Agnes Sharp and the Trip of a Lifetime

Swann follows The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp with another playful cozy centered on the octogenarian residents of Sunset Hall, former policewoman Agnes Sharp’s family home in the tiny English village of Duck End. When kooky Sunset Hall housemate and former Secret Service agent Edwina Singh wins a trip to the Cornwall coast, her housemates follow along, both because they’re going stir-crazy in Duck End and because they want to ensure Edwina stays out of trouble. Shortly after the group arrive at their hotel, Agnes notices two strange figures near the cliffs at the edge of the property. She looks away for a moment, and when she turns back, one of them has disappeared from sight. Though she’s worried someone may have been pushed to their death, Agnes follows her friends’ advice and puts the episode out of her mind. Then a storm isolates the group in Cornwall, more bodies start piling up, and Agnes’s cohort once again transform into intrepid gumshoes. The familiar setup produces entertaining results, with the highlight being Swann’s lively, well-rounded cast of senior sleuths. For cozy readers, this series hits all the right notes. Agent: Astrid Poppenhusen, Poppenhusen Agency. (Sept.)