No one can hold a candle to amateur detectives Flora Steele and Jack Carrington as they ask the burning question… Who is the killer walking the cobbled streets of their historic little town?
Sussex, November 1959. There’s a chill in the air at the Lewes bonfire celebration. Carnival floats fill the narrow streets, fireworks crackle overhead, and Flora and Jack feel the heat of the burning torches lining the streets. But when Trevor French, chief of the Grove Bonfire Society, tumbles from his parade float, they know something is afoot. Trevor didn’t just fall – and amidst the crowds, his killer slips away through the smoke-filled night.
But who would want the respected Trevor dead? As Flora and Jack question the vying bonfire societies, they find a surprisingly competitive underbelly at play. Did Edwin Brooker, former chairman, stoke the flames of rivalry too far? Or are the tears of the victim’s friend, Leo Nelson, faked to keep himself safe?
Just as the sleuths believe they’ve figured it out, the body of a key suspect in the case is found dead on their hearth rug, and Flora and Jack realise that no one is safe – including themselves. Together, can they smoke the murderer out? Or will their chances of survival go up in flames?
A completely addictive and absolutely charming cosy mystery novel. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis will adore this unputdownable series!
With sincere apologies for confusing the dates, my post should have been yesterday.
It's my pleasure to be hosting the Books on Tour blog tour for Murder by Firelight by Merryn Allingham today. Many thanks to Sarah Hardy from Bookouture for inviting me and for my digital copy of the novel, received through Netgalley.
Flora and Jack Carrington have returned from the adventures in Venice in Murder by Firelight, the twelfth book in Merryn Allingham's series but aren't quite back in Abbeymead full-time quite yet. Jack still has a little time left as a tutor at Cleve College and so, for now, the couple's time is divided between the village and Lewes but the latter has never really felt like home for either of them. What remains a certainty, however, is that murders seem to happen whenever the pair are around! This time, tragedy strikes at the famous Lewes Bonfire when one of the participants falls from his float. As with all the novels in the series, Murder by Firelight can easily be read as a standalone but returning readers will obviously enjoy catching up with the regular characters.
Merryn Allingham's vibrant description of the Bonfire celebrations really help to bring the event to life and I enjoyed reading about the tradition, despite it being brought to an abrupt halt when Trevor French meets his untimely end. At first, it seems as though he is merely the victim of an unfortunate accident but as it happens right in front of the Carringtons, it's no surprise when Jack realises he has blood on his hands. It's soon confirmed that Trevor had indeed been fatally stabbed and the police already have a key suspect in Leo Nelson. Leo is the new tenant living at Overlay House, Jack's old home in Abbeymead and has already been the subject of village gossip and speculation that he may be a spy.
He definitely has his secrets but Jack believes he's innocent and is determined to help if he can. This is the first novel in the series in which Jack is a more enthusiastic sleuth than Flora, who for once wants to avoid another adventure. It's interesting to see how recent events in Italy have left her reluctant to be involved and pining for a more settled life. Throughout the series, she has always been torn about what she really wants; at first it was marriage but now she is constantly considering whether she will ever want to start a family. With the Swinging Sixties on the horizon, it's a reminder that while women were on the verge of having more choices available to them, at this point in time, they were still generally expected to want to become mothers. Flora is a fascinating character who sentimentally clings to the touchstones of her past – her cottage, the All's Well bookshop and her old bicycle, Betty – while still resenting many of society's conventions.
Despite not always communicating as well as they should, Flora and Jack's relationship whether as a married couple or a pair of sleuths is always teamwork and so it's not surprising that she will be drawn into the investigation. It gradually transpires that although Leo Nelson has a number of secrets, he isn't the only person with reason to have wanted Trevor dead. In the past, the Carringtons have been able to rely on support from Detective Inspector Alan Ridley, even if he hasn't always welcomed their input. This time, however, a new and immediately unlikeable character is introduced who complicates matters still further.
As the novel progresses, the mystery deepens still further, especially when more people are targeted by the killer. I must admit to guessing their identity and their motive but the clues are there and I still enjoyed following the ups and downs faced by Flora and Jack until they discovered whodunnit. Much of the denouement happens off the page here which made a change, and it was refreshing to see them appreciate they don't always get it right. It wouldn't be a Flora Steele mystery without at least one of them ending up in mortal danger and there are certainly some nailbiting scenes here as well as the customary hints as to what might happen in future books in the series. With the couple moving back permanently to Abbeymead, the stage is set for more domestic developments as well as the inevitable murders which are sure to take place.
With Autumn drawing in, Murder by Firelight is an ideal cosy mystery to read curled up on the sofa. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to more.
Murder by Firelight is published by Bookouture and can be purchased here.
Follow the blog tour, details are below.
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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