Death at Delphi

by Edward Turbeville

Whose bones lie in Caroline’s grave?


A mysterious drowning. A dead person seen alive. A secret society reviving ancient rites. Rumours of smuggling, espionage and betrayal.


When a handsome stranger asks Jayne for help, her quest takes her to Greece where a web of lies, intrigue, and jealousy is soon laid bare.


But how can Jayne unravel the intrigue of her friend’s death, when no one will believe her?


And where is Caroline now?

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2016

About the author

Edward Turbeville is a mystery writer from England’s ancient Forest of Dean.

His favourite authors include Agatha Christie, Evelyn Waugh, P G Wodehouse and Nevil Shute.

Edward is also a fan of the Classics, notably Cicero and Vergil. You can download his alliterative verse translation of Book III of the Aeneid from iBooks.

Reviews

[M.P. Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A diverse group of friends from university are upset, confused and suspicious when one of their number is found dead in Greece. Was it really a diving accident, a suicide or maybe it was something more sinister? The action rapidly switches between Delphi, London and Essex, against a background of espionage, romantic entanglements, murder and attempted murder.

This well written and interesting story, populated with a great set of characters, keeps you guessing from the first page right to the very end. Fans of Agatha Christie's international whodunnits, like Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, will enjoy this story with its updated setting and characters.

In short: a well written, pacy and romantic murder mystery. I look forward to reading the next books by Edward Turbeville: The poisoned Vol-au-vent and The Boarding House Murders.

[Edward Turbeville · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Agatha Christie for many years, I've been determined to write murder mysteries of my own. This is the first attempt! (With several more in the pipeline). I hope it provides some enjoyment to other fans of the classic cosy English mystery genre.

[Lisa Denn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy of Death At Delphi from the author. For those who are unfamiliar with ARC's it should be noted that ARC's are not the final version to be published and will (and do) more often than not have grammar and/or typo mistakes. I feel it's unfair to criticize such errors until after a book is released in its final form. Yes, there were some grammar mistakes as well as a few typos here and there but as previously mentioned that's to be expected when reading an advanced review copy.

My initial attraction to Death At Delphi was Mr. Turbeville's desciption that the book was similiar to the kind of cozy mysteries written by Agatha Christie. Mr. Turbeville is correct! If you enjoy Agatha Christie's mysteries you should enjoy Death At Delphi. I loved the book!

Death At Delphi ticked the two most important elements I look for in a book - strong characters and a solid storyline. The book stayed on point from the first page until the last - that being focusing on "who dunnit?"

Turbeville delivers a great clean, wholesome mystery suitable for both young and not-so young readers looking to sit back for a few hours and play amateur slueth!

[Marina Sinelnikova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from the author, who says that he is a long-time fan of Agatha Christie. This is is certainly noticeable! He did very good in creating a very Christie-like atmosphere, especially reminding of the "international" Christies - young women abroad stumbling into mystery, and all that (this naturally leads to a bit retro atmosphere: when is it? probably before the end of the Cold War)
Jayne, the protagonist, encounters an old university friend abroad - she's sure of that, as she's good with faces - and this leads to a mystery concerning her whole group of friends. The characters of these friends are a bit lightly drawn in my opinion, but then again, this is not a psychological thriller, and we do get a sense of the interconnections between them - who is more connected with whom, who knows what about whom (or does not know). All the right fodder for the mystery.
And the ending is unexpected though quite logical. All in all, I quite enjoyed this book.

[T.G. Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, intriguing read that kept me guessing until the very end. There were several times when I (literally) had a shiver down my spine when a revelation was given. I also lost an hour while reading this book on a coach journey to London. A must read and I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy of Death At Delphi from the author.
A classic British whodunnit following in the footsteps of the great Agatha Christie, P.D James, Dorothy L. Sayers etc
A group of old university friends are shocked to find out that one of their own has turned up dead!
How is that possible when one of the group, Jayne, is convinced she saw the alleged victim days after her so called death while holidaying in Delphi? The victim's handsome cousin has some doubts about the circumstances surrounding this mysterious death and asks Jayne to return to Delphi to see if she can find out more. How can Jayne refuse? The amateur sleuth ends up with more questions than answers though!
Everyone in the group becomes a suspect and not everyone is whom they seem! All this makes for a great, fast paced mystery with just the right amount of twists and turns and red herrings to keep you guessing!
All topped off with a touch of romance.
Highly recommended for fans of a good mystery.

[Daniela Kraml · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was a little bit like reading an unknown Jane Aiken Hodge, only better!
Right from the start you want to know what will happen to the people involved, and the plot keeps twisting and turning till the end.
A very good read, and thanks for the ARC.

[Josipa Kosanovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend. Perfect easy read for those days when your body is too lazy and the mind won’t stay still. Identifiable characters, intriguing plot and unexpected resolution. I’ve enjoyed it!

[John Bainbridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holidaying on the Greek coast, Jayne sees an old university friend who fails to acknowledge her. Back in London she learns that Caroline had drowned, several days before she saw her… The scene is set for a well-paced, murder mystery where Jayne’s peaceful life is drawn into renewed friendships, intrigue, romance and danger. Edward Turbeville has written a wonderful homage to the grand heyday of cosy English murder with interesting, believable characters, attractive settings and an enigmatic puzzle. Jayne is an appealing heroine and you quickly ‘care’ about her. The plot has red herrings aplenty as suspicion shifts from one ally to another. In the best tradition of Agatha Christie, no one can be taken at face value until the strong and very satisfying denouement at Delphi.
The author has a lovely, flowing writing style. I found this hard to put down and enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions of London and Greece. This would make a great television drama, reminiscent of Greek-set, 1970s classics like Who Pays The Ferryman? and The Lotus Eaters. I loved the time-setting, where spies can disappear behind the Iron Curtain. It’s a pleasure to get lost in old-fashioned deduction without modern forensics, cell phones and Google. If you love Agatha Christie, Robert Goddard’s twisting plots or the Greek, romantic suspense of Mary Stewart – Death At Delphi is a great treat.