The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley - Book Review

The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley

Genre: Rural Mystery, Police Procedural 

3.8 Stars 

One Liner: Elaborate but engaging 

*****

There has been a death at the Fleat House in St Stephen, a private boarding school in Norfolk. The Chief gets Detective Inspector Jazmine (Jazz) to work on the case. Jazz takes up reluctantly. After all, she has just moved to Norfolk and pretty much left her job with the Yard. 

The case should have been easy but isn’t as things start to happen around them. More suspects join the list as Jazz and her Sergeant Miles try to fill the gaps. Life gets complicated when personal issues force Jazz to divide her attention between her life and the case. It doesn’t help that she has to deal with some pricks from her near past. 

With so much happening, can Jazz uncover the truth and find the killer before it’s too late? 

The story comes in third person POV. 

The author wrote the book in 2006. It was published posthumously in May 2022. 

My Observations: 

I’ve read only one book by the author but understood that she liked elaborate plots. This one is no different. Multiple tracks run in parallel, though some are not connected to the main plot. 

The pacing is slow to medium, with no progress in some places. Things happen on and off, which is probably because the book wasn’t thoroughly edited (as mentioned in the foreword). 

Jazz is a great character, and it saddens me to think she may not have more books. I love the multiple shades in her arc.

The story is set in 2005/ 2006 and uses modern technology but has a historical feel to it. It suits the laidback Norfolk setting and keeps things authentic.  

This isn’t exactly a cozy mystery or fully police procedural. It’s a blend of two, which I find very interesting. 

I guessed most of the twists (including the murder), but I like books where my guesses are correct, so that’s a bonus. It means the plot is logical (or as much as it can be). ;) 

To sum up, The Murders at Fleat House is an engaging mystery with an elaborate plot and a capable main lead. I enjoyed this one. 

Thank you, NetGalley and AuthorBuzz, for the eARC.  

#NetGalley