Title: The Dinner Lady Detectives
Author: Hannah Hendy
Published: 18th November 2021, Canelo
Status: Read January 2022 courtesy Canelo/Netgalley
+++++++
My Thoughts:
When the body of Caroline Hughes is discovered in the walk-in freezer of the Summerview secondary school kitchen, her colleagues are stunned. The police are quick to reassure the dinner ladies that their elderly kitchen manager’s death was simply a tragic accident, but when long time employees Clementine Butcher and Margery Baker, espy the coolroom’s bloodied innards, they disagree. With little more than a hunch and a stray earring to go on, Clementine and Margery begin their own investigation, determined that whoever is responsible will get their just desserts.
Having enjoyed a number of cozy mysteries featuring elderly amateur sleuths recently I had quite high expectations for The Dinner Lady Detectives, but unfortunately I felt its potential was unrealised.
I thought the basic premise for the story was appealing, and I enjoyed several scenes, but I found the way in which the mystery played out was disappointing. It almost seemed as if several of the mystery plot elements were an afterthought, and the clues felt disjointed. The plot was also hampered by slow pacing and there was a lack of suspense generally expected in a mystery.
I did like Clementine and Margery, a couple of some thirty years living quietly in the tiny village of Dewstow, South Wales, but I sometimes had difficulty distinguishing between them. The rest of the cast was problematic in that few held much appeal, including the victim who had a fondness for mean-spirited pranks.
While I wouldn’t consider The Dinner Lady Detectives to be a terrible read, I’m afraid I did find it lackluster at best.
+++++++
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 09:46:01
Too bad this book fell a bit short, Shelleyrae.
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 10:59:49
I’ll pass on this, thanks for the review.
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 11:35:00
I love honest reviews. Thank you for this one. When characters are indistinguishable, that’s a clear signal the author didn’t dig into her people enough.
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 11:46:45
It does have a nice premise. But, I agree, I don’t like mean-spirited characters.
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 13:10:19
I agree, Shelleyrae. It’s definitely lackluster. Great review. ❤📚
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 17:41:40
Which “cozy mysteries featuring elderly amateur sleuths” did you enjoy? I’d appreciate the recommendations. Thanks!
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Jan 21, 2022 @ 02:10:35
I’ve enjoyed Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series,, Belinda Bauer’s Exit, Robert Thorogood’s The Marlowe Murder Club, and Ingleman-Sundberg’s The Pensioner Leagues series
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Jan 21, 2022 @ 02:13:32
Thank you Shelley Rae. Now I have a few more books to add to my “must read” pile!
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 20:27:32
I think I won’t read this one. The death is rather gruesome for a cozy!
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Jan 20, 2022 @ 21:47:50
Too bad… it sounded like it might have been fun.
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Jan 24, 2022 @ 21:14:30
This does sound like it could have been a haunted read — its such a pity it didn’t work out 😦
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Jan 25, 2022 @ 01:58:05
It’s a shame this one didn’t live up to its potential.
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Jan 27, 2022 @ 20:17:10
Thank you for the honest review.
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