A Very Lively Murder (Three Dahlias Mysteries Book 2)

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Ex-child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role - Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie. One of the plot points was a little hard to believe: that an actor could just change their name and no one would recognize them for years even though they had continued to act.

I enjoyed the first book in the series and loved coming back to some of my favorite characters… I will be waiting with bated breath for the third installment. Following on from last year's "The Three Dahlias" (an absolutely outstanding introduction to the world of our three heroines Rosalind, Caro and Posy), the sophomore entry "A Very Lively Murder" picks things up on the set of the new Dahlia Lively film, the events of the previous novel still hanging over proceedings. In between filming scenes, signing autographs for locals, photoshoots on set and jetting off to France for an impromptu party, the three Dahlias do what they do best - surreptitiously sleuth.But no - guess what happens during this night of being trapped in with suspects and building tension. Katy Watson has written another classic country house murder mystery, set in glorious North Wales with a quick trip to France thrown in for good measure. I enjoyed this book every bit as much as the first one and hope that we see the three dahlias again soon.

But things take a nightmare turn when a prop weapon is replaced with the real thing - with almost fatal consequences for her fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King. The eldest, Rosalind King, played Dahlia in the 1980's films of the books and this time is playing the victim, Dahlia's Great Aunt Hermione. Maybe that's why I didn't like this one as much as the first, none of the characters stood out to me, not even the Three Dahlias. Reminiscent of Golden Age whodunits, as with the first novel, it manages to feel like a traditional mystery yet modern and fresh.

Now is the time for Posy Starling to shine as her version of Dahlia Lively takes to the small screen. The story felt like a delicious puzzle to get stuck into and I found myself getting my notebook out to jot down ideas, very much like one of the characters in the book. Ex child star Posy Starling is finally filming her dream role - Dahlia Lively in The Lady Detective movie.