“Meet Kate Palmer! A semi-retired nurse with a sweet tooth for cake and a talent for solving crimes”
- Book: A Body At The Tearooms (Kate Palmer #3)
- Location: Cornwall
- Author: Dee MacDonald
I don’t really know whether to be pleased with myself, or a little disappointed, as I had worked out some of what was going on in this explosive storyline from a little over half way through the book, ahead of both amateur sleuth, nurse Kate Palmer and her often reluctant assistant, retired DI, Woody Forrest. Although to be fair, I wasn’t quite certain about the identity of the true villain of the piece until all the facts were being laid out before Kate, the final twist in the tale was revealed, and just as she was almost about to make that fatal mistake which would mean that she couldn’t fulfil my strict fourth criteria for an all-round inclusive story, that of not being dead!
Not that anything about the storyline was in any way diminished by my knowing half an outcome; as with Kate, Woody, Angie and Fergal around the place and on the case, there is never a dull moment and the journey is always as eventful and unpredictable as the getting there. Oh! and of course, only Angie and Fergal could find a skeleton in their basement!
Kate seems to have the knack of always being in the right place at the wrong time, or the wrong place at the right time, depending on your perspective; and although this is the third case she has become embroiled in, in a very short space of time, you could quite happily jump into her life right here and now and know all you need to know about her past within a short while, as author Dee MacDonald does an awesome job of managing a full re-cap of all the pertinent facts, in a few concise lines, making these books excellent stand alone stories. Catching up with Kate, is like putting on a pair of comfy slippers and curling up in the chair, for a cozy night in front of the fire and a good ‘girlie’ chat, although beware! as Kate has a way of finding out all the information she needs to glean from you, without you even realising it – That must be her nurse’s ‘bedside manner’!
This well structured and developed, multi-layered storyline is textured, intense and rich in atmosphere. With it’s short punchy chapters, it moves along at a cracking pace, with the location and character changes being faultlessly fluid and seamless. Dee is an excellent storyteller and knows exactly where she is going with a storyline, skilfully and effortlessly leading me in that direction, almost without my realising it. There were plenty of twists and turns in this plot, with loads of red herrings planted along the way to trip up the unwary, lies and deception come as a second nature to some people, and just remember, don’t assume that anyone is who they say they are!
The assured, observational and descriptive narrative, together with some excellent conversational dialogue, offers a real sense of time and place, all set in a location that is one of my personal favourites, which adds a real depth and range to the story for me personally.
Each new case sees Dee weave a unique cast of suspects into the story and they really are designed to make me want to cringe, almost to the point where I would like them all to be guilty, but then that’s what makes these lovely mysteries so immersive. All the central characters are so beautifully defined and drawn, and all seem to be growing in stature and confidence each time I meet them. There is some excellent synergy between them, which makes them easy to relate to and invest in. Everything about the way Kate and Woody approach a case, is designed to put any potential suspects, of which there are always plenty, at ease and off their guard. Woody even begins referring to Kate as his ‘Miss Marple’, although I think that she has earned her stripes in her own right now, as her style is unique and she has made the role her own. The banter between them is natural and authentic. I felt at home in their company and sad to have to leave them behind until next time.
I tend to read this genre of story for: enjoyment, entertainment, escapism and emotion. A Kate Palmer adventure always comes good for me in each and every one of those criteria, and what’s a body or two between friends!
“The female of the species is more deadly than the male”
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