Publication May 16, 2023
What's a sleuth to do when one of their prime suspects is murdered, too? That's just one of the problems facing Flora and Jack this go-round. I was pleased that we seemed to be getting more of the story through Jack's eyes this time, with Flora unusually rattled by the death of a man she considered a friend, Percy Milburn. Given the vandalism to some beloved objects and, well, Flora is having a rough go of it. That's even without all the not-so-subtle hints that many expect to see Jack and her wed soon.
So, who killed Percy, a man determined to make changes to stubbornly unchanging Abbeymead? Honestly, I didn't see this one coming. Was it Sir Frederick, whose decision to sell a piece of proper started the whole mess, or maybe his nephew Piers who has his own ideas of what should be done with the same property? Or maybe the ambitious Colin, who stood to gain a fortune? Surely not sweet, mild mannered Minnie, Percy's maid? Or one of the many citizens who are rankled by Percy's plan to build a hostel and, in their minds, bring the wrong kind of people to Abbeymead? Most seem content that Abbeymead remain the same forever.
There's great deal going on in this installment. I've read the series from the beginning and have enjoyed watching the relationship between Jack and Flora develop. Hmm, will that mysterious letter push it along or throw more obstacles in the way? Well, like finding dead bodies isn't distraction enough. Oddly enough, one my favorite things about the duo is that they've proven to be fallible. That makes them all the more human in my eyes. Jack's willingness to go the extra mile to make Flora happy is definitely sweet and I'm rooting for him.
Thanks #NetGalley and #Bookouture for inviting me back to Abbeymead. Life was both more difficult yet more simple in so many ways in 1957.
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