Malicious Intent

Lily Larkin #2

by Hannah Ellis

Childhood prank, or dark intentions?

After successfully catching a killer, Lily Larkin has gained herself a reputation on the quaint Cornish island of St Mary’s.

But her plans to open an ice cream shop mean she doesn’t have time for solving mysteries. At least until a teenager turns up on her doorstep claiming he’s in danger and begging for her help.

When the boy disappears, he’s already given Lily a list of likely suspects.

While the police are convinced it’s all a childish prank, Lily isn’t so sure. Soon, she’s on a mission to find the missing boy and discover the truth behind his disappearance.

Is it a joke gone too far, or is there something sinister at play? Can Lily live up to her reputation and uncover the truth? And when the heat is on, can she solve the case alone or will she find herself enlisting the help of the charismatic local police constable once again?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Amateur Sleuth

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2024

About the author

Hannah Ellis spent many years working in childcare before deciding she'd like to write books. When she's not busy writing she likes to read, drink tea and eat chocolate. She also enjoys yoga and jogging.

Reviews

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was lighter on the mystery aspect and more about Lily settling on the island. I enjoyed her interactions with PC Fin and am looking forward to learning more about why he has been banished from London!
This was more of a teenage prank gone wrong than an actual crime solving that Lily did but it was a quick, light read.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I liked the previous book more 😅
The thing is, the plot involving teenagers wasn't as interesting as in the previous book, plus, there was more about Lily settling in her new life than the mystery itself. But, this won't keep me from reading the next book as I enjoyed following the pair of detectives in their whereabouts.

My thanks for the author and Booksirens for the free advance review copy, I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Smutty Professor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malicious Intent is a sweet addition to the Lily Larkin Mysteries series that blends the charm of a cozy mystery with a splash of suspense. Lily’s return to St Mary’s and her plans to open an ice cream parlour are quickly interrupted when a teenager shows up at her doorstep and claims to be in danger. What starts as a seemingly childish prank soon unravels into a mystery filled with twists and turns.

The small-town setting of St Mary’s is beautifully described with its vibrant cast of characters that adds warmth and intrigue to the story. Lily is resourceful, determined, and relatable- and her budding relationship with the local constable adds just a hint of romance to the story without overshadowing the mystery.

Some parts of the plot felt slightly predictable but the pacing and unexpected twists kept me engaged. The book has a great balance between the darker themes of the mystery and the lightheartedness of a cozy read which makes it a quick read for a relaxing afternoon.

Malicious Intent is a charming and easy-to-read mystery that left me excited for Lily’s next adventure. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her in A Poisonous Plot!

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great followup!

I'm really enjoying this series - it's well written, with compelling characters, a touch of possible romance, a lovely setting, and a great story and mystery.

Lily has moved to St Mary’s and is looking to open her ice cream shop. But then Rhys, a teenager, comes to her door asking for help, as he says he's in danger. Lily wants to help, and then he disappears. She works with Flynn, the handsome local officer, to figure out where he is and what happened. Lots of suspects, and lots of twists and turns before things are revealed

I was not expecting the culprit to be who it was.

This one actually had me sad at times and happy at others. Really touched my heart strings!

There's plenty still up in the air to be dealt with in book 3! Can't wait!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an ARC reader and this is my honest opinion. This is the second book in this series and I enjoyed it as much as the first. It isn't really necessary to read book one first, but, although Lily reflects on her backround in this one enough to tell the reader about her past, reading the first book gives her relationship with Flynn and the other residents of the Island more depth. The stories are easy reading, even though they do deal with some dark subjects. I found them both entertaining, believable yet still have an air of mystery. The descriptions of the island and the colourful, sometimes tragic, sometimes heartwarming characters who live on them are excellently written and a pleasure to read about. I'm looking forward to reading book three and how Lily's relationship with Flynn develops - among other things!

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily Larkin is the new owner of the ice cream parlour and as she is settling in a young boy turns up claiming that he is in danger and needs her help. When he disappears everyone is saying that it's just a childish prank but Lily is not so sure. Lily is going to get to the bottom of it and may need to enlist the help of the local constabulary. Such a lovely little cosy mystery and as I curled up under the blanket I tried solving the case with Lily. The likeable small town community make the story feel endearing and with just the hint of romance on the horizon. It was a quick read for me and I read it in a few short hours and I am already wondering what Lily Larkin will get up to and face in the next book.

[Ali W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malicious Intent is the 2nd book in the Lily Larkin Mysteries series which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It was an easy cosy crime read, which I read whilst Storm Darragh was causing havoc. Lily returns back to St Mary’s, ready to begin the daunting task of opening the ice cream parlour, but when a teenager turns up on her doorstep asking for help as he believes he’s in danger Lily can’t help but get involved.
A great array of interesting characters with an interesting storyline which kept me guessing I’m excited to see how things pan out for Lily and which direction her life will go. I’m eagerly awaiting book 3, A Poisonous Plot to be released.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun mystery set in a beautiful location. I saved this for a rainy Saturday afternoon and it was perfect: a twisty mystery with sad moments but nothing gruesome. I enjoyed the alternating narrators. A good portion of the book concentrates on Lily’s new life on the island rather than the mystery and at times she feels a bit like a fairy godmother to her new community.

I struggled with the author’s tendency to include a lot of adjectives and description that can cut into the natural flow of her characters’ conversations but that slipped away as the rhythm of the story picked up. All in all, a good lazy day read.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the series and is another enjoyable read. Lily is trying to settle into her new ice-cream shop, albeit with no furniture or any paint to get things started. At the same time, she meets a young boy who subsequently goes missing so Lily gets involved in her own investigation.

This was fun to read, not too long, and I am enjoying how Lily is slowly finding her feet and gradually is opening up to others. It's got a nice warm feeling to it and I like how her friendship is developing with PC Grainger and curious to see how her future as an investigator develops.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Valeri Sullivan (vsulvn29) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘If there was more crime, it’d be the perfect place to live.’

This is one of my favorite new series even if I preferred book one over book two. The chemistry between Lily and Flynn is fun and I’ve found I’m invested in that...friendship? Or will there be more? I can’t wait to find out. This story line dragged a little for me. The disappearance of a teen known for playing pranks after he’s approached Lily for help seemed just to be a distraction standing in the way of the real mystery I’m hoping she gets to investigate soon: the mystery owner of the ice cream shop and how they tie into Lily’s past!

[SusanH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malicious Intent is Book 2 of the delightful Lily Larkin cozy mysteries. It appears to take place about a week after the first book. Lily has not yet settled in her new home on a Cornish island, nor has she set up her ice cream parlor. A teenage boy shows up, claims he is in danger, then mysteriously disappears. Most think it’s a prank, but Lily is very concerned. She engages her new friends, including the police, to find and rescue the young boy. Enjoy this new installment of the series! With thanks to Book Sirens and Hannah Ellis for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second adventure of Lily Larkin's makes more sense than the last one and touches on a very sensitive subject, Family Issues. The characters, both main and supporting are more interesting and teenage angst as well as pranks are prevalent. The plot is straightforward and the teenager that came to Lily initially to prank her goes missing. The premise includes an old burial crypt the teenagers liked to congregate in, that the law closed off and gated, but the gate was found broken open and blood smeared on it. I definitely recommend this book.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Series

Lily Larkin has now moved to the Isles of Scilly and plans to open the ice cream shop but it needs a lot of time and money as well as energy to be spent on it. On her first trip she helped solve a murder and now everyone thinks she is a private detective. One day a young man appears at her door and begs for her help, he thinks he is in danger. Every one tells Lily it is a only a prank but when he disappears she cannot take it lightly and against everyone's advice, she starts her own enquiry. I am really enjoying this series, and can't wait to read the next book.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

pranks can backfire

Kids will be kids. But when one gets locked in an old burial site, Lily needs to investigate. She’d been pranked by this one and thought someone was trying to teach him a lesson. It goes much deeper than that, she will discover.

This is a better than average story. The characters are quite realistic, most of them likable. There are very few errors. I think what I like most about the story is that two people, each displaced for different reasons, find their places in a new home. As far as cozy mysteries go, this one ranks high on my list.

[Jim Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes a community

George Bush Senior once said that it takes a community to raise a child. I think Lily really likes the community response she experiences after moving to her new home. After moving to the island, she has been overwhelmed by the support and friendship of her new home town.

These British mysteries by Hannah Ellis are suspenseful and intriguing. The characters are well established in her books and as new characters are developed, they too fit right in.

I hope you enjoy the stories as the grow into a developing episode for the series.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the writing style, but the plot involved teenagers and wasn’t as interesting to me as the story in the first book. Lily’s adjustments to her new life were a big part of the story and it became somewhat repetitive. I enjoy Lily and Flynn, and the setting, enough that I will likely continue the series.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Vanessa-Ann Dowsett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Lily Larkin series, both of which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I do urge you to listen to the first book before this as the relationship between Lily and the police officer temporarily seconded to the Isles of Scilly and the tetchy relationship between the officer and his superior. Lily has the knack of working out the cause of mystery and mayhem. I highly recommend this book

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cornish cozy with plenty of the original characters and several new ones to keep readers entertained, this sequel is overall a lighthearted mystery with a small community fellowship. The MC is still growing into her new home and ice cream shop while moonlighting as a unintentional PI. The mystery part of the plot is a big switch from the first novel, but still easily readable and enjoyable. Looking forward to the next installment.

BookSirens Review Copy

[Krisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sequel to the first Lily Larkin book, Death on the Rocks. While I love her other books more, this venture into a cozy mystery was satisfying. It contains many of the touches that makes her writing so appealing and special. I look forward to reading more about Lily and the ice cream shop in the next book!
Thank you for the ARC!

[Katy Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the return to the Scilly Isles

Lily is a great character, Hannah has such a beautiful way of writing about a place that it brings it to life in the minds eye. I've been obsessed with visiting St Mary's since I read the first series based there. This is a great check in on the original characters with some really great new faces too.

[Aamira · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was pretty bland. The mystery wasn’t interesting at all and was very sophomoric. I thought there might be a romance between the two leads, but that wish was dashed when the MMC slept with a tourist. I hate that type of bait and switch. The characters were flat and not very engaging and the mystery was predictable. Thankfully I picked this up for free and it was a short book.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read the first book and although there was a few things I could have used context on I really enjoyed this story!

I found it to be very unique and engaging. I was hooked right away and loved the little twists and turns throughout!

[Marsha Kjoller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well plotted mystery and old friends

A well written book that shows not every mystery has to have a body. I was kept guessing "who done it" with good characterization. It was great to meet up with old friends from Scilly as well.

[Miss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly Recommended

This new series, Lily Larkin, by Hannah Ellis, is brilliant. Includes everything worthwhile to escape with. Characters, setting etc. I found the story-line refreshingly different; and will recommend this novel to all. Looking forward to book 3.

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read book one, but I am looking forward to reading the whole series. This book gives Lily and Finn more depth, and describes in more depth the other characters and the island itself. It was excellently written. I received this book as an ARC and am happy to leave a review

[RITA SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't read any of these books well what are you waiting for? I'm on number three now and really can't get enough. No blood or gore. But the storyline is great! The more of the characters that you meet on this little island the more interested you will become.

[Ann Bennett-Cookson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malicious Intent

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The authors writing pulls the reader in, and it is very well written. The characters are realistically developed. I look forward to finding out what comes next for the antagonists.

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good

Enchanting is a word I’d use for this book, with its charming and irascible characters, small island lifestyle and the rugged beauty described, it was all too easy to thoroughly enjoy this story.
It being completely clean was a joy.

[Sonia Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2

Another mystery for Lily Larkin and catching up with everyone else on the Isles of Scilly... can't think of anything better! Thank you Hannah!

[Charlene Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one a little better than the first one. Less predictable and a bit darker but still really fun. Looking forward to book 3!