A Cornish Christmas Murder: A gripping and hilarious murder mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**3.5-stars rounded up**
When Jodie Parker’s old school chum, Lily, invites her to cater a charity event for children hosted by a notorious millionaire, she graciously accepts.
The event is set to be held just three days before Christmas at an old abbey on Bodmin Moor. The location is remote and the property is currently being transformed by Lily and her employer into a boutique hotel.
As Jodie arrives on the night of the event, with her mother, daughter, best friend and dog in tow, the snow begins to fall in earnest.
Over the course of the night, with all the festivities going on, Jodie is too busy to notice that it never really stops. By the time things are wrapped up and Jodie and friends have cleaned and packed, it’s too messy to leave.
Although communication with the outside world is spotty, they do receive word that the roads through the Moors are blocked. They have no choice but to stay the night.
There are plenty of rooms, heat and food to accommodate the group left over, which includes, in addition to the caterer and her staff, Lily, her employer, the millionaire, his son and assistant, a Santa impersonator, a small group of Japanese eco-tourists and a stranded couple trying to travel home from a dinner party.
Early the next morning, one of the guests is discovered dead in his room. From the looks of the scene, it wasn’t a natural death.
Luckily, Jodie Parker, isn’t your standard caterer. She’s recently resigned from the Metropolitan Police and this isn’t the first murder she’s investigated.
Able to briefly contact her DCI boyfriend, Nathan, Jodie explains the situation and has Nathan call help for them.
Now she just has to keep the scene under control until the police force is able to arrive. Easier said than done.
I had so much fun reading this. It has a classic set-up and likable, hilarious characters.
Further, it featured some of my favorite Mystery tropes. This Cornish Cozy gave me exactly the vibe I was hoping for rolling into the holiday season.
I know the more books that I read in this series, the more attached I am going to get to these characters. Rest assured, I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.
The investigation was a hoot. The dynamic between Jodie and her family had me giggling throughout. The narrative is wacky, wild and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Leitch has got quite a sense of humor.
Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I recommend picking this one up over the holiday season. Give yourself an escape for a bit. Sit back, put your feet up and have a laugh!
