"The Case of the Uninvited Undertaker" By Cathy Ace: Review/Giveaway

 Review by Cynthia Chow

 Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

It’s the first of June in the village of Anwen-by-Wye, and the ladies of the WISE Enquiries Agency are finding it a bit more difficult to find clients now that they have moved out of their London office and onto the Wales Chellingworth Estate. Fortunately, they soon have their hands full with an assortment of cases, and while they vary in pay, they each earn their own designation by WISE detective Annie Parker. 

The case that gives this eighth book of the series its title is brought to them by Louise Attwater, a funeral home owner disconcerted by mysterious wreath deliveries. It seems that these condolences are being sent to families before the actual deaths, and Louise and her fellow funeral business owners are concerned that they may be blamed for “encouraging” early clientele arrivals.

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Image Source Four Tails Publishing

The friend of WISE agent Carol Hill brings them the Case of the Suspicious Sister, in which the Sister-in-Charge at a nursing home suspects that one of her nurses may be misappropriating medications. This leads to WISE agent and retired nurse Mavis MacDonald going undercover, while the other three members use their own unique skills to track down clues and wheedle out information.

A concern much closer to home is that of the “Case of Furry Fiancé,” with their principle financier, dowager duchess Althea Twyst, concerned that her flighty daughter is once again being lured into a scheme and scammed out of her wealth. 

While the Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and English women of the detective agency have grown more confident in their careers as investigators, they continue to face challenges in their personal lives. Upper class Christine Wilson-Smythe is becoming snappish and sharp towards her reformed criminal boyfriend, realizing that perhaps the cause of her irritation may be the fact that he is rather boringly reformed. Living on the edge is undeniably exciting, as is the appeal of a bad boy. A housing situation is the source of tension between Annie and her love Tudor Evans, while Carol and her husband are dealing with life with a toddler. Juggling their home lives with their investigations is something the women have become adept at, especially when there is often overlap and inconvenient intrusions.

What continues to be outstanding in this series is just how invested readers will be in the evolving personal lives of these charming, complex characters. They are not always likable, but they are relatable and real. Althea’s son Henry Devereaux Twyst, the 18th Duke of Chellingworth, continues to entertain with his befuddlement as he finds himself the unexpectedly happy, married father of a newborn. The cases the women investigate exist on varying levels of criminality, but they are always crucial to the town and villagers. Justice is dealt out accordingly, leaving readers feeling satisfied that eventually all meet their deserved fate. The women of the WISE Enquiries Agency continue to be compelling characters with individual storylines that leave readers wanting more. This is a welcome entry in a reliable and always entertaining series.

To enter to win a copy of The Case of the Uninvited Undertaker, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "undertaker,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 26, 2023. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can use this link to purchase the book or click here. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

 Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.