A Charming 1960s Cosy Mystery Full of Heart and Intrigue.
- Tracey Holland
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
BLURB
Through Dancing Poppies: Miss Gascoigne mysteries book 3: an intriguing cosy mystery set in the swinging 1960sPoppy Bell is a teenage singing sensation about to 'hit the big time' and newly engaged to a man old enough to be her father. Everyone says she's a gold digger. But then...Dee Gascoigne, now a fully-fledged—or nearly fully-fledged—private investigator working for the law firm of Montague Montague, meets Poppy a couple of times and can’t help but notice she is a very talented musician who is young, naive and on the brink of something incredible. But she is also surrounded by people who know exactly what they are doing, they’ve done this kind of thing before, are used to the spotlight and the glare of media sensationalism, and know how to present the perfect image to grow a very public career. Then there’s a near miss in a car park, and suddenly Dee has an intense feeling of danger lurking in the shadows. But who is the target? Poppy or her new fiancé, wealthy entrepreneur Teddy Reynolds?
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Caron lives in Derbyshire, England, where Jane Austen's Mr Darcy came from. She hasn't met him yet, but nevertheless clings to the dream. She writes mysteries and crime but sometimes adds in a little dash of romance or fantasy.
Like many writers, Caron always wanted to write stories. She can remember announcing this to her mother when she was eight years old. Caron says, ‘I seem to remember she wasn't overly impressed.’
Caron started reading adventure stories and mysteries for children when she was around 7 or 8 and graduated to Agatha Christie and Patricia Wentworth (her faves) when around 9 or 10. She has never looked back.
Caron has tried writing literary fiction – she was terrible at it. She has tried writing romance but got bored and killed everyone off. So now she sticks to what she loves - murder mysteries. The Dottie Manderson mysteries are set in the 1930s and feature a terminally-nosy well-to-do young woman, the Miss Gascoigne mysteries are set in the 1960s and a spin-off from the Dottie books, and the Friendship Can Be Murder series are set 'now' and written as diary entries by a posh woman, Cressida Barker-Powell, who plans to make the world a better place by getting rid of bad people, starting with her mother-in-law.
Review
Through Dancing Poppies is a wonderfully engaging cosy mystery with a strong sense of time and place. Set in the 1960s, it draws the reader into a world of music, ambition, glamour and hidden danger, while still keeping the warmth and charm that makes cosy crime so enjoyable.
Diana “Dee” Gascoigne is a brilliant central character. She is intelligent, observant and easy to root for, with just the right balance of courage and vulnerability. You see this early on in her reunion with Miss Evans, where a simple lunch turns into something much more layered, touching on Dee’s past, her new career, and the way she navigates uncomfortable conversations with quiet strength.
The pop music storyline adds something fresh and memorable, especially with Poppy Bell’s sudden rise to fame. One standout moment is the television appearance, where Poppy is clearly out of her depth, saying exactly what she thinks rather than what is expected of her. It is both touching and slightly uncomfortable, showing how young and unprepared she really is beneath the polished image.
There are also subtle moments that build tension beautifully. The near-incident in the car park, where someone almost runs down Teddy Reynolds, feels small on the surface but carries an undercurrent of unease that hints at something more serious. These kinds of scenes keep the reader alert without breaking the cosy tone.
Caron Allan writes with warmth, wit and confidence. Scenes like the Juke Box Jury programme add humour and period detail, while also weaving the central mystery into everyday life. The balance between light, familiar settings and darker possibilities is handled very well.
The mystery unfolds at a satisfying pace, with enough twists to keep you guessing while still feeling natural and believable. It is nostalgic without feeling dated, cosy without being too gentle, and intriguing without losing its emotional core.
A thoroughly enjoyable read for anyone who loves character-driven cosy crime, strong female leads, and stories where the truth quietly emerges from beneath the surface.
LINKS TO BUY
KINDLE EDITION https://www.amazon.co.uk/Through-Dancing-Poppies-Gascoigne-intriguing-ebook/dp/B0G3JPXG4Y
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