Great book.

Excellent read, well written and very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed this series and I'm looking forward with great anticipation for next book. Vincent T Farren Jr16

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Dotty Sayers has a new assignment. She is filling in for an employee on maternity leave and she is organizing a huge Christmas display at a Yorkshire county home. She is very excited to ready the house for all the visitors who will visit the house and grounds leading up to Christmas. She feels she has everything well in hand until a long-time guide is found dead, eerily laid out in one of the rooms.

The local police decide the woman died of natural causes but Dottie feels differently. She tries to share her thoughts with her partner in organizing the event. Zach is an American volunteer but he seems distracted by something personal. When he is found injured in the same place as the deceased guide Dotty knows there is something afoot in the house. She needs to take a step back and really look at the people she is now living with because she thinks one of them is a killer.

Dotty Sayers is spreading her wings and is much more confident than the Dotty we met when this series started. While I miss the characters from the earlier books, who can now be found in the spinoff Waterwheel Cafe Mysteries, I am really enjoying the way Dotty is striking out on her own. She learned a lot working at Akeman’s Antique Center but definitely needed a break from the Cotswolds. Her travels have given the character more depth and have allowed readers to meet her parents and new people in her life.

The theme for the Christmas decorations was The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe‘s Narnia, and took several days and volunteers to get all the elaborate scenes set up. It also included a shop where guests could purchase pies and drinks. Games and places to chat were also available while people waited for their tours. The event was halted for a couple of days due to snow though. The author described all the decorations, the food, the weather, the house, the grounds, and every scene in such detail. I was able to easily visualize everything so clearly and felt several times that I was there peering over Dotty’s shoulder.

The mysteries within Holly, Baubles, and Murder are delightfully twisted together. The guide’s death, Zach’s secret, and vandalism at the local church, along with all the chaos of getting the home decorated for the masses, and also getting ready for a huge snowstorm headed their way really make the pages fly. Dottie works so hard to follow clues and uncover secrets in her quest to find the killer. It is difficult because she just met all these new people. Ms. Tait introduced some very complicated characters for Dotty to interact with and I loved how she stayed true to the Dotty we have come to know. Sweet on the outside but a dog with a bone when she is trying to find the truth and fit a bunch of clues together. The way she handled the reveal was classic.

Holly, Baubles, and Murder is a splendid addition to this series. The setting of the Yorkshire home during the holidays was enchanting and the mysteries were intriguing and interesting. Dottie becomes a stronger protagonist with each book in the series. I wonder where she will travel next and what mystery she will be tasked to solve.read-20231 Jane litherland2,070 34

Wonderful , witty and warm cosy Murder mystery . Dotty is to spend six months covering maternity leave for Yoredale Hall’s event’s coordinator Gemma. They’re setting up a Narnia themed extravaganza for the Hall’s Christmas festival family tours . No stone is left unturned,however when Slvia head guide at the hall and the volunteers organiser is found dead on a preliminary walk through by Dotty and his Lordship the Earl . Subsequently there’s a mystery afoot , but it looks at first to be an heart attack. There’s another mystery when there is a defacing of the birth, marriage and death registry at the church. And why is Zach an American who volunteered his services as event coordinator assistant , when he was turned down for the position Dotty herself had been given upon interview, so interest in the old First World War entries in the books in the Hall’s library? Dotty made good friends with everyone at the Hall but Sylvia it seemed didn’t only treat Dotty with distain but quite a few others had felt her wrath.. Brilliant Cosy Mystery that has great characters with depth and camaraderie, the scene setting sublime with the cosy descriptions that are immersive and the writing is so fluent , it’s easy reading brilliance , synonymous with Victoria Tait’s prolific pen
I read a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary and in my own words1 Michelle944 6

What a magical Christmas mystery. Family secrets, lost heirs, a treasure hunt and a magical wonderland. Dotty’s latest adventure takes her to an estate in Yorkshire where she is helping set up the estate of a noble family to look Narnia for a Christmas fundraiser. She meets and works alongside the lovely family who run the household for the Earl. While Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time some sinister goings on occur that end in one murder and very nearly two. All can be traced back to secrets from the past but can Dotty and her new American friend Zach find answers before someone silences them for good?
Absolutely loved the newest adventure that Dotty has embarked on. The family who work the estate are lovely and so colorful. The transformation into Narnia is just transporting. I am truly enjoying each new story as Dotty explores new challenges and personal growth. I’m excited to see where life takes her next!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.1 Sharmani Jayaram900 16

Dotty Sayers is very happy as she has organised a Christmas display at Yorkshire Hall at Ekethwaite. But disaster strikes as the chief guide Sylvia is found dead on top of the marble sarcophagus in the sculpture gallery. Then Zach is attacked and nearly dies. As the police are unable to find who was behind this gruesome attacks Dotty takes it upon herself to find out the real culprit. A very exciting read to the end with a lot of suspense and secrets. I enjoyed the read. I am on the ARC team and leave a honest review. I recommend this book to other readers.1 Kellie Whittam132

I very much enjoyed reading about Dotty and Earl Grey's latest adventure in a new setting and with new characters. The author always writes in a style that makes me feel I'm right there beside Dotty. I wish I had been in Meg's kitchen - the food sounded delicious!
The book is an easy and quick read and can be read without having previous books in the series as there is enough background provided.
I'm looking forward to the next story!
I received an ARC from the author. This is my honest review.
1 Dave Measner203 5

An absolute winner in the Dotty Sayers series.
In this, Dotty's best adventure yet, she is starting a new job setting up for a Christmas manor house display. She is working on a short term project replacing a woman on maternity leave. A cast of interesting characters and pets including a handsome American, Zach, who is researching the Fitzhenry clan. After several days of planning and setting up the manor for tours the head tour guide, Sylvia, is found dead on a slab in one of the displays. How did this come about, was it natural or a result of her nosey ways finally offending someone to much. Since the local constabulary shows little interest in investigating it's up to Dotty to ferret out the truth. A fine story with many complex characters and interactions. An excellant addition to a great series.
Disclaimer
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.1 Christy989 49

Holly, Baubles and Murder by Victoria Tait is the eighth book in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series, and I’ve read and loved them all! Each book can be read as a standalone, but if you love British cozy mystery books, you’ll want to read them all once you’ve read one!

In Holly, Baubles and Murder, Dotty is in Yorkshire, temporarily working at the country estate Yoredale Hall where she’s organizing a huge, annual Christmas display. The theme is based on The Chronicles of Narnia, specifically The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Gemma, the woman who normally organizes it, is on maternity leave; however, she shows Dotty the ropes before handing over the reins.

Holly, Baubles and Murder is wonderful! I absolutely love the setting and the Christmas theme. Tait brings the story to life with her descriptions of the estate, countryside, and Narnia. I’ll let you discover those details on your own, but they are fabulous. It makes me want to watch my DVD of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe just so I can appreciate those details even more! Furthermore, you can practically feel the cold. It’s not just cold outside either! Of course it’s not as cold as outside, but those country estates are not very well insulated (or so I’ve heard!). Tait gives the house a cozy feel though with fireplaces blazing in the snug, library, and bedrooms and baking going on in the kitchen.

The characters in Holly, Baubles and Murder are well-written and add to the story. I loved that Dotty felt she’d added some more family members because I miss the characters from her time in the Cotswolds. Of course, I get to visit them in Keya’s books. Keya became one of Dotty’s best friends, and now she has her own series, Waterwheel Cafe Mysteries. So, it was nice that Dotty felt connected even though her position was temporary.

Not only does Dotty take on the organizer’s job, she also puts her amateur detective skills to the test again when someone is found murdered…someone who worked at the estate! The official conclusion is death by heart attack, but Dotty is unsure. When another person is targeted and almost murdered, Dotty and the local doctor believe that both the death and attempt are deliberate. I enjoyed figuring out the who, how, and why along with Dotty.

I highly recommend Holly, Baubles and Murder for its charming setting, delightful Narnia Christmas theme, brilliant characters, and entertaining mystery!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. Melanie125

Dotty Discovers the Secrets of Yoredale Hall
Dotty is hired to set up a Christmas display and coordinate the tours for Yoredale Hall while one of the regular staff is on maternity leave. She finds the staff to be mostly friendly; however, the head guide is an exception. The American helping her is also brusque and seems to be secretly searching for something, but Dotty is determined to make this season a successful one. When the head guide is found dead, the doctor and the police dismiss it as natural causes; however, when an attempt is made on another life at the hall, Dotty is determined to find the culprit and bring them to justice.

This was my first venture into Dotty's world and my first experience with this author. I was impressed with the descriptive accounts of the area as well as Yoredale Hall itself. The Christmas display was also described so well that I felt I was there with the visitors taking a tour! The characters were intriguing and I was drawn into the story immediately. This book was easily read as a stand alone and I needed no prior knowledge of Dotty to enjoy it. I will be picking up the other books in the series and starting with book one as this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.1 Trish569

Dotty Sayers travels to Yorkshire to arrange a Christmas display in an old estate house there. As she works, she gets to know the family, and enjoys her time ... until one of the tour guides turns up dead. She works to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read Holly, Baubles, and Murder because I read a short story by the author in an anthology this year and greatly enjoyed it. I have been wanting to read one of her mystery novels since.

I absolutely loved this book and, although it worked fine as a standalone, I really want to read the rest of this series now. I loved the estate setting, which reminded me of a modern day Downton Abbey.

I also loved the pets in this mystery. Dotty has a cat named Earl Grey and the Dowager has a dachshund named Reggie (Sir Reginald). There are other cats and dogs in the family as well.

The details in this book were lovely, including the English food and the Christmas decorations, based on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (and featuring a wardrobe door and a forest of trees in the house).

The mystery aspect of the story was interesting and well paced. I d following along as Dotty worked to find a solution.

I enjoyed this mystery so much, and recommend Holly, Baubles and Murder for other cozy mystery fans as well!reviewed-at-my-blog Alisa2

I have read a few other books in this series, but not all. This is one where Dotty is in a completely new location, with a new position, and all the characters are new, so I don't think the previous books are needed to read this one. There are very few references to the earlier books and characters.

Dotty moves in to Yoredale Hall in nothern England for 6 months, along with her British blue cat, Earl Grey, to help organize their Christmas Festival. She works with a number of volunteers as well as members of a family who work for the family, and a young American man also volunteering in the effort. There is a lot of local history, as I found in other books I've read in the series.

The book and characters were interesting, and there were several mysteries going on. The book ends with a look toward the next one, where Dotty will help Zach search for a family treasure.

I did enjoy the book, though there are a number of editing issues (mostly punctuation, but some others as well).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.1 Emily Pennington18.7k 311

Is a Murderer on the Loose ? . . .

Antiques enthusiast Dotty Sayers was hired to create a beautiful Christmas display for a Yorkshire country house. It would give her a chance to fully explore and enjoy herself. However, when the head guide for tours, Sylvia, is found dead, Dotty wants to find out if this was from natural causes or something more nefarious. The way the body was arranged on a slab with her hands crossed on her chest didn’t seem a sudden “heart attack” scenario to Dotty. The guide was not well-d, but Dotty would get justice for her if there was something else going on. The police accepted that there was nothing suspicious. But when another person, an American named Zach, disappears, Dotty’s amateur detective “radar” tells her there is something more complicated happening here. Will she find the injured Zach in time to save him? Will she follow the clues and track down the killer? reviewed Ruth McDaniel170 2

This was a really engaging story.
Dotty has gone to a remote estate to help with setting up a Christmas event. While there, she discovers a dead body, and then later, her friend Zach has two attempts made on his life. With much research between Dotty and Zach to help him find out abt his true family roots, they not only find out more than they expected, but Dotty also figures out who killed the first person, and also who was poisoning her friend.
While I did the story a lot, Dotty's friend Zach was an American, yet in the story, he was talking a Brit. This was kind of detracting and took me out of the moment , because Americans don't call their moms mum, and various other phrases that an American would not use. Zach should've been speaking American English..... Not British English.
Otherwise, this was a good read. Fleur3,302 25

It as great to see Dotty back from over seas and in a new job so whilst I am sad she felt she had to move on from the Cotswold auction house and all those she had met there. There is a build up to the death whilst we get to know everyone at Yoredale Hall including the victim and possible suspects as well as the amazing backdrop to this story. I d how Dotty decided she couldn't stand idle and started looking into things and she and Zach became friends after his close all. I am torn between Dotty staying or going off on more adventures!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.2023 Jeanne1,105 6

Holly, Baubles and Murder is book #8 in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series by Victoria Tait.

Dotty is taking over decorating a Yorkshire country house that is open for viewing during the holidays. All is going well under Dotty stumbles upon a body.

I really enjoy visiting with Dotty. She used to have a team of friends she trusted to help during her investigations, but here it was hard to tell who to trust. I couldn’t put the book down. I figured out the mysteries early on but enjoyed Dotty’s process. I absolutely did not guess the ending and cannot wait to see what Dotty does!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Judy Gittleson Hendrickson5,565 58

Dotty in now in Yorkshire and helping set up a country estate with a Christmas time theme of Narnia. Vivid locales and descriptions highlight the backdrop as another murder mystery shows up in front of her. Another terrific sleuthing adventure as she learns more family secrets and lore of the area, worker history and all the unique personalities. Plenty of secrets, twists, hidden agendas, interesting decorations, animals, and great banter. Totally enjoyed all the drama, entertaining situations and subtle clues that culminate into a great ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Ali W66 1 follower

A magical Christmassy cosy murder mystery, which has some wonderful characters and where the storyline flows effortlessly and is a fantastic cosy read. When Yoredale Hall’s event coordinator goes on maternity leave, Dotty is to spend six months covering, of course when Dotty’s around, a dead body always seems to turn up and when things just don’t seem to add up, she just has to start investigating. A fantastic cosy read with some fantastic characters. I can’t fault Victoria Tait’s writing, her books never disappoint and are a joy to read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Shelly Joyce 480 4

Holly, Baubles and Murder is the eighth installment of A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series written by Victoria Tait. The series of events in the book are enjoyably twisted together. The tour guide’s mysterious death, Zach’s looming secret, and vandalism at the local church, along with all the long lists of getting the home decorated for the masses, really make the pages fly. Holly, Baubles, and Murder is an impressive installment to this series. Dottie became more stronger of a protagonist with each book in the series and as the stories progressed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. cdbest126 3

Set in an old castle, this cozy mystery was thoroughly relaxing and entertaining! I enjoyed the relaxed style of this book! The story was very detailed , but kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and their comfortable lifestyle. The setting was spectacular- beautiful and intricate. I felt the snowstorms and the rain and the sunshine on the hills. An all around great cozy mystery!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Mumto2girls 505 5

While this book had a slow and gentle start with h8nts of the drama to come, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love Dotty and, although I hope she returns to her friends I. The Cotswolds, this new crew of characters is so well described, that I can also see her staying at Yorkdale Hall. The setting of the story with the Hall decorated around the theme of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was just perfect and was an interesting spot for murder. I look forward to many more cozy mystery books from Ms. Tait.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Kevin Cannon (Monty's Book Reviews)996 20

Following her trip to Edinburgh in "A Deadly Performance" Dotty now finds herself in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales helping to organise a Narnia themed visitor attraction at a large country house. As always, suspicious deaths follow in her wake

I love the "Dotty Sayers" mysteries. The characters are always well rounded and the plots are engrossing with plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. A proper page-turning cozy mystery series reviewed Kristi3,319 16

A joyful Christmas festival turns deadly when a corpse ends up as the chilling centrepiece. Can an amateur sleuth unwrap the tinsel-tangled mystery before the merry cheer melts away?

A mystery that pulls you in with a well written plot, while mystery and suspense keep you turning the pages. Highly recommend!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Lizz Taylor743 7

This new book in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series was an entertaining read. There were several mysteries, including murder, that kept me guessing. It set up the next book in the series perfectly but thankfully did not end on a cliffhanger with the overall mystery.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.1 Molly5,146 33

Helping to prepare the Fitzhenry-Abelmarle country seat forthe holiday frolics proves to be more lethal and filled with mysteries than Dotty was hoping

mysteries abound amid the festivities, the pomp and circumstance, an American research intern wanting the same job, and a bevy of village and hall secrets and gossips

busy holidays for Dotty and her clever kitty Earl Grey

Tom Casey670 1 follower

Another exciting read with Dotty and Earl Grey. The descriptions in this book are so real that you are transported there and you feel you are in the story too.
What's to say, wonderful characters, super storyline and a book you won't want to put down.
I received this arc for free and I wanted to leave an honest review.arc Bernadette Cinkoske3,608 34

Holly, Baubles and Murder is a fascinating, British, Christmas, complex mystery! This engaging tale includes amazing details about the Yorkshire country house, its grounds and the Narnia Christmas display Dotty is organizing. I just read it straight through as I could not put down this complex mystery! Dianne Hall435 3

Entertaining mystery!

A very entertaining and fun cozy mystery with great characters and a clever theme. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

I read this book as part of an advance reader team and am providing my honest opinion. Rebecca Brown1,144 4

I really enjoyed reading this wonderful book by author
Victoria Tait. Really good characters and plot. Highly recommend...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Julie Burnett294 5

Dotty is back! Enjoyed the mystery in her new situation and look forward to her next adventure.1 Karin4,417 42

Who killed Sylvia and why??? To protect her family??? AND she would do it again??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
Vicky43

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