Toxic Vows by PJ Skinner
A shotgun marriage leads to deadly celebrations in this gripping English seaside cozy mystery
D.I. George Carter's wedding takes a sinister turn, when the bride is discovered lifeless, mere hours after their vows. Reluctant guest, Tanya Bowe, an investigative journalist turned local sleuth, who also happens to be George’s ex-wife, finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation.
The atmosphere is less than convivial as underlying tensions bubble to the surface. Suspicion falls squarely on George, and a rival detective is determined to pin the crime on him. Tanya delves into a world of hidden vendettas and deceit. The bride had enemies, but the hotel is also a den of blackmail and fraud.
Did the killer target the bride, or has an elaborate plan gone badly wrong?
In this enthralling English, small-town, cozy mystery, Tanya must rescue her ex-husband from murder charges, if she is to finally escape the past. If you crave seaside settings, intricate plots, and a dash of humour, grab your copy now and join Tanya on a journey to uncover the truth.
Can you solve the mystery before Tanya does?
Review
‘Toxic Vows’ is a brilliant whodunit that is packed full of tension, misdirection and full of humour! This is the fourth book in the ‘Seacastle Mysteries’ but it can easily be read as a standalone mystery. However, I do thoroughly recommend the whole series as they are brilliant cosy reads! All the characters are beginning to feel like old friends, yes even George. It's just such a pleasure to pick up one of these books as you know you are guaranteed a great read!
Tanya Bowe run a second-hand vintage shop and cafe in the town of Seacastle and lives with her stepson Mouse. She is finally getting rid of her ex-husband George as he is marrying the woman he left Tanya for. But he has asked Tanya to organize the wedding and she says yes! He is even holding it where him and Tanya got married. On the day things start to go wrong and when the bride is found dead, Tanya finds herself right in the middle of the investigation and this time she is under the spotlight!
PJ is now on my auto-buy list especially when there is murder involved! But for many, when it comes to cosy crime it's not really the crime aspect that draws us back time and time again it's the roster of brilliant characters that populate this world. Tanya is an amazing protagonist - intelligent, feisty, full of empathy, loyalty and love. But there is also a vulnerable side to her and is open about her mental health problems. I love her relationship with her stepson Mouse and boyfriend Harry. It's also her troop of highly entertaining friends, Roz, Ghita and Grace and of course, there is now Hector the seagull!
PJ has really found her groove with this series and it's her brilliant writing and intriguing mysteries that keep me coming back. I read a lot of crime fiction and this is some of the best cosy crime out there at the moment and definitely deserves more recognition! As soon as I finish reading a book I am already clamouring for more and surely that is a good sign. Roll on book five!
Let me know if you pick this one up.
