The Armchair Detectives On Holiday
- Judith D Collins
- Jun 17
- 5 min read
The Armchair Detective Mysteries #2
By: Matt Dunn
ISBN: 978-1805505747
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 06/22/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
Martin and Albie are jetting off for some sun and sangria. But they didn’t bank on finding a body on the beach…
Fresh from their last case at Twilight Lodge, Martin and Albie reward themselves with a relaxing trip to the sun-soaked island of Menorca, joined by Martin’s daughter Dionne and beloved pug, Custard.
But when they head down to breakfast one morning, they happen upon a panicked husband reporting his wife, bestselling author Karen Squires, missing. Soon afterwards they’re shocked to discover Karen’s body on the beach.
Local police call it a tragic accident: one look at the broken safety fence on the cliffs above suggests Karen fell. But the victim’s perfectly-manicured nails tells Martin that this was no accident. She was pushed.
Back at the hotel, the duo discover that Karen was running a retreat for writers, all of whom seem shocked by her untimely passing. But which one of them may have had a motive for murder? Was a fellow writer jealous of her success? Did her devoted husband feel sidelined?
As they hunt for clues, they realise that the answer may be found in one of Karen’s bestsellers and luckily for them, Albie’s girlfriend, Barbara, is her number one fan. A killer is hiding in plain sight. But to get to them, can they separate the fact from the fiction before it’s too late?
A totally gripping and heart-warming cozy mystery. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood, Jesse Q. Sutanto and Only Murders in the Building.
The Armchair Detectives series:
THE ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES #1
THE ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES ON HOLIDAY #2
My Review
"A laugh-out-loud summer whodunit where two septuagenarian ex-spies trade retirement home tea for Mediterranean murder."
In THE ARMCHAIR DETECTIVES ON HOLIDAY, bestselling author Matt Dunn returns with #2 in The Armchair Detective Mysteries. The story hinges on a pair of octogenarian former intelligence operatives facing immense physical and technological hurdles to solve a suspicious clifftop death. Retired secret agents vs. a jealous writers' retreat killer.
Elevator Pitch
Fresh off their first investigation, two octogenarian ex-spies jet off to the sun-soaked island of Menorca for a relaxing getaway, only to find themselves trading sangria for sleuthing when a bestselling author is found dead at the bottom of a cliff.
Setting
The story is set in the present day on the scenic Mediterranean island of Menorca, Spain. The narrative primarily unfolds within a beautiful resort hotel hosting an exclusive writers' retreat, defined by its steep coastal cliffs, sun-bleached beaches, and hidden balcony views.
Vibe
Lighthearted, witty, and deeply nostalgic. It perfectly blends the charming, laugh-out-loud humor of a classic British cozy mystery with the sharp, underlying tradecraft of an old-school spy thriller.
Genre: Cozy Mystery / Comedic Crime Fiction / Amateur Sleuth.
Themes
~Aging and Relevance:
~The Analog-Digital Divide
~Jealousy and Ambition
~Unbreakable Alliances:
MARTIN & ALBIE: THE RE-ACTIVATED DUO
Turning retirement-age physical limitations and old tradecraft into an investigative superpower.
Standout Characters
~Martin: The eighty-something widower protagonist; a sharp-eyed ex-government agent whose lack of modern tech savvy is balanced by his master observation skills.
~Albie: Martin's wheelchair-bound former nemesis and intelligence partner, matching Martin's wit with stubborn grit.
Author Writing Standout
Dunn's background in sharp, character-driven comedy, romance, and contemporary fiction shines through in his meticulous, highly empathetic rendering of Martin's first-person perspective. He completely avoids reducing the octogenarians to cardboard caricatures, writing their everyday physical logistics, witty banter, and genuine grief over lost time with striking, tactile realism.
Takeaway
True investigative genius doesn't rely on algorithms or modern gadgetry; the most deceptive puzzles are cracked by an observational eye that knows how to look past surface assumptions.
Title Significance
The Armchair Detectives on Holiday acts as a playful, subverted nod to the duo's new reputation. It highlights that even when these senior citizens actively attempt to leave their investigative work behind for a vacation, crime has a funny way of following them wherever they go.
Metaphor
The broken clifftop safety fence serves as the central metaphor of the novel. It represents the deceptive boundary between a tragic, accidental slip and a calculated, intentional murder—mirroring the hidden cracks in the writers' retreat profiles that the duo must push through to catch a killer.
Why You Should Read
Read this if you are a fan of heart-filled, laugh-out-loud cozy mysteries like The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, or if you want a fast-paced, multi-generational whodunit with an incredibly sharp, endearing senior cast and a beautifully rendered vacation backdrop.
My Thoughts
A hilarious, sun-soaked British cozy mystery. The novel succeeds beautifully in building lighthearted tension. The Menorca holiday setting is perfectly captured—not just in its aesthetics, but in the heavy comedic friction of Martin adjusting to modern travel and technology. Both Martin and Albie are highly memorable leads; their old-school banter and sheer stubbornness make their bond incredibly grounded.
Verdict: 4 / 5 Stars
"A charming, completely addictive British cozy mystery that pairs senior spy tradecraft with a laugh-out-loud holiday whodunit."
Recs
~The Armchair Detectives by Matt Dunn (for the duo's signature, five-star retirement home debut)
~The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (for another exceptional, high-wit mystery focusing on senior citizens out-thinking a killer)
~The Spy Coast, The Summer Guests, The Shadow Friends The Martini Club Series by Tess Gerritsen.
Special thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: June 22, 2026
June 2026 Must-Read Books
My Review:
About the Author
Matt Dunn is the author of fifteen comedy novels, including the bestselling The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook (which was shortlisted for both the Romantic Novel of the Year Award and the Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance), A Day at the Office (one of Amazon's Top Editor Picks for 2013, and a #1 bestseller across several categories), and 13 Dates (shortlisted for the RNA Comedy of the Year). He's also written about life, love, and relationships for various publications including The Times, Guardian, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Company, Elle, and The Sun.
His latest novel, The Armchair Detectives, is the first in a new comedic cozy mystery series.
Previously, he's worked as a professional lifeguard, fitness-equipment salesman, and most recently, an I.T. head-hunter (where his success in re-writing other people's CVs made him think he might have a talent for fiction), but he prefers writing novels for a living, so please keep buying his books! WEBSITE
