What do you think?
Rate this book
Fashionably Late #1
Dyed and Buried
Meet Samantha Sullivan, a former wedding planner trying to put her life back together with a new job at the beachfront boutique Fashionably Late.
After Sam is sent to collect fifteen wedding dresses from a dead man's estate (and dyes them green), the strangest week of her life begins to unfold. Who is the anonymous designer Chameleon? Was Ethan Brady's death a genuine accident, or a sinister hit-and-run? Where is pop star Colette Cray's dress, and why is her bodyguard so desperate to find it? Whose shirt is splattered with suspicious green dye?
If Sam and her friends don't solve this crime of fashion, then someone may get away with murder...
After Sam is sent to collect fifteen wedding dresses from a dead man's estate (and dyes them green), the strangest week of her life begins to unfold. Who is the anonymous designer Chameleon? Was Ethan Brady's death a genuine accident, or a sinister hit-and-run? Where is pop star Colette Cray's dress, and why is her bodyguard so desperate to find it? Whose shirt is splattered with suspicious green dye?
If Sam and her friends don't solve this crime of fashion, then someone may get away with murder...
- GenresMysteryCrimeContemporary
242 pages, Unknown Binding
First published September 5, 2021
5 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Livia Day
7 books27 followersPseudonym of Tansy Rayner Roberts
Livia Day fell in love with crime fiction at an early age. Her first heroes were Miss Jane Marple and Mrs Emma Peel, and not a lot has changed since then!
She has lived in Hobart, Tasmania for most of her life, and now spends far too much time planning which picturesque tourist spot will get the next fictional corpse.
Livia Day fell in love with crime fiction at an early age. Her first heroes were Miss Jane Marple and Mrs Emma Peel, and not a lot has changed since then!
She has lived in Hobart, Tasmania for most of her life, and now spends far too much time planning which picturesque tourist spot will get the next fictional corpse.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 21, 2023
Dyed and Buried is a fast-paced cosy mystery set in and around Hobart and southern Tasmania, featuring a delightful protagonist who works in an upcycled fashion store - what's not to love?
I had the pleasure of meeting Tansy Rayner Roberts, who writes this series under the pseudonym Livia Day at a recent Writers and Readers festival in Tasmania and was amazed by her productivity as a writer. I hadn't previously heard of this series, but quickly grabbed a copy of Dyed and Buried and enjoyed it just as much as I'd expected.
Former wedding planner Samantha Sullivan has fallen on tough times since her ex-husband scarpered to Bali with another woman, committing a financial fraud that also spelt the death knell of Sam's successful business. She's slowly rebuilding her life and reputation, living with her sister Trace and niece Daisy in a ramshackle Kingston Beach home and working at "Fashionably Late", a vintage and recycled fashion store nearby.
On an assignment from her boss Diana, Sam attends a spectacular property in Tasmania's Huon Valley and reconnects with Jeena Harding-Brady, who was her bitchy nemesis at high school a couple of decades previously. Jeena's husband Ethan Brady has recently been killed in a hit-and-run and she's bizarrely desperate to get rid of a cache of fifteen couture wedding dresses - for significantly less than their actual value - before guests start arriving for her husband's funeral.
Burning with curiosity over Jeena's motives, Sam purchases the dresses for $2,000 and returns to Fashionably Late to begin the process of artistically dying them to create more marketable evening gowns. However, it's not long before the plot thickens... it transpires that the dresses (now transformed into purple and green shades) were a set of samples created by mysterious designer Chameleon and intended for a photo shoot for Impeccable magazine, scheduled to take place in the Huon Valley in coming days. Not only that, but Chameleon had been engaged to create a fabulous A Midsummer Night's Dream-themed wedding dress for celebrity bride Colette Cray, who'll be arriving in Tasmania within the week for her nuptial festivities. Colette's wedding dress is not among those purchased by Sam, so where is it?
Sam can't help herself but become involved in the mystery of the provenance of the wedding dresses, the secret identity of the designer Chameleon and the whereabouts of the fabulous dress commissioned by Colette. In the process, she joins forces with Jeena's brother-in-law Donovan Brady, brother of the dead Ethan, who's a security consultant working for Impeccable magazine and Sam's high school crush. The trouble is, he doesn't seem to recall who she is...
What follows is a madcap quest around southern and central Hobart, as Sam finds tantalising clues at an artists' collective in West Hobart, assists with a re-jigged version of Impeccable's fashion shoot on Kingston Beach and discovers a body in one of the dying tubs in the back rooms of Fashionably Late. It seems someone's willing to kill in order to hide the identity of Chameleon and the whereabouts of the missing bridal gown...
Dyed and Buried is a rip-roaring cosy mystery with some not-so-cosy elements and a great cast of effervescent characters, headed by the feisty Sam. As a reader who's very familiar with the settings used by Livia Day, I felt that she created a real sense of the quirkiness and resourcefulness of Hobart's art and fashion communities. I could almost hear the swish of taffeta and the rasp of sequins and tulle as Sam marvelled over the fabulous garments that had come into her possession.
I'd strongly recommend Dyed and Buried to lovers of cosy mysteries, especially those associated with fashion and the arts, and also to readers who enjoy Australian regional crime fiction. It's a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read, and I can't wait to get on to book #2, Drop Dead in Red!
I had the pleasure of meeting Tansy Rayner Roberts, who writes this series under the pseudonym Livia Day at a recent Writers and Readers festival in Tasmania and was amazed by her productivity as a writer. I hadn't previously heard of this series, but quickly grabbed a copy of Dyed and Buried and enjoyed it just as much as I'd expected.
Former wedding planner Samantha Sullivan has fallen on tough times since her ex-husband scarpered to Bali with another woman, committing a financial fraud that also spelt the death knell of Sam's successful business. She's slowly rebuilding her life and reputation, living with her sister Trace and niece Daisy in a ramshackle Kingston Beach home and working at "Fashionably Late", a vintage and recycled fashion store nearby.
On an assignment from her boss Diana, Sam attends a spectacular property in Tasmania's Huon Valley and reconnects with Jeena Harding-Brady, who was her bitchy nemesis at high school a couple of decades previously. Jeena's husband Ethan Brady has recently been killed in a hit-and-run and she's bizarrely desperate to get rid of a cache of fifteen couture wedding dresses - for significantly less than their actual value - before guests start arriving for her husband's funeral.
Burning with curiosity over Jeena's motives, Sam purchases the dresses for $2,000 and returns to Fashionably Late to begin the process of artistically dying them to create more marketable evening gowns. However, it's not long before the plot thickens... it transpires that the dresses (now transformed into purple and green shades) were a set of samples created by mysterious designer Chameleon and intended for a photo shoot for Impeccable magazine, scheduled to take place in the Huon Valley in coming days. Not only that, but Chameleon had been engaged to create a fabulous A Midsummer Night's Dream-themed wedding dress for celebrity bride Colette Cray, who'll be arriving in Tasmania within the week for her nuptial festivities. Colette's wedding dress is not among those purchased by Sam, so where is it?
Sam can't help herself but become involved in the mystery of the provenance of the wedding dresses, the secret identity of the designer Chameleon and the whereabouts of the fabulous dress commissioned by Colette. In the process, she joins forces with Jeena's brother-in-law Donovan Brady, brother of the dead Ethan, who's a security consultant working for Impeccable magazine and Sam's high school crush. The trouble is, he doesn't seem to recall who she is...
What follows is a madcap quest around southern and central Hobart, as Sam finds tantalising clues at an artists' collective in West Hobart, assists with a re-jigged version of Impeccable's fashion shoot on Kingston Beach and discovers a body in one of the dying tubs in the back rooms of Fashionably Late. It seems someone's willing to kill in order to hide the identity of Chameleon and the whereabouts of the missing bridal gown...
Dyed and Buried is a rip-roaring cosy mystery with some not-so-cosy elements and a great cast of effervescent characters, headed by the feisty Sam. As a reader who's very familiar with the settings used by Livia Day, I felt that she created a real sense of the quirkiness and resourcefulness of Hobart's art and fashion communities. I could almost hear the swish of taffeta and the rasp of sequins and tulle as Sam marvelled over the fabulous garments that had come into her possession.
I'd strongly recommend Dyed and Buried to lovers of cosy mysteries, especially those associated with fashion and the arts, and also to readers who enjoy Australian regional crime fiction. It's a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read, and I can't wait to get on to book #2, Drop Dead in Red!
August 17, 2021
This cozy mystery novel is utterly delicious, and I gobbled it up in one big gulp. Set in a vintage upcycling boutique in Hobart, Tasmania, it's full of the most wonderful characters and delectable dress descriptions, and it's told by one of the most endearing narrative voices I've ever read in a mystery series. I love Sam, I love her family and coworkers and utterly FABULOUS boss, and I even loved several of the awful characters, too. I was just so happy as I read this book, living in Sam's head and in her warm, vivid community. While I enjoyed every bit of the mystery and the way it was resolved, I felt really bereft when the book ended because I just wanted more time in this world!
I loved Livia Day's earlier series, but with this one, she's taken a whole new leap forward. It's my very favorite thing she's written so far under either of her writing names (Livia Day or Tansy Rayner Roberts), which is saying a LOT.
I cannot wait for Book 2 to come out! :)
I loved Livia Day's earlier series, but with this one, she's taken a whole new leap forward. It's my very favorite thing she's written so far under either of her writing names (Livia Day or Tansy Rayner Roberts), which is saying a LOT.
I cannot wait for Book 2 to come out! :)
September 24, 2021
this was super fun, a nice mystery, good writing and super likeable people. looking forward to the next mystery and recommend it if you are looking for something fun and enjoyable
August 17, 2021
I loved it. You'll love it.
At first I was sad to leave Livia's original characters behind, but it's still set in the same area of Tasmania and focuses on characters that are just as addictive and lovely. We've moved from cafe talk to clothes talk, and it's just as believable how an otherwise-ordinary person finds themselves in the middle of a crime.
I hope we see all the characters merge a little in future books, even if it's just in passing.
At first I was sad to leave Livia's original characters behind, but it's still set in the same area of Tasmania and focuses on characters that are just as addictive and lovely. We've moved from cafe talk to clothes talk, and it's just as believable how an otherwise-ordinary person finds themselves in the middle of a crime.
I hope we see all the characters merge a little in future books, even if it's just in passing.
September 20, 2021
Who knew murder was such a pick-me-up? A skilfully-plotted, lighthearted mystery with plenty of humour from the first-person protagonist and the snappy dialogue. Full of frocks and froth but the main characters are down-to-earth ordinary people who make you feel right at home in their little slice of Tasmania. A quick, relaxing read and just delightful.
October 15, 2021
Day has definitely gained a new fan in me -- from the fashion industry backstory to the Tasmanian setting, this book managed to keep itself from sinking into the many overused tropes found in what feels like ~90% of today's cozy mysteries.I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 16, 2021
Livia Day never disappoints! With her trademark humour, pace and heart, Dyed and Buried puts us right with Sam Sullivan, happy employee of fashion upcycling business, Fashionably Late, preferring a low-key role after the disastrous turn taken by her wedding planning business.
That story, and how it affects her life and relationship with the police, is interwoven at the perfect pace with the suddenly not-at-all low-key events that overtake Sam and her family and friends when she buys a number of stunning wedding dresses at an estate sale. By the time the real origin of the dresses is discovered, Sam has already dyed them ready for the shop! Soon, an accidental death is revealed to be a murder, then another murder takes place and Sam's past and present collide.
Day's cast of wonderful characters is lively and delightful, as is the Huon Valley setting.
The whole book is full of creative flair, and made me wish I was creative with fabric because I think I want to upcycle outfits now. It also has a terrific cosy mystery, the requisite cosy body count and, underneath all the froth and fashion, enough emotional depth to make the story and its conclusion really satisfying.
That story, and how it affects her life and relationship with the police, is interwoven at the perfect pace with the suddenly not-at-all low-key events that overtake Sam and her family and friends when she buys a number of stunning wedding dresses at an estate sale. By the time the real origin of the dresses is discovered, Sam has already dyed them ready for the shop! Soon, an accidental death is revealed to be a murder, then another murder takes place and Sam's past and present collide.
Day's cast of wonderful characters is lively and delightful, as is the Huon Valley setting.
The whole book is full of creative flair, and made me wish I was creative with fabric because I think I want to upcycle outfits now. It also has a terrific cosy mystery, the requisite cosy body count and, underneath all the froth and fashion, enough emotional depth to make the story and its conclusion really satisfying.
September 13, 2021
Refreshing Series Starter in this Cozy Mystery
Reading this book was such a breath of fresh air. The story is based around the fashion industry, but there is note one trope to be had! The setting is Tasmania for a good start. The author tells the story from the main character's point of view. It is snarky, funny, outrageous, and just plain realistic. I will be in line to read the next book in this series! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Reading this book was such a breath of fresh air. The story is based around the fashion industry, but there is note one trope to be had! The setting is Tasmania for a good start. The author tells the story from the main character's point of view. It is snarky, funny, outrageous, and just plain realistic. I will be in line to read the next book in this series! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 24, 2023
Bloody brilliant thank you! Such a relief to read after the last two trite cliche-ridden crapfests I’d forced my way through (which have nothing to do with this writer or book by the way!). Sorry that’s a strange way to start a review but yay I’ve found a new author! Loved it, refreshing, great read, fabulous characters, instant immersive experience. Also now I want to move to Tassie. Off to devour whatever else she has written.
September 21, 2021
This book is the beginning of a brand new series. It is filled with mystery and murder. It drew me in at the beginning. I absolutely love the quirky and fun characters. I had such a wonderful afternoon following the clues and trying to guess the suspect. I definitely recommend this sweet cozy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 5, 2021
Excellent book - Fun, easy to read, with a great plot and fantastic characters.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Highly recommended
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Highly recommended
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
February 5, 2023
Locale colour
I live in the area and enjoyed the description
of the Huon. It made me want to look for 'Fashionably Late' at the beach.
I live in the area and enjoyed the description
of the Huon. It made me want to look for 'Fashionably Late' at the beach.
August 23, 2024
Three and a half stars
A cozy mystery set in Tasmania with a fun lead character and cast, this was a very quick and fun read which I found quite entertaining. The setting is especially great. The mystery itself felt like it fizzled out a bit at the end but otherwise was solid.
A cozy mystery set in Tasmania with a fun lead character and cast, this was a very quick and fun read which I found quite entertaining. The setting is especially great. The mystery itself felt like it fizzled out a bit at the end but otherwise was solid.
September 15, 2022
A fun cozy but energetic mystery full of details about fashion design and fixing up and reselling "frocks". Set in Hobart, Tasmania where everyone knows each other and there's pretty Victorian beach architecture and beautiful scenery and miniature goats. The protagonist, Samantha or "Sam", has a vivid voice and is getting over being falsely accused of a crime and it's great to spend time in her head. Definitely read this instead of the umpteenth book in whatever tired series the publishers are pumping out these days!
April 5, 2024
3.5★
There's a lot to like about this book, the first in a cosy series set in and around Hobart. I loved the setting, of course, but I also really liked the vintage fashion and textile details, such as the dying. Samantha was a likeable, slightly damaged heroine/detective, supported by a good and varied cast of memorable characters. The mystery chugged along at a reasonable pace, although not all of the reveals were big surprises.
I'll definitely jump back in for book #2 when I come across it.
There's a lot to like about this book, the first in a cosy series set in and around Hobart. I loved the setting, of course, but I also really liked the vintage fashion and textile details, such as the dying. Samantha was a likeable, slightly damaged heroine/detective, supported by a good and varied cast of memorable characters. The mystery chugged along at a reasonable pace, although not all of the reveals were big surprises.
I'll definitely jump back in for book #2 when I come across it.
September 16, 2021
Taking a Closer Look . . .
Samantha Sullivan, a former wedding planner now starting a new job at the beachfront boutique Fashionably Late, pulled up to an estate and was met by Jeena Harding, an acquaintance from school days. Jeena’s expression changed to nasty as she commented that this job was probably a bit of a comedown for Samantha. They walked 3 flights up and into a room with a bunch of wedding dresses. Jeena wanted them packed in boxes and removed within 3 hours before her guests arrived for her husband’s funeral. Samantha thought this was a cruel hoax since Jeena knew she had lost her wedding planner business and was not over it yet. But Jeena wasn’t gloating, so it must just be a coincidence.
When curiosity got the better of her, Sam went to Google to find out about Ethan Brady’s death. He had a habit of jogging at night. Someone had hit him and his body fell down a cliff onto the rocks. Could Ethan Brady's death actually be a hit-and-run? Could someone have mistaken him for his father, Gavin, who had a similar build and many more enemies? Maybe Sam and her friends need to take a closer look at this… or a murderer may get away with this!
Samantha Sullivan, a former wedding planner now starting a new job at the beachfront boutique Fashionably Late, pulled up to an estate and was met by Jeena Harding, an acquaintance from school days. Jeena’s expression changed to nasty as she commented that this job was probably a bit of a comedown for Samantha. They walked 3 flights up and into a room with a bunch of wedding dresses. Jeena wanted them packed in boxes and removed within 3 hours before her guests arrived for her husband’s funeral. Samantha thought this was a cruel hoax since Jeena knew she had lost her wedding planner business and was not over it yet. But Jeena wasn’t gloating, so it must just be a coincidence.
When curiosity got the better of her, Sam went to Google to find out about Ethan Brady’s death. He had a habit of jogging at night. Someone had hit him and his body fell down a cliff onto the rocks. Could Ethan Brady's death actually be a hit-and-run? Could someone have mistaken him for his father, Gavin, who had a similar build and many more enemies? Maybe Sam and her friends need to take a closer look at this… or a murderer may get away with this!
February 16, 2022
Samantha Sullivan, a former wedding planner, is starting over after she was arrested for fraud after her husband ran off with the secretary and left her holding the bag. She now works at the beachfront boutique Fashionably Late. After picking up 15 wedding dresses from a dead man's estate and dying them green for resale as prom dresses, she is confronted by an old high school flame. Said flame, was onesided and doesn't even remember her but he needs her help to track down and collect all the dresses, that he should have been guarding.
Why I started this book: Recommended to me a while ago, and I purchased then. Today, I picked it for something light to read and finished in one gulp.
Why I finished it: Charming, learned more about dying and I can't wait for more by Day. Since I can't find information about a follow book to this I started a previous series and am enjoying that on too.
Why I started this book: Recommended to me a while ago, and I purchased then. Today, I picked it for something light to read and finished in one gulp.
Why I finished it: Charming, learned more about dying and I can't wait for more by Day. Since I can't find information about a follow book to this I started a previous series and am enjoying that on too.
September 19, 2021
Great Fun Book in a new series!!!
Dyed and Buried is a real page turner, a great read involving mystery, murder and suspense with wonderful characters. It is very entertaining, a very hard to put down, the story kept me interested from beginning to end while trying to figure out who is the murderer and why. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it to any cozy mystery fans, cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dyed and Buried is a real page turner, a great read involving mystery, murder and suspense with wonderful characters. It is very entertaining, a very hard to put down, the story kept me interested from beginning to end while trying to figure out who is the murderer and why. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it to any cozy mystery fans, cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 26, 2022
This was a great read! Thoroughly enjoyable from the very first page thanks to wonderful writing combined with humour and charming characters. Plus it gets extra points for being set in my town (I have a soft spot for stories set in places I know). I loved the character of Samantha and the supporting crew, and the mystery was engaging and perfectly paced with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing til the end. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series (and considering dyeing some boring clothes hanging in my wardrobe!).
August 1, 2022
I straight up loved this! The mystery was just enticing enough, but still fit the bill for 'cosy'. I loved the Tasmanian setting and it makes me want to visit even more. I wish this boutique existed because I'm sure I'd find something to love there. Sam was an interesting mess of a character and I really enjoyed getting to know her. I also loved her sister and the other surrounding characters - even Jeena! Can't rec this highly enough.
Read
December 8, 2021This book was a real page turner and I couldn't put it down until the very end and I didn't even realize who the killer was. Such a good read I love it and Livia Day can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 28, 2021
A wonderful new cozy mystery from Livia Day (aka Tansy Rayner Roberts). It's light and fluffy and yet there's murder and intrigue and a mystery to be solved. The characters are easy to get to know, and mostly likeable, and there's enough suspects and misdirects to keep you guessing right up until the reveal.
December 4, 2021
Another delightful Tassie-based mystery from Livia Day. This one is about some stolen wedding dresses and the odd murder - I loved the cooking descriptions in Day's last series, and the lush clothing descriptions in this one were just as enjoyable.
September 16, 2021
I enjoyed the situation, crime and detection but the characters are bland. This may change as the series goes on. Good enough that I’ll get the next one.
September 21, 2021
Clever cozy mystery with a new protagonist, fabulous frocks, and a Tasmanian seaside town.
September 30, 2022
Day's cosy murder mysteries are 100% my comfort-reading jam. Bring on the next book.
May 5, 2023
Delightful!
A happy, light read. The characters were awesome. The friendship of women pulling each other through A+. I look forward to reading many more of these
A happy, light read. The characters were awesome. The friendship of women pulling each other through A+. I look forward to reading many more of these
June 20, 2023
Fun mystery and I enjoyed the Tasmanian setting.
July 1, 2023
Great fun.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews