annieb123's Review of A Gravely Troubling Discovery (The Dinner Lady Detectives)

by Hannah Hendy

The truth isn't the only thing that's dead and buried...

Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker have been warned not to interfere in any more police investigations. When a body is found under Summerview School's playground during renovations, they have absolutely no intention of getting involved.

Instead, the pair agree to help Mrs Redburn, who suspects her husband of having an affair. But when their sleuthing sends them stumbling into the middle of the playground mystery, staying out of the police's way is impossible.

Can the Dinner Lady Detectives uncover the truth about the body, and solve Mrs Redburn's case, or will they end up digging their own graves?

A charming British cosy village mystery. Perfect for fans of J.M. Hall and Fiona Leitch.

Praise for Hannah Hendy and The Dinner Lady Detectives

‘Hannah is at the top of the tree of modern whodunnits. The characters, bar none, are real; the settings are glorious and the plots are devilishly clever’ Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants

‘Who knew being a dinner lady could be so dangerous - but so much fun?! With a plot that's twistier than school dinner spag bol, Clem and Margery are the only school dinner ladies guaranteed to give you belly laughs rather than indigestion’ Fiona Leitch, author of The Cornish Village Murder

‘Hendy is, by far, one of the very best cosy writers we have - and A Frightfully Fatal Affair sees her on sparkling form’ Jonathan Whitelaw, author of The Bingo Hall Detectives

‘Twisty, delightful, and laugh-out-loud funny. I fell in love with Margery and Clementine from the first page’ Antony Johnston, author of The Dog Sitter Detective on The Dinner Lady Detectives

‘I really enjoyed this - a terrific zesty look at the dark underside of a modern-day secondary school’ J.M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder

‘Hendy’s a favorite author of mine. The characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

‘The story and its characters are just so much fun that it makes you laugh. Love it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

‘I love Margery and Clementine. For anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries and cosy crime please give this series a read. You won’t be disappointed’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

‘Well-written and so descriptive. All the little details came together with a surprising conclusion and a side of humour!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

‘Margery and Clementine are excellent characters… this book was difficult to put down. A fun and well-paced mystery with characters that have become well-loved favourites’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

‘The plot kept me entertained, and I love all of the side drama with the other kitchen staff, which is always funny. A brilliant cosy mystery with a twist that left me guessing right to the end’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

‘This is a comfort series for me – I have so much love for Margery and Clementine. As expected, this was humorous and charming… There were some laugh out loud moments. If you are a cosy mystery reader, I would highly recommend the Dinner Ladies series’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

A Gravely Troubling Discovery is the fifth Dinner Lady Detectives cozy by Hannah Hendy. Released 1st Aug 2024 by Canelo, it's 268 pages and is 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.

This is such a fun continuation to a humorous and quick-to-read cozy series. The characters are warm and funny (they're cafeteria ladies!), intelligent and (mostly) practical, and the author has a deft touch with plotting and execution. After stumbling (literally) into murder investigations in the previous books, Margery and Clementine have -no- intentions of getting involved in another murder. Their carefully laid plans go awry when a mundane infidelity investigation ties in to another murder investigation, a body discovered during local playground renovations. The main characters are a F/F married couple, but that isn't over-emphasized in the plot. The language is clean, and the violence occurs off-page.

It's a village cozy and replete with the warm and slightly wonky eccentricities of village life and the inhabitants to be found there. The spelling and vernacular are UK English (flat, tyre, torch) but won't pose any problems in context for readers from North America.

Four stars. The mystery is self contained in this volume so it works well enough as a standalone read, but readers who read them out of order will experience some major spoilers for the interrelationships and development of the returning characters. The generally high quality of the series as a whole would make for a good binge/buddy read. Fans of Fiona Leitch, J. M. Hall, and Peter Boland will find this one a fun romp.

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

Reading updates

13 August, 2024: Started reading

13 August, 2024: Finished reading

13 August, 2024: Reviewed