The Three Dahlias

Three Dahlias, Book 1

By: Katy Watson

Narrated by: Jilly Bond

It wouldn't be a country house weekend without a little murder. . .

Three rival actresses team up to solve a murder at the stately home of Lettice Davenport, the author whose sleuthing creation of the 1930s, Dahlia Lively, had made each of them famous to a new generation. A contemporary mystery with a Golden Age feel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Jessica Fellowes - and Janice Hallett and Richard Osman, of course!

In attendance at Aldermere: the VIP fans, staying at house; the fan club president turned convention organiser; the team behind the newest movie adaptation of Davenport's books; the Davenport family themselves; and the three actresses famous for portraying Dahlia Lively through the decades.

There is national treasure Rosalind King, from the original movies, who's feeling sensitive that she's past her prime, TV Dahlia for thirteen seasons, Caro Hooper, who believes she really IS Dahlia Lively, and ex-child star Posy Starling, fresh out of the fame wilderness (and rehab) to take on the Dahlia mantle for the new movie - but feeling outclassed by her predecessors.

Each actress has her own interpretation of the character and her own secrets to hide - but this English summer weekend they will have to put aside their differences as the crimes at Aldermere turn anything but cosy.

When fictional death turns into real bodies, can the three Dahlias find the answers to the murders among the fans, the film crew and the family - or even in Lettice's books themselves?

©2022 Katy Watson (P)2022 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"An absolute treat of a read with all the ingredients of a vintage murder mystery: a country house, mysterious dead bodies and three actresses all keen to catch the killer. Perfect weekend reading!" (Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal)

"A wonderful celebration of Golden Age crime...a read you can sink into, just like the perfect country house weekend. You will definitely love Dahlia in all her guises by the end." (S.J. Bennett, author ofThe Windsor Knot)

"I loved it - witty, engaging and hugely enjoyable. A must for fans of classic mysteries." (Frances Brody)

Great listen!

Excellent story of the value of age as well as a fun mystery. I love the narrator. I’ll listen to this again.

Three Dahlias and six "thimbs-ups

We chose this book fir our December read, and it is the first book in maybe..forever...all six of us liked! Not only that, but all of us said that, yes, we'd read the next one. One of our group who always figures our who did it was fooled this time! If there really were Dahlia Lively mysteries, we'd all read them, so, hint hint...

Cheeky Cozy

There is a lot of set up to provide the necessary backgrounds for each of the three actresses that are the fictional Dahlia character. And there is a lot of set up adding a whole entourage of additional characters, each with their own backstories. But, I’m up for the challenge as I enjoy a mystery that is flood of information. This was a fun take on a classic golden age mystery. I liked the Dahlia Lively quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

Pretty dull

I found the story slow and the narration annoying- but the voice did lull me to sleep. Worked well for insomnia.

Cozy-Lite

I grew up reading the real cozies - Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, et al - so it's disappointing to read what passes for cozies now. That said, The Three Dahlias plot is good and the ending is a bit of a bonus. The narrator, Jilly Bond, is great and puts more life in the characters than Katy Watson did. I'll skip the sequel.