A Body in the Bookshop by Helen Cox

First Line: Evie Bowes took short, timid steps along the frosty pavement York council had not seen fit to grit.

It's almost Christmas in York, but the season of goodwill seems to have skipped a few people. When Detective Sergeant Charlotte Banks is suspended on suspicion of assaulting a burglary suspect, it's obvious to librarian Kitt Hartley and her friend Evie Bowes that she's being framed... but why? Charlotte's boss's hands are tied due to police procedure, so it's up to Kitt and Evie to solve the mystery.

The first book in this series, Murder by the Minister, I thought a good mystery was slightly hampered by too much romance. I wondered what was going to happen in the second book. In a move that surprised me a bit, A Body in the Bookshop focuses on Kitt Hartley's friend, Evie Bowes, a shy woman who has been deeply affected by the events in the first book.

Is there romance in this book? Yes, there is, but it centers on the damaged Evie. Her dealings with both physical and emotional scars as well as her budding romance are dealt with great sensitivity, and I found it more appealing than Kitt's love life in the earlier book.

A Body in the Bookshop is a somewhat puzzling title since there is no body in the bookshop, but the mystery is a good one that contains some excellent misdirection. I also appreciate the fact that I'm getting a good "feel" for the city of York by reading Cox's books. The real problem for me with this series is that I'm not warming up to the characters, so if you're a character-driven reader like I am, you might want to take this into consideration.

A Body in the Bookshop by Helen Cox

eISBN:  9781529402247

 Quercus © 2019

eBook, 300 pages

Cozy Mystery, #2 Kitt Hartley Yorkshire mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley


 

Murder by the Minster by Helen Cox

First Line: The corner of Kitt Hartley's mouth twitched.

It's just another ordinary day for librarian Kitt Hartley in the Women's Studies section of the University of the Vale of York Library. Well, it is until Detective Inspector Halloran arrives at her desk to tell her that her best friend, Evie Bowes, is the prime suspect in the murder of her former boyfriend.

Although all the evidence points to Evie, Kitt knows there's no way her friend could murder anyone. Since the police have got it all wrong, there's only one thing for Kitt to do: conduct her own investigation fueled by all the mystery novels she's read. How hard can it be?

Finding that her assistant Grace can be a lot of help-- and receiving help from some of the more eccentric library patrons whether she wants it or not-- Kitt discovers that there's a lot more going on in the quaint streets and snickelways of York than she's ever dreamed. Not only that, but she must be careful. The murderer has a list of intended victims... and Kitt is being watched.

Trilby-wearing Kitt Hartley is definitely a character to watch. She's got all her librarian scowls and stares down pat as well as a sharp tongue that she's not afraid to use. It's also good to see that Helen Cox has given her main character an excellent mystery to solve. Any time that I haven't put all the pieces together-- or at least some of them-- is a rare day, and I was certainly kept guessing as I read this book.

There was only one thing wrong with Murder by the Minster for me-- and it may be the one thing that makes this book perfect for some of you-- it went way overboard on the romance. Once Kitt has seen the handsome detective inspector, her thirty-five-year-old hormones go into hyperdrive, and when the attraction heats up a notch, I found myself skimming a page or two. But, as I said, this may make this book the perfect cup of tea for some of you.

Even though I turn up my nose at romance, the author has done such a good job with her setting and the story that I'm willing to read the next book in the series. Maybe Kitt will have her hormones in therapy...

Murder by the Minster by Helen Cox

eISBN: 9781529402223

Quercus Books © 2019

eBook, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 Kitt Hartley Yorkshire mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased from Amazon.