Set in the 1920s, this story focuses on Iris, a young journalist with a local newspaper in Hampshire. Her father is a journalist, and her mother died after a tragic accident or was it. The post-WW1 setting is captured well in socio-political terms with the changes in voting rights after WW1 and women's expectations regarding voting and working outside of a domestic environment. The story explores a mystery within a mystery that personally affects Iris against a background of a forthcoming election where two female candidates are standing. Iris is a complex, intelligent and likeable protagonist whose journalist skills and contacts make her an accomplished amateur sleuth, the 1920s investigative journalist. The characters reflect the historical period, and the ethos of change and prejudice builds the suspense well.

The mystery is exciting, and there are numerous suspects and twists. It's an immersive read, and I look forward to seeing what happens next in the Iris Woodmore mystery series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I love a good mystery, and I love a good period mystery even more, and if there's a feminist theme running through it so much the better. Death at Crookham Hall is all three of these, and I enjoyed the author's crisp prose and 1920s London setting very much. As an American, my only real reference to the women's suffrage movement in England is limited to fictional media like Mary Poppins and Downton Abbey, so I can't speak to whether the history depicted was accurate, but the emotional truths of the story rang true.

This book is marketed as the first Iris Woodmore mystery. Like many protagonists in cozy mysteries, Iris plays amateur detective throughout the novel, but it's a conceit of the genre, and far more plausible for a journalist covering politics than, say, a cafe owner or bookseller (referencing two of my favorite contemporary cozy series). I liked that we saw her on the job first, and diving into the mystery - one with very personal connections, as it revolved around the apparent suicide of her own mother several years before.

I really appreciated that the titual Crookham Hall was almost a character in its own right, as old buildings tend to be, especially when they serve as a focal point for a story. Author Michelle Salter's eye for details really sang in the descriptions of this and other locations. At one point I had to remind myself that smoking was common behavior in the 1920s, and that even today Europeans smoke far more than Americans seems to. (At least in my experience.)

I also liked that we got a glimpse into what it was like to be one of those trailblazing women who were among the first in Parliament. Specifically, the commentary about how what they wore often got more attention than that they said really struck me. (Sadly, the way media portrays women in politics has not changed appreciably in either of our countries since then. )

Part mystery, part courtroom drama, part period study, part cultural commentary, this novel was a rich and rewarding read. I hope to follow Iris Woodmore as her life and career develop. I'll definitely read more of Michelle Salter's work.

Goes well with: a glass of perfectly chilled champagne.

This is a post First World War mystery,
When suffragette's daughter Iris wants to see
What she can uncover about what happened to her Mother
Why she died in the Thames she's hoping to discover.

A daring protest - but who was she with that day?
Is it the truth what the waterman has to say?
Can she find the two women with her then?
Why have they disappeared, been never seen again?

Asking questions, seeking the truth to find
Her journalist instincts and need to be kind
What are the secrets hidden in the past?
Will she discover what really happened at last?

With secrets, politics, friendship and danger
Can she find love with a total stranger?
With shocking revelations and history, too,
It's a fascinating read I highly recommend to you!

This is the first in a series that's new
I can't wait to read more - and hope you enjoy it, too!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I love mysteries set in the 1920's and was delighted to start this series from the beginning.
Once Iris begins researching the candidates for election she stumbles upon more than one mystery associated with Crookham Hall. Simultaneously, the question of what really happened to her mother on the day she died is raised and Iris is determined to get to the bottom of it. Not even a missing maid and murder can put Iris off the case. She worries away at all the loose threads until the truth finally comes to light.
Death at Crookham Hall pushes the boundaries of what makes a traditional cozy as there are some darker and shocking twists to the story that I didn't see coming. I loved that it managed to shock me and take me by surprise.
The court case was another good twist as we don't normally get to see past the arrest in mystery novels.
I enjoyed the historical detail, the link to the suffragettes and how women were treated by the law and society at that time.
One of my favourite characters was Percy who was very entertaining and funny. He injected a lot of humour into the book and I hope he pops up as a recurring character in the rest of the series.

2.5 stars rounded up.

This was a good cosy mystery up until the last third-ish. The writing isn’t the best and the characters are kinda dull, but the story itself is pretty good - even if it very quickly weers off the suffragette theme it was initially sold as and goes straight into being about a little bit of everything.

Set around 1920 the story initially centers Iris, a young journalist who learns that her suffragette mother’s death may not be as simple as Iris has always thought. This is followed by an election, some attempts at journalism and romance and a bunch of sleuthing. There is also a new death and a very, very lengthy trial that ends very, very suddenly, at which point I had pretty much disconnected from the story.

I didn’t hate it. I also didn’t love it.

Death at Crookham Hall is an incredibly well-written historical mystery set in 1920, both in London and Walden.

Our intrepid young report, Iris, finding work as a reporter for the local newspaper, begins to discover much she doesn't know about her mother's untimely death following a visit to the House of Parliament.

Iris is a great character, modern but not too modern - wearing trousers is fine, but wearing a dress short enough to show her thighs is too shocking - and she finds herself desperate to gather together the unknown strands of her mother's death.

This is a really well-written story, interspersed with fascinating tit-bits of information both about the suffragettes and their sister organisation, the suffrage societies, and where the focus is very much on the women of their time, from the lady to the laundry-maid. It's a very compelling tale, on occasion, fast-paced. Everything Iris does brings her some new information, and her role as a reporter means she gets to interview all of the main suspects without the narration feeling forced.

The resolution of the mystery feels particularly well constructed, and I just thoroughly enjoyed the story. A fabulous, well-written mystery that holds all the promise of much more to come for young Iris and her fellow reporter, as well as the local policeman, and her friend in Walden.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

This is a mix of historical fiction and mystery that I enjoyed. I wouldn't define it a cozy mystery as it's darker and it deals with some topics that are not usually in a cozy mystery.
That said the author did a good job in delivering a story that kept me turning pages and trying to guess the secrets and who-did-it.
There's a vivid historical background, well researched and details. The characters are fleshed out and I quite realistic.
Iris is a well developed and interesting woman, she's clever and focused. I liked her her and I want to read other books featuring her.
The author is good storyteller even if the plot is a bit slow in the middle. The mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for this arc, all opinions are mine

The straight-forward writing is good and easy to read, but for a murder mystery there were surprisingly few plot complications. In my opinion, I was underwhelmed by the historical details and found much less detail than I expected and could have been in any time frame. A reasonable first novel though. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book didn’t really turn out like I was expecting. It’s listed as a cozy mystery. It doesn’t really compare to others that I’ve read in the same category. It has a more political type feel to it and it just happens to have a mystery attached to it. Overall I was a bit bored with the book and struggled to read it. Others may like it but I could have walked away less than half way through.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

A Personal Lead…
The first in the Iris Woodmore mystery series finds the reporter with a potentially big story. 1920, London, and two women are campaigning to become a member of parliament. Iris, however, has much more on her mind than that particular story - as she follows up a much more personal lead, her foray may well lead to murder. With a likeable protagonist, an engaging thread of historical detail and a nicely flowing plot this is a promising start to a new series.

This book starts well and just keeps getting better as the story continues. Iris works for the local newspaper and uses her position to investigate the disappearance of a housemaid from the local manor house. The 1920s period is very well detailed and I felt that I learned quite a lot about the suffragette movement. The story is set against a local parliamentary by-election which gives it additional depth. I am very pleased to see that this is the first of a new series - I’m looking forward to reading more about Iris and her detective skills.

What a fantastic series debut! I am out of words to describe this magnificent, mind-blowing and completely engrossing historical cozy mystery.

We have so many real-life events here: suffragette movement, women protesting to vote, women standing for elections for the first time, end of WW1 and soldiers returning home to find themselves jobless and war-related PTSD.

This story highlights various issues - worker's rights over profits, abolishing child labour, access to affordable house - especially to those who lost a lot during the war, protecting environment over expanding business and, women's rights to vote and use birth control. We also have a couple of characters (men) who had become ill-tempered and sully since returning from war. (PTSD)

One other thing that caught my attention was Iris's dressing sense. She prefers to wear trousers. Some men are quite shocked to see a woman in trousers. Then we have a scene where Iris goes clubbing with a man and she's shocked to see women wearing short skirts (knee-length.)

There are so two mysteries here (Violet's Suffragette protests and that of Rebecca's disappearance) and both are given equal importance. Iris might be an amateur sleuth but mark my words, she's going to be one of the best investigation journalist. She has a knack for digging deeper into an issue and solving mysteries.

The second half of the book highlights employer exploitation and domestic violence (physical and sexual abuse.) The mystery behind Rebecca's disappearance kept me guessing till the end. Nobody knew if she was dead. It was quite possible she was hiding from someone. In which case, what was she afraid of?

I loved the storytelling. Well-developed characters and plot-line. As a series debut, we have just the right amount of character introduction, series-scene setting and a mystery to keep one guessing till the end.

If you are looking for a interesting, unique, and captivating historical mystery, you might want to give Death at Crookham Hall by Michelle Salter a try.

My reads of late have been excellent. Blending the mystery genre with a fair amount
of information on society of the relevant times, it has given me a wider understanding of
social mores and expectations of the time. This has been relevant to the outcome of
those stories. This story was no exception.

London 1920 still in the grip of male control. one dead suffragette, one missing suffragette
and for the first time ever two women competing for the post of MP. Iris Woodmore is a reporter
covering theelection. She is also the daughter of the dead and has not got over
the sudden death of her mother - dead drowning in the Thames. When whilst covering the election, she is told by a watchman that her mother actually jumped into the Thames deliberately, it sets Iris off on an investigation which uncovers many
incidents in the past including a murder and a scandal of
domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse which rocks the
town Small towns have closer knit communities with tighter controls
against outsiders and in 1920 a hierarchy that you ignored at
your own risk. Aristocracy, wealth and power held sway very
much displayed in this story.

new-series, first-in-series, 1920, journalist, real-estate, reporter, historical-novel, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, propaganda, suffragism, cold-case, politics, secrets, lies, family-drama, family, class-consciousness, England, ****

Why did Iris's mother drown six years ago?
What happened to the young servant who disappeared about that same time?
In the aftermath of The Great War, the world and England experienced some astounding changes. Iris works with a newsman and also investigates the questions surrounding her mother's death and the disappearance of a fellow suffragette. All of the characters are clear and relatable, the story moves along well complete with surprising twists and some very odd red herrings. Very interesting!
I requested and received an EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you

Death at Crookham Hall by Michelle Slater is a murder mystery set just after World War I, just after women won the right to vote (some women anyway) and were just beginning to step into a world outside of marriage and babies.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.
Iris is a 21-year-old aspiring reporter taking advantage of the new opportunities for women especially since her mother was a suffragette who died in the middle of one of the protests. Iris’s world is turned upside when she finds out her mother jumped rather than fell into the Thames and one of her mother’s suffragette friends vanished at the same time. Iris investigates these two events with help of her colleagues and former suffragettes.
There are several mysteries to be solved and no one is quite what they seem- the eventual murderer and motive took me completely by surprise. But I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the political campaigning of the three candidates- two women and a man in a time when a woman MP would have been completely unheard of.
The issues discussed in the books through the candidates, unfortunately, seem relevant today- workers’ rights versus more profits, access to affordable housing, women’s rights, and protecting the environment over expanding businesses.
Iris, herself is a fascinating character a woman navigating a new world of employment, dating, hairdresser and shortening hemlines
Content Warning
References to sexual assault and domestic violence.
Perfect for Fans
Historical Cosy Crime