Blood on the Bulb Fields — Judith Cranswick

Murder and mayhem on the Dutch Bulb Fields...Tour manager Fiona Mason's first assignment turns into a nightmare. As if coping with difficult passengers were not enough, one of them disappears in mysterious circumstances. Suddenly a full-scale investigation is in swing headed by the autocratic Peter Montgomery-Jones who doesn't make Fiona's job any easier. The missing man was undercover on the trail of diamond smugglers. When his body turns up Fiona must face the fact that she has a murder in her party. The body count quickly mounts up when they move on to Amsterdam and Fiona needs to work out which of her passengers is the killer before she becomes his next victim.If you like gripping travel mysteries set in beautiful locations with plenty of red herrings that will keep you turning the page, then join our intrepid woman sleuth on her first outing as a tour manager in the first Fiona Mason Mystery - Blood on the Bulb Fields.The Fiona Mason SeriesBook 1: Blood on the Bulb FieldsBook 2: Blood in the WineBook 3: Blood and ChocolateBook 4: Blood Hits the WallBook 5: Blood Across the DivideBook 6: Blood Flows South coming summer 2018Acclaim for Blood on the Bulb Fields'Excellent read, gripping I couldn't put it down. More like this please.''Set in Holland, this whodunit kept me guessing to the very last page. It succeeds at every level - a fast paced story full of suspense with lots of twists and turns - the tension relieved by light touches of humour - beautifully described background bringing back memories of Keukenhof, Delft and Amsterdam - and superb characterization. Peter Montgomery-Jones is a modern day Mr Darcy - half the time you want to kick him in the shins but you can't help loving him and the merry widow Gloria is a joy.''Wonderful stuff in true Cranswick style. This first book introducing Fiona Mason is great. I just love the way that we are taken on a tour of The Netherlands; the descriptions of the parks, towns and the wonderful profusions of colour really makes the reader 'see' the settings; even without the murders and mayhem, it's a great read. (And if blood is good for growing grapes, perhaps it's good for tulips too!)Fiona is a character with whom the reader can identify. She is a lady bravely getting on with life after the death of her beloved husband of many years. Feeling out of her depth but determined to make a go of her new job, she embarks with her coach load of people, taking them on a tour to The Netherlands. Even before they have got across the channel there is a dead man on the ferry. So begins the crime mystery, and it's all about diamond smuggling and murder with Fiona trying to keep some semblance of order and calm with all this going on around the Super Sun coach party.''I loved the concept - a novice tour leader for a trip to the Netherlands finds herself embroiled in a web of cross-channel smuggling, intrigue, and murder.Great character in Fiona Mason, and many interesting secondary characters. Lots of local colour as the group pass through the major tourist sites of Holland. The novel has many twists and turns, with an ending I wasn't expecting. If you like murder mysteries, especially ones set in exotic locales, you'll love 'Blood on the Bulb Fields'.'