Murder in the Grotto
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Café-owner and divorcee Cara Shelley gets caught up in a deadly ghost hunt in this warm and engaging cozy mystery set in a quirky British stately home. Forty-something single mother Cara Shelley is very content running the Happy Huffkin café in the grounds of a quirky stately home. But her daily routine is shaken up by the arrival of a guest at Tanton Towers: the flamboyant Lady Izzy, who has plans for an extremely peculiar celebration . . . and wants Cara to cater for it. Ten years ago, Lady Izzy’s nephew, the former chair of the local ghost society, died after a ghost hunt in the Towers’ spooky subterranean grotto. Now, she plans to commemorate his life – and death – with a fresh hunt in the very same place. But the morning after the event, Cara makes a horrifying discovery in the network of caves. Unless spirits can kill, there’s a murderer in their midst! Soon, the Towers is full of police, including the handsome but annoying DCI Andrew Mitchem. Can the irrepressible Cara keep her feelings in check and catch a cunning killer before she becomes the grotto’s next ghost? A contemporary Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie – with a splash of Bridgerton! The British Stately home mysteries are gentle, very English cozy mysteries, peopled with engaging, eccentric characters and packed with red-herrings for the enjoyment of armchair sleuths everywhere.
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1 primary book#2 in British Stately Home
British Stately Home is a 1-book series first released in 2025 with contributions by Amy Myers.
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Book Review: Murder in the Grotto by Amy Myers 📚
Rating: 3 Stars
I picked up Murder in the Grotto mainly because of its charming cover and the promise of a cozy mystery set in a quirky British stately home—something I usually enjoy. The story centers on Cara Shelley, a café owner and single mom in her forties, who’s happily running her little spot, the Happy Huffkin café, on the grounds of Tanton Towers. Her routine is disrupted when Lady Izzy, an eccentric and flamboyant guest at the Towers, enlists her to cater a very unusual event: a ghost hunt to honor her nephew who died there ten years ago during a similar spooky adventure. ☕👻🏰
What follows is a mix of supernatural vibes and murder mystery when Cara discovers a chilling crime in the underground grotto the morning after the ghost hunt. Enter DCI Andrew Mitchem, the local detective who’s both handsome and a bit frustrating, as he investigates the case. Cara finds herself juggling her growing feelings for him while trying to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim. 🔍💔😨
While I appreciated the warm setting and some quirky characters, I found myself struggling to get fully engaged with the story. The book introduces quite a few characters, which at times felt overwhelming and made it harder to keep track of everyone. The plot execution also seemed a bit scattered, lacking the tight focus I usually expect in cozy mysteries. Despite these issues, there were moments that kept me turning pages, but overall, it didn’t quite live up to my hopes. 📚🤔🌀
So, I’d say Murder in the Grotto is an okay read—pleasant enough if you like your mysteries light and atmospheric but not quite a standout in the genre for me.
⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️
Originally posted at tinyurl.com.