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Diane Dimbleby #8
Murder on the Beach
A mysterious and violent murder on a beach. The police are closing in on their No.1 suspect - Diane Dimbleby.
When Diane travels to the seaside town of Plymouth for a family wedding, she expects to have a good time. However, a bizarre encounter on the beach with a young man turns into a nightmare when the man is found murdered on the beach shortly afterwards and Diane was the last person to see him alive.
The police are certain that Diane had something to do with it and are relentless in their pursuit. The suspects pile up and Diane discovers that a detective on the case has secrets of her own. Diane must race to find out what really happened, as it is not just truth and justice that are at stake, it is her own freedom and reputation.
A curious writer, determined detectives, and a murder victim whom many would like dead. Murder on the Beach: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love this Diane Dimbleby adventure.
Interview with the Author
Q - Can you tell us more about your Diane Dimbleby series of books? What are they about?
A - The books concern the adventures of Diane Dimbleby, a retired school teacher who is now a writer of mystery novels. She lives in the quiet English village of Apple Mews - a place where nothing should ever really happen, but of course murder is never very far away and Diane is always compelled to investigate.
Q - Who would this book appeal to, who is your target market?
A - Women between 35 - 65 but anyone really who loves whodunit books.
Q - For those of us who are unfamiliar with the term "Cozy Mystery" what does it mean?
A - A cozy mystery is a mystery novel without the graphic sex or violence that one might expect from some whodunit mysteries. It is a very popular genre at the moment with many cozy mystery free kindle books currently on Amazon.
Q - Can you tell us more about yourself, what do you do other than write Murder Mysteries?
A - I am a mother and a grandmother. I am an avid gardener and host Murder Mystery weekends. I currently live in England most of the time. Other than writing, I do of course spend lots of time reading whodunit mysteries.
Q - What other stories have you written? Can you give us a brief overview of some of your stories?
A - I have written a novella called "Murder in the Inn" which has a cozy mystery small town setting but set on a small Canadian Island. What they have in common with the Diane Dimbleby books though is that they are all whodunit books.
Q - Where do you get your inspiration for these stories?
A - A lot of the inspiration comes from real life experiences, especially with regards to the setting of my stories. The murder details are inspired by decades of reading murder mysteries such as those from the womens murder club and from real life news stories. I have read a lot of the books from the mystery novels best sellers 2017 list which gave me some good ideas.
When Diane travels to the seaside town of Plymouth for a family wedding, she expects to have a good time. However, a bizarre encounter on the beach with a young man turns into a nightmare when the man is found murdered on the beach shortly afterwards and Diane was the last person to see him alive.
The police are certain that Diane had something to do with it and are relentless in their pursuit. The suspects pile up and Diane discovers that a detective on the case has secrets of her own. Diane must race to find out what really happened, as it is not just truth and justice that are at stake, it is her own freedom and reputation.
A curious writer, determined detectives, and a murder victim whom many would like dead. Murder on the Beach: A Diane Dimbleby Cozy Mystery is part of a series of books by author Penelope Sotheby.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries that contain an ingenious but modest woman sleuth then you will love this Diane Dimbleby adventure.
Interview with the Author
Q - Can you tell us more about your Diane Dimbleby series of books? What are they about?
A - The books concern the adventures of Diane Dimbleby, a retired school teacher who is now a writer of mystery novels. She lives in the quiet English village of Apple Mews - a place where nothing should ever really happen, but of course murder is never very far away and Diane is always compelled to investigate.
Q - Who would this book appeal to, who is your target market?
A - Women between 35 - 65 but anyone really who loves whodunit books.
Q - For those of us who are unfamiliar with the term "Cozy Mystery" what does it mean?
A - A cozy mystery is a mystery novel without the graphic sex or violence that one might expect from some whodunit mysteries. It is a very popular genre at the moment with many cozy mystery free kindle books currently on Amazon.
Q - Can you tell us more about yourself, what do you do other than write Murder Mysteries?
A - I am a mother and a grandmother. I am an avid gardener and host Murder Mystery weekends. I currently live in England most of the time. Other than writing, I do of course spend lots of time reading whodunit mysteries.
Q - What other stories have you written? Can you give us a brief overview of some of your stories?
A - I have written a novella called "Murder in the Inn" which has a cozy mystery small town setting but set on a small Canadian Island. What they have in common with the Diane Dimbleby books though is that they are all whodunit books.
Q - Where do you get your inspiration for these stories?
A - A lot of the inspiration comes from real life experiences, especially with regards to the setting of my stories. The murder details are inspired by decades of reading murder mysteries such as those from the womens murder club and from real life news stories. I have read a lot of the books from the mystery novels best sellers 2017 list which gave me some good ideas.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2018
111 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Sotheby
22 books41 followersAuthor of Cozy Mystery Novels. I am very glad you found me here. Let's connect on Facebook. That's where I love to chat with readers.
https://www.facebook.com/penelopesoth...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 16, 2018
There are people who somehow, everywhere they go, always end up involved in a murder case. Like Hercules Poirot, like Miss Marple, like Diane Dimbleby. And sometimes they even become prime suspects. For us, readers who know Diane better than the investigating detectives, that is rather ridiculous and a bit funny.
Another lovely mystery!
I received a copy and chose to review it.
Another lovely mystery!
I received a copy and chose to review it.
March 13, 2018
This book was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery with a very likeable character. Diane Dimbleby goes to Plymouth for a family wedding and stays at a nice resort on the beach. While taking a walk, she encounters a man whose umbrella she saved from flying into the ocean. He was very nasty, took the umbrella and walked back up the sand. As things will have it, Diane, walking back on the beach stumbles upon this nasty man again, only he is dead and there is a camera laying there. For some reason, which Diane didn't really understand, she takes the camera. When she calls the police, they immediately put her on the murder suspect list as number 1. It seems the nasty man was a photographer with a strange history and lots of enemies. When Diane calls a lawyer she met at the wedding, he takes over to calm Diane down. Why are the police trying to prove Diane the murderer so diligently? Even though the lawyer told her not to worry, she feels things are closing in on her and she decides to investigate and find suspects herself. What to the police have to hide? What does the strange lady that approaches her at the hotel have to hide? Why was her hotel room tossed? So many questions need so many answers and Diane goes about unraveling things, but could it be her undoing? This is a fun mystery to try to figure out. I received and ARC from the author but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
March 14, 2018
Diane Dimbleby is in Plymouth for her favorite nephew's wedding. After the wedding she goes for a walk along the beach just relaxing and remembering things. Her fiance, Albert, stayed in Apple Mews looking after the dogs. Diane sees an umbrella flying along the beach, unattended and headed for the ocean. She stops it and sticks it in the sand, along comes a young man, being very rude yelling at her for touching his umbrella. He leaves, and Diane goes back to her room. The next day the news has that same man dead and the police think she is their number one suspect since she was the last to see him alive. The detectives actually take Diane take to the police station! She calls Charles Godfrey, whom she meet at the wedding and is a lawyer. When she is finally released, Diane does what she does best.....plays detective. Can she prove she didn't kill this person? Who are all these people coming up and asking her questions about him? You will need to read the book to see if Diane gets to return home or return to the police station....perhaps for an extended stay. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book.
March 16, 2018
This is the latest in the Diane Dimbleby series, Diane is a feisty retired lady who keeps getting involved with murders. On a trip to a wedding in the coastal town of Plymouth Diane, true to form, manages to get involved in yet another murder, but this time she finds herself a prime suspect.
The story is very enjoyable and has lots of twists and turns and although, as with all 'Cosy Mysteries' a degree of suspension of disbelief is required, the story is quite believable.
All the books in this series are enjoyable, and this one maintains the standard.
As a member of Ms Sotheby's advance reader team I did receive an ARC of the book, but this review is based on my honest and unbiased opinion.
The story is very enjoyable and has lots of twists and turns and although, as with all 'Cosy Mysteries' a degree of suspension of disbelief is required, the story is quite believable.
All the books in this series are enjoyable, and this one maintains the standard.
As a member of Ms Sotheby's advance reader team I did receive an ARC of the book, but this review is based on my honest and unbiased opinion.
March 17, 2018
Diana has traveled to close by Plymouth for her Nephews wedding and a nice weekend away alas trouble has found her yet again. The wedding was wonderful and and while walking on the beach the following day what she thought was a good dead by saving an umbrella from going into the ocean ends up with her being yelled at. Now the guy her yelled at her is dead and the evidence is starting to look at her but hopefully with the help of Charles an attorney she met at the wedding can help her. As the investigate goes on Diana find clues as to who the killer is while the police continue to build a case against her. There were some great twists and a couple of surprises to make this yet another great book in the Diana Dimbleby series.
March 16, 2018
I love this series, and the settings have become almost as enjoyable as the characters themselves, especially Diane. The more books I read, the more I wish she was real so I could hang out with her and solve mysteries. But not necessarily when she becomes a suspect, as in this tale. She doesn't have much time to enjoy the beach before she's once again embroiled in a murder. But not to fear, Diane is on the case. If you like cozy mysteries, you'll absolutely love this latest book.
**I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
**I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
March 14, 2018
Diane Dimbleby is off to her nephew's wedding in Devon. There, she's introduced to a nice lawyer and gets information from him to help with the books she writes. Little does she know she's going to need his help soon. She quickly becomes the main suspect in a murder investigation! Gotta love Diane and the way she solves the murder. This is a great cozy mystery and definitely worth the read!
March 18, 2018
Another quick cozy enjoyable mystery. Diane goes to her nephew's wedding and before you know it, she is suspected of murder. Two local detectives investigate her. A local lawyer offers to help her. Who killed the man on the beach? Why is Diane the main suspect? And how does she figure out who the real killer is? Enjoy this cozy.
April 1, 2018
Murder on the Beach
Another great visit with Diane Dimbleby.
I enjoy the character and the plot twists. The ending was handled a bit differently than previous books as Diane is clued into the motives of the murder.
Another great visit with Diane Dimbleby.
I enjoy the character and the plot twists. The ending was handled a bit differently than previous books as Diane is clued into the motives of the murder.
March 20, 2018
I would have given 5 stars if the end of the ebook hadn't been sctewed up. Chapter 14 is repeated word-for-word as chapter 15, then chapter 16 begins the denouement. The climax is missing!
June 18, 2018
I Hate Spoilers so will just say. A really enjoyable read. Love the main character Diane and the Twist in the Tale. My First Cosy Mystery read but it will NOT be my last.
December 14, 2023
Part of a multiple book series. A retired teacher and author of mystery novels gets involved in a murder when she attends her nephews wedding. Enjoyed it
March 16, 2025
This was a quick fun read! A cozy mystery indeed!
April 11, 2025
Nice & short.
May 18, 2018
Enjoyable!
Diane becomes a suspect herself! Of course, she has to prove her innocence; that goes without saying. A pleasant, fast read. Surprising and enjoyable!
Diane becomes a suspect herself! Of course, she has to prove her innocence; that goes without saying. A pleasant, fast read. Surprising and enjoyable!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews