A Very Lively Murder (Three Dahlias Mysteries Book 2)

Product Information

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

Posy and Rosalind are working on a new Dahlia Lively film. Rosalind starts receiving threatening notes and then a prop knife is secretly exchanged for a real knife, it appears these threats are very real, Posy and Rosalind call on Caro, the second Dahlia to join them on set and try and find out who is behind these notes. The three Dahlias - Posy, Rosalind and Caro - are reunited on the set of the new Dahlia Lively movie, but under terrible circumstances. When someone is murdered they take up the task of investigating before anyone else gets hurt.In attendance at Aldermere: the VIP fans, staying at house; the fan club president turned convention organiser; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport’s books; the Davenport family themselves; and the three actresses famous for portraying Dahlia Lively through the decades. Set in glorious Wales, with a huge and well drawn cast, this beautifully written crime novel is as entertaining as it is twisty. I have just two requests - plenty more Three Dahlia books please and can someone write the original Dahlia books too please and thank you? Every quote is an utter delight.

This is such a good story, as with the previous book, this is a little more intricate than the usual cosy crime.The three Dahlias are such great characters, I love them all. Having met them in the first book of the same name, I feel like I know them better now, they each bring something to the story, wit, verve, glamour and gumption plus the determination to get to the bottom of murder. Things turn even darker when a crew member disappears suddenly and an actress working on the film is killed in a hit and run accident, and suspicion falls on Kit, Posy’s friend and costar, who was previously involved with her. He is arrested for her murder and there is an additional fight to prove his innocence, which is not easy when Kit’s car is seen on cctv at the time of the incident. This was another brilliantly entertaining mystery featuring the three actresses, the three Dahlias. Reuniting with the Three Dahlias so soon after their debut investigation is an absolute pleasure. Not only did I enjoy spending time with these characters again but I loved the respect that Watson has for the genre. You can tell it’s a real labour of love. The development of Posy as she learns to be worthy of the mantle of their beloved Dahlia Lively is captivating. The friendship that has formed despite the initial professional rivalry between the three leads is something that we need more of in not only literature but in life. Like all good crime stories, this brings something of an edge into its glossy golden age tinted spectacles with the secrets that are unravelled.

When fictional death turns into real bodies, can the three Dahlias find the answers to the murders among the fans, the film crew and the family – or even in Lettice’s books themselves? Sub-genres In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots on set and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best – surreptitiously sleuth. And very soon the evidence starts to point towards one particular co-star… I loved it - witty, engaging and hugely enjoyable. A must for fans of classic mysteries' Frances Brody The Lady Detective movie is being filmed in Wales, with Posy Starling as Dahlia Lively. When a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing, fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King is at the sharp end, with almost fatal consequences. Something is badly wrong, so they call in Caro Hooper and the Three Dahlias can investigate.An absolute treat of a read with all the ingredients of a vintage murder mystery: a country house, mysterious dead bodies and three actresses all keen to catch the killer. Perfect weekend reading!' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal Each of the three leads is given narrative focus at different points in the novel and Watson moves between these with ease, really building a remarkable amount of intrigue and tension. By the time we reach the final act revelations, we have grown with the characters and the potential for the series going forward is incredibly exciting. There is national treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies, who’s feeling sensitive that she’s past her prime, TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper, who believes she really IS Dahlia Lively, and ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie – but feeling outclassed by her predecessors. A Very Lively Murder is the second novel in the series and though it would work perfectly well as a standalone, where are many references to the events of the previous novel and I think it takes from the enjoyment somewhat if you are not aware of the whole history. Though the author, Kath Watson, is careful to provide sufficient details without giving away the entire plot.

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 An absolute treat of a read with all the ingredients of a vintage murder mystery: a country house, mysterious dead bodies and three actresses all keen to catch the killer. Perfect weekend reading!’ Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal

Other books by Katy Watson

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of Lettice Davenport, the author whose sleuthing creation of the 1930s, Dahlia Lively, had made each of them famous to a new generation. Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration