Member Reviews
I had so much fun with this read! F.L. Everett accurately depicts WWII-period England, containing a wonderfully cheery, sparky heroine: Edie York, a bubbly, slightly-prone-to-mishaps journalist trying to do good, all the while searching for the next subject of her obituary column. She hasn't had the brightest of childhoods and we are introduced to a few snippets of it; we meet Suzi, too! Edie has a tight-knit group of friends, which may or may not include the dry-humoured DCI Lou (Louis Brennan).
When Edie finds a deceased Joyce Reid, followed by the discovery of Maggie's going missing, she inadvertently stumbles upon a whole new case to investigate. Lou, alternately frustrated and (possibly) inspired, is pulled into her detective efforts. This is a well-woven mystery with a whole motley crew of fascinating characters, from the bohemians of Athena House to Netta, Maggie and Spud's concerned mother. Edie's knowledge of people and proclivity for rumination gets her to new depths in the case that Lou cannot reach, bringing us to a completely unprecedented ending.
If I had to choose one adjective to describe this story, it would be 'warm', because this story just makes me want to curl up with chai tea and journey alongside Edie on her humorous yet ever-deeper case. Looking forward to reading more of this series!
A great sequel in this murder mystery series. Fred well researched but written with a light touch. A good central mystery too which kept e gripped until the end. Look forward to the next one!
Edie is caught up in another mystery when she discovers a body during a hike in the countryside. There is no shortage of suspects as the victim has rubbed everyone in the village the wrong way with her anti-war talks. Running alongside this is the mystery of 2 missing evacuees.
I'd like to start by saying that I don't think I was the intended audience for this book. It will appeal to those who enjoy historical mystery books.
The author does a great job of capturing the time it's set in. The characters are likeable and interesting and I suspect there will be an ongoing will-they/won't-they with Edie and her Detective friend Lou. The book is quite slow paced at the beginning but instead focuses on developing the characters.
This is a wonderful book. A cosy murder mystery set during WW2 with such detail of day to day life, I felt I learnt quite a lot about life during that time. The shortage of food, drinking weak tea, the difficulties of navigating your way around with signs blacked out - all described reflecting research by the author. Set partly in Manchester but mostly in a rural area, the story is well paced and craftily plotted, with a few surprises at the end. This is the second in the series, but also reads as a stand alone. I am now going to read the first book, and eagerly waiting for the third!
Edie York is back and the murdered victims are piling up again. Set in a village outside of her home city of Manchester, this mystery is full of suspicious characters and plenty of motives. It was difficult to see who the murderer was. This book wasn't as compelling as the first book, as Edie was away from home for much of the investigation and the supporting characters in her world were only seen once in a while. But it was an entertaining mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
The book grabbed me from the start, with a hint of fantasy mixed with historical fiction it is the story of a boy with second sight, but it is only used as a plot device to move the story along. The story takes takes in a number of interesting locations with a writing style that is very addictive.
The second book in the Edie York series is even more enjoyable than the first, making for a very strong start to a series. Edie is drawn into a couple of mysteries when she goes for a country walk with a friend, and has to work with police inspector friend Lou to sort out murders, missing children, and tangled relationships in an artists’ colony. The plot moves quickly and is compelling, the characters feel real and are well drawn, and the WWII setting is skillfully woven throughout. I highly recommend both books and look forward to the next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Edie, who works on a newspaper, sets off for a walk with her friend Ethel. It's 1941 and they are glad the blitz is over and they have a little freedom. Currently Edie is the obituarist, but is inquisitive by nature and good with people and so would love to be a crime writer. Being Edie things are never straight forward and they spot a body on their walk and so she wants to find out more. It’s someone known to Ethel as the woman who is petitioning for peace and her and her friends are unpopular in the village. It also appears that two evacuees have gone walkabout from the same village. The conscripted local bobby appears to be as much use as a chocolate fireguard and so Edie begins to investigate what on earth is going on and why?
This is a cozy type crime and one to get immersed in the WW2 world of Edie York. There are plenty of red herrings and dubious suspects to keep the reader engrossed and guessing right the way through. There’s the relationship between Edie and Lou who is the detective inspector which verges on romance but quickly jolts to professional each time they manage to get any time together which adds to the backstory and provides a little humour. It's a wonderful read, one that is highly entertaining with a light-hearted mystery. A read with a smile and more!
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I haven't read the first book in the series but I still enjoyed this book overall. The mystery hooked me and the characters kept me reading!
I absolutely adored the first Edie York mystery so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Murder on the Home Front, the second in the series.
It's 1941 and most of the action moves out of Manchester to a village in the Peak District after Edie discovers the body of anti war activist Joyce Reid. When Edie learns that two evacuees are also missing from the village she enlists the help of DCI Louis Brennan.
This is a great addition to the series and a real joy to read. I love novels set on the Home Front and loved all of the wartime details here. I was happy to be back with Edie's friends- Annie, Arnold and Louis and we are also introduced to her childhood friend Suki.
I did miss the Manchester setting for this novel but was drawn into the Peak District setting and particularly the plot line involving the evacuees.
Another great Edie York mystery that I'd highly recommend and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars
Very well-drawn characters. Their emotions, their restlessness was all playing in front of me. Everything was flawless about the book, including the title. Recommend to all!
The second cosy mystery from Everett and this time Edie's adventures take her into the (damp) countryside, where an enclave of artists is causing consternation in a Peak District village with their lack of morals and generally Bohemian attitudes. Plus some evacuees have gone missing. Once again I think the period is nicely evoked - life on the home front is a strain, eggless, chilly and anxious, even when you're not being bombed.
I liked the development of Edie and Lou's professional (?) relationship and the details are fun. This is very much one of those 'but is it a murder though' stories, at least to begin with, and there are plenty of suspects who might not even be suspects, neatly handled. If you enjoyed the first one you'll like this one too. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read it before publication.