Retirement isn't proving at all dull for former social worker Julia Bird. She's just discovered another body. Who killed well=known author Vincent Andrews in the library? Having been the one to discover Andrews' body, Julia's intrigue with the case is probably inevitable although she does try, well, sorta try, to stay out of it.
So, who did it? Was it the wife, who he'd praised aloud during his presentation at the library to a crowd? Let's face it, the spouse is almost always a suspect. But, why would she have killed him? Or, hmm, maybe one of those unhappy locals who felt they'd been wrongly used as characters in the new book? Why did one man walk out on the presentation? Or maybe it was the attractive young publisher's assistant, Phoebe. Maybe an old flame? He did noticeably overlook one woman's attempts to ask a question during the Q/A session. Where's the murder weapon anyway? But, wait. There's a second murder? Why? Is there some unknown connection?
Why...oh, never mind, Enough teasers. Although I couldn't quite get as invested in the mystery as I'd have liked, that is probably on me, not the book. The plot moved along smoothly and it appealed to me that she's an older sleuth and has a much loved dog, Jake. So, I liked Julia, even if she did some rather impulsive things in her curiosity to solve the crime. That's rather typical of most cozy mysteries, of course, and despite not quite connecting with Julia, the mystery was an interesting one and the ending did take me by surprise. Julia's relationship with sorta-almost-boyfriend Sean was adorable, too. It'll be interesting to see it grow.
Thanks #NetGalley and #Bookouture for letting me spend a bit of time in Cotswolds with Julia and Sean, not to mention Jake. Give that dog a virtual treat!
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