Book Blog Tour. How cool is that? And for a great book, with interesting characters, lots of history, and an intriguing murder to solve. Enjoy!
How far would you go to help a friend? Would you risk your own life? How much are you willing to give of yourself?
That's the situation facing Flora Steele. She's even invited Jack to help. That alone is enough to make her wary. She's been dancing around her relationship with Jack for awhile. As the book opens, however, their focus is on helping their friend Sally prepare for the grand re-opening of the Priory Hotel in Abbeymead. Everything seems to be going well until, well, it isn't. The singer of the band hired to entertain drops dead on stage in front of an audience. She's been electrocuted. The main police inspector is away and Sally, who has everything she owns tied to the success or failure of the hotel, turns to Flora and Jack for help.
As intriguing as it is to watch them set out to find the murderer, it's even more fascinating to contrast the tools available to them in 1957 to now. They are forced to rely on good ol' fashioned sleuthing, talking to people and gathering evidence that isn't always as helpful as it might be in this day and age. I mean, Jack doesn't even have a telephone in his residence yet, let alone the instant communication and reference ability a cell phone offers us today. Flora rides a bicycle she calls Betty which, a bit of research tells me wasn't that unusual in the area during the time period depicted. In fact, Abbeymead was largely green fields until nearly the 1970s and was still recovering from the damage of World War II in 1957. I also noted, excuse me detour into research, that many of the real streets had bird names, too, just as in the book. In other words, the author knows her stuff. I'll spare you my other detour into knot gardens, which are mentioned, but that mention added another element of historical reality to the setting.
As for the mystery, it seems slow going at first. Flora is reluctant not because she doesn't want to help Sally but, well, because she fears losing more of her heart to Jack if they come together to investigate. Despite this, a sense of responsibility to her friends wins out and they begin. It's slow going at first, with few clues. Jack even ventures to another town to talk to a suspect's mother, something difficult given the then fuel shortages, while Flora remains at home, asking questions and listening. She's even willing to consider Sally a suspect, however unlikely. That's what "real" detectives do, consider everyone until they can be eliminated. It takes a frustratingly long time, however. Then a second murder occurs. Eliminate one suspect.
I like Flora and Jack both apart and together. It's pretty obvious I find the setting in the Gloucestershire area, researching it a bit more each book. I find it fascinating to figuratively watch the wheels in Flora's brain spin, spinning at an almost dangerous pace as she zeroes in on the culprit. She's impulsive, yes, but Jack is right there with her.
I'm looking forward to seeing where their relationship goes from here. I'm also looking forward to not just more history of the area in future books but to seeing where the events in this book take Jake and Flora.
Thanks again, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for inviting me back into Flora's world. I think it's my ancestors from the Gloucestershire area would applaud my taste in books.
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Book Description: Join Flora Steele – bookshop owner, bicycle-rider, and amateur detective – as she faces her most puzzling case yet!
Flora is stunned by the unexpected turn of events and immediately deduces foul play. Beverly Russo was a spirited young woman with a big voice and Flora is determined to get to the bottom of her untimely demise – especially as the detective sergeant leading the investigation is so hopeless. The first clue in the extraordinary case is Beverly’s missing ruby ring…
As Flora makes her enquiries, she discovers that Beverly wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea and there’s more than one person in Abbeymead who had reason to dislike her. But who had the biggest motive: Beverly’s former beau Tommy May, jealous love rival Sally Jenner, or the local doctor who seems to be up to no good…
Then one of the suspects is found dead in the woods near the Priory Hotel. The murder weapon – a musical instrument. As the investigation reaches a high note, Flora knows she must find the culprit and make them face the music before anyone else is hurt. But will Flora’s tenacity put a dangerous spotlight on both her and Jack?
A delightful cozy crime novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis!
Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband and one last cat, Bluebell. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.
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