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Ellie Quicke #17
Murder in Style
Ellie Quicke finds you can choose your friends but not your family.
Poppy's wealthy father hadn't liked the look of the men whom his twin daughters intended to marry, and had set them up in the Magpie fashion boutique to ensure they would be able to support themselves; at the same time ensuring that the girls made a will in one another's favour.
The business prospered and expanded until, many years later, skeletons start to come out of the closet. Bodies too...
And Ellie's enquiries uncover a hornet's nest of greed and malice combined with tragic secrets.
Poppy's wealthy father hadn't liked the look of the men whom his twin daughters intended to marry, and had set them up in the Magpie fashion boutique to ensure they would be able to support themselves; at the same time ensuring that the girls made a will in one another's favour.
The business prospered and expanded until, many years later, skeletons start to come out of the closet. Bodies too...
And Ellie's enquiries uncover a hornet's nest of greed and malice combined with tragic secrets.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2016
275 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Heley
96 books131 followersVeronica Heley has published more than fifty books, including crime fiction, historical, and children's titles. She is currently involved in the Ellie Quicke series of crime stories and a variety of other projects. A full-time writer, she has been married to a London probation officer since 1964, and has one musician daughter.
AKA Veronica Thorne
AKA Veronica Thorne
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 17, 2017
Clever Ellie Quicke, once so diffident, has come so far! She’s developed such a reputation that Gerald and Marika Cordover begged her to look into the “accidental” death of their daughter Poppy, one of a pair of twins.
Like the Cordovers and police Detective Lesley Milburn, Ellie senses that something’s fishy about the supposed tumble down the stairs and that everyone — the Cordovers, Poppy’s twin sister Juno, Poppy’s daughter, Juno’s controlling husband, and Poppy’s gambler husband — is hiding something. But Ellie efficiently solves the case with the help of her priest husband Thomas and sassy teenaged pal Mikey Pryce. Another wonderful novel by Veronica Heley.
Like the Cordovers and police Detective Lesley Milburn, Ellie senses that something’s fishy about the supposed tumble down the stairs and that everyone — the Cordovers, Poppy’s twin sister Juno, Poppy’s daughter, Juno’s controlling husband, and Poppy’s gambler husband — is hiding something. But Ellie efficiently solves the case with the help of her priest husband Thomas and sassy teenaged pal Mikey Pryce. Another wonderful novel by Veronica Heley.
June 18, 2016
Ellie Quicke is asked to look into a case which her friend Lesley feels could have been murder even though an inquest ruled it was accident. Poppy came from a wealthy background and her father set her up in business with her twin sister, Juno when they both married what their father considered to be unsuitable men. They made a will in each other's favour so that the business would remain in the surviving twin's control if anything happened to either of them.
Ellie attends the funeral at the request of Poppy and Juno's parents and like most onlookers sees more of the game than those involved and she quickly sums up the family and especially the twins' husbands and their daughters. Very soon Ellie is convinced that this was murder rather than an accident but just where has Juno disappeared to and why have her parents suddenly stopped being worried about the whole situation?
I really enjoyed reading this well plotted mystery which shows very well how many people overlook older women to their cost. There is one priceless scene in the boutique which had me chuckling and immediately re-reading it. There are other touches of humour as in the other books in this series but this one scene had me laughing out loud. Ellie, in spite of many misgivings, manages to piece together small observations and arrives at the truth. She has a strong belief in her own ability to read people and to pick up small pieces of information and is not afraid to tackle wrong doers, sometimes putting herself in dangerous situations.
If you enjoy cosy mysteries with a sensible and down to earth heroine which are firmly rooted in the every day world then you may enjoy this one. The books can be read as standalone novels but are better read in the order in which they are written so that the reader can follow Ellie's development from shy and down trodden to quietly confident. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
Ellie attends the funeral at the request of Poppy and Juno's parents and like most onlookers sees more of the game than those involved and she quickly sums up the family and especially the twins' husbands and their daughters. Very soon Ellie is convinced that this was murder rather than an accident but just where has Juno disappeared to and why have her parents suddenly stopped being worried about the whole situation?
I really enjoyed reading this well plotted mystery which shows very well how many people overlook older women to their cost. There is one priceless scene in the boutique which had me chuckling and immediately re-reading it. There are other touches of humour as in the other books in this series but this one scene had me laughing out loud. Ellie, in spite of many misgivings, manages to piece together small observations and arrives at the truth. She has a strong belief in her own ability to read people and to pick up small pieces of information and is not afraid to tackle wrong doers, sometimes putting herself in dangerous situations.
If you enjoy cosy mysteries with a sensible and down to earth heroine which are firmly rooted in the every day world then you may enjoy this one. The books can be read as standalone novels but are better read in the order in which they are written so that the reader can follow Ellie's development from shy and down trodden to quietly confident. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
April 10, 2020
3.5 stars (rating shown may vary depending on whether site allows half star ratings).
A friend gave me this book. I don't think I've read any earlier ones in the series. For a while almost all the family that Ellie is investigating kind of blended into one. I had a hard time with Ray and Gordon and with remembering which one was married to which sister. Almost all of them seemed to be in it for what they could get (money and prestige being the most common). Most didn't seem to want to work for their livelihoods, preferring instead to rest on the twins's inheritance and business profits.
Warning: Spoilers may follow. Read on at your own discretion.
Having not read the preceding books in the series, I have no idea what the relationship between Lesley and Ellie is. I'm not quite sure why Lesley would tell the Cordovers to talk to Ellie. Did she just want to get them out of her hair?
I also don't know the particulars of Lesley's engagement. I don't think he appears in this installment. To me, their relationship doesn't seem like marriage material (based only on this novel's information). It seems odd that Ellie has to counsel Lesley on the fact that he and his family might not like her allowing Susan to pick her own dress and not allowing Angelica to have full say in the dress design as someone (not Lesley) promised her. It also seemed odd to me that Ellie had to guide Lesley through reconciling with him after they had the fight over it. He doesn't seem willing to stand up to his family to side with her. He's at the very least verbally abusive based on Thomas's reaction to the texts on Lesley's phone. We're not told that he apologizes or that his behavior changes. It makes me wonder how the marriage will play out.
The elder Cordovers seem manipulative--perhaps with good intentions, perhaps not. I do appreciate they care for their daughters. And yes, it does seem that both daughters chose unwisely for husbands. I can understand the parents wanting to protect their daughters in case something happened to the marriage. So the prenups and the original wills leaving their stuff to each other makes sense. I wasn't so sure about the line that if both daughters died the estate would return to their father. I guess, since they'd made it when they were so young and never changed it, it might make sense.
I have a hard time believing that neither husband had figured out that they weren't going to inherit or that the subject had never come up during the marriage. Especially if both had signed prenups.
Trixie struck me as a gold digger. She wants what she wants when she wants it and if she doesn't have the money--well, then, mommie-dearest will pay the bill. She's so accustomed to it that she doesn't even see that it's wrong to take a short-cut to getting money from her mother by stealing from her mother's business.
Clemmie is the only family member who seems a sympathetic character. She's made mistakes, but she's owned up to them, taken responsibility, gotten a job, made her own way for the most part. She's willing to work. It remains to be seen if she's chosen wisely in Aidan--though he at least seems more responsible than men from Clemmie's family.
I liked Susan's transformation. Her scene at the dress shop was humorous. I didn't like that she apparently overindulged when she went out on the town.
Like most cozy mystery heroines, Ellie makes poor choices. She goes into a house with 3 men--one she suspects is physically abusive, and at least one of which she thinks murdered Poppy. She also accepts rides with people she doesn't know well--and this was written in 2016 so we can't say it was written in a simpler time when this might be more common.
I didn't catch that Thomas was a minster/retired minister (if that's what he was).
A friend gave me this book. I don't think I've read any earlier ones in the series. For a while almost all the family that Ellie is investigating kind of blended into one. I had a hard time with Ray and Gordon and with remembering which one was married to which sister. Almost all of them seemed to be in it for what they could get (money and prestige being the most common). Most didn't seem to want to work for their livelihoods, preferring instead to rest on the twins's inheritance and business profits.
Warning: Spoilers may follow. Read on at your own discretion.
Having not read the preceding books in the series, I have no idea what the relationship between Lesley and Ellie is. I'm not quite sure why Lesley would tell the Cordovers to talk to Ellie. Did she just want to get them out of her hair?
I also don't know the particulars of Lesley's engagement. I don't think he appears in this installment. To me, their relationship doesn't seem like marriage material (based only on this novel's information). It seems odd that Ellie has to counsel Lesley on the fact that he and his family might not like her allowing Susan to pick her own dress and not allowing Angelica to have full say in the dress design as someone (not Lesley) promised her. It also seemed odd to me that Ellie had to guide Lesley through reconciling with him after they had the fight over it. He doesn't seem willing to stand up to his family to side with her. He's at the very least verbally abusive based on Thomas's reaction to the texts on Lesley's phone. We're not told that he apologizes or that his behavior changes. It makes me wonder how the marriage will play out.
The elder Cordovers seem manipulative--perhaps with good intentions, perhaps not. I do appreciate they care for their daughters. And yes, it does seem that both daughters chose unwisely for husbands. I can understand the parents wanting to protect their daughters in case something happened to the marriage. So the prenups and the original wills leaving their stuff to each other makes sense. I wasn't so sure about the line that if both daughters died the estate would return to their father. I guess, since they'd made it when they were so young and never changed it, it might make sense.
I have a hard time believing that neither husband had figured out that they weren't going to inherit or that the subject had never come up during the marriage. Especially if both had signed prenups.
Trixie struck me as a gold digger. She wants what she wants when she wants it and if she doesn't have the money--well, then, mommie-dearest will pay the bill. She's so accustomed to it that she doesn't even see that it's wrong to take a short-cut to getting money from her mother by stealing from her mother's business.
Clemmie is the only family member who seems a sympathetic character. She's made mistakes, but she's owned up to them, taken responsibility, gotten a job, made her own way for the most part. She's willing to work. It remains to be seen if she's chosen wisely in Aidan--though he at least seems more responsible than men from Clemmie's family.
I liked Susan's transformation. Her scene at the dress shop was humorous. I didn't like that she apparently overindulged when she went out on the town.
Like most cozy mystery heroines, Ellie makes poor choices. She goes into a house with 3 men--one she suspects is physically abusive, and at least one of which she thinks murdered Poppy. She also accepts rides with people she doesn't know well--and this was written in 2016 so we can't say it was written in a simpler time when this might be more common.
I didn't catch that Thomas was a minster/retired minister (if that's what he was).
July 29, 2019
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, especially the main characters, and would be interested in back-tracking to an earlier part of the story to see how they all got where they began in this book.
Ellie is the amateur sleuth, married to Thomas, a minister, frustrated with their adult kids, befriended by a police officer who gives them a case she can't solve. I enjoyed the Marge character because of the friendship and support she gave her ex-husband. She managed to mingle her own strength of mind and kindness well. I suspect, though, that she isn't a recurring character.
I also liked Clemmie, another strong female character whom I doubt is a recurring character. She seemed determined to work hard and to take responsibility for her earlier mistakes and rectifying them.
Susan's boutique scene was funny.
I did guess whodunit, and as soon as the clue appeared that indicated how, I understood how it was done. I did not figure out about Juno.
Lesley and her fiance: Was his name ever given? He always seemed to be off-screen, on the other side of a phone call, etc. They had a verbally abusive argument. There really was no excuse for him to swear at her and text her obscenities, even if she was probably used to discarding such language and not taking it personally, as a cop.
Ellie seemed to be rooting for them to reconcile, but I wasn't so sure that was best. At the very least, they didn't seem to know how to resolve conflict. Ellie had to coach Lesley through it. But I'm not sure they would've been able to do it again on their own, later, after their wedding vows. I think they needed premarital counselling, at the very least, before they said "I do." And if he supported his sister Angelica's cruelty of Lesley's niece, Susan, then I have to wonder if he's not currently a fit person for marriage, not marriage-material at all.
I didn't think it was very wise for Ellie to confront three potentially-dangerous men, not just separately, but all together, as a group. It was also not wise for her to take rides from strangers (twice) while a murderer was on the loose. When I read about her accepting the rides, I had to wonder about her sanity.
Speaking about the main character, Ellie, I can't imagine her ignoring her grown daughter's "urgent" calls and texts for so long. What if something truly traumatic had happened? Also, when they did finally meet, Ellie had the strength of character to refuse Diane's demands up front. She didn't "need" to evade Diane as a more wishy-washy person might have done. So, I didn't see the point of all the evading. And I don't see that her blunt refusal hurt her relationship with Diane any, because they did show up on Ellie's doorstep later. Again, I don't see how evading Diane got her anything, because she wasn't afraid of a negative turn in their relationship. Maybe although she could deal with it, she just didn't want to.
Ellie's complaining about Diane only calling her for money or babysitting made me wonder if we treat my in-laws like that. It's a good question, but I don't think so. For one thing, we also invited them places or host them, even if it's perhaps not as often as they'd like. And I always try to have a backup plan if they can't drive one of the kids somewhere so that they don't feel put out if they can't. I never presume. They almost never refuse, though, and sometimes that worries me, because I do want them to be able to enjoy their own lives and activities.
Favorite quote:
"He couldn't get through to her if she was shouting at Him all the time."
Ellie is the amateur sleuth, married to Thomas, a minister, frustrated with their adult kids, befriended by a police officer who gives them a case she can't solve. I enjoyed the Marge character because of the friendship and support she gave her ex-husband. She managed to mingle her own strength of mind and kindness well. I suspect, though, that she isn't a recurring character.
I also liked Clemmie, another strong female character whom I doubt is a recurring character. She seemed determined to work hard and to take responsibility for her earlier mistakes and rectifying them.
Susan's boutique scene was funny.
I did guess whodunit, and as soon as the clue appeared that indicated how, I understood how it was done. I did not figure out about Juno.
Lesley and her fiance: Was his name ever given? He always seemed to be off-screen, on the other side of a phone call, etc. They had a verbally abusive argument. There really was no excuse for him to swear at her and text her obscenities, even if she was probably used to discarding such language and not taking it personally, as a cop.
Ellie seemed to be rooting for them to reconcile, but I wasn't so sure that was best. At the very least, they didn't seem to know how to resolve conflict. Ellie had to coach Lesley through it. But I'm not sure they would've been able to do it again on their own, later, after their wedding vows. I think they needed premarital counselling, at the very least, before they said "I do." And if he supported his sister Angelica's cruelty of Lesley's niece, Susan, then I have to wonder if he's not currently a fit person for marriage, not marriage-material at all.
I didn't think it was very wise for Ellie to confront three potentially-dangerous men, not just separately, but all together, as a group. It was also not wise for her to take rides from strangers (twice) while a murderer was on the loose. When I read about her accepting the rides, I had to wonder about her sanity.
Speaking about the main character, Ellie, I can't imagine her ignoring her grown daughter's "urgent" calls and texts for so long. What if something truly traumatic had happened? Also, when they did finally meet, Ellie had the strength of character to refuse Diane's demands up front. She didn't "need" to evade Diane as a more wishy-washy person might have done. So, I didn't see the point of all the evading. And I don't see that her blunt refusal hurt her relationship with Diane any, because they did show up on Ellie's doorstep later. Again, I don't see how evading Diane got her anything, because she wasn't afraid of a negative turn in their relationship. Maybe although she could deal with it, she just didn't want to.
Ellie's complaining about Diane only calling her for money or babysitting made me wonder if we treat my in-laws like that. It's a good question, but I don't think so. For one thing, we also invited them places or host them, even if it's perhaps not as often as they'd like. And I always try to have a backup plan if they can't drive one of the kids somewhere so that they don't feel put out if they can't. I never presume. They almost never refuse, though, and sometimes that worries me, because I do want them to be able to enjoy their own lives and activities.
Favorite quote:
"He couldn't get through to her if she was shouting at Him all the time."
March 18, 2019
I’d actually give this 3.5, because I had figured out who done it halfway through—-although not how. It’s #17 in a series; I’ll probably go looking for other books in the series.
Ellie is in her 50-60’s, with a pastor husband, a spoiled daughter that is always trying to borrow money for her next scheme, and a police officer best friend. She runs investigations in her free time, using a teenage boy to assist her with online issues. In this case, two parents contact her because their daughter died in questionable circumstances. The family has quite a bit of money, and scads of dirty family secrets. I enjoyed the interactions between Ellie, her husband, and her teenage assistant.
Ellie is in her 50-60’s, with a pastor husband, a spoiled daughter that is always trying to borrow money for her next scheme, and a police officer best friend. She runs investigations in her free time, using a teenage boy to assist her with online issues. In this case, two parents contact her because their daughter died in questionable circumstances. The family has quite a bit of money, and scads of dirty family secrets. I enjoyed the interactions between Ellie, her husband, and her teenage assistant.
October 10, 2020
This is normally a go to series for me to search out when I want a light good read. I have read 17 books in the series. For some reason and I can't put my finger on it as to why, this book didn't hold my attention and was a slow read for me. It was well written. It took me 11 days to read it and usually I read a book in two to three days. The death had happened already before the book started and Ellie was on the trail through out the book to solve. It was slow paced for me. I am debating if I should go on with the series. Maybe I have reached my limit with the series. I will probably try one more book to see if this was just a fluke with me.
May 20, 2025
I love the Ellie quicke series but I’m disappointed that some of her friends are not mentioned anymore apart from Kate occasionally what’s happened to miss quicker son only one that’s always in books is the horrible Diane never mentions her first grandson I know it’s about the murders but if she can tell us what’s for dinner she can still put friends in it I know it’s nothing she can do now as books are done
March 31, 2019
This may be the last of the Ellie Quicke series I read - it wasn't very good. Also, so far, my library doesn't have the next 2 in the series. I originally liked this series because of Ellie's family dynamics but this one seemed to focus on the "mystery". I plowed through but can't say I enjoyed it much.
January 17, 2025
Reading the series but ...
I have enjoyed reading the series in order but suddenly the numbers stopped being shown making it pretty impossible to carry on reading in order. Very disappointed to have read the last one and have missed 3 out.
I have enjoyed reading the series in order but suddenly the numbers stopped being shown making it pretty impossible to carry on reading in order. Very disappointed to have read the last one and have missed 3 out.
January 12, 2019
Not my favorite one. A little too jumbled to me. But still love Veronica Heley!
December 12, 2019
Another quirky cozy with a frisson of domestic violence appropriately reolved.
October 24, 2020
I enjoy this series, will continue
October 31, 2023
This was a surprise for me, best one of the series I have 'read' in a long time.
October 3, 2024
Another convoluted familes-and-money story, with rather old-fashioned approaches by Ellie to relationships and domestic life.
November 20, 2024
Oh, don't waste your time
That was awful. Too many characters just dropped in with no back story. So much redundancy. I do not recommend this book.
That was awful. Too many characters just dropped in with no back story. So much redundancy. I do not recommend this book.
February 14, 2026
This one has a good twist at the end. I am enjoying this series.
June 22, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Murder In Style, a cozy murder investigation featuring Ellie Quick.
Poppy Cocks fell down a flight of stairs and died. The police are satisfied that it was an accident but advise the family who are convinced it's murder to ask Ellie Quick to look into it. Ellie, a sort of modern day Miss Marple, agrees to help out but finds that everyone in Poppy's dysfunctional family is keeping secrets from her and the world at large.
Firstly I should point out that despite Poppy's name this is not a comedy but a straightforward, linear investigation which had me baffled - I had no clue throughout about the perpetrator or why Poppy has to die. Just about everyone from this middle class, extremely dysfunctional family has a reason, mostly to do with money.
I found the family background OTT. Twins who both get pregnant on their 18th birthday in the mid 90s and marry their boyfriends who turn out to be extremely poor husbands but neither contemplate divorce, even though they are both successful businesswomen and more than wealthy enough to support themselves. One maybe, but both?
I am new to this series so I can confidently state that Murder In Style works well as a standalone. The plot is clever and convoluted enough to keep you reading and it is well written. Personally, I found the style a bit twee but that is a minor quibble in an otherwise good novel.
Poppy Cocks fell down a flight of stairs and died. The police are satisfied that it was an accident but advise the family who are convinced it's murder to ask Ellie Quick to look into it. Ellie, a sort of modern day Miss Marple, agrees to help out but finds that everyone in Poppy's dysfunctional family is keeping secrets from her and the world at large.
Firstly I should point out that despite Poppy's name this is not a comedy but a straightforward, linear investigation which had me baffled - I had no clue throughout about the perpetrator or why Poppy has to die. Just about everyone from this middle class, extremely dysfunctional family has a reason, mostly to do with money.
I found the family background OTT. Twins who both get pregnant on their 18th birthday in the mid 90s and marry their boyfriends who turn out to be extremely poor husbands but neither contemplate divorce, even though they are both successful businesswomen and more than wealthy enough to support themselves. One maybe, but both?
I am new to this series so I can confidently state that Murder In Style works well as a standalone. The plot is clever and convoluted enough to keep you reading and it is well written. Personally, I found the style a bit twee but that is a minor quibble in an otherwise good novel.
August 31, 2016
How in the world did I miss Ellie Quicke? On a positive note, I now have a list of 15 books I have to read! Those being the first fifteen books in the series. I really enjoyed this book, even coming in late as I did. I was able to make perfect sense of the characters and the plot without having the background, which says a lot of good things about the author. I liked the way she introduced the murder suspects, clearly and slowly, with good explanations, so that I could understand and not be i surprised later on my a suspect from out of the blue. Ellie is a rightous lady without being "holier-than-thou" and it makes her real.
November 15, 2016
Ellie is much nicer than I and her stream of consciousness narrative is amusing, revealing, insightful, and truthful. I love reading her thoughts as she interviews family members and suspects. I have read all of Heley's Murder series and her False series. Thank you Severn House for publishing them now.
Daughter Diana is a nightmare -- glad my mother isn't alive to see any resemblance to her daughter (me). Wonderful repeating characters and Ellie's enviable ability to involve friends and solve ugly murders make a lovely series. Slightly religious in the best way.
Daughter Diana is a nightmare -- glad my mother isn't alive to see any resemblance to her daughter (me). Wonderful repeating characters and Ellie's enviable ability to involve friends and solve ugly murders make a lovely series. Slightly religious in the best way.
September 5, 2016
I would rate this 5 stars as a murder mystery, but I am also looking for some social or other commentary in addition to a great story, which this definitely is.
January 23, 2017
Situations were too pat and not believeable
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews