Series: Flora Steele Mystery #7 (standalone)
Publication Date: 30th Oct 2023
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0C53HLVP6social
4 Stars
One Liner: A little slow but entertaining
Book Blurb
Join bookshop owner Flora Steele and
handsome writer Jack Carrington as they set off on a French adventure and solve
a chilling crime!
Jack is stunned to receive a call from his estranged mother, Sybil,
asking him to drop everything and come to France. Together with Flora,
his fellow sleuth, they pack their suitcases, dreaming of fragrant lavender
fields and freshly baked pain au chocolat. It’s only when they arrive that they
discover the shocking truth – Sybil’s friend was killed on a street in Paris,
and she is desperate for their help.
The case leads them to a picturesque village in the south of France where life
should be rosé, but even the bright blue skies can’t hide the fact that
something is very wrong. And the mystery only deepens when Flora discovers that
Sybil was in fact the intended target. Who would want her out of the way?
Perhaps Sybil’s relationship with wealthy Italian count Massimo Falconi has
something to do with it. His darling daughter Allegra, ruthless
business partner Pascal and his jealous estranged wife Isabella all
have reasons for revenge…
Then when another person in the small French town dies in suspicious circumstances,
Flora is convinced the two untimely deaths must be connected. Just when the
case seems impossible to crack, a chess box provides an unlikely clue.
Can Flora discover the truth before Sybil meets her end? Or could
trouble in paradise spell a final au revoir for the detective duo?
A completely addictive cozy crime novel. Perfect for fans of Agatha
Christie, Faith Martin, and Joy Ellis!
My Thoughts
The story comes in the third-person POV of Flora and Jack.
The setting, especially Provence, is vivid and
beautiful to read. We get a majority of the descriptions from Flora’s POV. It
helps that this is her first visit to the country. The narration has a sense of
awe and makes it a delightful read.
Sybil is quite a character. She’s annoying and
infuriating; someone we would love to hate. Luckily, Jack and Flora know how to
deal with her tantrums (which is to let her go on until she’ll shut up).
The other characters, aka suspects, also have
definite personalities, some bordering on stereotypes. Still, this is a cozy
mystery, so it works well for the plot.
The pacing is slow due to the focus on the setting,
but I don’t mind it much. Reading about new destinations is always fun, and the
duo is a favorite of mine. We also see progress in their personal lives
(Flora’s backstory feels anticlimactic, though I suspect it’s a deliberate
choice and necessary).
The mystery has multiple elements, though if you pay
attention, it is easy to identify the actual culprit. Most questions get
answered by the end, while a couple of them are left to guess (even for the
main characters). The reveal comes in two stages, followed by a nice rounded
ending. I’m also sure we have two leads for the next book.
To summarize, Murder in a French Village is slower
but never boring. It combines mystery, emotions, and introspection to deliver
an enjoyable read. The book is a solid addition to the series, and I can’t wait
for the next one.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC.
This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #MurderinaFrenchVillage
***
Author Bio - Merryn Allingham
Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas, and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cozy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.
Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.
Website: https://merrynallingham.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MerrynWrites
X: https://twitter.com/merrynwrites
Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Merryn Allingham here:
https://www.bookouture.com/merryn-allingham
***
This is a pitstop on the Books On Tour by Bookouture. Thank you for stopping by!
A good review. It has stirred my interest in the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tomichan. :)
Delete