annieb123's Review of The Art of Murder

by Fiona Walker

Welcome to the beautiful English village of Inkbury. whose only claim to fame is the picturesque riverside that once appeared in a Richard Curtis movie. That is, until the MURDER…

Former stand-up comic Juno Mulligan has been suffering a serious sense-of-humour failure. Not only has she lost the love of her life, but she’s having to relocate to the (admittedly idyllic) village of Inkbury to watch out for her elderly mother, who she’s genuinely worried might be marrying a wife-killer.

She hopes that her old friend, disgraced-journalist-turned-novelist Phoebe Fredericks can help her crack the case of whether her mother’s perma-tanned, iceberg-smiled, three-times-a-widower fiancé is hiding a murderous past.

But before they have a chance, the local art dealer washes up distinctly dead in the village’s famous river. His lover is in the frame, but Juno and Phoebe suspect that there is a deeper secret… One that relates to Phoebe’s own past and Juno’s present.

Will the unofficial Village Detective Agency solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? In sleepy Inkbury, as they soon discover, living one’s best midlife can be murder.

An utterly gripping cozy crime mystery, from million-copy bestselling Fiona Walker, guaranteed to absolutely delight fans of Richard Osman, Janet Evanovich and the Reverend Richard Coles.

Readers love Fiona Walker:

‘Loved it!!!! Couldn’t put it down… Keeps you on the edge of your seat.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Witty, addictive, and with plenty of drama to sink your teeth into… Entertaining from beginning to end… Fantastic.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘There were times when I belly laughed so loudly I had to put my hand in front of my mouth to stifle it. (This would be during a binge read until 2 a.m.)!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I stayed up WAY too late gulping down the last few hundred pages. I simply could not put it down!… I thoroughly enjoyed the sparkling wit… Pure escapism, pages and pages of thrilling relationships, turmoil and love.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my all-time favourite authors… Love the characters, the plot, everything about it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THE WAY THIS UNFOLDS!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Walker writes with such vitality that all the characters are instantly brought to life. She’s funny, moving and not too OTT in her interpretation of life’s little eccentricities!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Laugh out loud funny!!!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I loved this so strongly and with such enthusiasm that I became devoted to Fiona Walker for life.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I love, love, love this book.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my all time favourites. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, poignant and touching in others. This book really has it all. Incredibly well written’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Art of Murder is a new cozy mystery series starter by Fiona Walker. Released 20th May 2024 by Boldwood Books, it's 354 (e-format) pages and is available in hardcover, 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. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The second book in the series, The Poison Pen Letters, is also currently available on KU.

The author is prolific and dependably readable in the genre, and this one is happily no exception. There are already two books available in the series, making it a good choice for a binge/buddy read. It's a village mystery, full of quaint, quirky characters, a serviceable plot, and all the necessary working parts for an entertaining mystery.

There's perhaps a trifle too much witty reparteé, but overall it's a solid comfy cozy read. It leads directly into the next book in the series, so there's no waiting for the next installment.

Four stars. It's not derivative, but fans of Osman (Thursday Murder Club) and Laurien Berenson (Peg & Rose) will likely enjoy this one as well.

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

Reading updates

14 December, 2024: Started reading

14 December, 2024: Finished reading

14 December, 2024: Reviewed