annieb123's Review of A Clock Stopped Dead

by J.M. Hall

'Satisfyingly intriguing' Faith Martin

'J.M. Hall has mastered the warmth of a perfect modern cosy crime with all the twists and turns that go with it. I really enjoyed it!' Hannah Hendy

Retired schoolteachers and amateur sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma are giving up their coffee morning for a brand-new mystery.

Retired teachers Pat, Liz and Thelma are happiest whiling away their hours over coffee, cake and chat at the Thirsk Garden Centre café.

But when their good friend tells them about an unsettling experience she had in a sinister-feeling charity shop, they simply can’t resist investigating…

Because the entire shop has vanished into thin air.

Before long, our trio of unlikely sleuths find themselves embroiled in a race against the clock to get to the bottom of this mystery – but who has a secret to hide and how far will they go to keep it concealed?

Only time will tell…

Praise for A Clock Stopped Dead:

'Satisfyingly intriguing' Faith Martin, author of the Travelling Cook Mysteries series

‘This book feels just like a visit to old friends! The relationship between Liz, Pat and Thelma is so warm, funny and relatable that you could be forgiven for thinking that the plot is almost a secondary concern, but no – there’s proper twists and turns, and a very satisfying conclusion. This series just goes from strength to strength’ Fiona Leitch, author of the Nosey Parker cosy mystery series

‘Hall writes with winning charm, wit and humour. This novel had me gripped and chuckling from the start, especially the warmth and tensions between the crime solving trio of former teachers. Three strong women, lots of hot tea, and a devlish clever plot. You’ll love it.’ Suk Pannu, author of Mrs Sidhu's Dead and Scone

‘Just what the doctor ordered, a perfect cosy mystery to snuggle up with. Highly entertaining and will have you laughing out loud, an absolute joy’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Liz, Pat and Thelma are my new favourite detective trio. I feel like I know all their quirky personalities. Get me in their gang!' NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I absolutely loved this cosy mystery… Keeps you turning the pages’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'So glad I picked this up! I really enjoyed reading about older protagonists' NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely loved this book!! I really enjoyed the characters! I was up all night reading and couldn't put the book down! I highly recommend!!’ NetGalley review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Charming… The plot is cozy and tricky, with just the right blend of Miss Marple, interesting and quirky characters, secrets, unexpected nuance, colourful cardigans, and of course, heaps of tea and warm companionship. I loved this book’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gripping and addictive’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh how brilliant was this book?! I just couldn't put it down…Had great comical moments throughout. A really good murder mystery book’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A great cozy mystery… Wonderful’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book is a joy, I really, really loved it…A five star read’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

A Clock Stopped Dead is the third cozy mystery featuring retired teachers Liz, Pat, and Thelma by J.M. Hall. Released 11th March 2023 by HarperCollins on their Avon, UK imprint, it's 330 pages and is available in paperback, audio, 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.

The ladies are back on the trail when an acquaintance describes a disappearing charity shop and twigs their interest into getting to the bottom of things, which leads indirectly to more serious skullduggery. The entire "disappearing shop" trope is fascinating (and a little creepy) and the author does a great job running with the setup.

The protagonists are believable and appealing. The writing is smoother than the debut book, and the mystery well wrought and satisfying. The author has apparently found his stride. It is, however, VERY dialogue heavy and sometimes a trifle unwieldy for that reason. The audiobook might be a good compromise in this case.

Despite being the third book in the series, it works well as a standalone, although the ongoing interpersonal relationships and developments from earlier books will possibly give some spoilers for their earlier history.

Four stars. This would be a good choice for fans of Osman's excellent Thursday Murder club books, as well as Laurien Berenson's Peg & Rose series.

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

Reading updates

11 August, 2024: Started reading

11 August, 2024: Finished reading

11 August, 2024: Reviewed