Series: Flora Steele Mystery #10
Publication Date: 20th Nov 2024
Purchase Link: https://geni.us/B0D12DYX12social
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216955883-murder-in-an-english-castle
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining!
Book Blurb:
It’s time to rewrite history with
amateur detectives Flora Steele and Jack Carrington as they are called to a
castle to unearth the clues of a murder most medieval…
Sussex, 1959:
The sun is shining on the breathtaking castle as the Abbeymead
Historical Society prepares their re-enactment of the Battle of Lewes. But
the fun ends abruptly when council worker Alex Vicary falls to his death
from the castle ramparts. A shadowy figure runs from the scene, but Alex was a
beloved member of the community… who could possibly want him dead?
As Flora and Jack investigate further, they dig up
troubles Alex kept buried from those closest to him. Perhaps he was pushed by
his money-hungry landlord, Larry Morton, who was trying to sell Alex’s
home? Or maybe his oldest and shiftiest friend, Bruce Sullivan, who
gambled away the money Alex loaned him? Or could it be his wide-eyed new
girlfriend, Diane Croft, who dodges questions about Alex’s death, and
hides presents from another suitor?
But when Flora discovers an engagement ring among
Alex’s possessions, she is stunned to learn that his relationship with Diane
was more serious than everyone thought. With whispers of another man fighting
for Diane’s heart, were the battle lines drawn for love?
Then the body of a second member of the society is
found, and the pair realize time is running out. Will history repeat itself
with yet another death? Or can Flora and Jack catch their killer before the
medieval murderer bids them both adieu?
A totally compelling and absolutely
charming cozy mystery novel. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin, and Joy
Ellis will adore this unputdownable series!
***
My Thoughts:
The story comes in Flora and Jack’s third-person POVs.
Though the book works as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the previous two books to get a better idea of the characters and their friendship with others in the story.
Flora and Jack have gotten into a rhythm, dividing
their days between Lewes and Abbeymead. While it is not all flowers and roses,
things are decent and soon they can go on their honeymoon to Venice (possibly
the next book).
The recurring side characters in the series do their
bit here too. Alice is grumbling but efficient. Kate is busy with her baby girl
and the diner. Inspector Alan has too much paperwork and not enough time.
The side drama is handled without too much conflict
or unwanted displays of emotion, though we can feel the tension between the
characters. There’s just enough to make things a bit uncomfortable for some of
them. All a part of life!
The mystery begins right away with the murder in the
prologue. The details are revealed in stages and the suspect list grows/
changes accordingly. It’s Flora who does the majority of the work this time.
Jack is less involved though he does manage to step in when absolutely
necessary. Maybe in the next book, he’ll get back to proper sleuthing.
To summarize, Murder in an English Castle is an easy
cozy mystery with some history, secrets, danger, and dead bodies. As always,
the book is fairly short and has a steady pace. Looking forward to the next
one!
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for eARC.
#NetGalley
***
About the Author – 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 cosy 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.
Follow the Author:
Website: https://merrynallingham.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MerrynWrites
X (Twitter): 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 has been a pitstop on the blog tour for
#MurderInAnEnglishCastle by Bookouture (@bookouture). Thank you for stopping
by!
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