again with a death in the group. How can everyone be hiding something? What is going on behind all these secrets?
Remarkably charming.

[Jill Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story and I love walking in England so I’ll keep reading them, but…

The behavior of these Americans at every point of the story was so cringy that I’m not sure I could have kept myself from offing them myself. (Yes - I’m an American, but I know how to behave!)
Also - I don’t really know when this is set. Seems like modern times - but Chase asks Mike to quit is (very good) job - because Chase is about to get one million dollars. Cue Dr Evil!! 🧑🏼‍🦲😂

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought book 1 was closer to 4 stars, this one feels closer to 3 stars. Enjoyable, but the strength of the writing seems to have trailed off a little bit. If this had been book 1, I don’t know that I would’ve picked up a second.

The prose doesn’t need to be floral or highbrow, but I did feel the style this time around was more direct, more literal, more to the point. I don’t want a story that meanders (looking at you “Swann’s Way”), but the storytelling didn’t even feel rushed, it just felt clipped.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros: interesting setting of a walking tour, older gay main character

Cons: mostly of the book’s characterizations rely on ridiculous depiction of “Texans” (you guessed it— they frequently speak in made up sayings and they are constantly brawling and sharing trashy revelations about another), oddly formal dialogue that doesn’t strike me as the way everyday people talk, especially not a retired police detective.

Feel free to skip this one.

[Gail Goetschius · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Lethal Walk in Lakeland wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be. I don’t think I will read more in this series. My husband and I have been on tours of Europe where you travel with a group so I enjoyed the group dynamics that were described in the book. Those passages rang very true but the mystery itself did not.