The Cornish Village Murder by Fiona Leitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Cornish Village Murder, previously titled A Brush with Death, is the second installment in The Nosey Parker Mysteries.
This series has definitely become one of my favorites in the Cozy Mystery genre. They’re so fun!
I actually started with the 4th-book, as an ARC, and then the publisher was kind enough to send me a copy of the 1st. I knew without a doubt after that, I needed to read them all.
I since have been reading them upon release, there are now 6-total, the latest being A Cornish Seaside Murder, which I read and reviewed last month. I had missed books 2 and 3 though and really wanted to check those off the list.
I finally have time this month to dedicate to catching up. I actually listened to the audio for this one, which is the first time I have done so with this series and I loved the narration. It was so Jodie.
It was so good, in fact, that I finished it all today while doing my Saturday cleaning.
A little background, this series follows Jodie Parker, who recently resigned from the Metropolitan Police in London, after a close call, and returned to her native village of Penstowan in Cornwall with her teen-aged daughter, Daisy.
She has opened a small catering company, often getting the help of her Mom and a few close friends, to help with jobs. She’s also, since the first book, inherited an adorable Pomeranian, Germaine.
The mystery in this novel revolves around the death of an author who had been attending a local festival. His body was found at the bottom of a cliff. The last person to see the deceased was artist, Duncan Stovall, now the prime suspect.
Jodie takes a personal interest in the case after her and Duncan had really been hitting it off together at the festival activities. She can’t believe he would murder someone, but if he didn’t, that means the killer is still out there.
Jodie can’t just leave that alone.
Along with her new friend, DCI Nathan Winters, Jodie digs into the case and finds this one goes much deeper than she ever could have anticipated. She thought she left London to escape from this kind of crime.
Involving the high stakes world of fine art, I thought this installment was a blast. The mystery was interesting and the characters were, as always, so entertaining and well done.
I adore Jodie as a character. I find her to be so realistic and I love learning about her life. It’s been a treat watching her journey as she adjusts to life back in her hometown. It’s a big change for her from London.
I also enjoy what a great Mom she is and a great daughter. The family dynamics are fantastic. Daisy and Jodie’s Mom are always a big part of the narrative and they bring a lot of humor and love. Germaine as well, love that little pup.
This one was interesting for me because I know where Jodie’s life is heading, but a few of those big changes haven’t happened yet, so it was fun to revisit how it all started.
I’m definitely planning to read the third book, The Perfect Cornish Murder, previously titled A Sprinkle of Sabotage very, very, very soon; as in, probably tomorrow, not gonna lie.
If you love Cozy Mysteries and are looking for a new one to sink your teeth into, I highly recommend this one. There are so many different elements in this series to love. They’re funny, engaging, silly, yet well-plotted and intriguing, with great characters and relationships. It’s a Cozy MUST!!!