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British Stately Home #2
Murder in the Grotto
Café-owner and divorcee Cara Shelley gets caught up in a deadly ghost hunt in this warm and engaging cozy mystery set in a quirky British stately home.
Forty-something single mother Cara Shelley is very content running the Happy Huffkin café in the grounds of a quirky stately home. But her daily routine is shaken up by the arrival of a guest at Tanton the flamboyant Lady Izzy, who has plans for an extremely peculiar celebration . . . and wants Cara to cater for it.
Ten years ago, Lady Izzy’s nephew, the former chair of the local ghost society, died after a ghost hunt in the Towers’ spooky subterranean grotto. Now, she plans to commemorate his life – and death – with a fresh hunt in the very same place.
But the morning after the event, Cara makes a horrifying discovery in the network of caves. Unless spirits can kill, there’s a murderer in their midst! Soon, the Towers is full of police, including the handsome but annoying DCI Andrew Mitchem. Can the irrepressible Cara keep her feelings in check and catch a cunning killer before she becomes the grotto’s next ghost?
A contemporary Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie – with a splash of Bridgerton! The British Stately home mysteries are gentle, very English cozy mysteries, peopled with engaging, eccentric characters and packed with red-herrings for the enjoyment of armchair sleuths everywhere.
Forty-something single mother Cara Shelley is very content running the Happy Huffkin café in the grounds of a quirky stately home. But her daily routine is shaken up by the arrival of a guest at Tanton the flamboyant Lady Izzy, who has plans for an extremely peculiar celebration . . . and wants Cara to cater for it.
Ten years ago, Lady Izzy’s nephew, the former chair of the local ghost society, died after a ghost hunt in the Towers’ spooky subterranean grotto. Now, she plans to commemorate his life – and death – with a fresh hunt in the very same place.
But the morning after the event, Cara makes a horrifying discovery in the network of caves. Unless spirits can kill, there’s a murderer in their midst! Soon, the Towers is full of police, including the handsome but annoying DCI Andrew Mitchem. Can the irrepressible Cara keep her feelings in check and catch a cunning killer before she becomes the grotto’s next ghost?
A contemporary Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie – with a splash of Bridgerton! The British Stately home mysteries are gentle, very English cozy mysteries, peopled with engaging, eccentric characters and packed with red-herrings for the enjoyment of armchair sleuths everywhere.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2025
11 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Amy Myers
136 books69 followersaka Laura Daniels, Harriet Hudson
Amy Myers was born in Kent, where she still lives, although she has now ventured to the far side of the Medway. For many years a director of a London publishing company, she is now a full-time writer. Married to an American, she lived for some years in Paris, where, surrounded by food, she first dreamed up her Victorian chef detective Auguste Didier. Currently she is writing her contemporary crime series starring Jack Colby, car detective, and in between his adventures continuing her Marsh & Daughter series and her Victorian chimnney sweep Tom Wasp novels.
Series:
* Peter and Georgia March
* Auguste Didier
* Tom Wasp
Anthologies edited:
* After Midnight Stories
Amy Myers was born in Kent, where she still lives, although she has now ventured to the far side of the Medway. For many years a director of a London publishing company, she is now a full-time writer. Married to an American, she lived for some years in Paris, where, surrounded by food, she first dreamed up her Victorian chef detective Auguste Didier. Currently she is writing her contemporary crime series starring Jack Colby, car detective, and in between his adventures continuing her Marsh & Daughter series and her Victorian chimnney sweep Tom Wasp novels.
Series:
* Peter and Georgia March
* Auguste Didier
* Tom Wasp
Anthologies edited:
* After Midnight Stories
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 8, 2025
This second installment in the British Stately Home Mystery series offers an intriguing setup. A ghost hunt in a Gothic grotto, a cold case from a decade prior, and a new murder that interrupts the eccentric event. There’s no denying the appeal of the setting and the cast of quirky characters, elements that every good cosy mystery should have.
However, while the concept is strong, the execution lacks focus. Much of the book leans into spooky atmosphere and ghostly suggestion, but this comes at the cost of real investigative depth. The eventual reveal feels abrupt and disconnected from the protagonist’s own actions, a key flaw for a mystery novel. It’s hard to feel satisfaction in the resolution when the sleuthing wasn’t what got us there.
Though the darker tone adds a different flavour, it also limits the lighter moments that typically give cosies their charm. The characters are colourful but shaded more toward the grim than the whimsical, and the series protagonist doesn’t seem to grow in any meaningful way. The inclusion of police protection for her felt oddly out of step with the book’s tone and genre logic.
What does still work is the setting. There’s a definite British feel to it all, and fans of shows like Midsomer Murders will likely appreciate the ambiance, even if the mystery itself lacks the polish to fully deliver.
Compared to book one, this entry felt like a step backward. I appreciated the effort to keep the mystery's premise fresh, but this time the path to the answer felt more like a stumble than a trail.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
However, while the concept is strong, the execution lacks focus. Much of the book leans into spooky atmosphere and ghostly suggestion, but this comes at the cost of real investigative depth. The eventual reveal feels abrupt and disconnected from the protagonist’s own actions, a key flaw for a mystery novel. It’s hard to feel satisfaction in the resolution when the sleuthing wasn’t what got us there.
Though the darker tone adds a different flavour, it also limits the lighter moments that typically give cosies their charm. The characters are colourful but shaded more toward the grim than the whimsical, and the series protagonist doesn’t seem to grow in any meaningful way. The inclusion of police protection for her felt oddly out of step with the book’s tone and genre logic.
What does still work is the setting. There’s a definite British feel to it all, and fans of shows like Midsomer Murders will likely appreciate the ambiance, even if the mystery itself lacks the polish to fully deliver.
Compared to book one, this entry felt like a step backward. I appreciated the effort to keep the mystery's premise fresh, but this time the path to the answer felt more like a stumble than a trail.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2025
Cara Shelley is happy running her café, the Happy Huffkin, situated in the grounds of Tanton Towers in Kent. Tanton Towers is the property of Max Farran Pryde and his wife, Alison, and Cara loves the quirky stately home, with its eccentric architecture. She knows that her contribution to making the Towers a successful tourist venue is appreciated by Max and Alison, however, she feels wary when she is invited for a meeting in the family wing of Tanton Towers, because she knows that Max’s aunt is visiting them. Cara is grateful to Lady Izzie, who advised Max and Alison to accept Cara’s proposal to open the Happy Huffkin, but she knows that her ladyship can be both eccentric and forceful. Cara’s instinct for trouble is correct. Lady Izzie announces that she is the honorary president of the Tanton Ghost and Phantom Society, and she is planning a celebration of their twentieth confirmation of a ghost sighting, to honour her nephew, Thomas Chalcott, the previous chair of the society, who had died of a heart attack, ten years ago, on the morning after an overnight ghost hunt in the grotto.
Max and Alison had thought that Lady Izzie was planning a grand dinner for the society members, and had summoned Cara to discuss the catering, but they are taken unawares when her ladyship announces that after the meal, they will hold an overnight ghost hunt in the grotto. The Tanton Towers grotto is one of the most spectacularly eccentric features of an architecturally remarkable house, but despite Max’s protests, Lady Izzie is adamant. At first Cara is amused by Lady Izzie’s determination, and she is looking forward to the first evening event the Happy Huffkin has catered. She is less happy when Max and Alison insist that Lady Izzie will not sleep in the grotto, and she pressurises Cara into attending at least the start of the ghost hunt in her place. Cara does not think that she believes in ghosts, but Lady Izzie’s request makes her shudder. Her fears increase when Lady Izzie reveals that she is convinced that her nephew had been murdered and she believes his ghost will appear to reveal the identity of his killer.
Despite her misgivings, Cara tries to find out about Thomas Chalcott and talks to the present members of the society. Lady Izzie assures her that everyone likes the chairman, Berowne Dyer, and Cara has to admit that he is very charming. However, soon she discovers that Berowne is a womaniser and that many of the society members are angry and resentful that Berowne, a comparative newcomer, ‘stole’ the job of chair from more established members when Thomas resigned.
The dinner and the start of the ghost hunt passes successfully, despite verbal sniping between the society’s members and an inflammatory speech by Lady Izzie. Cara feels relieved when she has overseen the start of the ghost hunt and returns home to her cottage for the night. However, in the morning she discovers that a violent death has occurred. Some time ago, when another murder had happened at Tanton Towers, Cara had helped to solve it, and she had started a relationship with DCI Andrew Mitchem, but when Mitchem was posted overseas the romance fizzled out. To her dismay, Mitchem has just returned from abroad and is the Senior Investigating Officer. All of Cara’s old feelings for him surge back, but she is unsure whether Mitchem reciprocates. Lady Izzie’s bulldozer tactics push Cara into continuing her investigation into Thomas Chalcott’s death, and Mitchem says he has no objection as long as she avoids the current murder investigation.
As Cara interviews the surviving members of the society, she is conscious of a constant fear that somebody is secretly watching her. Lady Izzie’s grand plan culminates in a ghost tour of Tanton Towers, led by Cara, who has been studying the ghost stories that abound around the historical house. At the end of it, despite Lady Izzie’s histrionics, Cara is relieved that her quest can be declared finished, but it seems the killer has other ideas, and Cara is in more danger than she realises.
Murder in the Grotto is the second book in the series featuring Cara Shelley, Andrew Mitchem, and the other inhabitants of Tanton Towers and the Happy Huffkin Café. This is an excellent addition to the series, with a delightful unconventional setting, an engaging cast of eccentric characters, and an ongoing relationship story between the two protagonists. Murder in the Grotto is an enjoyable cosy crime novel, which I recommend for anyone who enjoys gently-paced, quirky crime fiction.
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Reviewer: Carol Westron
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
Max and Alison had thought that Lady Izzie was planning a grand dinner for the society members, and had summoned Cara to discuss the catering, but they are taken unawares when her ladyship announces that after the meal, they will hold an overnight ghost hunt in the grotto. The Tanton Towers grotto is one of the most spectacularly eccentric features of an architecturally remarkable house, but despite Max’s protests, Lady Izzie is adamant. At first Cara is amused by Lady Izzie’s determination, and she is looking forward to the first evening event the Happy Huffkin has catered. She is less happy when Max and Alison insist that Lady Izzie will not sleep in the grotto, and she pressurises Cara into attending at least the start of the ghost hunt in her place. Cara does not think that she believes in ghosts, but Lady Izzie’s request makes her shudder. Her fears increase when Lady Izzie reveals that she is convinced that her nephew had been murdered and she believes his ghost will appear to reveal the identity of his killer.
Despite her misgivings, Cara tries to find out about Thomas Chalcott and talks to the present members of the society. Lady Izzie assures her that everyone likes the chairman, Berowne Dyer, and Cara has to admit that he is very charming. However, soon she discovers that Berowne is a womaniser and that many of the society members are angry and resentful that Berowne, a comparative newcomer, ‘stole’ the job of chair from more established members when Thomas resigned.
The dinner and the start of the ghost hunt passes successfully, despite verbal sniping between the society’s members and an inflammatory speech by Lady Izzie. Cara feels relieved when she has overseen the start of the ghost hunt and returns home to her cottage for the night. However, in the morning she discovers that a violent death has occurred. Some time ago, when another murder had happened at Tanton Towers, Cara had helped to solve it, and she had started a relationship with DCI Andrew Mitchem, but when Mitchem was posted overseas the romance fizzled out. To her dismay, Mitchem has just returned from abroad and is the Senior Investigating Officer. All of Cara’s old feelings for him surge back, but she is unsure whether Mitchem reciprocates. Lady Izzie’s bulldozer tactics push Cara into continuing her investigation into Thomas Chalcott’s death, and Mitchem says he has no objection as long as she avoids the current murder investigation.
As Cara interviews the surviving members of the society, she is conscious of a constant fear that somebody is secretly watching her. Lady Izzie’s grand plan culminates in a ghost tour of Tanton Towers, led by Cara, who has been studying the ghost stories that abound around the historical house. At the end of it, despite Lady Izzie’s histrionics, Cara is relieved that her quest can be declared finished, but it seems the killer has other ideas, and Cara is in more danger than she realises.
Murder in the Grotto is the second book in the series featuring Cara Shelley, Andrew Mitchem, and the other inhabitants of Tanton Towers and the Happy Huffkin Café. This is an excellent addition to the series, with a delightful unconventional setting, an engaging cast of eccentric characters, and an ongoing relationship story between the two protagonists. Murder in the Grotto is an enjoyable cosy crime novel, which I recommend for anyone who enjoys gently-paced, quirky crime fiction.
-------
Reviewer: Carol Westron
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
May 25, 2025
Book Review: Murder in the Grotto by Amy Myers
Rating: 3 Stars
I picked up Murder in the Grotto mainly because of its charming cover and the promise of a cozy mystery set in a quirky British stately home—something I usually enjoy. The story centers on Cara Shelley, a café owner and single mom in her forties, who’s happily running her little spot, the Happy Huffkin café, on the grounds of Tanton Towers. Her routine is disrupted when Lady Izzy, an eccentric and flamboyant guest at the Towers, enlists her to cater a very unusual event: a ghost hunt to honor her nephew who died there ten years ago during a similar spooky adventure.
What follows is a mix of supernatural vibes and murder mystery when Cara discovers a chilling crime in the underground grotto the morning after the ghost hunt. Enter DCI Andrew Mitchem, the local detective who’s both handsome and a bit frustrating, as he investigates the case. Cara finds herself juggling her growing feelings for him while trying to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
While I appreciated the warm setting and some quirky characters, I found myself struggling to get fully engaged with the story. The book introduces quite a few characters, which at times felt overwhelming and made it harder to keep track of everyone. The plot execution also seemed a bit scattered, lacking the tight focus I usually expect in cozy mysteries. Despite these issues, there were moments that kept me turning pages, but overall, it didn’t quite live up to my hopes.
So, I’d say Murder in the Grotto is an okay read—pleasant enough if you like your mysteries light and atmospheric but not quite a standout in the genre for me. Three stars.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Rating: 3 Stars
I picked up Murder in the Grotto mainly because of its charming cover and the promise of a cozy mystery set in a quirky British stately home—something I usually enjoy. The story centers on Cara Shelley, a café owner and single mom in her forties, who’s happily running her little spot, the Happy Huffkin café, on the grounds of Tanton Towers. Her routine is disrupted when Lady Izzy, an eccentric and flamboyant guest at the Towers, enlists her to cater a very unusual event: a ghost hunt to honor her nephew who died there ten years ago during a similar spooky adventure.
What follows is a mix of supernatural vibes and murder mystery when Cara discovers a chilling crime in the underground grotto the morning after the ghost hunt. Enter DCI Andrew Mitchem, the local detective who’s both handsome and a bit frustrating, as he investigates the case. Cara finds herself juggling her growing feelings for him while trying to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.
While I appreciated the warm setting and some quirky characters, I found myself struggling to get fully engaged with the story. The book introduces quite a few characters, which at times felt overwhelming and made it harder to keep track of everyone. The plot execution also seemed a bit scattered, lacking the tight focus I usually expect in cozy mysteries. Despite these issues, there were moments that kept me turning pages, but overall, it didn’t quite live up to my hopes.
So, I’d say Murder in the Grotto is an okay read—pleasant enough if you like your mysteries light and atmospheric but not quite a standout in the genre for me. Three stars.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
March 20, 2025
*thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc
all opinions are my own*
The premise sounded so promising but it fell a bit flat for me, to be honest. There were far too many characters for such a short book with the majority of them appearing once then disappearing just as quickly (under non-nefarious circumstances). Additionally, a lot of the conversations were a bit too convenient and clunky to feel real. Overall, it was fine but it may have benefited by being longer in order to convey the message and really get into the investigative side of things, rather than solely relying on dialogue to move the plot along.
all opinions are my own*
The premise sounded so promising but it fell a bit flat for me, to be honest. There were far too many characters for such a short book with the majority of them appearing once then disappearing just as quickly (under non-nefarious circumstances). Additionally, a lot of the conversations were a bit too convenient and clunky to feel real. Overall, it was fine but it may have benefited by being longer in order to convey the message and really get into the investigative side of things, rather than solely relying on dialogue to move the plot along.
April 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!
*all opinions are my own*
I always love a good murder mistery. Since childhood, its been one of my favourite setting for a quick read. It's really a must have for a perfect weekend at home!
'Murder in the Grotto' gives everything it was supposed to give. It felt a bit rushed at parts, could get a bit more development in some areas, maybe cut some dialogues from not so important characters, but overall was an enjoyable read. I liked the ending, my favourite part is always guessing the who-done-it and Jessa Grey delivered!
Overall I give it a solid 3stars.
*all opinions are my own*
I always love a good murder mistery. Since childhood, its been one of my favourite setting for a quick read. It's really a must have for a perfect weekend at home!
'Murder in the Grotto' gives everything it was supposed to give. It felt a bit rushed at parts, could get a bit more development in some areas, maybe cut some dialogues from not so important characters, but overall was an enjoyable read. I liked the ending, my favourite part is always guessing the who-done-it and Jessa Grey delivered!
Overall I give it a solid 3stars.
April 11, 2025
2.5 stars, rounded up for eccentric aunts.
This was a cozy enough read and it had a lot of potential. The plot was interesting. I enjoyed it enough for what it was.
However, the story fell short for me. I think so many characters packed into a short book really prevented them from being well developed and allowed many to fall into tropes. The conversation often didn’t flow and the story would have benefited from some refinement. Especially, the love interest which felt very tacked on as an afterthought.
Thank your NetGalley for providing this arc - all opinions are my own.
This was a cozy enough read and it had a lot of potential. The plot was interesting. I enjoyed it enough for what it was.
However, the story fell short for me. I think so many characters packed into a short book really prevented them from being well developed and allowed many to fall into tropes. The conversation often didn’t flow and the story would have benefited from some refinement. Especially, the love interest which felt very tacked on as an afterthought.
Thank your NetGalley for providing this arc - all opinions are my own.
May 5, 2025
This is the second book in the series was falls under the heading of a cozy mystery. The plot was interesting and I enjoyed it as far as the mystery goes. However it had so many characters packed into the story it really prevented them from being well developed and lots didn't really feel like they had to be there. The conversations didn't flow as well as they could have and the romance felt a bit of an after thought. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 7, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amy Myers for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder in the Grotto coming out May 6, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I haven’t read the first book in the series. I’m obsessed with cozy mysteries! I love that it was set in England. The supernatural aspect was interesting. I wasn’t expecting it in a murder mystery. But I enjoyed it. I would check out other books by this author!
I haven’t read the first book in the series. I’m obsessed with cozy mysteries! I love that it was set in England. The supernatural aspect was interesting. I wasn’t expecting it in a murder mystery. But I enjoyed it. I would check out other books by this author!
June 25, 2025
This series has such great potential....stately British home, the small village feel.... but falls a bit short. In this book, there are so many players that it took me until the middle of the book to keep them all straight. Cara the MC spends most of the book running from one place to another. It just seemed to be lacking substance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eArc.
August 8, 2025
Too much going over the same evidence and looking back on evidence of another unsolved crime.
It is a crime when it takes me a week to read a book of less than 200 pages.
It is a crime when it takes me a week to read a book of less than 200 pages.
December 30, 2025
Really slow and not interesting enough. I do not recommend, bit boring and not enough action to keep reader wanting more.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews