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A review by laurenjodi
The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn
4.0
The Winter Garden Mystery
3.5 Stars
For her new assignment with Town and Country magazine, the Honorable Miss Daisy Dalrymple travels to Occles Hall in Cheshire where she inadvertently stumbles across a corpse in the winter garden. When the innocent Welsh under-gardener is accused of the crime, Daisy is determined to uncover the truth.
Daisy is a simply delightful character. She manages to convey both inquisitiveness and caring without being excessively nosey or snooty. While she does sometimes rush headlong into trouble, she also takes appropriate precautions and often saves the day. Her slow-burn romance with the dark and sexy Detective Chief Inspector Alex Fletcher is also progressing nicely.
Unlike the first book where the mystery is resolved too hurriedly, the investigation here involves more commonplace policework (at least for the 1920s), namely questioning suspects and witnesses, and following up leads. There are one or two rather predictable twists and it is possible to guess the culprit and motive quite easily.
The real highlight of the book is Dunn's skillful portrayal of small-town life in rural England, particularly the social and economic changes in the aftermath of WWI, which add a touch of realism to the cozy genre.
Bernadette Dunne's narration took some getting used to in book #1, but she is growing on me. I look forward to the next installment.
3.5 Stars
For her new assignment with Town and Country magazine, the Honorable Miss Daisy Dalrymple travels to Occles Hall in Cheshire where she inadvertently stumbles across a corpse in the winter garden. When the innocent Welsh under-gardener is accused of the crime, Daisy is determined to uncover the truth.
Daisy is a simply delightful character. She manages to convey both inquisitiveness and caring without being excessively nosey or snooty. While she does sometimes rush headlong into trouble, she also takes appropriate precautions and often saves the day. Her slow-burn romance with the dark and sexy Detective Chief Inspector Alex Fletcher is also progressing nicely.
Unlike the first book where the mystery is resolved too hurriedly, the investigation here involves more commonplace policework (at least for the 1920s), namely questioning suspects and witnesses, and following up leads. There are one or two rather predictable twists and it is possible to guess the culprit and motive quite easily.
The real highlight of the book is Dunn's skillful portrayal of small-town life in rural England, particularly the social and economic changes in the aftermath of WWI, which add a touch of realism to the cozy genre.
Bernadette Dunne's narration took some getting used to in book #1, but she is growing on me. I look forward to the next installment.