A False Alarm

Abbot Agency #7

by Veronica Heley

Someone set a tripwire across the top of the staircase in Sir Lucas’s apartment block causing him to fall head-long and break his arm. A malicious prank . . . or something much worse?

Sir Lucas has made plenty of enemies in the cutthroat world of business. Even his own wife is not above suspicion!

Although Bea dislikes the overbearing businessman, she grudgingly accepts the case to help her dear assistant Maggie, who is Sir Lucas’s step-daughter.

The case takes Bea on an unexpected journey — one that involves eccentric tenants, a kooky therapist, and even a dead body . . .

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 22, 2023

About the author

Veronica Heley has published more than fifty books, including crime fiction, historical, and children's titles. She is currently involved in the Ellie Quicke series of crime stories and a variety of other projects. A full-time writer, she has been married to a London probation officer since 1964, and has one musician daughter.

AKA Veronica Thorne

Reviews

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series takes a slightly different direction dropping the actions of the villain and focusing on a single problem. It is set in London featuring the upper middle class and their difficulties. The characters are all well developed and have become my friends. The MC, Bea Abbott has many good qualities, her belief in God is one of her strength. Another is her ability to understand and help her son and friends through their trials.
This book deals with the age old question about how much does a child owes their parents. Lady Ossett, Maggie's Mother demands she that she return and become her companion. Bea feels that Maggie will loose all she has gained, if she does. Bea becomes involved in the affairs of Lord Ossett. Strange occurrences have been napping I the building. Lord Lucas Ossett feels that someone in the building is trying to kill him. The ending will surprise. I highly recommend this book.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many distractions - I have recently moved from my apartment into a Key West style, 85 year old cottage in Sarasota, just a few blocks from the bay. So I take my lawn chair and book down to the water - even with 100+ temperatures it feels pretty good. But......birds, dolphins and manatees keep drawing my eyes from the book, thus this took me a while to get thru!

This series is sort of a filler-in when I just want a quick fix - it’s never going to win a prize, but I keep plodding through all the messes Bea Abbot seems to find herself in. She is kind of the Miss Julia of the UK - smug, nosy and a bit grumpy! 5 more to go!!!!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was almost a 3 but my favourite character, or one of them, gets killed off and the way the mystery was written wasn't that great. It had potential; it just did not live up to it.

[Mary Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm getting a little tired of Bea Abbott, especially with the way she puts up with that nasty prig of a son of hers & the way she interferes into things that are none of her business.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new-to-me-cozy series set in England. I don't know how I missed this author, but I'll definitely be looking up her other books. This series stars Bea Abbot and her Abbot Agency. I think I've missed a lot by starting in the middle of the series, so I shall keep this review short until I read the books that came first.

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the mystery was interesting and well presented, I did not like the main character. She should be a private investigator instead of running a personnel agency. She is too much of a busy body. The remaining characters were not that much better. A collection of misfits.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I always love these books but this one was hard to read and confusing and just dumb :(

[Wellington City Libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a light book and was an easy read. Although there are several books based on the "Abbot Agency" every one stands on its own.

[Kimbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was not a neat package. It made you hate characters and feel compassion for others. Please read.

[Beatriz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I should've started by the first book of the series... But still I liked this one very much.

[Liisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, satisfying read for the summer

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bea Abbott mystery: Bea helps a businessman whose life is in danger . . . and is sucked into a community packed with scandal, intrigue and corruption. Bea Abbot is asked to find the man or woman who laid a booby trap for Sir Lucas Ossett, the powerful head of an international company, in his own block of flats. She finds Sir Lucas’s wife in a state of fear, while gossiping elderly ladies cast doubt on the probity of their eclectic neighbours. Soon it’s clear that Sir Lucas’s influence reaches out to touch and perhaps corrupt even those nearest to Bea, while trivial incidents escalate into violence – and death.

[Knight Thief · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just have to skip all the idiocy and rambling. Don't have patience for the gooseberries.
I'm desperate for light, British mysteries and I'm reduced to this at the moment. If anyone has better suggestions, I'm all eyes and very grateful.

Can't stand them. Usually the mystery is good and fun but the meanderings of nonsense and irrelevance in the guise of thinking, is just too inane and boring. I literally skip every page of her continuous and repetitive musings.

oh well, the desperate need to read, and love for a light British mystery, continues.

[Cynthia Sacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so totally love this series! My review each time is EXCELLENT in every way - writing, character development, mystery, setting. And the fact that the main character is a beautiful, smart, competent, self-sufficient, caring, capable, fully developed "older" woman totally makes me happy!
I recommend starting with the first book and continuing in order to get the full character growth and impact, but they can be enjoyed separately also.

[Dale Thibeault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read all Victoria Heley.

I love a true cozy mystery! So far I've
read five of her novels. They are funny and they are complex at times. I have enjoyed each book. Once I start I find it hard to put the story down. I look forward to False Money, False Step, and False Presence. Really worth the read.

[Anne Herbison · Rating 4 out of 5]

No italicised inner voice of the perpetrator in this one - we find out who dunnit at the end. I felt I was back into the series with this book. The usual threats to Bea's home and business add tension - and I think this is one way the author plugs into the psychology of a reader of a certain age.

[Rowena Onions · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was tossing up between 4 and 5 stars until the final chapter of this book! Yes, there was a unravelling of the perpetrator but so many other loose ends. It read like a book hurriedly finished to meet a deadline!

[Margaret Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This is a great story with great interesting characters. The twist and turns in this exciting mystery keeps you guessing til the end.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Still enjoying this series a lot. This one wasn't my favorite, but still good.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie’s mom, Sir Lucas and all the folks at the flats

[Jacqueline freegard · Rating 4 out of 5]

another good read

Enjoying these stories, this one was a bit different to the first few, I did wonder if it was a bit silly at times.

[Brit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bea is just kind of holier than thou. She also takes a super racist turn against a Muslim family in the book. I had to make myself get through this book.

[Gail Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read

Really enjoyable with lots of different characters and loads of plot twists. Kept me guessing to the end. A great read.

[Susan J. Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

engaging

Interesting story. Twists and turns. Keeps you guessing throughout the story. Wish Maggie’s character was more developed. I did enjoy the read

[Ellen Dark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bea Abbott solves several mysteries at the cost of two pairs of boots. The story moved along quickly, but I wondered how she stays in business.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant read and an enjoyable mystery. This was my first read of the series. I wasn't lost jumping into the middle, and it made me want to read more!

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bea Abbot is worried about Maggie who lives with her and runs her own property development business. Maggie has been summoned by her mother, Lady Ossett, because her husband, Sir Lucas, has moved out. Bea doesn’t think it would be good for Maggie to give up her job – especially as she doesn’t get on well with her mother. When Sir Lucas asks Bea to find out what is going on in the block of flats where Lady O lives Bea finds herself more involved than she really cares to be.

This is a well written ‘cosy’ mystery with that little something extra. The characters are well drawn and they develop throughout the series. There is Bea herself, running a successful domestic agency, Maggie – who lives in the same house, Oliver who is away at university but who features in this story as he is home for the Christmas holiday. There is Winston, the cat with attitude and Bea’s ex-husband, portrait painter Piers.

I enjoy this series because it is firmly founded in the everyday problems of feeding a family, shopping and making sure a business runs smoothly while trying to solve a mystery and be all things to everyone. Bea is far from being a perfect person and she speaks her mind when necessary as well as putting the phone down on people when they annoy her.

[Nancy Rogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of the Abbot Agency mysteries and they are all good. Bea Abbot and the other characters in this series are very interesting and I would advise reading the books in order to really understand their relationships and the way they have grown and changed over the years. It's not necessary but it will make for a deeper storyline. Bea sometimes frustrates me because she tries so hard to see her friends' and family's viewpoints when you want her to blast them for being insensitive and stupid. However, her cooler approach seems to work for her and everyone usually ends up on the same page (or at least in the same book). This one doesn't focus as much on the agency itself and it's a nice change of pace.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series of books and enjoyed this one as much as the previous volumes in the series. It had its share of humour and moments of excitement and the wonderful mix of characters that we have come to expect. The Eponymous heroine with her good but flawed nature is for me the ideal character. Bea Abbot is no plaster Saint, she tries her best to live a good life and to do the right thing despite often just wanting to scream and shout and send everyone away. In short she is a real human being And I find myself identifying with her. The plot has sufficient twists and turns to keep me interested but what I really love is seeing the characters develop, they have become like friends.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bea Abbot has helped Maggie blossom after she failed to fit the pattern that her mother thought she should adopt. Now Maggie's mother Lady Ossett is in trouble. Her powerful husband has moved out because he fears that someone in the apartment building he owns is trying to kill him, but Bea doesn't think Sir Lucas is the real target. Strange things are happening to a number of people in the building, and can't be investigated because Sir Lucas doesn't want the publicity. To help Maggie, Bea must eliminate the threat to Lady Ossett.