Iris Woodmore has got another fiendishly difficult case to solve in her third exciting adventure, The Body at Carnival Bridge.

It’s 1922 and after a year spent travelling through Europe, Iris Woodmore has returned home to find a much-changed Walden. Reform is very much in the air with wealthy businesswoman Constance Timpson having introduced new measures in her factories which enable women not just to be paid as much as the men but to also retain their jobs after they marry. However, not everybody in Walden is thrilled about these changes and somebody is clearly intent on keeping Constance in her place – as she discovers when a mysterious sniper fires a single shot at her! Is it a warning? Or a threat?

Things take a far more dangerous turn when one of her female employees is murdered in cold blood and with jeopardy round every corner, it is clear that Constance is in acute danger. Turning to amateur sleuth Iris for help, Constance cannot help wonder the enemy is somebody who is far too close to home. But who could it be?

As Iris investigates, it soon becomes clear that the killer could be hiding in plain sight and if she doesn’t uncover their identity soon, the body count will keep increasing and a vengeful murderer will end up escaping justice.

Michelle Salter does a fabulous job balancing intrigue, suspense and tension with vivid period detail that helps sweep readers back in time to the 1920s and she has done it again with The Body at Carnival Bridge. An atmospheric, engrossing and enjoyable historical mystery that explores prejudice, misogyny and social reform, The Body at Carnival Bridge is a cleverly written page-turner featuring Iris Woodmore that kept me guessing until the very end.

Michelle Salter’s historical mysteries featuring amateur sleuth Iris Woodmore just keep getting better and better and I am already looking forward to the fourth installment of this brilliant 1920s series.

I enjoyed the book and flew through it in a couple of days. I enjoy reading period/historical fiction and this one hit just the reading spot. Iris Woodmore's depiction is one that I will always remember. To come across a strong, independent woman during times when so many obstacles and restrictions were strewn in their path is supremely satisfying.
There are so many mysteries within mysteries in this story which actually reflect the complex lives that push people to think that committing a crime is their only solution.This is a fast paced book about a small town with so many angles to explore in terms of solving the mystery.

I am sure every reader is going to thoroughly enjoy it.

Iris has returned to England, short of money, and no longer with her boyfriend and travelling companion. Some people are uncomfortable or a little disgusted that she flouted convention, tarnishing her reputation, while others don't seem to care.

Iris attends an announcement by her friend and business owner Constance Timson (from book one) pertaining to her factory, and someone takes a shot at her. Constance is angering men all around because she no longer employs children, pays women the same as men, and says women who marry can continue to work at the factory. Trade unions and other male business owners are convinced this will destabilize everything. (No doubt the Earth would stop turning, it’s all so horrifying.)

Afterwards, one of Constance’s employees is overcome with shock and is taken away by a doctor for treatment. (Problem is, no one knows where the young woman is days later.)

As Iris needs a job, she goes to her old boss Elijah and gets her job back conditionally. She then returns to her father's home, unsure of her reception after her year away with a man he disapproved of. She discovers her father’s particular friend, Mrs. Keating, is much more comfortable in her dad’s home than Iris realized, and feels a little displaced in her former home.

Iris is shaken and angered that anyone would try to hurt Constance, so she decides she'll begin investigating, and though Detective Inspector Yates is less than thrilled, Iris begins talking to people, and uncovers not just injured men back from the war who are disgruntled that women would receive equal pay, but also finds the missing girl, now obviously murdered. The more Iris digs, the more surprises she receives, and the more she sees the women around her having to make hard choices about their families and their bodies, and encounters both support for what Constance is doing, as well as varying degrees of condemnation.

The Iris Woodmore series has really grown on me. I love the way author Michelle Salter weaves great historical details and attitudes into these stories, and highlights how so many social inequalities in the time after WWI still persist. I also like how Iris just keeps digging, using her position as a reporter, but also her network of friends and others to find things out the police rarely can about those surrounding the case. I also had to shake my head at Iris' dismaying choices in romantic partners, and initial insistence on a suspect, but her mistakes only make her more believable as a character.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Please see my post for review.

Blog tour - http://ramblingmads.uk/2023/05/15/blog-tour-the-body-at-carnival-bridge-michelle-salter/

This third Iris Woodmore mystery had me completely baffled until the last minute. The murder plot was intricately woven and full of details that may or may not be connected. The attempted shooting of Constance Timpson was another worrying matter.

Iris has returned from her travels just in time to get caught up in another murder investigation but she has some fences to mend with old friends before she can start.

There are a lot of changes to Walden and lots of new faces. Some are more likeable than others. I took an instant dislike to Archie, the smarmy new Reverand and I had to wonder at Iris finding him attractive. Plenty of intimidating characters live at the convalescent home for soldiers and this further confuses the matter when Iris is looking for suspects.

I like how the author uses dark subject material that wouldn't normally be tackled in the genre. The author pays attention to detail in the social history of post-war Britain and uses it to great advantage to further the plot; the effects of the Great War on returning soldiers, the change to society for men and women, the weakening of social class distinctions, women's rights, reproductive rights and terminations etc. Times are changing at a speed which is too fast for some members of society.

I found myself reading through this book quite quickly as I wanted to find out what would happen next. Iris's personal life is as eventful as the investigations she gets mixed up in and I'm looking forward to reading how things progress with her father and his fiancée, and Iris and her friends.

Although I hadn’t read the others in this series it really didn’t Matt as this was easily read on its own. A lovely twisty read with plenty of red herrings to lead you up the wrong path. Enjoyed this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Body at Carnival Bridge is the third adventure with intrepid, independent Iris Woodmore. I’ve reviewed the first two titles in the series, Death at Crookham Hall and Murder at Waldenmere Lake, and I was looking forward to reading more of Iris’ adventures.

This latest instalment begins after Iris returned from her travels, her reputation in tatters. But Iris is unconventional, the daughter of a suffragette, and she tends to shrug off criticism of her behaviour. Having to deal with unexpected changes at home, she wonders what to do with herself. Then her friend Constance is threatened, and Iris returns to Walden to investigate.

When a body is found, she suspects the threats had a more sinister background, and soon Iris is in the midst of investigations, her impetuousness leading her into trouble again. Can she solve the murder without a risk to her own life?

The Body at Carnival Bridge is set several months after Murder at Waldenmere Lake, when Iris and her friends suffered a great loss. She returns from her travels unsure of what to do. The threat to Constance gives her purpose, and it sets her off into the same direction where she left off in the previous book.

Iris is stubborn and wilful, not exactly qualities appreciated in women in the early 1920s, and at times I felt she showed a nasty streak. Her behaviour is unconventional, and the reactions of those around her, close to her, reflect that.

The setting and sense of change is very well portrayed here, as we see a young woman who questions existing rules. But we also get an idea of the restrictions of the times, the political upheaval, and men's overbearing attitude to a woman's place in society. The Body at Carnival Bridge reflects that with themes that were prevalent at the time, and the risks women often took to survive.

I liked that agenda, as it shows how women struggled to feed their children, post-war, and often widowed. They’d been good enough to work during the war, but were sent back to home and hearth afterwards. The author brings their dilemma vividly to life here.

As for Iris, I must say I didn't like her at times, despite everything having made very easy for her on her return. She comes across as ungrateful and spoilt. I thought she was quite fortunate. But as the story progresses, she also learns a personal lesson, and realises that she doesn't know everything. She’s now in her early 20s, and the learning curve is still steep.

There are several recurring secondary characters, and there was a fine balance in portraying how their lives have changed, too. We come to like those characters too, as readers, and I'm curious where their paths will lead them. I'm especially fond of Elijah, the local newspaper editor. His role is developing very nicely.

I had a couple of suspicions early on about who’s behind the threats and the murder, which proved to be correct, but there were still plenty of red herrings for The Body at Carnival Bridge to be an intriguing, gripping murder mystery. It does work as a standalone novel, but I would recommend reading the titles in order, as it's as much about Iris’ life as it is about crime. A fabulous series for readers who love quirky whodunits.

I'm looking forward to the next book!

Note: I was provided with a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed are my own.

This is the third book in the series, but second one I’ve read - and it was very enjoyable. If anything, it was a little improved on the second book (which was good itself), and I really enjoyed reading this - and I look forward to the next one. This nicely dealt with the issue of women stepping up to fill men’s roles during war, and then being asked to step aside when the men returned (and to stop working when they married). Overall a very good story and characters, would recommend.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

After reading Murder at Waldenmere Lake I was desperate for a sequel, and the Iris Woodmore Mysteries are swiftly becoming a new favourite of mine. The storyline follows on seamlessly from the previous book. The story in this book had me completely enthralled and I read it just as fast as the other books. The story is slowly revealed throughout the multiple twists and turns. I am on tenterhooks for the next book.

‘The Body At Carnival Bridge’ by Michelle Salter is a mystery set in the 1920s, and follows the life of journalist Iris Woodmore. After spending time abroad, Iris is back home and hoping to return to work on her old paper. Things have changed in Walden. Local businesswoman Constance Timpson has brought in equal pay for woman in her factories, and the right for married women to continue working. Not everyone is happy about this. When one of the workers is murdered, Iris starts investigating, and finds that many other women may be in danger, including Constance. Can she uncover the culprit before it is too late?

I love the strong women characters in Michelle Salter’s stories. Not just Iris. She writes them well, and ties their lives in with historical events of the time. Iris is a force of nature and has no intention of staying in her ‘place’, as dictated by the mores of the time.

This book dealt with real issues of the time. Issues that women were faced with every day. They were woven cleverly into a wonderful mystery. I loved it.

I was given this ARC for review

1922: Iris Woodmore, a former newspaper reporter for the Warden Herald, quit her job abruptly and later returned to Walden to work with her supervisor Elijah. When it is revealed that the Basingstoke canal would be closed, Iris just so happens to be at the Owner of Foods empire Constance Timpson's speech event, that canal used to transport their goods. While there, she also chances to witness an assassination attempt. They later discovered Rosie's body at the Carnival Bridge, one of Constance's employees, lying on the floor of their cabin.

Constance intended to bring about improvements in all of her factories, including no child labor, equal pay, and no firing of women for getting married. Constance is also lending her support to Mrs. Siddons' electoral campaign. Iris wants to provide a report on Timpson's efforts. Iris also prefers that the Walden Herald be the first to report the terrible deaths of Rosie and the sniper. They enjoy assisting in the hunt for Miss Brag as well. Iris looks into it. Was Rosie Robson's death the fault of the individual who fired the shot? She is prepared to help Detective Inspector Yates. Yates believed that the shooting and disappearance of Robie Robson and Freda Brag were linked.

This is a cozy mystery that cannot be read as a standalone book. It's better to read the other two books which I came across to read by the author Michelle Salter to clearly get a picture of all the characters in the book. All the main characters are repetitive in all three books in the series. The other two books in the series are: Murder at Waldenmere Lake, Death at Crookham Hall. A must highly recommended read to those readers who love mystery books with suspense and crime. Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Publishers, and Rachel's Random Resources for an advance copy for my honest review.

Journalist, Iris Woodmore, doesn't always follow every rule -
She's independent, determined and somewhat cool.
Maybe she takes after her suffragette Mum?
Or on the lookout for whatever may come?

She's returned home after a year away
Hoping to pick up her old life one day.
However in Walden not is all as it was before
With some changes too dramatic to ignore!

In the Timpson factories there's now equal pay
And after they marry, women now can stay.
These changes are not welcome by all
Causing threats and danger to call.

A threatening letter, a shot fired and missing employees, too,
Just what should Constance Timpson do?
Is she in deadly danger? Is it a threat?
Or is she just the first to be targetted yet?

An enthralling page turner mystery
Set in the 1920s period of history.
With characters reconnecting after a year apart
Will Iris find the killer or a broken heart?

There are twists and turns galore
As Iris looks for clues and goes to explore.
There are historical references reflecting life in those times
Showing attitudes to life and these crimes!

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

WOW! I’m Hooked!

WOW! That was my immediate reaction to The Body At Carnival Bridge about four chapters in. I was hooked on this series in the best way! This is the most daring and refreshing historical mystery series that I have ever encountered! Author Michelle Salter is not afraid to take on the taboo topics of the 1920s (and some may argue still taboo today) and weave them throughout a cleverly plotted edge-of-your-seat mystery. Every chapter brought a new nuance to the story which served to not only deepen the plot but create a larger and more viable suspect pool. No one was introduced unless they served a purpose, whether they were a red herring or not, they were a fully developed member of the cast making it far more difficult to discern the “real” culprit or culprits. But, the crème de la crème of characters is Iris Woodmore, amateur sleuth and resident bad girl, by 1920s standards anyway. She’s a free-thinking, trouser-wearing, independent woman who lives her life unapologetically and in-spite of the social norms of the day. This is evident in some of the more romantic scenes throughout the book. No need to worry, they are not overt in nature. Salter handles these scenes with such finesse that they smolder like a dying fire—just enough heat to make you sweat but not enough burn. Ok, I might have burned a little—seriously, that good! If ever Salter chooses to venture into another genre of writing she should try historical romance novels. I typically don’t read them but would if she wrote them. In the meantime, it is my hope that she continues the Iris Woodmore Mysteries for a long time to come. This is an amateur sleuth that is easy to identify with and become invested in regardless of the time period she occupies. My thanks to #MichelleSlater, #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks who provided me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 Stars
One Liner: A good mystery with some then socially relevant themes

1922, Waldenmere
Iris Woodmore is back home after a year of traveling across Europe. She is surprised by the changes in Walden. Constance Timpson has taken over the business and is established equal pay and opportunities for women working in the factories. Though she has support from Mrs. Sybil Siddons, not many are in favor of her ‘radical’ decisions.
A mysterious sniper fires at Constance, and soon, one of her female employees is found murdered. Iris realizes things are worse than expected and knows they need to find the killer before more women are harmed.
Can Iris deal with the latest developments in her life and career while solving the crime?
The story comes in Iris’ first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
Though this is book #3, it should work well as a standalone. There are enough bits and pieces of details scattered throughout to fill the gaps. I’m reading the series, so I think I did enjoy it a wee bit more.
Set in the 1920s, the main and subplots deal with themes like women’s rights, equal pay, lady politicians and business owners, etc. The setting is an integral part of the series and is seamlessly woven into each book.
Iris is back home in this book and has to deal with the varying responses from her family, friends, and acquaintances. I like most of what we see in the book. It sticks close to reality without exaggeration or drama. While I like the main character’s arc, I’m not sure about some of her choices. I guess it makes her appear real and flawed instead of someone perfect. The idea has merit, but maybe give her a little more stability in the coming books?
That said, the book depicts relationships quite well. We see a tangled mess here, but it doesn’t get overwhelming. In fact, it makes the coming books more interesting. I sure want to know who will choose whom and why.
Coming to the main mystery(ies), there is no lack of suspects or red herrings. The information is revealed in stages, giving the readers enough time to guess. I could guess the main culprit (it’s easy if this is your favorite genre). However, the conclusion is satisfactory, as I always like seeing how things are connected and tied up at the end.
While the pacing is decent, the book slows in the middle and feels like we are going in circles (too many cozies are doing this recently). The plot picks up again at around 70% and sustains from thereon.

To summarize, The Body at Carnival Bridge is a solid cozy mystery that blends crime and social issues without being preachy or boring. The cover and blurb of book #4 are out, and I look forward to reading it soon.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are a couple of crimes going on throughout this book - a murder and 2 shootings that Iris decides she needs to get the bottom of. She has just returned after travelling around Europe with a man who isn’t her husband. Her friend , Constance, who is the boss of a local biscuit factory is the target so she definitely needs to investigate.

At first, people seem wary of her, not wanting her reputation to rub off on them but as time and the investigations progress, people can see she is the same woman who left and still has the same passion to find the truth as she did before she left. We meet several dubious characters along the way, and we learn a lot about the working conditions for women of this time, and how Constance is working to change these. There’s also a lot of history of the Basingstoke Canal, which being near to where I live, was of interest to me.

I really enjoyed this book and the creation of the story and the sub-stories we encounter throughout. The characters are all typical of the time, and the writing is superb. This is book 3 in the series but a good standalone, I would like to read the others now to see how Iris grew and how she came to be in Europe 😊

Just loved this! I'm fascinated by the time period and the way the story is written. Definitely a must read...

This is not your typical frothy 1920s historical mystery (don't get me wrong, I enjoy them too). Instead it deals realistically with the physical, societal and work inequalities women faced.

The consequences of a woman mill owner who wants to introduce equal pay and the opportunity to continue working even after marriage results in death threats. Then a young woman worker is murdered. Iris Woodmore, a female journalist who has just returned from a year of travelling through Europe with a man, unmarried, struggles with her own reception by her local community and family from such a shocking trip investigates to discover more dangers and secrets than she imagined.

The 1920s was an exciting time with many new opportunities for women but there were still many problems. Salter doesn't shy away from showing the darker side to this time period and weaves a good mystery with a good story and historical details that make it live for the reader without drowning the reader in minutia.

Now if only Iris was as good at her love choices as she was with investigative journalism...

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Iris is at it again! Excited to read this third book in this wonderful series!

Everything you want in a historical mystery! Historical facts that play into the story, a murder, mystery and many twist and turns that keep you loving every page!

Cannot wait for more!

The third in a series finds Iris Woodmore, a journalist just returned from a yearlong trip around Europe in the early 1920s, investigating shootings and a murder linked to a factory. Lots of historical details about the social issues of the day, including women's suffrage, labor rights, post-war PTSD or "shellshock"), and family planning, but the author is never heavy-handed. Great characterizations of the many possible villains, lots of plots threads brought together in the end, and an interesting heroine. Thanks to #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this 1920s mystery, I find this period in history particularly interesting. The book provides such detail of life in that time, especially for women and the inequality between them and men. This book is the third in the series and I think readers would appreciate the story more if they read the books in order. This way the back stories of the characters is built up and add to the depth of the plot. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to book 4.