Death on the Stella Mae (A Kipper Cottage Mystery, #5)

by Jan Durham

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Death on the Stella Mae is an appealing and well written cozy by Jan Durham and the 5th book in the Kipper Cottage mysteries. Released 3rd March 2023, it's 216 pages and is available in hardcover, 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 currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU. 

This is a very well constructed and engagingly written cozy(ish) mystery featuring amateur sleuth Liz, a retired nurse living in coastal north Yorkshire. She's dogged and often heedlessly stubborn investigating local misdeeds with her motley crew of friends and her bull terrier Nelson. 

The returning characters have a shared history and, if read out of order, some spoilers for earlier developments should be expected. It does work well enough as a standalone however. Since the series is available (at the date of writing) on KU, it would make a good candidate for a binge or buddy read. It's not a fluffy cozy, and there are descriptions of violence and I found it quite melancholy reading in places. 

Four stars. Good reading. The language is PG rated (a few damns, bloodies, and nothing worse). Although it's not derivative in any way, it reminded me a lot of Anne Cleeves, Elly Griffiths, and that general subgenre. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.