Series: Morwenna Mutton Mystery #1
Publication Date: 07th August 2023
Genre: Small Town Cozy Mystery
3.5 Stars
One Liner: A decent start to a new cozy mystery series
Set in a sleepy small town, the book introduces Morwenna Mutton, a sexagenarian librarian and wild swimming enthusiast. She loves cycling to work and enjoys spending time with her 80+ mother, 28yo daughter, and 5yo granddaughter.
When a local businessman Alex, who wants to buy her family Tea Room is found dead, Morwenna knows she needs to go sleuthing and solve the case. After all, DI Rick Tremayne doesn’t seem to know how to handle it effectively. Can Morwenna find the killer, or will she end up as one of the victims?
The story comes from Morwenna’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
I love cozy mysteries and enjoyed a couple of the author’s other books before, so this seemed a great choice to add to my list. While the book isn’t fab, it does have some merits and might grow into a better series.
Morwenna is a gusty 60+ woman with silvery wild hair and colorful dresses. She cycles her way through the village and hills, even if the upward journey is getting harder. After all, nothing like cycling and wild swimming to stay fit. Her family comes first, and we see it throughout the book.
I love the concept of wild swimming and wasn’t aware it was a thing. Swimming in cold sea/ ocean waters once a week is sure to revitalize the senses (apparently, it also has other health benefits). This aspect is seamlessly woven into the plot and Morwenna’s arc.
The setting is broodingly beautiful while presenting the harsh realities of not having enough business during the off-season. After all, it’s not easy to survive in the cold winters without enough money from the business.
The Mutton ladies (Lamorna, Morwenna, and Tamsin) have different personalities yet common traits. Of course, Elowen, Tamsin’s daughter (5+ yo), has the best of all three. That girl is smart, outspoken, and determined. She’s the cutest addition in the book with Oggy, her invisible dog, and Oggy Two, her purple plush toy.
Raun, Morwenna’s ex-husband, a fisherman, is a sweet guy. Can the two find a way to sort out their issues, or will they remain polite friends? I love that he does a lot of cooking in the book and takes care of his family even though they no longer live together.
The central mystery was decent, if not great. The criminal is easy to identify with all the clues provided, and I’m glad we don’t have any unexpected twists. There are a couple of things left to explain but nothing major.
The side characters are interesting, even if a bit stereotypical. The DI is pretty much useless, but PC Jane has a sound mind. I wish she gets more space in the subsequent books. I also like the other inspector who arrives in the last quarter. He should definitely be a recurring character. Not that I’d mind DI Rick being put in place by the Mutton ladies.
There’s a side track with a lady ghost in the library where Morwenna works morning shifts. Is it really a ghost or a living being? The reveal is predictable but still fun.
There are a few Cornish words (bewty, bleddy, derckly, etc.). They were easy enough to guess (with explanations for others). I like how it brought a native touch to the dialogue.
The book has a couple of action scenes too. Morwenna sure shows she can deal with some physical attacks, though I hope she doesn’t have too many injuries through the series.
To summarize, Foul Play at Seal Bay is a medium-paced cozy mystery plus family drama set in a Cornish village. While the book has much to offer, the spark is missing (the reason for not rounding it to 4 stars). However, the series has potential, and I’ll read the second book to see how it goes.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #FoulPlayatSealBay
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