Murder on Board: A totally gripping cozy mystery

Miss Underhay #10

by Helena Dixon

Kitty Underhay is drowning… in murder.

Kitty Underhay hopes for plain sailing as she caters a 21st birthday party for the Chief Constable’s daughter aboard a luxury paddle steamer. So her heart sinks when she learns that the man her fiancé Matthew has been tailing on orders from Whitehall, Gunther Freiburg, is aboard. And she’s even more horrified when she steps below deck to discover Gunther, dead in the engine room . One of the Chief Constable’s party must be responsible for his demise, but who, and why?

And the evening is on course for further disaster. As the lights go out around the candlelit cake, a terrible scream rings out over the merry hubbub. A priceless diamond necklace has been snatched from around the birthday girl’s neck… Something fishy is going on, but is this the work of the same sailing assassin, or is it a red herring?

With the local inspector in deep water having to investigate his own boss, Kitty and Matt dive in to help. But when Kitty’s eavesdropping puts her in mortal danger, will everything turn out shipshape, or will it be her turn to go swimming with the fishes…?

A totally cozy, absolutely gripping historical murder mystery! The perfect read for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.

Readers love the Miss Underhay

‘ Five stars are not enough .’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘This was excellent and I read it in one sitting , a page-turner I couldn’t put down .’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Fast, fun and utterly unputdownable … perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.’ Robin Loves Reading

‘ What can I say? I loved it .’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘ Excellent cosy mystery! The story was gripping … I loved the character development with the little hint of romance and cannot wait for the next book.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘I love this series… The murder mystery itself was engrossing … It kept me guessing right until the final scene .’ Roberta Reads , 5 stars

‘I felt right at home the moment I started reading … It was a joy .’ Goodreads reviewer

‘ This murder mystery is perfect … This story has it all. An absolute page-turner with characters to care about.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘ My favourite cosy mystery series.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A page-turner that will keep you guessing.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Do yourself a favour, cozy up with a blanket, a cup of something warm and dig into this cozy mystery.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Great story with a perfect mixture of mystery, suspense, romance and family to make this a wonderful cozy mystery book .’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A wonderful book, I loved it .’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 19, 2022

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
For other authors of this name, see also:

see: Helena Dixon - Erotica



This author also writes as:

Nell Dixon - Contemporary Womens Fiction




Nell is an multi-award winning author who splits her time between Devon and the Black Country. She lives with her husband, daughters, a tank of tropical fish, and a crazy Cockerpoo called Teddy. She writes contemporary romance as Nell Dixon and historical cozy crime set in 1930's Dartmouth as Helena Dixon. She is represented by the Kate Nash Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a case of you cannot judge a book by its cover. Having read the nine previous books I know Kitty and Matthew well, and I assumed they were pictured here going on some kind of cruise. Well there is a cruise and there is a murder, but our two main characters certainly do not get the opportunity to wear sailing costume and travel anywhere at all.

Despite this small disappointment I actually enjoyed the book very much indeed. Kitty's hotel hosts a special function which includes dinner on a luxury paddle steamer. A death occurs, rapidly followed by the theft of a very precious diamond necklace, and Kitty and Matt are on the case. Kitty manages to end up in real danger but luckily Bernie the Cocker Spaniel is a hero.

A new character is introduced when Cyril Lutterworth is employed as Manager of the hotel. Kitty and Matt's wedding is fast approaching and this should enable the author to send her characters on a decent honeymoon. Maybe they will be able to go on a real cruise! Anyway it was all good fun and I am looking forward to the wedding!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owners of the Dolphin hotel, Kitty Underhay and her grandmother, were preparing for an elaborate 21st birthday party for the Chief Constable's daughter at their hotel which included a dinner cruise on a paddle steamer for the family, followed by speeches and dancing in the Dolphin. They'd also recently hired a new manager for the hotel as Kitty and her intended, Captain Matthew Bryant, were marrying on Christmas Eve which wasn't far away. When the paddle steamer returned to the dock, it was discovered one of the crew was dead, bludgeoned to death.

To make matters worse, when the lights went out later in the evening there was a piercing scream and the priceless necklace which had just been placed around the birthday girl's neck, was gone. Was it two separate incidents, or were they connected? Matt and Inspector Greville were investigating both incidents, with Kitty helping out. But would they discover who the killer was before worse happened?

Murder on Board is the 10th in the Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon and it was another excellent addition to the series! Lots of fun and entertainment throughout the book, with dastardly deeds peppering the pages. I'm looking forward to #11 already. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Tahera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty Underhay is a busy young woman with preparations for her upcoming wedding ceremony and the need to hire a new manager to overlook the running of the hotel once she gets married. She dearly hopes that the birthday celebrations of the Chief Constable's daughter on a luxury paddle steamer, for which Kitty's hotel is providing catering services, goes smoothly. However, it again proves wishful thinking on Kitty's part when by the end of the party, not only there is a dead body to deal with but also the theft of the heirloom necklace belonging to the Chief Constable.

This is the tenth book in the series and was as entertaining as the previous books. Kitty finds herself in very grave danger and comes face to face with Ester Hamnet when it turns out that one of the Chief Constable's party guests is closely related to her. Things are definitely heating up!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Helena Dixon for the e-Arc of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

It should have been a nice but busy dinner cruise for both Kitty and her fiancé Captain Matthew Bryant. While Kitty is catering the birthday party for the daughter of the Chief Constable, Matthew has been assigned to keep an eye on someone. Despite their assignments, Kitty and Matthew continue to discuss their upcoming nuptials.

Kitty and her grandmother had been advertising for a manager of their hotel, and wedding plans had been coming along nicely. However, while aboard the boat, the man Matthew had been tailing was found dead by Kitty, and it is clear he had been murdered. Even before the investigation can get fully underway, the guest of honor’s priceless necklace had been stolen. Murder and mayhem are nothing new to Kitty and Matthew and they immediately begin to look for answers.

This tenth installment of the Miss Underhay series was another enjoyable read in this delightful series. With their wedding coming up soon, Kitty and Matthew focus should’ve been on continuing to make plans. However, with Matthew often working with Scotland Yard and Kitty’s past experiences as a sharp-witted amateur detective, their focus shifts towards the sudden change of events. As per normal for the pair, more than one surprise is in store, and danger follows closely on their heels.

This book was very entertaining, as were the previous books in this series. It has been enjoyable to watch Kitty and Matthew's relationship blooming and it is nice to know they will soon marry. Helena Dixon has delivered yet another intriguing, fast-paced story. Factor in 1930s London and thereabouts, with characters that are very easy to like, excellent pacing and always a good mystery, Murder on Board comes highly recommended.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/k1K_H7CtHag

[Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ten installments into the series, I’m reading these without even checking the synopsis first, so I was kinda hoping for Kitty and Matt to go on a cruise and investigate a murder onboard à la Death On The Nile, but nothing further! There’s no pleasure vacation for Kitty and Matt yet, but I still managed to enjoy this new adventure in the series quite a lot.

The Dolphin Hotel, with Kitty at the helm, is hosting the 21st birthday party for the Chief Constable’s daughter. Celebrations include dinner aboard a luxury paddle steamer, but they will be tarnished when one of the crew is found dead in the engine room. To complicate matters even more, Captain Bryant had orders to tail the dead man and a diamond necklace is snatched during the ball. Could both events be related? Sounds like the perfect case for our favorite couple of sleuths.

It’s always lovely returning to this series as the characters are absolutely delightful, from Kitty and Matt to every single one of the hotel’s employees. Kitty and Matt’s forecoming nuptials mean they have to find someone to manage the Dolphin Hotel once Kitty is a married woman, so that was the perfect excuse to introduce a new character that promises great moments. He brought a breath of fresh air to the hotel setting and the whole series. I’m curious to see how the series will evolve now, once they’re married and she’s not so involved with the hotel’s day to day life.

The mystery was a good one this time as well, as it had the locked room mystery vibes I like so much. It also had a bigger deal of action with Kitty finding herself in quite a tricky situation. The ending delivered some surprise that tied the current mystery with the background plot running throughout the series that I did now see coming at all!

It seems like, with the wedding approaching, the dynamics of the series will be changing pretty soon and I’m so excited to be there and see it happen. If you love historical cozy msyteries, you should be reading this.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty is hoping a particularly tricky 21st birthday party, which includes a dinner cruise on a steamer, goes off without a hitch. Her plans are scuppered when one of the boat crew is found dead. Later the same night, a priceless diamond necklace is swiped under Kitty's nose. Are these two crimes linked? It's up to Kitty and her fiance, Captain Matthew Bryant, to find out.

If you don't know this series, they're books set in 1930s Britain following the adventures of hotel owner Kitty Underhay and her fiance PI Captain Matthew Bryant. Each mystery is a standalone, but there is a secondary story to do with Kitty's mother and those responsible for her going missing that runs throughout the books.

I absolutely love this series, have read all ten books at this point, and I have to say Murder On Board is one of my favourites! There's mystery, peril for poor amateur sleuths and a hint of espionage thrown in there too.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, and I was kept guessing until the end.

With Kitty and Matt's nuptials coming up soon, there was the introduction of a new character, Cyril Lutterworth, who'll be the new manager at the Dolphin hotel. I'm looking forward to seeing how he'll fit in and how Kitty will get used to the new dynamic.

I wonder if in the next book we'll finally see Kitty and Matt married. I have my fingers crossed!

If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced series, then I would highly recommend the Kitty Underhay mysteries to you!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely return to familiar characters in this delightful cozy mystery.

It's always nice to go visit those you have come to know in the book world. The setting and the people are like old friends and reading another installment in a series feels like you're taking a vacation. I've enjoyed every episode featuring Kitty Underhay and all of the interesting cases and mysteries that she becomes involved with along with her beau.

This time, Kitty is trying to get a party organized for a friend of her grandmother. The festivities are going along just fine until a murder occurs on board a steamer river cruise that was engaged for dining and a birthday celebration. In addition, an extremely valuable necklace disappears from around the neck of the birthday girl when the lights dim for the cake presentation. Kitty and Matthew are obliged to help with the investigation and are surprised at some connections and discoveries that bring them up against an old nemesis.

I'm looking forward to another in this series as I always enjoy spending time in the 1930s with these characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC and I definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a good comforting and predictable cozy.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a grand adventure with this book! I enjoyed this one so much that I couldn't put it down!
I enjoy sleuthing just as much as the next person! Problem is I generally guess who the person is that did it!
Still though, the story isn't disappointing because I love learning the motive and the reasoning behind it
Sometimes it's interesting but other times there's just no real reason to do what they've done.
Lots of twists and turns!
Kitty is my favorite. She's just so cool,calm, and collected! I'd love to be in her shoes! Truly an interesting character.
Well written and a nice flow with the storyline and for sticking with the same subject without jumping all over the place
5 stars and I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good addition to this fun and charming series. Kitty and Matt are a great couple that have chemistry and still work together well to solve mystery. Add in the glamour of the 1930s and you have a cheerio good time.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Linniegayl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another enjoyable entry in the Miss Underhay historical mystery series set between the World Wars. As this entry opens, the only things Kitty Underhay seems to have on her plate is hiring a manager for the Dolphin Hotel and making plans for her wedding. Of course, things soon go awry.

In addition to a murder we get the addition of potential German spies, a stolen piece of jewelry, and the constant overarching presence of the woman responsible for the murder of Kitty's mother. Kitty and her fiance Matt play the main roles in this book, with some of my longtime favorites (Alice and "Our Dolly") playing only minor supporting roles.

I like how the characters continue to evolve in this series, and would strongly recommend you not start here, but at the beginning.

[Tracy Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hotel owner Kitty Underhay's life is beginning to change. With her own wedding getting closer and her beloved Grams wanting to take a step back from the running of The Dolphin the time is right to hire a new hotel manager. One of their first tasks will be to assist with the 21st birthday celebrations of the Chief Constable’s daughter on board a local paddle steamer and later in their ballroom. What could possibly go wrong?

Unbelievably Kitty and Matt are undertaking their tenth outing together, this time with a slightly nautical theme. Unfortunately, although still a very entertaining read, it didn't quite hit the heights of some of Ms Dixon's previous books for me and, in some ways, felt like a scene setter for what is to come.

With a a possible wedding and hopefully the conclusion to a storyline which has run through all ten books, Murder on Board did put some new ideas in place alongside more established ones and this is in no way a disappointing read. It is just the standard has been set high and I am very impatient!

The new member of staff was very quietly introduced and has far more to offer in future outings I think. He will, by necessity, change the dynamics of the series and, I am sure, have an important part to play in whatever happens next.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. The fact that a slightly less entertaining instalment still gets an easy four star rating shows just how good this series is as a whole.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I am a fan of the Miss Underhay series, featuring main character Kitty Underhay who manages her grandmother's hotel in post WWI England. Kitty is an appealing character -- smart, independent, and capable. This time out she and fiancee Matt are planning their own upcoming wedding whilst juggling their normal tasks: Kitty and her grandmother are trying out candidates for the next hotel manager and Matt is a private detective who also sometimes carries out discreet surveillance for the Crown.

The hotel has a big event booked, a coming of age party for a friend of the family with a dinner cruise aboard a local steamer. The party is proceeding nicely until two things happen to derail it: a crew member aboard the boat is found murdered in the engine room, and a priceless necklace/family heirloom is stolen from the birthday girl's neck in a daring robbery.

Matt and Kitty make a great team and they are blessedly angst free. Enjoyable historical series -- thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hotel owner Kitty Underhay and her beloved Grams are still running The Dolphin Hotel while her fiance continues as a private investigator with connections to both Whitehall and Scotland Yard. Things are buzzing at the hotel because Grams wants to retire, Kitty is soon to marry Matt (who is on a case in her area), a new manager has just been hired, and there is a major birthday bash they are hosting. Then the subject of inquiry is murdered, an heirloom necklace is pilfered with a fake turning up a few days later! Let the sleuthing begin! Another great read!
This is not an unbiased review because I love the characters and plots (complete with obscure twists and red herrings) in this series. For those who haven't read any of the others, this can stand alone.
I requested and received an uncorrected advance review ebook copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Joanne D'Arcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is with trepidation that I read book ten in this series, because I know at some point it has to come to an end and actually for Kitty in this book it could come sooner than we think.

Planning for her wedding underway, Kitty thinks she has found her new manager, Mr Lutterworth for the Dolphin Hotel, as she knows once she is married things will be different and her grandmother is also wanting to step back. He certainly has a baptism of fire, as a body turns up on the paddle steamer that was used to host a dinner party before the main event being held in the hotel.

The body is someone Kitty’s fiancé has been watching for his government contacts.

The party is the daughter of the Chief Constable.

The suspects can only be those that were on the boat, so Inspector Greville, has to investigate his boss and associates.

Then a diamond necklace goes missing for a short space of time.

It is going to be a tough case to tackle for the Inspector so he relies on Kitty and Matt to help. Of course that is going to put one of them in danger and the new manager finds himself searching the local area for his new boss pretty quickly. What sort of place has he come to work at ?

The sort of place, where all walks of life come to stay and pass through and with the wonderful kindness of Alice, Kitty’s Maid. Her Sister Dolly who helps in the office, the Night Porter and of course Bernice the skittish dog it makes for an interesting start for Mr Lutterworth. But if you have been with the series from the beginning then it is just par for the course for these two delightful characters.

This series goes from strength to strength, the introduction of characters along the way, means it can move off in different directions but without losing sight of the main focus – murder mystery. Cosy crime seems a misnomer, they are simply cracking good stories that serve to escape from the realities of life with for me a great big dollop of history thrown in for good measure.

I look forward to as many more as the author wishes to write.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helena Dixon's Murder on Board is book ten in her Miss Underhay Mystery series, but my fifth as I jumped into it at book five. Cozy mysteries are a definite favourite of mine and the 1930s setting adds to its allure. It's September 1934 and Sir Montague Hawkes, the chief constable, has booked the Dolphin Hotel for a no-expense-spared 21st birthday celebration for his daughter, Serafina. On the paddle steamer, the Kingswear Castle, there will be a river cruise on the River Dart and champagne supper. This will be followed by a ball at the hotel. A body is found aboard the Kingswear Castle and jewellery is stolen - a priceless diamond necklace - whilst the guests are at the Dolphin.

Kitty and her fiancé, Captain Matthew Bryant are great people and have a lovely relationship. In fact, all of the energetic and dynamic characters of this charming series make it a fitting choice. The mystery contains a generous pool of suspects and the novel sparkles with wit. I am thrilled that I have the first four books in the series to catch up on and I'm also happily anticipating the eleventh one, entitled Murder at the Charity Ball.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Bookouture via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travelling to the Dolphin Hotel and meeting Kitty and Matt it's always entertaining and enjoyable.
This book is full of twists and tense moments. There's a lot going on: new person working for the Dolphin, a big birthday party that will be a sort of ordeal, spies, murder.
I enjoyed it and I was on the edge when reading some parts. Kitty and Matt are great couple of detectives and their wedding in the near future will surely be a game changer.
I think this is a good novel but there's more to come. I read it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it even if I guessed the culprit the solution surprised me as there were much more.
The mystery is solid, the characters fleshed out. This is a mystery featuring a limited number of suspects and it won't be easy to discover all the secrets.
I can't wait for the next story, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[marita lazarus · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series just keeps getting better. It was interesting to see how all the pieces tied together and I love the new characters. We have espionage, murder, theft, and Kitty's nemesis. I hope this whole Esther thing goes away in the next book.

On a personal note, I wish Kitty was a little more enthused and yes I'll say it, sentimental/giddy/happy/excited for her nuptials. At this point, all we get for an engaged couple who has been stepping out for a while is a kiss on the cheek.

Scene stealer.... the dog!!! love Bertie.

Thank you Netgally and publisher for allowing me to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder on Board by Helena Dixon is a Miss Underhay and Captain Bryant mystery. The Dolphin is hosting the birthday party of the daughter of the local Chief Constable. His wife, Lady Jane, is a friend of Gram’s so double the reason for everything to go smoothly. There will be drinks for the family and close friends at the hotel, a ride up river on a paddle boat, then, dinner on the paddle board catered by the Dolphin, and then the ball at the Dolphin. Gram and Kitty had just hired a manager, looking forward to Kitty and Matt’s wedding and Kitty moving out of the hotel, and he has proven to be worth his weight in gold. Everything is going smoothly until Matt and the kitchen boy go to the boat to retrieve the dinnerware and find the dead body of the steward as well. The murderer had to be one of the guests. The captain had never gone below deck and the engine man had left after they docked, before dinner. Then during the ball, just after it had been presented, a priceless necklace given to the celebrant was stolen. Could things get worse?

This is a truly charming series, set in about 1953. Matt lost his wife and child in the London bombings and is determined not to lose Kitty, which is complicated by the fact that she wants to be involved in all of his investigations, including this one. Inspector Greville has requested that Matt assist on this one, primarily as a witness to the investigation since the crime involves the family of his boss. Possibly Scotland Yard will be pulled in, but not until after all the grunt work is done. The staff at the hotel remains static and Alice, a chamber maid and Kitty’s best friend, remains stubborn in her refusal to be the bridesmaid at Kitty’s wedding. The Matron of Honor will be Lucy, Kitty’s cousin, and a lady and Alice (and others) view her participation as inappropriate. This is such a mix of cultures. Much has changed in England since the war, but much has remained the same. This is an easy read. The characters are delightful and the mystery is a good one. Esther Hammett, Kitty’s nemesis, has resurfaced, so that is an additional worry. All in all, a terrific read!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Murder on Board by Bookoutre, though Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #HelenaDixon #MurderOnBoard

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder on Board’ by Helena Dixon.

It’s always a happy day for me when a new Miss Kitty Underhay Mystery is published. This is Book 10 in Dixon’s series of historical cosy mysteries set in mid-1930s Devon. As usual, I combined reading with its unabridged audiobook edition for an immersive read.

While all of these mysteries can be read as stand-alones, it’s well worth reading in order to see how characters develop along with ongoing storylines such as Kitty’s relationship with Captain Mathew Bryant and their investigation into the fate of Kitty’s mother years previously.

So just a few details of the plot. September 1934. Sir Montague Hawkes, the chief constable, has booked the Dolphin Hotel for a lavish birthday celebration for his daughter, Serafina. There is to be a river cruise and champagne supper on the paddle steamer, the Kingswear Castle, followed by a ball at the hotel. A fair amount of planning and coordination is necessary to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Then there is a bold jewellery theft during the ball and a body is discovered on board the paddle steamer. Both crimes have happened at an event attended by many police officials. Are the crimes linked? As always there are plenty of suspects. In addition, Kitty is making preparations for an exciting life change.

‘Murder on Board’ was a charming mystery with plenty of period detail that kept me guessing as to whodunnit until the denunciation.

Highly recommended.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty Underhay hopes for plain sailing as she caters a 21st birthday party for the Chief Constable’s daughter aboard a luxury paddle steamer. So her heart sinks when she learns that the man her fiancé Matthew Bryant has been tailing on orders from Whitehall, Gunther Freiburg, is aboard. And she’s even more horrified when Gunther is found dead in the engine room. One of the Chief Constable’s party must be responsible for his demise. And the evening is on course for further disaster. As the lights go out around the candlelit cake, a terrible scream rings out over the merry hubbub. A priceless diamond necklace has been snatched from around the birthday girl’s neck. With the local inspector in deep water having to investigate his own boss, Kitty and Matt dive in to help. Then when Kitty inadvertently eavesdrops she puts herself in mortal danger
This is the tenth outing for Kitty & it could easily be read on its own, However I love how the characters have developed over the series & how the different relationships have blossomed, especially Kitty & Matthew, whose wedding is fast approaching. There’s a new manager appointed at The Dolphin. There are plenty of twists & turns before all is revealed, Kitty always seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time & this time she’s in extreme danger. A well written, easy to read entertaining cosy mystery with strong characters & a well paced story – I devoured it in an evening
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[LillyBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Kitty Underhay mystery was only so-so. As much as I continue to love the period details, the murder seemed to come in second to the infernal need to carry on the topic of Kitty’s mother’s death. Please, can we let her rest in peace? It’s gone on too long and becomes more implausible with every passing entry. In this novel, someone is shoe-horned in as a previously unknown relative just to make a connection where one was not needed; the character could have just been the criminal n all on their own. It’s a shame, too, because this has the hook of a very good locked-room mystery. However, whodunnit is settled both quickly and accidentally by Kitty just so that the last half of the book can be devoted to another Kitty-in-peril-chase scene involving the aforementioned surprise relative. There’s very little sleuthing which is my greatest disappointment.

One positive is the introduction of new (and present with good reason) character. Not because I necessarily liked them - I may not - but that person provided what was either an excellent red herring or a potential long con on the part of Dixon. I sincerely hope it’s the latter, as long as this character has never heard of Kitty’s mother or her killer.

[loopyloulaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty Underhay is organising an exclusive 21st birthday riverboat party for the Chief Constable's daughter. Her fiance Matthew is following a man who is then discovered dead on board the boat. Then a priceless necklace goes missing: are the two events linked?
Murder On Board is the 10th book in the Kitty Underhay cosy murder mystery series set in Devon.
Kitty and Matthew's wedding is approaching and she is hiring a new manager for the Dolphin Hotel. Life for Kitty is settled and she is looking forward to getting this party over and done with. But Matthew has been secretly tailing a man for the government who is then found dead. The boat was filled with police personnel yet a second crime then occurs!
The party scenario provides a plethora of suspects for Kitty, Matthew and Inspector Greville to interview. The social and gender constructs of the 1930s have been well researched and support the personal character developments as well as the overall murder plot. As you would expect from this genre, there is little violence or forensic detail. However there is plenty of drama and tension!
Murder On Board is an enjoyable murder mystery and I am looking forward to seeing how the dynamics adapt following the imminent wedding...

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon has been a huge favourite with me since book 1, so I was thrilled to receive a copy of Murder on Board, the 10th book.

I really enjoyed this book. I was so pleased to see Kitty and Matt working towards their future, and their relationship still going strong. I love following the romance going on in the background of all the murder mysteries. I also love the setting of this series too - both the location, and the time period.

The mystery this time involved two seemingly separate events that occur in rapid succession at a party at the Dolphin. I did feel sorry for Inspector Greville in this one, not only did he have two cases to solve, but he also has to investigate his boss and his boss’s friends! Luckily, he has Kitty and Matt to help him. I enjoyed this one especially, as I didn’t have a clue what was going on until relatively late in the story. The pace was excellent, and really kept me turning the pages!

Overall, this was another wonderful, page-turning, murder mystery, with a cast of characters that I love.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Murder On Board" in exchange for my honest review.

This is book #10 in the Miss Underhay Mystery series. It starts with as usual with the Torbray Herald newspaper. This time it is September 1934 and the Dolphin Hotel is advertising for a hotel manager to take on duties immediately as Kitty and Matt prepare for their upcoming wedding. A perfect addition to the team is quickly found in Mr. Cyril Lutterworth who absolutely fits in with the hotel and the sleuthing that goes on. Because where Kitty is, there is always murder and adventure as well.

Matt is observing a man named Gunther Freiberg who is a casual labourer but may also be involved in other activities. A murder soon ties into a fancy 21st birthday party that is being held on Kingswear Castle Paddle Steamer and the Dolphin Hotel.

Another complication is the return of Esther Hammett who still blames Kitty for the death of her brother.

Could the next book in the series hold the wedding of Kitty and Matt?

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another brilliant cosy mystery
Set in an earlier time in history.
With investigations by Kitty Underhay
And Captain Matthew Bryant, her fiancé.

This time the investigations involve several crimes
Murder, theft, kidnapping, treason - what dreadful times!
There's also danger from an old adversary, too,
And surprises galore for readers like me and you.

It all starts with special 21st birthday celebrations
For the daughter of the Chief Constable, her friends and relations.
They start with a meal on the paddle steamer for just a few
Then move to the Dolphin Hotel for the main do.

Despite all the police present nothing goes right
There'll be a murder and a theft before the end of the night!
That triggers a case for our intrepid duo again
One filled with danger and pain!

This is a series I look forward to reading more
With great characters, surprises, you're never sure what's in store!
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

[Patricia Kiyono · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitty is busy with wedding preparations. She visits an upscale modiste to order her gown, and since she plans to live in Matt’s home after the wedding rather than in the hotel, she searches for a suitable manager so that her grandmother can step back from some of her duties at the Dolphin Hotel in southwestern England. Fortunately, Mr. Cyril Lutterworth seems to be perfect for the job, and he joins the staff just in time to assist with a major event – the twenty-first birthday of a big-wig’s daughter. Unfortunately, a murder and a jewel heist happen during the course of the event, and Kitty is drawn into the investigation along with her private investigator fiancé. The usual cast of characters are also there to help when needed. There are so many red herrings in this story that I kept guessing until the very end. I’m still fascinated by this series, set in the 1930s. I’ve already pre-ordered Book 11!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder on Board: A Miss Underhay Mystery.

The tenth book in " A Miss Underhay Mystery " series it is another well written and adventurous cozey mystery with an array of familiar colorful and vibrant characters as a never ending exploit of mishaps and deadly schemers try to pull one over both on Miss Underhay and the British Government .It is all hands on deck to make haist to discover what has happened. The array of characters draw you in while being enticed into two separate mysterys full of intrigue, mayhem,lies, secrets and danger. I was entranced following along with the suttle and not so suttle clues and motives getting caught up in the chaos not setting this cozey mystery aside until I reached the unexpected and climatic conclusion. Acquire " Murder on Board " today for hours of exciting, intriguing and enjoyable entertainment. Kat

[Dino Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 10 in a series, but I did read it as a standalone and felt like I was successfully able to follow the story as it was written. I'm sure I would have been able to have an instant connection with the characters if they were the main characters from previous books (which it seems as though they are) but I also don't feel like it detracted me from liking them.
With so many characters I was worried about feeling lost and feeling like I was going to need to set up my own mystery board to figure everyone out but the character descriptions were great, their chemistry was amazing, and their arcs were well thought out.
This is a great cozy mystery with a bit of romance and suspense throughout and was a truly captivating read.

[Bonnie Gleckler Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

About to be Married and yet the detective lives on...

Superb read! I have enjoyed each and every one of the Most s Underhay mystery series books. This one introduced us to a handful of new characters, and brought back all of our favorites from the previous stories. Matt and Kitty’s wedding is quickly approaching, and it’s time for Kitty to help her grandmother hire a manager for the Dolphin Hotel.
They do find the perfect gentleman and hire him immediately. He later becomes quite an integral player in this story.
A 21st birthday, a murder aboard the boat, the theft of government secrets, and much more will keep you moving forward as you read this story.
Kudos once again to Helena Dixon for writing and offering up to us a wonderful story.

[Hilda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge-of-the-seat entertainment!

Kitty and her Grams hire a new hotel manager, Mr. Lutterworth, who clearly has an interesting past. I hope the next books delve into it!

This time when Kitty gets kidnapped the action is riveting and scary!

Bertie the cocker spaniel keeps changing colors from one book to the next! First he has grey, then black and white and now roan-colored. The readers are only shown him begging for treats or lying on someone’s feet. Glad that Matt explained he had been receiving some training.

Still seeing the same and very annoying erroneous use of “I” instead of the correct “me.” Although not as much as in previous books, making me wonder what the heck the editors are doing.