The Witchy Storyteller: The Venice Murders by Merryn Allingham

Series: Flora Steele Mystery #11

Publication Date: 09th May 2025

Purchase Link:

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221635256-the-venice-murders

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery

3.8 Stars

One Liner: Time-traveled to Venice in the late 1950s

Book Blurb:

Amateur detective and bookshop owner Flora Steele and her dashing new husband Jack Carrington are finally embarking on the honeymoon of a lifetime. But will gorgeous gondola rides be ruined by their most heart-stopping case ever?

Venice, 1959: As Flora and Jack step onto the beautiful, historic streets of Venice, they vow to put sleuthing aside to finally enjoy their honeymoon. But on their very first sun-soaked morning, whilst enjoying sparkling wine and mouthwatering pastries, they’re interrupted when hotel receptionist, Franco Mancini, is discovered floating face-down in the Grand Canal.

Remembering poor Franco’s kind demeanor when they checked into the Cipriani Hotel, Flora quickly realizes that her honeymoon phase is she must solve the case. She saw a hot-headed restaurant owner arguing with Franco the night he died. Could their mysterious argument have gone too far? Or could it have been Franco’s jilted ex-fiancée, Bianca, who acted so coldly at news of his death? Was it a crime of passion that sent him tumbling into the waters?

When Flora learns from a priest that a priceless painting has disappeared from his church along with his elderly housekeeper, she begins to marry together the clues that will lead her to a dangerous family that will stop at nothing to get their revenge. Will Flora and Jack crack the case before the killer claims another victim? Or will it be ‘death do us part’ for this crime-solving couple?

A completely gripping and totally charming cozy murder mystery novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin, and J.R. Ellis!

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My Thoughts:

The story comes in Flora and Jack’s third-person POVs.

This is the eleventh book in the series and should work as a standalone, though it’ll help to read a couple of previous ones to get an idea about the sleuthing couple.

I wish the official blurbs weren’t so detailed or elaborate. We don’t need to know that much before starting a mystery. I say, read the first paragraph and leave the other two.

This was an interesting book. Firstly, the lead pair is on their honeymoon, a delayed one, too! Naturally, Jack doesn’t want to go around sleuthing and flirting with danger. I admit to empathizing with him more, though he doesn’t hesitate when the time comes.

I normally like Flora's attitude. Her desire for justice is noteworthy, and she’s got the brain for it. Even her hunches tend to be correct most of the time. However, she managed to annoy me a few times here. She needs a full-time job now that her shop has an assistant.

The mysteries are quite good! There are quite a few twists and turns as new information is revealed, and it’s hard to determine who speaks the truth.

Of course, we get a tour of Venice, but from 1959, so it’s more beautiful, less crowded, and has an old-world charm. Though the city has signs of war and destruction, it is relatively less polluted.

And yes, there’s loads of food too. As Jack says, why go to Italy if you don’t enjoy food? Though I’m sad they skipped dessert a few times after the meals. How could you do that? Dessert is compulsory!

The book ends with a potential lead for the next one. There’s a mysterious new entry in Abbeymead, and people are gossiping about him. How is he? Maybe we’ll know in book #12!

To summarize, The Venice Murders is an entertaining read set in a beautiful city. While it does feel a bit formulaic, it is still a decent addition to the series.

Thank you, Sarah, NetGalley, and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley

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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 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.

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

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This has been a pitstop on the blog tour for #TheVeniceMurders by Bookouture (@bookouture). Thank you for stopping by!