Title: Hiking and Homicide

Series: Hannaford British Cozy

By:   Danielle Collins

ASIN: B078FVR51Z

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary: 

Lucy Hannaford spent her career catching criminals. After a murder case ruined her first post-retirement vacation, she heads into the Swedish wilderness for a hiking adventure. When a geography professor in her hiking group dies in his sleeping bag one night, her sleuthing skills are once again called upon. With no apparent motive, she must figure out why a group of friends would want one of their own dead.

Review:

Hiking and Homicide is a quick read by author Danielle Collins. Lucy Hannaford is a retired police officer (police superintendent actually), on vacation with her husband (John) and a hiking group (of four additional people) in Sweden. The hike is going well until one of the hikers is found dead in his sleeping bag. At that moment Lucy turns on her investigator mode.

The trials and tribulations Lucy must work through to solve the mystery are entertaining. While the story is fairly predicable – the ending was a bit of a surprise (I promise not to say anything so as to not spoil it for you!).

Best line in the book:

“A person cannot possibly be lonely who has a book. Books are the best company in the world; they always have something to tell you, but they never talk back.”

One of the aspects of this book that did annoy me and thus lowered my enjoyment of the book were the numerous typographical errors. Missing words in sentence’s seemed to abound. Here are a few examples… I realize it is a small thing…. but attention to detail is important.

“How would we be getting this place, Hildervan?”

“So? Why don’t try then. There’s only so much you can do.”  

“I might to do that too.”

“It appears to have be a simple will.”

“I called out to him, but didn’t he didn’t answer.”

Editing issues aside – I did find this short read enjoyable and the mystery was well executed.