Series: Flora Steele Mystery
#12
Publication Date: 04th Sep
2025
Purchase Link: https://geni.us/B0F6Y558JXsocial
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/232435224-murder-by-firelight
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
4 Stars
One Liner: Good!
Book Blurb:
No one can hold a
candle to amateur detectives Flora Steele and Jack Carrington as they ask the
burning question… Who is the killer walking the cobbled streets of their
historic little town?
Sussex, November
1959: There’s a chill in the air at
the Lewes bonfire celebration. Carnival floats fill the narrow streets,
fireworks crackle overhead, and Flora and Jack feel the heat of
the burning torches lining the streets. But when Trevor French, chief of
the Grove Bonfire Society, tumbles from his parade float, they know something
is afoot. Trevor didn’t just fall – and amidst the crowds, his killer slips
away through the smoke-filled night.
But who would want the
respected Trevor dead? As Flora and Jack question the vying bonfire societies,
they find a surprisingly competitive underbelly at play. Did Edwin Brooker,
former chairman, stoke the flames of rivalry too far? Or are the tears of the
victim’s friend, Leo Nelson, faked to keep himself safe?
Just as the sleuths believe
they’ve figured it out, the body of a key suspect in the case is found dead on
their hearth rug, and Flora and Jack realise that no one is safe – including
themselves. Together, can they smoke the murderer out? Or will their chances
of survival go up in flames?
A completely
addictive 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.
So, we are in the twelfth book
of the series. The story can work as a standalone, though you might enjoy it
more if you read at least a couple of earlier books.
After complaining about the
FMC’s overenthusiasm in the previous books, it’s a relief to see her reluctant
to take on a new case in this one. Of course, it’s the MMC who has the itch to
know what happened. That said, they solve it together, as they often do, so all
is good.
November’s winter plays a good
role in the story and elevates the plot as well as the setting. The
descriptions of the bonfire night, the costumes, etc., are well done without
slowing the narration.
The mystery is quite
interesting, with some twists and turns and a few red herrings. I did figure
out who the killer was and the reason for it. Easy, since all the clues are
provided to the reader. We are not kept in the dark to maintain suspense.
As always, the side characters
add extra charm to the story by appearing a few times here and there. Not a lot
of developments in that area, but there are a few. Though the FMC’s clinginess
to the past could create some trouble for the couple in the future.
I think I can guess what the
next case is likely to be. Let’s see if I’ll be right!
To summarize, Murder in
Firelight is a quick cozy mystery that will keep you hooked from start to
finish. It’s a small book and can be finished in a couple of sittings.
Thank you, Sarah, NetGalley,
and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest
opinion about the book.
#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 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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