What do you think?
Rate this book
Murder on Line One
There's a killer on the airwaves … and they're calling for you.Darkness comes to sunny Sidmouth, when, unable to cope after a devastating tragedy, late night radio talk show host Edward Temmis is let go from his beloved job.
Cast adrift, his outlook is bleak – until he meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year. Well, nobody hurts his listeners and helping Stevie might just give him the purpose he needs.
When their investigation stalls, they enlist local estate agent Kim, with whom Edward had a doomed fling last year. Working together, they discover Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one of his listeners targeted.
But who is pursuing his ageing audience and why? And can Edward, Stevie and Kim get to the bottom of this mystery before it’s too late?
Cast adrift, his outlook is bleak – until he meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year. Well, nobody hurts his listeners and helping Stevie might just give him the purpose he needs.
When their investigation stalls, they enlist local estate agent Kim, with whom Edward had a doomed fling last year. Working together, they discover Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one of his listeners targeted.
But who is pursuing his ageing audience and why? And can Edward, Stevie and Kim get to the bottom of this mystery before it’s too late?
Paperback
Published May 1, 2025
133 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
April 19, 2025
2 Stars
One Liner: This didn't work
Edward Temmis feels adrift when he is let go from his beloved late-night talk show on the radio. He then meets Stevie, whose grandmother listened to his shows and died under mysterious circumstances. Edward finds his purpose and tries to investigate the case with help from Kim, a local real estate agent. Soon, he discovers that Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one among his listeners who died. Can he find who has been targeting his listeners and why?
The story comes in the omnipresent third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
Well, seems my inability to resist mysteries has put me in a tough spot this year. This is the third new mystery book that backfired.
The premise is pretty cool. Imagine a radio show host trying to solve the murder of his listeners, all of whom are seniors and mostly women. Amateur sleuths are fun, but not always.
I guess the writing style is the big question mark here. If you like it, you might enjoy the book more. I found it interesting in the first two chapters, but then my head started to spin, and oh boy, it did spin like a spun candy machine!
While I appreciated the themes of grief (loss of a child, grandparent, etc.), abuse, etc., I couldn’t empathize with the characters. It was hard to feel for the main character as well, and that didn’t help (at all). Some of the dialogue was odd, too. Was it British humor? IDK!
I decided to do what was needed and switched over to speed-reading. It helped some. At least, the plot started to progress. Still, this book should have been 70 pages shorter. You don’t need 400 pages for a mystery. There’s too much repetition.
The mystery is actually decent, but I couldn’t enjoy it much. I appreciate the topic even if the execution wasn’t good. The criminal was obvious, so I had to wait for them to catch up. There isn’t much sleuthing either. Still, when we get to the ‘why’ part, I’m disappointed. It can be better than that. I’m sure of it! While there’s a subplot, I could guess that one too.
One thing I did like about the book was the setting. The sea is an integral part of the place, so it does play a good role. The house on the cliff is also good and can be a metaphor for the MC’s life.
To summarize, Murder on Line One was a slow and repetitive mystery. I can see its potential, but it’s not for me. Those who like the author (he’s a popular journalist, I guess) might enjoy it more.
Thank you, NetGalley, and HarperCollins UK (HarperFiction), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #MurderOnLineOne
One Liner: This didn't work
Edward Temmis feels adrift when he is let go from his beloved late-night talk show on the radio. He then meets Stevie, whose grandmother listened to his shows and died under mysterious circumstances. Edward finds his purpose and tries to investigate the case with help from Kim, a local real estate agent. Soon, he discovers that Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one among his listeners who died. Can he find who has been targeting his listeners and why?
The story comes in the omnipresent third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
Well, seems my inability to resist mysteries has put me in a tough spot this year. This is the third new mystery book that backfired.
The premise is pretty cool. Imagine a radio show host trying to solve the murder of his listeners, all of whom are seniors and mostly women. Amateur sleuths are fun, but not always.
I guess the writing style is the big question mark here. If you like it, you might enjoy the book more. I found it interesting in the first two chapters, but then my head started to spin, and oh boy, it did spin like a spun candy machine!
While I appreciated the themes of grief (loss of a child, grandparent, etc.), abuse, etc., I couldn’t empathize with the characters. It was hard to feel for the main character as well, and that didn’t help (at all). Some of the dialogue was odd, too. Was it British humor? IDK!
I decided to do what was needed and switched over to speed-reading. It helped some. At least, the plot started to progress. Still, this book should have been 70 pages shorter. You don’t need 400 pages for a mystery. There’s too much repetition.
The mystery is actually decent, but I couldn’t enjoy it much. I appreciate the topic even if the execution wasn’t good. The criminal was obvious, so I had to wait for them to catch up. There isn’t much sleuthing either. Still, when we get to the ‘why’ part, I’m disappointed. It can be better than that. I’m sure of it! While there’s a subplot, I could guess that one too.
One thing I did like about the book was the setting. The sea is an integral part of the place, so it does play a good role. The house on the cliff is also good and can be a metaphor for the MC’s life.
To summarize, Murder on Line One was a slow and repetitive mystery. I can see its potential, but it’s not for me. Those who like the author (he’s a popular journalist, I guess) might enjoy it more.
Thank you, NetGalley, and HarperCollins UK (HarperFiction), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #MurderOnLineOne
April 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy in return for an impartial review. It seems everyone is trying their hand at a cosy mystery these days, spurred on by the meteoric rise of Richard Osman into assuming anyone can do it. Unfortunately, it is certainly not the case that they can!
There’s the potential for an interesting story here, and Vine sticks to an area he’s familiar with - that of radio. However, for a large part of the book, seemingly unrelated storylines meander around, struggling to develop and some of the actual writing verges on the ridiculous, particularly when it comes to the relationships in the book.
It starts well, but quickly falls away, only really picking up in the last 15-20% of the book. I won’t give away the twist but suffice to say that even I managed to work it out.
Perhaps another editor could turn this around as there is the nucleus of a good plot here, but as it stands it just doesn’t deliver. I really had to force myself to read at times, which definitely isn’t usually the case with this genre of book. The book is about substantially longer than it needs to be and it would have been better at half the length.
It’s also not sure what it really wants to be - is it a cosy mystery, a thriller or a romance? These different styles don’t work well together and in particular the romance parts are dire.
Not a book I could recommend I’m afraid.
There’s the potential for an interesting story here, and Vine sticks to an area he’s familiar with - that of radio. However, for a large part of the book, seemingly unrelated storylines meander around, struggling to develop and some of the actual writing verges on the ridiculous, particularly when it comes to the relationships in the book.
It starts well, but quickly falls away, only really picking up in the last 15-20% of the book. I won’t give away the twist but suffice to say that even I managed to work it out.
Perhaps another editor could turn this around as there is the nucleus of a good plot here, but as it stands it just doesn’t deliver. I really had to force myself to read at times, which definitely isn’t usually the case with this genre of book. The book is about substantially longer than it needs to be and it would have been better at half the length.
It’s also not sure what it really wants to be - is it a cosy mystery, a thriller or a romance? These different styles don’t work well together and in particular the romance parts are dire.
Not a book I could recommend I’m afraid.
November 30, 2024
I received this an an Arc from NetGalley. There is not a lot of things I enjoyed about this book. I found it really hard to follow and felt like it was way too long for a mystery book. I felt there was a lot of unnecessary information that made the story feel so long and dragged out. I wanted to DNF this book a lot while reading it but got to the end. Overall it wasn’t an enjoyable read for me, you may enjoy it but I personally did not.
August 23, 2025
A slow burner that rewards patience, ‘Murder on Line One’ by Jeremy Vine takes its time setting the scene, but once it finds its rhythm, it unfolds into a thoughtful and engaging mystery.
Set in a quiet coastal town, the story follows Edward Temmis, a radio host grappling with grief and guilt, as he’s pulled into a dark and unexpected investigation.
Though the early pacing may test some readers, the emotional depth and ultimately satisfying plot make it a solid debut with heart and intrigue.
Set in a quiet coastal town, the story follows Edward Temmis, a radio host grappling with grief and guilt, as he’s pulled into a dark and unexpected investigation.
Though the early pacing may test some readers, the emotional depth and ultimately satisfying plot make it a solid debut with heart and intrigue.
February 1, 2025
Until the opportunity to review this book came up, I didn't know that Jeremy Vine wrote books. After reading the synopsis I was eager to read more.
It will come as no surprise to learn that the backdrop for Murder On Line One is a radio station, and the central character, Edward Temmis, is the former host of a late night talk show. 🎙📞
The story is a bit of a slow burn at first, but when the pace picks up, that's when the fun really begins. With a series of elaborate online scams designed to part elderly ladies from their money, a murder and a disfigurement, not to mention the hit and run in which Edward lost his son, there's quite a lot going on in the little town of Sidmouth.
There's quite the cast of characters too, and all are likeable, especially Edward.
Despite the heavy themes, there is some gentle humour throughout, and it is this that made it such an enjoyable read for me.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
It will come as no surprise to learn that the backdrop for Murder On Line One is a radio station, and the central character, Edward Temmis, is the former host of a late night talk show. 🎙📞
The story is a bit of a slow burn at first, but when the pace picks up, that's when the fun really begins. With a series of elaborate online scams designed to part elderly ladies from their money, a murder and a disfigurement, not to mention the hit and run in which Edward lost his son, there's quite a lot going on in the little town of Sidmouth.
There's quite the cast of characters too, and all are likeable, especially Edward.
Despite the heavy themes, there is some gentle humour throughout, and it is this that made it such an enjoyable read for me.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
April 14, 2025
Grieving radio presenter Edward Temmis is in the thick of things!
Murder on Line One is a hugely entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what I got was an engaging mystery, threaded with a sense of justice and a concern for the downtrodden or the misfits in society. There’s also warm and humane humour, especially through Stevie’s direct speech, that adds an extra layer of enjoyment.
I found the plot both fast paced and intriguing and loved the hooks at the ends of chapters that propel the reader into wanting to discover more. Murder on Line One has a kind of mycorrhizal structure, with tentacles spreading within the local community, linking events and characters together very intricately. It took me a little while to settle into those links, but once I did I thought they were brilliantly executed; as was the manner in which the story was resolved. I loved the sense of small coastal town claustrophobia that is so clearly depicted too because it placed me there with the characters.
I thought those characters were excellent. The triumvirate of Edward, Kim and Stevie is brought together perfectly, so that the potential for future stories is set up and leaves the reader definitely wanting more. Their lives, their interaction, and the developing relationship between them, especially that between Edward and Kim, feels authentic, natural and realistic. I was incredibly convinced by the way Edward’s grief is illustrated because it has a resonant depth that is emotional and relatable. I found myself very moved at times as I was drawn into his back story.
Equally engaging, given one of the author’s day jobs as a radio presenter, is the self-deprecating humour surrounding Edward. His removal from the radio station, his need for approbation and his realisation that he has quickly become persona non grata, feels warm, humorous and sensitively handled.
Murder on Line one might, perhaps, be defined as cosy crime with an added edge. The themes threaded through the narrative are modern, authentic and only too prevalent in the real world. Obviously I don’t want to spoil the plot for others, but Jeremy Vine illustrates what could easily happen to any one of us, or to someone we know. With sensitive consideration of mental health, guilt, shame, and the impact of scams, there’s an understanding of human nature that permeates the story so that it is absorbing and thought-provoking as well as interesting.
If I’m honest, I never really have high hopes for books written by authors better known in other spheres, but here Jeremy Vine has confounded me. There’s very much a sense of him in the writing, there’s a wickedly clear understanding of the politics of radio broadcasting and, above all else, there’s a simply smashing story that is huge fun to read.
I thought Murder on Line One was totally absorbing, witty and entertaining. I thoroughly recommend it.
Murder on Line One is a hugely entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but what I got was an engaging mystery, threaded with a sense of justice and a concern for the downtrodden or the misfits in society. There’s also warm and humane humour, especially through Stevie’s direct speech, that adds an extra layer of enjoyment.
I found the plot both fast paced and intriguing and loved the hooks at the ends of chapters that propel the reader into wanting to discover more. Murder on Line One has a kind of mycorrhizal structure, with tentacles spreading within the local community, linking events and characters together very intricately. It took me a little while to settle into those links, but once I did I thought they were brilliantly executed; as was the manner in which the story was resolved. I loved the sense of small coastal town claustrophobia that is so clearly depicted too because it placed me there with the characters.
I thought those characters were excellent. The triumvirate of Edward, Kim and Stevie is brought together perfectly, so that the potential for future stories is set up and leaves the reader definitely wanting more. Their lives, their interaction, and the developing relationship between them, especially that between Edward and Kim, feels authentic, natural and realistic. I was incredibly convinced by the way Edward’s grief is illustrated because it has a resonant depth that is emotional and relatable. I found myself very moved at times as I was drawn into his back story.
Equally engaging, given one of the author’s day jobs as a radio presenter, is the self-deprecating humour surrounding Edward. His removal from the radio station, his need for approbation and his realisation that he has quickly become persona non grata, feels warm, humorous and sensitively handled.
Murder on Line one might, perhaps, be defined as cosy crime with an added edge. The themes threaded through the narrative are modern, authentic and only too prevalent in the real world. Obviously I don’t want to spoil the plot for others, but Jeremy Vine illustrates what could easily happen to any one of us, or to someone we know. With sensitive consideration of mental health, guilt, shame, and the impact of scams, there’s an understanding of human nature that permeates the story so that it is absorbing and thought-provoking as well as interesting.
If I’m honest, I never really have high hopes for books written by authors better known in other spheres, but here Jeremy Vine has confounded me. There’s very much a sense of him in the writing, there’s a wickedly clear understanding of the politics of radio broadcasting and, above all else, there’s a simply smashing story that is huge fun to read.
I thought Murder on Line One was totally absorbing, witty and entertaining. I thoroughly recommend it.
April 24, 2025
Darkness comes to sunny Sidmouth, when, unable to cope after a devastating tragedy, late night radio talk show host Edward Temmis is let go from his beloved job. Cast adrift, his outlook is bleak – until he meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year. Well, nobody hurts his listeners and helping Stevie might just give him the purpose he needs. When their investigation stalls, they enlist local estate agent Kim, with whom Edward had a doomed fling last year. Working together, they discover Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one of his listeners targeted.
This was a case of half listening to the audio book & half reading & I much preferred listening as the narrator brought life to the book. A slow start to the book & I think if I’d just been reading I would have given up but the narrator saved it for me. I think this book shows that there isn’t a book in all celebrities
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
This was a case of half listening to the audio book & half reading & I much preferred listening as the narrator brought life to the book. A slow start to the book & I think if I’d just been reading I would have given up but the narrator saved it for me. I think this book shows that there isn’t a book in all celebrities
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
April 11, 2025
Edward is still reeling from the death of his son when he is sacked from the radio station, but life really starts to fall out of control when Stevie shows up, saying she thinks he had something to do with her nans death.
Edward and Stevie along with Kim start investigating what happened.
There are a lot of characters in this book who get a voice, and I think that was to it's detriment, it was hard to follow in places and took me out of the story. The mystery itself was intriguing, although I did guess quite early on who the culprit was.
It was a solid cosy crime, but not one that will stay with me.
Edward and Stevie along with Kim start investigating what happened.
There are a lot of characters in this book who get a voice, and I think that was to it's detriment, it was hard to follow in places and took me out of the story. The mystery itself was intriguing, although I did guess quite early on who the culprit was.
It was a solid cosy crime, but not one that will stay with me.
November 28, 2024
I am new to Jeremy Vine, this is the first time I have read any of his books. Murder on Line One is a clever and absorbing mystery that mixes dark intrigue with the warmth of community bonds. With its unique backdrop of late-night radio and a protagonist whose life unravels only to find unexpected purpose, this book strikes an engaging balance between suspense and human connection.
The setting of Sidmouth, with its seemingly sleepy charm, serves as the perfect foil for the grim events that unfold. Edward Temmis, our protagonist, is a brilliantly drawn character—flawed, grieving and struggling with the loss of his radio career. His love for his listeners radiates off the page, making his quest for justice feel deeply personal and heartfelt. Vine’s exploration of Edward’s internal struggles adds depth to the story, making him a relatable and compelling lead.
The mystery itself is chillingly original. The idea of someone targeting elderly radio listeners is both heartbreaking and sinister, creating an undercurrent of dread throughout the narrative. Edward’s partnership with Stevie and Kim brings a dynamic energy to the investigation. Stevie’s youthful determination and Kim’s no-nonsense practicality complement Edward’s introspective nature, forming a trio you can’t help but root for.
Vine weaves a plot with well-placed clues and red herrings that keep you guessing until the final chapters. The pacing is steady, though it occasionally slows as Edward reflects on his demons. These moments, however, are touching and lend the story a depth that goes beyond its mystery elements.
The climax delivers a satisfying resolution while leaving room for reflection on the book’s larger themes of grief, redemption and the importance of human connection. Vine’s background in broadcasting shines through in the vivid descriptions of Edward’s radio world, adding authenticity and charm to the story.
Murder on Line One is more than just a mystery; it’s a heartfelt exploration of how we rebuild ourselves after loss, with a sprinkle of humour and a dash of romance to lighten the mood. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club series, this book will appeal to anyone who enjoys a character-driven whodunit with a unique twist.
https://featzreviews.com/murder-on-th...
The setting of Sidmouth, with its seemingly sleepy charm, serves as the perfect foil for the grim events that unfold. Edward Temmis, our protagonist, is a brilliantly drawn character—flawed, grieving and struggling with the loss of his radio career. His love for his listeners radiates off the page, making his quest for justice feel deeply personal and heartfelt. Vine’s exploration of Edward’s internal struggles adds depth to the story, making him a relatable and compelling lead.
The mystery itself is chillingly original. The idea of someone targeting elderly radio listeners is both heartbreaking and sinister, creating an undercurrent of dread throughout the narrative. Edward’s partnership with Stevie and Kim brings a dynamic energy to the investigation. Stevie’s youthful determination and Kim’s no-nonsense practicality complement Edward’s introspective nature, forming a trio you can’t help but root for.
Vine weaves a plot with well-placed clues and red herrings that keep you guessing until the final chapters. The pacing is steady, though it occasionally slows as Edward reflects on his demons. These moments, however, are touching and lend the story a depth that goes beyond its mystery elements.
The climax delivers a satisfying resolution while leaving room for reflection on the book’s larger themes of grief, redemption and the importance of human connection. Vine’s background in broadcasting shines through in the vivid descriptions of Edward’s radio world, adding authenticity and charm to the story.
Murder on Line One is more than just a mystery; it’s a heartfelt exploration of how we rebuild ourselves after loss, with a sprinkle of humour and a dash of romance to lighten the mood. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club series, this book will appeal to anyone who enjoys a character-driven whodunit with a unique twist.
https://featzreviews.com/murder-on-th...
February 21, 2025
Rating: 2.2/5
I am always a bit wary of reading novels by celebrities who have made their name doing something else. Occasionally they succeed in translating their skills into the new medium, but far too often I find myself disappointed and wishing they had stuck to their day job. Broadcaster, Jeremy Vine, is the latest to try his hand at it.
Wisely, the author sets the story around a working environment with which he is familiar. Lead protagonist, Edward Temmis, hosts a radio talk show, but following a traumatic life event, his boss decides that Edward's services are no longer required. Unexpectedly, Edward then finds himself looking into the death of an elderly lady, who had been a dedicated listener of his and his investigations take him down a path that he could never have envisaged.
Jeremy Vine is, without doubt, an intelligent man and his background as a journalist means that he has a decent command of the English language. However, the best writers of fictional drama have the ability to tell a story - and, sadly, Jeremy Vine is clearly not a natural storyteller. There is a half-decent plot contained within the covers of this book, but I found it a real drag on many occasions as I slowly ploughed my way through it. I would normally expect to finish a novel of this length in 3-4 days, but it took me nine days to read this one. There is an awful lot of repetition and treading of water. The book is about 50% longer than it needs to be and it would have been far more impactful with some committed editing. At times it reads like a cosy mystery, at others it seems like the author wants it to be something edgier. The differing styles do not sit comfortably together and have a grating effect.
Overall, although this is better than many celebrity offerings I have read, I hope that Jeremy Vine feels that he has scrathched the itch and satisfied his desire to write a novel, because I won't be rushing to read any more from him.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
I am always a bit wary of reading novels by celebrities who have made their name doing something else. Occasionally they succeed in translating their skills into the new medium, but far too often I find myself disappointed and wishing they had stuck to their day job. Broadcaster, Jeremy Vine, is the latest to try his hand at it.
Wisely, the author sets the story around a working environment with which he is familiar. Lead protagonist, Edward Temmis, hosts a radio talk show, but following a traumatic life event, his boss decides that Edward's services are no longer required. Unexpectedly, Edward then finds himself looking into the death of an elderly lady, who had been a dedicated listener of his and his investigations take him down a path that he could never have envisaged.
Jeremy Vine is, without doubt, an intelligent man and his background as a journalist means that he has a decent command of the English language. However, the best writers of fictional drama have the ability to tell a story - and, sadly, Jeremy Vine is clearly not a natural storyteller. There is a half-decent plot contained within the covers of this book, but I found it a real drag on many occasions as I slowly ploughed my way through it. I would normally expect to finish a novel of this length in 3-4 days, but it took me nine days to read this one. There is an awful lot of repetition and treading of water. The book is about 50% longer than it needs to be and it would have been far more impactful with some committed editing. At times it reads like a cosy mystery, at others it seems like the author wants it to be something edgier. The differing styles do not sit comfortably together and have a grating effect.
Overall, although this is better than many celebrity offerings I have read, I hope that Jeremy Vine feels that he has scrathched the itch and satisfied his desire to write a novel, because I won't be rushing to read any more from him.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
November 15, 2024
Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine:
This is technically Vine’s second novel and even on Socratic terms, it’s pushing the envelope. Edward Temming was the host of a lunchtime phone in, in Sidmouth, Devon till a family tragedy intervenes. Made redundant by his employer, Edward discovers a plot.
Well, I can’t really say anymore as it may ruin your enjoyment. Vine is an English eccentric and it’s a truly bizarre wedge of prose; with a surreal line in simile and metaphor. See also: the characterisations of women in this novel (which vary between traitorous/menopausal/libidinous) and a character later in the novel which I would consider to be transphobic.
Linking the narrative is a random chain of objects and events. These include variously: a catfishing scam, antique automata, a Scooby Gang of angry pensioners, an old episode of Columbo, the early Hitchcock ‘Rebecca’ and a computer hard drive filled with acid. No, I’m not making this up.
And although it is nice to see a real place (I should, know, my wife lived there) it is too overworked as a gimmick. Put it this way: if you don’t like it you can use it as SatNav to find your way round the South West. Sidmouth, a place where nothing happens on a daily basis is portrayed as a cross between 1930’s Chicago and millennial Baltimore.
It’s at least fifty pages too long and an editor should have ended the book in Sidmouth Costa. A series is planned. Less snark, more logic and sharper editing may improve it. It’s published by Harper Collins on April 25th, 2025 and I thank them for a preview copy.
This is technically Vine’s second novel and even on Socratic terms, it’s pushing the envelope. Edward Temming was the host of a lunchtime phone in, in Sidmouth, Devon till a family tragedy intervenes. Made redundant by his employer, Edward discovers a plot.
Well, I can’t really say anymore as it may ruin your enjoyment. Vine is an English eccentric and it’s a truly bizarre wedge of prose; with a surreal line in simile and metaphor. See also: the characterisations of women in this novel (which vary between traitorous/menopausal/libidinous) and a character later in the novel which I would consider to be transphobic.
Linking the narrative is a random chain of objects and events. These include variously: a catfishing scam, antique automata, a Scooby Gang of angry pensioners, an old episode of Columbo, the early Hitchcock ‘Rebecca’ and a computer hard drive filled with acid. No, I’m not making this up.
And although it is nice to see a real place (I should, know, my wife lived there) it is too overworked as a gimmick. Put it this way: if you don’t like it you can use it as SatNav to find your way round the South West. Sidmouth, a place where nothing happens on a daily basis is portrayed as a cross between 1930’s Chicago and millennial Baltimore.
It’s at least fifty pages too long and an editor should have ended the book in Sidmouth Costa. A series is planned. Less snark, more logic and sharper editing may improve it. It’s published by Harper Collins on April 25th, 2025 and I thank them for a preview copy.
May 7, 2025
Edward Temmis is a late night radio talk show host in sunny Sidmouth. He’s popular with all his listeners but unable to cope after the tragic death of his son Matty, he’s asked to leave. Finding work in a garden centre is all he can manage and life feels bleak and worthless.
But then he meets Stevie. Her grandmother, an avid listener of his show, died last year in a fire. Stevie is convinced the fire was no accident and asks him to help her investigate. Along with a local estate agent, Kim, they team up and discover that there’s a whole lot more to this than they originally thought. Embezzlement, blackmail and murder to say the least. Can this formidable trio find out who is the culprit?
This isn’t my usual kind of genre, but I’m a huge Jeremy Vine fan so I just had to read it. And I was actually very pleasantly surprised. It’s a bit of a slow burn, while the characters are built up and the scenes are set - and there’s a lot of detail. But this really captures the relationships between the characters and creates such a vivid atmosphere that you can really picture the drama unfolding.
There’s a lot of humour in here, which I didn’t expect.And juxtaposed alongside that is emotion, Edward is still reeling from the death of his son but the lighter moments ensure that the story isn’t too heavy. It also has thrills and tension and it also has a great whodunnit puzzle running through it.
Highly recommended!
But then he meets Stevie. Her grandmother, an avid listener of his show, died last year in a fire. Stevie is convinced the fire was no accident and asks him to help her investigate. Along with a local estate agent, Kim, they team up and discover that there’s a whole lot more to this than they originally thought. Embezzlement, blackmail and murder to say the least. Can this formidable trio find out who is the culprit?
This isn’t my usual kind of genre, but I’m a huge Jeremy Vine fan so I just had to read it. And I was actually very pleasantly surprised. It’s a bit of a slow burn, while the characters are built up and the scenes are set - and there’s a lot of detail. But this really captures the relationships between the characters and creates such a vivid atmosphere that you can really picture the drama unfolding.
There’s a lot of humour in here, which I didn’t expect.And juxtaposed alongside that is emotion, Edward is still reeling from the death of his son but the lighter moments ensure that the story isn’t too heavy. It also has thrills and tension and it also has a great whodunnit puzzle running through it.
Highly recommended!
April 24, 2025
Happy publication day 🥳🎉🎧
This was actually a huge surprise. Remarkably good.
A solid mystery. Jammed with warm, endearing characters, a horribly tragic backstory, the storyline plays out beautifully, I guessed the twists then doubted myself only to be right all along but I had a hell of a lot of fun getting there and that’s what really matters!
The narration by the author was good, but there were a few little sound quality issues that I’m sure will be corrected in time for publication 🎧
Huge thanks to Harper Collins audio U.K. and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
This was actually a huge surprise. Remarkably good.
A solid mystery. Jammed with warm, endearing characters, a horribly tragic backstory, the storyline plays out beautifully, I guessed the twists then doubted myself only to be right all along but I had a hell of a lot of fun getting there and that’s what really matters!
The narration by the author was good, but there were a few little sound quality issues that I’m sure will be corrected in time for publication 🎧
Huge thanks to Harper Collins audio U.K. and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
April 24, 2025
Murder On Line One is a brilliantly plotted, wonderfully layered whodunnit, filled with a quirky cast of characters and an intriguing mystery to solve. I always think 'writing what you know' is a brilliant approach for anyone writing a book, and Jeremy Vine's radio background makes for such an engaging, original concept here.
Despite the first half of the book having a slower pace, there was some excellent character building. Rich backstories, deep conversations and a splash of humour really brought everyone to life and I loved it. I was constantly theorising, but when those twists and reveals hit in all the right places, I still didn't guess the outcome!
It's an entertaining and absorbing read with surprises, laughs and emotion tucked neatly into every corner, but also has that tension, the uncertainty and that dark feeling that I crave from a murder mystery. A fantastic first book in this new series!
Despite the first half of the book having a slower pace, there was some excellent character building. Rich backstories, deep conversations and a splash of humour really brought everyone to life and I loved it. I was constantly theorising, but when those twists and reveals hit in all the right places, I still didn't guess the outcome!
It's an entertaining and absorbing read with surprises, laughs and emotion tucked neatly into every corner, but also has that tension, the uncertainty and that dark feeling that I crave from a murder mystery. A fantastic first book in this new series!
May 2, 2025
Find the full review at whatthebook.co.uk.
I have *loved* Murder on Line One. It's not exactly an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but prepare yourself for a gentle-paced whodunnit mystery and you're going to love every moment of it. The story centres on Edward, who has had a tough time lately: he's lost his son in a hit-and-run, and then his job as a beloved local radio host. He's at a loose end, then he gets a call from a young woman named Stevie. Her grandmother, a fan of Edward’s, has died suspiciously — and a letter she supposedly sent to him might hold the key.
Edward and Stevie, joined by Edward’s love interest Kim, become an odd trio of sleuths. What they uncover is much bigger than one mysterious death, and it seems dozens of Edward’s old listeners may be involved. Saying more than that, though, will spoil things for you! 🤐
Jeremy Vine has written believable, three-dimensional characters who you can't help but like. Edward is troubled but endearing, Stevie is loveable, larger than life and with an intriguing background, and Kim’s relationship with Edward becomes integral to the story.
Even if you guess the culprit (as I did), the mystery unfolds in a way that keeps you hooked. More 'cosy crime' than thriller, this is one to curl up under the blankets with. Brilliantly written, surprisingly emotional, and well worth your time.
My only criticism? I'm not a huge fan of the title - it's not all that reflective of the story. But don't let that put you off!
I have *loved* Murder on Line One. It's not exactly an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but prepare yourself for a gentle-paced whodunnit mystery and you're going to love every moment of it. The story centres on Edward, who has had a tough time lately: he's lost his son in a hit-and-run, and then his job as a beloved local radio host. He's at a loose end, then he gets a call from a young woman named Stevie. Her grandmother, a fan of Edward’s, has died suspiciously — and a letter she supposedly sent to him might hold the key.
Edward and Stevie, joined by Edward’s love interest Kim, become an odd trio of sleuths. What they uncover is much bigger than one mysterious death, and it seems dozens of Edward’s old listeners may be involved. Saying more than that, though, will spoil things for you! 🤐
Jeremy Vine has written believable, three-dimensional characters who you can't help but like. Edward is troubled but endearing, Stevie is loveable, larger than life and with an intriguing background, and Kim’s relationship with Edward becomes integral to the story.
Even if you guess the culprit (as I did), the mystery unfolds in a way that keeps you hooked. More 'cosy crime' than thriller, this is one to curl up under the blankets with. Brilliantly written, surprisingly emotional, and well worth your time.
My only criticism? I'm not a huge fan of the title - it's not all that reflective of the story. But don't let that put you off!
November 9, 2025
I’d give this book 3.5 if I could. I listened as an audio book, narrated by the author, and enjoyed it in the main. I felt there were a few holes in the plot and the characters were a bit too ‘made up’. A romping tale though and would bet there’ll be another book to create a series.
July 14, 2025
Great book - murder mystery with a happy ending
November 29, 2025
Jeremy Vine's debut novel "Murder on Line One" is an ambitious attempt at weaving together multiple crime threads into a complex mystery, but it doesn't quite reach the finish line as cleanly as it aims to. The novel has genuine moments of brilliance mixed with frustrating pacing issues that make it feel like watching an uneven thriller that works better in parts than as a whole.
The book's strongest element is its protagonist, Edward Temmis. Vine creates a compelling character whose personal tragedy, the death of his young son Matty forms the emotional core of the narrative. . This foundation gives the mystery real stakes because you understand why Edward cares so deeply about helping others when he himself is drowning. His character feels authentic in his brokenness, and you want him to find peace.
The opening chapter is genuinely gripping. . It's cruel and effective storytelling that immediately establishes both Edward's unstable mental state and the tragedy that shapes everything else. From that point, your investment in Edward's recovery makes you want to follow him.
Edward's interactions with other characters showcase Vine's strength in character work. His friendship with Kimberley Cobden, a real estate agent he knew years before, feels earned and genuine. Their banter has warmth without being forced, and their complicated connection, hinted at through careful prose adds emotional weight to their scenes together. The way they navigate their history while dealing with present crises feels like real people managing real relationships.
However, here's where the novel starts to lose its footing: the plot becomes increasingly convoluted and hard to track. . By the middle section, the narrative feels stretched thin across too many storylines.
The pacing is uneven. There are sections where the book grips you tightly, and then suddenly you're wading through expository dialogue explaining convoluted schemes. . The accusations feel like plot contrivance rather than natural progression. The book seems to forget that Edward was grieving his son during the timeframe when these crimes allegedly occurred, which both characters supposedly overlook or ignore.
Vine's strength is definitely in the smaller, character-driven moments rather than the big mystery architecture. Scenes with genuine emotional resonance, like Edward's late-night phone call with his ex-wife Tara, where she tells him he shouldn't blame himself for Matty's death are moving and well-written. These moments feel like the book Vine actually wants to write: a story about grief, connection, and human fragility. But he seems to have felt obligated to also deliver a mystery plot, and the two don't always work in harmony.
The secondary characters are inconsistently drawn. Stevie Mason, with her Glasgow accent, Tourette's-like outbursts that mix Bible verses with profanity, and her powerful blue eyes, could be interesting, but she often feels more like a mechanism to move the plot forward than a fully realized person. Agnes Chan, Edward's former boss, appears briefly but never really gets developed beyond being the woman who fired him for his on-air grief.
There's also something that bothers me about the book's treatment of its mystery elements. . The book builds these details as if they're crucial clues, but they dissolve without proper resolution. As a reader who needs mysteries to be fairwhere clues are given and a solution makes sense, this felt unsatisfying.
The writing itself is generally strong. Vine has a journalist's eye for detail and his descriptive passages, particularly about the seaside town of Sidmouth and the English countryside, are vivid and often beautiful. . These moments prove Vine can write compelling, immersive prose.
However, there's a scattered quality to the narrative structure. The book jumps between timelines and perspectives in ways that sometimes clarify and sometimes confuse. By the final section, you're not entirely sure what the central mystery even is anymore, or what problem the characters are actually solving.
What I appreciated most was Vine's willingness to sit with Edward's pain rather than rush past it. Grief isn't fixed in this book, it's cellular, as Edward thinks to himself. That's an honest portrayal of loss. But that honesty deserved a better mystery plot to anchor it, because right now the plot feels like it was bolted onto a character study, and the connection between the two isn't always smooth.
The ending feels somewhat rushed, as if Vine realized he needed to wrap things up and did so without giving all the pieces the weight they needed. .
My Rating: 3.5/5
"Murder on Line One" is a debut novel with real ambition and genuine moments of excellence. It's clear, Vine is a talented writer with interesting ideas. But this book feels like it wants to be multiple things at once, a character study about grief, a mystery thriller, a tale of fraud and crime and it doesn't quite manage to make all those elements work together. It's not a bad book by any means, but it's an uneven one. If you're looking for character-driven literary fiction about loss and connection, you'll find genuine substance here. If you're looking for a tightly plotted mystery that plays fair with its clues and delivers a satisfying conclusion, this might frustrate you.
I'd recommend it to readers who value character work and emotional authenticity over plot complexity, and who don't mind a narrative that gets a bit messy along the way. Just go in knowing it's more of a character exploration wrapped in a mystery wrapper than a pure thriller.
The book's strongest element is its protagonist, Edward Temmis. Vine creates a compelling character whose personal tragedy, the death of his young son Matty forms the emotional core of the narrative. . This foundation gives the mystery real stakes because you understand why Edward cares so deeply about helping others when he himself is drowning. His character feels authentic in his brokenness, and you want him to find peace.
The opening chapter is genuinely gripping. . It's cruel and effective storytelling that immediately establishes both Edward's unstable mental state and the tragedy that shapes everything else. From that point, your investment in Edward's recovery makes you want to follow him.
Edward's interactions with other characters showcase Vine's strength in character work. His friendship with Kimberley Cobden, a real estate agent he knew years before, feels earned and genuine. Their banter has warmth without being forced, and their complicated connection, hinted at through careful prose adds emotional weight to their scenes together. The way they navigate their history while dealing with present crises feels like real people managing real relationships.
However, here's where the novel starts to lose its footing: the plot becomes increasingly convoluted and hard to track. . By the middle section, the narrative feels stretched thin across too many storylines.
The pacing is uneven. There are sections where the book grips you tightly, and then suddenly you're wading through expository dialogue explaining convoluted schemes. . The accusations feel like plot contrivance rather than natural progression. The book seems to forget that Edward was grieving his son during the timeframe when these crimes allegedly occurred, which both characters supposedly overlook or ignore.
Vine's strength is definitely in the smaller, character-driven moments rather than the big mystery architecture. Scenes with genuine emotional resonance, like Edward's late-night phone call with his ex-wife Tara, where she tells him he shouldn't blame himself for Matty's death are moving and well-written. These moments feel like the book Vine actually wants to write: a story about grief, connection, and human fragility. But he seems to have felt obligated to also deliver a mystery plot, and the two don't always work in harmony.
The secondary characters are inconsistently drawn. Stevie Mason, with her Glasgow accent, Tourette's-like outbursts that mix Bible verses with profanity, and her powerful blue eyes, could be interesting, but she often feels more like a mechanism to move the plot forward than a fully realized person. Agnes Chan, Edward's former boss, appears briefly but never really gets developed beyond being the woman who fired him for his on-air grief.
There's also something that bothers me about the book's treatment of its mystery elements. . The book builds these details as if they're crucial clues, but they dissolve without proper resolution. As a reader who needs mysteries to be fairwhere clues are given and a solution makes sense, this felt unsatisfying.
The writing itself is generally strong. Vine has a journalist's eye for detail and his descriptive passages, particularly about the seaside town of Sidmouth and the English countryside, are vivid and often beautiful. . These moments prove Vine can write compelling, immersive prose.
However, there's a scattered quality to the narrative structure. The book jumps between timelines and perspectives in ways that sometimes clarify and sometimes confuse. By the final section, you're not entirely sure what the central mystery even is anymore, or what problem the characters are actually solving.
What I appreciated most was Vine's willingness to sit with Edward's pain rather than rush past it. Grief isn't fixed in this book, it's cellular, as Edward thinks to himself. That's an honest portrayal of loss. But that honesty deserved a better mystery plot to anchor it, because right now the plot feels like it was bolted onto a character study, and the connection between the two isn't always smooth.
The ending feels somewhat rushed, as if Vine realized he needed to wrap things up and did so without giving all the pieces the weight they needed. .
My Rating: 3.5/5
"Murder on Line One" is a debut novel with real ambition and genuine moments of excellence. It's clear, Vine is a talented writer with interesting ideas. But this book feels like it wants to be multiple things at once, a character study about grief, a mystery thriller, a tale of fraud and crime and it doesn't quite manage to make all those elements work together. It's not a bad book by any means, but it's an uneven one. If you're looking for character-driven literary fiction about loss and connection, you'll find genuine substance here. If you're looking for a tightly plotted mystery that plays fair with its clues and delivers a satisfying conclusion, this might frustrate you.
I'd recommend it to readers who value character work and emotional authenticity over plot complexity, and who don't mind a narrative that gets a bit messy along the way. Just go in knowing it's more of a character exploration wrapped in a mystery wrapper than a pure thriller.
February 25, 2025
From Scandi Crime to Outback Noir, and a recent Japanese crime translation mini-boom – all welcome trends exposing more readers to previously underappreciated areas of the crime fiction landscape – book publishing loves jumping on a bandwagon following a big hit. Recently, in the UK in particular, this has also sadly seen a swathe of ‘TV celebrity’ crime novels looking to ape Richard Osman’s lightning-in-a-bottle sales success.
Unsurprisingly, those results have been far more mixed, with many disappointing yet highly pushed celebrity releases, even behind-the-scenes testimony about ghost-writers, in some cases. Into that breach now steps BBC presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jeremy Vine. While Murder on Line One is his first crime novel, it’s his sixth book, after two comic novels in the 1990s and a couple of memoirs in the 2010s.
A solid British mystery that’s smoothly written, Murder on Line One sees late-night talk radio host Edward Temmis reeling from unspeakable tragedy in the coastal Devonshire town of Sidmouth. Adrift after losing his job, he’s enticed to investigate the death of one of his devoted listeners in a suspicious fire, teaming with the woman’s granddaughter Stevie, who has tourettes, and local estate agent and one-time fling Kim. There’s a charm and light touch to Vine’s writing which hides some deeper meditations on grief.
Smoothly written with several engaging characters, Murder on Line One is, for me, one of the better post-Osman celebrity crime novels. It should appeal to cosy and classic mystery fans, despite never reaching the heights of many richer examples of the genre on overflowing library and bookseller shelves. Still, I’d read more from Vine.
3.5 stars
This review was first written for publication in Good Reading magazine in Australia
Unsurprisingly, those results have been far more mixed, with many disappointing yet highly pushed celebrity releases, even behind-the-scenes testimony about ghost-writers, in some cases. Into that breach now steps BBC presenter and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Jeremy Vine. While Murder on Line One is his first crime novel, it’s his sixth book, after two comic novels in the 1990s and a couple of memoirs in the 2010s.
A solid British mystery that’s smoothly written, Murder on Line One sees late-night talk radio host Edward Temmis reeling from unspeakable tragedy in the coastal Devonshire town of Sidmouth. Adrift after losing his job, he’s enticed to investigate the death of one of his devoted listeners in a suspicious fire, teaming with the woman’s granddaughter Stevie, who has tourettes, and local estate agent and one-time fling Kim. There’s a charm and light touch to Vine’s writing which hides some deeper meditations on grief.
Smoothly written with several engaging characters, Murder on Line One is, for me, one of the better post-Osman celebrity crime novels. It should appeal to cosy and classic mystery fans, despite never reaching the heights of many richer examples of the genre on overflowing library and bookseller shelves. Still, I’d read more from Vine.
3.5 stars
This review was first written for publication in Good Reading magazine in Australia
January 6, 2025
This is my first book by Jeremy Vine and I definitely want to read more of his work after this. Loved the concept of the book. The radio theme was interesting and lover the premise of listeners of a show being killed off. The book starts out extremely strong and is a hook that made me keep guessing what was going on. There are also other elements such as loss, love, grief and race well integrated into the story.
Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.
Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.
June 6, 2025
A friend gave me this book as a present. It is probably the worst present I have ever received.
Edwards Temmis is a DJ in Sidmouth and somebody is bumping off his audience. Frankly, if Ed is as good a DJ as Vine is a writer, they’re probably committing suicide!
To be a crime writer, the prime requisite is to be able to tell a story and on that score Vine falls flat. His language is stilted and some of his descriptions are just plain weird. Also, the book is too black to be cosy crime and too cosy to be a crime thriller.
A good developmental editor would have helped by cutting out the masses of dross and probably made it more readable (although, I suspect, a complete rewrite would actually be required.)
One wonders what the publisher’s reaction would be to any writer who wasn’t a multimillionaire ‘celebrity’ presenting this script. Very short shrift, I imagine.
Save your brain … avoid!
Edwards Temmis is a DJ in Sidmouth and somebody is bumping off his audience. Frankly, if Ed is as good a DJ as Vine is a writer, they’re probably committing suicide!
To be a crime writer, the prime requisite is to be able to tell a story and on that score Vine falls flat. His language is stilted and some of his descriptions are just plain weird. Also, the book is too black to be cosy crime and too cosy to be a crime thriller.
A good developmental editor would have helped by cutting out the masses of dross and probably made it more readable (although, I suspect, a complete rewrite would actually be required.)
One wonders what the publisher’s reaction would be to any writer who wasn’t a multimillionaire ‘celebrity’ presenting this script. Very short shrift, I imagine.
Save your brain … avoid!
April 24, 2025
4.5*
Celebrity novels are always a bit of a risk but this one started very strongly (though I did guess the twist) and then settled into a slower burn as we met the characters and then the pace picked up ag in around the middle of the book. I found the plot interesting and clever. The Devon setting is well described and I particularly loved Edward's house on the edge of an eroding cliff! The three main characters are all likeable and realistic., and I es ecially liked Edward and really felt for him. There is a lot of heartbreaking sadness in the book but also some humour to balance things.
Jeremy Vine did a great job narrating his book.
Celebrity novels are always a bit of a risk but this one started very strongly (though I did guess the twist) and then settled into a slower burn as we met the characters and then the pace picked up ag in around the middle of the book. I found the plot interesting and clever. The Devon setting is well described and I particularly loved Edward's house on the edge of an eroding cliff! The three main characters are all likeable and realistic., and I es ecially liked Edward and really felt for him. There is a lot of heartbreaking sadness in the book but also some humour to balance things.
Jeremy Vine did a great job narrating his book.
March 18, 2025
2.5*
Sidmouth is apparently “God’s Waiting Room”.
Another celebrity novel. Here the author immerses himself in the world of radio, with which he is familiar.
Edward Temmis (often asked “as in Wimbledon” as his surname is misheard as tennis) is a radio presenter at the local station. He runs the evening programme and has an incredibly loyal following of geriatrics (women, mainly)
However, a year ago he suffered the loss of his young son through a hit and run accident, which naturally left him traumatised, and now he is laid off by the radio station. A natty young woman takes over his slot and his listeners are not amused (I mean, you really don’t want to upset a load of ‘crumblies‘ – sadly rather stereotyped). He takes a job at a Garden Centre, where he is approached by a young woman, Stevie, who is adamant that her grandmother had made contact with him through one of his evening programmes, whereby she had alerted him to on-going drama in her life. He has no recollection. Now, that grandmother – Rebecca ‘Riva’ Mason (a very old-fashioned name that sets this grandmother firmly in the very old person category, apparently) – is dead, having jumped head first from a second storey window in her home in order to escape a fire. The description of her head hitting the ground is probably meant to be darkly humorous. It isn’t. Stevie implores Edward to look into the case, because she is convinced there is more to her death than meets the eye.
Edward is a conscientious and good natured sort of bloke, who has bought a run-down home, which is on the cusp of falling off a cliff (erosion due to climate change, just one of the themes in the novel which also include romance scamming, drones and domestic abuse..). He had a very brief and lustful fling with the estate agent who sold the house to him (there’s clearly life in the old dog yet) but otherwise he has a tendency to keep himself to himself.
Various characters file through the narrative and there is an incredible level of description and observation which is engaging – but only up to a point (take the young man working at the radio station who has unruly ginger hair – oops, another stereotype). In some ways it’s enjoyable to observe what is going on through the eyes of the author but clearly Vine, during his day-to-day life, has amassed a stockpile of observations and is now determined to slide them into the narrative, which can make the prose feel over-written at times. He is trying far too hard, over-egging the pudding.
There is a fine line between humour and fatuousness, and some of the quips teeter precariously between the two. There are just TOO many similes, employed to add a level of wry jocularity – I felt swamped by them as they whipped through their ribald paces. Of Rebecca’s farmhouse he says: “The large front porch jutted proud like the chin of a champion boxer…” Errr.
Goodness, there are some not-so-funny tropes that feel well worn: for example, confusing the Japanese/Chinese; and introducing a female character with Tourette’s Syndrome, who hails from a religious family. Her pronouncements and utterances garner cheap laughs as she melds the godly with profound swearing. Really, the publishers let this through? The titter-worthy moments can be rather cringeworthy.
Look, there is a decent story at the heart of the novel and some interesting writing, Overall this a soufflé of ideas and characters, which hold together reasonably well, but the narrative is peppered with a lot of unappealing constructs.
Sidmouth and Devon come through loud and clear.
Sidmouth is apparently “God’s Waiting Room”.
Another celebrity novel. Here the author immerses himself in the world of radio, with which he is familiar.
Edward Temmis (often asked “as in Wimbledon” as his surname is misheard as tennis) is a radio presenter at the local station. He runs the evening programme and has an incredibly loyal following of geriatrics (women, mainly)
However, a year ago he suffered the loss of his young son through a hit and run accident, which naturally left him traumatised, and now he is laid off by the radio station. A natty young woman takes over his slot and his listeners are not amused (I mean, you really don’t want to upset a load of ‘crumblies‘ – sadly rather stereotyped). He takes a job at a Garden Centre, where he is approached by a young woman, Stevie, who is adamant that her grandmother had made contact with him through one of his evening programmes, whereby she had alerted him to on-going drama in her life. He has no recollection. Now, that grandmother – Rebecca ‘Riva’ Mason (a very old-fashioned name that sets this grandmother firmly in the very old person category, apparently) – is dead, having jumped head first from a second storey window in her home in order to escape a fire. The description of her head hitting the ground is probably meant to be darkly humorous. It isn’t. Stevie implores Edward to look into the case, because she is convinced there is more to her death than meets the eye.
Edward is a conscientious and good natured sort of bloke, who has bought a run-down home, which is on the cusp of falling off a cliff (erosion due to climate change, just one of the themes in the novel which also include romance scamming, drones and domestic abuse..). He had a very brief and lustful fling with the estate agent who sold the house to him (there’s clearly life in the old dog yet) but otherwise he has a tendency to keep himself to himself.
Various characters file through the narrative and there is an incredible level of description and observation which is engaging – but only up to a point (take the young man working at the radio station who has unruly ginger hair – oops, another stereotype). In some ways it’s enjoyable to observe what is going on through the eyes of the author but clearly Vine, during his day-to-day life, has amassed a stockpile of observations and is now determined to slide them into the narrative, which can make the prose feel over-written at times. He is trying far too hard, over-egging the pudding.
There is a fine line between humour and fatuousness, and some of the quips teeter precariously between the two. There are just TOO many similes, employed to add a level of wry jocularity – I felt swamped by them as they whipped through their ribald paces. Of Rebecca’s farmhouse he says: “The large front porch jutted proud like the chin of a champion boxer…” Errr.
Goodness, there are some not-so-funny tropes that feel well worn: for example, confusing the Japanese/Chinese; and introducing a female character with Tourette’s Syndrome, who hails from a religious family. Her pronouncements and utterances garner cheap laughs as she melds the godly with profound swearing. Really, the publishers let this through? The titter-worthy moments can be rather cringeworthy.
Look, there is a decent story at the heart of the novel and some interesting writing, Overall this a soufflé of ideas and characters, which hold together reasonably well, but the narrative is peppered with a lot of unappealing constructs.
Sidmouth and Devon come through loud and clear.
April 15, 2025
I enjoy atmospheric seaside mysteries and unconventional sleuths so I approached Murder on Line One with genuine curiosity. Jeremy Vine, best known to most as a broadcaster with a flair for public discourse, has already dipped his toes into fiction with The Diver and the Lover. But this, his first foray into crime, promised a new voice in the genre: a tale of murders shrouded in nostalgia and late-night radio fog. And in many ways, Murder on Line One delivers—just not quite in the way I’d hoped.
At the heart of the novel is Edward Temmis, a once-respected local radio presenter now stumbling through a haze of professional disgrace and personal grief. Vine shows how well he knows local radio and its audience. He uses his expertise here to great effect. Vine paints Edward with a deft touch: he’s melancholic, self-deprecating, and clings to the airwaves like a man to a lifebuoy. There’s a charming brittleness to him, and I found myself rooting for his redemption. He’s not a classic detective—more a reluctant knight errant, drawn into amateur sleuthing by a caller whose grandmother perished in a suspicious fire.
The character work here is, on the whole, a strength. Stevie, the grieving, dogged granddaughter, injects youthful momentum into the narrative, and Kim—Edward’s former flame turned unwilling accomplice—adds both heart and a sardonic edge. The trio form an unlikely investigative unit, and their dynamic is one of the novel’s pleasures. Vine has a knack for dialogue, and his background in radio serves him well in capturing the intimacy, eccentricity, and quiet loneliness of the late-night call-in show.
The setting, too, is evocative. Sidmouth’s coastal charm sits in eerie contrast with the unfolding horror, and Vine’s descriptions of the town and its faded grandeur lend the novel a certain wistful allure.
However, as much as I enjoyed the ambience and the characters, the plot ultimately left me wanting. I correctly guessed the killer far too early, which sapped the latter chapters of tension. The clues are laid with a heavy hand, and while I appreciate clarity in a mystery, part of the thrill lies in the chase. Here, I felt like I was led along a well-lit path with neon arrows pointing to the culprit. The resolution, though competently executed, lacked surprise.
More troubling, though, was one particular scene of brutality—far more graphic than the rest of the crimes. Without giving too much away, there’s an act of violence that feels not only out of step with the tone of the book but almost gratuitously inserted. Most of the crimes are subtle, quietly terrifying, and rooted in a chilling psychological logic. This moment, by contrast, veers into the grotesque and momentarily ruptures the world Vine has so carefully built.
That said, Vine’s writing is fluid, pacy, and never indulgent. He strikes a balance between character development and plot propulsion, and there’s a real affection here for the world he’s created. It’s clear he enjoys these characters, and that affection is infectious.
Verdict: Murder on Line One is a promising debut in the crime genre. Edward Temmis is a protagonist I’d happily follow again—flawed but sincere, emotionally resonant without veering into melodrama. When Vine returns to him in future outings, I hope the plots become a touch more intricate and the tone more consistent. This novel has charm, heart, and a unique premise—but it could use a tighter web of mystery and a more judicious approach to violence. Still, for fans of not-quite-cosy meets contemporary crime, with a radio twist, it’s well worth a listen. Vine himself, as you’d expect, is a fine narrator.
At the heart of the novel is Edward Temmis, a once-respected local radio presenter now stumbling through a haze of professional disgrace and personal grief. Vine shows how well he knows local radio and its audience. He uses his expertise here to great effect. Vine paints Edward with a deft touch: he’s melancholic, self-deprecating, and clings to the airwaves like a man to a lifebuoy. There’s a charming brittleness to him, and I found myself rooting for his redemption. He’s not a classic detective—more a reluctant knight errant, drawn into amateur sleuthing by a caller whose grandmother perished in a suspicious fire.
The character work here is, on the whole, a strength. Stevie, the grieving, dogged granddaughter, injects youthful momentum into the narrative, and Kim—Edward’s former flame turned unwilling accomplice—adds both heart and a sardonic edge. The trio form an unlikely investigative unit, and their dynamic is one of the novel’s pleasures. Vine has a knack for dialogue, and his background in radio serves him well in capturing the intimacy, eccentricity, and quiet loneliness of the late-night call-in show.
The setting, too, is evocative. Sidmouth’s coastal charm sits in eerie contrast with the unfolding horror, and Vine’s descriptions of the town and its faded grandeur lend the novel a certain wistful allure.
However, as much as I enjoyed the ambience and the characters, the plot ultimately left me wanting. I correctly guessed the killer far too early, which sapped the latter chapters of tension. The clues are laid with a heavy hand, and while I appreciate clarity in a mystery, part of the thrill lies in the chase. Here, I felt like I was led along a well-lit path with neon arrows pointing to the culprit. The resolution, though competently executed, lacked surprise.
More troubling, though, was one particular scene of brutality—far more graphic than the rest of the crimes. Without giving too much away, there’s an act of violence that feels not only out of step with the tone of the book but almost gratuitously inserted. Most of the crimes are subtle, quietly terrifying, and rooted in a chilling psychological logic. This moment, by contrast, veers into the grotesque and momentarily ruptures the world Vine has so carefully built.
That said, Vine’s writing is fluid, pacy, and never indulgent. He strikes a balance between character development and plot propulsion, and there’s a real affection here for the world he’s created. It’s clear he enjoys these characters, and that affection is infectious.
Verdict: Murder on Line One is a promising debut in the crime genre. Edward Temmis is a protagonist I’d happily follow again—flawed but sincere, emotionally resonant without veering into melodrama. When Vine returns to him in future outings, I hope the plots become a touch more intricate and the tone more consistent. This novel has charm, heart, and a unique premise—but it could use a tighter web of mystery and a more judicious approach to violence. Still, for fans of not-quite-cosy meets contemporary crime, with a radio twist, it’s well worth a listen. Vine himself, as you’d expect, is a fine narrator.
March 5, 2025
You should've seen the gushy draft opening I wrote for this review before properly beginning this ARC that I was so excited to receive.
Even at 88%, I was going to say that the solid character-work made up for the relatively obvious puzzle solution. The culprit was so obvious to me at 70% that I thought it must be a red herring. Not only was it not a red herring but our sleuths believed the fall-guy was guilty for 3 months until a flash of divine inspiration, 3 months in which the culprit remained a fixture of the sleuths' landscape.
However, what eradicated my goodwill towards this book is that, after crafting wonderfully complex heroes and a nuanced secondary villain, Vine entirely cops out on the culprit's motive. Worse yet, for me, it's exactly the same cop-out motive as the Charity Shop Detective Agency. Now, I hated Boland's characters, so there I was in sympathy with the killer. Here, it feels like Vine should have committed to the culprit being a psychopath or monomaniac but, instead, we get this paper-thin justification that the characters treat as rock-solid.
I was inclined to continue with the series as and when because I like the characters and there's decent representation of disability due to the vagaries of life, rather than born that way. However, I really don't buy where the character relationships leave off and the disability representation is repetitive and shallow.
*~*
By the way, with regard to landscape, Vine is trying very hard to check off places you've heard of: Sidmouth, Topsham, Exmoor, Exeter and even a tor on the edge of Dartmoor. But it feels like a tourist's checklist of Devon, there's no sense of affection for these places. For example, why do the characters go to a fictional Indian restaurant in Budleigh Salterton (last home of Hilary Mantel, which isn't mentioned), when there's a perfectly good Indian restaurant in Sidmouth (I've eaten there)? The only thing we're told about this Indian restaurant is that the car park is superior to the food, so why did the characters leave the town they all live in to meet there, except it lets him tick off another recognisable Devon place name?
I haven't lived in Devon since I graduated from Exeter University almost 12 years ago and have only visited Sidmouth twice for the week-long folk festival and I've got more anecdotes about these locations than characters who have lived there all their lives.
Even at 88%, I was going to say that the solid character-work made up for the relatively obvious puzzle solution. The culprit was so obvious to me at 70% that I thought it must be a red herring. Not only was it not a red herring but our sleuths believed the fall-guy was guilty for 3 months until a flash of divine inspiration, 3 months in which the culprit remained a fixture of the sleuths' landscape.
However, what eradicated my goodwill towards this book is that, after crafting wonderfully complex heroes and a nuanced secondary villain, Vine entirely cops out on the culprit's motive. Worse yet, for me, it's exactly the same cop-out motive as the Charity Shop Detective Agency. Now, I hated Boland's characters, so there I was in sympathy with the killer. Here, it feels like Vine should have committed to the culprit being a psychopath or monomaniac but, instead, we get this paper-thin justification that the characters treat as rock-solid.
I was inclined to continue with the series as and when because I like the characters and there's decent representation of disability due to the vagaries of life, rather than born that way. However, I really don't buy where the character relationships leave off and the disability representation is repetitive and shallow.
*~*
By the way, with regard to landscape, Vine is trying very hard to check off places you've heard of: Sidmouth, Topsham, Exmoor, Exeter and even a tor on the edge of Dartmoor. But it feels like a tourist's checklist of Devon, there's no sense of affection for these places. For example, why do the characters go to a fictional Indian restaurant in Budleigh Salterton (last home of Hilary Mantel, which isn't mentioned), when there's a perfectly good Indian restaurant in Sidmouth (I've eaten there)? The only thing we're told about this Indian restaurant is that the car park is superior to the food, so why did the characters leave the town they all live in to meet there, except it lets him tick off another recognisable Devon place name?
I haven't lived in Devon since I graduated from Exeter University almost 12 years ago and have only visited Sidmouth twice for the week-long folk festival and I've got more anecdotes about these locations than characters who have lived there all their lives.
February 16, 2025
Radio and TV Presenter Jeremy Vine's first foray into the world of Mystery writing is a well crafted, heart wrenching story of murder, blackmail and catfishing.
Former Radio DJ and local celebrity, Edward is traumatised by the tragic death of his 11 year old son 18 months ago. He's then let go from the radio station as part of their shake up to bring in a more youthful audience.
He's approached by Stevie who's granny was a big fan of Edwards and Stevie believes died in suspicious circumstances. Edward discovers her granny was Riva, a regular caller to his talk show. She had left him a letter at the station addressed from 'In Desperation - Riva', but the envelope was empty. What could she have been so desperate to let Edward know before her death in a house fire?
Kim is an estate agent and former lover of Edwards who's mother is swindled out of money during a fake online relationship. She was also a regular caller into Edwards talk show. Could there be someone out there targeting his listeners?
Given Jeremy Vine is a radio DJ and so is his main character, Edward, I expected there to be more background about the world of radio but it is largely side-stepped which I feel was a missed opportunity to add more depth to the story.
I loved the setting of Edwards house, on the edge of a cliff which is eroding into the sea. Its creaking and groaning, the warping of its structure over time as the earth shifts, a satisfying backdrop to his own fall from favour.
The plot is solid, everything linking together nicely at the end. Through-out the book I kept thinking about the concept of chekov's gun, which proposes that should a gun be mentioned then you know that the gun will be used. I felt that within the plot, once you think 'why has he mentioned that' again and again, it wasn't too difficult to work out the ultimate solution.
There are a few twists and turns along the way. I didn't think there were too many and helped with the pacing of the story and kept the pages turning.
I would like to convey my thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, HarperCollins for providing the opportunity to review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Murder on Line One is due to be published on 24th April 2025 by HarperCollins
Reviewed February 2025
Former Radio DJ and local celebrity, Edward is traumatised by the tragic death of his 11 year old son 18 months ago. He's then let go from the radio station as part of their shake up to bring in a more youthful audience.
He's approached by Stevie who's granny was a big fan of Edwards and Stevie believes died in suspicious circumstances. Edward discovers her granny was Riva, a regular caller to his talk show. She had left him a letter at the station addressed from 'In Desperation - Riva', but the envelope was empty. What could she have been so desperate to let Edward know before her death in a house fire?
Kim is an estate agent and former lover of Edwards who's mother is swindled out of money during a fake online relationship. She was also a regular caller into Edwards talk show. Could there be someone out there targeting his listeners?
Given Jeremy Vine is a radio DJ and so is his main character, Edward, I expected there to be more background about the world of radio but it is largely side-stepped which I feel was a missed opportunity to add more depth to the story.
I loved the setting of Edwards house, on the edge of a cliff which is eroding into the sea. Its creaking and groaning, the warping of its structure over time as the earth shifts, a satisfying backdrop to his own fall from favour.
The plot is solid, everything linking together nicely at the end. Through-out the book I kept thinking about the concept of chekov's gun, which proposes that should a gun be mentioned then you know that the gun will be used. I felt that within the plot, once you think 'why has he mentioned that' again and again, it wasn't too difficult to work out the ultimate solution.
There are a few twists and turns along the way. I didn't think there were too many and helped with the pacing of the story and kept the pages turning.
I would like to convey my thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, HarperCollins for providing the opportunity to review this novel. All opinions are my own.
Murder on Line One is due to be published on 24th April 2025 by HarperCollins
Reviewed February 2025
March 25, 2025
Radio host Edward Temmis has been off work since tragedy struck his family. When the granddaughter of one of his listeners approaches him asking for his help in investigating her grandmother's death Edward finds it difficult to refuse, leading to shocking findings.
The opening chapter of Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine is an intriguing one with Edward Temmis, a local radio talk show host approaching a boy's football match and cheering on his son. Mystery surrounds why he is avoiding all of the other parents - and then the chapter ends with a sucker punch.
We learn that Edward has been off work for almost a year and in that time new management has made a clean sweep of all the older presenters, with Edward quickly following. While at his new job in the local garden centre Edward is approached by a young woman asking him to help her look into her grandmother's death. Stevie is convinced that her grandmother was murdered and it is connected to Edward's radio show. Edward doesn't see how the death and his show can be linked but agrees to help.
The investigation surrounding the death takes Edward down a number of different avenues, some of which are dead ends. Not only does he come across some red herrings but there is also someone actively conspiring against him discovering answers. I thoroughly enjoyed the direction the story took once it was clear what crime had taken place.
When the villain is finally uncovered the author takes the opportunity to add another layer, or two, to the story, making the conclusion even more unexpected and exciting. Overall, what started out as a slow burner turned into a gripping thriller once it got into its stride. It's also difficult to categorise this, my initial thoughts had it down as cosy crime but some of the elements are a bit grisly.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
or on Bluesky; @debbiehartuk.bsky.social
The opening chapter of Murder On Line One by Jeremy Vine is an intriguing one with Edward Temmis, a local radio talk show host approaching a boy's football match and cheering on his son. Mystery surrounds why he is avoiding all of the other parents - and then the chapter ends with a sucker punch.
We learn that Edward has been off work for almost a year and in that time new management has made a clean sweep of all the older presenters, with Edward quickly following. While at his new job in the local garden centre Edward is approached by a young woman asking him to help her look into her grandmother's death. Stevie is convinced that her grandmother was murdered and it is connected to Edward's radio show. Edward doesn't see how the death and his show can be linked but agrees to help.
The investigation surrounding the death takes Edward down a number of different avenues, some of which are dead ends. Not only does he come across some red herrings but there is also someone actively conspiring against him discovering answers. I thoroughly enjoyed the direction the story took once it was clear what crime had taken place.
When the villain is finally uncovered the author takes the opportunity to add another layer, or two, to the story, making the conclusion even more unexpected and exciting. Overall, what started out as a slow burner turned into a gripping thriller once it got into its stride. It's also difficult to categorise this, my initial thoughts had it down as cosy crime but some of the elements are a bit grisly.
If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/
or follow me on Twitter; @Debbie_Hart_UK
or on Bluesky; @debbiehartuk.bsky.social
March 4, 2025
Before I launch into my review, I would like to offer a huge thank you to Jeremy Vine, Harper Collins UK, Harper Collins Fiction, and Netgalley for the Advanced Digital Reader Copy of this title. For anyone with their eye on this title, here is my personal review of the book to help you decide whether you are interested or not. All opinions offered are my own.
My initial reasoning for picking this novel was simply owing to the author. I watch Jeremy Vine most mornings and enjoy the show that he heads up. I like the way he puts forth his argument, even when I do not agree with his points. I also just generally like the way he carries himself. Consequently, I assumed that this was what he would bring to a new novel. I was also intrigued as to why he would select this genre.
When I first started reading the novel, I was really excited. I immediately wanted to know more about the protagonist, Edward, his accident, the tragedy he had recently endured and how he would overcome it. In fact, I was more interested in Edward’s development than the suspected crimes being committed, which became more and more apparent as the story dragged on. Yes, I said it!
I have been struggling to read this book for weeks now. This last week had seen me struggle to digest more than a couple of pages at a time because I am growing increasingly weary of the writing style. The pondering and speculation over the facts of the crime scenes is terribly repetitive and I just want it to be over. I don’t think it helps that the victims are elderly and are not involved in exciting lives that make me want to know more about them.
The novel suits someone that enjoys a regular recap of key details and wants to feel like they are working in real time. Whilst it is not for me and my current taste in present day, it reminded me a little of when I would dread and enjoy Inspector Morse novels. Ultimately, this book joins my DNF shelf but so as not to impact the scores drastically, I awarded the book an average of 3 out of 5 stars.
My initial reasoning for picking this novel was simply owing to the author. I watch Jeremy Vine most mornings and enjoy the show that he heads up. I like the way he puts forth his argument, even when I do not agree with his points. I also just generally like the way he carries himself. Consequently, I assumed that this was what he would bring to a new novel. I was also intrigued as to why he would select this genre.
When I first started reading the novel, I was really excited. I immediately wanted to know more about the protagonist, Edward, his accident, the tragedy he had recently endured and how he would overcome it. In fact, I was more interested in Edward’s development than the suspected crimes being committed, which became more and more apparent as the story dragged on. Yes, I said it!
I have been struggling to read this book for weeks now. This last week had seen me struggle to digest more than a couple of pages at a time because I am growing increasingly weary of the writing style. The pondering and speculation over the facts of the crime scenes is terribly repetitive and I just want it to be over. I don’t think it helps that the victims are elderly and are not involved in exciting lives that make me want to know more about them.
The novel suits someone that enjoys a regular recap of key details and wants to feel like they are working in real time. Whilst it is not for me and my current taste in present day, it reminded me a little of when I would dread and enjoy Inspector Morse novels. Ultimately, this book joins my DNF shelf but so as not to impact the scores drastically, I awarded the book an average of 3 out of 5 stars.
March 30, 2025
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book as it is written by another tv personality who thinks they can write a murder mystery! Think Richard Osman, Rob Rinder et alia but in fact I was pleasantly surprised. mr Vine is not simply jumping on the bandwagon- he actually has an interesting story to tell. Although the book got off to a slow start which was mostly setting the scene, the pace soon picked up and I was turning the pages quickly, thoroughly enjoying the story.
Mr Vine writes what he knows about, the life of a radio presenter which works well as it makes the background more authentic.
Edward Temmis is the radio presenter in question, taking a break from his job after the hit and run death of his young son. When he is approached by Stevie, a young woman whose grandmother has died in mysterious circumstances and who was an avid listener to Edward’s morning show, Edward is persuaded to look into the matter. Throw in Kim, an estate agent who knows Edward well, we have a band of unusual detectives!
I liked the character development, particularly in the case of Edward- he is grieving the loss of Matty but desperately trying to get on with his life. Kim is dealing with an abusive husband who is suffering mental health issues and she harbours feelings for Edward who was once her client.
There are moments of humour too which lightened the seriousness of the subject - Stevie is a breath of fresh air and very likeable, dealing with all life throws at her in a wonderful manner.
I must admit that I guessed the perpetrators of the crimes but I am an avid crime thriller fan so that was probably down to my knowledge of this genre.
I rather liked the end when all was revealed- a bit “Death In Paradise” but definitely entertaining.
From the blurb it looks like this is going to be a series and I will certainly be looking out for the next book as I’d like to catch up with all these interesting characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Mr Vine writes what he knows about, the life of a radio presenter which works well as it makes the background more authentic.
Edward Temmis is the radio presenter in question, taking a break from his job after the hit and run death of his young son. When he is approached by Stevie, a young woman whose grandmother has died in mysterious circumstances and who was an avid listener to Edward’s morning show, Edward is persuaded to look into the matter. Throw in Kim, an estate agent who knows Edward well, we have a band of unusual detectives!
I liked the character development, particularly in the case of Edward- he is grieving the loss of Matty but desperately trying to get on with his life. Kim is dealing with an abusive husband who is suffering mental health issues and she harbours feelings for Edward who was once her client.
There are moments of humour too which lightened the seriousness of the subject - Stevie is a breath of fresh air and very likeable, dealing with all life throws at her in a wonderful manner.
I must admit that I guessed the perpetrators of the crimes but I am an avid crime thriller fan so that was probably down to my knowledge of this genre.
I rather liked the end when all was revealed- a bit “Death In Paradise” but definitely entertaining.
From the blurb it looks like this is going to be a series and I will certainly be looking out for the next book as I’d like to catch up with all these interesting characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
June 19, 2025
Very fun book set in a beautiful place. A shame about the filthy language,
I read this because I am going to a book signing with Jeremy Vine, and wanted to be informed about it before then.
Don’t worry, I’ll avoid spoilers.
It was a great book, Edward was both hilarious and tragic in equal measure making his experiences an entertaining
and painful read. I liked Kim, her trials and heartache with her husband gave a added depth to her
which endeared the reader to her plot.
I didn’t need the descriptions about her and Edward’s one afternoon alone together though.
Stevie was funny, I understand she has Tourette’s and couldn’t help it,
but there must be about twenty f-bombs throughout the book amidst other filthy words,
and she is the main supplier.
I wanted something to happen between her and Derrick in the beginning, but she said it herself,
He is simply too old for her (five years or so).
Derrick was sweet, a little hero worshipful, but all books need one.
The allusion to his last name was constant, as you will see.
So I guessed the murderer halfway through the book,
but the process of watching them figure it out was exciting enough.
There is a few adult references and major swears scattered throughout,
it makes a big deal about romance scams and all of the hot mess that leaves behind,
and their is something between Edward and Kim that kind of gets uncomfortable towards the end.
I didn’t expect the second twist, so props to the author for that, it was expertly executed.
If I had a penny for every time someone exclaimed they understand everything in a mystery book,
I’d be richer than the person who came up with the archetype.
It was very poetic and humorous, full of bright characters and beautiful Devon countryside,
Jeremy Vine is the master of subtle and unsubtle humour in both life and fiction,
And I cannot wait to see where Edward “as in Wimbledon” Temmis ends up next.
I read this because I am going to a book signing with Jeremy Vine, and wanted to be informed about it before then.
Don’t worry, I’ll avoid spoilers.
It was a great book, Edward was both hilarious and tragic in equal measure making his experiences an entertaining
and painful read. I liked Kim, her trials and heartache with her husband gave a added depth to her
which endeared the reader to her plot.
I didn’t need the descriptions about her and Edward’s one afternoon alone together though.
Stevie was funny, I understand she has Tourette’s and couldn’t help it,
but there must be about twenty f-bombs throughout the book amidst other filthy words,
and she is the main supplier.
I wanted something to happen between her and Derrick in the beginning, but she said it herself,
He is simply too old for her (five years or so).
Derrick was sweet, a little hero worshipful, but all books need one.
The allusion to his last name was constant, as you will see.
So I guessed the murderer halfway through the book,
but the process of watching them figure it out was exciting enough.
There is a few adult references and major swears scattered throughout,
it makes a big deal about romance scams and all of the hot mess that leaves behind,
and their is something between Edward and Kim that kind of gets uncomfortable towards the end.
I didn’t expect the second twist, so props to the author for that, it was expertly executed.
If I had a penny for every time someone exclaimed they understand everything in a mystery book,
I’d be richer than the person who came up with the archetype.
It was very poetic and humorous, full of bright characters and beautiful Devon countryside,
Jeremy Vine is the master of subtle and unsubtle humour in both life and fiction,
And I cannot wait to see where Edward “as in Wimbledon” Temmis ends up next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews