Date with Death
Series: The Dales Detective Series Book #1
Author: Julia Chapman
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Page Count: 371
My Rating:
Book Summary
Meet two sleuths from a sleepy Yorkshire village as they investigate murders and discover the secrets behind the twitching curtains. Date with Death is the first cosy crime novel in Julia Chapman’s Dales Detective series, perfect for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club and M. C. Beaton.
Samson O’Brien has been dismissed from the police force, and returns to his hometown of Bruncliffe in the Yorkshire Dales to set up the Dales Detective Agency. However, the villagers aren’t that welcoming to a man they see as trouble.
Delilah Metcalfe is struggling to keep her business, the Dales Dating Agency, afloat as well as trying to control her wayward dog, Tolpuddle, when Samson’s first case – a supposed suicide – takes an unexpected turn, and a trail of deaths lead back to the door of Delilah’s agency.
With suspicion hanging over someone they both care for, the two feuding neighbours soon realize that they need to work together to solve the mystery of the dating deaths. But working together is easier said than done . . .
More Facts for Readers about our Sleuths & Setting:
Main Sleuths: Delilah Metcalfe and Samson O’Brien
Best friend/Sidekick: They have each other
Physical Descriptions: Delilah is possibly 25, a white female, active (a runner), dark blonde hair, 5’3″ in height, English. Samson is possibly 31, a white male, tall, physically built (also a runner), former cop (great body), shoulder-length black hair, bright/light blue eyes, English of mixed English/Irish descent.
Location: Bruncliffe (fictional) in the Yorkshire Dales in England
Business: Delilah owns the Dales Dating Agency (D.D.A), Samson owns the Dales Detective Agency (D.D.A.)
Time of Year: Late October into November
Pet: Grey Weimaraner (dog) named Tolpuddle (belongs to Delilah)
Love Interest: Possibly each other, although there’s nothing concrete for either in this book. Delilah is divorced and single. Samson is single and never married.
Family: Delilah is the youngest with 5 older brothers (one deceased). She has a mom, dad, at least 2 sister-in-laws, and 3 nieces/nephews. Samson’s mom passed when he was 8 years old, he still has his Dad, no siblings.
Diversity? None that was mentioned in this book. It seems that the Bruncliffe community is really small and more out in the countryside. A lot of family was mentioned and a few generational ties. It sounds like everyone kind of knows everyone or is related to each other in some way. I think that because one of the main sleuth’s has such a large family that possibly the author needed to spend more time there. Possibly a more diverse cultural set of folks will be forthcoming, but it sounded like everyone was white from the context – but I think a lot of the townsfolk were non-descript enough that diversity could possibly also be read into them depending on the perspective you bring to your reading.
My Review
I didn’t realize how much I’d instantly love ‘Date with Death’, Book 1 in The Dales Detective Agency series by Julia Chapman, and now I can’t wait to read more! This book has a unique third person set up, where although the chapters are kind of hefty (only 21 chapters over 371 pages), you get multiple perspectives within each chapter, each in nice bite size sections, so you still have plenty of good stopping points as you read.
I felt like I really become a part of Bruncliffe’s tight-knit community as I was reading because of the different perspectives from the different townsfolk. At the center of everything happening was the dynamic between Delilah and Samson who were both working to solve the murders in the present (first separately then together) while also shedding light on their connections from the past. There was a bit of flirtation which I really liked, and hope blossoms into a romance. But basically everyone knows everyone and while Delilah never left the community (and Samson had for a while) they each had knowledge from insider and outsider perspectives that helped bolster their investigation.
The mystery at the center of everything was really good, and honestly there were several deaths which kept layering in the urgency factor and the need to kick things up. This book has a great blend of fun, sleuthing, world/community building (really makes me want to visit The Dales in Yorkshire), and honestly – although multiple murders might sound far-fetched – in this cozy it really made sense and didn’t seem out of place. I really appreciated the good mystery that was set up at the center of everything – we never lost focus even with all of the characters and information being introduced and shared. The author really set us up for some good sequels that I can’t wait to read.
