I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Fiona Veitch and Embla Books for this ARC.

A Front-Page Murder, previously called The Jazz Files, is book 1 in the Poppy Denby Investigates series.

Poppy has come to London to visit her aunt, Dot. But her aunt wants Poppy to have a career and apply to any job she wishes. So when Poppy lands herself a job at The Globe newspaper, she is delighted and excited to learn and explore. But on her very first day, a journals at the newspaper falls to his death and the circumstances of his death seem a little fishy.

This book based on the 20's was quite refreshing and different to my usual reads, but still a good, cozy mystery. I really felt for the women in those days, and the way they were treated was horrible. I liked Daniel and would have liked to see him more in the last half of the book.

I’m sure others will like this book, but it’s not for me. I found that all the talk about the suffragette movement distracted me from the mystery, and I couldn’t settle into the story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I'm always excited to read a fun cozy mystery, especially one with women who refuse to accept "their place." Naive and a bit sheltered, Poppy Denby arrives in London under the guise of working for her disabled aunt. But Aunt Dot had ulterior motives. She wanted to help free Poppy of her parents control and give her the opportunity to make her own way in life. Poppy has dreams of being a journalist and is thrilled when she lands a job as an assistant to the editor of The Daily Globe. But when one of her new coworkers suddenly dies, Poppy may be the only one that can a break a front-page story several years in the making. 4.5 stars.

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and Embla Books, and author Fiona Veitch Smith, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for September 24, 2024.

For those of you who follow along, you would know that I enjoy a good cosy mystery and have read 1 or 2 in my time (full disclosure: yeah, a slight underestimate - so you can hit me with your best guess and I’ll let you know if you’re close).

A Front-Page Murder is the first book in the series titled “Poppy Denby Investigates” written by Fiona Veitch Smith and was first published back in 2015 under the previous title, The Jazz Files. And I have to say, I’m loving the rebranding Embla Books!

Departing Northumbria by train, Poppy Denby is headed to her aunt’s home in Morpeth. The daughter of a Methodist minister, Poppy has led a somewhat sheltered existence but is excited to be coming to Morpeth to act as a companion to her invalid aunt. Up until a tragic accident left her wheelchair bound, Poppy’s aunt Dot was a former West End leading actress and an active member of the WSPU. The Women's Social and Political Union was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom.

However, when Poppy finally arrives at Morpeth, Aunt Dot admits it was all a ruse - a distraction to get her out from under her parents watchful eye and give her a chance at making a better life for herself; a chance to experience life as it’s meant to be lived.

Taking advantage of her new found ‘freedom’, Poppy tries her luck at securing a post as a cub reporter with the local paper, The Daily Globe; and to her great excitement is hired as an assistant to the man running the show, the paper’s editor, Rollo Rolandson.

Poppy’s excitement quickly turned to terror when, on her first day in the job, Bert Isaacs (a senior reporter) falls to his death at the Globe’s offices. According to Rollo, Bert was working on a story that, when finished, had the potential to implicate several influential people in something sinister. Flashback to 1913, and Miss Elizabeth Dorchester, daughter of wealthy and influential politician Lord Melvyn Dorchester, was one of a group of women that had been arrested at a protest rally and charged. Her father decreed her mentally unstable and had his young daughter committed to a healthcare facility, stating that she was of fragile mental disposition; and she still remains seven years later. Bert, apparently, never believed Lord Dorchester’s claim about his daughter.

Poppy is left to wonder if Bert’s death was an accident or something more sinister. Was his demise a direct result of the article he was writing and researching? As Poppy begins to look into Bert’s death she quickly realises there are dangerous people near who do not want the truth coming out.

Bookish Yays:

🌟Location - London 1920 - a classic era for historical mystery fiction.
🌟Characters - Our female protagonist is strong, yet feminine and easy to like and I’m sure she will continue to grow with the series. There is a strong thread of female camaraderie throughout the story, pushing a positive note that women are not easily dissuaded. The unlikeable and corrupt - it will come as no surprise that the old saying ‘money talks’ is apt here. But lookout, because money just might not save you in the end!
🌟Plot - The timeline of the mystery travels from present day 1920 back to 1913 and the author does a good job threading the two together.

Bookish Maybes:

🌟Pace - Throughout the story the pacing was on point, however, the ending was a huge info dump and was rushed and because of this the ending was slightly spoiled for me.

All in, this was a fun and entertaining read and the hope is that this will be another very good series. Looking forward to reading more of Miss Poppy Denby’s adventures in the future.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Bonnier Books UK and Embla Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I was quickly drawn in and I enjoyed the ride full of twists and turns. This was such a fun read from a new to me author. I highly recommend and look forward to reading more.

After moving from Northumberland to London to live with her paraplegic aunt, Poppy Denby gets a job as an editorial assistant at the Daily Globe. It might not be the journalistic career she’d always dreamed of since she was a little girl, but it is a start. During her second day on the job, one of Poppy’s new coworkers falls to his death from one of the upper floors. Convinced that the report was pushed, Poppy starts looking into the story that Bert was working on when he died—the death of a British suffragette several years earlier. Poppy’s aunt Dot not only knew the dead suffragette but was close friends with her. With Dot’s help, Poppy can dig deeper into the woman’s death as well as other incidents surrounding the suffragist movement. Poppy’s investigation takes her back into the past, and from a mental institution all the way to Marie Curie’s radium laboratory in Paris.

A FRONT-PAGE MURDER was an interesting read. I enjoyed learning more about the suffragist movement in Britain. There was a lot going on in the novel, and the plot moved quickly. Certain aspects of the story called for the suspension of disbelief, and that detracted from the story at times. Poppy is very naïve, and that got her into trouble. Otherwise, she is a likable character. Hopefully, she matures as the series progresses. I’m also interested in learning more about Aunt Dot’s history.

I love historical cosy crime, especially that set in the 1920s, so A Front-Page Murder immediately appealed to me.

The setting comes through really well. Various bits of description that are interesting without detracting from the story, set the book very firmly in 1920s London.

The story took a little while to get going, but it was all important background information that made a fully realised world, and contributed essential detail to the mystery. The middle part was a good pace, with enough action and intriguing information to keep me interested. However, I found the last hour or so too stressful for me. I very much enjoyed gradually uncovering the mystery as Poppy investigated.

I liked Poppy very much. She was determined to get to the truth of what had happened, even if her relatives were implicated.

Overall, this story was too thriller-like for my taste, I prefer my crimes more cosy. However, if you like your historical cosy crimes fast paced and richly imagined, this is the book for you.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

This book started slow, but I really got into later on. It was full of twists and turns but was overall still pretty predictable. I liked the vivid descriptions of the 1920’s setting and enjoyed the suffragette focus. This book was a unique, fun read overall.

A great murder mystery that draws you in right away.

Poppy moves to London to be with her aunt and also finds employment as a reporter in the Golden Globe. She kickstarts her career when her colleague dies and she's asked to investigate his latest article and his murder.

A tale of intrigue, fast-paced, well written and will keep you engaged with descriptiosn of famous people during this time.

#netgalley #AFrontPageMurder #TheJazzFiles

Fiona Veitch Smith’s book is an appealing blend of history, intrigue and romance. There is great satisfaction in the end but will not give up any spoilers ! Looking forward to the next book in the series.

The first in a cosy mystery series with a superb setting.

It's 1920 and Poppy Denby has left her home in Northumbria to join her invalid aunt Dot - former actress and suffragette - in London.

Poppy has always wanted to be a journalist and before long secures a role at The Daily Post. One of her colleagues, Bert Isaacs, dies suddenly and suspiciously. This leads Poppy and a few of her friends on a dangerous investigation involving blackmail, mental institutions, Marie Curie and corruption.

Poppy is a wonderful protagonist, easy to relate to and even easier to like, perhaps naive at times but even this endeared her to me mostly. The other characters, such as Rollo -the newspaper editor-, Daniel -the attractive cameraman- and aunt Dot, are all equally likeable but also bring an element of complexity and intrigue. A well done mix.

The setting and plot are steeped in historical detail. Characters such as Robert Atkins, Charlie Chaplin and Marie Curie are fun editions, granting the story a firmer grip on the setting. The jazz music, political plot points and fashion all add to the fleshed out time period and atmosphere of the roaring 20's. The setting was one of my favourite aspects of this novel.

The plot is full of mystery, secrets and intrigue. Overall, a very readable historical mystery, with a cosy atmosphere. I read it very quickly. If you're looking for a fun page-turner, pick this one up.

Thanks to netgalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

-Rated a 3.5

Thank you NetGalley for approving me for this book. A good read that I definitely enjoyed and am glad to have been able to read.

Previously published as The Jazz Files. Poppy Denby moves to London in 1920, gets a job initially as an assistant to a newspaper editor, then quickly becomes an investigative reporter looking into an old murder and a disappearance within suffragette circles. Her aunt, a noted actress and suffragette, is somehow linked to the case. Poppy is an appealing character who gradually learns what she is capable of accomplishing. The plot was rather unbelievable - it seems unlikely Poppy would have so much responsibility as a journalist in her first job ever, and she doesn't really solve the mystery as much as stumble upon the solution. Interesting look at 1920s London and the effect of war and the Spanish influenza on society. Thanks to the publisher and NertGalley for the ARC.