Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott

I do like a good cosy mystery; especially one set in the English countryside with lots of quaint characters. Murder in an English village delivers all this and more.

Set in post-World War One this, the first in a new series, features two women of a certain age as our amateur sleuths. Beryl is an American adventuress who is tired not only from crash landing a hot air balloon in the desert but from America’s dwindling supplies of good quality gin. Her former school chum Edwina is a stark contrast; a quiet retiring daughter of an English solicitor living in the aforementioned picturesque English village. They are reunited when cash-strapped Edwina’s advertisement for a boarder sees Beryl abandoning her adventures to hurtle through the English countryside, eventually crashing her red car outside Edwina’s front door.

When Beryl discovers Edwina’s finances are the talk of the village (thanks largely in part to the gossipy postmistress) she lets it be known that not only was Edwina a secret agent for His Majesty’s service but that Edwina’s recent advertisement was a code for requesting Beryl’s assistance in a new mission. Despite this all being complete fabrication within hours Edwina is hit over the head in broad daylight. Is there someone in the village with something to hide?

Prompted by the need to find out who tried to kill Edwina as well as justify the secret service story both women team up to investigate the only unexplained event in the village; the war time disappearance of a land girl from a local farm. As our intrepid sleuths start to ask questions and the investigation gathers momentum another young woman is found dead. With the local constable decreeing the young woman’s death an accident Beryl and Edwina are left with no choice but to find out who the murderer is.

Jessica Ellicott draws us into this charming English village with its hedgerows and roses, well drawn characters (including Crumpet the dog), and the premise that by asking a lot of questions (even when physically threatened) you can solve just about anything.

Whether you are looking for a mystery with genteel characters or a gentle read with a few murders thrown in, this series may be right for you.

Reviewed by Miss Moneypenny

Catalogue link:  Murder in an English Village