Format: Ebook 

ARC provided by Boldwood Books via Netgalley. 

In the third instalment of the ‘Bad Girls Detective Agency’ series, Amber, Clio and Jeanie have won a trip to a luxury castle retreat on a remote island. The perfect opportunity to relax, right? But when world-famous chef and retreat owner Valerie la Fontaine turns up dead, it doesn’t take long for the Bad Girls to launch a new investigation to find the killer before they strike again… 

I’ve read the first two books in this series and really enjoyed them so was looking forward to reading this. While I do think the earlier books offer some useful context to the characters and their backgrounds (a few references will seem out of place without having read them), I don’t think it’s necessary to enjoy this book. 

Straight from the first page we were thrown into the action. I was hooked from the start and was really intrigued to see how the tension built to that point. There are quite a few suspects but not in a confusing way and the author did a great job of keeping me guessing throughout so I didn’t see the twists coming. While still serious, the book was sprinkled with humour and a really entertaining read. 

The thing that makes these books for me is the characters: Amber, Clio and Jeanie. We spend time with each of them giving us a well-rounded picture of what’s going on, and we learn what is happening alongside them. Amber is arguably our main character in this book, but Clio and Jeanie are still very fleshed out. They have a strong friendship and it feels like you’re a part of that when reading. 

Overall, this was a great addition to the series and one I’d definitely recommend for an entertaining murder mystery that keeps you on your toes, particularly if you’re a fan of non-detective detective stories.