Murder at Primrose Cottage by Merryn Allingham

Murder at Primrose Cottage by Merryn Allingham

Flora Steele Mystery #3 (Standalone)
Publication Date: 18th March 2022

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery 

4 Stars 

One-Liner: Cozy mystery when you don’t want to tax your grey cells. 

*****

Jack and Flora are back again in the third installment of the series. The duo arrives in Cornwall to research Jack’s book and enjoy the sights in the country. However, Flora stumbles over a dead body right behind the cottage they rented, that too on the very next day of their arrival. 

Now, Flora cannot resist a mystery, more so since the local police seem to be doing nothing. Jack wants to work on his book, though he manages to assist Flora and get some research done. When the reason for the crime forks into the past (the time of WWII) and the victim’s personal life, it’s up to Flora and Jack to find the actual cause of the crime and identify the killer. 

Of course, the killer is on guard and has attempted to attack the duo more than once. The duo needs to keep themselves safe and unearth the killer. A tough task in a different country, isn’t it? 

My Observations: 

• It’s a small book (268 pages) and has a steady pace throughout. Moreover, it reads well as a standalone (and there isn’t too much information dump about the previous books). 
• The writing in this one felt a little different (I found way too many adverbs), though the tone hasn’t changed. 
• The characters are pretty much black and white. If you want layered and complex characters, this is not the book. But if you want something that adheres to the cozy mystery checklist, pick this book. 
• The descriptions of places in Cornwall were beautiful. I enjoyed the scenic beauty of the locations. 
• The mystery is neither strong nor weak. I guessed the killer more on instinct, though the clues confirmed my guess soon enough. 
• There are no unexpected twists, no melodrama, or heavy stuff. There’s some progress in the personal track, but it’s limited to one character. 
• The book ends with a sort of bait to keep the reader guessing about what the next book will be about, which I rather liked. The current case is complete, and the new one will start fresh in the next one. 

To Sum up, Murder at Primrose Cottage is a good continuation of the series and works well as a breather between heavy reads. Pick it up if you want a cozy mystery that doesn’t require too much effort to read. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

#NetGalley #MurderatPrimroseCottageAFloraSteeleMysteryBook3