Peril in the Parish

Mystery In Traditional Vein..
The third in the Florence Norris series of mysteries set in the delightful village of Dovecote Hatch. It is March of 1933 and Florence is set to marry the local pub landlord. Events are soon to take a dark turn when Florence and George find themselves deep in a mystery and unearth some extremely disturbing truths which lurk under the surface of this seemingly idyllic village. Beautifully done with a well crafted cast of characters, lovely period detail and a perfect backdrop. A gentle mystery in traditional vein and a worthy addition to the series to date.

Reading this third book in the Florence Norris series felt as if I were sitting down visiting with good friends over tea. I’ve grown very fond of the residents of Dovecote Hatch — even the batty ones — despite the murders and mysterious goings on in this small English village.

Florence and her ‘gentle giant’ fiancé, George Bird, are soon to be married after the slow journey from friendship to affection to love. George, aka Birdie, proprietor of the local pub The Dog & Whistle, is drawn into a mystery when a stranger sits alone at his bar on a night so foggy it’s sent all the locals hurrying home. After an enigmatic statement about the death of his sister twenty years earlier unsettles George, the stranger slowly reveals the sad details of the story as he knows it, and why current events happening in the village cause him to need to unburden the truth all these years later. With Inspector LeCrane on holiday and an urgent need to get to the root of the young woman’s death and who was responsible before harm comes to others in the village, George and Florence once again find themselves working together to unravel the threads to find the truth.

If you want a fast-paced thriller, don’t read this. However, if you want a story that slowly unfolds with rich character development, humor, puzzling ‘whodunnit’ twists, and the perfect cross-section of English village life in the 1930s, read this. By the end, you may find yourself wanting to live in Orchard House with a cat named Marmalade and Miss Gillybud as a neighbor, as I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Years ago, I picked up The Thin Woman by Dorothy Cannell and I was hooked on her Ellie Haskell series. I bought several books in the series over the next few years but lost track of her somewhere along the way. Imagine my surprise recently to see she is still writing and has a new book release coming up. Peril in the Parish is the third in the Florence Norris series of books and I haven't read the first two. I guess I will have to backtrack a bit to catch up.

In this book we find Florence and her beau, George, getting ready to plan their wedding. A stranger shows up in the pub George runs to relate what happened to his sister twenty years earlier and the pair begin to investigate while waiting to speak to the local authority. Meanwhile, Sophie gets into some difficulty due to a misunderstanding and flees her job and living arrangements to visit her last living relative who lives in Dovecote Heath, the same town where Florence and George live. Along the way, we meet a cast of characters from the local area who fill out the story.

This book captures the spirit of the English cozy mystery well, with the main characters working together to solve the mystery. It didn't have the cute humor of the Ellie Haskell series but it stands well on its own. I never felt left out due to missing the earlier books but was left interested enough to seek them out. Another easy read mystery!

Overall I give this 3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for the advanced reader copy. I have provided this review voluntarily.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Severn House, in return for an honest review. While the third book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. In their small village of Dovecote Hatch, a deep fog blankets everything in March, 1933. George ‘Birdie’ Bird is picturing his upcoming wedding to Florence Norris when a stranger sits down and makes a single statement, ‘Twenty years ago, I buried my sister’. Who is this man? Was it murder or something else? Why tell Birdie and why wait 20 years? I find historicals of this period to always be interesting as they show a long-lost time while still being near to the current day. Ms. Cannell writes this series so well and her skill is obvious.

This is a slow, albeit gentle, cozy set in a charming (but not entirely) English village in 1933. Florence and George find themselves intrigued by a tale told by a stranger about his sister, whose murder years before was never solved. They are about to be married but that takes a backseat to getting answers. There's not a lot of drama and this is a good reminder of what it was like to solve crimes before technology. THanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the first mystery I read by this author and it was brilliant. A complex plot, well developed characters, a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I liked the storytelling and already bought the other books in this series as I want to read more about Florence and George.
Even if it's the third it can be read as a stand alone.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

March 1933, Dovecote Hatch, England. Florence Norris knows she has found a good man in George 'Birdie' Bird, the landlord of the local pub, The Dog & Whistle. They are set to marry in a low-key service at the parish church in their beloved village Dovecote Hatch. But when a mysterious stranger seeks out George, sharing family secrets and talks of an illegal burial years ago, an ominous dread falls over the happy couple.
The third book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. A well written cosy mystery, the pace never lags but it certainly isn't fast paced but ambles its way through the mystery with strong very well portrayed characters with lovely depth. It also gives a lovely picture of 1930’s life in a village. There are twists & turns as well as some humour. I thorough enjoyed it & look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the third book in the series featuring Florence Norris, although it is the first one of this series that I have read. Dorothy Cannell is a solid mystery writer. Her characters are strong; in this, she features an intelligent woman who has a strong moral compass. The town she lives in is isolated and small enabling the reader to get a sense of what life in a small poor parish must have been like in the late 19th century. This book will be enjoyed by those who like traditional mysteries with a little romantic interest tossed in.