Category: 2024 Reviews

A Wicket of Lies: A British Cozy Murder Mystery
(A Cotswold Antique Mystery)
by Victoria Tait

I am thrilled to welcome Victoria Tait
to Escape With Dollycas today!

 My Inspiration and Cricket in Literature

I know that some of my readers love the cricketing theme of this book, while others are somewhat perplexed by it.

I have used cricket to bring my characters together, and through their play and camaraderie, to deepen both their relationships and our understanding of them. Cricket is important, but the death happens after the match, and readers do not need any knowledge of the rules or gameplay to enjoy the mystery or the way my characters solve it.

This book is unusual for me in that the main action and the solving of the murder take place within a single day. After introducing the unlikely team of lady cricketers, I thought it would be fun to include them in the investigation. A friend mentioned to me that it is sometimes said a village is needed to solve a mystery. In my case, it takes a village cricket team!

The inspiration behind the story came last year when I took my two boys to a cricket festival at a school in Cheltenham, a town on the edge of the Cotswolds. It was a baking hot summer’s day, and lots of people and families were enjoying the occasion.

But I was surprised and intrigued when the players kept hitting the ball over the boundary and sometimes over the stands and tents surrounding the cricket field.

When one stray ball landed beside the queue for the ice cream van, it made me wonder what might happen if it struck one of my characters. But what if they were already dead?

And that was how I developed the premise for A Wicket of Lies.

Cricket has long been woven into British literature, often symbolising fairness, order, and tradition, although in some stories, those ideals are quietly subverted.

One of the most famous uses of cricket in fiction is in Dorothy L. Sayers’ Murder Must Advertise, where Lord Peter Wimsey plays in a country house match. The scene shows his effortless charm and social fluency, but it also plays a role in the investigation. As with many golden age novels, cricket becomes a backdrop to class, character, and clues.

Agatha Christie also made use of cricket, albeit more subtly. In The Murder at the Vicarage, the game is part of the village setting, and her characters often reflect the kind of polite tension found both on and off the pitch.

P. G. Wodehouse, not a mystery writer but a master of character comedy, used cricket often in his school stories and Jeeves tales. For him, the game represented both the absurdities of English obsession and the comforting structure of tradition.

Even more recently, cricket appears in series like M. C. Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth and in some of Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels, where games and rules mirror relationships and social hierarchies.

As for poetry, few capture the English cricketing spirit better than the wistful and evocative lines of Sir Henry Newbolt’s Vitai Lampada, which opens:

“There’s a breathless hush in the Close tonight…”

It speaks of courage and duty learned on the playing field, values that once shaped an entire generation. Though its tone may now feel old fashioned, it remains a fascinating lens on how sport and character were once entwined.

In A Wicket of Lies, I have drawn on this rich tradition of cricket in literature, not to explain the rules or dwell on the sport itself, but to use the game as a way of exploring character, community, and quiet tensions beneath the surface. Like those classic stories, the match brings people together, reveals long-held secrets, and sets the stage for a mystery rooted in human nature.

Whether you are a cricket enthusiast or someone who has never held a bat, I hope you find something to enjoy in the spirit of the team, the puzzles they face, and the truths they uncover, both on and off the pitch.

Thank you, Victoria, for visiting today!

Keep reading for more information about Victoria Tait and her book, A Wicket of Lies. I will give you my thoughts about the book as well.

About A Wicket of Lies

A Wicket of Lies: A British Cozy Murder Mystery
(A Cotswold Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in the Series
Setting – Cotswold, England
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kanga Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 11, 2025
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DNKN1W7P
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1917168328

Summer is in full swing in the Cotswolds… but not everyone is playing fair.

Dotty Sayers, antiques expert and amateur sleuth, is looking forward to an idyllic afternoon of sunshine, cream teas, and village rivalry at the final of a local ladies’ cricket festival.

Keya Varma, café owner and part-time crime scene expert, is delighted to be on the pitch with family and friends. The stakes are high but it’s all in good spirit… until a teammate is found dead.

At first, the death seems like a tragic accident, but when Keya is appointed crime scene manager and evidence starts turning up outside the boundary, suspicion begins to spread.

With lies spinning like a tricky googly and secrets lurking in the outfield, Dotty and Keya must team up with the local police to cut through a pitch of grudges, hidden motives, and long-buried betrayals.

Off the pitch, Dotty is facing doubts of her own. Can she let go of her fears and commit to a future with Zach?

With a murder to solve and the game underway, can Dotty, Keya, and their unlikely team of village cricketers spot the real villain before someone else gets bowled out?

A Wicket of Lies is the second book in Victoria Tait’s Cotswold Antique Mystery series, a feel-good whodunnit brimming with village life, vintage treasures, and cricketing rivalries. With determined sleuths, loyal friendships, and a community bound by justice, it’s a wonderfully English mystery with heart.

Keep your eye on the ball and uncover the truth in A Wicket of Lies today!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

We return to the Cotswolds in the summer, where a new female cricket team has been formed. Akemans and Keya’s Waterwheel Cafe sponsor the team, and both Keya and Dotty are part of the team. When Dotty gets injured, they are short a player, but they find another local woman to join the team. Pip is quite a player, and with her help, the team advances to the Three Counties Ladies Cricket Tournament, where they win the cup.

Soon thereafter, their strong new player is found dead. It appears her death was accidental until a more thorough examination is done. Keya, in her new job as crime scene manager, along with her significant other, Sujin, and Inspector Lynn Lockwood, quickly realize they are in a time crunch. They have a very short period of time to question everyone and do background research, so they willingly accept help from Dotty, Aunt Beanie, Georgina, and other members of the cricket team.

Dotty already had a lot on her mind with all the work happening at Akemans and their upcoming auctions. However, it is her personal life that occupies most of her thoughts. Is she ready to take the next step with Zach? Or has she already lost him with her doubts and fears?

First, they have a murder to solve. Then, she can figure out her love life.

I recently read and reviewed the first book in this series, An Auction of Secrets, so it was easy to escape into A Wicket of Lies. That being said, I was nervous about the cricket theme. I really didn’t know much about the sport. But Ms. Tait took me by the hand and used her wonderful ability to paint pictures with her words, and soon I understood the game. Probably not enough to play, but definitely enough to enjoy this story.

It was fun to see the characters away from the auction center and the cafe. It gives our favorite characters more depth. Keya’s sister, Zivah, plays very well, and Keya is no slouch. Pip was a great addition to the team when Dotty had to bow out. Sujin was a fine coach with Zach stepping in to assist. Zach has also taken on a new job at Akemans, so he doesn’t have a lot of free time. Dotty has people to help her at the auction house and everything running it entails: Clara, Marion, and Aunt Beanie. Beanie was wearing the best T-shirt one day, which read: “Sassy, Classy, and A Little Bit Bad-Assy.” I need that shirt!

With the one-day tournament and plenty of suspects, the investigation had to move quickly. I enjoyed how everyone pulled together to make that happen. Pip had a secret that shed a whole new light on her death. People were cagey when answering questions, which meant going back and interviewing them again to get to the whole truth. Dotty was totally absorbed in her investigation. At times, stepping back just to observe. This led to a surprising theory. Ms. Tait plotted this mystery out so carefully that I had at least five people moving up and down my suspect list. Then WHAM! An epic twist, I never saw coming.

Dotty’s life with Zach was in a precarious place of her own making. She didn’t trust herself. She was afraid her past would be repeated. There was also a huge flirt with designs on Zach that left her with even more questions. Keya is such a good friend. Amongst everything going on, she took the time to impart some wise words and gave her friend a nudge, then a push, followed by a shove. Dotty knew it was decision time. Time to stop waffling and dodging the question. Time to admit to herself what everyone else knew. It wasn’t hard to see the relationship through Dotty’s eyes, especially if you met her back in Fake Death, the first Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery. She has grown and matured, handling everything thrown at her to emerge in this story at a fabulous place and ready to accept what has been right in front of her.  I appreciate that the author took her time with this relationship and allowed it to develop naturally, giving Dotty the time she needed.

While A Wicket of Lies focused more on cricket at first, which worked well for me, the mystery that materializes and Dotty’s awakening set this story apart. It warmed my heart and broke my heart. Ms. Tait’s characters strongly pull readers into their stories. You will be rooting for some and worried about others. Some characters will have you doing both. As soon as I turned the last page, I was ready for Book 3 – A Pantomime of Peril, which will be released on November 14, 2025. I have saved a spot on my calendar.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Victoria Tait for providing me with an ARC.

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent

About Victoria Tait

Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, where she developed a lifelong love of tea and British traditions. Inspired by the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Murder, She Wrote, she writes cozy mysteries infused with her signature British charm.

Her determined and hard-working female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and evocative. With intrigue, surprises, and gentle humour, Victoria’s page-turning stories are the perfect blend of mystery and charm, best enjoyed with a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Victoria has recently been exploring the world, drawing inspiration for her books from remarkable places including the Azores, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Morocco, and Malta.

You can find Victoria at VictoriaTait.com ‘

Author Links
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
July 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – Storybook Lady – REVIEW
July 20 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
July 21 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 22 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
July 23 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST  
July 23 – FUONLYKNEW – RECIPE 
July 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST
July 25 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
July 26 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
July 26 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
July 27 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 28 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

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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.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.