Death by the Exe

by Hillary James

It is 1953. New Yorker, Rose Pinner, expects to step off a train in Exeter, one of England’s cathedral cities, and into the arms of Simon Knight, her British host and possible mate. Instead she finds herself in the midst of an arrest and then catapulted into a murder investigation.

Simon’s cousin, her fiancé and his mother are all suspects as guests in the dead man’s house at the time of his death. Simon and Rose try to explore their relationship while supporting the suspects and pursuing information about the crime. Further complications arise as it is Simon’s first term as a new lecturer. Rose finds herself fraught, her attention divided between conflicting concerns.

Book Reviews

An inventive cozy mystery with a strong sense of place - Rose is a compelling character and even though I haven't read other Rose Pinner mysteries, I was up to speed quickly. A few too many period details that slowed the plot down at times though. I'll definitely be checking out more by this author!

by NetGalley review

This book really takes you into the 1950s. It’s strength lies in its capacity to perfectly paint a picture so everything else seems absolutely credible. It’s a decent mystery and the characters are great but it is really that sense of context which I found most appealing,

by NetGalley review

It’s the 1950’s and Rose has travelled to the U.K. from the States for a holiday and to meet her British boyfriend Simon in Exeter.
She finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when Simons cousin, her fiancé and his mother are all suspects in the murder of a wealthy businessman.
Rose spends her time on dates with Simon, sight-seeing, making new friends and cracking the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The storyline is a good mix of mystery, romance and historical fiction. It is well written and very descriptive so you can picture the scene perfectly. I loved finding out more about 1950’s England, especially what dating was like then. The mystery part to the story keeps it moving along well and is a good slow burning theme throughout the book.
The ending wasn’t what I expected all the way through but it felt fitting to the story and was good closure to the story.

by NetGalley review

About the Author

Hillary James

Hillary James is the writer of four novels for people who enjoy light-hearted historical fiction focused on crime, murder or mishap. These follow the fortunes of the same central character, Rose Pinner, a young New Yorker finding her way in a sometimes hostile world. She starts out taking a vacation in Palm Beach, Florida in the first novel, DEATH BY MISADVENTURE and then finds herself in Great Britain for three more adventures, DEATH BY THE EXE, THE MEMORY PRESS, and ROSE IN YORKSHIRE.

Though born and raised in The United States, Hillary lives in Northumbria in The United Kingdom and tries not to brag about its compelling scenery and fascinating past. She is an avid reader, a sometime painter and a poor but enthusiastic pianist.