A lethal walk in Lakeland

George's entertaining second whodunit featuring Rick Chasen (after A Deadly Walk in Devon) sees the retired San Diego police detective once again probing a murder while on a British walking tour. When a work emergency keeps Rick's new boyfriend from joining him on a group excursion to England's Lake District, Rick opts to go alone. His fellow travelers include members of the Texas-based Upton family, two of whom lost their parents in a car crash 20 years earlier. The details of the incident remain fuzzy; some of the Uptons believe it was a double suicide, while others dismiss that theory to protect their insurance payout. The clan suffers another loss when one of them is poisoned during the trip--the first of two murders that reactivate Rick's investigative instincts. Convinced that the killer is a member of the tour, he interrogates each traveler before gathering all the suspects in one place and walking through their motives in a fizzy finale that nods to golden age mysteries. While it's difficult to imagine how much further George can stretch the conceit before it breaks, he delivers the goods here, with top-notch detective work and a delightfully cozy atmosphere. Armchair sleuths will be thrilled. Agent: Michelle Hauck, Storm Literary. (Jan.)

Retired San Diego police detective Rick "Chase" Chasen is excited about his latest walk in England, a coast-to-coast trail in the Lake District. He's also looking forward to spending time with Mike Tibbets, a coroner he met on an earlier trip, but Mike has to beg off because of a complicated case. A disappointed Chase still plans to enjoy the trails with a longtime friend and fellow Anglophile, Billie Mondreau. The hoped-for peaceful adventure is ruined with the arrival of the obnoxious Upton family from Texas. They're over-the-top in their behavior, squabbles, and surreptitious drug use, and they seem to be hiding the real reason for their participation in the walk. When one of the Uptons is poisoned, the true story of their past is revealed. Any one of the family could have a reason to murder, but Chase is unable to find the killer before there is another victim. As he works with the local police, it's obvious the dysfunctional family harbors a killer. VERDICT The sequel to A Deadly Walk in Devon is an atmospheric mystery with delightful descriptions of the countryside in the Lake District. The story may appeal to fans of closed-house or Golden Age mysteries.--Lesa Holstine

Another baffling murder interrupts a retired American sleuth's British vacation. Former San Diego detective Rick Chasen is back in Britain for another hiking adventure following the one he had inA Deadly Walk in Devon (2024), with murder again on the itinerary. Chase is excited to be joined by his pal Billie Mondreau, from Vermont, but disappointed that his new British friend, coroner Mike Tibbets, must forego the getaway because of a murder not far off. This development feels like a foreshadowing of both the plot to come and perhaps a third Chase mystery; Chase's longtime partner, Doug, has recently passed away, and he hopes his special connection to Mike may lead to romance. When the reliably bubbly Billie shares a story of financial devastation, Chase offers his support. All these plot threads involving franchise characters provide a quietly effective foundation as a number of fellow tourists--that is, suspects-to-be--are introduced. There's exuberant walk leader Charlie Cross and his faithful dog; financial advisor Joe Scarbun; and the large and tangled Upton clan from Texas, Parker, Pratt, Brock, and Fiona, along with Fiona's childhood friend Carole. Chapter titles identify the specific locations of the hike, but although George introduces several British characters in cameos, he provides no strong sense of place, just generalized descriptions. Once the promised murder finally occurs past the midway point of the novel, it's cleverly untangled by Chase with assistance from an 11th-hour arrival. An amiable whodunit that's long on character and short on atmosphere. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.