Scan barcode
A review by tessa_talks_books
Murder in the Blitz by F.L. Everett
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Murder in the Blitz has a fresh voice in cozy mysteries with the main character, Edie, an aspiring journalist hoping to write the crime beat during WWII in Manchester, England. Her boss at the newspaper assigned her to obituaries instead, but she is still determined. I love the subtle women empowerment angle of Edie trying to rise to her dream job in a man's world. She is so relatable that it makes her easy to follow as she gets into scrape after scrape.
I also love the tone of the story. It's very fast-paced, reminding me of a typewriter's clicks. It also reminds me of b/w films from the 50s set in a news office, and everything is hopping, even the cadence of the voices. It's exciting.
The historical aspect is so well developed that I felt I lived through it with the characters. Down to the smallest detail, like food rations and gasmask requirements, it's all described just as I heard about it from the senior members of my family who lived through it. I can't even imagine how people would react today to living under such restrictions.
Lastly, the characters, particularly Edie, the story's narrator, are all well-developed. The bad guy was a little stereotypical by the end, but before the identity was revealed, this character felt as authentic as the other characters. The mystery is complex and also well-developed. I'll admit I identified the killer early on in the story. Still, I enjoyed Edie's investigation and discovering the "why," which is much more complex than I could have ever guessed.
I also love the tone of the story. It's very fast-paced, reminding me of a typewriter's clicks. It also reminds me of b/w films from the 50s set in a news office, and everything is hopping, even the cadence of the voices. It's exciting.
The historical aspect is so well developed that I felt I lived through it with the characters. Down to the smallest detail, like food rations and gasmask requirements, it's all described just as I heard about it from the senior members of my family who lived through it. I can't even imagine how people would react today to living under such restrictions.
Lastly, the characters, particularly Edie, the story's narrator, are all well-developed. The bad guy was a little stereotypical by the end, but before the identity was revealed, this character felt as authentic as the other characters. The mystery is complex and also well-developed. I'll admit I identified the killer early on in the story. Still, I enjoyed Edie's investigation and discovering the "why," which is much more complex than I could have ever guessed.