To be quite honest, cosy crime isn't quite the genre I reach for normally. But I was swayed by the mention of "The Missing American" being hilarious, and after a rough couple of weeks I could have done with a good dose of laughter. However, bar maybe one or two tiny jokes, I seem to have missed out on the hilarity entirely.

"The Missing American" is however a decent cosy murder mystery, featuring newly minted private investigator Edie Fox. This is the first in a series featuring this character, and so much of what happens is meant as an introduction, a way of getting to know Edie. She came across as quite likeable, although maybe a little too naive. I most definitely had issues with her relationship with her daughter, Maeve. Maeve who seems to do little else but nap and relies on Edie to take care of Edie's grandson, Alfie. They all live in Edie's house but it doesn't look as if Edie gets any say whatsoever as to what happens in her own home.

As for the mystery, an American woman has gone missing. Her cousin enlists Edie's help. But very quickly things fail to add up, and Edie may just be a little out of her depth here for her very first case. Throw in a bunch of red herrings, a few fun sidekicks in Edie's circle and you have yourself an engaging mystery. The pace is spot-on and at a mere 280 pages, it's a super quickie read.

All in all, not quite hilarious, in my most humble opinion, but a light-hearted, entertaining and enjoyable mystery.