Murder at the Village Fair (Miss Underhay #13), by Helena Dixon

 

Publication Aug. 10, 2023

Oh, a fair! How fun! An elephant! Let's go!"

Seriously, it was that easy for me to fall into the leisurely pace of Kitty's world. In the hustle and bustle and tech dominated world of today, I found it strangely easy to settle into a more simple time of 1935 when not everyone is tied to a cell phone or computer. A time where one has time to take a leisurely walk and enjoy the birds flitting around and chirping, the bees buzzing, and simply enjoy the aromas floating from the flowers dancing in the gentle breeze. But, then, drat, someone had to go and kill Madama ZaZa.

Kitty and Matt are enjoying a bit of a belated honeymoon while staying with his aunt, Euphemia, known to friends and family as Effie. She's delighted to have them, especially since they're just in time for the annual village fair. It has an eastern theme this year and Kitty is excited to have an opportunity to see an elephant. They've just begun to look around when their little dog, Bertie, escapes and leads them to a fortune teller's tent. Inside, oh, dear, they find Madama ZaZa, who is dead. As it turns out, they met her earlier in her real world persona of Miss Crowther who seems to get most of her insight from being snoopy, not some magical power. It doesn't take long for Matt and Kitty to be drawn into the investigation. 

I won't detail the plot further except to say there are several suspects as well as sub-plots in the story. Needless to say, they are lead on wild goose chases by several red herrings, too, although not all are without meaning. Everyone has secrets. From the highest to the lowest amongst us, we all have secrets we don't want others to know. Our hopes and dreams and expectations may not align with those others have for us, either, complicating lives. Let's face it, in small towns everyone frequently knows everyone else's business.

Bottom line, I thoroughly enjoyed the more leisurely pace of this one. It's another world, yes, but the author brings the characters, both major and minor, to life nicely. Heck, you may even find yourself warming up to the elephant. Thanks #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to tag along with Kitty and Matt to the fair and hang out at Effie's. Looking forward to my next visit.