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Harley Hill Mysteries #3
Murder in the Kitchen
Book 3 in the Harley Hill Women's Sleuth Cozy Murder Mystery series.
Amateur sleuths Harley and Cordelia leave their posh London home for the wilds of Scotland where hijinks ensue. As a favour to aunt Maggie, they’ve agreed to help run a murder mystery event in a remote mansion.
But when a friendly dog leads Harley to a body, it’s clear Harley has a real murder mystery on her hands. And to make matters worse, a ferocious blizzard keeps them trapped inside.
With a motley crew of guests, including a paranormal investigator who believes the Frazier estate is cursed, Harley has to uncover the dark secrets of the guest’s and the mansion’s past if she’s to discover the killer. But what she discovers will rock the Frazier house to its very foundations.
"I love Harley and quick wit. I wish she and Cordi were my friends. I can't wait to read more about their adventures."
Amateur sleuths Harley and Cordelia leave their posh London home for the wilds of Scotland where hijinks ensue. As a favour to aunt Maggie, they’ve agreed to help run a murder mystery event in a remote mansion.
But when a friendly dog leads Harley to a body, it’s clear Harley has a real murder mystery on her hands. And to make matters worse, a ferocious blizzard keeps them trapped inside.
With a motley crew of guests, including a paranormal investigator who believes the Frazier estate is cursed, Harley has to uncover the dark secrets of the guest’s and the mansion’s past if she’s to discover the killer. But what she discovers will rock the Frazier house to its very foundations.
"I love Harley and quick wit. I wish she and Cordi were my friends. I can't wait to read more about their adventures."
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2015
252 people are currently reading
883 people want to read
About the author
Kennedy Chase
23 books115 followersKennedy Chase was born in New York in 1969 but moved to London when she was a teenager. She now lives in Notting Hill with her grey cat, Monty, and half a dozen Corgis and Pugs. (3 of each).
Kennedy is a writer of women sleuth mystery novels. She loves to bake in her spare time, and specialises in chocolate cake. On the weekends, Kennedy likes to retreat to the country for long walks with her dogs, all the while dreaming up new plots for her characters.
Join Kennedy's Mystery Parlour today for exclusive content, new book releases, and special offers: http://eepurl.com/6ckpj
Kennedy is a writer of women sleuth mystery novels. She loves to bake in her spare time, and specialises in chocolate cake. On the weekends, Kennedy likes to retreat to the country for long walks with her dogs, all the while dreaming up new plots for her characters.
Join Kennedy's Mystery Parlour today for exclusive content, new book releases, and special offers: http://eepurl.com/6ckpj
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
May 20, 2020
It was okay, an interesting enough whodunnit with a slightly overdramatic conclusion. Also, why are we drawing out Harley's family issues like this? It had better be worth it.
August 30, 2018
The title is misleading
This wasn't the worst cozy I've read. It took quite some time (50%) before there was a body and it didn't happen in the kitchen. The premise was interesting enough, as was the closed circle, but the resolution kind of came out of left field Once it did, it wrapped somewhat abruptly, but tidied up all the loose ends and set itself up for the next one.
The writing wasn't bad (better than other free copies I've envointered) although it did seem like there were consistency edits that were missed (a mention of wolves that appeared out of nowhere and went no where, Sara/Sarah and a typo or two).
Overall, not horrible, but I don't know if I'll read the next one .
This wasn't the worst cozy I've read. It took quite some time (50%) before there was a body and it didn't happen in the kitchen. The premise was interesting enough, as was the closed circle, but the resolution kind of came out of left field Once it did, it wrapped somewhat abruptly, but tidied up all the loose ends and set itself up for the next one.
The writing wasn't bad (better than other free copies I've envointered) although it did seem like there were consistency edits that were missed (a mention of wolves that appeared out of nowhere and went no where, Sara/Sarah and a typo or two).
Overall, not horrible, but I don't know if I'll read the next one .
February 10, 2015
I really like Harley and her band of friends, but this selection in the series left me sort of disappointed at the end with the who (the murderer), BUT I did NOT expect the why (the motive)... I do love this series and I hope it continues!
January 8, 2019
This book is so odd that the actual mystery is inconsequential to my review. Red herrings scream red herring as soon as they are introduced and you'll spend most of your reading wondering when the actual murder is going to happen. Because of this, my focus ended up on the language.
Do you remember which year Swatch watches and Converse shoes were the rage? 1983? 1984? At first I thought the old cultural references were just because the author would turn out to be older and so knew older books, movies, and TV, but now that I've finished the book and noticed that the older references spilled into characters' dress and surroundings, I think the manuscript itself is old. There are random, awkward additions of cellphones and social media that do not fit in smoothly and at some points, I swear the book includes manuscript critique notes!
The author's bio says she was born in New York in 1969 but moved to London as a teenager and lives in England now. This is perplexing to me as currently, the writing sounds like an American who has looked up some British terms but doesn't full understand how to use them. It is also terribly inconsistent. For example, a knitted woolen pullover is referred to as both a jumper and a sweater. That's a fairly innocuous example, but these word oscillations happen frequently enough that if you are an American with any familiarity of British English, you'll end up annoyed and frustrated. Either Harley (the main character) needs to have a known fondness for more American terms or the author needs to do an edit pass that focuses strictly on vocabulary!
Which leads to overall characterization - it is wobbly at best. Characters' personalities flip flop frequently in a matter that again feels like poor editing post-input from one of the author's friends or a writing critique group. Then there is the sex... actually, there isn't any sex; it is simply that Harley thinks about sex non-stop and infers it frequently. The guests at the Frazier Estate are made out to be randy rabbits, until suddenly they aren't and the one character that one doesn't expect to have had sex is actually the one who did. Watch out for numerous copy edit errors, usually a missing word or word inversion within a phrase. There are also some odd favorite words which jump out, such as biceps. Throughout the book, characters touch, grab, and admire biceps - never a forearm, arm, or shoulder.
Do you remember which year Swatch watches and Converse shoes were the rage? 1983? 1984? At first I thought the old cultural references were just because the author would turn out to be older and so knew older books, movies, and TV, but now that I've finished the book and noticed that the older references spilled into characters' dress and surroundings, I think the manuscript itself is old. There are random, awkward additions of cellphones and social media that do not fit in smoothly and at some points, I swear the book includes manuscript critique notes!
The author's bio says she was born in New York in 1969 but moved to London as a teenager and lives in England now. This is perplexing to me as currently, the writing sounds like an American who has looked up some British terms but doesn't full understand how to use them. It is also terribly inconsistent. For example, a knitted woolen pullover is referred to as both a jumper and a sweater. That's a fairly innocuous example, but these word oscillations happen frequently enough that if you are an American with any familiarity of British English, you'll end up annoyed and frustrated. Either Harley (the main character) needs to have a known fondness for more American terms or the author needs to do an edit pass that focuses strictly on vocabulary!
Which leads to overall characterization - it is wobbly at best. Characters' personalities flip flop frequently in a matter that again feels like poor editing post-input from one of the author's friends or a writing critique group. Then there is the sex... actually, there isn't any sex; it is simply that Harley thinks about sex non-stop and infers it frequently. The guests at the Frazier Estate are made out to be randy rabbits, until suddenly they aren't and the one character that one doesn't expect to have had sex is actually the one who did. Watch out for numerous copy edit errors, usually a missing word or word inversion within a phrase. There are also some odd favorite words which jump out, such as biceps. Throughout the book, characters touch, grab, and admire biceps - never a forearm, arm, or shoulder.
December 3, 2019
Cordi, Harley and Harley’s boyfriend Cole are off to a haunted mansion in Scotland for the weekend to participate in a Murder Mystery themed party. The party seemed doomed from the beginning due to the snowstorm that the group was caught in when they almost fell of the mountain. The chef is murdered so now everyone is on edge since the murderer is someone among them staying at the mansion. There are some quirky characters in the story which makes the story interesting. Cordi, Harley and Cole solve the murder and reveal all the dark secrets that were being covered up. Harley has some interesting family secrets herself and I want to continue the series to see what they are.
July 13, 2017
It is Christmas. Things are progressing on the personal front and for the holidays Cordi has set them up a job. They are to be the moles in a murder mystery house party in Scotland. It is very remote area and it is very snowy. Thus when the cook winds up dead Cordi, COle, and Harley investigate. Bizarre story with very little to back it up. How did the cook figure out the big reveal without ever being in house or hide the clues. Just didn't add up. Still a fun read, but mystery and plotting was nonsense
July 4, 2025
It’s good story, if somewhat clichéd. I found it odd that the murder didn’t actually occur until quite late in the book.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to love the characters. In addition A few thigs irritated:
‘hear’ instead of ‘here’ twice. And just how many sets of handcuffs does an off-duty detective take with him on holiday?
However, the ending is so intriguing that I feel compelled to read the next one.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to love the characters. In addition A few thigs irritated:
‘hear’ instead of ‘here’ twice. And just how many sets of handcuffs does an off-duty detective take with him on holiday?
However, the ending is so intriguing that I feel compelled to read the next one.
May 12, 2018
Too perfect with too many quick solutions. I hadn't read the book previous books but you didn't need to. The narrator explained everything repeatedly. It was almost too cutesy. In the end I didn't care who was created the bad guy and why. The summary ending was way abridged. The last chapter is the set up for the next book.
May 9, 2017
A cute, fast mystery with likable characters. You can definitely tell it's a piece in a series and there are things from previous going into new books that get addressed and pretty quickly dropped but it wasn't bothersome. There were some annoying grammar errors but it wasn't unreadable.
May 15, 2017
Starting at book 3 may not have been a good idea-- but it did not hurt the story line too much. The promise of ghosts was a bit of a taunt-- but it did provide the atmosphere and a lot of history. I was just sorry that one of the good guys turned out to be not so good!
October 31, 2017
Snowed in
Delightful book, interesting characters and setting. Loved how Harley solved this mystery. A trip to Frazier Estate at Christmas turns into a magical Eder mystery. Harley, Cole and Cordi investigate and uncover surprising secrets.
Delightful book, interesting characters and setting. Loved how Harley solved this mystery. A trip to Frazier Estate at Christmas turns into a magical Eder mystery. Harley, Cole and Cordi investigate and uncover surprising secrets.
January 31, 2018
Haunted
Harley, her boyfriend, Cole, and best friend, Cordi go on vacation to Frazier Manor. Presumed to be haunted, they come across some strange events. But find out the trouble has a very human factor. Good mystery!
Harley, her boyfriend, Cole, and best friend, Cordi go on vacation to Frazier Manor. Presumed to be haunted, they come across some strange events. But find out the trouble has a very human factor. Good mystery!
February 28, 2019
Fun little murder mystery
This was an entertaining and light hearted book, with some interesting characters and a surprise ending. It stands alone, yet gives hints of past and future stories. I would read more of this author.
This was an entertaining and light hearted book, with some interesting characters and a surprise ending. It stands alone, yet gives hints of past and future stories. I would read more of this author.
June 16, 2017
A new Author for me enjoyed this book and looking forward to more of her book
November 29, 2017
Skim read this while waiting for my car’s oil to be changed. I think it was a book bub deal. A very light read.
December 6, 2017
The one in the series didn't disappoint. Heartwarming and a mystery too!
September 9, 2018
Enjoyed the characters
I like re characters and the storyline and the setting in Scotland. Sometimes it seemed a little convoluted but i still enjoy the series.
I like re characters and the storyline and the setting in Scotland. Sometimes it seemed a little convoluted but i still enjoy the series.
April 21, 2020
I sort of kept hoping all along that the cancellation of the murder mystery was just part of the setup and that the whole thing was going to end up as the murder mystery.
April 24, 2020
Nice, a fast-paced, easy read, although it was a little bit tame for me. A bit "Rosemary & Thyme", Personally I prefer a bit more grit.
July 14, 2023
I liked this mystery. It had plenty of drama and some creepiness to add to the enjoyment.
January 18, 2024
I do enjoy the adventures of Harley and Cordelia. It's obviously a cozy mystery, but this one was not much of a mystery. I did like the twist at the end.
June 15, 2015
Third edition of the book normally trails in quality and story and I guess same has happened to this book too.
Although the story is Breezy and moves fast with nice humor.
Harley and group reach Frazier house for a Murder mystery event and have some adventure on the way with car slipping and accident. Cord meeting Billy and getting cozy with him.
The House has some interesting guests and workers, Annie, Lucy , Sara, mac , pixie , Margo and Polly.
The event is cancelled due bad weather and all of sudden Annie is found dead. Harley, Cordi and Cole go about solving the murder mystery and succeed in the end.
For once it took almost 50% of the book to get the dead body in and the murder mystery to start. Even after that it was not much of solving the murder as most of the things were done by Annie for them. I had guessed who the culprit would be , only thing left was to find the reason. The reason was also a dampner.
The book too much to cozy cozy between Cole and Harley and also lots of sidetracks which did not help the mystery element.
Also What is this with using the last chapter to bring personal angle to Harley story. It just comes abruptly. Would have loved of the characters were developed like Coroman Strike .
its a breezy read but I give this book 2/5
DeVil D
Although the story is Breezy and moves fast with nice humor.
Harley and group reach Frazier house for a Murder mystery event and have some adventure on the way with car slipping and accident. Cord meeting Billy and getting cozy with him.
The House has some interesting guests and workers, Annie, Lucy , Sara, mac , pixie , Margo and Polly.
The event is cancelled due bad weather and all of sudden Annie is found dead. Harley, Cordi and Cole go about solving the murder mystery and succeed in the end.
For once it took almost 50% of the book to get the dead body in and the murder mystery to start. Even after that it was not much of solving the murder as most of the things were done by Annie for them. I had guessed who the culprit would be , only thing left was to find the reason. The reason was also a dampner.
The book too much to cozy cozy between Cole and Harley and also lots of sidetracks which did not help the mystery element.
Also What is this with using the last chapter to bring personal angle to Harley story. It just comes abruptly. Would have loved of the characters were developed like Coroman Strike .
its a breezy read but I give this book 2/5
DeVil D
August 25, 2015
Quirky Brit Whodunit
I'm sure the novel would have been richer and more coherent if I'd read the preceding books in the series, however even in itself, it held my interest. The plot was complex enough with a supporting cast of eccentric characters, few if any are who they seem to be. Silvers and Hill is a "finders" company, apparently some kind of private investigation team, made up of two British women late 20-30ish in age, who are invited to spend the winter holidays as part of a murder mystery adventure in an old Scot castle with a dubious past filled with multiple family and other mysterious deaths. Also visiting is a U Tube starlet, some kind of ghost buster, as the castle is thought to be cursed and inhabited by ghosts. Danger and adventure follow the friends who are fortunate enough to have brought Hill's significant other along (who just happens to be a police detective.) This is an entertaining, easy to read mystery. A little more editing would not have been amiss but nothing disrupts the story significantly. No graphic sexuality or excessively foul language, though it is obvious that there is at least one relationship that is not platonic. It was worth the sale price and time to read if you are a fan of the genre.
I'm sure the novel would have been richer and more coherent if I'd read the preceding books in the series, however even in itself, it held my interest. The plot was complex enough with a supporting cast of eccentric characters, few if any are who they seem to be. Silvers and Hill is a "finders" company, apparently some kind of private investigation team, made up of two British women late 20-30ish in age, who are invited to spend the winter holidays as part of a murder mystery adventure in an old Scot castle with a dubious past filled with multiple family and other mysterious deaths. Also visiting is a U Tube starlet, some kind of ghost buster, as the castle is thought to be cursed and inhabited by ghosts. Danger and adventure follow the friends who are fortunate enough to have brought Hill's significant other along (who just happens to be a police detective.) This is an entertaining, easy to read mystery. A little more editing would not have been amiss but nothing disrupts the story significantly. No graphic sexuality or excessively foul language, though it is obvious that there is at least one relationship that is not platonic. It was worth the sale price and time to read if you are a fan of the genre.
September 9, 2015
Sigh.... this book was disappointing. The start had all of the trademark things that make it a cozy mystery. Finite number of people attending, remote castle most likely a blizzard coming, tempers and a nice mix of guests and staff. But then, before we can even get TO the castle things go wrong. The stuff that's happening just doesn't even make a lot of sense. Then there are the typos/misused words (in the kindle edition) that bring you right out of the story all together. I mean really, there's a character named Sara or Sarah but I couldn't tell you which because it's written BOTH ways in the story. Scenes jump all over the place, things from the past are mentioned yet never delved into... ugh. I see what the author may have started with as a premise, but then it just went terribly wrong. There were too many ideas not edited down or out and too many side items trying to rear up. The biggest bust though was the ending. It came out of left field and really had NOTHING to do with ANYTHING that had happened in the book. They sully the reputation of one of the characters for absolutely NO reason and the culprit is a big old huh? Seriously? It was just a complete mess. I think there is promise with the author but a better editor is needed as well as someone with whom to bounce ideas.
November 22, 2015
Couple of homophone typos thus far...hear/here. Just weird mistakes an quick read through should have caught, never mind an editor. Well, these were pervasive throughout, but still an all right read.
Mostly set in a purportedly haunted house in Scotland, this is a short story with a few more characters than required...I suppose to make the whodunnit a bit less obvious. Chase does a nice job filling in details without giving it all away. Evidently this is #3 in the series. I'm starting #2 next because, well, I'm weird like that. Harley Hill seems to be quite a character, with her foster home upbringing, etc...should make for several stories, especially with her penchant for finding trouble.
Chase seems well-rooted in England but with a bit of American thrown in there for good measure...perhaps that's what's going on in Hill's background as well.
Mostly set in a purportedly haunted house in Scotland, this is a short story with a few more characters than required...I suppose to make the whodunnit a bit less obvious. Chase does a nice job filling in details without giving it all away. Evidently this is #3 in the series. I'm starting #2 next because, well, I'm weird like that. Harley Hill seems to be quite a character, with her foster home upbringing, etc...should make for several stories, especially with her penchant for finding trouble.
Chase seems well-rooted in England but with a bit of American thrown in there for good measure...perhaps that's what's going on in Hill's background as well.
January 4, 2015
Our quirky crime fighters are back! A lovely holiday vacation in a beautiful castle set in the mountains for a mystery dinner theater turns into an actual murder. Harley and Cordie catch themselves in the midst of trouble yet again and have Cole to help. These stories are always fun with quick wit and an entertaining story that makes for a light read that stays with you. I was reminded of the game Clue and a little of the movie High Spirits. Ghosts, mystery and a little hanky panky. A side story in the background is that of Harley's family, having just met her brother Michael she learns a little more about her parents. Thank you Kennedy for my copy, given in exchange for a review. Keep the stories coming!
August 10, 2015
Kitchen Murder
When Harley's friend and business partner Cordi decides that they need to go on a murder mystery in Scotland, Harley is hesitant- but when her beau Cole urges her to go, she resents. Headed to the Frasier mansion and grounds in Scotland has its own treacherous start but once there, Harley and Cole are faced with several potentially unseemly individuals. When a body turns up, they must investigate and find the truth but what they discover leaves them all shaken to the core. This was the first in this series that I have read and I wasn't thrown into t :) e middle of the series- although there were a few innuendos that I didn't understand. I look forward to reading more of this series.
When Harley's friend and business partner Cordi decides that they need to go on a murder mystery in Scotland, Harley is hesitant- but when her beau Cole urges her to go, she resents. Headed to the Frasier mansion and grounds in Scotland has its own treacherous start but once there, Harley and Cole are faced with several potentially unseemly individuals. When a body turns up, they must investigate and find the truth but what they discover leaves them all shaken to the core. This was the first in this series that I have read and I wasn't thrown into t :) e middle of the series- although there were a few innuendos that I didn't understand. I look forward to reading more of this series.
May 8, 2015
Excitement in the Kitchen
I have read the first three books in the Harley Hills series and found I couldn't put my kindle down.
Murder in the Kitchen was compelling. The initial setup with murder mysteries was intriguing. I had gotten excited about Harley and Cole hooking up and finally having the time to explore the it relationship while being happy for Cordi finding someone who appeared to be on the up and up. The clincher for me was the mysterious behavior of Roger. He owned the house why wouldn't he just turn the lights on in Annie's bedroom to outlook around at night instead of a flashlight. And the strength in his hands when he grasp Harley's arm. Overall I was,kept on pens and needles for a day and one half while I enjoyed reading all three books.
I have read the first three books in the Harley Hills series and found I couldn't put my kindle down.
Murder in the Kitchen was compelling. The initial setup with murder mysteries was intriguing. I had gotten excited about Harley and Cole hooking up and finally having the time to explore the it relationship while being happy for Cordi finding someone who appeared to be on the up and up. The clincher for me was the mysterious behavior of Roger. He owned the house why wouldn't he just turn the lights on in Annie's bedroom to outlook around at night instead of a flashlight. And the strength in his hands when he grasp Harley's arm. Overall I was,kept on pens and needles for a day and one half while I enjoyed reading all three books.
November 13, 2015
I'd love to know the author's angle for getting so many positive reviews on Amazon. If this were free fan fiction no one would read it. It's full of poor grammar, incorrect word usage, and logic contradictions. The characters don't connect, with the reader or each other. The mystery takes half the book to occur with no successful build up of suspense. The main characters hardly contribute anything to solving the mystery (actually there is no logical explanation for the solving of the mystery). The actions of those involved feel contrived. I actually started highlighting sections as examples of poor writing and there are a lot! The real mystery here is why so many people would ignore all that and give it such good ratings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews