A Gravely Troubling Discovery

Dinner Lady Detectives #5

by Hannah Hendy

The truth isn't the only thing that's dead and buried... Following recent changes to Dewstow's local police force, The Dinner Lady Detectives, Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker, have been warned off interfering in investigations. When a body is found under the school playground during building renovations, they have absolutely no intention of getting involved.

The pair are in need of money to pay for their new website though, and begrudgingly agree to help Mrs Redburn, who suspects her husband of having an affair. It's a simple case that couldn't possibly be a police matter. But when their investigation sends them stumbling into the middle of the playground mystery, it becomes impossible for them to stay out of the police's way. Can they get to the bottom of whose body is under the playground and uncover the truth about Mr Redburn, or will they end up digging their own graves?

A charming British cosy village mystery. Perfect for fans of J.M. Hall and Fiona Leitch.

Praise for Hannah Hendy and The Dinner Lady Detecitves: ‘Hannah is at the top of the tree of modern whodunnits. The characters, bar none, are real; the settings are glorious and the plots are devilishly clever’ Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants

‘Who knew being a dinner lady could be so dangerous - but so much fun?! With a plot that's twistier than school dinner spag bol, Clem and Margery are the only school dinner ladies guaranteed to give you belly laughs rather than indigestion’ Fiona Leitch, author of The Cornish Village Murder

‘Hendy is, by far, one of the very best cosy writers we have - and A Frightfully Fatal Affair sees her on sparkling form’ Jonathan Whitelaw, author of The Bingo Hall Detectives

‘Twisty, delightful, and laugh-out-loud funny. I fell in love with Margery and Clementine from the first page’ Antony Johnston, author of The Dog Sitter Detective on The Dinner Lady Detectives

‘I really enjoyed this - a terrific zesty look at the dark underside of a modern-day secondary school’ J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, LGBT, Cozy, Cozy Mystery

294 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker are the perfect protagonists for this cozy mystery series. I am not usually one for cozy mysteries, preferring police procedurals and more along that vein. There is something about Margery and Clementine, however, and the cast of Dinner Ladies that leaves you with this feeling of camaraderie and warmth, despite the grim subject matter. Overall, with each new installment of this series the quality of the storytelling has improved. Each new book brings more depth to the characters and their relationships. The plots have evolved to encompass more complex and twisty mysteries without unraveling into being too outlandish.

I will continue to tune in to this series to follow the Dinner Ladies Detectives on their adventures!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tiffeny Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

[Kcaroth1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gravely Troubling Discovery by Hannah Hendy is the 5th in the Dinner Lady Detectives series. While it was fine to read as a stand-alone, I feel like I did miss some of the backstory of the relationships, and knowing who people were. I would suggest starting from the beginning of the series.

There was a lot going on from missing people, murders old and new, possible affairs, an audit, etc. so I had some trouble keeping up with all of the players and the clues. It didn’t really matter though because the main characters were charming, and their escapades were hilarious. There was a golf cart chase that had me cackling out loud.

This was a fun, cozy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for providing the digital ARC.

[Daniel Dineen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when the whole dinner lady team and Rose get involved
Might be my favourite book in the series!

[Nicola Ferry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the last one currently in yhr series of the Dinner Lady Detectives.

[Annie]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

A Gravely Troubling Discovery is the fifth Dinner Lady Detectives cozy by Hannah Hendy. Released 1st Aug 2024 by Canelo, it's 268 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is such a fun continuation to a humorous and quick-to-read cozy series. The characters are warm and funny (they're cafeteria ladies!), intelligent and (mostly) practical, and the author has a deft touch with plotting and execution. After stumbling (literally) into murder investigations in the previous books, Margery and Clementine have -no- intentions of getting involved in another murder. Their carefully laid plans go awry when a mundane infidelity investigation ties in to another murder investigation, a body discovered during local playground renovations. The main characters are a F/F married couple, but that isn't over-emphasized in the plot. The language is clean, and the violence occurs off-page.

It's a village cozy and replete with the warm and slightly wonky eccentricities of village life and the inhabitants to be found there. The spelling and vernacular are UK English (flat, tyre, torch) but won't pose any problems in context for readers from North America.

Four stars. The mystery is self contained in this volume so it works well enough as a standalone read, but readers who read them out of order will experience some major spoilers for the interrelationships and development of the returning characters. The generally high quality of the series as a whole would make for a good binge/buddy read. Fans of Fiona Leitch, J. M. Hall, and Peter Boland will find this one a fun romp.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[boogleloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

2SLGBTQIA+ British Senior Sleuth Cozy Mystery about a married Welsh FF couple who find that their new cheating husband case might be connected to a body found buried under the school playground.

5/5 stars: Hendy's a favorite author and doesn't disappoint with this fifth entry in the Dinner Lady Detectives series, which is a 2SLGBTQIA+ British Senior Sleuth Cozy Mystery that's set in a quaint Welsh village and features a sixty-something married couple who cook and serve lunch at a secondary school's canteen. Hendy has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, Hendy's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's great to catch back up with Margery and Clementine, their school and kitchen crew colleagues and the folks of Dewstow. I love how the cast of characters is quirky, diverse and well just plain lovely. I also very much appreciate how Hendy tackles with the couples mental and physical consequences from their previous cases. Hendy does touch on some sensitive subjects, so take care and check the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you might encounter spoilers for previous entries and you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, .

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Canelo in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

[Kristine Booksandstuff123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

'A Gravely Troubling Discovery' by Hannah Hendy.

The truth isn't the only thing that's dead and buried...
Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker have been warned not to interfere in any more police investigations. When a body is found under Summerview School's playground during renovations, they have absolutely no intention of getting involved.
Instead, the pair agree to help Mrs Redburn, who suspects her husband of having an affair. But when their sleuthing sends them stumbling into the middle of the playground mystery, staying out of the police's way is impossible.
Can the Dinner Lady Detectives uncover the truth about the body, and solve Mrs Redburn's case, or will they end up digging their own graves?
I might be a bit biased because I love this series but this is a reay enjoyable book. I really had no idea who it was going to be so it kept me guessing right till the end. I love Margery and Clementine and how they always manage to get themselves into trouble...like modern day Jessica Fletchers.
I like that this book gave a bit more insight into the rest of the dinnerladies. I'm still a massive fan of Rose and in particular her relationship with Seren.
For anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries and cosy crime please give this series a read. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGallery UK, the publishers and the author for letting me read a copy in return for an honest review.

[Christian Augensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

A heads up to any new reader of the “Dinner Lady Detectives”! 🕵️ When I first started reading this book, I was very confused about the plot and the characters. When I realized that I was the fifth book in the series, I went back and started reading the books in order, which made reading “A Gravely Troubling Discovery” a much better experience!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked Margery and Clementine from the first page of the first book, and they continue to be silly, funny, caring, and adventurous in this book as well. Their relationship, their friends, and their adventures makes “A Gravely Troubling Discovery” a suspenseful, yet cozy read. Hannah Hendy does a great job of balancing character development and plot, making sure to give Margery and Clementine a rich personal life, but not spending so much time on this aspect that it becomes boring or takes the focus away from the mystery.

There are times when the pacing could have been a little quicker, and I found that the multiple “Billy Blacks” (grandfather and grandson) + the mistake (?) in chapter 23 when Clementine says she suspects that Don killed Evelyn, makes the plot a little confusing towards the end. These do not take away from what is still a very comforting, suspenseful, and funny mystery!

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of the dinner lady detectives series since The Dinner Lady Detectives came out, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on A Gravely Troubling Discovery.

This time around, Margery and Clementine are investigating a possible affair when bodies start popping up.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Margery and Clementine are excellent characters, ordinary people who keep getting caught up in murder investigations thanks to their propensity for suddenly doing unwise things! Their antics do make me laugh sometimes. I love the rest of the dinner ladies and friends too.

The mystery was an interesting one this time, involving events in the past, as well as current ones. I had a great time picking up clues and trying to work out what was going on, alongside Margery and Clementine. And the pace of events definitely made it difficult to put the book down, especially towards the end.

Overall, this was a fun and well paced mystery with characters that have become well loved favourites. I can’t wait to see what the dinner lady detectives get up to next!

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to net gallery for this arc. I really enjoyed this book it was so good to be back with Clementine and Margery I just love how these two always get caught up in the middle of the murder that happens. I really liked this story as they was so many twists and turns though out the whole book. I was sure about the ending though as they were so many ways this book could have ending in my opinion. The new detective in this books isn’t very nice he is very rude and I don’t like that about characters in a book. The other characters all worked really well together and they all get on well together. I like how the author describes the characters and describes the way the murder is finally solved. I don’t know how many more off these books can be written to be honest as in my opinions it’s starting to drag on now. But I will keep reading Margery and Clementines books as the characters are what’s keeping me inspired xxx

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fifth instalment in the Dinner Lady Detectives series had me smiling from the start. I was back in the company of Margery and Clementine, and it was just what I needed. As expected, this was humorous and charming. There were some laugh out loud moments while I was reading, and this is a comfort series for me. I have so much love for Margery and Clementine, as well as their friends and acquaintances that I've also grown fond of along the way.

As usual, this was very light, easy reading, and I finished it in a couple of hours. If you are a cosy mystery reader, I would recommend the Dinner Ladies series, if you haven't read them already. If you haven't read the previous books, I think each book works as a standalone, so you may enjoy this one by itself. I would recommend the whole series though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gravely Troubling Discovery is the fifth book in the cozy detective series starring the dinner lady detectives. Margery and Clementine are now happily married and find themselves, yet again, involved in solving not one but two murders. Margery is now the kitchen manager of the dinner ladies in a secondary school in South Wales, UK. A school kitchen is a different setting than most mysteries but the author does a nice job including many of the school staff in her novel. This story has a rather drawn out plot involving the school's annual swim challenge with a rival school. The book moved a bit slowly for me and I feel could it could have used tighter editing but it was still a quick, easy read. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are on an another exciting adventure with the crime busting duo - Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker, Education Centre Nourishment Consultants they prefer to be called dinner ladies. The story begins with a skeleton dug up in the school playground. Of course, Marg and Clem say they won't get involved to the new police officer, Officer Wilkinson, who has taken over from Officer Thomas. The ladies take on a job for a Mrs Redburn, who suspects that Mr Redburn is up to something. Before long, Marg and Clem become embroiled with more than they bargain for. And so the adventures begin....It was well written and so descriptive. All the little details came together with a surprising conclusion with a side of humour! I highly recommend this book.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marg and Clem are the "dinner ladies" also known as the Education Centre Nourishment Consultants at the Summerview School and the bane of the local constabulary. The story begins with an unknown skeleton dug up under the school playground and progresses to a commission to check out the possibility of a local husband having an affair. The thing is, the story and its characters are just so much fun that it makes you laugh and ignore whatever reality there is of the day. Love it!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Canelo/Canelo Crime via NetGalley. Thank you!
#DinnerLadyDetectivesBk5

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with a coherent plot.

The story is fast paced. It gives the impression of being written at a fast pace too. A slow read through should have uncovered a number of narrative and grammatical errors. There appears to be some continuity and timing issues, particularly with reference to past adventures. I have read all the books in the series. The plot is cleverly thought through with several misdirections. The story is plot driven to the detriment of character development. The dinner ladies are the stars of the show; they should be allowed to shine. And, could Seren please have some good luck sometime? She is fast becoming my favourite character.

[Mia-Moo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as good as always.

The dinner lady detectives are back in full force.

A body turns up buried underneath the school playground, and with perfect timing to as the school is facing an external audit.

Margery and Clementine have their work cut out trying to help a friend work out if her husband is having an affair, whilst also trying to stay out of the murder investigation. As if that was going to happen.

With the usual school lunch rush, a body in the grounds, an external audit and a baby on the way any second for one of the team, the dinner lady detectives have a lot to sort before the Easter holidays.

Like the rest of this series, I would really recommend this book.

[Amy (Amy_justonemorechapter) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been lucky to read all the books in this series, so picking this one up was like coming home to the gang. Margery and Clementine had, in this book, quite a few events to deal with, it was great to read about them I felt the danger added more depth to the story. I felt like I knew the other characters from the Nourishment team better so it was good to hear about things going on in their lives. It was wholly entertaining reading about the different crimes going on and how they were solved and tied up together.

[Becky Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margery and Clementine and the other dinner ladies are back in A Gravely Troubling Discovery by Hannah Hendy. When a body is discovered under the playground they try very hard not to get involved, but when the case they have taken on as private detectives turns out to have a link to the body of course they get mixed up in the case. The trouble the ladies get in to is always fun to read and this book has them really taking things to extremes. As the fifth in the series, these just keep getting better and better.

[Rachael McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A GRAVELY TROUBLING DISCOVERY - HANNAH
HENDY - ARC
Book 5 in the lovely Dinner Lady Detectives Series. This series is an easy read, you don't have to really think about anything you can just read and enjoy. Perfect for cozy, quick reads. Read as part of a series and not standalones as there is information you will need from the previous books to know who characters are etc.
This whole series is funny and touches on subjects in such a light hearted way you don't realise until afterwards.
The characters are loveable and I throughly enjoyed this book and the rest of the series!
@rachaelmcreads

[Shaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another funny and intriguing mystery starring the Mrs Butcher-Bakers!

The plot was well paced and kept me entertained, and I love all of the side drama with the other kitchen staff, which is always funny.

A brilliant cosy mystery with a twist that left me guessing right to the end. Can't wait for the next one!

[Miki Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dinner ladies are back. They find themselves hired by Evelyn to find out if her husband is cheating on her.
Meanwhile the playground is being dug up to be relaid, but a skeleton is found and the Police are called. The ladies don't want to get involved but they have a happy knack of getting themselves involved.
Also trending is that the swimming trophy has gone missing. Are all these things connected or is it wishful thinking.
Read and find out.

[SalScamander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book. Even though I had figured out a lot of things before they were revealed, like Vivian’s situation, the culprit and mystery behind the letters and post cards, I loved the story and plot twist. The book was pretty predictable but it didn’t spoil the story at all. These books are very well written, I like the writing style and find the books in the series a fun read. I need the next one now!

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fascinating story in the dinner lady detectives series, I feel that as the books go on you are as invested in the minor characters including the kids who podcast as you are the main stars of the story, this is another excellent installment though full of twists and turns and more humorous moments, including a rather interesting almost heist 4.5* from me

[Dawn Probert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I do love the ladies of lunch so much. It was lovely to be back with the gang and see what mishaps and events they get up to now.
I’m so happy to have caught up with them and their jolly gang.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a prime example of why British Cozies are so enjoyable. A well thought out mystery with developed characters that you can’t help but like. Each entry is like a visit with friends. Friends who keep you on your toes and busy while you visit, but friends never the less.

[Donna Charlevoix · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light read about a couple who are local detectives in their small British town. For a small town they have a lot of murders! Didn’t realize it was a series and read this first - it stood on its own just fine.

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Theresa Dudley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again a good read. Looking forward to the next one

[Fally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite of the series but still good