A Murder of Crows: A completely gripping British cozy mystery (A Dr Nell Ward Mystery Book 1)

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The victim felt very much like the second Mrs De Winter in Rebecca, Nell seemed a little like Temperance Brennan in Kathy Reichs' books (without the social awkwardness) and I'm not sure how this is going to develop into a series, I mean how many murders in a small town would require an ecologist to shed light on the scene?

Murder of Crows: A Dunderdale Mystery A Christmas Murder of Crows: A Dunderdale Mystery

I felt that whole "small village" sense creeping in, you know the kind where everyone knows everyone else, where strangers are not welcome and there is just that strange atmosphere that hangs over the place. However, when I read about Alice I was engrossed, her character has dementia and Ian managed to portray her periods of confusion and lucidity with such accuracy but sensitivity that I found myself feeling quite emotional as I read. Successful book series of any genre tend to rely heavily on having engaging central characters - and that is perhaps even more the case with murder mysteries and particularly those of the cosy variety - but I don't think the characters contained within the pages of this book are appealing enough. Detective Clifford Dubose receives a copy of Russell's book from an anonymous sender and realizes that the murders in the book are identical to the real-life deaths of five attorneys that were written off as accidents or suicides.

There are technical terms bandied about, and there are some places (courtroom expert testimony) which require a little more attention on the part of the reader - but they're relatively few and far between and I think most readers will have no problem understanding the jargon from context. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The most violent thunderstorm in living memory occurs above a sleepy village on the West Coast of Scotland.

A Murder of Crows by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett | Waterstones

Despite an oddly-structured back-and-forth timeline and a liberal sprinkling of both plot holes and factual / legal inaccuracies, the book was redeemed by a well-conceived mystery plot, interesting characters and the fascinating interweaving of ecology into the story. Desperate to clear her name Nell, along with her colleague Adam, set out solving the murder using their skills as ecologists to uncover details no one else would notice. Even though DCI Jack Russell is supposed to be the protagonist in this novel, by 20% into the book, we know almost nothing at all about him.

I also found myself invested in a love triangle for the first time in a long time… well, invested in one side of it. I wish I listened to the Lethal Lit podcast before I read this book because I feel like I was missing so much information. The Book of Saint Albans, originally printed in 1486, was a collection of advice and information on hawking, hunting, and heraldry. That is all well and good, but you also need to take your audience with you and if the depth of knowledge and expertise is too niche, then you run the risk of non-devotees switching off - and I think Sarah Yarwood-Lovett was guilty of that on a number of occasions. Whilst inside the tunnel, Nell overhears the murder-in-progress of landowner Sophie Crows, whose battered body is subsequently discovered at the other end of the tunnel, which leads to the Manor House's cellars.