Written by Helen Cox
Meet Kitt Hartley: librarian, no-nonsense Yorkshirewoman … detective?
It’s a perfectly normal day for Kitt Hartley at her job at the University of the Vale of York library, until Detective Inspector Halloran arrives at her desk to tell her that her best friend, Evie Bowes, is under suspicion of murder.
Evie’s ex-boyfriend Owen has been found dead – with a fountain pen stabbed through his heart – and all the evidence points to her.
Kitt knows there is no way Evie could murder anyone – let alone Owen, who she adored. Horrified that the police could have got it so wrong, Kitt decides there’s only one thing to do: she’s going to investigate Owen’s murder herself. She’s read hundreds of mystery novels – how hard can it be?
With the help of her assistant Grace, and the occasional hindrance of the library’s eccentric regulars, Kitt summons up all her investigative powers (absorbed over years of reading everything from Agatha Christie to Ian Rankin) and gets to work.
She soon discovers that down the quaint streets and snickelways of York lie darker doings than she’d ever dreamed, but she needs to watch her step: the murderer is watching her. And they haven’t finished killing yet…
Murder by the Minster is the first book in The Kitt Hartley Yorshire Mysteries
A Superb Mystery! 
I’m so happy that this is the first in a new series! I love a murder mystery and this has so much going for it!
Kitt Hartley; librarian, unique sense of fashion, single, loyal friend and disbelieving of her best friend being guilty of murder. What an intricate and yet totally believable tale! Beautifully plotted and skilfully written, with something always happening to keep my attention firmly on the story – and such great characters!
With such fantastic descriptions, it was so easy to have a clear image of how everyone thought, looked and behaved. I was very excited to pick up on what I was sure was a vital clue and so thrilled when I was proved right – and I didn’t have long to wait! A superb mystery from an author new to me, but one I shall be keeping an eye on from here on in. Absolutely worth five glowing stars and a high recommendation to all murder mystery fans to add to your lists!
My thanks to publishers Quercus for my copy via NetGalley. This is – of course – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: murder mystery
- Format: ebook, paperback, hardcover, audio
- Size: 384 pages
- Publisher: Quercus
- Publication Date: 1 July 2019
- Purchase Links: Google Play
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- W. H. Smith
- Waterstones
- amazon
Author Bio
Helen Cox is a Yorkshire-born novelist and poet. After completing her MA in creative writing at the University of York St. John Helen wrote for a range of magazines and websites as well as for TV and radio news. Helen has edited her own independent film magazine and penned three non-fiction books. Her first two novels were published by HarperCollins in 2016. She currently hosts The Poetrygram podcast and works for City Lit, London. Helen’s new series of cosy mysteries stars librarian-turned-sleuth Kitt Hartley, and is set in York. Helen’s Mastermind specialism would be Grease 2 and to this day she adheres to the Pink Lady pledge.
Social Media
Website: helencoxbooks.com/
Twitter: @Helenography
