by Jessica Ellicott
Libby audiobook 9 hours
read by: Barbara Rosenblat
Published: 2017
Genre: historical murder mystery
I liked this! It was reminiscent of Miss Marple, Mrs. Pollifax, and a bit of . . . je ne sais quoi! I'm just going to copy the Libby summary because it's perfect.
"As friends, the boisterous and brash
American Beryl couldn’t be less alike than the prim and proper British
Edwina. But as sleuths in an England recovering from the Great War,
they’re the perfect match.
1920: Flying in
the face of convention, legendary American adventuress Beryl Helliwell
never fails to surprise and shock. The last thing her adoring public
would expect is that she craves some peace and quiet. The humdrum hamlet
of Walmsley Parva in the English countryside seems just the ticket.
And, honestly, until America comes to its senses and repeals
Prohibition, Beryl has no intention of returning stateside and
subjecting herself to bathtub gin.
For over three decades,
Edwina Davenport has lived comfortably in Walmsley Parva, but the
post–World War I bust has left her in dire financial straits and forced
her to advertise for a lodger. When her long-lost school chum Beryl
arrives on her doorstep—actually crashes into it in her red
motorcar—Edwina welcomes her old friend as her new roommate.
But her idyllic hometown has a hidden sinister side, and when the two
friends are drawn in, they decide to set up shop as private inquiry
agents, helping Edwina to make ends meet and satisfying Beryl’s thirst
for adventure. Now this odd couple will need to put their heads together
to catch a killer—before this sleepy English village becomes their
final resting place."
Looking for this online led me to find that this is book #1 in a series! I'll definitely look for #2.
I liked their friendship and Edwina's insistence that she was not a dithering old lady. I liked the clues and the many suspects. (My list had 8. My top suspect was guilty . . . but not of the murder!) I liked the gardener. I liked the unexpected twists. It really kept me listening and thinking.
Constable Gibbs was a complete jerk. I didn't like her at all! I briefly suspected her of being the murderer, but she didn't seem likely or worth the effort.
It was funny how often I thought that the war being referred to was WWII. But whenever they talked about the influenza and its impact on the community, I realized that we were talking about WWI. Interesting that the story dealt with PTSD (without calling it that), British vs. American ways of life, and sexual predators (without getting graphic).
Edwina was hands down my favorite character. I had to park my car and hit rewind a bunch of times to get this quote:
"If I didn't want to be involved, I would have said so. I'm a grown woman with a mind of my own. One needn't go cavorting around the globe in men's trousers to develop opinions and the moral strength to express them."
Since most people had clear ideas about mousy Edwina and her dynamic American friend, it was nice to hear Edwina stick up for herself! (She said this to Beryl who was apologizing for getting her involved in the investigation.)
I did NOT like the gossips. Yuk, They were poisonous. The postmistress was the worst, but others were also awful.
The fate of Agnes surprised me. The true identity of Walter Bennett (projectionist) and his relationship to other people in town was a bit surprising. The true ending of Polly was incredibly sad.
Nora (or Michael) Blackburn - mechanics
Hortense
Mr. Mumford (and his cinematography group . . . )
This is a well-written story and Rosenblat did an excellent job with the vocal work! (British vs. American, male and female, etc.)
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