Date with Betrayal (The Dales Detective Series, 7)

Review
"[Chapman] delivers an engaging twist on the lonelyhearts killer motif. [Samson and Delilah's] developing friendship and suggestions of coming scandals in Bruncliffe should leave readers eager for the sequel."--Publishers Weekly on Date with Death
"An engaging cast of characters and a cleverly clued puzzle move Chapman's debut to the top of the English village murder list."--Kirkus Reviews on Date with Death
"An atmospheric traditional mystery with a vivid sense of place and spirited characters who drive the engaging plot."--Library Journal on Date with Death
"Mystery readers who love to escape to Louise Penny's village of Three Pines will enjoy becoming acquainted with the Dales town of Bruncliffe and its quirky residents. The ongoing suspenseful story line will keep series fans hooked."--Library Journal (starred) on Date with Malice
"Chapman vividly describes Yorkshire in winter. Cozy fans looking for good, clean fun will be satisfied."--Publishers Weekly
"Well-drawn characters and a light tone make this English village mystery a particular pleasure."--Booklist
"Chapman's second entry positions her well in the world of village-life detection, with just enough puzzle, just enough romance, and more than its share of wacky villagers."--Kirkus Reviews
In the seventh novel in Julia Chapman’s Dales Detective series, betrayal is rife in the idyllic Yorkshire Dales as Samson O’Brien, owner of the Dales Detective Agency, is targeted by a hitman. Can Bruncliffe save him?
Death is coming to Bruncliffe; its target is Samson O’Brien.
Oblivious to his impending date with darkness, Samson is busy juggling a series of cases at the Dales Detective Agency. Too busy, in fact, to take the entreaties of a certain Mrs Lister seriously. The concerned mother is convinced her son Stuart – the local lettings agent at Taylor’s Estate Agents – has gone missing, despite evidence to the contrary.
But while Samson is otherwise engaged, Delilah knows what is coming. A hitman. Sent from London with one objective: silence the troublesome O’Brien once and for all before his corruption case can make it to court.
With Samson’s life in peril, Delilah has no choice but to turn to the people of Bruncliffe for help if she is to stop the hitman from achieving his objective. Only trouble is, the townsfolk have long memories and deep grievances when it comes to Samson O’Brien. They will take some convincing before they put themselves in danger in order to save him.
In a race against time, and with the life of the man she loves in the balance, Delilah will have to call on all of her connections built up over a lifetime in Bruncliffe in order to push back the darkness that is threatening to engulf the Dales town. But even that might not prove enough.