What do you think?
Rate this book
Rachel Savernake #5
Hemlock Bay
'Martin Edwards is a true master of British crime writing.' RICHARD OSMAN
The first rule of know your victim.
Basil Palmer has decided to murder a man called Louis Carson. There's only one he doesn't know anything about his intended victim, not who he is or where he lives.
Basil learns that Carson owns Hemlock Bay, a resort for the wealthy and privileged. Knowing that his plan will only work if he covers his tracks, he invents a false identity and, posing as Dr Seamus Doyle, journeys to the coast plotting murder along the way.
Meanwhile Rachel Savernake buys an intriguing painting of a place called Hemlock Bay, one that she cannot get out of her head. Macabre and strange, the image shows a shape that seems to represent a dead body lying on the beach.
Convinced that there is something sinister lurking amongst the glamour of the bay, Rachel books a cottage there – where she meets a mysterious doctor called Seamus Doyle…
Praise for Martin Edwards
'Highly recommended, with a touch of the gothic.' ANN CLEEVES
'Martin Edwards celebrates and satirises the genre with wit and affection... He leaves you wanting more.' THE TIMES
'The brilliant Savernake is a fascinatingly enigmatic character.' WASHINGTON POST
'Martin Edwards holds his own with the best of classic crime.' DAILY MAIL
'Reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace.' MICK HERRON
The first rule of know your victim.
Basil Palmer has decided to murder a man called Louis Carson. There's only one he doesn't know anything about his intended victim, not who he is or where he lives.
Basil learns that Carson owns Hemlock Bay, a resort for the wealthy and privileged. Knowing that his plan will only work if he covers his tracks, he invents a false identity and, posing as Dr Seamus Doyle, journeys to the coast plotting murder along the way.
Meanwhile Rachel Savernake buys an intriguing painting of a place called Hemlock Bay, one that she cannot get out of her head. Macabre and strange, the image shows a shape that seems to represent a dead body lying on the beach.
Convinced that there is something sinister lurking amongst the glamour of the bay, Rachel books a cottage there – where she meets a mysterious doctor called Seamus Doyle…
Praise for Martin Edwards
'Highly recommended, with a touch of the gothic.' ANN CLEEVES
'Martin Edwards celebrates and satirises the genre with wit and affection... He leaves you wanting more.' THE TIMES
'The brilliant Savernake is a fascinatingly enigmatic character.' WASHINGTON POST
'Martin Edwards holds his own with the best of classic crime.' DAILY MAIL
'Reads as if Ruth Rendell were channelling Edgar Wallace.' MICK HERRON
372 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2024
28 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Martin Edwards
364 books852 followersMartin Edwards has been described by Richard Osman as ‘a true master of British crime writing.’ He has published twenty-three novels, which include the eight Lake District Mysteries, one of which was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Prize for best crime novel of the year and four books featuring Rachel Savernake, including the Dagger-nominated Gallows Court and Blackstone Fell, while Gallows Court and Sepulchre Street were shortlisted for the eDunnit award for best crime novel of the year. He is also the author of two multi-award-winning histories of crime fiction, The Life of Crime and The Golden Age of Murder. He has received three Daggers from the Crime Writers’ Association and two Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America and has also been nominated three times for Gold Daggers. In addition to the CWA Diamond Dagger (the highest honour in UK crime writing) he has received four other lifetime achievement awards: for his fiction, short fiction, non-fiction, and scholarship. He is consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics, a former Chair of the CWA, and since 2015 has been President of the Detection Club.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
September 12, 2024
Hemlock Bay is the fifth in the author’s historical crime series featuring amateur detective Rachel Savernake. The publishers are keen to stress the books can be read in any order and it’s true you don’t need to have read all the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. (I’ve only read books three and four.) There are passing references to previous cases (but they don’t amount to spoilers) and to Rachel’s past but, as it happens, she remains a bit of an enigma to even keen followers of the series.
Just what was it about her childhood growing up on the remote Gaunt Island as the daughter of the infamous Judge Savernake that has made her so impenetrable, has given rise to her sudden changes of mood and occasional bursts of anger? All we do know is that it’s inspired a liking for puzzling mysteries – the more impenetrable the better – and a burning passion to see justice done. If that means being a little bit ruthless, employing a good helping of subterfuge or stepping a teeny bit outside the letter of the law – well, the end justifies the means surely?
Rachel may seem a little unapproachable but that doesn’t mean she lacks for admirers, notably crime reporter for the Clarion newspaper, Jacob Flint, although he fears he may have a rival in Inspector Oakes of Scotland Yard. And she has inspired the utmost loyalty in the other members of her household – the Truemans – who act less as servants and more as companions, and as assistants in her crime-solving activities.
I don’t know about you but the name Hemlock Bay gave me negative vibes from the start, hemlock being a deadly poison. Although created as an upmarket resort, there’s something not quite right under the surface. Perhaps it’s the stories of wreckers luring sailors onto the rocks that surround the bay in olden times or a recent tragedy that took place. Or perhaps it’s the fact it’s a place where people can indulge in activities they wouldn’t want made public. Whichever, it’s not long before deaths start occurring, the suspects pile up, alibis are tested, timelines are calibrated and possible motives explored.
Fans of ‘Golden Age’ crime mysteries will love the intricate plot, the murders that seem impossible to have been committed and the familiar tropes of the genre such as the gathering together of all the suspects to reveal the solution. Oh, and the surprise you weren’t expecting – except you were expecting it because there’s always a surprise you weren’t expecting in this sort of story. The cluefinder at the end of the book lists 47 hints in the text that point to the solution. I spotted a couple of potential clues but was way off when it came to working out their relevance. Luckily, Rachel Savernake is on hand to piece it all together for us. Until then, sit back and enjoy being completely bamboozled.
Just what was it about her childhood growing up on the remote Gaunt Island as the daughter of the infamous Judge Savernake that has made her so impenetrable, has given rise to her sudden changes of mood and occasional bursts of anger? All we do know is that it’s inspired a liking for puzzling mysteries – the more impenetrable the better – and a burning passion to see justice done. If that means being a little bit ruthless, employing a good helping of subterfuge or stepping a teeny bit outside the letter of the law – well, the end justifies the means surely?
Rachel may seem a little unapproachable but that doesn’t mean she lacks for admirers, notably crime reporter for the Clarion newspaper, Jacob Flint, although he fears he may have a rival in Inspector Oakes of Scotland Yard. And she has inspired the utmost loyalty in the other members of her household – the Truemans – who act less as servants and more as companions, and as assistants in her crime-solving activities.
I don’t know about you but the name Hemlock Bay gave me negative vibes from the start, hemlock being a deadly poison. Although created as an upmarket resort, there’s something not quite right under the surface. Perhaps it’s the stories of wreckers luring sailors onto the rocks that surround the bay in olden times or a recent tragedy that took place. Or perhaps it’s the fact it’s a place where people can indulge in activities they wouldn’t want made public. Whichever, it’s not long before deaths start occurring, the suspects pile up, alibis are tested, timelines are calibrated and possible motives explored.
Fans of ‘Golden Age’ crime mysteries will love the intricate plot, the murders that seem impossible to have been committed and the familiar tropes of the genre such as the gathering together of all the suspects to reveal the solution. Oh, and the surprise you weren’t expecting – except you were expecting it because there’s always a surprise you weren’t expecting in this sort of story. The cluefinder at the end of the book lists 47 hints in the text that point to the solution. I spotted a couple of potential clues but was way off when it came to working out their relevance. Luckily, Rachel Savernake is on hand to piece it all together for us. Until then, sit back and enjoy being completely bamboozled.
September 10, 2024
This is my first introduction to reading a book by Martin Edwards. I know, which rock have I been living under, right? It’s one of those names I’ve seen pass by numerous times, but it wasn’t until now that I decided to give his work a go.
That didn’t entirely work out as well as I expected. I had no idea ‘Hemlock Bay‘ is the fifth instalment in the Rachel Savernake series. As far as the mystery part of the story is concerned, that wasn’t an issue. It stands on its own perfectly. However, the dynamics of the relationships between Rachel, Flint, and the Trueman family were another thing altogether. It’s clear there is history between these characters relating to events from the previous books, but obviously I had no idea what was being referred to. The Trueman family connection puzzled me immensely. On the surface, they seem to work for Rachel but their relationship isn’t at all employer/employee. Rachel herself is someone I couldn’t quite warm to. She comes across as rather controlling and cold as ice. Evidently she has a great sense for justice but I couldn’t quite work out what makes her tick.
The mystery is a good one to delve into. A man named Basil is out to murder someone. Slight problem : he doesn’t know a thing about his intended victim. Not even what he looks like. All he has is a name. This man has done him wrong, and Basil intends to make him pay. His search for the man called Louis Carson leads him to a place called Hemlock Bay. Meanwhile, Rachel is also making her way there, purely based on a painting she recently bought. Soon, the first body will be discovered. But who killed them and why?
There are quite a few characters to get acquainted with in Hemlock Bay. Some are there permanently, others are just passing through. But, one way or another, they all have some part to play. I wasn’t able to figure any of it out at all, although I feel like I should have. The clues were definitely there. As is evident from the final pages of the book where all the hints and tips are listed by page, which I absolutely loved. Even if it made me feel rather dumb at having missed so much of it.
‘Hemlock Bay‘ is incredibly well plotted and, despite what I felt was a rather slow start, I was hooked by the mysterious happenings. There’s something rather atmospheric about it all. Not just the surroundings of Hemlock Bay, but the author’s writing as well. It definitely felt as if I was being transported to another time as it has this wonderful golden age crime feeling. I enjoyed the way Rachel and her team split up, made their own enquiries, then came together to talk things over. Even if I felt like I was missing out on something there, they undoubtedly care very much for one another.
I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery. I probably would have enjoyed it even more if I had been up to speed with the background stories surrounding the main cast of characters. It didn’t ruin the reading experience, though. If anything, it has made me want to find the other books in this series and start from the beginning.
That didn’t entirely work out as well as I expected. I had no idea ‘Hemlock Bay‘ is the fifth instalment in the Rachel Savernake series. As far as the mystery part of the story is concerned, that wasn’t an issue. It stands on its own perfectly. However, the dynamics of the relationships between Rachel, Flint, and the Trueman family were another thing altogether. It’s clear there is history between these characters relating to events from the previous books, but obviously I had no idea what was being referred to. The Trueman family connection puzzled me immensely. On the surface, they seem to work for Rachel but their relationship isn’t at all employer/employee. Rachel herself is someone I couldn’t quite warm to. She comes across as rather controlling and cold as ice. Evidently she has a great sense for justice but I couldn’t quite work out what makes her tick.
The mystery is a good one to delve into. A man named Basil is out to murder someone. Slight problem : he doesn’t know a thing about his intended victim. Not even what he looks like. All he has is a name. This man has done him wrong, and Basil intends to make him pay. His search for the man called Louis Carson leads him to a place called Hemlock Bay. Meanwhile, Rachel is also making her way there, purely based on a painting she recently bought. Soon, the first body will be discovered. But who killed them and why?
There are quite a few characters to get acquainted with in Hemlock Bay. Some are there permanently, others are just passing through. But, one way or another, they all have some part to play. I wasn’t able to figure any of it out at all, although I feel like I should have. The clues were definitely there. As is evident from the final pages of the book where all the hints and tips are listed by page, which I absolutely loved. Even if it made me feel rather dumb at having missed so much of it.
‘Hemlock Bay‘ is incredibly well plotted and, despite what I felt was a rather slow start, I was hooked by the mysterious happenings. There’s something rather atmospheric about it all. Not just the surroundings of Hemlock Bay, but the author’s writing as well. It definitely felt as if I was being transported to another time as it has this wonderful golden age crime feeling. I enjoyed the way Rachel and her team split up, made their own enquiries, then came together to talk things over. Even if I felt like I was missing out on something there, they undoubtedly care very much for one another.
I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery. I probably would have enjoyed it even more if I had been up to speed with the background stories surrounding the main cast of characters. It didn’t ruin the reading experience, though. If anything, it has made me want to find the other books in this series and start from the beginning.
September 14, 2024
Being back in the company and mind of Rachel Savernake has been wonderful. The way she thinks about the conundrums in front of her is so entertaining. Martin Edwards has again written a thrilling and captivating story full of intrigue and mystery.
I always like the way Martin Edwards includes those little clues, those little links that help us as the reader to follow the thoughts of our intrepid investigators- although I must admit I can’t always keep up with Rachel’s speed of thought.
The relationships between Rachel, Jacob, and the Truemans play such an important role in the stories - the support they provide eachother but also their quick thinking and different skills all come to play.
I always like the way Martin Edwards includes those little clues, those little links that help us as the reader to follow the thoughts of our intrepid investigators- although I must admit I can’t always keep up with Rachel’s speed of thought.
The relationships between Rachel, Jacob, and the Truemans play such an important role in the stories - the support they provide eachother but also their quick thinking and different skills all come to play.
October 8, 2024
Another excellent book in this series!
April 26, 2026
I am extremely grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the privilege of reviewing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Author Martin Edwards is truly a master of writing Golden Age–style mysteries with a modern twist.
Hemlock Bay is the latest installment in the Rachel Savernake series but can easily be read as a standalone novel.
Our FMC (and star of the series) is Rachel Savernake, an amateur sleuth who has come to the seaside enclave of Hemlock Bay after hearing a psychic’s prediction that a murder will occur there. She isn’t the only one arriving in Hemlock Bay with murder on her mind. We also meet Basil Palmer, a man hiding his true identity as he seeks vengeance against the man who killed his wife. The man in question, Louis Palmer, is the hotel manager in the popular, upmarket resort village. The narrative offers varying perspectives from a myriad of characters, as well as entries from Basil Palmer’s journals interspersed throughout. As with any Golden Age mystery, there are dozens of characters and plenty of clues and red herrings along the path to discovering just who the murderer -or murderers? - is.
I really appreciate how Edwards blends the mystery genre with historical fiction. Set in the 1930s, the story includes references to famous British true crime cases from the early 20th century, as well as nods to local culture that create a wonderful atmosphere. Some readers may find the book a bit slow-going at first, but by the halfway mark, bodies are dropping and the intrigue is high as the game of sleuthing shifts into high gear.
The plot is intricate and beautifully thought out. One of my favorite parts of Edwards’s books is the “Cluefinder” provided at the end. After finishing the narrative, you have a chance to go back and see where the breadcrumbs were left for you to solve the crime. The book lends itself to puzzle-solving, although I confess I was woefully off course on most aspects of the solution.
Although the book can be read as a standalone, I wondered if I was missing something by jumping in fifth in the series. I felt like there was some background on Rachel Savernake - a young woman made wealthy through inheritance - and her live-in staff of fellow crime solvers that I couldn’t fully grasp without having read the entire series. I may go back to the beginning so that I can experience the full evolution of the recurring characters.
If you love the Golden Age of mysteries, books with historical atmosphere, and intricate, fair-play–style puzzles, then there is a lot here to enjoy. I don’t think I liked this one quite as much as Miss Winter, but that’s probably because I read the series out of order. 3.5 stars
Author Martin Edwards is truly a master of writing Golden Age–style mysteries with a modern twist.
Hemlock Bay is the latest installment in the Rachel Savernake series but can easily be read as a standalone novel.
Our FMC (and star of the series) is Rachel Savernake, an amateur sleuth who has come to the seaside enclave of Hemlock Bay after hearing a psychic’s prediction that a murder will occur there. She isn’t the only one arriving in Hemlock Bay with murder on her mind. We also meet Basil Palmer, a man hiding his true identity as he seeks vengeance against the man who killed his wife. The man in question, Louis Palmer, is the hotel manager in the popular, upmarket resort village. The narrative offers varying perspectives from a myriad of characters, as well as entries from Basil Palmer’s journals interspersed throughout. As with any Golden Age mystery, there are dozens of characters and plenty of clues and red herrings along the path to discovering just who the murderer -or murderers? - is.
I really appreciate how Edwards blends the mystery genre with historical fiction. Set in the 1930s, the story includes references to famous British true crime cases from the early 20th century, as well as nods to local culture that create a wonderful atmosphere. Some readers may find the book a bit slow-going at first, but by the halfway mark, bodies are dropping and the intrigue is high as the game of sleuthing shifts into high gear.
The plot is intricate and beautifully thought out. One of my favorite parts of Edwards’s books is the “Cluefinder” provided at the end. After finishing the narrative, you have a chance to go back and see where the breadcrumbs were left for you to solve the crime. The book lends itself to puzzle-solving, although I confess I was woefully off course on most aspects of the solution.
Although the book can be read as a standalone, I wondered if I was missing something by jumping in fifth in the series. I felt like there was some background on Rachel Savernake - a young woman made wealthy through inheritance - and her live-in staff of fellow crime solvers that I couldn’t fully grasp without having read the entire series. I may go back to the beginning so that I can experience the full evolution of the recurring characters.
If you love the Golden Age of mysteries, books with historical atmosphere, and intricate, fair-play–style puzzles, then there is a lot here to enjoy. I don’t think I liked this one quite as much as Miss Winter, but that’s probably because I read the series out of order. 3.5 stars
October 9, 2024
I do like a good mystery set in Lancashire, and Hemlock Bay is certainly that.
This is Martin Edwards' fifth book featuring amateur sleuth Rachel Savernake and her sidekick tabloid reporter Jacob Flint, but I think it would work well as a standalone novel. I particularly enjoyed the period seaside town details in this, especially when Jacob had to act as a Lobby Lud character while investigating a murderer.
A recommended five stars from me.
This is Martin Edwards' fifth book featuring amateur sleuth Rachel Savernake and her sidekick tabloid reporter Jacob Flint, but I think it would work well as a standalone novel. I particularly enjoyed the period seaside town details in this, especially when Jacob had to act as a Lobby Lud character while investigating a murderer.
A recommended five stars from me.
May 30, 2024
Exactly a year ago, I read Sepulchre Street, the fourth title in the Rachel Savernake series. That book opened on the intriguing dilemma of how one solves a murder before it has happened. Intrigue (and impossible murders) appear to be a theme in this series because the hook into Hemlock Bay is how do you murder somebody if you have no idea who he is?
The year is 1931 and a seaside resort called Hemlock Bay is about to live up to its somewhat sinister name. And a series of apparently unconnected events bring Rachel Savernake and her entourage to the resort.
Through diary entries, we learn that a man named Basil Palmer plans to kill Louis Carson although the two men have never met. Meanwhile, journalist Jack Flint is intrigued when he is visited by a man claiming to be a clairvoyant who claims that he has had a vision that a murder will be committed in a place called Hemlock Bay on the summer solstice. And finally, Rachel Savernake has recently bought a disturbing surrealistic painting titled Hemlock Bay which appears to feature a body draped over a rock on the beach.
It doesn’t take much to capture Rachel’s imagination and it isn’t long before she decides that she wants to know more about what’s going on in Hemlock Bay where she meets among other people the woman who painted the picture that inspired Rachel’s trip, a reclusive doctor named Seamus Doyle, as well as a man named Louis Carson. However, when murder does happen it isn’t on the summer solstice and the victim isn’t Louis Carson. The plot just thickened and is about to get a lot thicker again before Rachel figures out exactly what has been going on.
Hemlock Bay is a fascinating and captivating mystery. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and my interest didn’t flag until I had finished the full story and all the mysteries had been solved in a satisfying and fiendishly clever way. There is a lot going on in this golden age of mystery-inspired story. We’ve got a locked room mystery, a fair number of red herrings, and plenty of clues there to be found for the ‘professional’ mystery reader/solver. For those of us who read too fast or too carelessly to pick up on (all) the clues, they are spelled out after the story has ended and they make it perfectly clear that Martin Edwards plays fair with his readers. Most importantly though, the recurring characters in these books are fascinating. Especially Rachel has captured my attention, just as she has captured Jack’s in the story. And like Jack, I’d love to discover more about her background and exactly how she became the woman she is. I can’t wait to read more titles in this series.
The year is 1931 and a seaside resort called Hemlock Bay is about to live up to its somewhat sinister name. And a series of apparently unconnected events bring Rachel Savernake and her entourage to the resort.
Through diary entries, we learn that a man named Basil Palmer plans to kill Louis Carson although the two men have never met. Meanwhile, journalist Jack Flint is intrigued when he is visited by a man claiming to be a clairvoyant who claims that he has had a vision that a murder will be committed in a place called Hemlock Bay on the summer solstice. And finally, Rachel Savernake has recently bought a disturbing surrealistic painting titled Hemlock Bay which appears to feature a body draped over a rock on the beach.
It doesn’t take much to capture Rachel’s imagination and it isn’t long before she decides that she wants to know more about what’s going on in Hemlock Bay where she meets among other people the woman who painted the picture that inspired Rachel’s trip, a reclusive doctor named Seamus Doyle, as well as a man named Louis Carson. However, when murder does happen it isn’t on the summer solstice and the victim isn’t Louis Carson. The plot just thickened and is about to get a lot thicker again before Rachel figures out exactly what has been going on.
Hemlock Bay is a fascinating and captivating mystery. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and my interest didn’t flag until I had finished the full story and all the mysteries had been solved in a satisfying and fiendishly clever way. There is a lot going on in this golden age of mystery-inspired story. We’ve got a locked room mystery, a fair number of red herrings, and plenty of clues there to be found for the ‘professional’ mystery reader/solver. For those of us who read too fast or too carelessly to pick up on (all) the clues, they are spelled out after the story has ended and they make it perfectly clear that Martin Edwards plays fair with his readers. Most importantly though, the recurring characters in these books are fascinating. Especially Rachel has captured my attention, just as she has captured Jack’s in the story. And like Jack, I’d love to discover more about her background and exactly how she became the woman she is. I can’t wait to read more titles in this series.
July 19, 2024
I’ve been reviewing a series of “cosy” mysteries. They were (mostly) competent, enjoyable, but I could remember few details several days later. It was like eating a number of Quality Street chocolates: perfectly pleasant, but ultimately unsatisfying. Then along came the equivalent of a York Cocoa Works 100% bar: the real thing; an offering to be nibbled and every bit savoured. As connoisseurs of crime may have guessed: Martin Edwards has written his fifth Rachel Savernake novel: Hemlock Bay.
In the novel, post-WWI, Sir Harold Jackson has bought a lot of land at Hemlock Bay in Lancashire and has created a select seaside resort. That does echo the real-life Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood, who set about developing a Lancashire town around a deserted bay (to be called Fleetwood) in the 1830s-40s. His idea was that people would travel from London to Fleetwood by train and then catch a steamer up to Scotland (staying at his hotel, of course). Unfortunately, the opening of the railway over Shap Fell in the 1850s stymied that idea and Fleetwood lost his fortune.
Rachel Savenake has bought a surrealist painting that appears to show a dead body on the rocks below the lighthouse at Hemlock Bay. Her friend, the journalist Jacob Flint, has been approached by someone (a fairground fortune-teller, in fact) who says they know a murder will be committed at Hemlock Bay on the summer solstice. Flint wheedles permission from his editor to investigate, suggesting that he emulate the News Chronicle’s roaming reporter, Lobby Lud. In real life, Lobby Lud was employed by the Westminster Gazette and later adopted by the News Chronicle. The stunt was inspired by the disappearance of Agatha Christie, but was needed because people on holiday tended not to buy a daily paper and sales slumped in the summer. It was hoped that the prospect of winning £5 would motivate a lot of holidaymakers to buy their paper during their holiday. Unfortunately, on Jacob’s first day on the job, he stumbles across a dead body.
There are a number of threads to the plot but Edwards weaves them together skilfully as the body count increases. There is an element of humour – at one point, Jacob is so pleased with himself, he gives Rachel “a cheeky wink” – and if you have read the other books, you will know one doesn’t trifle with Rachel Savernake. These are the antithesis of cosy mysteries. These are highly crafted, carefully wrought, mysteries that have taken a long time to write. There is banter between the characters; there is humour; but there are no laughs. “Bleak” is the word that springs to mind, yet brilliantly written. As one character says of Rachel, “So lovely. Yet so cruel.” Rachel is intrigued by murder – I don’t mean that she desires it: she doesn’t want people killed; but if they are murdered (or going to be murdered), she wants to know why it has happened and what the murderer was thinking at every step. And, as she says herself, she has a burning passion for justice. I think it follows, therefore, that she may condone a “deserved” murder. Rachel Savernake is… I won’t say cold-blooded, because she cares for her servant/friends, the Trumans, but unemotional. I can imagine Rachel watching someone push a victim under a bus if she thought they deserved it.
If you want to read the best mystery writing of the 2020s, read Martin Edwards’s Rachel Savenake books – just don’t expect to feel cosy.
#HemlockBay #NetGalley
In the novel, post-WWI, Sir Harold Jackson has bought a lot of land at Hemlock Bay in Lancashire and has created a select seaside resort. That does echo the real-life Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood, who set about developing a Lancashire town around a deserted bay (to be called Fleetwood) in the 1830s-40s. His idea was that people would travel from London to Fleetwood by train and then catch a steamer up to Scotland (staying at his hotel, of course). Unfortunately, the opening of the railway over Shap Fell in the 1850s stymied that idea and Fleetwood lost his fortune.
Rachel Savenake has bought a surrealist painting that appears to show a dead body on the rocks below the lighthouse at Hemlock Bay. Her friend, the journalist Jacob Flint, has been approached by someone (a fairground fortune-teller, in fact) who says they know a murder will be committed at Hemlock Bay on the summer solstice. Flint wheedles permission from his editor to investigate, suggesting that he emulate the News Chronicle’s roaming reporter, Lobby Lud. In real life, Lobby Lud was employed by the Westminster Gazette and later adopted by the News Chronicle. The stunt was inspired by the disappearance of Agatha Christie, but was needed because people on holiday tended not to buy a daily paper and sales slumped in the summer. It was hoped that the prospect of winning £5 would motivate a lot of holidaymakers to buy their paper during their holiday. Unfortunately, on Jacob’s first day on the job, he stumbles across a dead body.
There are a number of threads to the plot but Edwards weaves them together skilfully as the body count increases. There is an element of humour – at one point, Jacob is so pleased with himself, he gives Rachel “a cheeky wink” – and if you have read the other books, you will know one doesn’t trifle with Rachel Savernake. These are the antithesis of cosy mysteries. These are highly crafted, carefully wrought, mysteries that have taken a long time to write. There is banter between the characters; there is humour; but there are no laughs. “Bleak” is the word that springs to mind, yet brilliantly written. As one character says of Rachel, “So lovely. Yet so cruel.” Rachel is intrigued by murder – I don’t mean that she desires it: she doesn’t want people killed; but if they are murdered (or going to be murdered), she wants to know why it has happened and what the murderer was thinking at every step. And, as she says herself, she has a burning passion for justice. I think it follows, therefore, that she may condone a “deserved” murder. Rachel Savernake is… I won’t say cold-blooded, because she cares for her servant/friends, the Trumans, but unemotional. I can imagine Rachel watching someone push a victim under a bus if she thought they deserved it.
If you want to read the best mystery writing of the 2020s, read Martin Edwards’s Rachel Savenake books – just don’t expect to feel cosy.
#HemlockBay #NetGalley
March 12, 2026
Martin Edwards is brilliant when it comes to writing a modern mystery in the style of the golden age of detection masters. Edwards’ Rachel Savernake is a protagonist like none other. Hemlock Bay is a book with a complex plot, written in many layers, all carefully woven together to provide a delightful reading journey!
The first line of the book immediately piques your interest and makes you want to read more - “My new year’s resolution is to murder a man I’ve never met.” With this statement we meet Basil Palmer who clearly knows he must murder a man he’s never met, but he knows his name. He learns that this man is in Hemlock Bay. Basil’s story is told through a series of diary entries.
Rachel Savernake has taken an interest in surrealist art and has just purchased a painting which depicts a seaside scene including a body lying on the beach. The beach is at Hemlock Bay.
Lastly, crime reporter Jacob Flint is visited by a fortune teller working at Hemlock Bay telling him that someone is about to be murdered there, but he doesn’t know who. Jacob has assisted Rachel with several cases and tells her of the visit from this strange man. Rachel is very intrigued by Jacob’s story and decides to summer in Hemlock Bay, where the artist of Rachel’s painting happens to also be summering. Thus, setting the stage for Basil, Jacob and Rachel being at Hemlock Bay at the same time.
As Rachel and her staff, the Truemans, who are more like family than staff, dig deeper into what is going on at Hemlock Bay, they soon uncover many intrigues and connections between residents of the resort on Hemlock Bay, the owners of the resort, past visitors to the resort, and current guests.
Eventually, a murder does occur, everyone has an alibi, and Rachel must use all her facilities to solve the crime.
Rachel is an enigma – her backstory is never fully told in this or any of the previous Rachel Savernake books (all of which are excellent reads!). She is a brilliant detective, seeing clues where others do not and unraveling the mysteries and crimes. Rachel is a complex character, the Truemans are delightful and are Rachel’s partners in sleuthing, often uncovering important clues for Rachel.
Hemlock Bay is extremely well written, engrossing, full of twists and turns, and eventually leads the reader to a successful conclusion. The Cluefinder at the end of the book is a unique addition – after reading the book to the end and stumbling upon the Cluefinder, you realize all you have missed and want to read the book again with the Cluefinder as a sort of ‘key.’
Thank you, Mr. Edwards, for another marvelous Rachel Savernake book! I hope there are many more to come!
The first line of the book immediately piques your interest and makes you want to read more - “My new year’s resolution is to murder a man I’ve never met.” With this statement we meet Basil Palmer who clearly knows he must murder a man he’s never met, but he knows his name. He learns that this man is in Hemlock Bay. Basil’s story is told through a series of diary entries.
Rachel Savernake has taken an interest in surrealist art and has just purchased a painting which depicts a seaside scene including a body lying on the beach. The beach is at Hemlock Bay.
Lastly, crime reporter Jacob Flint is visited by a fortune teller working at Hemlock Bay telling him that someone is about to be murdered there, but he doesn’t know who. Jacob has assisted Rachel with several cases and tells her of the visit from this strange man. Rachel is very intrigued by Jacob’s story and decides to summer in Hemlock Bay, where the artist of Rachel’s painting happens to also be summering. Thus, setting the stage for Basil, Jacob and Rachel being at Hemlock Bay at the same time.
As Rachel and her staff, the Truemans, who are more like family than staff, dig deeper into what is going on at Hemlock Bay, they soon uncover many intrigues and connections between residents of the resort on Hemlock Bay, the owners of the resort, past visitors to the resort, and current guests.
Eventually, a murder does occur, everyone has an alibi, and Rachel must use all her facilities to solve the crime.
Rachel is an enigma – her backstory is never fully told in this or any of the previous Rachel Savernake books (all of which are excellent reads!). She is a brilliant detective, seeing clues where others do not and unraveling the mysteries and crimes. Rachel is a complex character, the Truemans are delightful and are Rachel’s partners in sleuthing, often uncovering important clues for Rachel.
Hemlock Bay is extremely well written, engrossing, full of twists and turns, and eventually leads the reader to a successful conclusion. The Cluefinder at the end of the book is a unique addition – after reading the book to the end and stumbling upon the Cluefinder, you realize all you have missed and want to read the book again with the Cluefinder as a sort of ‘key.’
Thank you, Mr. Edwards, for another marvelous Rachel Savernake book! I hope there are many more to come!
March 16, 2026
Once again, the mysterious Rachel Savernake and her supporting cast return in Martin Edwards’ “Hemlock Bay”, the fifth book in this throwback series that pays tribute to vintage mysteries.
It is the early 1930s. We start with Basil Palmer’s diary, a window into this mild-mannered man who has decided to kill Louis Carson, a man whom (we soon learn) he blames for the death of his wife. There is only one problem – Basil doesn’t know anything about this man, not who he is or what he does or what he looks like. He hires a private eye, who soon determines that Carson is part-owner of a new resort for the wealthy at Hemlock Bay. Off goes a disguised Palmer to the resort, determined to commit murder and get away with it.
Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint gets a disturbing visit from a fortune teller who has seen a vision of a murder in the future, taking place at Hemlock Bay. And finally, Rachel has bought a painting from a modern artist that shows a body on the rocks at a place called Hemlock Bay. Intrigued by the painting and Jacob’s story, she packs up (along with the Truemans, her three “servants”) and rents a cottage close to where the artist and her companion are staying.
So all of the pieces are in place. And when the murder happens, it isn’t a mysterious figure but the fortune teller himself who is the victim. Rachel and her crew try to piece together what he could have discovered that would lead someone to kill him, when a second murder shows that the killer isn’t through yet. With the help of old friend Inspector Oakes of Scotland Yard, Rachel tries to get to the bottom of the mystery before she ends up being the next victim.
Although Mr. Edwards usually relies on a coincidence or two in his mysteries, this time there are way too many to suspend our disbelief. Not only are there several that have everyone converge on Hemlock Bay, once we get there the hidden identities and mysterious strangers also converge into a complex interconnected series of gears that happen to all fall into place. As I’ve said in previous reviews in this series, this is a complicated mystery that rewards one for paying attention, quite enjoyable if one approaches this for what it is: a 1930s setting with a modern feel in terms of pacing and sensibility.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
It is the early 1930s. We start with Basil Palmer’s diary, a window into this mild-mannered man who has decided to kill Louis Carson, a man whom (we soon learn) he blames for the death of his wife. There is only one problem – Basil doesn’t know anything about this man, not who he is or what he does or what he looks like. He hires a private eye, who soon determines that Carson is part-owner of a new resort for the wealthy at Hemlock Bay. Off goes a disguised Palmer to the resort, determined to commit murder and get away with it.
Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint gets a disturbing visit from a fortune teller who has seen a vision of a murder in the future, taking place at Hemlock Bay. And finally, Rachel has bought a painting from a modern artist that shows a body on the rocks at a place called Hemlock Bay. Intrigued by the painting and Jacob’s story, she packs up (along with the Truemans, her three “servants”) and rents a cottage close to where the artist and her companion are staying.
So all of the pieces are in place. And when the murder happens, it isn’t a mysterious figure but the fortune teller himself who is the victim. Rachel and her crew try to piece together what he could have discovered that would lead someone to kill him, when a second murder shows that the killer isn’t through yet. With the help of old friend Inspector Oakes of Scotland Yard, Rachel tries to get to the bottom of the mystery before she ends up being the next victim.
Although Mr. Edwards usually relies on a coincidence or two in his mysteries, this time there are way too many to suspend our disbelief. Not only are there several that have everyone converge on Hemlock Bay, once we get there the hidden identities and mysterious strangers also converge into a complex interconnected series of gears that happen to all fall into place. As I’ve said in previous reviews in this series, this is a complicated mystery that rewards one for paying attention, quite enjoyable if one approaches this for what it is: a 1930s setting with a modern feel in terms of pacing and sensibility.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
April 30, 2026
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this ARC.
Martin Edwards’ "Hemlock Bay" is a carefully engineered homage to the Golden Age of detective fiction that never feels like mere pastiche. Instead, it reads as a confident continuation of the tradition—one that understands not just the mechanics of classic mysteries, but their tone, restraint, and quiet psychological depth.
At the center is Rachel Savernake, a detective who remains as enigmatic as the crimes she investigates. Edwards resists the urge to over-explain her, and that restraint pays off. Rachel’s detachment, her precise intelligence, and her almost unsettling composure give the novel a subtle tension that simmers beneath the surface. She is not a warm protagonist, but she is a compelling one—more observer than participant, yet always in control.
The setting of Hemlock Bay itself is rendered with a moody elegance. Edwards uses landscape the way Golden Age writers often did: not just as backdrop, but as atmosphere. The coastal isolation, the shifting light, the sense of something just out of reach—it all feeds into the novel’s underlying unease. There’s a quiet sense that the environment is complicit in the secrets being uncovered.
Plot-wise, Edwards delivers exactly what fans of the genre crave: a tightly constructed puzzle with fair clues, layered misdirection, and a resolution that feels both surprising and inevitable. But what elevates "Hemlock Bay" is its patience. The novel takes its time, allowing conversations, silences, and small details to accumulate meaning. It trusts the reader to pay attention—and rewards that attention.
If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that the emotional distance—both in Rachel and in the narrative voice—can occasionally make the story feel cool to the touch. Readers looking for strong emotional engagement may find themselves admiring the craft more than feeling the stakes. Yet that coolness is also part of its identity; it echoes the very tradition the book seeks to honor.
Ultimately, "Hemlock Bay" succeeds because it balances reverence with originality. It doesn’t try to modernize the Golden Age formula beyond recognition, nor does it simply replicate it. Instead, Edwards refines it, offering a mystery that feels timeless rather than dated. For readers who appreciate intricate plotting, atmospheric settings, and a detective who reveals herself only in fragments, this is a deeply satisfying read.
Martin Edwards’ "Hemlock Bay" is a carefully engineered homage to the Golden Age of detective fiction that never feels like mere pastiche. Instead, it reads as a confident continuation of the tradition—one that understands not just the mechanics of classic mysteries, but their tone, restraint, and quiet psychological depth.
At the center is Rachel Savernake, a detective who remains as enigmatic as the crimes she investigates. Edwards resists the urge to over-explain her, and that restraint pays off. Rachel’s detachment, her precise intelligence, and her almost unsettling composure give the novel a subtle tension that simmers beneath the surface. She is not a warm protagonist, but she is a compelling one—more observer than participant, yet always in control.
The setting of Hemlock Bay itself is rendered with a moody elegance. Edwards uses landscape the way Golden Age writers often did: not just as backdrop, but as atmosphere. The coastal isolation, the shifting light, the sense of something just out of reach—it all feeds into the novel’s underlying unease. There’s a quiet sense that the environment is complicit in the secrets being uncovered.
Plot-wise, Edwards delivers exactly what fans of the genre crave: a tightly constructed puzzle with fair clues, layered misdirection, and a resolution that feels both surprising and inevitable. But what elevates "Hemlock Bay" is its patience. The novel takes its time, allowing conversations, silences, and small details to accumulate meaning. It trusts the reader to pay attention—and rewards that attention.
If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that the emotional distance—both in Rachel and in the narrative voice—can occasionally make the story feel cool to the touch. Readers looking for strong emotional engagement may find themselves admiring the craft more than feeling the stakes. Yet that coolness is also part of its identity; it echoes the very tradition the book seeks to honor.
Ultimately, "Hemlock Bay" succeeds because it balances reverence with originality. It doesn’t try to modernize the Golden Age formula beyond recognition, nor does it simply replicate it. Instead, Edwards refines it, offering a mystery that feels timeless rather than dated. For readers who appreciate intricate plotting, atmospheric settings, and a detective who reveals herself only in fragments, this is a deeply satisfying read.
September 19, 2024
There can be no one more knowledgeable about crime fiction than Martin Edwards. In the Rachel Savernake series, Edwards combines his skills as a major writer and his knowledge of the Golden Age of crime writing. He also indulges his gift of coming up with truly portentous titles. Nothing good, we are sure, will ever happen in a place called Hemlock Bay.
The Prologue tells us that a murder has taken place. Of whom and by whom we know not yet. The first chapter is more explicit: we learn from the journal of one Basil Palmer, accountant unextraordinary, that another murder will take place – committed by him in the bijou Lancashire seaside resort of Hemlock Bay, the creation of a wealthy British man and his even wealthier American wife.
By coincidence – and in the way of the Golden Age there are lot of coincidences – the series protagonist, the mysterious but assuredly rich Rachel Savernake (who lives in Gaunt House) has just bought an Expressionist landscape featuring the very same bay, complete with a figure looking decidedly dead. Her entourage – more friends than mere servants – fails to see its charms. Likewise, a long-standing friend of hers remains unimpressed by a man who turns up at the offices of the national newspaper for which he works, insisting that he is clairvoyant and has had a vision of a death being planned in the very same location. You do not need to go to Denmark to discover a place where there is a good deal of rottenness. Or to agree with an allusion that surprisingly no character makes involving tangled webs and deception.
This is a very clever novel indeed. Not one of the large cast (apart from the goodies, and their relationship is deliberately opaque) is quite what he or she seems, and though one’s credulity is sometimes stretched to the limit, one simply does not care, such is the tour de force of the plotting.
Go on: exercise every last one of your little grey cells and have a most enjoyable read.
------
Reviewer: Judith Cutler
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
The Prologue tells us that a murder has taken place. Of whom and by whom we know not yet. The first chapter is more explicit: we learn from the journal of one Basil Palmer, accountant unextraordinary, that another murder will take place – committed by him in the bijou Lancashire seaside resort of Hemlock Bay, the creation of a wealthy British man and his even wealthier American wife.
By coincidence – and in the way of the Golden Age there are lot of coincidences – the series protagonist, the mysterious but assuredly rich Rachel Savernake (who lives in Gaunt House) has just bought an Expressionist landscape featuring the very same bay, complete with a figure looking decidedly dead. Her entourage – more friends than mere servants – fails to see its charms. Likewise, a long-standing friend of hers remains unimpressed by a man who turns up at the offices of the national newspaper for which he works, insisting that he is clairvoyant and has had a vision of a death being planned in the very same location. You do not need to go to Denmark to discover a place where there is a good deal of rottenness. Or to agree with an allusion that surprisingly no character makes involving tangled webs and deception.
This is a very clever novel indeed. Not one of the large cast (apart from the goodies, and their relationship is deliberately opaque) is quite what he or she seems, and though one’s credulity is sometimes stretched to the limit, one simply does not care, such is the tour de force of the plotting.
Go on: exercise every last one of your little grey cells and have a most enjoyable read.
------
Reviewer: Judith Cutler
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
February 24, 2026
THANK YOU NET GALLEY FOR THE ARC
There are more than 150 heritage railways operating across the UK and Ireland. They’re slower, sootier, less comfortable than modern trains which is precisely why people love them.
Hemlock Bay by Martin Edwards is the literary equivalent of a steam railway journey.
This is unapologetically Golden Age crime in the tradition of Agatha Christie: intricate plotting, red herrings, carefully placed clues, and a grand explanatory finale. Wealthy amateur detective Rachel Savernake travels from London to a newly built seaside resort after buying a painting that seems to depict a murder yet to occur. A fortune teller predicts bloodshed. An accountant plans to kill a stranger. Soon enough, bodies appear.
Edwards is extremely skilled at constructing the puzzle. The plot fits together beautifully. Clues are fair. Blind alleys are convincing.
But there is always the danger that character is taking second place to construction.
Protagonist Rachel Savernake is described as aloof which presents a challenge for the author as she remains distant throughout. Even when murders occur and well described bloody scenes are discovered, emotional reactions feel muted. The novel culminates in a "Tell Me Inspector" explanation scene (as Ken Follett memorably describes the trope), where the solution is delivered rather than dramatically experienced.
Compare that with the tense confrontation in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre, where both reader and character reach the truth together — and you see the difference between puzzle-solving and emotional immersion.
So the real question is: do you want a novel, or do you want a puzzle?
If you love matching wits with the author and don’t mind archetypal characters serving the mechanics of the plot, you’ll have a great time here. If you prefer psychologically layered crime fiction with emotional depth, this may feel slightly distant.
⭐ Perfect for fans of classic whodunnits
⭐ Not ideal for readers seeking gritty realism
There are more than 150 heritage railways operating across the UK and Ireland. They’re slower, sootier, less comfortable than modern trains which is precisely why people love them.
Hemlock Bay by Martin Edwards is the literary equivalent of a steam railway journey.
This is unapologetically Golden Age crime in the tradition of Agatha Christie: intricate plotting, red herrings, carefully placed clues, and a grand explanatory finale. Wealthy amateur detective Rachel Savernake travels from London to a newly built seaside resort after buying a painting that seems to depict a murder yet to occur. A fortune teller predicts bloodshed. An accountant plans to kill a stranger. Soon enough, bodies appear.
Edwards is extremely skilled at constructing the puzzle. The plot fits together beautifully. Clues are fair. Blind alleys are convincing.
But there is always the danger that character is taking second place to construction.
Protagonist Rachel Savernake is described as aloof which presents a challenge for the author as she remains distant throughout. Even when murders occur and well described bloody scenes are discovered, emotional reactions feel muted. The novel culminates in a "Tell Me Inspector" explanation scene (as Ken Follett memorably describes the trope), where the solution is delivered rather than dramatically experienced.
Compare that with the tense confrontation in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre, where both reader and character reach the truth together — and you see the difference between puzzle-solving and emotional immersion.
So the real question is: do you want a novel, or do you want a puzzle?
If you love matching wits with the author and don’t mind archetypal characters serving the mechanics of the plot, you’ll have a great time here. If you prefer psychologically layered crime fiction with emotional depth, this may feel slightly distant.
⭐ Perfect for fans of classic whodunnits
⭐ Not ideal for readers seeking gritty realism
August 19, 2024
This is the latest addition in Martin Edwards's historical Rachel Savernake series in the style of the golden age of crime, allowing the reader to play detective with the carefully placed clues that the author reveals at the end. With its now established set of core characters, it is 1931, in London Rachel has purchased a surreal Hemlock Bay painting by the upcoming surreal artist, Virginia Penrhos, although perhaps not to everyone's tastes. Intriguingly it depicts a body stretched out over Mermaid's Grave. Journalist Jacob Flint has done well, established at the Clarion, envied by other reporters with his uncanny ability to secure career enhancing exclusives, obtained through Rachel's talent in crime solving.
Jacob receives a surprising visitor in his office, Gareth Bellamy aka The Great Hallemby, a fortune teller operating in Hemlock Bay, claiming to foretell a death, a strange scenario that catches Rachel's eye. Her entire household of Cliff, housekeeper Hetty, and Martha set off for the Bay where Rachel has rented a place, allowing them to begin to make inquiries. Jacob has managed to persuade his editor to let him go too. They are a variety of threads and characters they encounter, including Penrhos who is residing at the lighthouse with her companion, Ffion, a retired Dr Seamus Doyle (actually Basil Palmer), intent on murder, and many more. There will be more than one murder.
I struggled more with this series addition, it is becoming a trifle too cosy for me, and I yearned for there to be more character and relationship developments in its central characters. Rachel is becoming a little wearing as the ice Queen Bee, a tad too controlling, with her strong sense for justice, still an enigma, someone who can be relied on to arrive at the intricate solutions to the mysteries at play here. Where the novel was particularly good was in the eventual raising of suspense and tension which I did enjoy very much. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Jacob receives a surprising visitor in his office, Gareth Bellamy aka The Great Hallemby, a fortune teller operating in Hemlock Bay, claiming to foretell a death, a strange scenario that catches Rachel's eye. Her entire household of Cliff, housekeeper Hetty, and Martha set off for the Bay where Rachel has rented a place, allowing them to begin to make inquiries. Jacob has managed to persuade his editor to let him go too. They are a variety of threads and characters they encounter, including Penrhos who is residing at the lighthouse with her companion, Ffion, a retired Dr Seamus Doyle (actually Basil Palmer), intent on murder, and many more. There will be more than one murder.
I struggled more with this series addition, it is becoming a trifle too cosy for me, and I yearned for there to be more character and relationship developments in its central characters. Rachel is becoming a little wearing as the ice Queen Bee, a tad too controlling, with her strong sense for justice, still an enigma, someone who can be relied on to arrive at the intricate solutions to the mysteries at play here. Where the novel was particularly good was in the eventual raising of suspense and tension which I did enjoy very much. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
September 11, 2024
This is the third book I have read in this wonderful series, and I still can’t solve the mystery!!
Told in a journal form, we meet Basil Palmer, who informs us that he is going to murder a person, a man he has never known, doesn’t know what he looks like, or where he lives, he only knows that this man deserves to die, and his name is Louis Carson.
His search for this man takes him to Hemlock Bay in Lancashire, where Carson and his wife are running a seaside hotel. It attracts stylish and titled persons, it has various attractions including a fortune teller, a beach photographer, and an intriguing barman. There is the added frisson of a naturist beach available for the select guests. Throw in two ladies who have rented out the lighthouse as an artist’s retreat, a retired doctor, and Rachel Savernake and her loyal and devoted staff , and the stage is set for murders, blackmail and poisonings.
Written in the style of the Golden Age thrillers of the 1930’s , this is so full of twisting turns, red herrings and a copious amount of clues, all generously scattered throughout this story, I felt so annoyed that I was only managed to get three correct. These clues are explained at the end, but if you like to be an armchair detective, this novel is absolutely right for you.
As a retired nurse, Ataxia, Veronal and a brand of cream, these clues called out to me. The rest I missed!. Remember that the female of the species is more deadly than the male. A wonderful addition to the series, I have already recommended this to my local book group for next year’s list.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Head of Zeus, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A five star read from a very ingenious author.
I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.
Told in a journal form, we meet Basil Palmer, who informs us that he is going to murder a person, a man he has never known, doesn’t know what he looks like, or where he lives, he only knows that this man deserves to die, and his name is Louis Carson.
His search for this man takes him to Hemlock Bay in Lancashire, where Carson and his wife are running a seaside hotel. It attracts stylish and titled persons, it has various attractions including a fortune teller, a beach photographer, and an intriguing barman. There is the added frisson of a naturist beach available for the select guests. Throw in two ladies who have rented out the lighthouse as an artist’s retreat, a retired doctor, and Rachel Savernake and her loyal and devoted staff , and the stage is set for murders, blackmail and poisonings.
Written in the style of the Golden Age thrillers of the 1930’s , this is so full of twisting turns, red herrings and a copious amount of clues, all generously scattered throughout this story, I felt so annoyed that I was only managed to get three correct. These clues are explained at the end, but if you like to be an armchair detective, this novel is absolutely right for you.
As a retired nurse, Ataxia, Veronal and a brand of cream, these clues called out to me. The rest I missed!. Remember that the female of the species is more deadly than the male. A wonderful addition to the series, I have already recommended this to my local book group for next year’s list.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Head of Zeus, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A five star read from a very ingenious author.
I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.
September 19, 2024
This is a cosy crime mystery and at the start of the book we meet Basil, who makes a new years resolution to murder someone he has never met, he only has the name of his intended victim... a man who has wronged him. Basil's search for the man called Louis Carson leads him to a place called Hemlock Bay, a place that Rachel Savernake is also heading to, purely because she is intrigued by a location included in a painting she recently bought.
Hemlock Bay is well plotted and I found the writing atmospheric and I think I will definitely go back to the start at some point and read as a series. I loved the list of 'clues' that are listed in the 'Cluefinder' section at the end of the book - another nod to the proclaimed 'Golden Age of detective fiction' and can be found listed by page number at the very end of the book - I have never read a book before that chronicles these 'hints' in this way after the fact, so that was novel.
Hemlock Bay is the fifth book in the Rachel Savernake series, and although it can be read as as standalone, truthfully I think it would have been better for me if I had read the previous four. The plot certainly stands on its own, but the nuance between characters and the scene setting around this (at times extensive) cast would have felt easier if I had more of their history. I found it took me a while to really get into the book as sometimes there may have been an assumption that the reader knew more about the characters, so as much as I enjoyed the writing. I think this is probably a better read as a series - go and find Book 1.
A little extra note for the artwork on the cover, we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but we do, and this would be one I was definitely drawn to lift from the shelves in my favourite book shop by the cover alone.
Hemlock Bay is well plotted and I found the writing atmospheric and I think I will definitely go back to the start at some point and read as a series. I loved the list of 'clues' that are listed in the 'Cluefinder' section at the end of the book - another nod to the proclaimed 'Golden Age of detective fiction' and can be found listed by page number at the very end of the book - I have never read a book before that chronicles these 'hints' in this way after the fact, so that was novel.
Hemlock Bay is the fifth book in the Rachel Savernake series, and although it can be read as as standalone, truthfully I think it would have been better for me if I had read the previous four. The plot certainly stands on its own, but the nuance between characters and the scene setting around this (at times extensive) cast would have felt easier if I had more of their history. I found it took me a while to really get into the book as sometimes there may have been an assumption that the reader knew more about the characters, so as much as I enjoyed the writing. I think this is probably a better read as a series - go and find Book 1.
A little extra note for the artwork on the cover, we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but we do, and this would be one I was definitely drawn to lift from the shelves in my favourite book shop by the cover alone.
July 9, 2025
I first encountered Martin Edwards on Christmas University Challenge and was intrigued by this super intelligent team captain who introduced himself as a ‘crime writer’. I decided to try a book, the first Harry Devlin and was hooked. I’ve now read every Devlin/Lake District/Savernake novel and his brilliant books on The Detection Club (of which he is currently president) and the history of crime writing.
What is, for me, so good about Hemlock Bay is the feel of the time in which it is set. Understanding Edwards’ own deep appreciation of the Golden Age of crime fiction, it is no surprise that the 1930s feel so authentic. Many writers try to do similar but make faux pas by adding 21st Century phrases/ideology but Edwards doesn’t. Having been introduced to the works of Francis Iles/Anthony Berkeley via Edwards’ non fiction, the writing feels authentic, as does life, pastimes and opinions, very similar to those original crime novelists such as Berkeley. All is missing is a tennis party!
The Savernake series feels established now, with recurring fleshed out characters, mysterious secrets from the past being hinted at, and knowing there will be twists aplenty. Edwards knows how to deliver surprise after surprise which is such a joy for a reader. No sooner does one mystery feel solved, wham, another blindsides you- fantastic!
I’m not going to turn a review into a plot summary, but if you relish golden age crime, love being outwitted by a master and enjoy a series with growing characters then this is a must! Appreciating the dedication that had gone into the years Edwards has spent studying Golden Age crime novels puts this in a class of its own.
I’m a fan for life and this series keeps getting better and better.
What is, for me, so good about Hemlock Bay is the feel of the time in which it is set. Understanding Edwards’ own deep appreciation of the Golden Age of crime fiction, it is no surprise that the 1930s feel so authentic. Many writers try to do similar but make faux pas by adding 21st Century phrases/ideology but Edwards doesn’t. Having been introduced to the works of Francis Iles/Anthony Berkeley via Edwards’ non fiction, the writing feels authentic, as does life, pastimes and opinions, very similar to those original crime novelists such as Berkeley. All is missing is a tennis party!
The Savernake series feels established now, with recurring fleshed out characters, mysterious secrets from the past being hinted at, and knowing there will be twists aplenty. Edwards knows how to deliver surprise after surprise which is such a joy for a reader. No sooner does one mystery feel solved, wham, another blindsides you- fantastic!
I’m not going to turn a review into a plot summary, but if you relish golden age crime, love being outwitted by a master and enjoy a series with growing characters then this is a must! Appreciating the dedication that had gone into the years Edwards has spent studying Golden Age crime novels puts this in a class of its own.
I’m a fan for life and this series keeps getting better and better.
January 20, 2026
I was a little bit unsure about the previous book in this series, as it was the first I had picked up and I felt it lacked character/backstory context. However, having met the characters in that novel, I was able to pick up with them and their story much more readily this time around and enjoyed it more. So I would DEFINITELY recommend reading in series order for these Rachel Savernake mysteries!
I really enjoyed the twisty plot here, with its numerous masquerades, deceptions and sleights of hand. And the unique hook of following a murderer who doesn’t know his intended victim really intrigued me from the start. It makes for a really fun cosy mystery read with an unusual and interesting central character in Rachel, who is almost Sherlockian in her cold inscrutability but with sudden flushes of red-hot enthusiasm and the occasional, well-disguised soft spot.
The side characters surrounding Rachel all have their own quirks and eccentricities too, including a number of potential romantic possibilities, which don’t intrude on the main plotline but do add to the plentiful secrets lurking in the character backstories.
As a reader bonus, the author includes a list of ‘cluefinder’ hints at the back of each of these books, so you can check that you picked up all of the clues as you read and see if you can beat the fictional sleuthing team to the solution – I always play along with mysteries, so this was a fun addition for me.
Clever, well-written and good fun, this instalment really made me want to read more from this series and author (previous and/or future books included!).
I really enjoyed the twisty plot here, with its numerous masquerades, deceptions and sleights of hand. And the unique hook of following a murderer who doesn’t know his intended victim really intrigued me from the start. It makes for a really fun cosy mystery read with an unusual and interesting central character in Rachel, who is almost Sherlockian in her cold inscrutability but with sudden flushes of red-hot enthusiasm and the occasional, well-disguised soft spot.
The side characters surrounding Rachel all have their own quirks and eccentricities too, including a number of potential romantic possibilities, which don’t intrude on the main plotline but do add to the plentiful secrets lurking in the character backstories.
As a reader bonus, the author includes a list of ‘cluefinder’ hints at the back of each of these books, so you can check that you picked up all of the clues as you read and see if you can beat the fictional sleuthing team to the solution – I always play along with mysteries, so this was a fun addition for me.
Clever, well-written and good fun, this instalment really made me want to read more from this series and author (previous and/or future books included!).
September 10, 2024
This is my second book by Martin Edwards and my second Rachel Savenake. I have to say that Edwards knows how to layout a fantastic crime thriller with a few red herrings, a lot of sleuthing and nostalgia to boot. I think I loved Hemlock Bay a little bit more than my previous read but it’s hard not to like.
In Edwards hands we are transported back to the Golden age of crime thrillers, namely in the 1930s. But we aren’t spared the darker side of the nostalgia either. You can expect an accurate representation of the time and characters that are well developed and constrained by the time they live in.
As always the pace is fantastic, we get just enough to keep us hooked and start us working alongside Rachel but not enough that we know what is happening before our protagonist does. While these novels do tow the line of cosy crime there is plenty of grit and darkness in there too. The characters are really what sell these books for me. Rachel is a wonderful protagonist and I would defy anyone not to like her. In short if you love cosy crimes the likes of Miss Maple then Edwards is one you need to read right away.
As always thank you to Head of Zeus for the copy to review. My review is always honest and truthful.
In Edwards hands we are transported back to the Golden age of crime thrillers, namely in the 1930s. But we aren’t spared the darker side of the nostalgia either. You can expect an accurate representation of the time and characters that are well developed and constrained by the time they live in.
As always the pace is fantastic, we get just enough to keep us hooked and start us working alongside Rachel but not enough that we know what is happening before our protagonist does. While these novels do tow the line of cosy crime there is plenty of grit and darkness in there too. The characters are really what sell these books for me. Rachel is a wonderful protagonist and I would defy anyone not to like her. In short if you love cosy crimes the likes of Miss Maple then Edwards is one you need to read right away.
As always thank you to Head of Zeus for the copy to review. My review is always honest and truthful.
April 11, 2026
Hemlock Bay is the fifth entry in the Rachel Savernake crime series, though each book stands alone. Even with references to earlier cases, readers don’t need prior knowledge to enjoy this installment. Rachel remains enigmatic, shaped by her mysterious upbringing on Gaunt Island as Judge Savernake’s daughter, which fuels her passion for solving intricate mysteries and seeking justice—sometimes through unconventional means.
Rachel inspires loyalty from those around her, including reporter Jacob Flint and Inspector Oakes, as well as the devoted Trueman family. Hemlock Bay, an upscale resort with a dark history, quickly becomes the site of several deaths. The story unfolds with classic ‘Golden Age’ tropes: multiple suspects, impossible murders, detailed clues, and a dramatic resolution. The cluefinder lists 47 hints, though most readers will miss their significance until Rachel solves the puzzle.
The novel offers a slow-burning mystery, rich in atmosphere and suspense. The seaside setting hides secrets beneath its calm exterior, and Rachel’s detective skills provide engaging twists and turns. The predicted murder element adds intrigue, and the measured pace allows readers to absorb clues and attempt to solve the case alongside the characters.
Rachel inspires loyalty from those around her, including reporter Jacob Flint and Inspector Oakes, as well as the devoted Trueman family. Hemlock Bay, an upscale resort with a dark history, quickly becomes the site of several deaths. The story unfolds with classic ‘Golden Age’ tropes: multiple suspects, impossible murders, detailed clues, and a dramatic resolution. The cluefinder lists 47 hints, though most readers will miss their significance until Rachel solves the puzzle.
The novel offers a slow-burning mystery, rich in atmosphere and suspense. The seaside setting hides secrets beneath its calm exterior, and Rachel’s detective skills provide engaging twists and turns. The predicted murder element adds intrigue, and the measured pace allows readers to absorb clues and attempt to solve the case alongside the characters.
September 12, 2024
This is the 5th Rachel Savernack book, written in the style of the golden age of crime. I loved the first two books in the series but somehow managed to miss the next two. I had high expectations for Hemlock Bay and certainly wasn’t disappointed as I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Like the other two Rachel Savernack books this is also a complex mystery, with several strands and plenty of twists and misdirections. It begins with a Prologue. It is July 1930 as an unnamed couple in a basement room in Temple, London hear a newspaper vendor announce the death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They are discussing death, ending as the man lifts a revolver and squeezes the trigger. Then in January 1931 Basil Palmer makes a New Year resolution – to murder a man he has never met, Louis Carson. But he doesn’t know where he lives, nor what he looks like. This sets in motion a sequence of events, involving numerous people, all with their own agendas, all gathered together in Hemlock Bay.
Hemlock Bay is a seaside resort on the north-west coast of Lancashire. It was originally just ‘a small bay with a splendid beach, flanked by a stretch of sheer cliffs on one side and a tiny secluded cove on the other side of the steep headland‘ and on ‘a treacherous outcrop of rock was an old lighthouse‘. J M W Turner had visited the Bay on a sketching trip and said it was ‘as pretty as Paradise‘. In the past, ships were often wrecked on the shore and contraband was smuggled through a maze of underground passages. But after the end of the First World War it had been developed into a small and select seaside resort. Pleasure Grounds had been built on Hemlock Head, with provision for dancing and all sorts of amusements, known as Paradise, adopting Turner’s description. Jackson, a speculator, and his wife had bought the resort and then opened a new venture, the Hemlock Sun and Air Garden, a nudist club.
Rachel Savernack is intrigued by a surrealist painting of Hemlock Bay depicting a body stretched out below the lighthouse. She and Jacob Flint go to Hemlock Bay, where among others, she meets Virginia Penrhos, the woman who painted the picture, a reclusive doctor named Seamus Doyle, a man named Louis Carson and Basil Palmer under an assumed name. It’s a well plotted novel with interesting characters in a beautiful setting.
Martin Edwards’ Author’s Note at the end of the book is interesting, explaining that although Hemlock Bay is a fictional place it is based on Heysham in Lancashire, overlooking Morecombe Bay (where I enjoyed several holidays as a child). The information in the Heritage Centre in Heysham helped him with the description of Paradise. And the ‘Cluefinder’ at the back of the book listing hints and clues is most enlightening. But I resisted the temptation to read it before I read the book. It is a baffling and most enjoyable murder mystery.
Like the other two Rachel Savernack books this is also a complex mystery, with several strands and plenty of twists and misdirections. It begins with a Prologue. It is July 1930 as an unnamed couple in a basement room in Temple, London hear a newspaper vendor announce the death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They are discussing death, ending as the man lifts a revolver and squeezes the trigger. Then in January 1931 Basil Palmer makes a New Year resolution – to murder a man he has never met, Louis Carson. But he doesn’t know where he lives, nor what he looks like. This sets in motion a sequence of events, involving numerous people, all with their own agendas, all gathered together in Hemlock Bay.
Hemlock Bay is a seaside resort on the north-west coast of Lancashire. It was originally just ‘a small bay with a splendid beach, flanked by a stretch of sheer cliffs on one side and a tiny secluded cove on the other side of the steep headland‘ and on ‘a treacherous outcrop of rock was an old lighthouse‘. J M W Turner had visited the Bay on a sketching trip and said it was ‘as pretty as Paradise‘. In the past, ships were often wrecked on the shore and contraband was smuggled through a maze of underground passages. But after the end of the First World War it had been developed into a small and select seaside resort. Pleasure Grounds had been built on Hemlock Head, with provision for dancing and all sorts of amusements, known as Paradise, adopting Turner’s description. Jackson, a speculator, and his wife had bought the resort and then opened a new venture, the Hemlock Sun and Air Garden, a nudist club.
Rachel Savernack is intrigued by a surrealist painting of Hemlock Bay depicting a body stretched out below the lighthouse. She and Jacob Flint go to Hemlock Bay, where among others, she meets Virginia Penrhos, the woman who painted the picture, a reclusive doctor named Seamus Doyle, a man named Louis Carson and Basil Palmer under an assumed name. It’s a well plotted novel with interesting characters in a beautiful setting.
Martin Edwards’ Author’s Note at the end of the book is interesting, explaining that although Hemlock Bay is a fictional place it is based on Heysham in Lancashire, overlooking Morecombe Bay (where I enjoyed several holidays as a child). The information in the Heritage Centre in Heysham helped him with the description of Paradise. And the ‘Cluefinder’ at the back of the book listing hints and clues is most enlightening. But I resisted the temptation to read it before I read the book. It is a baffling and most enjoyable murder mystery.
September 17, 2024
The perfect mystery for fall!
The gorgeous cover and hooking blurb is what drew me to this book, I was so excited to go along with this mystery is Hemlock bay, from the setting to the plot this book screamed spooky season and I think reading this by the fire with a cup of coffee really enhanced this whole read for me. Martin has a way with words and his vivid descriptions easily suck you into this story and have you feeling like you're right there alongside these characters.
Now let's take a moment for these incredible characters. I enjoyed how realistic and relatable they felt especially Rachel, this is my first book in this series but I felt like it was pretty easy to read as a standalone, however I would love to go back and read the other books that coke before this because i've feel in love with these characters and want to know more about how they came to be together. Overall id say this is the perfect book to be reading right now, its captures that cosy spooky mystery feeling so well, and as its cools down and the nights are longer its super easy to be sucked into his story.
The gorgeous cover and hooking blurb is what drew me to this book, I was so excited to go along with this mystery is Hemlock bay, from the setting to the plot this book screamed spooky season and I think reading this by the fire with a cup of coffee really enhanced this whole read for me. Martin has a way with words and his vivid descriptions easily suck you into this story and have you feeling like you're right there alongside these characters.
Now let's take a moment for these incredible characters. I enjoyed how realistic and relatable they felt especially Rachel, this is my first book in this series but I felt like it was pretty easy to read as a standalone, however I would love to go back and read the other books that coke before this because i've feel in love with these characters and want to know more about how they came to be together. Overall id say this is the perfect book to be reading right now, its captures that cosy spooky mystery feeling so well, and as its cools down and the nights are longer its super easy to be sucked into his story.
September 23, 2024
A puzzling and atmospheric whodunnit set in a secluded coastal resort village during the Golden Age? Well count me in Sherlock !
First let me disclose that I didn't read the previous installments (shame on me !), but that didn't deter from thoroughly enjoying this finely crafted mystery. The characters are very well depicted, and the scene is masterfully set for a series of unfortunate events unfolding in a elegant manner - almost too close to the cozy genre for my taste. If I should find any fault, it is that the twist and turns seemed just a bit too constructed for the enjoyment of the reader, instead of being logically fit into the storyline. This was also confirmed at the end where you can find a list of hints and tips to find solve the mystery called "the Cluefinder". It is very tongue in cheek, and just good fun but I feel it isn't beneficial to the book as a whole.
So yes, it is absolutely very atmospheric, but it lacked a bit of intrigue for my taste.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Head of Zeus and Aries Book and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First let me disclose that I didn't read the previous installments (shame on me !), but that didn't deter from thoroughly enjoying this finely crafted mystery. The characters are very well depicted, and the scene is masterfully set for a series of unfortunate events unfolding in a elegant manner - almost too close to the cozy genre for my taste. If I should find any fault, it is that the twist and turns seemed just a bit too constructed for the enjoyment of the reader, instead of being logically fit into the storyline. This was also confirmed at the end where you can find a list of hints and tips to find solve the mystery called "the Cluefinder". It is very tongue in cheek, and just good fun but I feel it isn't beneficial to the book as a whole.
So yes, it is absolutely very atmospheric, but it lacked a bit of intrigue for my taste.
A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Head of Zeus and Aries Book and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2026
I really liked this cozy mystery, and I look forward to reading the earlier books in the series.
I was invited to read this book, and when I read the description, there was no way I'd decline the invitation. I love Golden Era mysteries, and this one was great. I loved the Cluefinder at the end. That was a wonderful touch, and I could read through it and pick out which clues I'd found and which I'd missed.
While reading the book, I wondered to myself if I'd failed to notice that it was part of a series. The characters seemed to have a history together, and I did not know all of the details. It turns out I was correct, and this is number five in the series. I was still able to enjoy the story and mystery.
Rachel is the main character, and she is clever and determined. There are multiple mysteries to solve, and she is able to get to the bottom of all of them. She also has a unique sense of justice, and she does not shy from taking it into her own hands. I was left a bit sad at the end when the final mystery was solved, mostly because the poor Basil was just no match for the wicked people surrounding him.
Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.
I was invited to read this book, and when I read the description, there was no way I'd decline the invitation. I love Golden Era mysteries, and this one was great. I loved the Cluefinder at the end. That was a wonderful touch, and I could read through it and pick out which clues I'd found and which I'd missed.
While reading the book, I wondered to myself if I'd failed to notice that it was part of a series. The characters seemed to have a history together, and I did not know all of the details. It turns out I was correct, and this is number five in the series. I was still able to enjoy the story and mystery.
Rachel is the main character, and she is clever and determined. There are multiple mysteries to solve, and she is able to get to the bottom of all of them. She also has a unique sense of justice, and she does not shy from taking it into her own hands. I was left a bit sad at the end when the final mystery was solved, mostly because the poor Basil was just no match for the wicked people surrounding him.
Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.
March 25, 2026
This was such a classic, slow-burn mystery and I really enjoyed getting lost in it. It has that traditional detective feel where everything is about the clues, the characters, and trying to piece it all together.
The setting was one of my favourite parts. Hemlock Bay feels like this beautiful, calm seaside town on the surface, but there’s definitely something off underneath it all. I loved how the story slowly reveals all the secrets hiding behind that perfect setting.
Rachel Savernake is such an interesting character. She has that slightly mysterious, very clever detective vibe, and I really liked following how she worked through everything. The mystery itself kept me guessing, with lots of suspects, twists, and little details to pick up on along the way.
I also really liked the whole idea of the predicted murder — it added an extra layer to the story and made everything feel a bit more intriguing as it unfolded.
It is more of a slower-paced read, but it really works for this type of mystery. It gives you time to take everything in and try to solve it alongside the characters.
The setting was one of my favourite parts. Hemlock Bay feels like this beautiful, calm seaside town on the surface, but there’s definitely something off underneath it all. I loved how the story slowly reveals all the secrets hiding behind that perfect setting.
Rachel Savernake is such an interesting character. She has that slightly mysterious, very clever detective vibe, and I really liked following how she worked through everything. The mystery itself kept me guessing, with lots of suspects, twists, and little details to pick up on along the way.
I also really liked the whole idea of the predicted murder — it added an extra layer to the story and made everything feel a bit more intriguing as it unfolded.
It is more of a slower-paced read, but it really works for this type of mystery. It gives you time to take everything in and try to solve it alongside the characters.
October 1, 2024
After the last outing for his sleuth Rachel Savernake, Martin Edwards has given her a holiday by the seaside - one with murder added, of course.
These books deliberately ape the style of golden age fair play detective stories - both in form and setting. The form is beautifully captured. The clues are elegantly laid out and the conclusions justified. Rachel Saverake does sometimes appear to make some implausible leaps in other books. Here the mystery is very fairly played - the clue finder explanation is largely unneeded; the downside is that an astute reader will be ahead at points and the main twist may be too easily guessed.
The setting is nicely drawn again. It is not flawless: a character uses the term ‘Art Deco’ but that. Is a much later term for the style; two women meeting on purely social terms are highly unlikely to have shaken hands in the period. That said, these are small complaints and more noticeable because otherwise the author shows himself to know his golden age milieu very well.
Entertaining stuff.
These books deliberately ape the style of golden age fair play detective stories - both in form and setting. The form is beautifully captured. The clues are elegantly laid out and the conclusions justified. Rachel Saverake does sometimes appear to make some implausible leaps in other books. Here the mystery is very fairly played - the clue finder explanation is largely unneeded; the downside is that an astute reader will be ahead at points and the main twist may be too easily guessed.
The setting is nicely drawn again. It is not flawless: a character uses the term ‘Art Deco’ but that. Is a much later term for the style; two women meeting on purely social terms are highly unlikely to have shaken hands in the period. That said, these are small complaints and more noticeable because otherwise the author shows himself to know his golden age milieu very well.
Entertaining stuff.
March 5, 2026
Another excellent Rachel Savernake novel! The first chapter hooked me and the intriguing storyline, fascinating characters and excellent writing kept me engaged all the way through. As always, the plot is complex and I was shocked by all the revelations. I never manage to figure any of it out! I enjoyed the inclusion of Basil Palmer's journal as well. I read this whole series back-to-back over the last twelve days (with one interruption to read a library book that came in) and loved every moment of it. I am so sad that there aren't any more to read yet! I'm not ready to leave the world of Rachel, Jacob and the Truemans. I am really going to miss spending time with them. Hopefully it won't be too long before the next one comes out. I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who loves a good mystery. Definitely start at the beginning though! Also, I wanted to say that the cover of Hemlock Bay is gorgeous and eye-catching. The designer did a great job!
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!
April 8, 2026
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Head of Zeus - an Aries Book, for letting me read and review an advanced copy of ‘Hemlock Bay (Rachel Savernake #5)’, by Martin Edwards.
Hemlock Bay is a luxury resort on the coast of England. When a fortune teller meets with a reporter to say a murder will be committed there, a cast of characters will gather there to see what happens. A man has set a resolution to kill a man who caused the death of his wife. An enigmatic artist and her friend are renting the repurposed lighthouse. Rachel Savernake, an amateur sleuth, and her entourage are renting a cottage. A private detective and the reporter are also in attendance. There is a death, but not one that could be predicted.
Since the local policeman isn’t too sharp, Rachel and her team must search for clues and find a killer. Then, there is a second death, a poisoning, and a suicide before the case can be cleared up.
This story keeps the reader engaged with a variety of characters, an interesting storyline, and several twists and turns along the way.
Hemlock Bay is a luxury resort on the coast of England. When a fortune teller meets with a reporter to say a murder will be committed there, a cast of characters will gather there to see what happens. A man has set a resolution to kill a man who caused the death of his wife. An enigmatic artist and her friend are renting the repurposed lighthouse. Rachel Savernake, an amateur sleuth, and her entourage are renting a cottage. A private detective and the reporter are also in attendance. There is a death, but not one that could be predicted.
Since the local policeman isn’t too sharp, Rachel and her team must search for clues and find a killer. Then, there is a second death, a poisoning, and a suicide before the case can be cleared up.
This story keeps the reader engaged with a variety of characters, an interesting storyline, and several twists and turns along the way.
June 24, 2024
Basil Palmer wants to kill a man he doesn’t know. A pools winning dock worker kill’s himself at Hemlock Bay. A fortune teller foresees a death at the seaside resort and approaches the Clarion newspaper. Flint, the journalist, shares the deathly premonition with Rachel Savernake. She has, coincidentally, just bought a painting of the lighthouse in the bay. They decide it may be worth investigating and travel to Hemlock Bay.
This is a 1930s set mystery, which took time to really get started for me. I hadn’t realised it was the fifth book in a series, and as such I felt at times like I was missing something. There were so many characters introduced, who I presume were in previous novels, whose relationships were initially unclear. The mystery is very much in the style of an Agatha Christie, with an amateur sleuth and a gathering of all parties at the denouement to reveal whodunnit. It was a well plotted, enjoyable read.
This is a 1930s set mystery, which took time to really get started for me. I hadn’t realised it was the fifth book in a series, and as such I felt at times like I was missing something. There were so many characters introduced, who I presume were in previous novels, whose relationships were initially unclear. The mystery is very much in the style of an Agatha Christie, with an amateur sleuth and a gathering of all parties at the denouement to reveal whodunnit. It was a well plotted, enjoyable read.
November 6, 2024
Mild-mannered accountant Basil Palmer is determined to kill the man he holds responsible for his wife's death so he adopts a disguise and moves to Hemlock Bay, an up and coming seaside resort. Rachel Savernake is also in Hemlock Bay, she has bought a painting by an artist based there and her interest has been piqued by the reports of one suspicious death and another predicted. All this death is bringing notoriety to the area and only Rachel seems able to get to the answers.
This is the fifth book in the series and is the first I have picked up, mainly due to the beautiful cover artwork! It took me a while to get into the story due to the cadences of the writing and not having the prior knowledge of the character. However, once deep into the narrative I found myself hooked by the period detail and the genuine homage to the Golden Age of crime writing. I got most of the plot but a couple of twists were a surprise to me and it's very clever.
This is the fifth book in the series and is the first I have picked up, mainly due to the beautiful cover artwork! It took me a while to get into the story due to the cadences of the writing and not having the prior knowledge of the character. However, once deep into the narrative I found myself hooked by the period detail and the genuine homage to the Golden Age of crime writing. I got most of the plot but a couple of twists were a surprise to me and it's very clever.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews