The Mystery of Montague House by Emma Davies

Title: The Mystery of Montague House

Series: Summer and Wynter #1

Author: Emma Davies

Publisher: Middle Distance

Published: January 14th, 2021

Pages: 289

Rating: 5/5*

 

My Review:

I think I’ll start this review with the great news I discovered after finishing it – it is the first in a new series and there are at least a couple more to come! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this cosy mystery, which has something for everyone who enjoys this genre. There’s a majestic house whose owner mysteriously disappeared, rumours of treasures and strange happenings and, after the current owner died without leaving any heirs, there’s the strange Mr Mayfair who is prepared to pay very well for one person – Clodagh Wynter, to catalogue and value the home’s contents and for someone else – Andie Summer – with a reputation for  being a Finder of Things to seek the hidden treasure. The two women had never met before and are real opposites in many of their attitudes but a friendship develops as the mystery of the house darkens. There are strange noises, weird happenings, shocking finds and it is obvious that they aren’t the only two searching for the treasure. What is the treasure? What happened to the previous owner?

This is such a fun, mysterious story, a real page turner with great characters and plenty of intrigue. There’s even a fabulous canine character in Hamish and a very different feline one in Smoke . . . . The two female main characters initially seem so different but together they prove supportive, resourceful and utilising their different skills and attitudes they’re an intrepid duo. There are plenty of surprises as the story progresses, some red herrings to distract and years of secrets to discover in this fantastic read. I’ll definitely be looking out for the sequels in the future and more books by this talented author. I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending this book to anyone who enjoys great cosy mysteries with a twist!

Thanks to the author for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

Synopsis:

I saw something out of the corner of my eye as I was leaving, and you know what that means. It’s never good news when I see something out of the corner of my eye…

With enough rooms to fill a Cluedo board several times over, Montague House has often been the subject of rumour and gossip. Tales of strange goings on, an owner who disappeared one day and was never seen again, not to mention the treasure that rumour has it lies at its heart… But now the present owner has died and the house is to be sold. Has the opportunity come to finally settle the stories once and for all?

Clodagh Wynter doesn’t believe in ghostly goings on and tall tales of secrets. She has her feet very firmly on the ground and, tasked with the job of valuing and cataloguing the house and all its contents, she’s simply looking forward to working in such a glorious setting. And if she happens across a priceless painting, well, that’s just icing on the cake.

Andie Summer is a self-styled Finder of Things (dead bodies mostly), and looking for hidden treasure sounds right up her street, even if there was something very fishy about the mysterious Mr Mayfair who hired her. Because it’s just like she said to her faithful basset hound, Hamish; I saw something out of the corner of my eye as I was leaving, and you know what that means. It’s never good news when I see something out of the corner of my eye…

As the unlikely pair are thrown together, it soon becomes very clear that they are not the only ones searching for the treasure. And they’re going to need all their ingenuity and resourcefulness if they’re ever going to untangle the web of secrets that surrounds Montague House. One that reaches even further than they ever thought possible…

From the #1 International bestselling author comes a new series of cosy murder mysteries introducing the indomitable Andie Summer and Clodagh Wynter, and of course Hamish, everyone’s favourite basset hound. Perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Clare Chase and Anthony Horowitz.

Buy Link: Amazon

About the author:

After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: ‘I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty-something mother of three.’ Well the job in the design studio didn’t work out but she’s now a fifty-something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true.

After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time, and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband and three children in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life.

Social Media Links –

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