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DI Hillary Greene #3
Murder of the Bride
DI Hillary Greene is called out to attend a suspicious death at Three Oaks Farm in the picturesque village of Steeple Barton.
The large farmhouse is filled with music and revellers, but when she steps into the farm’s large cowshed, Hillary finds a dead bride. Dressed in a sumptuous white wedding gown, the young, beautiful redhead had clearly been strangled.
But not everything is what it seems, and the victim turns out to be at the centre of a web of jealousy and intrigue in the close-knit village. Many of the villagers have a motive for murdering her but they’re not giving up their secrets easily.
Can Hillary discover the real reason for this brutal crime and cope with the spiralling revelations about her dead ex-husband?
The large farmhouse is filled with music and revellers, but when she steps into the farm’s large cowshed, Hillary finds a dead bride. Dressed in a sumptuous white wedding gown, the young, beautiful redhead had clearly been strangled.
But not everything is what it seems, and the victim turns out to be at the centre of a web of jealousy and intrigue in the close-knit village. Many of the villagers have a motive for murdering her but they’re not giving up their secrets easily.
Can Hillary discover the real reason for this brutal crime and cope with the spiralling revelations about her dead ex-husband?
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
5523 people are currently reading
881 people want to read
About the author
Faith Martin
93 books997 followersFaith Martin is a pen name of English author Jacquie Walton, who is best known for her popular detective series, starring Detective Inspector Hillary Greene.
As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired 'cosy' murder mysteries, such as the Monica Noble mystery series.
As Maxine Barry, her latest romance novels are now available from Corazon Books.
As Jessie Daniels, her 'spooky' crime novel, The Lavender Lady Casefile came out in November 2017.
As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired 'cosy' murder mysteries, such as the Monica Noble mystery series.
As Maxine Barry, her latest romance novels are now available from Corazon Books.
As Jessie Daniels, her 'spooky' crime novel, The Lavender Lady Casefile came out in November 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
February 9, 2021
Another very readable book in this series featuring DI Hillary Green.
I like Hillary very much. She is a smart, independent woman who manages her way through life the way normal people do. Admittedly not everyone has a huge, untouchable, illegal fortune stashed away in an overseas bank but there are good reasons for this anomaly.
Murder of the Bride opens with the discovery of a dead woman, dressed as a bride, on the floor of a cowshed. The story then follows the police investigation culminating in the discovery of the murderer. Of course there is a neat twist at the end. I enjoyed all the clues and red herrings and was able to work out the guilty party before Hillary did.
All good fun and I am looking forward to the next book already.
I like Hillary very much. She is a smart, independent woman who manages her way through life the way normal people do. Admittedly not everyone has a huge, untouchable, illegal fortune stashed away in an overseas bank but there are good reasons for this anomaly.
Murder of the Bride opens with the discovery of a dead woman, dressed as a bride, on the floor of a cowshed. The story then follows the police investigation culminating in the discovery of the murderer. Of course there is a neat twist at the end. I enjoyed all the clues and red herrings and was able to work out the guilty party before Hillary did.
All good fun and I am looking forward to the next book already.
February 8, 2023
When DI Hillary Greene was called to the farmhouse at Three Oaks Farm in the middle of the night, she had no idea what she would face. But the young woman, dressed as a bride, was dead in the cowshed, strangled to death. The night was an anniversary celebration and the farmhouse was alive with lights, music, dancing and plenty of people. Immediately Hillary could see she'd need more support to question all the guests before they left for home.
With offsiders Tommy and Janine following leads, Hillary showed her mettle when she chased a suspect through the bush, interrogated a low-life crim and tackled a would be killer - all in a day's work. But would she find the bride's killer?
Murder of the Bride is the 3rd in the DI Hillary Greene series by Faith Martin, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With plenty of fast-paced action, Hillary is coming into her own! She's a great character, calm and not easily rattled. But it looks like her past might be coming back to bite her... Highly recommended.
With offsiders Tommy and Janine following leads, Hillary showed her mettle when she chased a suspect through the bush, interrogated a low-life crim and tackled a would be killer - all in a day's work. But would she find the bride's killer?
Murder of the Bride is the 3rd in the DI Hillary Greene series by Faith Martin, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With plenty of fast-paced action, Hillary is coming into her own! She's a great character, calm and not easily rattled. But it looks like her past might be coming back to bite her... Highly recommended.
October 30, 2017
4.5 Stars
DI Hillary Greene and her team have been called to the scene of a suspicious death. The body of a young woman, dressed in a wedding gown, is found in a cow barn. The only witnesses .. the cows. She was obviously strangled .... but by who.. and why?
Upon questioning her friends, co-workers, lovers, Greene finds that the woman was not universally liked. She had her cap set for a man who would become quite rich upon the death of his father. She was one of those who spoke her mind and didn't particularly care who she upset.
Everyone who knew her has a motive for wanting her dead ......
This is 3rd in a series, and each book seems to get better than the last. The author is very true to her characters. They grow, they adjust, as time goes by. This is a fairly fast paced mystery with several story lines running along side.
Green is still reeling from the antics of her now deceased husband. Her attractive sergeant is having an affair with their supervisor. DC Tommy Lynch gets engaged to his longtime girlfriend and immediately starts having second thoughts. And her supervisor has a new boss, scheduled to make an appearance at any time.
The mystery portion is well thought out and the ending was a total surprise. There is plenty of suspense to keep one riveted from start to finish.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “NARROW IS THE WAY.
Many thanks to the author / Joffee Books / Jill Burkinshaw / Netgalley for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
DI Hillary Greene and her team have been called to the scene of a suspicious death. The body of a young woman, dressed in a wedding gown, is found in a cow barn. The only witnesses .. the cows. She was obviously strangled .... but by who.. and why?
Upon questioning her friends, co-workers, lovers, Greene finds that the woman was not universally liked. She had her cap set for a man who would become quite rich upon the death of his father. She was one of those who spoke her mind and didn't particularly care who she upset.
Everyone who knew her has a motive for wanting her dead ......
This is 3rd in a series, and each book seems to get better than the last. The author is very true to her characters. They grow, they adjust, as time goes by. This is a fairly fast paced mystery with several story lines running along side.
Green is still reeling from the antics of her now deceased husband. Her attractive sergeant is having an affair with their supervisor. DC Tommy Lynch gets engaged to his longtime girlfriend and immediately starts having second thoughts. And her supervisor has a new boss, scheduled to make an appearance at any time.
The mystery portion is well thought out and the ending was a total surprise. There is plenty of suspense to keep one riveted from start to finish.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “NARROW IS THE WAY.
Many thanks to the author / Joffee Books / Jill Burkinshaw / Netgalley for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 24, 2023
Another Great Mystery.
Detective Inspector Hillary Greene is a very good officer. She is an extremely strong chaser of the criminals.
She and her team are working hard to find the killer of a young woman who was a hairdresser. The woman who is dressed as a bride.
Why is she wearing a bridal gown and why is she dead? For Hillary and her team the only way to get the answer is to dig into the young woman’s history.
Faith Martin gives the answer at the end of the book, just as she should. I wasn’t too surprised. I had figured it out just before it was revealed.
This book is ready for four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Detective Inspector Hillary Greene is a very good officer. She is an extremely strong chaser of the criminals.
She and her team are working hard to find the killer of a young woman who was a hairdresser. The woman who is dressed as a bride.
Why is she wearing a bridal gown and why is she dead? For Hillary and her team the only way to get the answer is to dig into the young woman’s history.
Faith Martin gives the answer at the end of the book, just as she should. I wasn’t too surprised. I had figured it out just before it was revealed.
This book is ready for four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 21, 2018
This is a 4.5 star read.
I received a review copy of this novel directly from the author and publisher Joffe Books. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book, and the gifting in no way determines my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
Wow ..... the author has really gotten into the swing of things with this novel! The plot is simpler and the list of active characters has been pared down making for a well tuned novel that is fast paced, easy to follow, yet still mesmerising with its twists and turns and red herrings. The reveal of the perpetrator totally caught me by surprise, even though all the clues were hidden like little nuggets throughout.
The characters all seem to have their own problems and celebrations to deal with in this novel, adding yet another layer of depth to their back stories. While the solving of a crime is the main feature of police procedurals, the author has done an exceptional job of creating multifaceted, life-like characters who are easy to invest in and, let's be frank, it is this ability that makes Faith Martins work stand above others.
I'm intrigued with Hillary's conundrum that has her questioning her ethics, and with the nefarious reasons the new Superintendent has joined the Thames Valley Police. Do I see another rotten apple in the barrel? I shall have to read on to find out! Easy done - I have at least another three DI Hillary Greene novels in my Kindle!! Can't wait to find out what happens next.
I received a review copy of this novel directly from the author and publisher Joffe Books. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book, and the gifting in no way determines my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
Wow ..... the author has really gotten into the swing of things with this novel! The plot is simpler and the list of active characters has been pared down making for a well tuned novel that is fast paced, easy to follow, yet still mesmerising with its twists and turns and red herrings. The reveal of the perpetrator totally caught me by surprise, even though all the clues were hidden like little nuggets throughout.
The characters all seem to have their own problems and celebrations to deal with in this novel, adding yet another layer of depth to their back stories. While the solving of a crime is the main feature of police procedurals, the author has done an exceptional job of creating multifaceted, life-like characters who are easy to invest in and, let's be frank, it is this ability that makes Faith Martins work stand above others.
I'm intrigued with Hillary's conundrum that has her questioning her ethics, and with the nefarious reasons the new Superintendent has joined the Thames Valley Police. Do I see another rotten apple in the barrel? I shall have to read on to find out! Easy done - I have at least another three DI Hillary Greene novels in my Kindle!! Can't wait to find out what happens next.
November 4, 2017
I am growing to absolutely love Hillary Greene what an amazing character she is pure excellence on Faith’s part for developing her so well. I also love the way that Faith writes these books so they can be read as stand-alone without a lot of repetitive ‘catch up’ text.
A bride is found murdered in a cow shed at a fancy dress parties. A lot of potential murderers and very few clues leaves Hillary flummoxed but not for long as she, and her team, get stuck in fitting the pieces together. As I have come to expect from this series there are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings. Add a good dollop of humour into the mix and you end up with a gripping thriller that will keep the reader turning page after page until arriving at the ending which is a real curve ball.
I can honestly say that out of all the possible candidates for the murder I had in mind the actual was someone I hadnt even considered. If you like a book that moves along quickly with the suspense building throughout the book with no sign who the murderer is then this book is for you.
The characters are all well developed realistic yet complex people that we get to know over the course of the book. A bit of romance makes for a well rounded entertaining read.
A bride is found murdered in a cow shed at a fancy dress parties. A lot of potential murderers and very few clues leaves Hillary flummoxed but not for long as she, and her team, get stuck in fitting the pieces together. As I have come to expect from this series there are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings. Add a good dollop of humour into the mix and you end up with a gripping thriller that will keep the reader turning page after page until arriving at the ending which is a real curve ball.
I can honestly say that out of all the possible candidates for the murder I had in mind the actual was someone I hadnt even considered. If you like a book that moves along quickly with the suspense building throughout the book with no sign who the murderer is then this book is for you.
The characters are all well developed realistic yet complex people that we get to know over the course of the book. A bit of romance makes for a well rounded entertaining read.
March 27, 2026
Murder of the Bride by Faith Martin is the 3rd book in the DI Hillary Greene series. DI Hillary Greene is called out to a fancy dress party At Three Oaks Farm where a young girl dressed in a wedding gown has been murdered. An intriguing police procedural set in the countryside around Oxford. I love the descriptions of the English countryside. Hillary also faces the dilemma regarding her dead husbands illegal gains, as well as sizing up the new super. An excellent, action packed and enthralling mystery.
October 16, 2020
Hummm... I think I'll give this series a rest.
October 20, 2023
A young woman, dressed in a bridal gown, leaves a country house party to meet her death in a cow shed. The murder brings out DI Hillary Greene and her team to track down who would want Julia Reynolds — supposedly the fiance of the son of the party hosts, the owners of Three Oaks Farm — dead?
Well there more than a few as DI Greene looks into the matter. First off, there's her boyfriend, or more correctly, boyfriends, and then the plain girlfriend. Then there is that mysterious man Greene keeps seeing near the murder site, the one that runs when he sees her. No one seems to have a clue as to why she was murdered or who would want her dead, but someone did. And as she has done in the two previous books, Greene is dogged about tracking down possible connections and clues.
But that's not all: while Greene has been cleared of being a party in her dead ex-husband's criminal dealings, she is being hounded by a charity that wants her house as payback for said husband's actions.
And then there are the recent changes in the department and the continuing irritation of having DS Frank Ross — a former crony of her ex who hates her guts as much as Greene hates the plodding, lazy drunken detective — as a member of her team.
It's a lot to contend with but as she has in the previous two outings, Greene is not a quitter. She keeps on the path, digging for connections and clues to get her suspect, and does it in a manner that earns respect from all those around her, including those who would like to know her better on a personal level.
Faith Martin knows her stuff when it comes to writing a thrilling mystery story: her characters are fully formed, the story strong and the dialogues sizzling. What is there not to like about her books? Indeed, they make this reader eager to grab the next in the series to see just what Martin has in store of Hillary Greene.
Well there more than a few as DI Greene looks into the matter. First off, there's her boyfriend, or more correctly, boyfriends, and then the plain girlfriend. Then there is that mysterious man Greene keeps seeing near the murder site, the one that runs when he sees her. No one seems to have a clue as to why she was murdered or who would want her dead, but someone did. And as she has done in the two previous books, Greene is dogged about tracking down possible connections and clues.
But that's not all: while Greene has been cleared of being a party in her dead ex-husband's criminal dealings, she is being hounded by a charity that wants her house as payback for said husband's actions.
And then there are the recent changes in the department and the continuing irritation of having DS Frank Ross — a former crony of her ex who hates her guts as much as Greene hates the plodding, lazy drunken detective — as a member of her team.
It's a lot to contend with but as she has in the previous two outings, Greene is not a quitter. She keeps on the path, digging for connections and clues to get her suspect, and does it in a manner that earns respect from all those around her, including those who would like to know her better on a personal level.
Faith Martin knows her stuff when it comes to writing a thrilling mystery story: her characters are fully formed, the story strong and the dialogues sizzling. What is there not to like about her books? Indeed, they make this reader eager to grab the next in the series to see just what Martin has in store of Hillary Greene.
December 27, 2022
Fabulous book with the series and characters gaining more depth in each book. There's a tricky murder, affairs, blackmail and a fair amount of angst. Loved it.
November 25, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for a review copy of Murder of the Bride, the third novel in the DI Hillary Greene series.
To begin with the weakest point of the book: the cover. I would never buy this book based on the cover alone.
The good points of the book: there are many! I do not have to repeat the cover text here because other reviewers did so.
Hillary Greene's character is evolving more and more, and that of her colleagues too. What I liked about this story was that, contrary to Murder on the Oxford Canal, there were not too many people in it. I don't like books where you read names on every page, without knowing whether a person is to become important in the rest of the book or not.
Murder of the Bride has a good plot, with a very suprising twist, humor, interesting characters and it generally feels like the author is really in a flow writing this series.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series because by now I'm really getting curious about some of the things that seem to happen in Hillary's life ;-)
To begin with the weakest point of the book: the cover. I would never buy this book based on the cover alone.
The good points of the book: there are many! I do not have to repeat the cover text here because other reviewers did so.
Hillary Greene's character is evolving more and more, and that of her colleagues too. What I liked about this story was that, contrary to Murder on the Oxford Canal, there were not too many people in it. I don't like books where you read names on every page, without knowing whether a person is to become important in the rest of the book or not.
Murder of the Bride has a good plot, with a very suprising twist, humor, interesting characters and it generally feels like the author is really in a flow writing this series.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series because by now I'm really getting curious about some of the things that seem to happen in Hillary's life ;-)
August 3, 2018
I am continuing to enjoy this series. The characters are interesting and the plots aren’t too convoluted. Good travel and summer reading
November 2, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for a review copy of Murder of the Bride, the third novel in the DI Hillary Greene series of police procedurals set in Oxford.
Hillary is called out late at night to a dead body. Local hairdresser, Julia Reynolds, has been found murdered in a cowshed. She is the eponymous bride having been dressed as one for a fancy dress party. As the investigation unfolds it soon becomes clear that Julia and those around her were keeping secrets, some more relevant than others.
I thoroughly enjoyed Murder of the Bride with its mixture of clever plotting, twists and turns, humour and likeable characters who are fast becoming old friends as the series progresses. The novel works well as a stand alone, being the story of one investigation but to get the best from the characters and their history I would recommend reading the series in order (Hillary's life is complicated through no fault of her own).
The plotting is excellent with several suspects, a dodgy victim and Hillary playing a canny hand, leaving her deputy, DS Janine Tyler, to jump to the obvious conclusions. The solution is really unexpected and a big surprise, making for a satisfying read. I wasn't overly impressed with the first novel in the series but feel Ms Martin has really hit her stride with this one. It is a straightforward whodunnit but it's the characters and their humour which make it such a compulsive read - I just wanted to know what they'd get up to next.
Hillary was separated from her husband, Ronnie, when he died but then her problems started as he was found guilty postmortem of trafficking in illegal animal parts. She was cleared of any collusion but has stumbled over the details of a potential offshore bank account and is dithering over what to do about it. At the same time a militant animal rights organisation is suing her for reparation on behalf of the animals and want her house. Not everything is resolved but Ms Martin moves things forward in a hugely amusing way. Not all the humour is reserved for this situation as Hillary's interactions with her fellow officers are at times tinged with irony and funny observations.
Murder of the Bride is an entertaining novel which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Hillary is called out late at night to a dead body. Local hairdresser, Julia Reynolds, has been found murdered in a cowshed. She is the eponymous bride having been dressed as one for a fancy dress party. As the investigation unfolds it soon becomes clear that Julia and those around her were keeping secrets, some more relevant than others.
I thoroughly enjoyed Murder of the Bride with its mixture of clever plotting, twists and turns, humour and likeable characters who are fast becoming old friends as the series progresses. The novel works well as a stand alone, being the story of one investigation but to get the best from the characters and their history I would recommend reading the series in order (Hillary's life is complicated through no fault of her own).
The plotting is excellent with several suspects, a dodgy victim and Hillary playing a canny hand, leaving her deputy, DS Janine Tyler, to jump to the obvious conclusions. The solution is really unexpected and a big surprise, making for a satisfying read. I wasn't overly impressed with the first novel in the series but feel Ms Martin has really hit her stride with this one. It is a straightforward whodunnit but it's the characters and their humour which make it such a compulsive read - I just wanted to know what they'd get up to next.
Hillary was separated from her husband, Ronnie, when he died but then her problems started as he was found guilty postmortem of trafficking in illegal animal parts. She was cleared of any collusion but has stumbled over the details of a potential offshore bank account and is dithering over what to do about it. At the same time a militant animal rights organisation is suing her for reparation on behalf of the animals and want her house. Not everything is resolved but Ms Martin moves things forward in a hugely amusing way. Not all the humour is reserved for this situation as Hillary's interactions with her fellow officers are at times tinged with irony and funny observations.
Murder of the Bride is an entertaining novel which I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 4, 2018
It's a costume party and the murder victim is found in the cowshed dressed as a bride. Who was she and why was she strangled? The crime is solved by Detective Inspector Hillary Greene and the reason for the murder was truly tragic. I'm definitely looking for more books by Faith Martin. I found myself arriving to my U.S. History class late because I wanted to get to the end of a chapter. The students appeared not to mind.
August 18, 2023
Hilary is on the case
Frank is dumb
Janine is 🙄🤷🏾♀️
Tommy is ❤️
The mystery was good and heartbreaking.
Frank is dumb
Janine is 🙄🤷🏾♀️
Tommy is ❤️
The mystery was good and heartbreaking.
June 16, 2024
Another in this series ticked off. I enjoy the plots and the characters and interplay between them
November 9, 2017
4 and 1 / 2 stars
DI Hillary Greene is called to the Three Oaks Farm to the site of a body. The young woman is dressed in a beautiful wedding gown. But she is not a bride. It is a dress-up party to celebrate someone’s anniversary. She was found in a smelly barn surrounded by cows. So much for forensic evidence. After interviewing the local bobby, she interviews the two people who found her.
Hillary reviews the list of fifty or so guests and crosses out the women. That leaves them men to interview. This is a pretty big list of suspects. When Mandy Tuckers comes to the station, Hillary and PC Tommy Finch interview her. Although she wasn’t at the party, she calls herself Julia Reynolds’ best friend. They may learn something about the murdered woman’s background. She tells them quite a bit about Julia’s personality. She was volatile and more than a little spoiled. It seems that there are many people who had a reason to dislike Julia sufficiently enough to want to kill her.
There is a new superintendent in the unit. His name is Justin Raleigh. He came from the Met, and everyone is speculating as to why. The rumors run from his being gay to be advised to leave the Met.
Hillary and DS Janine interview Theo and Roger Greenwood. Theo owns the upscale hotel and facies himself (almost) nobility. He obviously couldn’t stand Julie and thought her lower class and not nearly good enough for his only son, Roger. Roger shows signs of grief at the loss of his almost-fiancée, but is holding something back. He knew that Julia was only after his money, or rather his father’s money, but loved her any way.
Meanwhile, Gregory Innes, a private investigator, is slinking around with the potential to cause trouble for the police and the suspects.
The identity of the murderer comes as a surprise.
This book is very well written and plotted. The suspense started immediately in the story and continued throughout the book until the explosive denouement. I like DI Hillary Greene very much. The way she gets on with her team is well illustrated. The team works well together – with the exception of Frank Ross, of course, and follows the investigation wherever it leads. It shows dedication and professionalism. I really enjoy Faith Martin’s novels and will continue to read her books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book to read and enjoy.
DI Hillary Greene is called to the Three Oaks Farm to the site of a body. The young woman is dressed in a beautiful wedding gown. But she is not a bride. It is a dress-up party to celebrate someone’s anniversary. She was found in a smelly barn surrounded by cows. So much for forensic evidence. After interviewing the local bobby, she interviews the two people who found her.
Hillary reviews the list of fifty or so guests and crosses out the women. That leaves them men to interview. This is a pretty big list of suspects. When Mandy Tuckers comes to the station, Hillary and PC Tommy Finch interview her. Although she wasn’t at the party, she calls herself Julia Reynolds’ best friend. They may learn something about the murdered woman’s background. She tells them quite a bit about Julia’s personality. She was volatile and more than a little spoiled. It seems that there are many people who had a reason to dislike Julia sufficiently enough to want to kill her.
There is a new superintendent in the unit. His name is Justin Raleigh. He came from the Met, and everyone is speculating as to why. The rumors run from his being gay to be advised to leave the Met.
Hillary and DS Janine interview Theo and Roger Greenwood. Theo owns the upscale hotel and facies himself (almost) nobility. He obviously couldn’t stand Julie and thought her lower class and not nearly good enough for his only son, Roger. Roger shows signs of grief at the loss of his almost-fiancée, but is holding something back. He knew that Julia was only after his money, or rather his father’s money, but loved her any way.
Meanwhile, Gregory Innes, a private investigator, is slinking around with the potential to cause trouble for the police and the suspects.
The identity of the murderer comes as a surprise.
This book is very well written and plotted. The suspense started immediately in the story and continued throughout the book until the explosive denouement. I like DI Hillary Greene very much. The way she gets on with her team is well illustrated. The team works well together – with the exception of Frank Ross, of course, and follows the investigation wherever it leads. It shows dedication and professionalism. I really enjoy Faith Martin’s novels and will continue to read her books.
I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book to read and enjoy.
June 30, 2018
Another romp through the Oxfordshire countryside with DI Hillary Greene. This time she's searching for the murderer of a beautiful woman, who goes to a fancy dress party as a bride. There are lots of twists and turns; some interesting cases that may or may not be interwoven; and Greene's character and relationships are developing nicely. An easy read, great for relaxing on holiday. Perfect for fans of Midsomer Murders.
February 9, 2020
The third entry in the DI Hillary Greene mystery series, this book sees her called to a country farm where there is a woman dressed in a bridal gown and who has been strangled in a cow barn. There is much more going on under the surface than it seems at first, and Hillary is just the police officer to get to the bottom of things. The characters, setting, and plots in this series are all first rate.
July 8, 2019
I am liking this series. Great main characters and satisfying mysteries.
April 15, 2022
It’s official, I LOVE this series. I appreciate reading well developed mysteries and the intelligent and interesting female protagonist. I really like how even supporting main characters are fleshed out and have a story to tell. I enjoy how intricate the mysteries are and how even though there may be early hints, you can’t guess the antagonist right away. Details develop as you go on and the clues that set things in motion still tease things out. I was engaged both in the mystery as well as the writing point of view that included the backstories, and ongoing personal dilemmas and tensions of the members in Hilary’s unit. I can’t wait to solve another mystery with the team and learn more about them!
November 11, 2018
I am enjoying this series by Faith Martin. The books are free with Kindle Unlimited, and I am not sure if that has anything to do with their appeal. By this, the third book, some of the characters are becoming a bit predictable, but there is enough of a continuing ethical dilemma involving the main character, Hillary Greene, to keep me coming back for more.
THere was a nice plot twist to this tale, and a loose end that could conceivably have been left hanging without damage to the storyline was dealt with before I had a chance to notice it was even left.
THere was a nice plot twist to this tale, and a loose end that could conceivably have been left hanging without damage to the storyline was dealt with before I had a chance to notice it was even left.
November 25, 2019
The basic story and the criminal investigation were interesting with an unexpected ending, but I would have preferred if Hillary had been more prominent. The author has written the book around the whole team, but I’m not that interested in Frank, Mel, Janine or Tommy.
I find the Mel and Janine saga quite boring and I’m getting tried of the way the author keeps bringing up Tommy’s obsession with Hillary. Finally I found the meeting in the internet café at the end of the book really contrived.
If possible I would have given 3.5 stars
I find the Mel and Janine saga quite boring and I’m getting tried of the way the author keeps bringing up Tommy’s obsession with Hillary. Finally I found the meeting in the internet café at the end of the book really contrived.
If possible I would have given 3.5 stars
May 13, 2025
An easy yet solid read with some wonderful dialogue. The star of the show is undoubtably Hillary - an absolutely cracker of a character! The formidable Detective Inspector really does make this series and is a brilliant creation from the talented Faith Martin. Fast paced with an array of suspects and whilst there is nothing unique in the formula of these books, the tried and tested whoddunit works as it is done very well indeed. A good twist at the end and the underlying story of Ronnie Greene and his money continues to add intrigue. 4.5⭐️
June 25, 2018
"An intoxicating mix"
Another clever plot meticulously unpicked by Hillary Greene and her team. The series has all the ingredients needed. A strong female protagonist, with a colourful supporting cast for the police procedural elements, Each has their own story line to be explored, which means this type of series can run and run. Add in several red herrings and a hard to spot killer to complete the picture and you've cracked it. Bring on Book Four. I'm eager for more.
Another clever plot meticulously unpicked by Hillary Greene and her team. The series has all the ingredients needed. A strong female protagonist, with a colourful supporting cast for the police procedural elements, Each has their own story line to be explored, which means this type of series can run and run. Add in several red herrings and a hard to spot killer to complete the picture and you've cracked it. Bring on Book Four. I'm eager for more.
November 29, 2022
This series gets better with every book. Hillary Greene is a force to be reckoned with, but she isn't so perfect as to be annoying. Good instincts blended with humanity equals great characterization.
Noting for readers looking for squeaky-clean mysteries, this series (much more than the authors' others) had a couple of handfuls of foul words.
Noting for readers looking for squeaky-clean mysteries, this series (much more than the authors' others) had a couple of handfuls of foul words.
August 16, 2024
Who would murder a beautiful young woman dressed in white at a party. DI Greene and her team have a plethora of suspects, among them two boyfriends, some obnoxious rich people, a sleazy private eye, and a questionable doctor. Was the victim an enterprising hairdresser with her own business, or did she have a dark side?
April 1, 2020
Second read
Not one of my preferred stories. n this series, having just realized I have already read this.
But love this series.
Not one of my preferred stories. n this series, having just realized I have already read this.
But love this series.
October 30, 2017
A bride is found dead in a barn at a fancy dress party to celebrate a 25th wedding anniversary. DI Hillary Greene is on the trail with her team and a new superintendent to get used to. What is his real mission as to why he has been transferred and why was the bride strangled? This is the third Faith Martin/DI Greene book I have read and I am enjoying them more and more each time. There is an underthread or two along the way which keeps the flow between books and a little more interest to the main storyline. Hillary’s dead ex allegedly had a stash of money from his illegal tradings and her trying to find this and the background is one of the threads running through. Characters are very likable (mostly!) with the odd rogue (Frank) along the way to keep things real. A little humour and a little romance help make this a very enjoyable read.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased
August 12, 2022
I am really happy I discovered this great author
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