A Deadly Confession is the second Lipton St. Faith historical cozy mystery by Keith Finney. Released 28th Oct 2021 by Lume Books, it's 258 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book (and the other extant book in the series) are currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a light WW2 cozy historical adventure set in Norfolk. The main protagonists, the local vicar's daughter and a US volunteer pilot "doing his bit" before the USA officially entered the war, are untangling the brutal murder of a local woman. The author has taken some pains with historical and geographic research. He does quite a good job of evoking the time period through quaint dialogue and background descriptions (flyovers, ration coupons, the Women's Land Army, child evacuees, etc). There is one stylistic element which often dragged me out of the story where the main protagonist Anna has a nearly continuous monologue in the text in italics. She has something to say or think a couple times per page and I found it both distracting and annoying and never got used to the literary device.

The narrative is well written but slow-paced and readers used to hastier writing might find their attention wandering. All in all, I found it charmingly nostalgic if possibly a bit unrealistically saccharine. The spelling and vernacular are true to the area and location, although there are a few possibly anachronistic usages which I didn't chase down, such as "Yes, I get you". The author has included a handy short glossary of terms for readers who might be unfamiliar with the vernacular.

Four stars. Worth a look for fans of the time period. It's squeaky clean and there's nothing in the writing or language which would startle anyone's maiden aunt.

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

Anna Grix and Lieutenant Eddie Elsner thought their crime-solving days were done after solving their first murder in the peaceful Norfolk town of Lipton St Faith. However, as the Second World War drags on, another body is discovered. Inspector Spillers knows better than to keep the two amateur detectives away from the investigation, and he needs all the aid he can get with so many potential suspects. Despite their efforts, they are no closer to apprehending the criminal until they unearth a surprising array of illicit plans and covert operations going on right in front of their eyes. The community of Lipton St Faith does not appear to be as quiet as it appears.

This is a nice cozy mystery set in Norfolk during WWII. The novel didn’t drag as much, and the storyline went along at a steady clip, with clues to the mystery gradually revealed in each chapter. I didn’t figure out who the perpetrator was until the very end of the novel. The writing style was quite easy to read for me. I appreciate how the two protagonists deal with the cops and witnesses. It was written smoothly and convincingly, which is precisely what I look for in a detective novel. Each of the primary characters seemed quite genuine and plausible. The novel is a solid addition to the series and can easily be read as a solo narrative.

Keith Finney’s writing style jumps immediately into the action. This narrative had a wonderful mix of history and mystery, with some intriguing characters thrown in for good measure. I especially loved watching Anna and Eddie’s relationship blossom, and I’m forward to seeing how it progresses in the next book! If you enjoy Margaret Mayhew, Faith Martin, or Joy Ellis’ murder mysteries, you’ll adore this nonstop read from the bestselling author of Norfolk’s cozy crime.

WWII is still raging on and hot on the heels of solving their first murder in the small village of Lipton St. Faith in Norfolk in the first book, Anna Grix, the local vicar's daughter and Lt. Eddie Elsner come across the dead body of a young woman Ruth Cotton in the woods. At first the suspicion falls on the inmates of the POW camp located nearby but as Anna and Eddie continue with their sleuthing, they uncover the existence of illegal, undercover schemes within the army officers.

I enjoyed this second book much more than the first one in the series. The story did not drag as much and the plot moved on with an even pace with clues related to the mystery being uncovered bit by bit in every chapter. Just like with the first book, I wasn't able to to guess who the culprit was until it was revealed at the end of the book.

I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Lume Books and the author Keith Finney via NetGalley.

September 1941, Lipton St. Faith, Norfolk. Anna Grix, vicar’s daughter and American Lt. Eddie Elsner discover the body of Ruth Cotton, murdered. But why. Soon suspicion falls on one of the Italian POWs. Is is guilty. They with Inspector Spillers investigate.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with some likeable, and varied characters. The novel can easily be read as a standalone story and is a good addition to the series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky to be on the book tour for a deadly coincidence (the first in the series) and I absolutely loved it! A lovely cozy mystery in Norfolk around wartime Britain. When I saw the next instalment here I needed to be able to read it so I was ecstatic when I got approved for this! Another mystery for the sassy vicars daughters to get her teeth in to. This one did not disappoint and I absolutely loved this just as much as the first one

A Deadly Confession by Keith Finney is the second book in the Lipton St Faith series. Set during WWII, the book follows Anna Grix and her friend, Liutenant Eddie Elsner as they try to solve a murder in the small village of Lipton St Faith. Although A Deadly Confession is the second book in the series, it is easy for the reader to quickly catch up and get clued up on all the main characters and key events of the previous book.

I really enjoy murder mysteries set during WWII as it was such a tumultuous time, with many societal changes taking place, and an atmosphere of uncertainty and suspicion which lends itself well to a crime novel. This book used these elements well: with new evacuees, prisoners-of-war and soldiers arriving every day, the sleepy village is filled with new faces, and suddenly no-one knows exactly who they can trust.

I did find the writing style a little bit ponderous, however, which was a shame as it slowed down an interesting plot. Finney provides Anna’s internal voice at times, which sounds interesting in theory, but were usually superfluous or occasionally even quite repetitive. I think removing these sentences would actually speed up the story and help to maintain the reader’s interest.

However, this book is sure to appeal to fans of cosy murder mysteries or historical mysteries. I particularly enjoyed seeing the relationship between Anna and Eddie develop, and look forward to seeing how this moves forward in the next book!

Sleuthing Duo Ride Again…
The second in a new series of Norfolk mysteries set in the seemingly tranquil village of Lipton St Faith where the second Wolrd War has brought many changes. Following their first encounter, amateur sleuthing duo, Anna Grix and Eddie Elsner are hopeful that no other encounters come their way. That hope is dashed, however, when a body is discovered. With a plethora of suspects and a floundering police inspector, can the duo solve yet another crime? Enjoyable amateur sleuthing ensues in this atmospheric, cosy mystery with a well drawn cast of characters. A fitting addition to the series.

I love Keith Finney’s right-into-the-action writing style. This story was a great blend of historical and mystery with some interesting characters added in.

I found the writing style very easy to read. I did get a little muddled with some of the British slang but there was a helpful glossary at the back. The glossary was a bit hard to flip to on an ebook, however, so I would recommend reading a physical copy if available.

The plot was well written and very smooth. But there were just a couple of jumps when I became very confused and then realised “Oh, they have already had half a conversation, it was just time jumped.”

I really like how the two main characters interact with the police and the witnesses. It was written very smoothly and believably, exactly what I like in a detective story. Each of the main characters came across as very real and believable. Some of the supporting characters, however, came across as very one dimensional. But, I don’t read mystery for the supporting characters, I read it for the plot.

A Deadly Confession has an awesome plot and Finney has a talent for making every story appear new. This is a very plot-based story with non-stop clue hunting, detection, and deception, which is exactly what I am looking for when I read a detective novel. Anna and Eddie find and present the clues quickly and give the reader an opportunity to solve the case for themselves and yet the ending is unpredictable, just like any good mystery story. I did, however, find this ending a little too out of nowhere and could not follow where one or two of the pieces of evidence came from. But the story still had the “AHA” moment and satisfactory feeling that every good detective novel should have.

If you are looking for a quick, easy read, characters who banter, and an enthralling combination of history and mystery, I recommend this book.