I'm not quite sure what drew me to this book. Probably a combo of the dog and the unexpected idea of the amateur detectives being expectant mothers. In any case, despite a slow start, once it kicked in it was a fun, interesting read. Think families, unfamiliar territory, and trying to fit in and make new friends....all while near your delivery day. Set in a Cotswold village, transplanted Londoners Alice and Joe have a lot to learn about life in the country. A learning curve made all the steeper when they find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation. Only married a year,They're about to learn a great deal about each other.
The book is populated by some quirky, unique characters. Think New Age and Hippies, with herbals and crystals and....oh, you get my drift. It took me a bit to sort out who was who, must admit, perhaps because I was initially distracted by the name droppings of so many obviously British brand names and services. Toss in that Alice, our narrator, is what I'd kindly refer to as scattered and hormonal and things were a bit confused in my mind for a bit. I did like the characters, however, once I began to differentiate them. True, I found my eyes growing tired as I rolled them at Alice's scattered thoughts and thought patterns, but she was quite likable. Joe seemed remote initially but took on a bigger role as the story picked up steam. It'll take you through not just picturesque Penton, the Cotswold village they decide to move to sight-unseen, but into commune life in the area. And, oh, then there's Helen. She's gorgeous but, well, to be polite, not the smartest dog around. Yes, Helen is Alice and Joe's frequently mayhem prone dog. It seemed like almost every time Alice got a text to meet someone somewhere, "Don't bring Helen" was added. That is rather telling. You'll keep wondering how she'll do when the baby arrives.
So, whodunit? I'm not going to detail the plot because it'd give away too much. Let's just say, finding a dead body at the local antenatal class was not on any of the women's to-do lists. And that is just the beginning. Could it have been one of them? Being very pregnant can't rule out being a murderer, can it? Why was the victim killed? What connection does he have to anything? The woman, strangers until they are brought together by their common pregnancies, are nicely characterized and offer up both humor and information. Why do they wind up visiting a commune? A birthing hut? Oh, my, that visit may be intense. But, there's a murderer out there. Who did it? Who has a....oh, enough teasers. It's a fun read and you'll enjoy it extra much if you happen to be pregnant (or remember those days) and/or British, but once you get past the, to me, overuse of British name brands and such, it's an easy, even humorous read at times. These women not only become friends, they're not bad sleuths, even if their bellies slow them down. Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for introducing me to them. I can't wait to see who gets up to what next.
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