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St. Ives Book Club #1
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Who killed Jenny Blake?
In the gentle hamlet of St. Ives, a killer roams free.
In 1975, seventeen-year-old Jenny Blake was found strangled in the ruins behind the abandoned St. Ives Abbey. Her murderer was never caught. Forty-four years later, an advertisement in the local newspaper draws seven people, including Avery Holmes, to the home of Elliot Marks with the purpose of forming a murder mystery book club.
Within minutes of the first meeting, Marks puts forward an intriguing proposal: Instead of reading about murder, why not try solving one? Beginning with who killed Jenny Blake.
Was it her ex-boyfriend, the brilliant but withdrawn Jesse Sutcliffe, who was now a homeless alcoholic? Or Duncan Carmichael, the attractive local politician who was dating Jenny at the time of the murder? What about Karen Haggerty, the bubbly school secretary, who Duncan dumped for Jenny in the summer of ‘75? Or was it Ida Greb, the town librarian who was privately glad at the time that Jenny was dead. And then there was the eccentric Elliot Marks, the club founder, who had a connection to the dead girl that no one knew about.
For Avery Holmes, who moved to St. Ives to write novels, keep a garden and live comfortably, poking into an old murder case is a risky proposition. After all, waking a killer who thought he or she had gotten away with murder could lead to ... well ... murder.
In the gentle hamlet of St. Ives, a killer roams free.
In 1975, seventeen-year-old Jenny Blake was found strangled in the ruins behind the abandoned St. Ives Abbey. Her murderer was never caught. Forty-four years later, an advertisement in the local newspaper draws seven people, including Avery Holmes, to the home of Elliot Marks with the purpose of forming a murder mystery book club.
Within minutes of the first meeting, Marks puts forward an intriguing proposal: Instead of reading about murder, why not try solving one? Beginning with who killed Jenny Blake.
Was it her ex-boyfriend, the brilliant but withdrawn Jesse Sutcliffe, who was now a homeless alcoholic? Or Duncan Carmichael, the attractive local politician who was dating Jenny at the time of the murder? What about Karen Haggerty, the bubbly school secretary, who Duncan dumped for Jenny in the summer of ‘75? Or was it Ida Greb, the town librarian who was privately glad at the time that Jenny was dead. And then there was the eccentric Elliot Marks, the club founder, who had a connection to the dead girl that no one knew about.
For Avery Holmes, who moved to St. Ives to write novels, keep a garden and live comfortably, poking into an old murder case is a risky proposition. After all, waking a killer who thought he or she had gotten away with murder could lead to ... well ... murder.
- GenresMystery ThrillerFiction
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2019
47 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Nadine Doolittle
29 books30 followersNadine Doolittle is a Theatre Arts graduate from Studio 58 in Vancouver. She was a casting associate, then a reporter and now writes full time from her home in Quebec.
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I'm shut out from Facebook. They think I made up my last name. However, you can:
Visit my website
http://www.nadinedoolittlebooks.ca
Subscribe to The Butler Didn't Do It to find out what I'm up to and receive a free short mystery for your trouble.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9v9u59fq4a
---
I'm shut out from Facebook. They think I made up my last name. However, you can:
Visit my website
http://www.nadinedoolittlebooks.ca
Subscribe to The Butler Didn't Do It to find out what I'm up to and receive a free short mystery for your trouble.
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9v9u59fq4a
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 1, 2019
When is a book club not a book club?
Awesome read. A wonderful hodgepodge of characters that ring the work to life. From retired naval officers to a young cub reporter they span the years and all have different experiences. They meet because of an advert in the local paper. An advert for a Murder Club! A terrific plot that is based on the murder of a young girl 40 years ago. The more questions they ask the more discrepancies they find. Was the victim really the sweet young thing she led people to believe? Lies, blackmail, threats and an attempted murder are mixed into a plot that will have you wondering if the person you think is the culprit, really is one. Can our club survive the threats against them and find out what really happened? What will it actually cost them in personal terms?
Awesome read. A wonderful hodgepodge of characters that ring the work to life. From retired naval officers to a young cub reporter they span the years and all have different experiences. They meet because of an advert in the local paper. An advert for a Murder Club! A terrific plot that is based on the murder of a young girl 40 years ago. The more questions they ask the more discrepancies they find. Was the victim really the sweet young thing she led people to believe? Lies, blackmail, threats and an attempted murder are mixed into a plot that will have you wondering if the person you think is the culprit, really is one. Can our club survive the threats against them and find out what really happened? What will it actually cost them in personal terms?
September 15, 2022
This book was loaned to me when I was on recovery from knee replacement surgery. I started and could not stop. Can wait to read next one and all.others she has written.
September 21, 2024
Enjoyable and Well Written
A different and intriguing premise for a cozy mystery: The members of a newly-formed book club decide to investigate a cold case, prodded by the enigmatic individual who advertised the formation of the group. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know each member of the group, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their varying approaches to solving the mystery. I also enjoyed watching them get their exercise by jumping to conclusions! The author demonstrates a deep understanding of human nature, and watching the characters unfold, both of the group members and those involved in the cold case, was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even though a few scenes were just a touch predictable.
A different and intriguing premise for a cozy mystery: The members of a newly-formed book club decide to investigate a cold case, prodded by the enigmatic individual who advertised the formation of the group. I genuinely enjoyed getting to know each member of the group, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their varying approaches to solving the mystery. I also enjoyed watching them get their exercise by jumping to conclusions! The author demonstrates a deep understanding of human nature, and watching the characters unfold, both of the group members and those involved in the cold case, was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, even though a few scenes were just a touch predictable.
December 27, 2024
A fun, light pulpy murder mystery. Kept me entertained and engaged until the bitter end. Who doesn't love a good whodunit? The only real issue with this novel is the underdeveloped characters and plotline. Such a curious cast of characters who deserved a bit more time and attention. The plot was solid but there were definitely gaps and holes here and there. Overall, a quick easy read to wet that crime craving.
March 1, 2023
2.5 STARS
March 19, 2024
An interesting way to start a “book club”. The story was a bit predictable but a fun easy read.
January 19, 2025
Engaging Idea for a Perfect Mystery
Well thought out and interesting characters. I can’t wait for the next installment. And to see what happens in St. Ives
Well thought out and interesting characters. I can’t wait for the next installment. And to see what happens in St. Ives
October 25, 2023
In this first of a series of mysteries, Elliot Marks, a new arrival to the quaint Ontario village of St. Ives. places an advertisement in the paper to form a Murder Mystery Club and a bunch of retired citizens, and two young aspiring journalists show up to join. Elliot convinces them they should try to solve the 40 year old unsolved mystery of the murder of teenager, Jenny Blake. They set out to interview people who were involved with Jenny at the time, including a boyfriend who had been the main suspect. A lot of new perspectives to the case are suddenly uncovered and it becomes possible that the murderer will strike again.
The mystery unfolds fairly interestingly and is cleverly, though riskily, resolved. Some of the main characters are not well developed, and I didn't feel particularly engaged in the story. However, the series does show some promise, so I might try again.
The mystery unfolds fairly interestingly and is cleverly, though riskily, resolved. Some of the main characters are not well developed, and I didn't feel particularly engaged in the story. However, the series does show some promise, so I might try again.
October 8, 2023
Advertisement for Murder is the First new series similar to the Thursday Murder Club books by Richard Osman. A group of unlikely people in the small Hamlet of St Ives, Ontario, Canada find themselves invited to the home of the enigmatic Elliot Mark for a mystery book club. One of them is Avery Holmes a new resident to the town and aspiring mystery writer. After being for a while the group decides instead of reading Mysteries why don't they solve them. The town has a cold case, the death of young Jenny Blake back in '75. It was a fun read and mytery.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews