Clues to you (Love in the Comptons Series) by Claire Huston

Book Blurb

Kate Brannon is delighted to be attending her first murder mystery weekend in a movie-worthy Victorian manor house. Still getting over being dumped, cracking the case would be a welcome boost to her flagging confidence. And the prize money wouldn’t hurt either.

But Kate’s dreams of victory become a nightmare with the arrival of Max Ravenscroft. Smart, enigmatic and annoyingly handsome, Max is Kate’s sleuthing nemesis.

When she and Max are forced to work together, Kate despairs. But, as the investigation brings them closer, she finds being his partner in solving crime isn’t all bad.

With growing suspicions that the game is rigged against them, can Kate and Max beat the odds to find the killer? And, as their partnership deepens, can they find romance too?

My Review

Before I start my review I would like to thank Claire Huston for her patience in waiting for my review, as many of you know this has not been the best year for me. Right, apologies out of the way, Clues to You is the third book in her Comptons Series, but don’t worry all the books can be read independently. This book follows Kate, a huge fan of detective fiction as she goes with friends to her first mystery weekend, what she doesn’t account for is her detective nemesis, Max being there as well. She is convinced Max hates her, and working together puts her on edge, but as the weekend progresses it’s not just the murder they have to solve, but also that the weekend could be rigged. Love, friendship, crime and humour make for an enjoyable read.

I have read three of Claire’s books and have loved all of them. But with Clues to You she has out done herself, not only is there the romance, the will they won’t they, but there is also a mystery to solve. I admit that as I was reading I was reading the clues and trying to solve the murder. Unfortunately I didn’t do as well as Kate and Max, but it did add a fascinating layer to the plot that captivated my attention. I loved that this whole story was set over a weekend and in one place, so the focus was very much on the characters and their relationships; they couldn’t really get away from each other.

Claire has always written wonderful characters, people that the reader can relate to invest their time in. Kate is a teacher with a warmth and sincerity about her, whose kindness shines through. I loved her quirky dress sense, her cute patterned dresses, that were an extension to her character. Max, her nemesis is more traditional in his smart trousers and shirt everyday and his perfecly styled hair, he is more formal in both appearance and in his strategy for solving the murder. I was captivated by their story, how they got to know each other better and realise they have more in common than they thought. There is always a spannner in the works and here it is Kate’s controlling and obnoxious ex boyfriend.

Clues to You is a fun, romantic and captivating read. The characters are endearing, warm and affable, people who you can connect with and would probably want to be friends with. The setting of a murder mystery weekend is brilliant, it adds a new layer for the reader to get involved in and is a brilliant setting for the characters, to see how they act as a group and as individuals. This is fun, romantic and utterly immersive, the perfect escapist read.