"Local artist and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan has been spending her summer painting the exterior and views of the once-lovely Gwrych Castle, now in a heartbreaking state of disrepair. A privately owned castellated country house of jaw dropping scale, the gorgeous house located just outside of Penny's picturesque Welsh town has been sadly neglected for decades. Penny is thrilled when she hears local Mark Baker is leading a team of enthusiastic volunteers to restore the castle grounds and formal gardens to their former grandeur. But there are always disagreements about how everything should be done, and it's not long before they turn deadly. Penny is horrified to discover the body of an overbearing volunteer who had opposed Mark at every turn. Convinced that Mark is innocent, Penny enlists the help of keen gardener Gareth Davies, recently retired from the North Wales Police Service. She asks that he join the volunteer brigade, so Gareth dons a hi-vis jacket, picks up a spade and picks up a few clues, too. Asked to examine watercolor paintings of the estate gardens from the 1920s, Penny is surprised to find a few clues of her own. Could the 90-year-old paintings really hold the keys to a present-day murder? Murder is for Keeps is the latest book in this charming traditional mystery series from Elizabeth J. Duncan"--
Between 3 and 4 stars. Read through this one quick as this series is always a good read and gets me motivated to read more books. I missed this one when it came out, and after reading the latest book in the series, I backtracked to this one.
The main plot, the death of John Hardwick, felt like it stewed in the background until the AHA moment came. I also liked the side plot of the 90 year old cold case of the skeleton unearthed on the property. And I enjoyed it but it seemed a bit...off. Maybe because Garth is newly retired, so Penny wasn't exactly in the thick of things. Maybe because the characters seem to be growing and progressing. But it all took a backseat to Penny's cold dark heart and her seeming indifference to Gareth finally giving up on her and taking off to be with a woman he'd just met. While it could be perceived as making Penny a bit unlikable, I think it uncovers how little Penny has been fleshed out as a character. She has stagnated, but the other characters haven't. Hmm.
And am I the only one who thinks of Mrs Lloyd as Hyacinth from Keeping Up Appearances? And Florence as Hyacinth's neighbor Cynthia? Can never shake that image.
Anyway, an enjoyable book but one that highlighted the shortcomings of the series. And frankly Gareth, I think you're better off.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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27 February, 2020:
Finished reading
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27 February, 2020:
Reviewed