Perfectly paced and meticulously plotted, this book is a must-read for fans of Agatha Christie.

The book keeps your interest from start to finish. Boredom is out of the author's dictionary — nor is predictability.

I love the plot and the way it unravels. It's slow, but the author manages to keep the excitement and tension going through weaving together an exhilarating series of sub-plots.

The characters are very complex and dynamic. They are not just one-dimensional stereotypes, but real personas with their own strengths, weaknesses, and motivations.

I have only one complaint to make; I couldn't get enough of the story! I wish with all my heart that the book was longer. Nevertheless, I will be eagerly awaiting the next installments of this series.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: September 21, 2023

Murder in the Blitz is the first from this author and first in a new cozy mystery series starring Edie York. I’m typically a romance and thriller reader but love me a good cozy mystery to break up my usual. This was a good start to what I predict will be a great series!

Edie York has always wanted to be a crime reporter. Working for the local newspaper during the world war has her doing anything but though. Crime reporting is for men and she is stuck typing correspondence and answering the phones.

After most of the men head off to serve their country, Edie’s editor approaches her to be the newspaper’s new obituarist, writing pieces of the recently dead to glamorize and honor their lives. Not quite crime reporting but a step closer to being a real reporter.

Off on an interview for her first such story and Edie finds herself entangled in a possible murder investigation. Along with her friends Annie (a local nurse for the veterans hospital), Alfred (the local undertaker) and Lou (the detective in charge), she sets off to find out more about the person murdered.

Everywhere Edie goes another dead body follows. Is she a prime suspect or should she be worried about being the next victim? This was a good book. A few dragging parts and I didn’t love how the author framed Edie. As an aspiring crime reporter she should be more sceptical, she appeared to believe everything from everyone. Hoping her character and personality is fleshed out a bit more in the coming instalments. This is a 3.5 star for me and I will definitely pick up the next book!

#NetGalley #murderintheblitz #FLEverett

The first book in this new mystery was quite good if a little predictable. Murder, spies, Nazis and blitz bombing in England during WW II was all very good with an interesting cast of characters and a good main character. I look forward to the next book in the series.

WW2, blackouts, bombing raids, bomb sites, mystery, intrigue and murder~ this book has them all! Along with a warm and relatable central character in Edie York. Edie is desperate to become a real journalist but, so far has been confined to typing up reports and filing until one day her luck changes. Edie is a fab character, someone the reader can really relate to. She's a little naive but also fierce and determined to do a good job. When she witnesses an unexpected death she just can't let go of the feeling that there's something more going on, and can't help investigating further which leads her on a dangerous path to the truth.
I loved the authors descriptions of life on the home front. The little nuggets of detail about coping with rationing, bombing and the blackout really bring the past to life for the reader. I'm keen to read more of Edie's exploits and look forward to the next installment.

WWII cozy murder mystery.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of Murder in the Blitz.
‘Murder in the Blitz‘ is set in WW2/ World War 2 in Manchester, UK. F.L. Everett has used her research into the wartimes well, giving the reader a window into how the people coped during the blitz. This book gives an interesting insight in Manchester in December 1940, with much description of the destruction and the requirement to wear gas masks, the economic hard times, and so on.

The protagonist, Edie York, the secretary at the newspaper, “Manchester Chronicle’s”, is seeking a promotion to be the paper’s crime reporter. When Eddie is given a break to write obituaries for Manchester’s elite, right on the heels of her first subject, Joseph Novak. she witnesses a death. The first murder happens at around the halfway mark, which is slower than I’d have liked. Edie suspects the deaths are connected. Then, Edie spends much of the book cogitating. There was a time when it seemed the murderer was staring at Edie in the face but she couldn’t see it. There is a lot about the hardships Edie faces in wartime England, the different people she talks to, and her boyfriend – rather than the mystery per se. I felt the payoff would have been greater with more focus on the latter.

The final 15 percent, and the finale itself, give Edie a chance to shine as a sleuth, a detective. While greater pacing and twists would have helped the mystery develop, ‘Murder in the Blitz‘ is a worthy start to F.L. Everett’s mystery series.

This WWII-era mystery set in Manchester is the promising start of what I assume will be a series. Aspiring crime reporter Edie gets caught up in more than she expected when she takes on her first assignment writing an obituary for the newspaper she works for. Stolen art, family secrets, and more deaths all unfold as Edie and some new acquaintances try to make sense of it. The story was well-written and the mystery was intriguing. I would definitely read a sequel. My only complaints are that some emotional elements didn’t quite ring true, and the main character seemed overly naive at a few points. All in all, though, a promising start to a series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

F.L. Everett's new book, Murder in the Blitz, ticks all the boxes in one of my new favorite storytelling styles. Such as...set in the WWII years, a plucky female protagonist, a mystery, a crime, an excellent crew of supporting characters, a devious culprit and more.

Manchester 1940. Edie has worked at a local newspaper for the last five years. She yearns for something more than being a typist and tea maker - such as the crime beat. But, she'll take the chance she's been offered and she'll give it her all. After all, being an obituarist, is a step closer, isn't it? And yes, Edie's path does indeed cross that of a crime...

Edie is easy to like and get behind. She's tenacious, determined and has a good heart. But - she's more than a little naïve sometimes. (I wanted to point out certain people and their behaviour to her!) Her roommate Annie is a good sidekick character. I hope that she, and the two other supporting characters are back in the next entry. I think the door is open for a burgeoning relationship - or two.

Everett captures the 'can do, keep calm' attitude of war time England. Lots of detail cements the mental image I created of the setting.

The mystery is a good one and suitable for the time. The path to the aha moment is easier for the reader to see I think. Edie is a few steps behind. But that's the fun of cozy mysteries, isn't it?
This is the first book in a planned series - the Edie York Mysteries. I'll be watching for the second book.

Set in Manchester during WW2, this is an engaging, historical, cosy crime story. Edie is a naive but ambitious young woman who wants to be a successful journalist. Her writing talents are recognised when she becomes the newspaper's obituary writer, and this takes her on a journey fraught with danger and, in her eyes, an opportunity to further her career.
I like the WW2 setting in Manchester, the varied characters who are believable and enliven the story, and the gradually revealed mystery that Edie and her new friends investigate.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

"Murder in the Blitz" seems like a historical fiction with very little mystery for the first half of the book, and that is not a bad thing. Edie, our main character, is a young woman who dreams of being a crime reporter for the Manchester newspaper where she works as a secretary. Her ambition has kept her from fully embracing the war effort; she does not work in the soup kitchen or grow a victory garden or even remember to carry her gas mask when she goes out. The book opens when she is promoted to writing the obituaries for the paper and stumbles on a possible murder. The Manchester setting and a protagonist who doesn't want to volunteer caught my interest. I like reading the stories of every-day life during WWII, and the description of the air raids and life in general was good. But this book did move slowly with the first definite murder taking place at the half-way point. Everett has created some good characters -- Edie, DI Lou Brennan, Annie (Edie's roommate), Arnold and more. However, while Edie's naivete was fine for a few chapters, it began to get on my nerves. I hope she will pick up some wisdom and grit in future books.

Murder in the Blitz by F. L. Everett.

This might be a strange reaction to a murder mystery book, but this is story is strangely heartwarming!

It’s 1940 and Edie York knows she should be doing more to help the war effort like her nurse flat-mate, Annie, but Edie really, really wants to be a journalist. That’s a man’s job though, isn’t it?

When Edie witnesses the death of a Home Guard soldier and is also tasked with writing an obituary for a Jewish refugee, she starts to uncover some mysterious links. Along the way, Edie meets some great new friends and I really enjoyed seeing Arnold, Lou, Annie and Edie’s friendships develop.

The book starts off slowly, but the pace increases along with the body count and Edie’s initial flakiness starts to give way to a new found determination and confidence.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, F. L. Everett and Bookouture for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Set during the Blitz in Manchester this is a cozy mystery
With insights into life during this period of history.
It is the first in a series that is new
I enjoyed it and hope you will, too!

Edie York is a secretary who dreams of being a journalist instead,
She is promoted to write obituaries for those who are dead
But would prefer to work on crimes
And mysteries at all times.

She's watching the Home Guard training when one of them is shot
Who fired the fatal bullet? Was it suicide - or what?
She's intrigued to find out more and is shocked to discover
That nothing is straightforward and one death can lead to another!

A fascinating case with a mix of history and mystery
Along with spies, stolen artwork and lots more clues to see.
What a great start to this series, I really enjoyed this book
And so don't hesitate to highly recommend you take a look!

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

Flic Everett’s Murder in the Blitz is her first book in a series about Edie York, a journalist in Manchester during WWII. Edie is given the opportunity by her editor, Mr Gorringe, to become the obituaries writer for the Manchester Chronicle. Her first assignment is to write the obituary for a local businessman. However, when asked to cover a routine Home Guard training exercise, a man is shot dead and Edie becomes convinced the two stories are linked.

Edie is an orphan and left school at sixteen because the children’s home couldn’t / wouldn’t spend money on sending her to university. That’s clever: it means Edie has no family to muddy the plot. Edie is likeable and the reader wills her to succeed in her mission to become the Chronicle’s crime reporter. The men in her life are well described and delineated: awkward Arnold, the undertaker; his friend, Lou, the cynical detective; and Charles, who works in intelligence and has the looks of a Greek god. Even Edie’s colleagues on the newspaper, who flit across a sentence or two, are perfectly drawn in the reader’s mind with just a few words. Mr Gorringe steeples his fingers; sighs; and drinks water when lunching at the poshest hotel in Manchester – what a brilliant pen picture! Although we know Edie survives, because the narration is in the first person, we do worry about her friends during the air raids. I was completely invested in Edie, even though I cringed at some of her actions and at her outspokenness after a few drinks! However, if you find yourself muttering “Noooo, don’t do it!” at a character in a book, they must be believable, despite everything.

This is not the propagandist cheery view with the slogan “Britain can take it”; this is the actual grim reality of WWII. Edie reflects upon the Chronicle’s photo of “a cheerful WVS worker” and thinks “All the recipes and cartoons and snippets of entertainment seemed a weak response to the bombardment of Britain.” People die; and children are orphaned and made homeless by the bombing. I was also pleased to see an author describing the Home Front somewhere other than London.

There are a few trivial continuity errors: Edie sets the alarm for 6:30am; dashes out as quick as she can to interview a widow (a bus ride and “quite a walk”, although Fallowfield and Burnage are fairly close); carries out the interview, which takes, say, an hour; but then has to stop the pub to ask for directions to the undertakers, so it’s already lunchtime. Indeed, most of the action takes place within an area about two miles square, although the author makes it sound much further. On Christmas Day, Edie’s in her dressing gown but then suddenly spills mince pie crumbs on her grey wool dress. Finally, she puts on her makeup and then has a bath – I’m not an expert, but I would have thought reversing the order is the norm. While these may make the reader pause and step aside from the drama, thinking “Hold on – did I read that right?”, I urge you to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the book.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely look out for the second book in the series.

#MurderintheBlitz #NetGalley

Murder in the blitz is set during the second world war in Manchester. Typist Edie York works for a local newspaper and  her dream is to become crime reporter. Despite her enthusiasm and talent she is always passed over for the role in favour of male colleagues and finds herself writing a new obituary column instead.

However, when she finds herself at the scene of a murder this could be her chance to shine and make her mark as a journalist!

Main character Edie comes across as a tad meddlesome, but she is a reporter in the making! The plot is a little predictable but overall this is enjoyable, light historical fiction.

Murder in The Blitz is the first in what will likely be a lengthy series of mysteries set around a cast of interesting and likable characters. Edie York is a young lady who grew up in an orphanage and now in her twenties has ambitions to be a Crime Reporter. She works for the Manchester Chronicle in a lowly clerical role but given an opportunity to cover a Home Guard exercise, she witnesses a fatality which appears accidental but her instincts tell her otherwise. As she she sets off to discover more about the victim and possibly investigate a crime, we are introduced to other characters who will no doubt re appear in future books. Others will not as they turn out to be the villains or they meet a sticky end.
FL Everett does an excellent job in developing the characters, each with their own back story and they all skillfully blend into what is a very good murder mystery plot. The backdrop is Manchester during the early part of WW2 just as bombing starts and the people are trying to cope with the chaos and uncertainty. You get a great sense of what life must have been like with food rationing, black outs, spending the nights in air raid shelters and the general fear of what was to come. All this is expressed through the eyes of Edie who is on a steep learning curve in her profession and also in life. She is determined to succeed but is also a young woman who wants to have fun and romance.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of a good mystery and an interest in wartime Britain. It is well written and sustains your interest throughout.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me access to this book.

It is 1940 in England and Edie York is a newspaper secretary who wants more. Much more. She would love to become a wartime reporter. Instead, she gets a different type of promotion. She is to become a newspaper obituary writer.

Edie quickly decides to make much more of her new assignment. The opportunity presents itself almost immediately when a Home Guard soldier is murdered. Edie puts on a new hat, that of an investigative reporter. Her investigation leads her further than even she could have imagined, and this brings danger to Edie. When another murder occurs, Edie finds that she must rely on an unlikely ally, DCI Louis Brennan.

What an exciting start to a new series. Not only is this the first book in the Edie York series, but it is a remarkable and entertaining debut work of F.L. Everett. I enjoyed Edie’s exploits and am eager to read the second book in the series, Murder in the Homefront, set to come out in just a couple of months. Edie is an entertaining character and I love the setting and how engaging this first book was.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

•Historical Mystery
•Intricate Mysteries
•Manchester, 1940
•First Person POV

It takes us deep in the backdrop of 1940 England and in the life of Edie. She wants to become a crime reporter but she is currently stuck at writing necrology. The book has intricate mysteries and it’s very descriptive. The characters are intriguing. The author has given accurate description of war.

When a home guard soldier suddenly dies, Edie investigates about the murder. But not only the mystery of murder encapsulates, she gets to know about the undercover spies and stolen artworks too. But will this investigation keep her life at stake? Will she get to the bottom of the mystery? The book is mysterious and suspenseful. Many unexpected things happens. And there are many intricate mysteries in the plot.

Thank you Author, Publisher, and Netgalley

This is the first in the Edie York historical mystery series. It's packed full of historical details, entertaining characters and a puzzling mystery.

Edie is a very likeable character. Ambitious and determined to become a lady reporter in a field dominated by men. She has her flaws, of course. She's a bit absentminded and has a tendency to stumble into things before thinking about them.

DI Lou Brennan was a fantastic character, too. Grumpy, with a sad past, it was fun to see him verbally sparring with Edie.

It really brought the harsh realities of war to the forefront of this novel, but didn't overshadow the mystery. It showed the get on with it blitz spirit that people constantly go on about but couples it with genuine emotion, making it feel very realistic.

I also liked the fact it was set in Manchester. People have a tendency to forget that a lot of large northern cities were also badly affected by German bombings.

The pace was a little slow for most of the book. It sped up towards the end, but I could have done with a snappier pace overall.

A promising start with great characters and setting that can be built upon for future books.

Murder in the Blitz by F.L. Everett, follows Edie York who strives to become a crime reporter one day but is stuck writing obituaries. This is Book #1 in the Edie York Mystery series.

I rated this book a 3.

I was really excited to read a historical cozy mystery but this fell a little flat for me. In this first book you are introduced to Edie, who as a MC I think could have been smarter. I am hoping though that in the second book and on, she will learn more and develop the craft of solving mysteries so blatantly laid out in front of her.

This is told in first person narration and the writing feels slow in spots. I think that was the longest first chapter I’ve ever read. I will most likely read the second book to see how Edie grows as a MC.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “Murder in the Blitz.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Best to use “patience” as your watchword for this book, because while you’ll get a big pay-off at the end, it’s going to take a bit ‘o time to get there. Maybe that’s to be expected, when you’re the “Manchester Chronicle’s” secretary looking to be the paper’s crime reporter, as Edie York definitely is, but after yet another explanation of the facts of who and what and where, well, I was ready for “shall we just get on?,” definitely. Author F.L. Everett eventually does, with our relentless reporter Miss York opening up a can of worms that befits the WWII setting.

“Murder in the Blitz” isn’t lacking in the description department, as we see a city and its people preparing for war, changing with the destruction that the Blitz brings. Author Everett does a good job of conjuring up the “Home Front” scene and the sense of what life was like in the early war years, when threat of invasion was real, when citizens were taken to task for forgetting a gas mask.

There’s a lot of ruminating to get through, too; Edie does a whole lot of that, so be prepared. Lots of talk about the dead man, whose death comes early on in the book, but the investigation takes a very long time, while Edie contends with a whole bunch of people that flit in and around her. The characters are well-defined. You get to decide who you believe.

There’s a fitting end, since it’s wartime. Edie’s learned a lot, which should come in handy for her future endeavors. “Murder in the Blitz” is a good start to the series; hopefully the pace will pick up in future books.

3.5 /5
This was a cozy murder mystery that takes place in the midst of WWII in Manchester. Edie York is our FMC, and an aspiring crime reporter turned obituarist.

Her first job is to write the obituary of the victim, Joseph Novak, however the further she delves into the events taking place, she begins to see the events are more closely intertwined.

Edie is way in over her head and severely unprepared for this job. She misses apparent clues, trusts too easily, and yet manages to make this mystery book a fun ride nevertheless.

This was a slow read at first, however starts to pick up once you start to meet the eccentric cast of characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I have posted this review to GoodReads as well.