A bit more about Midnight, the Stars, and You: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 8

I thought I’d tell you a bit more about Midnight, the Stars, and You: Dottie Manderson mysteries book 8, which is the next book to be released: on 6th September 2025.

Here’s the blurb:

Book 8 of the Dottie Manderson mysteries finds Dottie fed up with waiting and all the fuss, and just wanting to get on with being Mrs Detective Inspector William Hardy.

An unexpected invitation could be just what she needs. How wonderful it will be to get away to a weekend house party and forget all the worries of organising the wedding! Unfortunately it’s a house party that will never be forgotten: squabbles, cliques and even unexpected death.

Of course, William, like all husbands-to-be everywhere, has no interest whatsoever in the problems of the right kind of lace or the perfect place setting. In any case, he’s got a special kind of investigation going on, as if there isn’t enough going on with jewel robberies and murder!

I hope you’re intrigued…

Here’s another little snippet for you:

Christiana led them onto the start of the rose walk, paved, weed free and smooth with no nasty traps for their heels. The rose walk was exactly that—a path edged on either side by climbing and shrub roses that meandered up a large framework that went over their heads and down the other side to create the effect of being in a tunnel with shafts of sunlight coming through here and there. Hybrid tea roses were dotted amongst the climbers, all seemingly in flower or about to flower, spilling their silken petals and sweet scent into the air. It was like being in another world.

‘Christiana, it’s exquisite!’ Dottie, fervent in her praise, wanted to run from plant to plant, sniffing every bloom and stroking every velvety petal. She’d never seen such a profusion of roses all together in one place.

But when she heard her mother say, ‘My dear Mrs Milner,’ at almost the same time, Dottie realised that she was several paces ahead of her hostess. Turning, she saw that Christiana had halted and was fumbling for a handkerchief to stem a sudden flow of tears.

‘I’m so sorry, Dottie, Mrs Manderson. I’m so silly. You’ll think me such a rabbit. Honestly. It’s so silly… I’m a fool. But it’s just that I wanted the weekend to be perfect, and then the way Sebastian was so rude to you both earlier… I can’t think what he is about. I realise he’s not feeling at his best, but really such abominable rudeness… I can’t apologise enough.’

One of them on either side of her, brows furrowed with concern, they hastened to reassure her that it didn’t matter at all, that they perfectly understood.

And then a slight movement a few feet away had the three of them glancing around.

Dottie saw there was a bench, and upon it was Mamie Cotton. She had been seated—and now she had thrown aside her shawl, notebook and pencil and was lumbering over to them in her slow, heavy manner. She dragged Christiana into a tight matronly hug, and said, in a fierce voice,

‘What’s that so-and-so done now? Really, he is the flaming limit, Chris. I don’t know why you married him, I really don’t. He’s as like flaming Harold as it’s possible to get. And he’s practically twice your age! Really, my girl!’

‘Hardly twice my age, he’s only fifteen years older than me,’ Christiana protested, but feebly, dabbing at her eyes.

But unconcerned by this detail, Mamie continued patting Christina rather forcefully on the back and telling her off about her husband.

Somehow this approach seemed to calm her, and Christiana got her weeping under control. With a final wipe of her eyes and a blow of her nose, she stepped resolutely out of Mamie’s arms. Grumbling now, but smiling too as she retorted, putting her hands up as if surrendering.

‘All right, all right. I know you never liked him, but it’s too late now so you might as well get used to it.’

‘Humpf,’ grumbled Mamie, and her doubtful look told Dottie that Mamie Cotton and Sebastian Milner were never going to be friends.

Mrs Manderson again assured Christiana that she and Dottie quite understood that a gentleman with a heavy cold was not likely to feel particularly sociable, and that Christiana should not make herself unhappy about it.

Mamie added, not very helpfully, ‘Too flaming right! Not that Seb Milner is ever in the mood for making himself pleasant to his wife’s friends.’

‘Mamie, please!’ Christiana murmured in a tone of mild reproach.

Mamie took little notice. ‘Now look here, my duck,’ she said to Christiana, ‘just you go up to your room and fix your face, before anyone wonders what’s going on, and I’ll show these two ladies the rose walk then bring ’em back to the dining-room.’

‘But…’ Christiana began then glanced at her watch. ‘Goodness,’ she yelped. ‘The gong will be sounding in less than ten minutes!’

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Intrigued? Midnight, the Stars and You will be out on 6th September in these formats: eBook, paperback, hardback and large print paperback.

The eBook is available now to pre-order only from Amazon, you can find the link here.

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