Join Alice and her friends as they discover a Manuka honey theft, a dead body in the trunk of a car, and the curious case of a son who isn't.
When Detective Sergeant Hogarth receives an emergency call to report a dead body, the last people he wants to see are Alice and her best friend Sally. Especially since the body in question isn't even there!
But with an abusive ex-husband driving to meet them with the deceased in the trunk of his car, the sergeant insists on being told the full story.
Dipping into Alice, Sally, Doug, and Chester's memories, they spin a tale covering the last ten years. New hopes and plans, deception and abuse, and a high moral code that takes a brief dive all conspire together to form one narrative tale of crime, sacrifice, and murder.
I'm a middle-aged woman who works in insurance, doesn't have children or pets, can't drive, has lived in Christchurch my entire life, and currently reside a two-minute walk from where I was born.
For some reason, I've developed a rich fantasy life.
I like to write mysteries, some set in my hometown of Christchurch, others ninety minutes up the road in the beautiful township of Hanmer Springs, or in the quasi-fictional town of Pinetar. These mysteries range from hard-hitting psychological thrillers, through to police procedurals, or the lighter adventure of a cozy mystery.
Okay, The Double Dip. Book 3 of the The Honeybee Mysteries.
I have to say I was very confused by the beginning of this book. I definitely thought I had missed a big chunk of it since the action is already started but it got better as I kept on reading.
With mystery series like this, it doesn't really matter if you read the books in order or not because each book has its own mystery that has nothing to do with any of the previous ones or the next ones. You might be missing out on character development and relationships but, to me, that's not what's important. The point of my saying this is that I was glad to have had read The Honey Trap first because I had a whole bunch of backstory about Alice's friend Sally. And I liked that The Do9uble Dip had more also and stuff.
Not sure how I feel about having a story basically told by way of flashbacks and such however, Don't get me wrong, in itself it was pretty good but I love reading as it happens. And the ending... why a cliffhanger? It felt like that anyway if it's not. Is the author planning to continue the series?
Wow. So, I liked the first book in the series well enough to read the second one, which I REALLY liked. My only complaint was that it ended with a cliffhanger, something I always find aggravating. So grumbling a little about the fact that I was now compelled to read even longer than I'd planned, I dove straight into The Double Dip which is the final book in the Honeybee Mysteries.
And hated it.
The plot behind the story was good, but I'm not a fan that a large portion of the story took place in the form of telling a police officer about past events that, eventually, led to how the dead body came be dead. It's a story telling device that can work in cinema but is a huge risk in literature. In this case, I don't think the risk paid off.
At some point I will likely read some of the other books this author has written, but after reading the Double Dip, it's going to take me a little while to work up the enthusiasm.
I loved the first 2 books in the series, but this one was a disappointment. The focus was more on Sally than Alice (who I have enjoyed as the main character up until now), as well as a couple of characters that were not at all likable. Also, the action seemed to bounce all over the place including moving between past and present, and a couple of times I wasn’t sure whether we were in the past or the present or somewhere in between. The part of the story about Doug had me completely confused., but it was the part where it got into the dog’s memory that was about the last straw for me. I finished the book but only because it wasn’t a long book. If it had been a full length novel, I’m pretty sure I would have given up halfway through.
The Double Dip, by Katherine Hayton is an incredible addition to the series. The story takes us through past events in the lives of the characters, to help us understand the crime that has occurred. This was invaluable in understanding what was merely hinted at in previous books about the main characters. I am anxious to see where they go from here. Truly, a must read!
Although best if you've read the two previous books, this can be read on its own. What makes this short book so delightful is the flashback order in which it is told and how it is told by multiple characters, including good dog Chester. Much fun!
I have enjoyed my trips to Christchurch, the author might not have made it very far out of town, but she sure can spin a very entertaining tale. I hope she doesn't get lost, I'd miss her stories.