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A Curiously Convenient Demise
The higher the bid, the heavier the price.
Summerview Secondary School is holding its annual charity auction. Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker are on hand to prepare delicious baked goods for the big day with the assistance of Clementine's mysterious sister, Maria.
As the auction begins, chaos erupts when Eleanor Black, the owner of Dewstow Museum, is found murdered in the stage storeroom. Maria has vanished. Her fingerprints cover the crime scene.
Clementine refuses to believe her sister is capable of murder and is sure they need to widen the search Eleanor has a long list of enemies. Old grudges resurface and hidden motives come to light. Only one thing is certain; Dewstow is a town full of secrets, and someone will kill to keep them.
A cosy crime novel full of charm and wit, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, J.M Hall and Fiona Leitch.
Summerview Secondary School is holding its annual charity auction. Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker are on hand to prepare delicious baked goods for the big day with the assistance of Clementine's mysterious sister, Maria.
As the auction begins, chaos erupts when Eleanor Black, the owner of Dewstow Museum, is found murdered in the stage storeroom. Maria has vanished. Her fingerprints cover the crime scene.
Clementine refuses to believe her sister is capable of murder and is sure they need to widen the search Eleanor has a long list of enemies. Old grudges resurface and hidden motives come to light. Only one thing is certain; Dewstow is a town full of secrets, and someone will kill to keep them.
A cosy crime novel full of charm and wit, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, J.M Hall and Fiona Leitch.
261 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2025
17 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 7, 2026
My friends are back! It's really rather inconvenient how there had been no murders and now that they're close to retiring, there's one murder after another! I was almost worried that under Rose's tight ruling, that school would be the safest place in town.
I've seen people complain that the dinner ladies miss clues or ignore them but these are amateurs doing police work and that's exactly how it feels. They're just a couple old dinner ladies trying to bring justice, they can barely operate a phone, don't be mean to them!
I really enjoy that the whole team is always involved, including Rose. I love how dramatic she is and how their relationship has evolved, especially when I remember the first book.
I was a bit annoyed with the conflict between Clementine and Margery, I didn't like them arguing or not talking, it seemed a bit silly. I have to admit that the whole ordeal with the fakes was a bit confusing, I got a bit lost in who swapped which vase for which one.
I do wish I could see the play the school put on tho, that would have been fun!
This was the first book in the series I actually read, I'd only listened to audiobooks so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy it as much but I did. I could hear the narrator in my head doing different voices for each character.
Did I read it right that we can look forward to 10 books? That's very exciting, I was a bit worried I would have to say goodbye to my ladies! Fingers crossed for another Christmas one!
I've seen people complain that the dinner ladies miss clues or ignore them but these are amateurs doing police work and that's exactly how it feels. They're just a couple old dinner ladies trying to bring justice, they can barely operate a phone, don't be mean to them!
I really enjoy that the whole team is always involved, including Rose. I love how dramatic she is and how their relationship has evolved, especially when I remember the first book.
I was a bit annoyed with the conflict between Clementine and Margery, I didn't like them arguing or not talking, it seemed a bit silly. I have to admit that the whole ordeal with the fakes was a bit confusing, I got a bit lost in who swapped which vase for which one.
I do wish I could see the play the school put on tho, that would have been fun!
This was the first book in the series I actually read, I'd only listened to audiobooks so I was a bit worried that I wouldn't enjoy it as much but I did. I could hear the narrator in my head doing different voices for each character.
Did I read it right that we can look forward to 10 books? That's very exciting, I was a bit worried I would have to say goodbye to my ladies! Fingers crossed for another Christmas one!
November 22, 2025
The dinner ladies are back in the seventh book in the series.
Summerview Secondary School is holding its annual charity auction.
Things take a dramatic turn when Eleanor Black owner of the Dewstow Museum is found dead and the main suspect is Maria .
Maria is Clementine’s sister , she disappears making herself look guilty , but is she?
Can the dinner ladies prove her innocence?
This case hits hard due to the personal connection to Clementine .
The writing is excellent as always and makes for an easy and enjoyable read .
Another great case .
Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo .
Summerview Secondary School is holding its annual charity auction.
Things take a dramatic turn when Eleanor Black owner of the Dewstow Museum is found dead and the main suspect is Maria .
Maria is Clementine’s sister , she disappears making herself look guilty , but is she?
Can the dinner ladies prove her innocence?
This case hits hard due to the personal connection to Clementine .
The writing is excellent as always and makes for an easy and enjoyable read .
Another great case .
Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo .
November 26, 2025
A small-town who dunnit. This wasn't my cup of tea though. I must admit this is my introduction to this series and this doesn't do well as a standalone, nevertheless I didn't find the story or writing compelling. I'm sure this would appeal to anyone who enjoyed the previous books, as the other reviews and ratings suggest; it just didn't do it for me.
I thank the publishers and Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I noticed a few minor language errors, but these might have been caught and rectified before publication.
I thank the publishers and Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I noticed a few minor language errors, but these might have been caught and rectified before publication.
September 21, 2025
Another fun adventure with the Dinner Lady detectives! I think the thing I enjoyed most about this book was it really made Clementine and Margery feel more real as they navigate a tough time in their relationship.
The supporting characters are as hilarious as always (Ceri-Ann being my fave) and the reveal at the end took me by surprise.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The supporting characters are as hilarious as always (Ceri-Ann being my fave) and the reveal at the end took me by surprise.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2025
A good story line. Love these dinner lady books.
November 18, 2025
Such a cosy series and this book did not disappoint, the 7th in the series and at this point it feels like home! I hope there are more to come
December 29, 2025
love it...want more!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews