A Harvest Murder

by Frances Evesham

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

A Harvest Murder is the third book in the Ham Hill murder cozy series by Frances Evesham. Released 21st June 2022, it's 256 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free (along with the previous books in the series).

This is a charming and quaint village cozy series. Protagonist Adam (ex-detective and proprietor of the local pub) and his amateur sleuth friends look into the strange disappearance, reappearance, and sudden suspicious death of a local farmer, uncovering some of the less salubrious and generally hidden currents of village life along the way. It's an ensemble cast, including a nice group of supporting characters who are appealingly well rendered (and with the realities of middle age). The language is clean, there is no graphic sexual content (there's a little light romance and minor associated drama, but not objectionably much), and the violence is off-scene and relatively restrained. 

The buildup is well done and the denouement and resolution are satisfying. There were a few twists along the way which I didn't anticipate. Although it's the third book in the series, it works perfectly well as a standalone. With three books extant at this point, it would make a good choice for a weekend binge/buddy read.

Four and a half stars, a lovely engaging cozy read. Fans of Merryn Allingham and Clare Chase will find a lot to like with this series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.