zlibrarian 's review for:

The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton

3.75

funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

---

 Wry, nimbly plotted, and sharply observant of the sometimes fragile relationships in socially competitive environments. Getting away from the stresses of urban life by moving to an outwardly charming village/small town in rural England isn’t as easy as it may seem. Author Sutton’s experience in the fashion and lifestyle industry translates to an entrancing visual sensibility in her writing. Fans of cozy mysteries will appreciate the complexity of character relationships. As a Black woman reading cozy mystery genres/subgenres, I appreciated the realism of the protagonist. She refers to her own origins as a Black woman from South London, but that doesn’t mean she’s tough. Has she seen some difficult things? Yes. Has she had to work twice as hard all her life to be thought half as good? Yes. BUt none of this means that she cannot be vulnerable or too jaded to be friendly and trusting to more than one possible villain. This complicates her efforts to investigate the death of a seemingly mild-mannered man that inspired strong feelings resulting in both embraces and slaps to the face. Fans of Sutton’s Instagram account will be delighted to learn that her talents include genre fiction. Recommended.