Book Review | The Mystery of Montague House by Emma Davies

I was sent a copy of the book for the purpose of review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read some of Emma’s books previously and was so excited to read her first book in a brand new cosy mystery series, The Mystery of Montague House. Introducing the characters of Summer and Wynter, I couldn’t wait to see what she had to offer.

On a side note, I am so happy to see her doing so well and am definitely going to be catching up with her back catalogue!

About The Book

I saw something out of the corner of my eye as I was leaving, and you know what that means. It’s never good news when I see something out of the corner of my eye…

With enough rooms to fill a Cluedo board several times over, Montague House has often been the subject of rumour and gossip. Tales of strange goings on, an owner who disappeared one day and was never seen again, not to mention the treasure that rumour has it lies at its heart… But now the present owner has died and the house is to be sold. Has the opportunity come to finally settle the stories once and for all?

Clodagh Wynter doesn’t believe in ghostly goings on and tall tales of secrets. She has her feet very firmly on the ground and, tasked with the job of valuing and cataloguing the house and all its contents, she’s simply looking forward to working in such a glorious setting. And if she happens across a priceless painting, well, that’s just icing on the cake.

Andie Summer is a self-styled Finder of Things (dead bodies mostly), and looking for hidden treasure sounds right up her street, even if there was something very fishy about the mysterious Mr Mayfair who hired her. Because it’s just like she said to her faithful basset hound, Hamish; I saw something out of the corner of my eye as I was leaving, and you know what that means. It’s never good news when I see something out of the corner of my eye…

As the unlikely pair are thrown together, it soon becomes very clear that they are not the only ones searching for the treasure. And they’re going to need all their ingenuity and resourcefulness if they’re ever going to untangle the web of secrets that surrounds Montague House. One that reaches even further than they ever thought possible…

From the #1 International bestselling author comes a new series of cosy murder mysteries introducing the indomitable Andie Summer and Clodagh Wynter, and of course Hamish, everyone’s favourite basset hound. Perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Clare Chase and Anthony Horowitz.

My Review

You know me – I love a good mystery – and that means I love the beginning of a new series, especially when they are cosy mysteries. The plot was very intriguing – what secrets does Montague House hold and what can Summer and Wynter discover?

Andie is a really interesting character and she is what you would probably call a free spirit. She is called in to look for something ‘special’ in the house that people have tried to find before and failed. She is a self proclaimed finder of things which makes her the perfect woman for the job.

With no known living family of the deceased having been located, the house is being catalogued and sold and the money going to the state. Clodagh has the job of doing just this and is at Montague House when Andie arrives. Clodagh’s husband is involved in the sale of the house too and is often found visiting the house to see his wife.

The storyline moves along at a fast pace and I was shocked at the different reveals – the ‘treasure’ that Andie had been tasked with looking for, what happened to the recently deceased’s long missing father, what happened to his sister and mother many years ago and so much more. So many unanswered questions are resolved and it brings the book to a close with a bang.

I love the combination of Summer and Wynter – they weren’t too sure on each other to begin with but I loved it as their friendship began to develop and they began to care for each other. Add the gorgeous little Hamish into the mix and you’ve got the perfect trio!

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

About The Author

After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: ‘I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty something mother of three.’ Well the job in the design studio didn’t work out but she’s now a forty something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true. After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time, and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband, three children, and two guinea pigs in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life. It’s a county she adores, her love of its beautiful people and landscapes providing endless inspiration for her books, and in fact the only thing that would make Shropshire more idyllic is if it were by the sea. Pop over to her website http://emmadaviesauthor.com where, amongst other things, you can read about her passion for Pringles and singing loudly in the car. You can also wave to her on twitter: @EmDaviesAuthor  or find her on Facebook (a little too often than is good for her).

Pick up a copy of the book here {affiliate link}.