Just Murdered

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Just Murdered is a wonderfully humorous and engagingly cozy series starter by Katherine Kovacic. Released 31st Jan 2023 by Sourcebooks on their Poisoned Pen Press imprint, it's 288 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. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

Whenever a media franchise/series does well, spinoffs are inevitable. Booksellers and publishers survive by selling "units" and so most times, the faceless folks making the marketing decisions aren't always equally engaged in the artistry or storytelling. Certainly true of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek, even Pokemon. Happily, in this case, spinoff doesn't mean lesser. This is a genuinely well written, warmly funny book featuring everyone's favorite flapper's niece in the title role. 

Young Ms. Peregrine Fisher (niece of the inimitable Phryne) is summoned to the Antipodes in connection with an inheritance. She's inherited her aunt's house, money, and apparently her penchant for solving mysteries.

This novelization set in the 60s and based on the characters of the spin-off TV series. 

Four and half stars. I adore the original series by Kerry Greenwood, but this one holds its own quite well and is cheeky and humorous in the same general vein. 

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