Wedding bells are chiming in the idyllic, coastal town of Stonebridge. For Sam and Emily, it should be the happiest day of their lives. But, on the morning of the ceremony, the best man is found dead. The police quickly write his death off as a tragic accident, but something doesn’t seem right to wedding guest and groomsman, Adam Whyte.
Armed with an encyclopaedic, but ultimately ridiculous knowledge of television detective shows and an unwarranted confidence in his own abilities, Adam and his best friend (and willing Watson) Colin, set out to uncover what actually happened to Daniel Costello.
The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello is the first in the Stonebridge Mysteries series of cosy crime novellas.
What did I think?
I'm a huge fan of Chris McDonald's DI Erika Piper series so when I heard that he was writing a cosy crime series I couldn't wait to read it. The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello (what a great book title) is the first novella in the Stonebridge Mysteries series and it's a cracker! It's a quick read at less than 90 minutes so very easy to read in one sitting, which is just as well as it's impossible to put down anyway!
There's a wedding in Stonebridge but the groom and best man appear to be at loggerheads on the night before the wedding. When best man Daniel doesn't turn up for breakfast the next day, groomsman Adam goes looking for him and is shocked to find Daniel dead in his bed. The police are called and declare that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Daniel's premature demise, however, some things don't add up for Adam. Being a fan of TV detective shows, Adam enlists his friend Colin to help him investigate Daniel's death.
A bit of a couch potato, Adam is such an unlikely amateur sleuth but when he dons his metaphorical deerstalker he proves that he really does know his stuff. Although some things are different from TV in real life, Adam knows a suspicious death when he sees one. Adam and Colin relish their roles as a modern day Holmes and Watson and I love how they are so meticulous in their search for evidence. Having been friends since primary school, Adam and Colin are a great pairing and I love how well they work together.
Another thing I loved was the quirky and often humourous chapter names that set the scene for the chapter ahead. One in particular had me laughing out loud and I found myself looking forward to new chapters to see what ingenious title Chris McDonald would come up with next.
Hugely entertaining, The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello is a fun, addictive and riveting whodunnit. Chris McDonald's tremendous talent bursts from every single page of this magnificent novella. A quick but quality read.
Thank you to Red Dog Press for sending me an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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About the author:
Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second instalment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021.
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