Fake Death (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
by Victoria Tait
About Fake Death
Fake Death (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Cotswold, England
Kanga Press (April 8, 2022)
Number of Pages c. 240
Digital ASIN : B09TLDS3G1
A dead body. Multiple disguises. Can an amateur sleuth see through the charade – or become a tragic victim?
Young military widow, Dotty Sayers, is delighted with her new job at an auction house in Britain’s picturesque Cotswolds. She agrees to take part in a Remembrance parade to commemorate her husband and his fallen comrades. But drama ensues when an unknown soldier is found dead.
Dotty assists the police and appraises objects found at the victim’s house, but rather than identifying the deceased, she discovers numerous personas. When a suspect is arrested, and Dotty is asked to look after Earl Grey, a British Blue cat, she realizes appearances can be deceiving. Can she track down the real culprit and prevent an innocent man from being imprisoned?
Can Dotty unmask the killer without putting her own life at risk?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this new series from Victoria Tait, we meet Dotty Sayers. A young military widow now under the care of her husband’s regiment she is excited about her new job at Akemans Auction House. She still has duties to honor her husband like the Remembrance parade for him and his fallen comrades. She is nervous about being on public display and happy when her duty is complete. Then she learns a soldier was found dead after the event. The man has no identification on his person and Dotty agrees to help the police by checking out his home. She finds some very surprising things. She soon starts to put the clues together but can she reveal the killer before she becomes their next victim?
Dotty Sayers is a very interesting protagonist. Her life has changed since the death of her husband and she is just finding her way and handling her independence. In addition to starting a new job and helping to solve a murder, she has a very big decision to make. This character grew a lot over the course of this story and it will be fun to see her continue to evolve as the series continues.
Ms. Tait has surrounded Dotty with a strong cast of supporting characters Including the very entertaining Aunt Beanie and her niece, Gilly, as well as her other workmates, Marion, George, and David. She also has to deal with men from her husband’s regiment and the authorities. Constable Varma is quite a character. A bit of a clutz but she and Dotty form a quick friendship. All these characters are cleverly crafted.
The mystery was complicated and very well-plotted. I really enjoyed the antique theme and all the background provided about the work entailed to pull off a successful auction. David and Dotty’s travels to view and photograph items were very interesting and set up the mystery part of the story so well. It puts Dotty in fantastic places to find clues and follow where they led. The author provided wonderful detail to easily see everything clearly in my mind. From Dotty’s little cottage to the many rooms at the auction house to her trips to the Colonel’s office and more, she puts us right there on the scene. A second murder late in the book was surprising and emotional for all involved. I was definitely sad to see the character removed from the story but it was key to moving the story in the right direction.
I really enjoyed Ms. Tait’s Kenya Kanga Mystery Series
An excellent mystery with engaging characters in a wonderful setting. Fake Death
*There is a prequel to Fake Death available on the author’s website.
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About Victoria Tait
I was born and raised in Yorkshire, UK, and never expected to travel the world. But I fell for an Army Officer, and I’ve followed him from Northern Ireland, up to the Scottish Highlands, across to Africa and the Kenyan Savannah, back to the British Cotswolds, and we are now living in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Southern Europe.
I never expected to be an author, but all this moving is not ideal for holding down a job. Instead, I’ve taken the experiences of the places I’ve lived to write vivid and evocative cozy mystery books with determined female sleuths.
I have two fast-growing teenage boys, and together we’ve learnt to ski on the Bosnian mountains. I also enjoy horse riding, mountain biking and I’ve started running as a way to improve my physical fitness, mental well-being and shed some excess pounds.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I really value your opinion so thank you for your fantastic review. Victoria