Book Six in Belinda Lawrence cozy plus mystery series. One murder and a second mysterious death lead to revelations of past crimes that resonate to the present day.
Belinda and Hazel find themselves on the island of Guernsey where they are invited by Sir Mark’s mother, Melba, Lady Sallinger. Other house guests include her parents, a handsome interior designer, a slovenly bookseller, a Jesuit priest, and Catherine, a mysterious woman writer. Soon after, the residents of the old Tudor mansion are thrown into confusion with the discovery of human remains buried in the garden.
The priest tells of the Guernsey Martyrs, burned alive in 1556 for theft, and he believes a silver cup from that theft, is hidden in the house. One murder and a second mysterious death lead to revelations of past crimes that resonate to the present day and result in an exciting resolution tinged by the island’s history of Nazi occupation.
Excerpt
“And then, of course, there are The Guernsey Martyrs,” said Father Ignatius, “that was rather an unfortunate episode.” The evening meal had been a tense affair with hardly a word spoken between Melba, Belinda, and Mark. The remaining guests carried on a fractured conversation, detailing the weather, the history of the house, tentative plans to explore the island, while Hazel devoted herself entirely to Marchmain Harvey and had been enthusiastically encouraged to call him, ‘Manny’. “That’s what I’m known as ‘round Knightsbridge,” he grinned, as he demolished his makeshift salad. Hazel was prepared to call him anything he wanted including gorgeous, or preferably, ‘mine’. A depleted group now sat in the Drawing Room, the dim lighting creating a faintly sinister atmosphere. To Hazel’s chagrin, Melba had carried Manny off to another part of
the building to begin plans for the restoration of the Lodge. Belinda’s parents had retired for the night, and Mark was in his room engrossed in international business details on his computer; so a small group of four remained, a carafe of Port sustaining them as the clock struck midnight. “The Guernsey martyrs? What are they?” asked Belinda. “Three women who were executed in 1556.” “Executed?” said Hazel, topping up her glass. It was splendid Port. “Why was that?”
“A complicated case,” said Father Ignatius, “with an intriguing background."
Professional Reviews
***** great mystery
By Karen on December 23, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Another great book by Brian Kavanagh - easy to read and keeps you guessing until the end! A great size for a quick weekend read not long and drawn out but fast paced, one you won't want to put down until you have finished. Can't wait to read what Belinda gets up to in the next book!!
**** Readable cozy
By K. A. Smith on December 15, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Belinda Lawrence travels to Guernsey to meet up with her fiance Mark Sallinger at his mother's house to make arrangements for her wedding. Her parents are already there. She soon finds that her future mother-in-law is planning a society wedding, and then, to cap it all, Mark is called away suddenly on business. This leaves Belinda in an impossible situation.
There are several other house guests including Belinda's parents, a housekeeper with a dark past, a woman researching the German occupation, an architect who specialises in house renovations, and a Jesuit priest. Belinda and her friend Hazel suspect not all are as they seem. An overnight storm cuts the power and with it their communication with the outside world. Wild winds lash the house, trees come down, and a murder occurs.
So here is a quick read, a satisfying cozy, that pulls in some Guernsey history, stories coming from the time of Bloody Mary, and then a little bit of recent history.
This book was intense
Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
*****5.0 out of 5 stars This book was intense !!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2019
I am a huge fan of the Belinda Lawrence Murder Mystery series by Brian Kavanagh and have to say that Murder on the Island, the sixth book in this series, is, by far, my favorite one....so far !!!
Murder on the Island does not give the reader time to breath !! This book should come with a warning label !! The warning would read something like this.... " Please read the following Belinda Lawrence Mystery book in a well lit room, have a drink and a snack handy. Turn cell phone on silence and tell all friends and family you cannot be disturbed.....you will want to read this book in one sitting !!" You may want to stop reading so that you can absorb what you are reading but it will prove to be very difficult to do.
In Murder on the Island Belinda and Hazel are going to Belinda's future mother-in-law's house with a handful of other guests who include Belinda's fiance, Mark as well as her parents. The other guests are unknown to Belinda and Hazel and they find them quite interesting....to say the least. Sadly, but not surprisingly, Mark is called away on business so Belinda is left to deal with her future mother-in-law herself. Unfortunately when a storm comes in knocking power out it causes more discomfort when the housekeeper is found dead in the garden. This is right after the gardener digs up the skeleton of a baby.
There are more questions than answers when the dark stormy night brings an unexpected visitor to the house and people are turning out to not be who they say they are.......
I was in SHOCK over a few things that happened in this book, more so than the usual shock in previous books in this series, and am very interested in how Kavanagh is going to take things in the future books. Somethings cannot be taken back.....or can they ???
I highly recommend reading this series. These books are very intense and can be read quickly or you can try to read them leisurely....I wish I could have but once I start, it is near impossible to put them down !!!
WOW! There are so many twists and turns in this storyline your head will be spinning. Belinda Lawrence and her fiancée, Mark go to his mother’s home on the island of Guernsey to work out the details of their wedding plans, but, of course, soon after someone is murdered and the plot shifts. The cast of characters turning out to not be who they say they are, is lengthy and unique. Added to the drama is a missing silver cup and the search for a hidden Priest’s Hole. Of course, the story wouldn’t be the same without Belinda’s best friend and co-sleuth, Hazel. “Murder on the Island” is a fast paced, page turner that I couldn’t put down…like most Belinda Lawrence mysteries. This is another wonderful addition. I can’t get enough of her mystery books. I love Brian Kavanaugh’s easy-flow and fun writing style. He never disappoints! “Murder on the Island” is a great stand-alone, but I highly suggest that you treat yourself to the entire fun series.
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