I am thoroughly enjoying this cozy series. Regretfully I only have one title to go.

I was fascinated because this story is set at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, and there are several threads woven together. I have attended crime fiction literary events and so this scenario rang many bells - but there has never been an actual murder at one, that I am aware of.

Damian Penrose is an author of some note, not particularly popular amongst fellow writers, but certainly a draw card at the festival.
It appears that Penrose in the past has used his masculine charms to lure female writers in particular into relationships, but also to convince them to let him read their work. He was often cutting about their writing, but later on they discovered he had stolen their ideas.

Back at HQ. one of Olroyd's team, DC Steph Johnson, is being sexually harrassed by a male colleague and she finds that she is not his only victim. In addition she is convinced he is using his position as a DI corruptly, coming to an agreement with people accused of deception and dropping charges that should be pursued.

We get more glimpses of Jim Olroyd's personal life as he decides, at his daughters' prompting, to look for someone to go out with, through a dating agency.

So I found this a well constructed novel with lots to keep me interested. It filled in some gaps between novels #3 and #5 in the series too. ( )

The White Swan Hotel is holding its annual Crime Writing Festival. All is going well until one of the writers is discovered dead in what looks like a locked room mystery in the Victorian baths, strangled. How did the murderer get in and out without being seen. What was the motive behind the killing. DCI Oldroyd and his team investigate. Then there is another murder, will this be the last.
Meanwhile D.S Steph Johnson is unfortunately working with the obnoxious D.I. Fenton, and has her own problems to deal with.
An enjoyable well-plotted mystery story with lots of suspects. With this book I actually took to Oldroyd much more than before which made the story more interesting to read.
A NetGalley Book ( )

Writers at a writers’ conference can be a deadly combination, though the conflicts don’t usually include a murder. In the Royal Baths Murder, published and unpublished authors gather for a writing conference in Harrogate. Some successful authors are gracious to other writers; others less so. The murder victim in this instance is an arrogant author who meets his demise in the Royal Baths, a site that is difficult to assess as a crime scene. DCI Oldroyd is soon on the case to take the reader on another unlikely investigation. ( )

bookshelves: law-enforcement, England, murder-investigation, procedural, cosy-mystery *****

A new favorite DCI and team!
A truly devilish plot filled with interesting characters, an abundance of plot twists and misdirection, and even some solid historical tidbits complete with caveats related to prosaic license. Ever so much better than watching on screen! The publisher's blurb is pretty good and spoilers are just wrong, so just get cozy and enjoy the mystery!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )