Series: Julia Bird Mysteries #4
Publication Date: 03rd August 2023
Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery
3.8 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining
Julia Bird and her friends from Berrywick decide to take part in the local quiz competition. The Agatha Quizteam soon starts to win, thanks to the team members with diverse talents. Local DI Hayley Gibson and Constable Lillian Carson are in another team with equally talented members.
However, an accident puts Hayley in bed with a broken leg, and Lillian is stabbed to death a week later. Superintendent Grave from the regional office takes over the investigation, focusing on Lillian’s professional life. There seem to be a few suspects, even if none of them might be the killer. With a few strange events occurring in the village, Julia wonders if they got it all wrong.
It’s time for Julia and Hayley (with some help) to connect the dots and find the killer before more lives are at risk.
The story comes from Julia’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
Though this is book #4 in the series, it can be read as a standalone, as there is enough backstory for the subplots. The book balanced between mystery and subplots to set the stage for the next one.
Jake, the adorable chocolate lab, is now an adolescent pup but just as naughty and excited for food. He becomes friends with Julia’s bossiest chicken, Henny Penny, which leads to some funny moments in her house.
There’s a little more of Hayley in this book, though she is on leave due to a broken leg. We see a bit of her personal life too. I love Hayley’s energy and how her restlessness and helplessness are portrayed when she is not in a position to solve Lillian’s death. Lillian is her friend and colleague, which makes it even harder for her to sit and do nothing.
Jim, the journalist, makes an appearance, too, and does his bit with Julia in digging up certain information. Sean has a relatively lesser presence, but he wasn’t necessary anyway, so it works well for the plot.
The book artfully tackles the topic of older women and relationships. Societal expectations, assumptions, and how Julia, despite being a smart and good-looking woman, is almost invisible to the common public due to her age (she is around 60).
We also see how Julia’s character changes from being a city person to a villager with a kitchen garden, chicken coop, part-time job, and countless activities. Her journey from someone who disliked cooking to someone who enjoys trying new recipes occurs steadily.
The mystery has a couple of tracks. One is the arsonist Lillian is trying to nab. The other is Lillian’s murder. Then there seem to be break-ins in a couple of houses. There could possibly be an ex-convict out for revenge. Are all these events related? What’s happening in Berrywick?
I could, as usual, connect the dots. But then Julia and others have lives to lead (how annoying), which delayed the mystery (not really, the book is fast-paced). Finally, they do what they should do and solve the case. Tada! There’s a wee bit of action, though the focus is more on introspection of the crimes and the reasons behind them.
The personal tracks have some interesting developments. Julia sure has a few occasions to look forward to in the coming book. I’m curious to see how that will go (coz there’s bound to be another murder).
To summarize, Murder at the Inn is a solid continuation of the series and a good entertainer. I enjoyed the mystery and Jake’s antics. Pick it up if you want a lighthearted read with the right touch of emotions and introspection.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #MurderattheInn
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