Murder at the Priory Hotel

This is the fourth outing for Flora Steele, bookshop owner, and Jack Carrington, author currently suffering from writer's block. With the other residents of the village of Abbeymead they are attending a concert to celebrate the opening of the Priory Hotel when the lead singer dies on stage. For various reasons the local police make a poor effort at discovering the killer so Flora and Jack decide to give it a try themselves.<br /><br />I am enjoying this series and I very much like the characters of the two amateur sleuths. So far their potential romance has been very tentative but there was a step forward in this book. Abbeymead sounds like the best kind of English village and one I would like to visit if it were real. <br /><br />A fun, easy read and I look forward to #5.

Flora Steele and Jack Carrington were attending their friend Sally's re-opening of the Priory Hotel, something that Sally was excited about. They had invited the whole village and along with a band - Tutti Frutti - they had table-loads of food for everyone. The lead singer in the band, Beverly Russo, had a wonderful voice, although she wasn't well liked. But it was as the concert was about to begin that Beverly collapsed in front of them all. She was dead...<br /><br />Superintendent Alan Ridley was called away not long after the investigation began, so Flora and Jack, intrepid sleuths of previous cases, began to search for evidence. And when they found it, they handed it to the chap in charge while Ridley was away. But this case had many suspects, and Flora and Jack had trouble removing any from their lists. It was when a second person was murdered that Flora started to put things together. But could they get the perpetrator before it was too late? <br /><br /><i>Murder at the Priory Hotel</i> is the 4th in the Flora Steele Mystery series by Merryn Allingham, and I enjoyed it very much. Jack and Flora work well together - Flora owns a bookshop "All's Well" while Jack is a crime writer, struggling with his next book. The few characters from the village who are in each episode are lovely to catch up with each time. <i>Murder at the Priory Hotel</i> is an excellent cosy mystery which I recommend highly.<br /><br />With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a couple of books to get used to the writing style and characters. This is the 4th book in the Flora Steele – Jack Carrington series, and is yet another cozy mystery. <br /><br />The Priory hotel has new owners in Sally and Dominic, who have raised considerable money to renovate and launch the hotel with a new look. Flora Steele (book shop owner), Jack Carrington (writer), and much of the town is at the inauguration. The lead singer of the band engaged for the inauguration, Beverly, suddenly totters and falls, as she holds the mike. Those in attendance are shocked to find that she is dead immediately. A heart attack, poison or electrocution? – all seem possibilities. As with the previous books, the police make no headway, and Flora &amp; Jack step in to help Sally. There are a number of suspects as they consider the possibility of foul play. <br /><br />The sleuthing as in the previous books is casual &amp; easy. I found the story and plot to be good, though a touch far-fetched with a more complex plot in comparison to the previous books. This is a good book (as the previous ones) to relax with as Flora &amp; Jack are loveable characters, there is no bad violence and the pace is decent. <br /><br />My rating: 3.75 / 5.<br /><br />Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture &amp; the author for a free electronic review copy.<br />

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.<br /><br /><i>Murder at the Priory Hotel</i> is the fourth entry in the Flora Steele series of mysteries by Merryn Allingham set in 1950s England, and one of the few series I’ve kept up with from the start. Flora is a young woman in her twenties who lives in the small village of Abbeymead in Sussex and runs a book shop, the All’s Well, left to her by her aunt who had brought her up. In the events of the first book, a reclusive author of mysteries, Jack Carrington, had found a body in the shop when he arrived to collect his order as his errand boy was sick. This was a start of a ‘partnership’ between Flora and Jack who have since teamed up to solve other mysteries. Both have suffered heartbreak in the past, and so even while interested in each other, they have so far only remained friends.<br /><br />While Flora and Jack’s last outing had taken them to Cornwall, where Jack was doing research for his novel, in this one they are back in Abbeymead and the scene of their first mystery. The Priory, formerly the village manor, had been sold and converted into a hotel in Murder in the Bookshop, after the events of which it had had to be shut down. Now, it has been purchased by Flora’s friend Sally (who helped run the bookshop when Flora was away in Cornwall), with a partner, Dominic Lister, whom Sally’s aunt (also Flora’s friend), and cook at the Priory, Alice doesn’t trust. The Priory is being prepared for a grand reopening; a marquee has been set up, a magnificent tea almost ready, and for entertainment, somewhat incongruent to local tastes, a rock and roll band, Tutti Frutti has agreed to play. Guests have assembled and the band is playing, as its lead singer, Beverly Russo, glamorously dressed, makes her way to the stage. But as she picks up the mic and opens her mouth to begin her song, she falls to the ground—dead!<br /><br />The police are called and the body sent for medical examination. Flora believes that the death is natural for she knew that Beverly suffered heart trouble, but it turns out that this wasn’t the case and Beverly was in fact electrocuted. Sally, all of whose life savings are at stake in the hotel asks for help, but this time in a role reversal, it is Jack who is keen to help while Flora feels that since the police are on the case this time (unlike previously when they seemed to write murders off without looking into them), there is no need for them to get involved. But of course, the police don’t move at the pace expected and are also distracted by other matters, and Flora and Jack are eventually drawn in. There are numerous suspects for, while she had a beautiful voice, Beverly was constantly playing up to one or the other members of the band, stirring up trouble with the others. Nearly all of them bore her a grudge, and it wasn’t the band alone for she managed to make trouble elsewhere too. Who was it that killed Beverly? Do Flora and Jack find out and save Sally’s business?<br /><br />What I enjoy about this series of stories are that they are light-hearted and gentle mysteries with not too much blood and gore (may be a little), and keep the reader engaged. We also have fairly likeable main characters in Flora and Jack with a continuing storyline with developments in their lives (Flora with running her bookshop, and Jack struggling with writer’s block [wondering about a return to his former career as a journalist or even opening a detective agency], and a ‘romance’ thread), glimpses of country life, as well as side characters like Kate who runs a small café, the Nook, in the village, Alice, and Jack’s errand boy, Charlie Teague whom we keep up with as well.<br /><br />This was the case with <i>Murder at the Priory Hotel</i>, too. We have an interesting mystery, with quite the list of suspects, both those who seem directly linked to Beverly as well as others who seem to have little connection but act suspiciously all the same. All of them have strong motives and one wonders which of them it could have been who did the actual deed. There are plenty of clues that Flora and Jack uncover, together and separately, and the one that I thought was relevant and worked out an explanation around didn’t turn out to be the right one after all, so I rather enjoyed the denouement.<br /><br />In this one, as I mentioned, there is a bit of a reversal in roles initially with Jack more interested in solving the mystery, while Flora wants to concentrate on her bookshop since Sally made a rather good job of it when Flora was in Cornwall, and she wants to do the same. But soon, she gets involved and begins to be her usual self, browbeating Jack to take advantage of his police connections to investigate clues.<br /><br />In the book, we also get a chance to travel with Jack to Portsmouth and Brighton, and while not a ‘proper’ tour of these places (as we got of Cornwall in the previous book), it was interesting learning about some of Brighton’s buildings and get a sense of Portsmouth as well. While in the previous books, I felt we didn’t get as strong or good a sense of time as we do of place, in this one, I thought the author has given us some feel of the period, with references to popular culture and social mores (for instance, Flora’s reluctance to wear jeans, etc.). I also enjoyed the look into village life that we get in the book, from Flora and Jack ‘competing’ over their gardens to village events like the Saturday market to raise funds for the church, and of course how fast ‘news’ spreads in a small place. <br /> <br />The ‘romance’ thread also takes a step forward in this one, with Flora and Jack acknowledging their interest to themselves, and then a development forward at the end, the consequences of which we will have to wait till the next book to see.<br /><br />An enjoyable read overall, and I’m interested to see where their next adventure takes them!<br /><br />3.75 rounded off

Murder At the Priory Hotel returns the seat of the action to the Priory Hotel which now has a new owner in Sally Jenner and her business partner Dominic Lister. Sally's hope for a grand reopening turns into a grand debacle when the lead female singer of the band hired to perform at the opening dies of electrocution.<br /><br />I have so far only read the first book in the series. I do have books 2 and 3 but have not read them which I hopefully will before the fifth book publishes. What I do remember from the first book is how good a sleuthing team Flora Steele and Jack Carrington made and they prove it yet again in this book. There are quite a few red herrings in this plot and it is only right at the end of the book that the real culprit is unmasked mainly due to Flora's meticulous skills at connecting the dots. At one point in the book, the detective sergeant who is clueless at how to proceed with the investigation, hints that Jack and Flora should become private investigators and frankly, they should!<br /><br />My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Merryn Allingham for the e-Arc of the book.

“Join Flora Steele – bookshop owner, bicycle-rider, and amateur detective – as she faces her most puzzling case yet!”<br /><br /><br />There are so many different strands to the books in this series and I am enjoying the individual and unique journeys they are taking me on, and the ways in which they draw together in each new episode. The budding friendship between Jack and Flora is probably the most frustrating aspect, as I really am itching to give the pair of them a good shove in the right direction. The developing synergy between our new amateur sleuths and their fellow villagers is proving to be quite satisfying, as they seem to be fitting in remarkably well now that they have accepted that none of their personal business is ever going to stay private for very long. And of course, the murders themselves, which seem to be overly abundant for such a small and insular community, and are becoming more convoluted, complicated and dangerous, each time one occurs.<br /><br />So, down to the business at hand…<br /><br />...<br /><br />1957 – Somewhere in Sussex – Crime writer Jack and bookshop owner Flora, are both hard at work trying to make ends meet, however that doesn’t stop them agreeing to help out Sally, one of the friends they have made in the village, who is much closer to them in age and who has taken the brave step of sinking all her life savings and a very large bank loan, into resurrecting and breathing new life into one of the local landmarks, the Priory. Since the passing of the last titled owner of the impressive building, it has fallen into commercial ownership and has had a couple of failed attempts at re-inventing itself as a profitable business opportunity. Sally and her new business partner Dominic are planning on opening the Priory as an exclusive privately run hotel and restaurant, and today is the grand opening. Dominic is the latest newcomer to the village and the jury is still very much out, as to his suitability either as resident material, or Sally’s beau.<br /><br />A band has been booked to play at the opening garden party for the locals, although the row going on between the four group members, is very loud and public. No sooner have they reluctantly taken to the stage than the lead singer Beverly, literally drops dead in front of everyone, which brings proceedings to an abrupt close before they have even begun. Dominic chooses this exact moment to do a disappearing act of his own, leaving a bereft Sally with tons of food to try and salvage and with bookings already being cancelled, as the police insist that the Priory must remain closed until their investigations are complete. Despite it being common knowledge that Beverly had a minor heart complaint, Flora and Jack are both convinced that this was not the cause of death, so despite the police’s usual reticence to take heed of their advice, they decide to open up their own investigation into events, in the hope of helping Sally re-open the hotel as soon as possible.<br /><br />In fact, after a very few frustrating days of getting nowhere, Inspector Alan Ridley, who is heading up the investigation and who also, on occasion, has been known to provide Jack with a little technical assistance to authenticate his crime novels, is only too happy to take whatever ideas Jack and Flora can bring to the case. He even, rather tongue in cheek, also floats an idea which the pair themselves had fleetingly considered – that they should set up their own detective agency. The suspect list is extensive and the more digging they do, the more Flora and Jack realise that no one is above suspicion and everyone seems to have something to hide; from the morally corrupt locum doctor, to every member of the band who have each had their own brush with the law previously, their agent one Max Martell who is a sleaze-ball to his core and soon dumps the band once Beverly is no longer around, right through to Sally’s partner Dominic who has lied to her almost every step of the way. The one thing they all have in common though, is that Beverly has used, abused and blackmailed them all at some stage and eventually even Flora and Jack come to the conclusion that no one is really sorry that she has gone and that she probably got what she deserved in many respects. But that in no way exonerates the murderer from being brought to justice.<br /><br />The investigation is all but wound down after a week or so, with the cause of death eventually having been established, but with the police as yet none the wiser about the identity of the perpetrator. Jack and Flora have followed several leads, one even having Jack drive from Sussex down to Hampshire on his post-war, meagre petrol rations, but all to no avail. The couple have befriended a young lad from the village, one Charlie Teague, who has proved to be very hard-working and loyal, and will do just about anything asked of him for pocket money. On the very day when the band are to be allowed to leave the Priory, leaving Sally to open the doors to paying guests at last, he tracks down Jack in a very flustered state, saying that a body has been found in the woods behind his school and that it has something to do with Beverly’s death. Rushing to the scene, Jack ascertains that the victim is Max Martell and this time the way he has died is very obvious and particularly brutal…<br /><br />But when is a murder weapon not a murder weapon?<br /><br />Not knowing of the latest events, Flora and just about everyone else from the village, are at the Priory, giving a very apologetic Dominic, to whom Sally has decided to give one more chance, and the rest of the staff, a hand to clear up the aftermath of the police investigation and prepare to open for business. Flora is cleaning out some of the rooms the band members have been using and has come across a couple of items which she keeps aside to show Jack, as they seem rather conspicuously out of place. Jack hotfoots it to the Priory much sooner than Flora had anticipated, to let her and Inspector Ridley know about Max’s death. The murderer, realising that the game is up, tries to make a run for freedom, however a very recklessly brave Jack and Flora, make a heroic stand until Ridley can organise his men and the person is apprehended. Still everybody’s money is on the wrong person, until Flora remembers her valuable evidence and then the game is really well and truly up for someone!<br /><br />...<br /><br />This traditional 1950s murder mystery series, is fast becoming compellingly addictive and growing in depth, with each episode also working well as a standalone story, the backstory being deftly woven into the narrative and dialogue without detracting from the detail of the current investigation, which comes to life on the pages as I am reading, transporting me back in time, immersing me in the action and making me part of the village life, if only for a short while, until I get rumbled by the long standing residents, who demand to know my credentials.<br /><br />Despite the fact that the author has chosen to use fictitious place names, making it difficult for any confirmed ‘armchair travellers’ such as myself, to track the action and plan their journey, plenty of wonderfully assured observational and descriptive narrative, together with some excellent conversational dialogue, offers a really good sense of time and place, which more than compensates.<br /><br />As I have come to expect from author Merryn Allingham, this well structured, multi-layered and highly textured storyline, was fluently written over many concise, easy to navigate and well signposted chapters, which kept the action fast-paced and seamlessly evolving, with literally never a dull moment. It is usually the case that the longer an investigation goes on for, the more the suspect list is honed and refined; but for Jack and Flora, the more dirt they dig looking for answers, the more names are added to their notes, and all with plausible motives. The suspect list was lengthy, the twists and turns just kept on coming and even Jack’s usually well-ordered mind, struggled to correlate the facts in any meaningful way, so what chance did I stand!<br /><br />Merryn has created a multi-faceted, well drawn and defined cast of characters who, whether they are on the side of good or bad, are authentically realistic to the times and genuinely believable in the individual roles which have been created for them. Drawn from a diverse cross-section of society, they are relatable and easy to connect with, with some excellent dynamics and synergy ensuing between them. Although naturally, you have to pass the all important ‘do you fit into the community?’ test and be prepared to have your lifestyle examined to the nth degree first. The characters have then been given a strong enough voice, that they are able to direct and guide the storyline, with just the gentlest of author nudges every now and then.<br /><br />Jack and Flora make a great team within the wider community, balancing each other out, as they play to their individual strengths, and working their way logically through all the possibilities of a case which was always believable. Evidence, if any was necessary, that they would make a howling success of their own Detective Agency, but only if they can overcome certain personal inhibitions first. Flora definitely hasn’t been quite as inquisitive and forthright as usual during the course of this investigation, not I suspect, because she has lost any of her enthusiasm for solving crimes that she would otherwise only be reading about in one of the novels she sells in her bookshop, but because she is desperately trying not to be thrown any closer to Jack than she needs to be, as she strives to keep their relationship on a ‘friends only’ footing. Both have previously had bad experiences in the romance department, compounded in Jack’s case by the age gap between himself and Flora, which he believes she might live to regret in a few years time if she commits now. Basically, it’s a case of ‘one step forwards, two steps back’ – or is that all about to change? I’m not counting my chickens or holding my breath though!<br /><br />In this story, revenge is definitely a dish best served cold!<br /><br />This book and series definitely ticks all the right boxes for the reasons I read and how I want to feel when I have finished the last word and closed that final page. Thank you for taking me on another lovely journey, Merryn.<br />

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this opportunity to review <i>Murder at the Priory Hotel.</i> All opinions and comments are my own.<br /><br />Everyone is helping out at the grand opening of the Priory Hotel, owned by Flora Steele’s friend Sally as <i>Murder at the Priory Hotel,</i> the fourth in Merryn Allingham’s series featuring bookshop owner Flora and her friend and confidante Jack Carrington, a crime fiction writer, begins. The books are set in 1956-era Sussex. <br /><br />The grand feast is being spread out, drinks are chilling and the band is getting ready to perform. Only the lead vocalist is screaming at the lead guitarist. Not a good start to the day. And when said vocalist steps up to the mic and immediately drops dead, it’s really not a good start to the big shindig. So, was it heart failure, and does the medication she was taking (which figures large in the investigation) mean something? Awfully young for heart failure, though. Jack thinks she was electrocuted, and lo and behold -- she was. Who did the diva in? <br /><br />Sally asks for their help, and who can refuse a friend? Author Allingham makes sure there are plenty of suspects, including Dominic, co-owner and Sally’s light of her life. Everybody else thinks the guy is rather smarmy, but who’s counting? And all sorts of tidbits emerge about the bandmembers. No angels, they.<br /><br />Of course, we have side stories; our regular characters have grown throughout the books. Sally’s money woes continue, and now that the hotel is closed because of the murder, are getting bleaker. Jack’s lost his confidence, as a writer, and wonders what his future holds -- perhaps a life as a private detective? Our girl Flora is happy with her bookstore, but unhappy with what she should do with Jack. The gentle romance that started way back advances a bit in “Murder at the Priory Hotel”, and Flora and Jack continue to grow as “people.” These little “side steps” as it were, add personality to what we’re reading, and bring the book to life.<br /><br />We have another dead body -- killed in a rather interesting manner (a small bone of contention here: the method of dispatch was “not” something that would have been recognized and known (nor described that way) in the late fifties. The “particular instrument” weren’t popular until the late sixties in the States, much less England). The identity of the corpse throws off Flora’s investigation, but only for a while. For revenge, and jealousy, and loyalty are strong motives for murder. Ms. Allingham ties it all together in a rather neat bow, with lots of little tidbits that should keep you guessing.<br /><br />So, the Priory Hotel can re-open again, and all’s right with the world. It’s Jack’s birthday, and things are looking up. Flora and Jack do make a good couple. I do wish there was more of a 1950’s “feel” to their background; I never really feel that we are “there” in time, other than a gentle softening of tone --- these are never gritty, modern crime stories. Maybe that’s all we need right now. I certainly intend to find out what body they’ll stumble across next.

Join Flora Steele, amateur detective extraordinaire, as she finds herself in position yet again to solve another murder. While Flora and Jack, who are good friends - although Jack apparently wants more - are set to enjoy the grand re-opening of the Priory Hotel. The hotel has had its troubles, but the re-opening is being celebrated with a musical performance. One of the singers suddenly drops dead - literally. The singer's manner of death is more than shocking, leaving some to wonder if it was perhaps a sudden heart attack. However, could it have been more, more meaning foul play was behind her death?<br /><br />When Beverly Russo's performance definitely proves that someone succeeded in killing her, Flora plans on leaving no stone unturned as she start her own investigation. With very little faith in the police solving this curious murder, Flora begins digging deeply, only to discover that Ms. Russo was woman that was not well-liked by many, leaving more than one suspect in this newest case where Flora shines when it comes to uncovering secrets and lies. With Jack by her side also looking for clues, the pair prove indomitable when it comes to finding answers when even the police fall short. <br /><br />However, one of the subjects is also found dead, and the weapon appears to be a musical instrument, leaving no doubt that the two deaths are both murders that are connected. Not only must Flora act even more quickly, she must avoid falling into the killer's crosshairs. Meanwhile, Jack is glad he is there at the hotel, as he feels that it is time for his relationship with Flora to be defined. <br /><br /><b> <i>Murder at the Priory Hotel</i> </b> is an enjoyable addition to an engaging cozy mystery series. Since Jack is so distracted by his writing, these murders take a lot of his time. One thing that leads Flora and Jack in their pursuit of clues is the fact that Beverly Russo's ruby ring appears to be missing. That clue is the first of many in this intriguing entry of a series that I thoroughly enjoy.<br /><br />I love that each book in this series stands on its own, but I really enjoy the continuity that reading this series in order brings, especially as Flora and Jack's relationship takes a slow turn from friendship to possibly more, and this leaves me more than eager for the next book in the series. <br /><br />Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.<br /><br />A very small side note - this book is a year or so too early for the "official" name of the frisbee. Although the disc in its plastic form was invented in 1948, the round disc wasn't called the frisbee until around mid-1957. <br /><br />Please enjoy my YouTube video review as well - <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/TfrqQvgCc4E">https://youtu.be/TfrqQvgCc4E</a>

Publication Date: 8th July 2022<br /><br /><b>3.8 Stars </b><br /><br /><i>One Liner: Good continuation to the series; light cozy mystery </i><br /><br /><b>Sussex, 1957: </b><br /><br />Flora Steele and Jack Carrington are back in the fourth installment of the series. The Priory Hotel is being reopened by Sally and Dominic, her business partner. On the day of the reopening, the lead singer, Beverly, of the rock n’ roll band Tutti Frutti drops dead in front of the crowd. <br /><br />With a not-so-positive history, the hotel suffers from canceled bookings. Sally is worried that her investment will sink into nothing. When Flora and Jack have no option but to investigate the case, they come across information that puts just about everyone on the suspect list. <br /><br />Will the duo solve the case and save Priory Hotel from losses? Are they putting themselves at risk yet again? <br /><br /><b>My Observations: </b><br /><br />We are back at Priory Hotel, but the book keeps the case interesting. Despite the same setting (as in the first book), the story doesn’t feel repetitive or boring. <br /><br />Flora and Jack have a slight change of characters, with Jack being more eager to solve the crime. Of course, we need Flora to find the clues for us.<br /> <br />The writing seemed a little slower than in the previous books. It could also be that I was more tired (which I was), and that affected my reading. <br /><br />We have enough red herrings and suspects in this one, but the danger quotient is slightly less. I like how it has been incorporated into the story. <br /><br />There’s a development in Flora and Jack’s friendship, and I’m hoping it will continue in the coming books. <br /><br />As always, we meet the recurring characters, and some of them have developments in their lives. I always like it when side characters’ lives are also given importance. <br /><br />The book works as a standalone, but the reader might be confused about the range of characters introduced in the first few pages. There are references to previous cases, though none of them affect the current case. <br /><br />To sum up, Murder at the Priory Hotel is a light cozy mystery and a little less dangerous than the previous ones. Looking forward to the next book. <br /><br />Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. <br /><br />#NetGalley #MurderatthePrioryHotel

BLOG TOUR REVIEW <br /><br />Review for 'Murder At The Priory Hotel' by Merryn Allingham. <br /><br />Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Merryn Allingham, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous <br /><br />Publication date 8th July 2022.<br /><br />This is the fourth book I have read by this author. It is also the fourth book in the 'Flora Steele Mystery' series. I have previously read 'The Bookshop Murder' which is the first book in the series, 'Murder At The Pier' which is the second book in the series and 'Murder At Primrose Cottage' which is the third book in the series and all of them I highly recommend, although this can be read as a standalone. <br /><br />I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis for this series stated that this series is 'A delightful cozy crime novel, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis!' I am a huge fan of all three of those authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Merryn and if this is half as good as 'The Bookshop Murder', 'Murder On The Pier' and 'Murder At Primrose Cottage' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).<br /><br />This novel consists of 30 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!<br /><br />This book is based in Sussex, Portsmouth and Brighton, England ???????, UK ??. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and holidayed in Sussex on many occasions including this year and next year again so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places. <br /><br />This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Flora Steele ad Jack Carrington. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.<br /><br />Another fantastic success by Merryn!!! Absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!!<br /><br />This book was extremely well written and I do believe alot of research went into it as everything linked correctly in with the era it was set in which was 1955. It is a real bug bear for me when I read a historical novel and the author hasn't done their research and gets basic information mixed up so well done Merryn!! It was very well written and I found the synopsis and the cover fitted the storyline perfectly, The descriptions were great and it really felt as if I was in the storyline along with Flora and Jack. <br /><br />Well I must say this is yet another explosive book in an absolutely addictive series!!! The storyline was very interesting and very fast paced. I absolutely love the fact that the main characters (Flora) owns a Bookshop and Jack is an author. I always look forward to meeting them and am gutted to come to the end of each book as they have become like friends to me. There is just something about a book where there is a lot of emphasis on books for me and this book was packed with them!! I really enjoyed that it was set in the past and the storyline really suited that. It really is a nice cozy mystery that will keep you guessing throughout. At no point did I suspect who was doing what or why so another huge well done there Merryn!!! I have read many a mystery and find that I am working out the killer/perp quicker every time and there's nothing worse than working out who did what when your need even half way through a book. I loved that this book is based in Sussex, Portsmouth and Brighton as the atmospheres suit the book perfectly. Not only is this a suspense and action filled mystery but there was just the right amount of quirkiness, laughter and attitude to give it a nice mix!!!<br /><br />OMG!!!! THAT ENDING!!!! LOVE, LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVED!!!! ? ? ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ WELL DONE MERRYN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! DID I MENTION I LOVED IT???!!!!! <br /><br />A fun, addictive, unputdownable cozy crime mystery. Clear your schedules as you won't be able to put this book down! <br /><br />Although this is the fourth book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.<br /><br />I am thoroughly invested in the characters and really enjoyed meeting Flora and Jack again both with their fantastic and quirky personality!!! In fact all of the characters had their own individual personalities which worked really well with each other. I am definitely looking forward to meeting Flora and Jack again and some more of the villagers. Some of the characters I was glad to see the back of but what fun would there be if we got along with them all. A perfect mix of strong and realistic characters to make an addictive storyline. <br /><br />Congratulations Merryn on yet an absolutely fantastic book in an absolutely epic series!! I am really looking forward to see what Flora and Jack get up to next!!! Here's to your next success ? <br /><br />Overall an page turning, perfect mix of mystery, crime, suspense and quirkiness which kept me turning the pages late at night!! An explosive addition to an addictive series!!! <br /><br />Genres covered in this novel include Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Crime Thriller, Police Procedural, Murder Mystery and Crime Fiction amongst others. <br /><br />I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Helena Dixon, Agatha Christie, Faith Martin, Joy Ellis, Verity Bright, Clare Chase, Dee MacDonald, Fliss Chester and anyone looking for a historic cosy mystery!! <br /><br />269 pages.<br /><br />This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!! <br /><br />Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook. <br /><br />Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews <br /><br />#MurderAtThePrioryHotel #Bookouture #MerrynAllingham #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #MurderAtThePrioryHotel<br /><br />@MerrynAllingham @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 <br /><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86">https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86</a>