Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Halloween Parade Peril: A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Amateur Sleuth (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery) by Victoria Tait. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Halloween Parade Peril:
A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Amateur Sleuth
(A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
by Victoria Tait
Halloween Parade Peril: A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Amateur Sleuth (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Setting – Ireland
Publisher : Kanga Press (September 13, 2024)
Number of Pages c. 240
A spooky spectacle turns deadly when a singer’s voice is silenced forever. Does an amateur sleuth have the ghost of a chance to unmask the killer before the jack-o’-lantern’s candle is snuffed out?
Emerging antiques expert, Dotty Sayers, is excited about traveling to Ireland for a prestigious auction. Alongside her friend, Sergeant Keya Varma, Dotty revels in Dublin’s iconic sights and finds herself spellbound by haunting melodies at the Bram Stoker Festival. But a Halloween parade turns tragic when a musician’s last melody leads to his final breath.
With the police operating a skeleton crew, Keya expresses grave concerns while Dotty carves up excitement at the auction, bidding for a pumpkin full of Irish treasures. But when one of their friends ends up behind bars and another confesses to the crime, this duo of detectives realises the witching hour is near.
Can Dotty piece the eerie puzzle together and unveil the villain before the plot thickens like a witch’s potion?
Join Dotty and her friends in Dublin for the latest instalment of the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series. If a cauldron of quirky characters, bewitching puzzles, and enchanting Irish folklore is what you crave, then Victoria Tait’s spellbinding narrative will keep you captivated until the final page.
Make no bones about it – read Halloween Parade Peril today!
Character Guest Post – Dotty’s Day in Dublin Discovering the History, Culture, and Spirit of Ireland
As I sat on the top deck of the green open-top bus, a cool, crisp breeze ruffled my hair, and I pulled on a woolly hat. This was my first visit to Ireland’s capital city and my best friend, Keya, and I were excited to soak up the sights, sounds, and stories that Dublin had to offer.
O’Connell Street: Where History Speaks
The tour started on O’Connell Street, and we immediately felt the weight of history surrounding us. Daniel, our jocular driver and guide, pointed out the Spire of Dublin, a sleek, modern needle that seemed to pierce the sky. But it was the statues of the past that really caught my attention.
There, standing tall and proud in stone, was Daniel O’Connell, the “Liberator,” who fought tirelessly for Catholic emancipation. Another statue was of William Smith O’Brien, who’d led an unsuccessful rebellion in 1848.
Then we passed the General Post Office and Daniel told us about the 1916 Easter Rising. The building was the headquarters for the leaders of the rebellion, who took a stand against British rule. I started to feel rather uncomfortable about being English.
Trinity College: A Treasure Trove of Learning and Literature
The bus crossed the River Liffey and drove towards Trinity College. I was excited to see the famous university and hoped that I’d have a chance to enter its hallowed grounds and view its famous library.
As we rolled past its gates, the guide started to talk about some of the incredible writers who had studied there, including Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, although we were told that there is no record of Stoker actually graduating.
But I was saddened to hear that women weren’t allowed to study at Trinity until 1904 and that although the ban on Catholics was lifted as far back as 1794, if one of them wanted to study at the university, they had to gain permission from a Catholic bishop. This practice only ceased in the 1970s.
Whiskey and Guinness: Tasting Dublin’s Spirit
The National Gallery and National Museum of Ireland interested me, but Daniel was more excited to tell us about the more indulgent side of Dublin’s heritage – whiskey and Guinness. As we passed by the old distilleries, he explained the art of making whiskey which is full of history and traditions.
The Guinness factory occupies a large amount of land in central Dublin and the Guinness Storehouse is top of most visitors’ list of places to visit. But I was happy to sit back and listen to Daniel’s stories as we continued our tour.
Walking Through Dublin: Discovering the City’s Soul
After the bus tour, Keya and I enjoyed a speciality tea and a slice of traditional Barmbrack fruit loaf in a local café before joining other members of our party for a walking tour of central Dublin.
Our first stop was Dublin Castle, a place that has worn many hats over the centuries. Standing in the courtyard, I couldn’t help but feel the layers of history under my feet. This wasn’t just a castle—it was a symbol of power, and later, a beacon of Irish independence.
Next, we wandered over to St. Patrick’s Cathedral with its Gothic architecture where our guide told us that St. Patrick himself had baptized converts to Christianity.
Although I didn’t visit Molly Malone’s statue until later, our guide told us about Molly’s wheelbarrow of cockles and mussels, before leading us in a rousing rendition of the Irish folksong, all about Molly.
Our final stop was Temple Bar, who’s narrow, cobblestone streets buzz with energy in the evenings as music and laughter pour out of the many pubs.
I enjoyed both my tours, but I was tired and left the others in my group to return to my hotel to see Earl Grey, my fluffy grey cat, and plan a visit to Trinity College.
My review of Halloween Parade Peril
I’m always so happy when I read a new cozy in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series by Victoria Tait! In Halloween Parade Peril, the tenth book in this series, Dotty travels to Ireland for an auction that has the perfect items for a boutique hotel, her latest commission for her antiques business. Dotty’s good friend Keya Varma joins her on this fun Halloween trip! Keya’s boyfriend’s band is playing at a Bram Stoker Festival, and Dotty and Keya are excited to see Dublin’s sights. But when one of the band members turns up dead, Keya’s policing skills and Dotty’s amateur sleuthing are needed.
I just love this series so much, and reading Halloween Parade Peril was the perfect way for me to ring in the fall season! Victoria Tait is so good at describing the places Dotty goes. She does her research, and it shows! I dream of visiting Ireland, and Sayers painted a visual picture that allowed me to travel vicariously through the story. Not only does she describe the scenery, but she also describes the Halloween costumes and decorations so well! Some of the costumes would freak me out! It was so interesting to learn a bit about the legends surrounding the Halloween celebrations in Ireland, one being about a mermaid. It’s why many people dress up as one on Halloween.
Dotty and Keya are two of my favorite cozy mystery characters! Keya even has her own series, The Waterwheel Cafe Mysteries which are just as good (I’ve missed the last two, so I need to go read them!). Both Dotty and Keya have experienced much character growth throughout these series. You don’t need to read all of the books to enjoy Halloween Parade Peril since each has its own mystery. If you enjoy seeing how characters grow during the series, I’d start at the beginning. Tait does a marvelous job writing characters. She makes the supporting characters unique, and they add a lot to the book. There may be a budding romance for Dotty, but I won’t spoil anything for you!
The mystery was well-plotted with multiple suspects with reasons to want the victim dead. I enjoyed how Tait worked things out which made Sergeant Keya Varma an important part of the investigation even though she was far from her station in the Cotswolds! Having Keya involved meant that Dotty was involved too! It’s fun watching the characters figure out whodunit while you follow the clues with them.
I highly recommend Halloween Parade Peril by Victoria Tait! It has wonderful descriptions that take you right into the story, well-developed characters who leap off of the pages, and a mystery that will give you the “Aha!” moment as you figure out whodunit! It, along with Tait’s other books, need to be in your TBR piles!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
About Victoria Tait
Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, and never expected to travel the world. She’s drawn on her life’s experiences of following her military husband, and a love of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Murder She Wrote, to write British-based cozy mysteries.
Her determined and hard-working female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and evocative. As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world of intrigue, surprises, and humour, as well as a delectable helping of mystery, because tea and intrigue are a perfect blend.
Author Links
Website: https://victoriatait.com/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/victoria-tait
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriataitauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VictoriaTaitAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20373879.Victoria_Tait
Purchase Links Amazon Books2Read
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Halloween Parade Peril TOUR PARTICIPANTS
September 13 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
September 13 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – The Mystery of Writing – AUTHOR GUEST POST
September 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 15 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
September 15 – Reading Authors Network – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 16 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT
September 17 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 17 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 18 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 18 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
September 19 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – RECIPE
September 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
September 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
September 20 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
September 20 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
September 21 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
September 21 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
September 22 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
September 22 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
September 22 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
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[…] I just love this series so much, and reading Halloween Parade Peril was the perfect way for me to ring in the fall season! Victoria Tait is so good at describing the places Dotty goes. She does her research, and it shows!~Christy’s Cozy Corners […]