Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

The Blue Bird Series by Trish Finnegan includes the following books (listed in series order): Blue Bird, Blue Sky, and this third installment, Baby Blues.

I have read all three books in this series and I highly recommend each for readers of police procedurals and mystery novels.

Personally, I would follow this series and continue to read every installment, as I am a huge fan of this character and the author's engaging writing style. I would miss this character if this was the last book in this series.

If you have followed my reviews and find your tastes align similarly with mine, please give this author's series a try. I have a feeling she will be writing bestsellers in the future, and wouldn't it be nice to say "I read Trish Finnegan novels from her first series"?

“Baby Blues” by Trish Finnegan is the third installment in The Blue Bird series, and it returns reader to the gritty reality of every day existence for female officers in 1970s England. Through the eyes of WPC Samantha Barrie, we are plunged into a world where the personal and professional collide with high stakes.

The novel opens with a family rended by grief, a journalist hungry for a career-defining story, and an innocent childminder caught in the crosshairs of a tragic death. Finnegan crafts a narrative that is as much about the emotional turmoil of its characters as it is about the mystery at hand.

Samantha Barrie, our protagonist, is a character of depth and resilience. Her journey through the ranks of Wyre Hall police station is marred by station politics, sexism, and the daily grind of police work. But it’s the personal investigation that threatens to unravel her life that forms the crux of this tale. With her fiancé far away and new leadership at Wyre Hall, Sam must navigate treacherous waters to protect both her professional reputation and her family.

Finnegan’s writing style is intimate and detailed, allowing readers to walk in the shoes of a beat cop from an earlier era. The narrative is engaging, with a pace that mirrors the urgency of Sam’s predicament. Personally, I felt as though I was walking in Samantha's steps, Finnegan's engaging style is a refreshing and addictive.

“Baby Blues” is more than a crime thriller; it’s a snapshot of a time and place, a study of character under pressure, and a commentary on the societal challenges of the time. It’s a commendable addition to the series and stands as a testament to Finnegan’s ability to weave complex narratives with emotional heft.

For those who have followed The Blue Bird Series, “Baby Blues” offers a satisfying continuation of Samantha Barrie’s story. For newcomers, it serves as a compelling entry point into a world where the line between right and wrong is as blurred as the line between friend and foe. Finnegan has delivered a thoughtful and evocative read that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Each of the books on this series can be read as a standalone which will likely have you following up with the other books in the series. Personally, I hope this is NOT the final entry of this wonderfully fulfilling series.

Thank you Netgalley. This was just an okay read for me. The setting in the 70s proved very interesting especially for our female detective. The storyline was good and the characters well drawn.

WPC Samantha Barrie’s career is going well at Wyre Hall police station but she is about to face a case like she has not faced before – a family member has been accused of hurting a child in her care, a charge she vehemently denies. Sam is determined to help clear her cousin’s name but with others determined to see her take the blame, she knows she has her work cut out for her.

In the third book in the Samantha Barrie series, we see the police officer much more confident in her role and beginning to consider how she would like her career to progress. She is learning from past mistakes and trying to be more of a team player instead of going solo. The character of Sam is really developing well and I am enjoying reading about the role of a female police officer in the 1970s.

The plot is an interesting one as we see the contrast between a woman suspected of harming a child despite being completely innocent and a woman who has harmed a child through neglect. Despite the story being set in the 1970s, this plot is something that could also apply in the present day so it was interesting to read how it was handled back then.

I am really enjoying this series and hope that this isn’t the last we see of Sam.

Sam gets suspended but it doesn’t stop her from investigating her cousins innocence when she’s accuse of killing a child in her care. When one of her coworkers gets married they all have a great time but when Steve tries to kiss her she blows it off as him drinking and they’ve been tells Gary about it. To make matters worse there’s a reporter trying to make her name by sensationalizing incidence and that includes the one with Beverly. I love this Siri‘s and think the characters are wonderful I cannot wait for the next book but in the meantime I highly recommend this one and the other two in the collection I received this book from NetGalley and burning chair, please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

When Police Constable Samantha Barrie’s cousin Beverley, who works as a childminder, is accused of mistreating a child in her care, of course, Samantha wants to prove Beverley’s innocence. It doesn’t help that a scandal-loving, headline-seeking reporter who has no problem being offensively intrusive and bending the law is attempting to build her career building a case
against Beverley. Samantha has been assigned a suspicious infant death at work so it appears this woman in blue is learning about babies.

This book is one of a series that should prove to be quite popular. It has appealing characters, an interesting setting, and a fairly complex plot.

A pleasant enough book to read. It didn't get me excited or make me lose any sleep but I enjoyed it. It read like a day to day diary of a beat cop in the last quarter of the last century and it was the diary style that made it readable. I'm not sure I'll rush out and buy any of the other books in the series though. Sorry.
Thank you Netgalley, Burning Chair and Trish Finnigan for giving me the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.