annieb123
Written on Feb 25, 2022
Death at the Gates is the third book in Katie Gayle's cozy mystery series featuring Epiphany Bloom. Released 2nd Aug 2021, it's 250 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.
Pip and Most (of a cat, her 3 legged sidekick), are back righting wrongs, doing good deeds, and generally sticking their oars in where the bad guys wish they'd refrain. After a disastrous museum opening night fiasco sees her sacked from her job (the scene left me laughing out loud), she is soon drawn into investigating an exam cheating scandal at an upscale girls' school. Skulduggery abounds and it's not long before she's up to her neck in chaos and danger.
This is an engaging madcap comedy of errors with a fundamentally good-hearted and intelligent heroine who's only trying to solve the mystery and make her rent to keep a roof over her (and her three-legged cat's) head(s). The plotting and pacing are breakneck and this is one which readers can devour in a sitting or two. The dialogue is occasionally a bit twee, but all in all it's a fun ride with a satisfying denouement.
The language is firmly PG (with "hell", "bloody", "shite", etc). There is no graphic on-page content. Spelling and vernacular are UK standard (bin, lorry, torch, kerb, etc). It shouldn't pose any problems in context for readers. This has become a very light cozy series favourite for me and I find myself looking forward to seeing what comes next for Pip & Most (of a cat). Real humour isn't easy to write and this author duo really has the timing and repartee down pat.
Four stars. Very fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.