Welcome to my stop on Rachel’s Random Resources Book Tour for A Death of Fresh Air (A Right Royal Cozy Investigation Mystery) by Helen Golden – a cozy mystery featuring a female amateur sleuth, along with a hint of humor. 

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Publication Date September 30, 2024

Publisher Drew Bradley Press 

About the Book:

In a charming seaside town, secrets don’t stay buried for long… 

Body of Chef Found in Wall Three Years After He ‘Left to go to Australia’

Human remains found inside the wall of a disused building have now been identified as those of Victor Blackwell. He was the head chef at Windstanton’s The Seaside Lounge until just over three years ago, when, according to his friends, he left for a job in Australia. Detective Inspector Albert Finch from Fenshire’s Cold Case Unit has asked for anyone who has information about the chef’s movements three years ago to come forward.

We have no choice! With only three weeks until the Grand Opening, the last thing Bea and Perry need is the grim discovery of a skeleton in the wall of Simon and Ryan’s soon-to-open restaurant, SaltAir. But when it’s designated a crime scene, and the policeman in charge of the investigation into Vic’s murder refuses to let them have access to continue the refurbishment, they have no other option than to investigate the murder themselves or risk letting Simon and Ryan down. 

But in a town where everyone harbours secrets, can they uncover the truth in time or will SaltAir’s opening be a damp squib?

My Review:

This is the newest book in the Right Royal Cozy Mystery series and while the plot easily read as a standalone, I do wish I had read others in the series so I had a bit more of their background. However, once I settled into the story, I enjoyed myself and especially appreciated the character list in the back. I love when authors include things like that. 

I very much enjoyed Bea and Perry and their determination to solve the mystery of the body in the wall – nothing deterred them and that was fun to read. The mystery was complex and one I could not figure out before the story revealed the truth. It was very clever of the author to open the book with a scene from the point of view of the murderer. The identity is not revealed and it’s fascinating to read what is happening while also not knowing who the killer is. 

Lots of fun and the hint of humor throughout is most enjoyable. (Also, I have to mention the cover–I would have read this book just for the cover alone even if I hadn’t been intrigued by the plot summary!)

About the Author:

Hello. I’m Helen Golden. I write British contemporary cozy whodunnits with a hint of humour. I live in small village in Lincolnshire in the UK with my husband, my step-daughter, her two cats, our two dogs, sometimes my step-son, and our tortoise.

I used to work in senior management, but after my recent job came to a natural end I had the opportunity to follow my dreams and start writing. It’s very early in my life as an author, but so far I’m loving it.

It’s crazy busy at our house, so when I’m writing I retreat to our caravan (an impulsive lockdown purchase) which is mostly parked on our drive. When I really need total peace and quiet, I take it to a lovely site about 15 minutes away and hide there until my family runs out of food or clean clothes. 

Author Links: ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ TikTok ~ X ~

Purchase Links: ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~

TOUR PARTICIPANTS: 

Stop by the rest of the tour!