A Deadly Abode by Jane McParkes

A Deadly Abode

 by Jane McParkes


My thanks to Jane and No Exit Press

 for sending me a copy of A Deadly Abode to review  and to 

Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the book tour



It’s autumn and with crisp frosty weather and the leaves as colourful as they've

ever been, Olivia and Jago are nestling into their life in Penbartha. Until local

resentment about incomers and second-home ownership is ignited by what

seems to be an increasingly militant action group.

Maybe Penbartha isn't the happy place Olivia thought it was? Is the discontent

really about second homes or is someone pursuing a much more personal

agenda?

When a neighbouring house is set on fire and a body found in one of the

outbuildings, Olivia and Jago need to find the source of the trouble before it

gets even closer to home...




This is the third book in The Olivia Wells Mysteries and I have absolutely loved each and every one of them though I have to be honest there were aspects of A Deadly Abode I found difficult at first and it made me look at the story from a slightly different angle to what I have done with the previous two books. This however, is down to my - and most likely your - thoughts about the bad guys in society. 

A Deadly Abode definitely shows a darker side to what locals feel about second home owners and also the ends ruthless individuals will go. Olivia and Jago are forced to face the harsh reality of this resentment and even though this a compelling "cosy mystery" it is not quite as "cosy " as the previous two books in the series. 

However , this is not a bad thing because Jane cleverly gets you thinking, and questioning  whilst the plot develops and consequently it is very hard to put the book down, so much so that I couldn't until I had finished it and now I am left wondering what the next book in the series will entail.

Jane certainly knows how to write a good cosy mystery that keeps her readers glued to the pages wondering what the next chapter entails.



Jane McParkes has wanted to be a crime writer ever since she discovered The Famous Five as a small child. Her dream was fulfilled in 2023 with the publication of the first of the Olivia Wells mysteries, a series of cosy Cornish crime with a Green Twist .




Comments

  1. Jane McParkesOctober 15, 2026 at 8:30 AM

    Thank you so much for this thoughtful review, and for following Olivia and Jago through all three books! I knew A Deadly Abode explored some darker aspects of village life, so it’s especially lovely to hear that you found it thought-provoking as well as compelling. I’m delighted you enjoyed it, and I hope you’ll enjoy your next visit to Penbartha just as much! 🌿

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