Diana Janes' Magic Chair Murder is a promising beginning to new mystery series set in the 1920s. Our patrons love historical mysteries.

Set in 1929, this is the beginning of a new series, featuring Fran Black and Tom Dod, who pair up to investigate a murder. Fran has been lonely since her husband left her for another woman and so she enjoys the company of the Robert Barnaby Society; a society set up to champion the work of a children’s author, whose characters transport themselves to different periods in history with the use of a magic chair. The chair itself is said to live at Furnival Towers, now a hotel hosting the society’s annual conference.

One of the members, Linda Dexter, was supposed to be giving a paper – “The Magic Chair: Fact or Fiction,” which she promised would cause a bit of a furore. However, she disappears, much to the disapproval of the Society Chairman, Hugh Allonby, who takes the opportunity to give his own talk. Controlling, bureaucratic and official, Allonby does not seem at all concerned that Linda seems to have vanished, but suspects she was too nervous to give her talk. However, this does not seem at all likely to Fran and, when fellow member Tom, calls to say a body has been found, the two throw themselves into finding out what really happened.

This is a fairly interesting start to a series, although it sometimes feels a little modern and out of period. As Fran is unavailable – separated, but not divorced – the author has created a scenario where her friendship with Tom cannot really develop (he has his own personal issues) and it will be interesting to see how she overcomes all these barriers she has thrown between them. I liked Fran, with her friend Mo, difficult mother and her bemusement about the fate that life has thrown at her. WWI shadows the book, with most of the major characters affected by events from that time and the after effects. I liked the way, for example, Fran – having voted for the first time – is bemused that it feels such an anti-climax.

Overall, a reasonable start to a series. I would certainly read on, even though I felt that the plot could have been tighter and the period more realistic. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley. Rated 3.5

Diane Janes, as well as writing crime fiction, is the author of four investigations of historic crimes.

”The Magic Chair Murder : a 1920’s English Mystery” is set in the North of England at the time of the1929 General Election. Although many of the sexist and class attitudes are of the time, and despite references to the Election, I did not come away with a great sense of period from this book.

Fran Black and Tom Dod are members of a Society devoted to the life and works of a children’s writer called Robert Barnaby whose Magic Chair features in the novel.

Fran and Tom embark on an investigation into the death of fellow member, Linda Dexter, which most people mark down as suicide. This leads them to research Linda’s background which proves to hold the key to her death. The case also throws up potential scandals in the affairs of the Society. A closeness develops between Fran and Tom, but this has its difficulties due to the complexity of their marriages.

I thought the murderer was fairly obvious from early on, but the motive was not guessable until much later. A full explanation is mooted, but not confirmed, and I thought the ending somewhat abrupt. The author does find time to hint at the next investigation.

Overall this was an easy read and the main characters are not without interest. The plotting is pretty average but may improve as a series progresses. I will certainly look out for the next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the digital ARC.