A Right Royal Cozy Investigation #6
by Helen Golden
GENRE: #Snowbound-cozy-mystery #humor
My rating: ★★★★☆
Actually 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
Very enjoyable contemporary cozy mystery with a completely fictional English royal family. I think it could have been a little shorter, but I really enjoyed the investigative part, and the characters' personal stories captivated me right away.
Okay, so I picked up this book because, ADMITTEDLY, the cover with the little white dog was just too cute! I was totally in the mood for something "mysterious _and_ lighthearted", you know?
Well, a couple of chapters in, I almost gave up on it. BUT! I'm so glad I didn't. Honestly, after that slightly misguided first impression, the story and the characters completely won me over.
______ THE PLOT might sound a little...familiar, right?
A classic set-up: a party at a castle, a sudden, heavy snowfall trapping everyone inside, a murder...and because the roads are blocked, the only one who can get there is the "grumpy but handsome and charming" policeman staying nearby.
Oh, and the lady of the castle? Not only is she the granddaughter of a made-up king, but she's _always_ stumbling upon murders and playing amateur detective with her friends and her dog. Naturally, things are a bit tense between the policeman and the lady (mutual attraction and sizzling tension, perhaps? ..._obviously_...).
BUT, as we all know, it's not _just_ the plot, is it? It's all about _HOW_ the story is told.
I’m not gonna lie, I thought the book could have been a _tad_ shorter. However, I do get that a lot of the dialogue I might have cut, and the descriptions of every little gesture and thought (which sometimes made me roll my eyes a bit), were actually what really brought the setting to life and made me feel like I knew the characters – especially the main ones: the two main characters, their two sidekicks, and the dog, of course! Same goes for the supporting characters, both new and recurring.
_____ WELL-DRAWN CHARACTERS _____
The "good guys" in this story are all so likeable! They each have their own well-defined personality.
_____ We’ve got Detective Fitzwilliam, who's gruff, but ultimately charming, caring, intelligent, and a total professional.
_____ Then there's Lady Beatrice, the beautiful and intelligent young widow, always curious, enterprising, and stubbornly convinced that she's _done_ with handsome bachelors.
_____ And her best friends! Simon Lattimore, a writer and former policeman, who's cool, calm, and full of common sense. Plus, Simon's fiancé Pperry Juke, a real jokester, always ready with a laugh, but also always there to support Lady Beatrice's wild ideas.
_____ Oh, and let’s not forget Lord Frederick Astley, Lady B.'s brother, a possible secret agent, and his equally mysterious but friendly collaborators.
_____ And the dog! The cute, almost always present dog doesn't do a whole lot besides, well, be a dog. But it's her greedy, curious nature that helps them uncover a major clue! I'd say she's a very valuable character who brings warmth and fun to the story.
The minor characters and possible villains, plus the castle staff, don't get as much screen time, but the detective's questions are enough to give you an accurate image of them.
_____ LIVELY AND FUNNY DIALOGUES _____
The conversations between the main characters really highlight their relationships. There's affection, witty banter, sulking, and playful teasing throughout the entire story. _____ THE MYSTERY INVESTIGATION and THE AUTHOR'S CLEVERNESS _____
Between eavesdropped conversations and clever interrogations, the clues start to appear. They’re like little breadcrumbs that keep readers feeling like they’re figuring things out alongside the characters, but also make you want to keep turning the pages to find out more. But the author’s real brilliance? She sprinkled tons of little subplots, full of mysteries and romantic possibilities, throughout the whole book.
Even though this is book #6 in the series, I never felt lost or confused by the characters' histories, so it's EASY READABLE AS A STANDALONE.
Each situation is explained well, giving you a glimpse of what happened before and introducing new elements that won’t be fully resolved in this book. This keeps you satisfied, but also makes you want to pick up the next book (or go back and read the others!).
The solution to the main mystery isn’t super surprising, thanks to the focus on certain descriptions and impressions (even early on). But this is one of those stories where "it's not the destination, it's the journey."
The story actually continues for several chapters even after the murderer is caught, because the murder and the investigation are really just a backdrop. The _real_ heart of the story is those personal subplots!
_____ CLEAN LANGUAGE and GOOD HUMOR.
_____ WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?
Absolutely, if you enjoy cozy mysteries and want something lighthearted and a bit romantic.
Thank you all for stopping by and reading!
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