~The Books You Read~: ~Book Review and Giveaway: Showstoppers & Three Sisters~

Three Sisters and Showstoppers by Helen Smith

Three Sisters and Showstoppers are two novella-length stories in the Emily Castles mystery series. The first full-length novel, Invitation to Die, will be published by Thomas & Mercer in October 2013.

The Emily Castles mystery series is set in present-day London. It features twenty-six-year-old Londoner Emily Castles and her neighbor, eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel Crowther. In Three Sisters, Emily goes to a party in a big house at the end of her street. She's sure she witnesses a murder, but no one will believe her. She teams up with Dr. Muriel to investigate.

In Showstoppers, Emily helps out at a local stage school run by her neighbor, Victoria. Soon she's mixed up in a blackmail plot and two deaths. Emily and Dr. Muriel team up to prevent further a massacre live on stage during the end of term show.

Praise for the Emily Castles Mystery Series

Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious... Helen Smith is a master story-teller.
~Socrates Book Reviews

It grips you from the very beginning.
~Babs Books Bistro

Bright, colorful and full of surprises.
~Amazon Vine Reviewer

Fast-paced and unusual, I highly recommend this one.
~Eva’s Sanctuary

Praise for Helen Smith

Smith is gin-and-tonic funny.
~The Booklist

Purchase

Showstoppers * Three Sisters

MY REVIEW:

Two highly entertaining stories by Helen Smith. Short enough to keep you entertained with plenty of mystery.

Three Sisters introduces us to Emily Castles. Emily lives in London and is attending a neighborhood Halloween party. What a party this turns out to be! With so many strange things happening you don't know if it is part of the show or not. Emily is grieving the loss of her Golden Retriever, Jessie and thinks of him often while trying to enjoy the party. When an act goes horribly wrong, Emily is sure that she has witnessed a murder. The only trouble is, no body! With the help of the quirky Dr Muriel, Emily will snoop around until she finds out what is going on.

I enjoyed reading this short story and being introduced to Emily. I am also a dog lover so that part of the story drew me in. I usually don't read short stories but this one was good. I would like to learn more of Emily's back story and get to know her character better. I also like the London setting. You will breeze through this book. If you like a good cozy mystery, I recommend reading this one.

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In Showstoppers, Emily Castles once again finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Emily's neighbor, Victoria has been receiving threatening letters. Someone has discovered an old video of her that she made years ago in film school. The video is apparently hideous and Victoria, who now runs a successful studio doesn't want anyone to see it. With another murder to solve, Emily again teams up with Dr. Muriel to find out who done it and hopefully save Victoria's reputation.

I also enjoyed reading this novella. I did not like the character of Victoria. She is flaky and spoiled and seems to always get her way, often at the expense of others. Emily and Dr. Muriel are once again fabulous and laugh out loud funny. I hope that there will be more cozy mysteries featuring these wonderful characters. A fast read that I recommend to all cozy reader fans!

Author Helen Smith

Helen Smith is a novelist and playwright who lives in London. She's the author of bestselling cult novels Alison Wonderland, Being Light and The Miracle Inspector as well as the Emily Castles Mystery Series.

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