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DI Beatrice Stubbs #4
Cold Pressed
Santorini. Turquoise seas, ancient ruins and beautiful sunsets.
And a woman thrown from a cliff.
The violent death shocks fellow passengers of the Empress Louise, a grand cruise liner packed with British tourists.
For newly promoted Inspector Nikos Stephanakis, the case poses linguistic and cultural problems. His request for assistance yields unexpected results.
DI Beatrice Stubbs, called in as support, flies to Greece. What with tension at home, the timing couldn’t be better. She anticipates a few days in the sun and a swift resolution.
But when an earlier death at sea proves suspicious and an elderly lady is killed in her cabin, terror spreads like contagion. Murder is aboard.
And someone has Beatrice in his sights.
From the Cyclades to the Dodecanese, Nikos and Beatrice pursue the killer and unearth a secret.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
And a woman thrown from a cliff.
The violent death shocks fellow passengers of the Empress Louise, a grand cruise liner packed with British tourists.
For newly promoted Inspector Nikos Stephanakis, the case poses linguistic and cultural problems. His request for assistance yields unexpected results.
DI Beatrice Stubbs, called in as support, flies to Greece. What with tension at home, the timing couldn’t be better. She anticipates a few days in the sun and a swift resolution.
But when an earlier death at sea proves suspicious and an elderly lady is killed in her cabin, terror spreads like contagion. Murder is aboard.
And someone has Beatrice in his sights.
From the Cyclades to the Dodecanese, Nikos and Beatrice pursue the killer and unearth a secret.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2014
174 people are currently reading
511 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Marsh
34 books178 followersAs a child, Jill read so obsessively she got kicked out of the school library. But her passion for words continued. She graduated in English Literature and Theatre Studies from the University of Wales and set up a theatre company. Since then, as an actor, director, teacher, writer and journalist, she’s worked in fifteen countries. She learnt something from each one.
Now, with her husband and three dogs, Jill lives in Switzerland, a country with four languages and mountains of new words.
She works as a language trainer all over Europe, collaborates with Nuance Words and Triskele Books, and contributes regularly to Words with JAM magazine. But most of the time, she writes. And reads.
Behind Closed Doors is the first Beatrice Stubbs novel, a European crime series set in compelling locations all over the Continent.
Now, with her husband and three dogs, Jill lives in Switzerland, a country with four languages and mountains of new words.
She works as a language trainer all over Europe, collaborates with Nuance Words and Triskele Books, and contributes regularly to Words with JAM magazine. But most of the time, she writes. And reads.
Behind Closed Doors is the first Beatrice Stubbs novel, a European crime series set in compelling locations all over the Continent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 13, 2022
I am loving this series! Beatrice is a great protagonist and the plots are intriguing. I also enjoy Marsh's gentle humor laced throughout.
April 30, 2015
Another competent DI Stubbs tale set in a warm country. This time the calm and clever female detective investigates the deaths of women of a certain age onboard a luxury cruise liner criss-crossing the Greek archipelago. As a pure gesture of political goodwill, Beatrice Stubbs, a well-respected Scotland Yard detective, is called in by the Greek authorities to investigate the death of a British eighty-year-old woman, who's fallen off a cliff at a beauty spot in Santorini. Everyone thinks it's a case of death by natural causes, until Beatrice and her young Greek counterpart, DI Stephanakis, start investigating.
Cold Pressed reminded me of Agatha Cristies' novel, Death on the Nile. The novel has the same quality of the luxurious surroundings hiding a raw desire to murder. The author here also has the same eye to detail, some of which turn out to be false and some not so. JJ Marsh keeps the readers guessing right to the moment when the killer(s) is (are) revealed.
But as well as a story about nasty happenings on a luxury cruiser, Cold Pressed is, just as the other Di Stubbs novels, about the complicated personal lives of the two detectives. We learn of the self-doubts of the young, newly promoted, Detective Nikos Stephanakis, and are given very interesting revelations into Beatrice's mind, and her relationship with Matthew, her long-term partner.
I read this book in two days flat, so all I now need is the next Beatrice Stubbs book, please Ms Marsh!
Cold Pressed reminded me of Agatha Cristies' novel, Death on the Nile. The novel has the same quality of the luxurious surroundings hiding a raw desire to murder. The author here also has the same eye to detail, some of which turn out to be false and some not so. JJ Marsh keeps the readers guessing right to the moment when the killer(s) is (are) revealed.
But as well as a story about nasty happenings on a luxury cruiser, Cold Pressed is, just as the other Di Stubbs novels, about the complicated personal lives of the two detectives. We learn of the self-doubts of the young, newly promoted, Detective Nikos Stephanakis, and are given very interesting revelations into Beatrice's mind, and her relationship with Matthew, her long-term partner.
I read this book in two days flat, so all I now need is the next Beatrice Stubbs book, please Ms Marsh!
February 1, 2015
JJ Marsh’s mystery unfolds amongst police rivalries, personal tensions and the closed, festering community of a luxurious cruise ship. Don’t let the luscious Mediterranean skies or the tastes and smells of Greece fool you - here be murder.
Good intentions, social inhibitions, thwarted wishes are all in Cold Pressed. DI Beatrice Stubbs is neatly paired with newbie Inspector Nikos Stephanakis in a fresh version of the police ‘buddy’ relationship as they investigate the deaths.
JJ Marsh draws her characters deftly and in three dimensions - enough to make them clear and engaging, but she doesn’t weigh them down with excessive detail. Marsh’s powers of observation shine through; we have all met people like these in our daily lives. And this, of course, is what makes the story so shocking…
For me, the multiple points of view were a niggle. I would have preferred two or three at a maximum, say Beatrice, Nikos and the antagonist. But I was hooked by the skilled prose and the clever plot which unwound tantalisingly and kept me gripped to the end. Recommended.
Good intentions, social inhibitions, thwarted wishes are all in Cold Pressed. DI Beatrice Stubbs is neatly paired with newbie Inspector Nikos Stephanakis in a fresh version of the police ‘buddy’ relationship as they investigate the deaths.
JJ Marsh draws her characters deftly and in three dimensions - enough to make them clear and engaging, but she doesn’t weigh them down with excessive detail. Marsh’s powers of observation shine through; we have all met people like these in our daily lives. And this, of course, is what makes the story so shocking…
For me, the multiple points of view were a niggle. I would have preferred two or three at a maximum, say Beatrice, Nikos and the antagonist. But I was hooked by the skilled prose and the clever plot which unwound tantalisingly and kept me gripped to the end. Recommended.
December 13, 2014
If you still have a low opinion of self-published books then I’m pretty sure you haven’t read JJ Marsh or her fellow Triskele authors. Anyone who’s done so will know they are as well-written and professionally produced as anything turned out by the big-name publishers.
And JJ Marsh’s fourth Beatrice Stubbs murder mystery is something special. It was picked as the editor’s choice in The Bookseller’s recent review of indie titles and I think the accolade is very well deserved.
Cold Pressed – great title – is a perfectly judged mystery featuring a number of killings on a cruise ship travelling around the Greek islands. While Marsh doesn’t minimise the horror of murder her writing is so stylish and effervescent, and the locations so beautifully realised, that the book is a joy to read.
Inspector Beatrice Stubbs has her demons, as must every series detective, but she also demonstrates an enormous relish for life (as well as for food and drink!). It was perhaps a brave choice to use a woman police officer close to retirement age as a protagonist, but Beatrice is enormously appealing. And, while she may not be obviously glamorous, neither is she immune to romantic dilemmas and, as the story begins, she is wrestling with an almighty one.
JJ Marsh has an amazing gift for creating delightful characters: each book is populated with several who could probably star in their own series. I’ve read all four Stubbs’ books and each time I leave the secondary characters with a pang of regret, yet in every new novel Marsh produces an equally attractive cast. Here the gorgeous Niko, in particular, more than makes up for the almost absence my favourite, Adrian.
Cold Pressed reminds me of the classics from the golden age of crime. The enticing settings of Christie, the stylish writing of Sayers, the clever plotting of Tey, but perfectly adapted for 21st century sensibilities. Highly recommended.
And JJ Marsh’s fourth Beatrice Stubbs murder mystery is something special. It was picked as the editor’s choice in The Bookseller’s recent review of indie titles and I think the accolade is very well deserved.
Cold Pressed – great title – is a perfectly judged mystery featuring a number of killings on a cruise ship travelling around the Greek islands. While Marsh doesn’t minimise the horror of murder her writing is so stylish and effervescent, and the locations so beautifully realised, that the book is a joy to read.
Inspector Beatrice Stubbs has her demons, as must every series detective, but she also demonstrates an enormous relish for life (as well as for food and drink!). It was perhaps a brave choice to use a woman police officer close to retirement age as a protagonist, but Beatrice is enormously appealing. And, while she may not be obviously glamorous, neither is she immune to romantic dilemmas and, as the story begins, she is wrestling with an almighty one.
JJ Marsh has an amazing gift for creating delightful characters: each book is populated with several who could probably star in their own series. I’ve read all four Stubbs’ books and each time I leave the secondary characters with a pang of regret, yet in every new novel Marsh produces an equally attractive cast. Here the gorgeous Niko, in particular, more than makes up for the almost absence my favourite, Adrian.
Cold Pressed reminds me of the classics from the golden age of crime. The enticing settings of Christie, the stylish writing of Sayers, the clever plotting of Tey, but perfectly adapted for 21st century sensibilities. Highly recommended.
January 11, 2015
After Behind Closed Doors, Raw Material and Tread Softly, JJ Marsh has once again excelled in the international crime field with the fourth in the Beatrice Stubbs series, Cold Pressed.
This time the author takes us to the idyllic island of Santorini, and the docked cruise ship, the Empress Louise. The brutal death of one the British passengers leads Inspector Nikos Stephanakis to request assistance and Beatrice Stubbs flies to Greece, hoping for a bit of a holiday herself. However, it becomes quickly obvious that the killer won’t stopped at one passenger, and Nikos and Beatrice team up to try and stop him before Beatrice herself becomes a victim.
The plot is brilliant, fast-paced and full of suspense, and had me turning the pages right to a very satisfying end. The author wonderfully evokes the cruise ship atmosphere of fear and paranoia, as well as the sights, tastes and smells of Greece, and I would highly recommend JJ Marsh’s latest intriguing crime thriller to lovers of intelligent crime fiction.
This time the author takes us to the idyllic island of Santorini, and the docked cruise ship, the Empress Louise. The brutal death of one the British passengers leads Inspector Nikos Stephanakis to request assistance and Beatrice Stubbs flies to Greece, hoping for a bit of a holiday herself. However, it becomes quickly obvious that the killer won’t stopped at one passenger, and Nikos and Beatrice team up to try and stop him before Beatrice herself becomes a victim.
The plot is brilliant, fast-paced and full of suspense, and had me turning the pages right to a very satisfying end. The author wonderfully evokes the cruise ship atmosphere of fear and paranoia, as well as the sights, tastes and smells of Greece, and I would highly recommend JJ Marsh’s latest intriguing crime thriller to lovers of intelligent crime fiction.
January 14, 2015
After Behind Closed Doors, Raw Material and Tread Softly, JJ Marsh has once again excelled in the international crime field with the fourth in the Beatrice Stubbs series, Cold Pressed.
This time the author takes us to the idyllic island of Santorini, and the docked cruise ship, the Empress Louise. The brutal death of one the British passengers leads Inspector Nikos Stephanakis to request assistance and Beatrice Stubbs flies to Greece, hoping for a bit of a holiday herself. However, it becomes quickly obvious that the killer won’t stopped at one passenger, and Nikos and Beatrice team up to try and stop him before Beatrice herself becomes a victim.
The plot is brilliant, fast-paced and full of suspense, and had me turning the pages right to a very satisfying end. The author wonderfully evokes the cruise ship atmosphere of fear and paranoia, as well as the sights, tastes and smells of Greece, and I would highly recommend JJ Marsh’s latest intriguing crime thriller to lovers of intelligent crime fiction.
This time the author takes us to the idyllic island of Santorini, and the docked cruise ship, the Empress Louise. The brutal death of one the British passengers leads Inspector Nikos Stephanakis to request assistance and Beatrice Stubbs flies to Greece, hoping for a bit of a holiday herself. However, it becomes quickly obvious that the killer won’t stopped at one passenger, and Nikos and Beatrice team up to try and stop him before Beatrice herself becomes a victim.
The plot is brilliant, fast-paced and full of suspense, and had me turning the pages right to a very satisfying end. The author wonderfully evokes the cruise ship atmosphere of fear and paranoia, as well as the sights, tastes and smells of Greece, and I would highly recommend JJ Marsh’s latest intriguing crime thriller to lovers of intelligent crime fiction.
January 11, 2015
Having read the other books in the Beatrice Stubbs series, I was looking forward to this one and I was not disappointed. Cold Pressed is slightly cosier than previous books but that’s no bad thing. Though there’s a different feel to the novel this time, there’s still plenty of action. I like the way we go deeper into Beatrice and Matthew’s affair in this book – which seems appropriate at this stage.
The characterisation is great, as always, and I’m very impressed at how the writer manages to differentiate so many old ladies – I was never confused as to who was who. There are great descriptions of a working cruise liner, too, which was obviously well researched yet didn’t feel intrusive.
With less tension in the working relationships this time – apart from one exception – the focus was kept on the crimes. A very good read indeed and a worthy addition to the series. Roll on the next one!
The characterisation is great, as always, and I’m very impressed at how the writer manages to differentiate so many old ladies – I was never confused as to who was who. There are great descriptions of a working cruise liner, too, which was obviously well researched yet didn’t feel intrusive.
With less tension in the working relationships this time – apart from one exception – the focus was kept on the crimes. A very good read indeed and a worthy addition to the series. Roll on the next one!
January 16, 2015
If you like Agatha Christie-type whodunnits you’ll love JJ Marsh’s Beatrice Stubbs novels. Marsh excels with her richly patterned, perfectly nuanced, cleverly plotted stories which grab the reader from the very first page.
Since reading Behind Closed Doors, the first Detective Stubbs novel, I’ve waited eagerly for the next... and the next... and the next. And let me tell you, I have never been disappointed. Once started these ’tec tales are impossible to put down.
This fourth adventure, the search for a serial killer on a cruise ship, is driven by Stubbs mantra ‘When we know why, we will find who.’ Her search is aided by charming Inspector Nikos Stephanakis, another great character to add to Marsh’s list of compelling fully formed personalities that bring such reality to her stories. Throw in the heavenly scenery of the Greek isles and you have a read that will not only satisfy, but engender a desire for the next... and the next... and the...
Review by JW Hicks
Since reading Behind Closed Doors, the first Detective Stubbs novel, I’ve waited eagerly for the next... and the next... and the next. And let me tell you, I have never been disappointed. Once started these ’tec tales are impossible to put down.
This fourth adventure, the search for a serial killer on a cruise ship, is driven by Stubbs mantra ‘When we know why, we will find who.’ Her search is aided by charming Inspector Nikos Stephanakis, another great character to add to Marsh’s list of compelling fully formed personalities that bring such reality to her stories. Throw in the heavenly scenery of the Greek isles and you have a read that will not only satisfy, but engender a desire for the next... and the next... and the...
Review by JW Hicks
February 28, 2019
A cruise ship in Greece full of elderly women. Two of them witness a man throwing a woman over a cliff. Inspector Nikos Stephanakis is assigned to the case - his first as an inspector. Since his English isn't great, he requests help and Beatrice Stubbs is assigned to go to Greece to act as his support. She figures it won't take long, and she can enjoy a short stay on a fancy cruise ship. However, as more women die, the case gets more complicated. Who is after these elderly women, and why? Nilos and Beatrice work well together, and refuse to accept the higher-ups attempts to close the case. They eventually unearth the motive, and come close to being killed themselves before they solve it. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Beatrice Stubbs books I've read so far (#s 1-4) and plan to continue with this series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but I feel that reading them in order gives you more insight into Beatrice's life and the people she normally associates with - her boss, her gay neighbor, and her lover.
May 6, 2021
Cold Pressed by J. J. Marsh 3/4/2021 Kindle
This is the fourth in this series that I’ve read and I learned enough about the characters to not confuse them. Each book gives us some new players and a different setting for Scotland Yard’s DI Beatrice Stubbs to operate. In this installment she is sailing around the Greek Isles on a cruise ship, on loan to the local authorities. Her chore is the death of an elderly English woman, presumed by most to have died by accident. Before that cause of demise becomes official, a few more deaths occur that are unquestionably murder.
Beatrice’s twenty-five year relationship with boyfriend Matthew continues to rock along, but gay neighbor Adrien is only mentioned briefly. Stubbs long term psychiatrist is a telephone call away.
As usual, the setting of this book is one of the pluses and the story line holds the reader’s attention. This is an entertaining read, not too pricey, so I’ll continue to recommend.
This is the fourth in this series that I’ve read and I learned enough about the characters to not confuse them. Each book gives us some new players and a different setting for Scotland Yard’s DI Beatrice Stubbs to operate. In this installment she is sailing around the Greek Isles on a cruise ship, on loan to the local authorities. Her chore is the death of an elderly English woman, presumed by most to have died by accident. Before that cause of demise becomes official, a few more deaths occur that are unquestionably murder.
Beatrice’s twenty-five year relationship with boyfriend Matthew continues to rock along, but gay neighbor Adrien is only mentioned briefly. Stubbs long term psychiatrist is a telephone call away.
As usual, the setting of this book is one of the pluses and the story line holds the reader’s attention. This is an entertaining read, not too pricey, so I’ll continue to recommend.
April 6, 2019
Throughly loved this book. I don’t review nicely nicely but this is a five star book. Our Heroine is smart, likable and obviously struggling with her own personal problems. With this in mind, it’s interesting how she deals with the relationships she has to winnow through to find the killer. Our Hero is young personable and very vulnerable yet is savy and definitely has real talent in his field. The characters were enjoyable and presented in a way that did not have me thumbing back to see who they were. As a whole it was a read that did not have me skipping endless inner dialogue or the blah blah filler that often happens to flesh out week stories weak characters. I will read with anticipation the next in series
September 8, 2019
Beatrice temporarily has a new partner and a new mystery to solve. Called to work as lead investigator in the death of a passenger aboard a cruise ship, Beatrice gets to work with a neophyte Greek Inspector, who ends up being a thoughtful and prescient partner. Beatrice has her own mysteries of the heart to solve, Nikos Stephanikis has a former colleague who troubles him, and the mystery surrounds the well meaning action of earler times which have gone awry. Another great Beatrice Stubbs book!
October 2, 2019
Disclaimer: I did receive this book free from the author via her Facebook group. I really enjoyed this book. Beatrice has trouble on the home front and decides that an assignment out of the country will give her space and time to think. You'd think by now that Beatrice would know that running away from her problems is never the solution. The on-going struggle with her inner demons is further complicated by a series of murders aboard a cruise ship.
April 14, 2021
I am really enjoying this series. One of the things I particularly like is that although the main character is in her fifties and clearly not a beauty, men are attracted to her intelligence and personality. The mysteries are interesting, but even more fun are the descriptions of beautiful European sites, fabulous food, and aromatic wines. I shall continue to read them, as they are a delightful escape during a personally very difficult time.
January 28, 2021
The descriptions of Beatrice's Hellenic visit are a joy as always in the terrific story. However, a series of murders onboard a cruise ship rather get in the way of Greek food, wine and culture.
JJ Marsh is so good at making characters feel instantly real which makes this mystery such an enjoyable read.
JJ Marsh is so good at making characters feel instantly real which makes this mystery such an enjoyable read.
November 1, 2017
Getting back to the "original" Beatrice Stubbs formula.
A good and fun read about a group of older women on a cruise to Greece who are targeted by a serial killer.
Beatrice has another young mind to warp - Good on her!
A good and fun read about a group of older women on a cruise to Greece who are targeted by a serial killer.
Beatrice has another young mind to warp - Good on her!
January 12, 2019
The fourth in this series and I have loved each of them. The writing is evocative and creates a mind view of what is happening. The characters are all finely drawn with all the human quirks one would expect. The flow of the plot is carefully calibrated. An excellent read.
February 27, 2019
I had high hopes based on all the great reviews but found this book only ok. The protagonist was likeable enough and the mystery plot had a lot of potential to be good but just developed haphazardly. Ended up disappointed and not likely to read more in this series.
June 3, 2019
A light read and not too bad. Enjoyed the setting in and around the Greek Islands. This is my first time reading this author. I will read the next book, number 5 in series, as I want to know what her personal decision is regarding her partner of 25 years.
May 18, 2021
This is the 4th book in the Beatrice Stubbs series and might be the best so far. The setting is Greece and on board a cruise ship. Elderly women on the cruise are dying. Is it murder or not? What do they have in common? It's a good one.
February 13, 2022
This was a satisfactory read. I liked the settings of Greece and a cruise liner. I like Beatrice, and Nikos was a good addition. I narrowed the murderer down to the same two suspects as Beatrice did. The ending was exciting.
April 16, 2025
Great read! When I saw that Beatrice was going to Greece I was less than sure that I would find it as good as the previous in the series. It was surely as good and the reader learns much more about the relation with Mathew, Beatrice's past and Adrian's present. I'll continue the series for sure.
December 30, 2018
I've got a new (to me) woman mystery author. Tricky enough story, not too bloody, and character development well done.
February 10, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyable! Really like this series.
June 19, 2019
Compelling, modern thriller, complete with unique but flawed characters you can root for. Plot has many twists and will keep you reading and wanting more.
September 25, 2019
Another good read in this series.
January 17, 2021
Not like cruises I've taken
Cruises shouldn't be like this. Beatrice doesn't do as well when she is this far from Matthew and Adrian. She is easily led astray.
Cruises shouldn't be like this. Beatrice doesn't do as well when she is this far from Matthew and Adrian. She is easily led astray.
July 1, 2021
A cut above the average murder mystery. 3.5 stars
June 19, 2022
Easy, predictable but enjoyable.
June 30, 2022
It's ... okay. Not super crazy about the main character, so that presents a problem.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews