Book Review: Digging Up Dirt by Pamela Hart

Digging Up Dirt

by

Pamela Heart

 

Renovations are hell. And that's before you find the body beneath the floorboards.

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Imprint: HQ Fiction

Publication date: 2nd June 2021

Series: Poppy McGowan Mysteries #1

Genre: Cosy Crime

Pages: 352

Format read: Uncorrected Paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

When your builder finds bones under the floor of your heritage home, what do you do? For TV researcher Poppy McGowan, the first step is to find out if the bones are human (which means calling in the cops and delaying her renovations) or animal (which doesn't).

Unfortunately, 'help' comes in the form of Dr Julieanne Weaver, archaeologist, political hopeful, and Poppy's old enemy. She declares the bones evidence of a rare breed of fat-tailed sheep, and slaps a heritage order on the site. The resultant archaeological dig introduces Poppy to Tol Lang, the best-looking archaeologist she's ever met - and also Julieanne's boyfriend.

When Julieanne is found murdered in Poppy's house, both she and the increasingly attractive Tol are considered suspects - and so Poppy uses her media contacts and news savvy to investigate other suspects. Did Julieanne have enemies in the right-wing Australian Family party, for which she was seeking preselection, or in the affiliated Radiant Joy Church? Or at the Museum of New South Wales, among her rivals and ex-boyfriends? And who was her secret lover?

Can Poppy save herself, and Tol ... and finally get her house back? 

 

My review

 

I have come to know Pamela Hart through reading her Historical Fiction novels. However, she also writes Fantasy and children's novels under the name Pamela Freeman. Digging Up Dirt is her first foray into the cozy mystery genre.

 

Poppy McGowan works for the ABC children's network. She is currently renovating an old inner city house and when bones are found under her floorboards she sees it as a good opportunity to call in a couple of archeologists she knows and film the dig for a children's documentary. All is going well until one morning a body is found in the house and suddenly she is the number one suspect.

 

This story was such a lot of fun. Poppy is a character I easily warmed to. She was fun, upbeat and didn't take herself too seriously. The addition of nemesis Julieanne leant for some dark comedy. She was one determined, ambitious woman!

Not at all happy about being a suspect Poppy decides to do some digging of her own.

 

Digging Up Dirt is a story that has many twists and turns and my thoughts on who the murderer was kept changing as i read on.

With the involvement of an evangelistic church , politicians, the local council, heritage orders, archaeologists and news reporters after an exclusive, it all makes for an interesting and fast paced read.

 

Pamela Hart has proven herself to be a writer of remarkable versatility. I am eagerly looking forward to the next Poppy McGowan mystery now that she has proven to be an amazing investigative reporter.

 

4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Pamela Hart is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty-five books. She writes the Poppy McGowan mystery series and also historical novels, The Charleston Scandal is her most recent historical story, set in 1920's London.

As Pamela Freeman she is well-known as beloved children's author and fantasy writer. Her most recent children's book is a non-fiction picture book. Dry to Dry: The Seasons of Kakadu. Her adult fantasy series, The Castings Trilogy, ended with the award-winning Ember and Ash.

To be kept up to date about the next Poppy McGowan story, you can subscribe to her newsletter at  https://www.pamela-hart.com/ . You even get a free story!

 

 

Challenges entered:  Australian Women Writers Challenge #AWW2021

                                 Aussie Author Challenge #AussieAuthor21