It’s time to rewrite history with amateur detectives Flora Steele and Jack Carrington as they are called to a castle to unearth the clues of a murder most medieval…
Sussex, 1959. The sun is shining on the breathtaking castle as the Abbeymead Historical Society prepare their re-enactment of the Battle of Lewes. But the fun ends abruptly when council worker Alex Vicary falls to his death from the castle ramparts. A shadowy figure runs from the scene, but Alex was a beloved member of the community… who could possibly want him dead?
As Flora and Jack investigate further, they dig up troubles Alex kept buried from those closest to him. Perhaps he was pushed by his money-hungry landlord, Larry Morton, who was trying to sell Alex’s home? Or maybe his oldest and shiftiest friend, Bruce Sullivan, who gambled away the money Alex loaned him? Or could it be his wide-eyed new girlfriend, Diane Croft,who dodges questions about Alex’s death, and hides presents from another suitor?
But when Flora discovers an engagement ring among Alex’s possessions, she is stunned to learn that his relationship with Diane was more serious than everyone thought. With whispers of another man fighting for Diane’s heart, were the battle lines drawn for love?
Then the body of a second member of the society is found, and the pair realise time is running out. Will history repeat itself with yet another death? Or can Flora and Jack catch their killer before the medieval murderer bids them both adieu?
A totally compelling and absolutely charming cosy mystery novel. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis will adore this unputdownable series!
It's my pleasure to be hosting the tour for Murder in an English Castle today. Many thanks to Sarah Hardy from Bookouture for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel received through Netgalley.
Murder in an English Castle is the tenth novel in Merryn Allingham's Flora Steele Mystery series. It's not necessary to have read the previous books as each mystery is a stand-alone. However, the ongoing development of the characters adds such richness to these stories and will be more meaningful to those who have followed the series since the start. Nevertheless, it is perfectly feasible to begin here and to quickly feel at home among the residents of Abbeymead.
Abbeymead, though, isn't the only home for Flora and her new husband, Jack; following events in the previous book, Murder at Cleve College, they live half of each week in an apartment in Lewes provided by the college. Jack is still working there as writer-in-residence but he finds it hard to balance it with his writing career. Meanwhile, Flora is still struggling with being away from Abbeymead and her beloved bookshop. It's perhaps not surprising then, that she should soon be persuaded to look more closely at the tragic death of Alex Vicary, despite the police being quick to decide it was a terrible accident.
Following in a long line of cosy crime amateur sleuths, Flora and Jack have a knack of being present when somebody is murdered. They are at Lewes Castle to watch the Knights of Mercia, a local historical re-enactment society, in their final rehearsal for their grand re-enactment of the Battle of Lewes. The dramatic spectacle comes to a horrible conclusion, however, when Alex falls to his death. All the evidence seems to point to it being an accident but his friend, Hector is convinced otherwise. A restless Flora is eager to embark on a new adventure but even though they aren't always immediately forthcoming with what they have discovered, Merryn Allingham never leaves readers in any doubt as to the strength of the Carrington's marriage, and although more reluctantly, Jack proves himself a stalwart supporter once again.
As they begin to investigate Alex's life and try to figure out who could have wanted him dead, suspicion falls on his fellow members of the Knights of Mercia. It transpires that several of the people who were near to him at that fatal moment have secrets which could be the motive behind the murder. To muddy the waters still further, his mother is also being threatened by their greedy landlord and his violent son. This is a complex case with no obvious resolution and Merryn Allingham cleverly places seeds of doubt about all the potential culprits which meant I wasn't able to figure out who the murderer was until almost the end.
With the body count rising and both Flora and Jack finding themselves in dangerous situations, Murder in an English Castle is a gripping, immersive read from start to finish. The suspense and drama is balanced by the warmth and humour which is the trademark of this series and I'm sure I'm not the only reader who keeps returning to find out how the villagers are getting on, as well as to relish another cleverly structured murder mystery. The insightful portrayal of life in the 50s is excellent too; from the lighthearted mentions of television sets and newly published books to the more thought-provoking examination of societal attitudes of the time – most notably towards divorced women. Jack and Flora are headed for Venice soon for their long overdue honeymoon and I can't wait to discover what adventures await them in Italy! I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in an English Castle and recommend it to all cosy mystery lovers.
Murder in an English Castle is published by Bookouture, purchasing links can be found here.
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About the Author
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Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.
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