"A Cornish Christmas Murder" by Fiona Leitch is a locked room in a locked house murder mystery. The story is set at Kingseat Abbey, which is being turned into a luxury hotel. Jodie "Nosey" Parker, ex-policewoman, along with a few members of her family are catering a party just before Christmas. Following poor weather the people at Kingseat become snowed in and have to hunker down for the night. The following morning one of the guests is discovered brutally stabbed by an antique sword. Jodie, along with her assistant, begin to investigate while they wait for conditions to improve and the police to arrive.
This is the fourth book in the "Nosey Parker" series but the first one I've read. It works well as a standalone novel but was enjoyable enough to make me want to read the previous three books. The story has everything you would want from a cozy murder mystery.
The characters are a mixed bunch, some known to each other, others complete strangers who just happen to stumble upon the Abbey! The setting is picture perfect, wood paneling, plaster cornices, open fires and squashy armchairs - just the place you would want to be at Christmas when there is snow on the ground. There's also plenty of food (Jodie is a caterer), alcohol and a non-stop supply of tea.
Yes, the story is cliched, but that is just what you would want in a cozy murder mystery. No phone lines to contact the police, guests wandering off when told to stay together, hidden rooms, guests swapping rooms and people with secrets. Thankfully the main character, Jodie, is a modern women who doesn't take nonsense from anyone and finds it impossible to just sit back and wait for the police. There's plenty of humor, particularly between Jodie and her mother. The description of Jodie and her family turning up to the Abbey in her van gave me visions of Scooby-Doo and the gang turning up in The Mystery Machine.
A Cornish Christmas Murder will be published by HarperCollins UK in ebook format on 29th November 2021 and as a paperback on 9th December 2021. My thanks to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for a review copy.
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