Murder by Mistake (Ellie Quicke Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Veronica Heley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2010 | Series: Ellie Quicke Mysteries

An Ellie Quicke Mystery - Ellie Quicke is still inclined to act hastily, despite husband Thomas’ steadying influence. When she took in a young rape victim, she knew the commitment might become a burden, but she didn’t expect it to become an invitation to further violence. Mia’s best friend Ursula is eager to help, but has a wedding to plan – as does Ellie’s daughter Diana. Both want Ellie to stage their receptions. Can Ellie keep Mia safe? Can she pull off two weddings, when one would be havoc enough? And can she wear the same outfit to both?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Ellie Quicke, who rescued waifish Mia Prior from her abusive criminal stepfamily in Murder in House (2009), plans on hosting a wedding reception for Mia's best friend, Ursula Belton, in British author Heley's entertaining 11th mystery to feature the stubborn amateur sleuth. Against her better judgment, Ellie is also planning the splashy, ill-advised nuptials of her oh-so-demanding daughter, Diana, to Denis "the Menace," a shady businessman (who might still be married). The week before the weddings, to be held on the same day, a speeding car kills a young mother and narrowly misses Ellie and Mia while they're out shopping. Further problems develop after Mia begins receiving threatening messages and flowers suggesting she's still in danger. Avoiding wedding day catastrophe and more, intrepid Ellie injects this high-octane cozy with endearing humor and enduring style. Adding to the fun is Ellie's impulse to pray for help from higher powers at critical moments.
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From Booklist

Amateur sleuth Ellie Quicke returns in another mystery that’s both cozy and sinister. Ellie has never regretted taking in young rape victim Mia, who was abused repeatedly by her stepfather and his friends. Thoroughly traumatized, Mia is only just beginning to lose her haunted look under Ellie’s gentle ministrations. Then a white van nearly runs Ellie and Mia down—surely it must be an unfortunate accident. Meanwhile, Ellie has agreed to host the wedding reception of Mia’s best friend, Ursula, and now her own daughter, Diana, has announced she’s getting married and demands that Ellie host her reception too—on the same day as Ursula’s! What with all these goings on, Ellie is stunned when there is a second episode with the white van. Mia is terrified her stepfather is behind the attacks, but could there be something even more sinister going on? This is a cleverly plotted, engaging British “cozy with an edge.” --Emily Melton

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (August 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727869116
• ISBN-13: 978-0727869111
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,153,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Veronica Heley (www.veronicaheley.com) has published more than fifty books, including crime fiction, historical, and children's titles. She is currently involved in the Ellie Quicke series of crime stories and a variety of other projects. A full-time writer, she has been married to a London probation officer since 1964, and has one musician daughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars murder by mistake, June 5, 2011

By 

A. Garcia "Mystery reader" (Kerrville, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder by Mistake (Ellie Quicke Mysteries) (Kindle Edition)

loved this book. ellie is wonderful as usual. great story. good character development. interesting ending. this book is great just like all her ellie books.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Hate this book/series, didn't finish the book, March 24, 2011

By 

Anne "Anne" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder by Mistake (Ellie Quicke Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I was in the mood for a mystery and picked this up at the library because it was short, just over 200 pages, and looked like a cozy. I believed I'd read other books in the series, but the blurb did not bring them to mind. About 20 pages in Diana, the daughter, pops up. Oh, yeah. Now I remember, I HATE this series.

Ellie is supposed to be coming into her own identity after her husband died and you see what she does to get out in the world from the cocoon she'd been living in. She has a spoiled, entitled and hateful daughter who demands and steals from her, tries to sell her property out from under Ellie. Ellie just dithers and luckily gets out of the worst of it, but takes no real action to stand up to her daughter and it just doesn't ring true.

In this book, Diana is getting married and decided without telling Ellie that Ellie's home is where the party will take place IN ABOUT A WEEK. Ellie says no, because she has another wedding there that SAME DAY, after paging forward, it looks like she gives in....AGAIN. Too much, I tossed the book in the return to the library bag, not going to waste more of my time on a dumber than dirt character.

I know this is fiction, but it pushes my buttons and doesn't make the series the light, fun read it should be for me.