Murder in Westminster Abbey (The Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries, #3), by Michelle Salter

 

Publication December 2, 2026

The coronation of a new king manages to put the law and suffragettes on the same side for awhile. Well, temporarily. Not only does Coral Fairbanks find herself roped into a photo stunt by the group's leaders but, of course, there's a murder. As it turns out, it's even someone both she and Detective Guy Flynn both know.  Raymond Devereux owned the art studio next to the one where Coral works and past readers may remember his name from a story of "was it or wasn't it a forged painting?" Sadly, his body is found in Westminster Abbey's Pyx Chamber, named for the boxes once used to store and carry gold and silver coins. We actually get a lovely tour of the Westminster grounds via both the eyes of those who work there and starry eyed guests visiting for the first time. The blending of the fictional stories and historical landmarks and events is part of the fun for me with this series, I must admit. 

In any case, the grandeur of the site and activities involving the new King George and Queen Mary's coronation and the overall sense of joy and, in a sense, hopefulness, is barely dented by the murder. Guy was part of the protection for the king but quickly finds himself pulled into the murder investigation. This is when things get bumpy for his relationship with Coral. While Guy actually supports women's right to vote, he's wary of his daughter Teresa's growing interest in joining the movement and bothered to realize how many secrets Coral has been keeping from him. As Coral is coming to learn, keeping secrets, not just your own but for those close to you, can create problems. And, that's about all I'm going to say about the plot other than that given the era it takes place, investigating (and relationships, to, apparently) do move a bit slower than many are accustomed to reading. You'll get to meet a variety of characters, including Coral's actress friend Lavender who, while not a suffragette, seems open to try just about anything. 

Bottom line, a storyline that will fascinate those who enjoy the pageantry and glamour of royals being royals, as well as how many storylines still resonate today, including women's rights slamming headfirst into the norms and legalities of the day. It even touches on the value, both sentimental and monetary of various religious items such as a cross, so commonly seen in the Westminster decor. The characters, whether you agree with their motives or not, are shown as humans, not just titles. You'll perhaps even find yourself sympathizing with Guy as he's caught between his growing affection for Coral and his expected behavior and attitude as a Scotland Yard detective, not to mention worried single father after his wife's death. Thanks #BoldwoodBooks for introducing me to this interesting group and allowing me this early read of their doings during the pomp of the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. I'm pretty sure it was him who gave the late Queen Elizabeth the nickname of Lilibet but that's a bit early for this book's time. Grin. 

Murder at Big Ben: The Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries, Book 2, by Michelle Salter

 

Publication March 30, 2026

You're about to take a deep dive back into the past. It's April 1911. About two months before the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. That's neither here nor now, though. The focus of main character Coral Fairbanks is on women's rights. As such, she's quite active in the various activities of the group, some skirting the law. That makes Coral's potentially budding relationship with Scotland Yard detective Guy Flynn a bit tough, obviously, as he's usually tasked with halting the various activities or, as some call them, stunts. In this case, a small group, including Coral, plan to sneak into Parliament and hide out overnight in order to be counted there as part of the national census to be taken the next morning.Unbeknownst to Coral, Flynn is one of the officers sent there to insure nothing is damaged. Unfortunately, property damage is a minor worry as it turns out that one of the woman who sneaks in is found dead there. Hardly a feather in the cap with three Scotland Yard detectives on site. 

That's where the story really takes off. Flynn is torn by his official rank and his sympathy toward the movement which includes his daughter Theresa's growing interest. Coral and Flynn both fight their growing attraction but she quickly falls into helping him whenever possible. Who'd have wanted to kill the vivacious, apparently charming Amy, an American married to a British man? Maybe more puzzling, how did they do it? I'm not going to spoil the plot further for you but let's just say, let's see, it includes not just the suffragette movement but a deep dive into the art world, family drama, forgery, money problems, politics, poisons, and, more. You'll also learn quite a bit about what is called providence, or proof of the authenticity of works of art and it is discerned and proven. As always, I loved the historical aspects of the story (read the author's note at the end for more on that) and enjoyed the behind the scenes look at Big Ben itself, not to mention inside the Parliament building. You'll also be privy to both Coral and Flynn's points of view, which lets you see how things are progressing when the two main characters are apart. The author makes it easier for you to keep the characters straight, btw,, by giving us a character list with a brief description of who is who up front. That was much appreciated as there are quite a few characters.

Bottom line, a fun, relatively quick moving plot. And, nope, I didn't figure it out until the big reveal. I was so sure I had it, too. Good use of red herrings and twists and turns by the author to make it all make sense at the end. The characters were nicely fleshed out and largely likeable. Heck, I felt sympathy for the eventual killer, too, always a sign of good writing. And, oh, yes, seriously liked the ending. Nice to see the romances, yes, plural, moving forward. Thanks #BoldwoodBooks for introducing me to this series and continuing to allow me an early glimpse of Coral's complicated life through the virtual time machine. Looking forward to their next adventure, hopefully without Flynn having to arrest Coral for... well, whatever.