Tensions are rising in the run up to the island event of the year—the Vik Show. Not only has the secret recipe for Mrs Hay's peppermint slices been stolen, but someone has had the bad manners to leave a dead body in the distillery. And what does any of this have to do with the disappearance of Elsie the librarian?
A perfect storm of past secrets and political conspiracy is brewing, and it's up to the local weight-loss group, Losers Club, to save the day.
As a child, I loved reading. I spent my life with my nose in a book and, when finally forced back into the real world, I wrote poetry and stories. My hero was Pam Ayres and all I wanted to be when I grew up was a librarian, so that I could be around books all the time.
Of course, life takes you on different paths. Somehow, writing poems and stories got lost along the way. I was too busy partying in London through my twenties then being a mum through my thirties and forties. But on an August morning in 2018, at the tender age of forty-eight, I decided to create a blog on Facebook. Ten minutes later, Growing Old Disgracefully was born and the love of writing came flooding back. Encouraged by my lovely readers, I finally got off my lazy behind, put fingers to keyboard and wrote my first book, The Big Blue Jobbie, then another, and another.
Once more, I have a head full of stories and I can’t wait to tell them to you.
Had I known this was a cozy mystery when I started, I doubt I would have selected it. I'm not a fan of the genre although occasionally I'll read one so I guess this was one of the occasions. I was in a hurry and didn't check the tags in Goodreads. The ones in Overdrive are pretty limited. Personally I find cozy mysteries a little too saccharin for my taste. This one was better than most. Yes there were quirky characters and the plot resembled a Swiss cheese for holes but it held my interest. A few things surprised me. There was more violence in this than is common for the genre. Likewise there was a lot of crude language. I'm not certain how cozy mystery fans would react to either. Still, this is the third book in the series so presumably most readers know what they're getting into. If you like the genre I think this is about as good as any.
Laugh out loud funny and a great mystery story. My ribs were aching reading this. Sad for the demise of a fantastic character but the bits with Timmy and his pride in his cherries had me falling about. And guessing what Jim would suggest to be inserted in his nether regions next is a great game. Have to finish this as I'm going to start the next book in the series. BRILLIANT
We’re back on Vik Island with the Losers Club at the centre of another murder to be solved. The mystery is cosy, the characters are quaint, the humour is rollicking, and the Scottish is thick. Fun read returning to familiar characters.
My only niggle…when the main character references reading the first novel in the series. It is a bit odd to see the author writing their own work into the script.
I love the losers club... it actually reminds me of a small town where I lived when I was "a wee bairn" myself. But on the other side of the world. Metlakatla Alaska. An island that was mostly a world unto itself. With unique characters. I love the stories.. please continue, and I will shut me gob.
The 5th star is the Angel’s Share. I’ll miss Elsie, but hope to learn more from the Loser’s Club and their roguish escapades. And Sargeant Wilson will no doubt soften up a bit. And what about the Hackers’ Collective? Will they remain on Vik? And who will be the librarian now? And what about the Foreign Minister?
I'll be honest, the losers club, the initial book, took me a while to get into. Having read it and laughed uproariously I read books two and three in a matter of days. I again laughed and I also cried. These books should be available on the NHS. They make you feel good.
This book will have you laughing along with the usual antics of our beloved Losers Club..and Sargeant effing Wilson lol..but it will also be a bit of a shock too..I'll say no more about that but be prepared for some serious emotional stuff aswell as an intriguing mystery or three....thanks once again Yvonne 5*
I’m really enjoying this series. I haven’t laughed out loud while reading a book in some time. The author is really verra guid with putting authentic language in and some of the things this says just floor me. I recommend this series to anyone who is interested in a little mystery and a lot of humor.
You’ve read all 3 books then. And you laughed until your eyes and nose ran rivers and had to change your pants. Did you resolve the mystery before the ending? Getting the next one writ by the wee lassie?
I’ve read the three books in order and they are warm, funny, exciting and enjoyable. Looking forward to getting my hands on book 4. I would highly recommend this series!
This is really a very good story with so much action and excitement only equalled but the laugh out loud moments and dramatic and scary bits. Love Penny and Jim and Gordon and Fiona and Sandra next door and all the others. Looking forward to the next tale.
The humour is of the "laugh out loud" variety. There is nothing contrived about the plot. It all follows logically. The characters are a real joy to meet - even Sgt. Wilson.
Another good book in this series, which is best read in order to give you background. A small island, off the coast of Scotland….what could happen there? How about murder, theft, drugs and more murder. Fun without being gruesome.
Again some laugh out loud moments. Will the losers club find treasure. Will they find the murderer. what will happen to penny and Jim's relationship. Well worth the read if you don't mind some swearing.
These are so much fun to read. The ridiculous things these people do have me in stitches, using bin bags and shower caps, I imagine it and laugh. Thank you for the laughs. And please make Jim better soon.
Great characters and very funny. Good stories. I have liked these humorous "cozy mysteries" a lot. For this one, however, I find it totally unnecessary to kill off one of the core members of the group. That didn't add anything, and has put me off a bit.
I've read the first three books in this series now. The plots are satisfyingly twisty, good characterization, punny dialogue. A bit too much colloquial swearing in this one but it fits the characters. Heading on to book four.
What a gem this book is and indeed the series are. I wanna go visit Vik and meet everyone now. Full of characters you can almost see, and with stories you want to hear. Superb job Ms V.
Even with a sadness this may be my favorite one so far. I love these characters and desperately want to travel to Vik next time I'm in Scotland to meet them! Yes, I know it doesn't exist...
LOVE the fact it's based in my neck of the woods. These books have had me in stitches and made me laugh out loud every time. Reading my own tongue in a book is just brilliant. Keep on writing coz yer keepin this wifie affa happy!
I am enjoying the stories in this series and the townspeople. It is a bit bawdy so some of my friends wouldn't appreciate it but OK for me. I am rooting for Penny and Jim to get together, if they don't get killed first solving the mysteries!
I truly struggled to put this book, and the first two, down. I lost count of the number of times I was very nearly late for work, albeit with a big grin on my face.