This seemed like a fun mystery series that reminded me of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries. I like the crossword puzzles in this novel. However, I thought the plot was slow moving. Still, it seems like a promising start to a new series!

In 1944, a letter is waiting for Fenella Churche on the farmhouse table, she knows its bad news and about her fiancé Arthur. Fen has been working as a land girl in West Sussex with her friends Kitty, Dilys, Edith and Mrs B. the housekeeper and she supports a devastated Fen.

Fen met Arthur Melville-Hare at The Spread Eagle, after a whirlwind wartime courtship and they get engaged. She assumes he was sent to France as an undercover agent, Arthur never spoke about his war work, the letter is his last goodbye and Fen’s sure it contains hidden clues.

In 1945, Fen boards a Red Cross ship bound for France, she wants to visit Morey-Fontane, a small village in Burgundy and Arthur's letter links him to the area. Fen speaks fluent French, she goes to a nearby chateau, the Bernard family are looking for workers at their winery and vineyard.

Pierre and Sophie Bernard own the winery, they have two young sons and Pierre’s father lives with them. Not long after Fen arrives, three people die, just a coincidence, and she doesn't think so? A priest is poisoned, another man dies of carbon dioxide inhalation and a man is stabbed. Fen believes they were all murdered, Arthur was defiantly a secret agent, was it to stop them from talking to her and she’s determined to uncover the truth.

A Dangerous Goodbye is the first book in the Fen Churche Mystery series by Fliss Chester, set during the Second World War, it’s a story about secret agents, hidden church artifacts, a petty thief, and an evil traitor and collaborator. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, it kept me guessing until the end, four stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Night Train To Paris.

In 1944, land girl Fenella or “Fen” Churche receives a cryptic letter from her fiancé Arthur, stationed in France. The letter may be his last and gives crossword-style clues about his assignment and possibly his role as a British spy supporting the French resistance. Once the war is over in 1945, Fen travels to the French village of Morey-Fontaine, noted for its wine yards to confirm Arthur’s death and understand the meaning of the clues. She gets a job at a rundown chateau where Arthur may have been stationed and then the murders begin.

A Dangerous Goodbye, the first book of what may become a Fen Churche Mystery series was an easy read mainly because the plot and characters were flat. The novel was rich in setting and description and Fen was likeable, but she was bereft of any credible emotion as were the other characters. Her fiancé may be dead, but she goes about her duties without a tear or thought until she receives confirmation. Her grief lasts briefly before it is forgotten. This extends to the other characters. Three murders occur days apart, but life continues with minimal if any grieving or other emotion from both family and friends. Fen’s interactions with the other characters are also stiff and awkward. She just has to ask about Arthur but when she does, a character is conveniently called away for no credible reason, or the opposite happens. Out of the blue, a character offers information.

A Dangerous Goodbye is a light cozy mystery. Whodunit, however, was too easy to figure out.
Reviewed for The Historical Novel Society

This was a definite page turner for me. The storyline was intriguing, full of twists and turns.
The main character was relatable and realistic and really likeable from the start. Although heartbreaking at times, this story captivated me from beginning to end.
The authors writing style was brilliant and really added new depths to an already fascinating book.
This was the first book I have read by this author and I thoroughly look forward to reading future releases.

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
A really intriguing page turner. This book doesn't hold back with the twists and turns. The MC is relatable, intelligent and a crossword locerm what's not to like? The story explores Fen coming to France after WW2 to learn more about what happened to Arthur, her fiance. Whilst there, a string of murders begin happening...
At times, I felt the clues were too heavy handed and as crossword puzzles were mentioned so frequently, perhaps there could have been more of them in the book.
However the writing is good, really evoking the feeling of a post war vineyard and characters interesting. This book kept my reading until the earlier hours of the morning and I can't wait to read more about Fen!

I enjoyed Fen in this book. She was a great character to spend the book with.
It was part mystery and part WW2 fiction. It was the first book I have read by this author, but I will be looking forward to more in the future.
This book was well written and plot was intriguing.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

I really enjoy this genre of book and was definitely not disappointed with A Dangerous Goodbye.
It was a real page turner with strong characters, vivid descriptions and a brilliant story line.

I loved this well written, highly entertaining and gripping historical mystery.
It reminded me of the mysteries of Golden Age for the historical time and the word games/puzzles present in the story.
The character development is excellent and Fen is a likable and interesting characters. There's plenty of them but it wasn't hard to keep track.
The mystery is solid and complex, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing till the end that came as a surprise.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and it's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Fliss Chester and I really enjoyed it! The book is a mystery set in post WWII. Fen, the main character, receives a letter from Author, her fiance, telling her he won’t survive the war. Their letters always include codes and clues and this one is no different!

After the war, Fen travels to France to untangle the clues of Author’s death and those clues lead her to three murders!!

There was great character building throughout the book. I thought I had the murders figured out a few times, but I was wrong each time! I love a mystery that keeps you guessing and this one did exactly that!

I would recommend this book if you like, or want to try, a historical fiction crime mystery. It was an easy read and kept me guessing throughout!

As a crossword enthusiast, I loved this book! The setting at a French vineyard was unique for this type of mystery. Very much looking forward to the continuation of this series!

A Dangerous Goodbye is the debut novel in a new post-WW2 series by Fliss Chester. Released 20th Aug 2020 by Bookouture, it's 278 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a very well written atmospheric historical murder mystery set in the immediate aftermath of WW2 in England and France. Protagonist Fen Church (yes, like the station). The characterizations are clearly delineated - it's a large(ish) cast, and I had no trouble keeping them straight in my head. The setting and narrative arc are well rendered and believable. I did find the pacing a little slow in the first half of the book, but the action soon speeds up. Certainly since it's the first book in the series, a certain amount of latitude must be given to build up backstory and setting (which the author manages quite well).

There are a number of plot threads which wind together into a rather thrilling denouement. One of the side elements is that both Fen and her missing fiance Arthur were keen cruciverbalists (crossword fans) and a number of plot twists turn on that fact; figuring out where Arthur's gone and what's happened are left up to Fen to decipher from coded hints left in his letters. I don't think there will be enough crossword clues for keen solvers, and there might be a bit too much crossword-ish bits for non-crosswords fans, but overall the author strikes a good balance. I hope we get more crossword elements in future books in the series. Time will tell.

Well written and engaging. Recommended for fans of WW2 mysteries. Strong, intelligent, and brave female protagonist. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I read this for a blog tour.

I really enjoyed this post-WW2 mystery, following Fen to rural France to discover what became of her fiance Arthur, and in the process solving a conspiracy and a string of terrible murders.

Fen is a likeable and engaging protagonist and the world building is simple but effective, bringing the vineyard and chateau to life.

I’m fond of historical mysteries set just after the end of WWII, so when I saw a post for this one on Facebook, I thought I’d give it a try.

In 1944, Fen Churche receives a letter from her fiancé, telling her that he won’t survive the war. Like most of their communication, it involves a few codes and puzzles. When the war ends, Fen follows the clues to his last location, determined to find out what happened to him. Her journey leads her to a vineyard and chateau in France, but then there’s a murder, and Fen has to figure out who is behind it and how it relates to what happened during the war.

This one kept me suspecting several of the characters, but after the big reveal everything made sense (that’s the best kind of mystery, in my opinion). It’s a great choice for fans of historical mysteries, and it’s clean enough for teen readers on up.

I received a complimentary digital copy from the publisher, but my opinion is my own.

A historical mystery is not something I usually read, but I’m really glad I chose to read and review A Dangerous Goodbye!

For someone who loves crosswords and word games this was a perfect read – an intriguing historical mystery centering around cryptic word puzzles.

As Fen begins to unravel the clues of Arthur’s death one gets drawn into the story and I couldn’t wait to find out how this was going to end. Although there were enough of possible suspects, the author kept the plot simple and easy to follow.

Fen is a loveable character and although initially a little naïve, she seemed to grow as the story progressed.

I loved the author’s writing style – descriptive, humorous and engaging!

Overall, despite the dark background of the War, the book was an entertaining read.

This was a rather long read, and though it took a while to finish the book, it was still enjoyable. It took me a while to get invested in the story, but once I did, it seemed to flow quicker. This is an easy read and a well written mystery. I assumed I knew who the murderer was. And I was glad my assumption proved true. When the culprit was revealed though, it was interesting to see the dramatic behavior on their part as well as the individual’s excuses.

I enjoyed the cryptic crossword hints in solving Fen’s fiancé’s messages and the murders. I enjoyed getting to know Fen and James. Interesting side characters with varied personalities.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

In Fliss Chester’s first attempt at a cozy historical mystery, Fenella Churche, puzzle and crossword enthusiast, is trying to find out what happened to her fiance, Arthur, who, like many others, never came home from the war. Unlike many others; however, he sent Fenella a letter from beyond the grave, warning her that he was most likely dead. Using the clues found in the letter, Fenella winds up in French wine country, posing as a church historian in order to find out what happened to Arthur.

Arthur’s disappearance is a mystery in itself, but Fen’s appearance at the winery seems to be the catalyst for a few suspicious deaths. Fen can’t help but feel that the murders and Arthur’s disappearance are linked, and when her fellow countryman (who knows something about Arthur) is arrested for the crime, she’s determined to solve the murders as well as her own troubles.

“A gripping story of war, mystery, espionage and murder. Fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Todd and Rhys Bowen will absolutely adore this unputdownable World War Two murder mystery.” -https://flisschester.co.uk/fen-churche-mysteries

That’s the line on Chester’s website promoting A Dangerous Goodbye, and, I have to admit, I don’t agree with it. I liked Fenella and her mission to find out what happened to Arthur; it was a great premise for a mystery novel. However, I thought the plot and the characters were on the weaker side. Although it works(ish) as a cozy mystery, I don’t feel that it’s on the level of Winspear, Todd, or Bowen. While I was promised a lot by that single quote, I feel like those promises weren’t fulfilled, and I’ll tell you why I disagree.

Let’s start with “unputdownable.” I think that’s an exaggeration, which is unfortunate. What makes a book unputdownable for me is the connection I feel with the character(s), which helps build suspense throughout the book as they go through various challenges. I didn’t feel very connected to Fenella throughout A Dangerous Goodbye, so I was okay taking a break from her. I don’t feel as if Chester delved deeply enough into Fenella’s character and personality for me. It’s clear that she’s bereaved and has a lot of emotions, but I read her and thought “oh, that’s sad,” instead of hurting with her, if that makes sense.

The other thing about Fenella that could have been explored more was her love of crossword puzzles and word games. They ended up being a significant part of the story, but readers never learned why she likes them, how she got into them, or what kind of role they played in her relationship, which would have made me feel more connected to her as a character as well.

“A gripping story…” also didn’t hold for me as gripping usually means suspenseful, and this was far from it. Fen was receiving clues from the beyond throughout the novel, and they were just introduced as ordinary events in her day. I did not find this book to be suspenseful or gripping as I just didn’t feel a great sense of urgency about the whole thing, even though townsfolk were dropping dead like flies. I did rather like introducing clues casually as it was a unique approach. Usually a casual clue is something subtle that the reader doesn’t notice at first, but these obvious clues were just sidled into the storyline. I found it very interesting and somewhat challenging.

The four highlighted elements in this quote are “war, mystery, espionage, and murder,” and while there was plenty of mystery and murder, I would say that war and espionage were few and far between. I can’t say much about either without giving away the plot, but I thought that description didn’t match up with the content.

“Fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Charles Todd, and Rhys Bowen will absolutely adore…” Let’s get one thing straight: Fenella Churche does not hold a candle to Maisie Dobbs. Winspear winds complex, moving, emotional, and deep stories that make Maisie Dobbs an unputdownable read. Fenella Church pales in comparison, and it’s for the reason I stated earlier: she’s just not deep enough of a character. If she had more depth, if her mystery was more enthralling, if the language evoked more emotion...she could be a fierce competitor to Dobbs, Crawford, or O’Mara (nee Rannoch).

Now that I’ve thoroughly picked apart the quote (hook) that led me to read this book, I hope you’ll see why I was disillusioned by what I read vs. what I was promised. I had high expectations, and they were not met. However, it doesn’t mean that I hated the book. I did like the location and setting, and there were a few elements that surprised me and were good additions to the story. I also liked the more casual writing style rather than a more suspenseful tone (but it should be appropriately described as such!).

I think this book may have just had too much going on for it to dig really deep. Puzzley clues, missing soldiers, multiple murders, Fenella’s grief, etc. was a ton to pack into this book. I could have easily settled in for a more emotional journey of Fen discovering what happened to Arthur without his clues and been happy with a longer novel to do so.

If there is a second novel in this series, I would be happy to give it a try. I think Fenella and this series has a lot of promise because the premise of this debut novel was very original. I’d like to learn more about Fenella, and I’d like to see where she goes next as I don’t think she plans on staying in France. I want to be clear that the source of my disappointment surrounding this novel is that it read so differently than it was described; if I hadn’t been promised a sister to Maisie Dobbs then I think I would have finished this book with a different attitude. It had a lot of Cozy qualities that I think most readers would enjoy.

4.5 Stars

Fans of Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series are going to fall in love with Fliss Chester’s terrific historical crime novel featuring intrepid and intelligent sleuth Fen Churche: A Dangerous Goodbye.
Fenella Churche has always felt like an outsider. Having been raised in France before returning back to

England at the age of eighteen, Fen has never felt like she belonged anywhere – until she had met the love of her life, Arthur at a dance. Fen had fallen for Arthur’s wit, awkward charm and intelligence from the first moment they met and they had bonded over their love of crosswords and fallen for each other as they shared a passion for cryptic clues and perplexing puzzles. Yet, the war meant that their time together was scarce as Arthur is doing his duty for his country while Fen had enrolled in the Women’s Land Army and is helping England by working every single hour possible on the land. The work is long and the labour is back-breaking, but the thought that she is doing this for Arthur keeps her going – until a letter arrives with the news that she has been dreading. Only, as it’s not a telegram, could it be that Arthur is still alive? As she pores over the last letter he sent, all of Fen’s instincts are telling her that Arthur left her important clues which she must decipher in order to find his location, but does Fen know just what she is letting herself in for?

In 1945, the war has finished and the enemy has been defeated. It’s time for everyone to go back to normal and to reclaim their old lives. Only Fen is still haunted by Arthur’s letter and by her desperation to find him. She thinks that she has located the village in France where he has been hiding, so she leaves her life in England behind and travels across the channel to find the man she loves with all of her heart. But her quest is not going to be easy. When on arrival, she goes down one dead end after another, she finds herself close to giving up – until she locates his silver cigarette case and another letter full of clues. Could she finally unravel the mystery behind her beloved’s disappearance. When the local priest is found killed, it seems like somebody is keen to keep their old secrets dead and buried, but Fen will not rest until she finds out what happened to Arthur.

Will Fen be reunited with the man she loves? Can she find out what really happened to him? Or will someone go to great lengths to make sure that she doesn’t find out the truth?

I loved A Dangerous Goodbye. Fliss Chester has a wonderful gift of bringing post-war Europe to vivid life and her evocative descriptions will make readers feel every single emotion which her characters are going through. A Dangerous Goodbye is a multi-layered mystery peppered with red herrings, acute tension, nail-biting suspense and powerful emotion.

Fen Churche is a wonderful heroine I couldn’t help but care for. Smart, intuitive, compassionate and determined, I do hope that she will go on many more sleuthing adventures in the not too distant future.

A marvellous treat for historical mystery fans, A Dangerous Goodbye is one compulsively readable thriller that has me waited with bated breath for the next Fliss Chester novel.

I cannot wait for you historical mystery lovers to meet Fen Churche! Fen does her part for the British war effort in 1944, serving as a Land Girl, and pining for her fiance Arthur, a soldier undercover in France. When Arthur's letters stop arriving, Fen is sure that he has been captured and fears the worst... but a clue in his last letter prompts Fen to travel to France to find Arthur. She ends up taking a room in a chateau at a winery in exchange for working in the fields, and almost immediately, people begin to be murdered, Fen is also searching for a church relic she believes Arthur hid when he gave a fake to the Gestapo, all while just trying to stay alive.

I absolutely loved this book and I loved Fen. She is a fantastic heroine with inklings of Nancy Drew. The plot has a touch of Agatha Christie, so you really can't go wrong. I loved the way Fliss Chester built suspense and made me wonder which characters were trustworthy and which had more sinister intentions. I went right to the end trying to figure things out, and appreciated the tidy explanations, even if I might have hoped for different outcomes. A Dangerous Goodbye is a very enjoyable and satisfying mystery and a must read for lovers of the genre. I hope I meet Fen Churche again soon!

Favorite Quotes:

Fen closed her eyes at the memory, and before long others nudged their way into her mind. His spectacles with their round, dark rims and his dark brown eyes behind them. The way his neck always smelt of Palmolive soap, no matter what time of day she embraced him. His insistence on always carrying a penknife, a handkerchief and a small ball of string ‘just in case’.

And then there was Edith from the East End of London, tall and awkward and with a fondness for anything fanciful. She would be a fairy or a princess if she could, but God had decided, in his great wisdom, that instead she should be five foot nine of clumsiness, and for this she found it hard to forgive him.

She was dark-haired and slim, her face pinched and sallow, as if she had spent the war drinking vinegar rather than fighting off Germans.


My Review:

I enjoyed this engaging tale from beginning to end, but I was flummoxed to see it was classified as Cozy Mystery, hmm. It was a well-researched historical with the well-held tension of a suspenseful novel as well as trickles of humor and amusing observations, three clever murders, betrayals, peril, sabotage, sleuthing, theft, several well-nuanced mysteries, oddly curious and fascinating characters, and a strong and smart female protagonist. Add that all together and this seemed like a full-fledged historical mystery to me, so I sought the counsel of the all-wise Mr. Google who led me to Cozy Mystery.com – and yes, there actually is such a thing, and found an article/post titled What Makes a Cozy Just That?” And, well… A Dangerous Goodbye fits the definition… color me schooled!

The pleasantly evocative writing style and well-crafted storylines were expertly paced and held my attention throughout while keeping me tethered to my Kindle and taunting my inquisitive nature. I spun and cast aside numerous theories but this sly author tossed in more than a few red herrings among the clues, the minx. This was an excellent kick-off for a new series, and I hope I'm paying attention when the subsequent installments appear. I’m a fan and apparently I'm now an ardent cozy mystery reader – who would have ever suspected that?

"If you are reading this, then in all likelihood I am dead."

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 I am a big fan of Call the Midwife and while there were no babies delivered in this story, the main character Fen (Fenella) reminded me so much of Jenny, with her victory rolls, red Revlon lipstick, and spunky inner dialog. Fen is an inspiring protagonist. She uses her clever mind to puzzle out the cryptic clues Arthur left for her and doesn't bat an eye when it comes to venturing to rural France to find out what's become of him.

All of the characters, in fact, were really well done and I enjoyed trying to figure out "who done it" as people kept dropping like flies.

Aside from the big reveal, what surprised me most was how fond I grew of Authur, even if only through his letters. He was always so confident that Fen would figure out the clues he left for her. His belief in her was incredibly endearing and turned me into a sappy pile of mush.

This book is perfect for mystery lovers and fans of historical fiction. Let me know if you give it a try!