Date with Evil: A delightfully witty and charming mystery set in the Yorkshire Dales perfect for fans of Agatha Raisin and The Thursday Murder Club (The Dales Detective Series Book 8)

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Little do the detective duo know that several of their cases are about to collide when identifying the whereabouts of the missing man becomes something far more sinister.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Date with Evil, the eighth novel to feature Samson O’Brien and Delilah Metcalfe of the Dales Detective Agency, set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Buncliffe.

I must say that I hadn't even realised this book was out until I saw it on the shelves in W H Smith! The endearing inhabitants of Bruncliffe are back, banding together with good old Yorkshire grit, this time to foil an organised crime gang who, improbably, are running a drugs/people trafficking ring out of a bunch of old farm sheds. Little do the detective duo know that several of their cases are about to collide, as what appears to be a simple matter of identifying the whereabouts of the missing man becomes something far more sinister. Heureusement qu'il y a une suite sinon j'aurais eu un goût de trop peu tellement j'aime cette saga, et la fin m'aurait paru expéditive en ce qui concerne les relations entre les personnages. Born with a wanderlust that keeps her moving, Julia has followed her restless feet to Japan, Australia, the USA and France.

Et j'ai beaucoup aimé l'intrigue avec les jeunes roumains, une nouvelle occasion de mettre en avant toutes les qualités d'Ida, mon personnage préféré de tous, et d'élargir un peu l'horizon de cette petite ville du Yorkshire. Not only is one of my most anticipated books in my grasp, but it didn't disappoint, love this series even more for having this book in it! But in this book, everything fits - and I really think that the author did great work connecting the dots of a complex mystery backstory spread across all the previous books. Developments in Samson and Delilah's relationship, as well as several others, are front and centre, but all while tying together a few seemingly unrelated jobs that have come into the Dales Detective Agency.Il n'y a rien que j'admire plus qu'un écrivain qui sache maintenir l'intérêt de son auditoire sans se sentir obligé de prendre en otage des éléments de l'intrigue ! I have grown very fond of the cast of characters and the well-described locations and had been eagerly awaiting this episode. This is the eighth book in the Dales Detective series and follows almost directly on after the events of the previous book. So I was curious to see if my crush with this background was tied to the adrenaline rush I had with seven books read in a little more than a month. But with Samson O’Brien still in London helping the Met Police clear his name, and the newly appointed member of the investigations team, Ida Capstick, distracted by her brother George’s insistence that their farm is haunted, Delilah Metcalfe is struggling to meet the mounting demands for the agency’s services.

As usual, the secondary characters are highly entertaining, and many play an important role in this volume. Something that will finally expose the network of evil which has been infiltrating the Dales town over the past decade, and in doing so place Delilah in the utmost danger. But with Samson O'Brien still in London helping the Met Police clear his name, and the newly appointed member of the investigations team, Ida Capstick, distracted by her brother George's insistence that their farm is haunted, Delilah Metcalfe is struggling to meet the mounting demands for the agency's services. The author has brought to life the North Yorkshire landscape and populated it with wonderful characters. J'ai trouvé la conclusion, en ce qui concerne Samson, idiote, il n'y a pas d'autre mot, avec l'impression une fois encore que l'auteur se ménageait les éléments nécessaires à une suite au détriment du patient, très patient lecteur et ça, franchement, ça m'agace.This latest instalment had the now expected mix of mystery, comedy and acutely observed village life. Usually I am confident about just jumping into an ongoing mystery series as authors will provide background for readers new to the series. I very much enjoyed and will continue recommending this series to all who love a cosy crime or indeed as a palette cleanser for those who love more gritty crime. C’est un peu dommage mais j’espère qu’une suite amène un peu de fraîcheur et permette de retrouver le charme des premières intrigues.

La fin est explosive, en quelques pages, Delilah et Samson résolvent plusieurs mystères qui les poursuivent depuis le premier roman. It will be interesting to see the TV series if/when that happens, but make sure you read the books first if you can. Following on from Date with Betrayal this new novel delights with its combination of beguiling charm and witty ingenuity. No bad language, sex scenes or violence that is graphic, just implied so books are suitable for all.However, as I kept reading I did get more into the swing of the current story and found it a compelling read. Chapman has created a superb cast of characters with all the domestic gossip, rivalries, fallings-out and community spirit anyone who grew up in a small town will love and recognise. There are lots of little things left unsolved from the previous volumes that are answered, and the people of Bruncliffe are not at the end of their surprises. The obvious exception is the perpetrator, who is, in melodramatic fashion, particularly evil and sociopathic.