Publication Feb. 16, 2024
Ah, the good ol' days. The days where when you stumbled across a dead body, instead of taking out a cell phone and calling for help, you had to leave the body and go summon the police in person. The days when crime scene photos were actually sketches, at least in small villages like Westleham Village. Cameras were too expensive for small town police, thus a rarity. A time when old stories connected to an old bridge clouded investigations and thoughts. Has Lover's Leap claimed another victim?
It's 1948, England. Westleham Village, to be exact. Ration books are still the norm. People have learned to make do with the bare necessities. It's also a time where gossip and everyone knowing your business can be both a blessing and curse. For Martha Miller, frequently the topic of gossip, it's definitely been both. After her husband simply disappeared, rumor had it that they'd find his body buried in her garden. Only now was she beginning to make inroads with friendships and trust, both of which were challenging as she and the local vicar, Luke, developed feelings for each other. Since she's still technically married, this is a bit of a scandal. It seems that despite her husband deserting her, she can't file for a divorce for three years. At this time, the idea of a small town vicar being involved with a divorcee was considered scandalous, not to mention that Martha's husband, Stan, would have to be missing for seven years before he'd be declared officially dead. That's a long time to wait when romantic feelings are kicking up. To be honest, I found myself as entranced with the chasm keeping Luke and Martha apart as I was the murder. That they work together so well as sleuths only upped their time together and, of course, the tension.
So, was it murder? Or was it suicide? After all, it did happen near the bridge dubbed Lover's Leap. Why did the victim rush out of the building so suddenly? Was it that he saw his supposed girl friend with a bouquet of flowers? Where did they come from? Are the rumors right that she'd been seeing two different men? Could the victim's rival had offed him to leave a clear path to his romantic target? What does the sudden, unexpected presence of Luke's father mean? It isn't like they're close. Will the partnership Martha and he have formed to sleuth....as "just friends" .... create more problems for Martha and his relationship? Hey, it's a small village. Gossip flourishes. What problems does a shirt left behind create? Why is Martha so fixated on using lavender tea? Why do you have to be in line early to claim even a loaf of bread at the store? How do Martha's friends both help and, occasionally, distract the investigation?
Who .... oh, way too many teasers. Despite the charmingly quaint slow pace of the plot, the story is an intriguing one. The characters are interesting, even aggravating at times, and, hey, Lizzie the dog is a delight. While we tend to fantasize how wonderful it might be to live in a small British village, it's clear that there is more to Westleham than meets the eye. Makes me curious to see what comes next, not to mention how the author will solve the problem of bringing Martha and Luke together at some point. Sit back with a hot cup of tea (not lavender), prop up your feet, and prepare to enjoy the somewhat leisurely trail to the conclusion which, quite frankly, kept me guessing until the very end. That reveal was rather a long, zig-zagging one, I must admit. Thanks #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for giving me this sneak peek. It's rather fun to slow down and enjoy a visit to village life circa 1948.
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