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Three Dahlias Mysteries #2
A Very Lively Murder
One murder mystery movie. Three Dahlias. And a whole cast of suspects...
Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role - Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing - with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. There's something very wrong on the set of The Lady Detective - which means it's time to call in Caro Hooper, so the three Dahlias can investigate.
In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots in London, talk show appearances and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best - surrupticiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star...
But before they can prove it, another murder rocks the production. And this time, with a storm raging, the river flooded and the bridge washed out, there are no police to rely on so it's up to the three Dahlias to stop a murderer in their tracks... before another victim is claimed.
Praise for Katy Watson
'An absolute treat of a read with all the ingredients of a vintage murder a country house, mysterious dead bodies and three actresses all keen to catch the killer. Perfect weekend reading!' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'Celebrates and gently satirises Golden Age crime novels in a hugely entertaining country house mystery' The Times
'Dame Agatha would approve' Daily Mail
'A wonderful celebration of Golden Age crime. . . a read you can sink into, just like the perfect country house weekend. You will definitely love Dahlia in all her guises by the end' S.J. Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot
'I loved it - witty, engaging and hugely enjoyable. A must for fans of classic mysteries' Frances Brody
'An affectionate homage to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction and a wry nod to our continuing fascination with it. Great fun. Warm, ingenious and. . . lively!' L C Tyler
'A sprightly offering. . . a pleasant summer read' The Critic
'A pleasure to read from beginning to end' Shots
'A fun, 1930s style murder-mystery, which makes for perfect holiday reading' Woman's Weekly
'Perfect Holiday Read' Woman and Home
'Smartly executed with wit and a cunning plot' Peterborough Telegraph
'A cosy whodunnit told with modern flair' Yours
Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role - Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing - with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. There's something very wrong on the set of The Lady Detective - which means it's time to call in Caro Hooper, so the three Dahlias can investigate.
In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots in London, talk show appearances and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best - surrupticiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star...
But before they can prove it, another murder rocks the production. And this time, with a storm raging, the river flooded and the bridge washed out, there are no police to rely on so it's up to the three Dahlias to stop a murderer in their tracks... before another victim is claimed.
Praise for Katy Watson
'An absolute treat of a read with all the ingredients of a vintage murder a country house, mysterious dead bodies and three actresses all keen to catch the killer. Perfect weekend reading!' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
'Celebrates and gently satirises Golden Age crime novels in a hugely entertaining country house mystery' The Times
'Dame Agatha would approve' Daily Mail
'A wonderful celebration of Golden Age crime. . . a read you can sink into, just like the perfect country house weekend. You will definitely love Dahlia in all her guises by the end' S.J. Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot
'I loved it - witty, engaging and hugely enjoyable. A must for fans of classic mysteries' Frances Brody
'An affectionate homage to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction and a wry nod to our continuing fascination with it. Great fun. Warm, ingenious and. . . lively!' L C Tyler
'A sprightly offering. . . a pleasant summer read' The Critic
'A pleasure to read from beginning to end' Shots
'A fun, 1930s style murder-mystery, which makes for perfect holiday reading' Woman's Weekly
'Perfect Holiday Read' Woman and Home
'Smartly executed with wit and a cunning plot' Peterborough Telegraph
'A cosy whodunnit told with modern flair' Yours
368 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2023
87 people are currently reading
2227 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
October 23, 2023
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/cAbyN6N8RiU
June 15, 2025
3.5✨
Unfortunately, I did not love this story as much as the first in the series the three dahlias. I enjoyed seeing Posy, Caro and Rosalind work together again to solve a murder mystery but when it came to the conclusion I found myself thinking "what? That doesn't make sense" and it wasn't really elaborated on. Perhaps on a reread it might be clearer but I won't be doing that anytime soon.
It didn't have the same 'feel' as the first book with the whole playing off of the golden age of crime and being influenced by Agatha Christie; but it was still a fun read.
I do think the subplot regarding the older actor and SA allegations could have been handled better.
Excited to continue the series
Unfortunately, I did not love this story as much as the first in the series the three dahlias. I enjoyed seeing Posy, Caro and Rosalind work together again to solve a murder mystery but when it came to the conclusion I found myself thinking "what? That doesn't make sense" and it wasn't really elaborated on. Perhaps on a reread it might be clearer but I won't be doing that anytime soon.
It didn't have the same 'feel' as the first book with the whole playing off of the golden age of crime and being influenced by Agatha Christie; but it was still a fun read.
I do think the subplot regarding the older actor and SA allegations could have been handled better.
Excited to continue the series
January 15, 2024
Just finished this book and I will need to rant - it will contain spoilers, so I'm hiding this post from existence.
I loved the first book. It gave nostalgia, it gave golden era detective sleuthing, and it gave anything an Agatha Christie fan would enjoy. Of course, there were a few bits which pointed to Katy Watson being new at this, but you could see that she had a good vision and the characters she created were able to carry the upcoming books. So in cases like these, you forgive the debut mistakes and if it's worth it, you focus on the positive.
I've read an interview where the author said she wrote this in 2020, but it was released only in 2022. Why am I bringing this up? Because a good book needs development time. It needs to be chiselled like a fine diamond... This did not happen with 'A Very Lively Murder'. The idea was there, but it had not received enough time to blossom into what it could have been.
I would argue that even the name of the book is selected incorrectly - what makes this a lively murder? It doesn't have anything to do with the story. Katy Watson - explain yourself.
Now - when it comes to a second book, you start looking at things you might not have fully enjoyed in the first book with a more critical eye - example one: Why do we get chapters randomly hacked in pieces calling them 'Posy' 'Caro' 'Rosalind' when the full focus is not really on that character anyway? This just felt like an irrational division - one that not everyone might be a fan of.
Example two: As the story progresses, you slowly start thinking that these women are delusional and are having some sort of mental problems, where they think they are Dahlia. They act and dress the part in real life and take charge of investigations very callously, not considering consequences. There are also a few character inconsistencies that slipped through the editing phase. Since when is Rosalind the one keen on biscuits? The way she is described in the first book and until the page where they visit Brigitte in London, that lady never touched a biscuit - if anything, Caro would be the one hoping for biscuits with tea.
Now let's pick on the story, shall we?
At the beginning we are in Caro's home, she is not part of the movie that's being made and feels left out and confused as to what to do next in life. I am unsure what happened there, I might need to re-read the last part of 'The Three Dahlias' as for the life of me I can't tell why Anton hates her now and she is left out of the movie. Although I am sure that she was invited to Aldemere in the last book to promote the movie, as she was also part of it. Another thing I am very unsure about is Rosalind's husband. I feel like she was unmarried, hence she was secretly having an affair with her friend's husband. This book treats that affair very poorly. I get that they broke the relationship off now, but nonetheless, the last book described Hugh as the love of her life, not mentioning a husband. (or doing it in such a forgettable way that I ... well, forgot) But I digress!
So Rosalind received some death threats and they called Caro to come on set and stay with Rosalind, so they have someone there to help them investigate.
After a lot of pages of- nothing-happenings and Rosalind being threatened, but won't go to the police -later (which is around 168 pages or half mark of the book) we finally get the first body dropped. However, due to the circumstances, it may or may not be an accident.
A good 100 pages pass when we get a second death, this time murder for sure, as one of the old actors has been stabbed. SO now the author has about 80 pages left to make this story make sense. She even writes in a storm, that locks all of the suspects in the mansion and you think to yourself, nice, this is salvageable. But no - guess what happens during this night of being trapped in with suspects and building tension. NOTHING. The housekeeper brings them snacks and drinks and they sleep until the morning. In my books, this is an unforgivable mistake. How can someone miss an opportunity like this? There wasn't even an accusation thrown out, not even a small argument - nothing....
We are also trying to tackle a pretty heavy subject here, where an old actor used to drug and rape young actresses... And I need to say that this subject was not handled very well. It's a hard subject to talk about and this was neither the time nor place for it - with the freaking book being called 'A very Lively Murder' and all..... There was a sentence that left me with a bad taste in my mouth. The actor, who allegedly raped a young actress is killed, to which Caro wishes he wasn't dead, so she could bring him to 'real' justice.
And now to the big reveal! This was such a killer - I can't recall the last time a murder reveal disappointed me this badly. Especially, because in the last two chapters, they build up Nina as being the perfect suspect with a very valid motive, but then Watson decides that she wants to dabble with twists and throw in one that doesn't make sense, so it's revealed that it was Tristan all along (The charismatic young actor, who is good looking to the level where he even seduces the wife of the Inn owner) And why? Because he was FRIENDZONED. I kid you not. I'm OK with twists, but make it MAKE SENSE.
It doesn't fit. Truth be told, Nina would not have fitted either, as she was pregnant, so why would she risk it all revenging something that happened 8 years ago now, when she is happy and about to have a baby, which she is excited about.
And do you remember that we spent 168 pages discussing Rosalind's threats to exertion??
Well, Tristan wanted to scare her for the pure fact that she was at this bloody party 8 years ago. That's all.
Here is a much better-suited solution:
Brigette, the old actor's ex-wife is the killer. She either does it alone or with her son with the motive being grief and responsibility.
She knew about what her husband did all those years ago and it became clear that justice will never be served. He escaped and covered up all of the evidence of his wrongdoing, so out of guilt, Brigette picks up the mental of the judge. She will have to work with her now ex-husband again on the upcoming Dahlia Lively movie and when she accidentally discovers a secret passage and disappears, she takes this one-of-a-lifetime opportunity to roll out well-deserved justice. She never leaves the house, she lurks around doing her justice stuff. And Keira got hit by a car accidentally or by someone entirely different. (Tristan would make sense here - he and the Inn owner's wife been in the car doing the deed, Keira sees them, and he runs her over by mistake, but doesn't stop or call an ambulance, as his scared that they will be exposed)
Tell me how this doesn't make more sense.
Katy, I get that deadlines need to be met when it comes to publishing - I do. But releasing new books every year will never be the right solution, especially if you need more time to build this lovely world you have created. Let it marinate, let it sit for a bit so all the quirks can be ironed out and you don't lose your newly acquired fandom.
While I will pick up the next book, I'm really scared about the quality of it. Not only will this be released in 2024, but there is another one in the pipeline for 2025... and I want to continue reading them.
I loved the first book. It gave nostalgia, it gave golden era detective sleuthing, and it gave anything an Agatha Christie fan would enjoy. Of course, there were a few bits which pointed to Katy Watson being new at this, but you could see that she had a good vision and the characters she created were able to carry the upcoming books. So in cases like these, you forgive the debut mistakes and if it's worth it, you focus on the positive.
I've read an interview where the author said she wrote this in 2020, but it was released only in 2022. Why am I bringing this up? Because a good book needs development time. It needs to be chiselled like a fine diamond... This did not happen with 'A Very Lively Murder'. The idea was there, but it had not received enough time to blossom into what it could have been.
I would argue that even the name of the book is selected incorrectly - what makes this a lively murder? It doesn't have anything to do with the story. Katy Watson - explain yourself.
Now - when it comes to a second book, you start looking at things you might not have fully enjoyed in the first book with a more critical eye - example one: Why do we get chapters randomly hacked in pieces calling them 'Posy' 'Caro' 'Rosalind' when the full focus is not really on that character anyway? This just felt like an irrational division - one that not everyone might be a fan of.
Example two: As the story progresses, you slowly start thinking that these women are delusional and are having some sort of mental problems, where they think they are Dahlia. They act and dress the part in real life and take charge of investigations very callously, not considering consequences. There are also a few character inconsistencies that slipped through the editing phase. Since when is Rosalind the one keen on biscuits? The way she is described in the first book and until the page where they visit Brigitte in London, that lady never touched a biscuit - if anything, Caro would be the one hoping for biscuits with tea.
Now let's pick on the story, shall we?
At the beginning we are in Caro's home, she is not part of the movie that's being made and feels left out and confused as to what to do next in life. I am unsure what happened there, I might need to re-read the last part of 'The Three Dahlias' as for the life of me I can't tell why Anton hates her now and she is left out of the movie. Although I am sure that she was invited to Aldemere in the last book to promote the movie, as she was also part of it. Another thing I am very unsure about is Rosalind's husband. I feel like she was unmarried, hence she was secretly having an affair with her friend's husband. This book treats that affair very poorly. I get that they broke the relationship off now, but nonetheless, the last book described Hugh as the love of her life, not mentioning a husband. (or doing it in such a forgettable way that I ... well, forgot) But I digress!
So Rosalind received some death threats and they called Caro to come on set and stay with Rosalind, so they have someone there to help them investigate.
After a lot of pages of- nothing-happenings and Rosalind being threatened, but won't go to the police -later (which is around 168 pages or half mark of the book) we finally get the first body dropped. However, due to the circumstances, it may or may not be an accident.
A good 100 pages pass when we get a second death, this time murder for sure, as one of the old actors has been stabbed. SO now the author has about 80 pages left to make this story make sense. She even writes in a storm, that locks all of the suspects in the mansion and you think to yourself, nice, this is salvageable. But no - guess what happens during this night of being trapped in with suspects and building tension. NOTHING. The housekeeper brings them snacks and drinks and they sleep until the morning. In my books, this is an unforgivable mistake. How can someone miss an opportunity like this? There wasn't even an accusation thrown out, not even a small argument - nothing....
We are also trying to tackle a pretty heavy subject here, where an old actor used to drug and rape young actresses... And I need to say that this subject was not handled very well. It's a hard subject to talk about and this was neither the time nor place for it - with the freaking book being called 'A very Lively Murder' and all..... There was a sentence that left me with a bad taste in my mouth. The actor, who allegedly raped a young actress is killed, to which Caro wishes he wasn't dead, so she could bring him to 'real' justice.
And now to the big reveal! This was such a killer - I can't recall the last time a murder reveal disappointed me this badly. Especially, because in the last two chapters, they build up Nina as being the perfect suspect with a very valid motive, but then Watson decides that she wants to dabble with twists and throw in one that doesn't make sense, so it's revealed that it was Tristan all along (The charismatic young actor, who is good looking to the level where he even seduces the wife of the Inn owner) And why? Because he was FRIENDZONED. I kid you not. I'm OK with twists, but make it MAKE SENSE.
It doesn't fit. Truth be told, Nina would not have fitted either, as she was pregnant, so why would she risk it all revenging something that happened 8 years ago now, when she is happy and about to have a baby, which she is excited about.
And do you remember that we spent 168 pages discussing Rosalind's threats to exertion??
Well, Tristan wanted to scare her for the pure fact that she was at this bloody party 8 years ago. That's all.
Here is a much better-suited solution:
Brigette, the old actor's ex-wife is the killer. She either does it alone or with her son with the motive being grief and responsibility.
She knew about what her husband did all those years ago and it became clear that justice will never be served. He escaped and covered up all of the evidence of his wrongdoing, so out of guilt, Brigette picks up the mental of the judge. She will have to work with her now ex-husband again on the upcoming Dahlia Lively movie and when she accidentally discovers a secret passage and disappears, she takes this one-of-a-lifetime opportunity to roll out well-deserved justice. She never leaves the house, she lurks around doing her justice stuff. And Keira got hit by a car accidentally or by someone entirely different. (Tristan would make sense here - he and the Inn owner's wife been in the car doing the deed, Keira sees them, and he runs her over by mistake, but doesn't stop or call an ambulance, as his scared that they will be exposed)
Tell me how this doesn't make more sense.
Katy, I get that deadlines need to be met when it comes to publishing - I do. But releasing new books every year will never be the right solution, especially if you need more time to build this lovely world you have created. Let it marinate, let it sit for a bit so all the quirks can be ironed out and you don't lose your newly acquired fandom.
While I will pick up the next book, I'm really scared about the quality of it. Not only will this be released in 2024, but there is another one in the pipeline for 2025... and I want to continue reading them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2023
I just love reading murder mysteries like these - there are the three leading ladies, a filming in London, and lots of sleuthing in a locked room mystery setting and ahhhh it was just such a fun read. I enjoyed the first book in the series and loved coming back to some of my favorite characters… I will be waiting with bated breath for the third installment. For a light cozy mystery with incredibly fun characters, do check out this amazing series.
October 5, 2023
4.5-5 stars.
i love the dahlias so much 💜 i can't wait for the third book
i love the dahlias so much 💜 i can't wait for the third book
July 7, 2023
Following the events of the first book & their unmasking of a killer, the three Dahlias reunite on the set of 'The Lady Detective' film which is being shot on location in Wales. Posy feels she is finally ready to make the role of Dahlia Lively her own, appearing alongside fellow Dahlia from the original films, Rosalind King who is playing an elderly relative. Rosalind seems a little preoccupied though & several strange occurrences happen onset: a member of the crew disappears from a locked room, whilst Rosalind is nearly hit by a moving camera arm. When a second 'error' in a murder scene almost ends with Rosalind being stabbed for real, she & Posy contact the third Dahlia, Caro Hooper for help. Rosalind has been receiving death threats & it looks as if it wasn't an idle threat. Then a murder takes place & the evidence seems to point at Posy's co-star (& possibly more), Kit. Surely he can't be a killer?
This is a nice little follow-up to the first book. It's refreshing to read about three generations of women working together & developing a real friendship. There are one or two little asides about the double standards in the film industry when it comes to age & sex, & it seems as if both Posy & Rosalind may have love interests ahead, but the narrative concentrates on the main plot. The story line itself is just the right combination of red herrings & possibilities before the killer is finally revealed, but I must admit that I felt a bit underwhelmed by the reason for it all. Verdict: An entertaining mystery with three wonderful main characters, & yet again I was left wishing the Dahlia Lively books were actually real! 4.5 stars (rounded down)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Little, Brown Book Group UK/Constable, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
This is a nice little follow-up to the first book. It's refreshing to read about three generations of women working together & developing a real friendship. There are one or two little asides about the double standards in the film industry when it comes to age & sex, & it seems as if both Posy & Rosalind may have love interests ahead, but the narrative concentrates on the main plot. The story line itself is just the right combination of red herrings & possibilities before the killer is finally revealed, but I must admit that I felt a bit underwhelmed by the reason for it all. Verdict: An entertaining mystery with three wonderful main characters, & yet again I was left wishing the Dahlia Lively books were actually real! 4.5 stars (rounded down)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Little, Brown Book Group UK/Constable, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
September 10, 2023
Cosy, suspenseful, and well-paced!
In this latest addition to the Dahlia Lively series, A Very Lively Murder, the three Dahlias, Caro, Rosalind, and Posy, are reunited once again and back sleuthing on the set of The Lady Detective when it quickly becomes apparent that there’s a murderer amongst the cast when threats, victims, accidents, and dead bodies all start piling up.
The writing is playful and fluid. The characters are unique, persistent, and clever. And the plot is a light, quirky tale full of misdirection, deduction, clues, mishaps, drama, friendship, amateur sleuthing, red herrings, and murder.
Overall, A Very Lively Murder is another mysterious, amusing, enjoyable treat by Watson that had just the right amount of suspicious personalities, zany antics, and abundance of drama to keep me engaged and entertained from start to finish.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this latest addition to the Dahlia Lively series, A Very Lively Murder, the three Dahlias, Caro, Rosalind, and Posy, are reunited once again and back sleuthing on the set of The Lady Detective when it quickly becomes apparent that there’s a murderer amongst the cast when threats, victims, accidents, and dead bodies all start piling up.
The writing is playful and fluid. The characters are unique, persistent, and clever. And the plot is a light, quirky tale full of misdirection, deduction, clues, mishaps, drama, friendship, amateur sleuthing, red herrings, and murder.
Overall, A Very Lively Murder is another mysterious, amusing, enjoyable treat by Watson that had just the right amount of suspicious personalities, zany antics, and abundance of drama to keep me engaged and entertained from start to finish.
Thank you to Mobius Books US for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2024
I'll be honest I enjoyed the first one more! The plot whilst fun didn't keep me enthralled it felt a little like a rehash of the first book.
I do like the trio of narrators it's a good way to move the story along but this time it just didn't move on fast enough.
A good read but for me not a great read.
I do like the trio of narrators it's a good way to move the story along but this time it just didn't move on fast enough.
A good read but for me not a great read.
July 5, 2023
A murder mystery with a nod to the golden era, three strong female lead characters and a locked room scenario. Well if that doesn’t tick all the boxes nothing will! The multi-generational ladies return in a storyline that touches on some difficult topics. With all three ‘leading ladies’ assessing their lives, making the latest Dahlia Lively movie and of course solving a list of potentially related crimes, this is a fun and action packed read. I for one am wearing my ‘What would Dahlia Do?’ badge with pride.
This book is the second in the series with the promise of the third instalment just around the corner so fans of the first book can enjoy this book knowing there’s even more to come. I read the first book and so understood the references to it but if you haven’t and just want to dive right in here then no problem either.
This book is the second in the series with the promise of the third instalment just around the corner so fans of the first book can enjoy this book knowing there’s even more to come. I read the first book and so understood the references to it but if you haven’t and just want to dive right in here then no problem either.
March 31, 2025
4.5 stars!
This continues to be my favourite cozy mystery series. I love the modern day Agatha Christie vibes it gives off. One of the reason I don't always loooove cozies is that I reach a limit on a) how much I think amateur sleuths can figure out and b) get stuck on HOW MANY dead bodies they keep stumbling on. The MCs having spent so long playing detectives on film solves issue a) for me and b) is eased by how many people go in and out of film sets, and how each film gets an entirely new set of people.
The Three Dahlia Mysteries can be kind of hard to find here in SA, so I've just been reading them as I get my hands on them but I actually do think it would be better to read them in order. You definitely need to read the first book first or you'll be completely confused. This book introduces Jack and a few other characters that get bigger roles in later books.
This continues to be my favourite cozy mystery series. I love the modern day Agatha Christie vibes it gives off. One of the reason I don't always loooove cozies is that I reach a limit on a) how much I think amateur sleuths can figure out and b) get stuck on HOW MANY dead bodies they keep stumbling on. The MCs having spent so long playing detectives on film solves issue a) for me and b) is eased by how many people go in and out of film sets, and how each film gets an entirely new set of people.
The Three Dahlia Mysteries can be kind of hard to find here in SA, so I've just been reading them as I get my hands on them but I actually do think it would be better to read them in order. You definitely need to read the first book first or you'll be completely confused. This book introduces Jack and a few other characters that get bigger roles in later books.
April 24, 2024
Now I didn’t guess the right killer, but in my defense, my suspects didn’t end up dead the way they usually do.
August 10, 2024
4.5⭐️
I can't recommend this book enough. The cliff hanger it's left me on has me shook too.
Only reason it lost half a star is because everything got revealed in the last 20 pages.
I can't recommend this book enough. The cliff hanger it's left me on has me shook too.
Only reason it lost half a star is because everything got revealed in the last 20 pages.
February 2, 2024
I didn't enjoy it as I was expecting. The hype is the biggest enemy of the bookworm.
When I finished The three dahlias I was like: I'm here for more. But guess I was not.
And now they are going to be more. Honestly I don't know what to expect now.
The dahlias felt like cardboard carton characters. Plane in this one compared to the first one.
And the mystery just draged and then it was like madness full on psycho. I didn't like the pace
When I finished The three dahlias I was like: I'm here for more. But guess I was not.
And now they are going to be more. Honestly I don't know what to expect now.
The dahlias felt like cardboard carton characters. Plane in this one compared to the first one.
And the mystery just draged and then it was like madness full on psycho. I didn't like the pace
July 13, 2023
A fun read with the Three Dahlias investigating a murder during a film shoot. This follows very closely from the events of the first book and it’s definitely worth reading first, as the events and characters are fairly central.
It’s a light read, and not a groundbreaking or massively realistic plot but it’s enjoyable nonetheless.
It’s a light read, and not a groundbreaking or massively realistic plot but it’s enjoyable nonetheless.
March 19, 2024
This fell flat for me after how much I loved the first book. I felt like there was no actual character building for the ensemble cast, and there was too much suspension of disbelief required.
I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, but at this exact moment, I'd say book 1 is better at a standalone.
I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, but at this exact moment, I'd say book 1 is better at a standalone.
November 28, 2024
Tried to read this straight after the previous book and didn’t like it as much so put it down. After a little break I started again with it and this time I really enjoyed the story. Love the Dahlias and their relationship.
July 15, 2023
I love this series!!! 💘
September 10, 2023
3.5 stars
October 17, 2023
another delightful entry in the series. I'm not sure how much longer the conceit can hold, and I'm not sure how interested I'll be if these shift to being One Dahlia mysteries instead of Three, but I'm definitely planning to give the next one a shot.
January 29, 2024
Read this in one day it's so good! The writing style is a bit young but apart from that I love it
March 5, 2024
Een goed tussendoortje. Leest makkelijk weg.
April 14, 2024
Absolutely loved it. Can't wait for the next one!
June 1, 2024
Actual Rating: 3.5/5 stars
January 4, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
January 13, 2025
Loved it
June 24, 2025
Definitely my favourite book I have read so far. It’s a very good murder mystery. I couldn’t put the book down. The minute I finished reading it I went and bought the other books with these characters in it. I’ve read this book twice now and definitely will read again
August 2, 2025
A good sequel to the first Dahlia book. A nice ‘cosy’ read. And I didn’t guess the murderer either which is always a bonus!
December 27, 2024
A good mystery with strong characters.
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