Downward Facing Death--A Mystery

November 16, 2015
In this uneven series launch from British author Kelly (When I Wasn’t Watching), Keeley Carpenter, a yoga teacher, decides to reopen her late father’s butcher shop as a vegetarian cafe in Belfrey, Derbyshire, where she grew up. An arson attack leads to the discovery of the body of unpopular Terry Smith, whose head was bashed in, on the future cafe’s second floor. To complicate matters, Det. Constable Ben Taylor, the investigating officer, was once Keeley’s secret crush, and her former quasi friend, Raquel Philips, has become meaner and more menacing over the years. The pacing suffers when Keeley spends a lot more time wondering who did what than in getting her business up and running. Though the murderer’s identity remains a mystery until the end, the romance between Keeley and Ben presents no surprises: “She was a modern woman after all, even if deep down part of her yearned for the full-on Disney romance.” Still, most cozy fans should be satisfied. Agent: Isabel Atherton, Creative Artists (U.K.).

January 1, 2016

Keeley Carpenter returns to Belfrey in Derbyshire, England, to open a yoga studio and vegetarian cafe in her father's old butcher shop. She has been gone long enough that the citizens of Belfrey have grown a little wary of her intentions. Early on Keeley's first day back, someone tries to burn down her shop and the police discover a dead body upstairs. Then the threatening notes begin to appear. Someone obviously does not want Keeley back in Belfrey--but she has two handsome men vying for her attention. VERDICT Kelly's sympathetic, appealing protagonist is one whom readers will cheer on; she deserves some good luck. An engaging series debut for readers of Tracy Weber or Diana Killian.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2015
After 10 years away, Keeley Carpenter returns to Belfrey, Derbyshire, to open a yoga cafe on the site of her father's former butcher shop. She plans to serve vegetarian cuisine during the day and teach yoga classes at night. When she arrives in town, she learns her building was set on fire, and a man, Terry Smith, was found murdered on the second floor. Luckily, the fire damage was not too extensive, so she is able to go ahead with her plans. Complicating matters, Detective Constable Ben Taylor is the chief investigator of the murder. Keeley had a big crush on Ben during their school days, and she is still attracted to him. Soon Keeley receives anonymous threatening letters, so she investigates the unlikable Smith's murder while beginning a romance with Ben and readying her cafe for its opening. The appealing Keeley solves the crime, uncovering long-buried secrets in the process. Set in a traditional English village and framed with plenty of yoga (including breathing exercises), this satisfying cozy will appeal especially to readers drawn to quirky characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)