Winchester, 1925. When heiress and amateur sleuth Cressida Fawcett is invited to her aunt’s mansion on Cloister Close, she is looking forward to a quiet stay in the historic town. The views of the cathedral are heavenly – and her aunt’s maid, Nancy, makes devilishly good ginger biscuits! But it seems Cressy and her pug Ruby won’t be allowed to rest in peace… On a tour of the crypt, they are shocked to stumble across the body of Anthony, the gentle, devoted verger. And a wild-eyed Nancy is standing over him, bloodied candlestick in hand…
Since Nancy was caught red-handed and the only other suspect is the Silent Friar, the legendary local ghost, Detective Andrewsof Scotland Yard thinks the case is closed. But Nancy swears she would never have killed Anthony; they were in love. And while Cressy may not believe in ghosts, she does believe Nancy. So, whose soul is full of murder most foul? And will they strike again?
As she digs through parishioner gossip, Cressy discovers that for a man of the cloth, the verger had a surprising number of enemies. Was a local antiques dealer driven to murder over an illegal trade in holy relics? Would the head bellringer kill to achieve his musical ambitions? Or is the saintly Dean, whose black-cloaked figure resembles the Silent Friar and whose wife recently drowned, hiding a deadly sin?
The cathedral conceals many secrets, and it seems Cressy will need a miracle to uncover the truth. But then Cressy finds a hidden passageway to the crypt. Is this how the murderer escaped? The sceptical police lack faith in her theories, but can she catch the killer and save Nancy from the hangman’s noose? Or will she be too late to prevent another funeral march?
A totally gripping and deliciously witty historical murder mystery with a gasp-out-loud reveal, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.
Author Bio:
Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter.
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My Review
I love the Cressida Fawcett Mystery books. The only problem with them is, that I can't help but read them quickly and then feel sad that I've finished! This time, Cressida is visiting her aunt, in Winchester. It isn't long before she has again stumbled onto a mystery and her good friends Dotty and Alf have joined her there.
I loved following Cressida as she tried to find out who was behind the murder and why. I'm also a big fan of the will they won't they relationship that simmers along in the background between her and Alfred. (Surely, they must move a bit closer soon?!)
I didn't manage to fully solve this one, although I had a few ideas that proved to be right, but I didn't manage to solve it all. Either way, it doesn't matter as this was such an enjoyable and gripping read. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
I loved following Cressida as she tried to find out who was behind the murder and why. I'm also a big fan of the will they won't they relationship that simmers along in the background between her and Alfred. (Surely, they must move a bit closer soon?!)
I didn't manage to fully solve this one, although I had a few ideas that proved to be right, but I didn't manage to solve it all. Either way, it doesn't matter as this was such an enjoyable and gripping read. I can't wait for the next one to come out!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.
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