The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning
Anty Boisjoly Mysteries Book #2
by P.J. Fitzsimmons
GENRE: #Christmas-cozy-mystery
My rating: ★★★★☆
Actually 3,8 stars rounded up to 4.
A charming "Whodunit" set in 1920s England, written with a touch of Wodehouse's flair.
I really enjoyed it, a lot, actually!
_____PLOT__
The story transports us to 1928, where Anthony (Anty) Boisjoly heads to the picturesque village of Graze Hill, Hertfordshire, to spend the holidays with his shy aunt, Azalea. Unfortunately, the Christmas cheer is short-lived. On Christmas morning, Aunt Azalea visits a local war hero, only to discover him dead—stabbed—under his own Christmas tree. To make matters worse, the local constable and the Scotland Yard commissioner are both quick to point the finger at Anty’s innocent aunt. With no other choice, Anty has to roll up his sleeves and dive into the investigation to clear her name.
_____ MY OPINION _____
I’ll be honest: it took me a little while to warm up to this book.
Getting into the groove was a bit of a challenge at first, but once I did, I found myself growing quite fond of our protagonist.
I especially loved his narrative voice; he tells the story with such wonderful irony and humor.
The entire mystery is told from Anty’s first-person perspective.
While I felt a little uncertain about the pacing and the constant jokes during the first few chapters, the story really hit its stride in the second half. It became incredibly engaging, and the author’s cleverness really started to shine.
__ THE MAIN CHARACTER __
The way Anty pieced together this complex puzzle was brilliant, and the final reveal was both beautiful and deeply satisfying.The dialogue is snappy and lively, featuring scenes so funny I found myself laughing out loud.
Honestly, I think this series would make a fantastic BBC miniseries!
__ THE SIDE CHARACTERS __
There’s a decent-sized cast (not too few, not too many ) and initially I found it a bit tricky to keep track of them, with none particularly standing out. But as the story dug deeper into the mystery, each character’s quirky personality came alive. That’s when the story got really interesting, and I found myself rooting for the good guys (or those who seemed good) and hoping none of my favorites were the culprit....And speaking of the CULPRIT:
I didn't see it coming!😀😀I was never able to guess the identity of the murderer until Anty revealed it. That made the finale all the more enjoyable, and I loved that the author wrapped things up with a personal "happy ending" for everyone involved.
__ THE CHRISTMAS MAGIC __
There are plenty of books with "Christmas" in the title, but how many actually capture that festive, cozy feeling?The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning delivers on this front!
I loved being immersed in that snow-covered English village, it felt just as magical and cozy as a vintage postcard. Between the descriptions of mulled wine at the local pub, the village church, the hilarious (and slightly bizarre) Saint Stephen’s carol, and the final party preparations, you can truly breathe in the festive atmosphere !!!
__ FINAL VERDICT __
Although this is book #2 in a series, you can EASILY READ it as a STANDALONE.I’m definitely planning on reading the rest of the series (and maybe checking out the first one, too!).
__ RECOMMENDED TO __
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves Golden Age-style mysteries, even though this is a modern author.If you’re looking for a well-conceived puzzle wrapped in wit and humor, this is the book for you!
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