A Country Gift Shop Collection

Vivian Conroy

Oct 2018 · Sold by HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

‘Ms Conroy’s writing is fresh and entertaining, it’s like an episode of Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries sprinkled with what I can only describe as a good old-fashioned Miss Marple.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The perfect cozy crime bundle, featuring all three Country Gift Shop mysteries.

Dead to Begin With

Vicky Simmons is looking for the simple life. She’s ready to trade in London for a slower pace by opening a British Country Gift Shop in her old hometown on the coast of Maine. Little does she know a few old faces are back in Glen Cove, including unrequited teenage crush Michael Danning—having taken over the local Gazette and looking better than ever.

All is looking rosy until Vicky finds herself face-to-face with a dead body and Michael is the prime suspect. When the sheriff links the motive for murder to the unsolved disappearance of a teenage girl twenty years ago, Vicky must turn amateur sleuth. She’ll stop at nothing to save Michael...and unmask the real killer!

Grand Prize: Murder!

Inviting the bestselling cosy crime author Bella Brookes to town is going to be the best business move Vicky Simmons has made yet. Not only is Bella going to sign her books to kick off Glen Cove’s annual One-Mile Book Market, but she’s also running her famous scavenger hunt right in town. That’s sure to win over the townsfolk!

All is going to plan until a dead body is discovered, drawing Vicky straight to the scene of the crime. After the last murder Vicky had vowed to stay out of Sheriff Cash’s way, but when death comes to town she finds herself embroiled in the investigation.

Written into the Grave

Vicky Simmons’s life was supposed to be relaxing after she moved back home to the coast of Maine, but instead of baking bread and gardening she’s been chasing down killers and it’s time to stop. Vicky is ready to slow down again and vows to start focusing more on her roses than solving crime.

That is until she reads the new serial in the paper over breakfast, describing a brutal murder that takes place on a cliff top road just above a beach. Only to find herself moments later, walking Coco and Mr. Pug, face to face with a dead body on the sand. The murder victim described exactly as he was in the story...

Readers love Vivian Conroy:

‘I will be diving head first in to Vivian's other stories! Love, love, love!’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Vivian has a great writing style that is easy to read and understand – and I can definitely see the similarities between her books and the Agatha Christie books I have read!’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I will definitely be checking out Vivian’s other mystery novels and I can’t wait!’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Conroy hits the spot for readers who like their crime served with less violence and with more emphasis on the comfortable read’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This author writes a cracking book’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ratings and reviews

My first admission is that I've only read the first of this collection; as I read the others, I will review them separately.  Heading back to her home town of Maine from the busy metropolis of London, Vicky Simmons intends to use her experience of life abroad to open a British Country Gift shop, and enjoy a slower pace of life than the one she's had recently. What she doesn't expect is to bump into past friends and acquaintances who have also returned, and she certainly doesn't expect to be involved in finding a dead body! I so enjoy Vivian Conroy's writing, and it is an absolute pleasure to begin a new series by her. I am a great fan of her other cosy mysteries, and she weaves a fine tale with enough twists and turns to keep her readers glued to the page, whilst also including plenty of lighter details to keep up the entertainment level. Dead To Begin With has everything I expected of it and more, and it's only due to unfortunate personal circumstances that I haven't read the other two books in this collection yet, and I intend to rectify this as soon as possible. A sheer joy to read, and a definite recommendation to all those who love a lighter mystery. My thanks to HQ Digital for my copy via NetGalley. This is, of course, my own opinions.

About the author

VIVIAN CONROY discovered Agatha Christie at thirteen and devoured all the Poirot and Miss Marple stories. Even more fun than reading was thinking up her own fog-filled alleys, missing heirs and priceless artefacts. So Vivian created feisty Lady Alkmene and reporter Jake Dubois sleuthing in 1920s’ London and the countryside, first appearing in A Proposal to Die For. For the latest on #LadyAlkmene, with a dash of dogs and chocolate, follow Vivian on Twitter via @VivWrites