Death at the Auction

The Stamford Mysteries, Book 1

A brilliant whodunnit mystery perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton and Richard Osman!

Murder stalks the cobbles in England’s finest Georgian town…

When an accident forces Felicia Grant back to her family’s auction house in Stamford, she vows it’ll only be a flying visit. But as the gavel falls on the final lot, a hidden secret is revealed—the body of her father’s business rival, murdered during the packed sale!

Soon, Felicia is swept into a mystery that has everyone in the community as a potential suspect―including her.

As the body count rises and with the people she loves under threat, Felicia takes matters into her own hands. But even the most picturesque place has its secrets…

Cover illustrated by local Stamford illustrator Katie Cardew.

©2022 E. C. Bateman (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Intriguing start, poorly developed characters. DNF

The sample provided of this book makes a great start, but for me, things went south quickly. So much expository dialog between women characters! It’s like this is a collab between a decent mystery writer and a romance writer you find on Unlimited. I suspect the author has never observed two women in a conversation. And so much fondness. Curious to see how it progresses, but not so curious I can stomach flat women characters and “As your best friend,” dialog.