Death at the Cafe (Reverend Annabelle Dixon Cozy Mysteries, #1) (ePub)

Assigned to St. Clement's Church in an inner-city borough just outside Hackney in London, Reverend Annabelle Dixon brings an enthusiasm and drive to her clerical position that baffles her mentor, Father John, but which soon gains her fans and admiration. Annabelle is not your typical vicar, but her strengths prove to serve her, and those around her, very well.

When Annabelle plans to meet her longtime friend, Sister Mary, a Catholic nun visiting from West Africa, at a local café, little does she know that she will soon find herself embroiled in a mystery of deadly design. Their meeting place is awash with horror, with Sister Mary standing in the middle, shaking, her hand over her mouth and a dead woman at her feet.

Armed only with a note, a disappearing dart, vague hints, and a love of cake, this quick-thinking, quick-footed holy woman must gather the clues, pacify a detective, and find the real perpetrator before both she and her friend wind up in jail.

Part Sherlock, part Father Dowling, Annabelle is a new kind of detective - one who sees the truth in the most unlikely places. If you love solving puzzles, then this suspense-filled, endearing, cozy mystery is just for you. Enjoy following our amateur sleuth as she careers around London. It will have you guessing until the very end!

Interview with the Author

Q - So, what makes the Reverend Annabelle Dixon series special?

A - Annabelle. When I set out to write these books, I wanted to create a series that featured a heart-warming, smart, sometimes ditzy, ultimately good protagonist that we all undisputedly adore. I love mysteries so there was no question this character was going to be involved in solving them and I set it in the Cornish countryside, right at the end of England, where I have fond memories of vacations as a child.

But it is Annabelle around whom the series revolves - her humanity, her empathy, her big heart - that makes the series so special. With her sometimes partner, sometimes antagonist, Inspector Mike Nicholls, they create some fun and drama as the small town mysteries unfold with humor and intrigue.

If you enjoy the TV series, The Vicar of Dibley, Miranda, or Midsomer Murders, you will find something to enjoy in the Reverend Annabelle cozy mysteries.

Q - In what order should I read the books?

A - If you do want to read them in order, I'd suggest the following sequence:

- Death at the Café (prequel)

- Murder at the Mansion

- Body in the Woods (coming soon)

Q - Why should readers give these books a try?

A - Because the Reverend Annabelle series is a gentle, but colorful romp through the wealthy, isolated English countryside, a place that is picturesque and peaceful on the outside but one filled with amoral and snobbish eccentrics with all kinds of vices.

Annabelle is a fun, uncomplicated character who is soulful, devout, smart and funny with penchant for cake. Both Jamie and I are English and we feature many English countryside rituals, institutions and customs in these stories.

Ultimately, readers who enjoy gentle pacing with a plot that twists and turns, features much fun, drama, quintessential Britishness, and, of course, small town murder all the way to the end will get a kick out of this series. It will make you laugh and you will, I hope, become invested in the characters and be rooting for them to come out on top.

As a bonus, each book features recipes of the yummy treats that are featured in the book.