
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Kate and Simon are two amateur detectives who have each experienced a tragedy in their lives. This is their first case and was taken on when they were at a loose end, and they stumble along at first, disagreements ensue because of their different personalities. I have read a couple of Diana Febry’s horse-based mysteries in the past and this was no less enjoyable as a cozy murder mystery set in the English countryside. The pair of detectives are still forming a close relationship and the reader quickly concludes that they are ‘just friends’. There are conflicts involved that arise out of current real issues, such as the hunting ban and potential friction between ‘townies’ and the rural community, and we are unsure for much of the book whether the crime arises from these, or whether it is more personal. The miscreant is revealed well before the end but the suspense is racked up well before the conclusion, during his attempts to complete the dastardly plan he has in mind. A certain amount of introspection helps to reveal a lot more about the murderer, as well as our detectives, than we initially think we know, and the end did leave me wondering about possible romantic developments in the future. Some editing attention is needed as I found a few punctuation and indenting issues, which were distracting.
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