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The Body That Floats
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2026/05/07/4-...
Set mainly in a small town in Cornwall, The Body That Floats by Jayne Chard is the second book in the Julia and Frankie Mystery series. Not having read the first book, I initially felt I was at a bit of a disadvantage, but as I progressed in the story, some blanks started to come together.
Julia and Frankie are sisters and live together in a cottage they inherited in a small English village. There are a multitude of characters in the story, and they were sometimes hard to keep straight. There are vivid descriptions throughout of the people, buildings, the fair, and locations, and I felt like I was there.
This cozy mystery uncovers a dead body—where else but floating in the sea. But is it an accident or murder? Since the police don’t seem too interested in digging for facts, Julia and Frankie take it upon themselves to do so, and they play the role of amateur sleuths quite well. They interview people whose paths they cross, gather clues, and discuss everything they uncover. It’s no surprise then that they are the ones who figure out whodunnit! They also uncover another crime, much to the local constable’s surprise. The epilogue, set back in their village, tied up a few loose ends but left others.
The Body That Floats is a cozy English mystery with layers to the story that Julia and Frankie seem to pull together from thin air.
https://novelsalive.com/2026/05/07/4-...
Set mainly in a small town in Cornwall, The Body That Floats by Jayne Chard is the second book in the Julia and Frankie Mystery series. Not having read the first book, I initially felt I was at a bit of a disadvantage, but as I progressed in the story, some blanks started to come together.
Julia and Frankie are sisters and live together in a cottage they inherited in a small English village. There are a multitude of characters in the story, and they were sometimes hard to keep straight. There are vivid descriptions throughout of the people, buildings, the fair, and locations, and I felt like I was there.
This cozy mystery uncovers a dead body—where else but floating in the sea. But is it an accident or murder? Since the police don’t seem too interested in digging for facts, Julia and Frankie take it upon themselves to do so, and they play the role of amateur sleuths quite well. They interview people whose paths they cross, gather clues, and discuss everything they uncover. It’s no surprise then that they are the ones who figure out whodunnit! They also uncover another crime, much to the local constable’s surprise. The epilogue, set back in their village, tied up a few loose ends but left others.
The Body That Floats is a cozy English mystery with layers to the story that Julia and Frankie seem to pull together from thin air.
May 12, 2026
I enjoyed More Than Murder by Jayne Chard so I really enjoyed catching up with sisters Julia and Frankie again in The Body that Floats.
The sisters are off on a trip to Portscatho in Cornwall and they soon find themselves investigating the mysterious circumstances of a death. The police think it's an accident but the sisters think there's more to it and they soon uncover a lot more secrets in the little village than they expected.
I love the relationship between Julia and Frankie; they still bicker a lot, as sisters are wont to do, but they seem to be getting on better than they did in book one. They have been forced to live together in the cottage that was left to them by their aunt because if one of them moves out then the other will inherit the whole cottage. They are as stubborn as each other where Rose Cottage is concerned but the old forced proximity is working its magic as the cracks in their relationships are gradually repaired.
The mystery part of the storyline is excellent and it's one that I'm sure Agatha Christie herself would have been proud of. I'm always delighted to be proved wrong in my own guesses of whodunnit and it's fair to say that I didn't see this one coming.
Witty, entertaining and intriguing, The Body that Floats is a fabulous second instalment in this delightful mystery series. It's well worth a read.
The sisters are off on a trip to Portscatho in Cornwall and they soon find themselves investigating the mysterious circumstances of a death. The police think it's an accident but the sisters think there's more to it and they soon uncover a lot more secrets in the little village than they expected.
I love the relationship between Julia and Frankie; they still bicker a lot, as sisters are wont to do, but they seem to be getting on better than they did in book one. They have been forced to live together in the cottage that was left to them by their aunt because if one of them moves out then the other will inherit the whole cottage. They are as stubborn as each other where Rose Cottage is concerned but the old forced proximity is working its magic as the cracks in their relationships are gradually repaired.
The mystery part of the storyline is excellent and it's one that I'm sure Agatha Christie herself would have been proud of. I'm always delighted to be proved wrong in my own guesses of whodunnit and it's fair to say that I didn't see this one coming.
Witty, entertaining and intriguing, The Body that Floats is a fabulous second instalment in this delightful mystery series. It's well worth a read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The body that floats is the second installment in the Julia and Frankie Mystery Series, and having read the first book already, i can confirm that this works perfectly well as a standalone.
◇Review: We join previously estranged sisters Julia and Frankie, who inherited their aunt's cottage with a condition attached that they both must live together for a year before gaining full ownership. After the ice was thawed between the pair during the first book, they are off to Cornwall to visit an old friend and soon get knee's deep in solving another murder.
The body that floats is really great, cosy read, that sucks you in right from the start. It was fun being back with this pair and I love the wit and interesting tales that come with Frankie's history. She's a really entertaining, outgoing character and constantly has me raising an eyebrow at her antics. Julia is the polar opposite, an introverted former head teacher who likes to abide by the rules, and often gets led astray by Frankie. Alongside the odd sibling squabble, they compliment eachothers personalities well. I also really enjoy the writing style. It is descriptive and the story flows perfectly to set the scene, offering bits of interesting information along the way.
◇Review: We join previously estranged sisters Julia and Frankie, who inherited their aunt's cottage with a condition attached that they both must live together for a year before gaining full ownership. After the ice was thawed between the pair during the first book, they are off to Cornwall to visit an old friend and soon get knee's deep in solving another murder.
The body that floats is really great, cosy read, that sucks you in right from the start. It was fun being back with this pair and I love the wit and interesting tales that come with Frankie's history. She's a really entertaining, outgoing character and constantly has me raising an eyebrow at her antics. Julia is the polar opposite, an introverted former head teacher who likes to abide by the rules, and often gets led astray by Frankie. Alongside the odd sibling squabble, they compliment eachothers personalities well. I also really enjoy the writing style. It is descriptive and the story flows perfectly to set the scene, offering bits of interesting information along the way.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another jolly read about retired, mismatched sisters, Julia and Frankie, thrown together after being estranged in order to qualify to inherit their late mother's house.
This time we find them on holiday in Cornwall, where they become mixed up in a local crime with historic precedents. Sharing a mother but with different fathers and very different backgrounds - Julia as a staid headteacher Frankie who seems to have done a bit of everything as she travelled the world - they find enough common ground to collaborate as amateur sleuths bent on delivering justice where the police fall short.
The author's background in theatre, film and TV direction shines through in her present-tense narrative with a filmic quality about it, setting up detailed shots of the settings in which the action takes place. Some appealing comic touches and short, brisk chapters keep the pace bright and breezy, and keep the reader turning the page.
Second in series, this also works as a standalone. More, please!
This time we find them on holiday in Cornwall, where they become mixed up in a local crime with historic precedents. Sharing a mother but with different fathers and very different backgrounds - Julia as a staid headteacher Frankie who seems to have done a bit of everything as she travelled the world - they find enough common ground to collaborate as amateur sleuths bent on delivering justice where the police fall short.
The author's background in theatre, film and TV direction shines through in her present-tense narrative with a filmic quality about it, setting up detailed shots of the settings in which the action takes place. Some appealing comic touches and short, brisk chapters keep the pace bright and breezy, and keep the reader turning the page.
Second in series, this also works as a standalone. More, please!
May 6, 2026
The Body That Floats By Jayne Chard 🛥️
Happy publication day to this lovely book 📖!!! I was fortunate enough to receive a gifted copy by @jaynechard1 @mrshargrave, so thank you both so much 🤍
Our plot follows two sisters, Julia and Frankie, who when on holiday, accidentally find a dead body and uncover a smuggling ring! Racing against the clock in this small village to solve a potential murder, the sisters must put their difference aside to solve the crime 🤫
This book was so much fun! It was fast paced, funny and kept me hooked throughout 🙌🏼 I loved Julia and Frankie! as older women it was enjoyable watching them use their age as an advantage to uncover this potential murder and show age makes no difference 🤍 the writing was very enjoyable and kept me thinking throughout! This book is the second in series but can be read as a standalone, like I did, but I will definitely be picking up the first book 🤩!
Publication Date: 7th of May 2026
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:0
Happy publication day to this lovely book 📖!!! I was fortunate enough to receive a gifted copy by @jaynechard1 @mrshargrave, so thank you both so much 🤍
Our plot follows two sisters, Julia and Frankie, who when on holiday, accidentally find a dead body and uncover a smuggling ring! Racing against the clock in this small village to solve a potential murder, the sisters must put their difference aside to solve the crime 🤫
This book was so much fun! It was fast paced, funny and kept me hooked throughout 🙌🏼 I loved Julia and Frankie! as older women it was enjoyable watching them use their age as an advantage to uncover this potential murder and show age makes no difference 🤍 the writing was very enjoyable and kept me thinking throughout! This book is the second in series but can be read as a standalone, like I did, but I will definitely be picking up the first book 🤩!
Publication Date: 7th of May 2026
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:0
May 10, 2026
I have fond memories of holidays in Cornwall, and enjoyed a huge dollop of nostalgia reading Jayne Chard's description of gorgeous scenery and food. Julia and Frankie, the warring sisters at the centre of this cosy crime story, have a great time when a friend invites them on a free vacation. Then their idyll is interrupted by the discovery of a corpse. Unlike last time, this one doesn't suddenly disappear. However, as before, no-one takes them seriously when they report their suspicions of murder. What's a girl to do? On this, the pair are united. They begin their own investigation. Thus, the stage is set for jolly japes, terrifying scrapes and a clever twist at the end of the story.
May 18, 2026
A cozy mystery with two retired sisters finding a dead body while swimming, yes 🙌🏻!
This is my first Julia and Frankie book courtesy of the author. The book opens with enough of a recap from character development of Book 1 that you aren’t lost walking into Book 2 as a stand alone.
The sisters are an interesting polar opposite dynamic, I think the free spirited Frankie is my favorite sister, she silently challenges her sister subtly to get her to relax her Type-A rule following personality.
The amateur sleuth sisters are convinced that the found dead body in a small Cornish coastal town is more than meets the eye. There are several questionable suspects in the town that the sisters meet that catch their suspicions.
An easy read, a good weekend read.
This is my first Julia and Frankie book courtesy of the author. The book opens with enough of a recap from character development of Book 1 that you aren’t lost walking into Book 2 as a stand alone.
The sisters are an interesting polar opposite dynamic, I think the free spirited Frankie is my favorite sister, she silently challenges her sister subtly to get her to relax her Type-A rule following personality.
The amateur sleuth sisters are convinced that the found dead body in a small Cornish coastal town is more than meets the eye. There are several questionable suspects in the town that the sisters meet that catch their suspicions.
An easy read, a good weekend read.
May 5, 2026
This is another entertaining mystery from Jayne Chard. Some of the antics the women get up to are real laugh out loud moments.
Being back with Julia and Frankie has been great and seeing them still working through their own relationship whilst trying to ( with different approaches) solve the mystery in front of them has been great fun.
I love the siblings relationship- tense and at times full of sarcasm between them- you can tell there’s real love beneath the surface.
May 9, 2026
I loved More than Murder, the first Julia and Frankie mystery and this one is even better!
I really enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters, at times I actually laughed out loud. It's an interestng and absorbing book, (plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing) and the descriptions of the village where the book is set, the beaches and the sea are lovely.
It's a real treat.
I really enjoyed the relationship between the two sisters, at times I actually laughed out loud. It's an interestng and absorbing book, (plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing) and the descriptions of the village where the book is set, the beaches and the sea are lovely.
It's a real treat.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was an easy and entertaining read and I enjoyed it very much.
If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
May 3, 2026
The first book in this series was a stand out read and this second continues in the same vane the sisters who are our main characters are wonderful and the scrapes they get involved in are intriguing. I only hope this series continues for a long time to come 5* from me
May 9, 2026
This second book in the Frankie and Julia sister series was a real treat. I enjoyed in more than the first book as we see the relationship between the sisters maturing . I felt I was transported back to Cornwall. A perfect example of a cosy crime novel .
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Body That Floats by Jayne Chard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the 2nd Julia and Frankie Mystery but can also be read as a standalone (although I do recommend reading book 1 for the fun story)
Another very detail orientated beginning which sets the scene nicely. A fun story with a good to and fro between the sisters. An easy read and a good mystery.
I received a gifted copy of this book. This is my honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the 2nd Julia and Frankie Mystery but can also be read as a standalone (although I do recommend reading book 1 for the fun story)
Another very detail orientated beginning which sets the scene nicely. A fun story with a good to and fro between the sisters. An easy read and a good mystery.
I received a gifted copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews