The Picture House Murders

The Picture House Murders by Fiona Veitch Smith
(Narrated by Fiona Veitch Smith, Hannah Genesius)

An enjoyable detective story in 1920s London.

In 1929 London, Miss Clara Vale was the first woman who got a Chemistry degree in university. She was passionated with Chemistry and determined to be a scientist. However because of her gender, a chance near to zero. Clara was a librarian.

But things changed when she was told her uncle Bob passed away and he left her the money, house and…the detective business(?!!!) Then the story followed how she helped uncle Bob’s client to solve the mystery by using her science knowledge.

The story was cleverly written. Fact-paced, without any dull plot. All the characters were so likable, especially Clara. She’s smart, calm and determined. The narrators were not only read the story out, they were literally like the characters.

I look forward to reading the book2 in this series!

Very enjoyable cosy mystery series, and branching out from the mould a little in that it’s set in Newcastle, and Clara is a trained chemist with some knowledge that she uses to investigate a series of murders. Likeable characters combined with potential romance, and I have a new series to follow!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

The Picture House Murders is an enjoyable start to what I think could be a fabulous series. Clara Vale is breaking boundaries, becoming one of the first women accepted to Oxford to obtain a degree in Chemistry, refusing her father's monthly stipend, and working in a library to pay her way, I can't wait to see how she grows.

There are also the beginnings of some excellent 'side kicks', and the mystery is a cracker too. Really enjoyable.

Fiona Veitch Smith writes the first of a historical crime series set in London and Newcastle in 1929, which I listened to on audio, narrated reasonably well by the author and Hannah Genesius, including a Geordie accent where appropriate, and is approximately 9 hours and 35 minutes long. 30 year old Clara Vale feels like a fish out of water within her family, she has no desire to snag herself a rich husband, like her sister, as her mother wants, her feckless brother has gambling debts, and she refuses to accept her father's allowance, preferring to be independent and live on her meagre earnings as a librarian at a Bloomsbury library. This is not her chosen occupation, she had dreams of being a scientist after gaining a Chemistry degree at Oxford, but outdated attitudes ensured that she failed to secure a post as a scientist.

Clara first learns of the death of her beloved estranged Uncle Bob when she receives a solicitor's letter that she has been left something in his will, her mother having kept her in the dark. Mortified she had in recent years left their relationship drift apart, Clara travels to Newcastle, expecting a small amount of cash. So it comes as a shocking surprise to find herself the main beneficiary of Bob's estate, which included his house with its own laboratory, money and stocks, and his private inquiry firm. Bob leaves her a letter, telling her she would make a great investigator, something that will take her some time to believe. Initially planning to stay for a mere 5 days, Clara is to extend her stay as she finds herself drawn into a ongoing dark and murky case Bob had taken on, involving Alice, a desperate woman. There are break-ins, a bag snatching, the burning of a another picture house that ends in tragedy, and other murders.

Clara is using her scientific knowledge to build a dossier of evidence that she hopes will help Alice get the insurance payout she needs, having lost her husband in an accident. It still takes some time for Clara to believe she can be a PI. In the meantime, there a number of other obstacles in her path, such as the bank refusing her access to her money without her father's consent, her brother thinks he is entitled to Bob's inheritance, the housekeeper is lying, and the authorities are reluctant to listen to the evidence she is collating. This is an enjoyable and entertaining beginning to this series that outlines the position of women and the social norms and attitudes of the time, and Newcastle provides a wonderful location, but it is not without its flaws, the story takes some time to get going and there is a little too much repetition. Many thanks to the publisher for an ALC.

The Picture House Murders is an excellent start to a new series. Clara has inherited a business, a house and a good deal of wealth after the death of her uncle. Clara is an interesting character for the time period as she has a degree in science and an interest in continuing her uncle's enquiry agency.

The story reminds the modern reader of the limits society placed on women in the last century. Clara could not open a bank account without a letter of approval from her father or a male relative.

The mystery starts as a small task of providing enough evidence to cast doubt that a fire at the picture house was arson and not negligence. However, Clara finds herself embroiled in a much more complex case of murder. Allies cannot always be trusted and Clara must tread carefully as she fits the puzzle pieces together.

There is the beginning of a romance for Clara here but I'm hoping she remains independent of a husband for as long as possible and holds on to her freedom that financial independence brings.

I listened to the audio version of this book and found the narrator to be excellent and I will be happy to continue to enjoy the series in this format.

First off, I LOVED Clara. She’s a great character to follow and she was very easy to like. She’s a well thought, well rounded protagonist who’s headstrong, clever and a woman ahead of her time. With a degree reading Chemistry at Oxford under her belt, she finds herself owner of a detective agency as left by her uncle. She’s fighting to gain her independence away from her wealthy family, and this offers just the opportunity.

We follow her as she finds her feet and gets stuck into some very intriguing cases. With arson, deaths, a families finances to save and all the while she’s questioning if she really knew who her uncle was at all. She has a lot to prove and she’s determined to succeed.

The story and plot itself was fab and very engaging. It’s so easy to enjoy and the audiobook was seriously well narrated. Down to the accents, the different portrayals of characters and how the actor and author captured feel of the times, it was all done perfectly and I loved it!

(Also great addition at the end with the historical notes. I always love to see how a story compares to history and how the author wound it into a new story). Can’t wait for more instalments in this series! Roll on the Pantomime murders.