*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author, Bloodhound Books and Kelly Lacey of Love Books Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: Christmas in Blackheath has never been bloodier…
May Morrigan was hoping for mulled wine and minimal drama this festive season. But when your eccentric mother asks you to hide a bloody knife, your estranged twin sister moves in, and your housemate is staging a chaotic pantomime starring a washed-up TV actor with a stalker… a quiet Christmas is off the cards.
When a string of mysterious stabbings shatters the peace on the heath, May finds herself sleuthing through a flurry of secrets involving long-lost babies, pantomime politics, and more than one case of mistaken identity. With her divorce finale looming, her love life in tatters, and her sister revealing a life-altering secret of her own, May must untangle a knot of lies stretching back decades.
As snow falls and secrets unravel, the Morrigan women must reckon with the past—before another body drops.
Murder, mayhem and mistletoe… This deliciously twisty, darkly comic mystery is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and The Thursday Murder Club.
Review: This book is the third in the series and, while it stands alone perfectly well, I would definitely read books 1 (A Most Unusual Demise) and 2 (A Most Malicious Messenger) as well. Why? Because they are refreshing, delightful and great fun! And I can assure you I have put my money where my mouth is, as I realised on reading this book that I had somehow missed the second in the series, so immediately treated myself to it to catch up with afterwards.
My favourite thing about this series is the characters, especially main characters May and Fletcher (best friends, not a couple!), but all of them really. They are all charmingly eccentric and so dialogue and interactions are all unpredictable and often very funny. The banter between Fletch and May is witty and wonderful, of course, but the humour is sprinkled throughout even the most serious moments.
Which brings me to another unique and refreshing point about this (and the other two) books… how May (and now Fletch) react to serious events like sudden death, murder and intrigue. Not with horror, shock or pleasurable thrills of excitement, like the protagonists of other cosy mysteries. No, May and Fletch react with cool heads, quick thinking, practical action and an unflappable wit that makes me want to cheer them, be their friend and be afraid in equal portions.
In this mystery there are numerous intrigues to unravel, including some within May’s own family as her ex-husband continues to make a nuisance of himself and her identical twin sister joins their mother in filling May’s family home with complications, aggravations and deceptions as an extra Christmas treat. That’s not to mention Fletch being distracted with running the Christmas panto for some very tempestuous players and Spark’s seasonal absence causing his heart to grow hornier!
I love the immature escapades – romantic, investigative and prankish – of these two mature besties and their ensemble and the whole series is top of my cosy mystery recommendations at the moment for the joyful entertainment I get reading them. And with this latest book being Christmas-themed too, there’s no excuse not to give them a go… ’tis the season!
Fletcher scratched his head. ‘Was there a note left behind? Perhaps with a riddle? An obscure reference to music or literature?’
May shook her head.
‘An initial written in blood on the pavement?’ Fletcher asked. ‘Or maybe a scrap of paper with writing on it, concealed in the palm of the dead man’s hand?’
‘No,’ May said. ‘Nothing like that.’
‘Now, that is peculiar.’ He took a bite of panettone.– Katherine Black, A Most Curious Christmas
Purchase Link: A Most Curious Christmas on Amazon
About the author
Katherine Black was born and raised in Texas, but has spent most of her life in England. These days, her drawl is long gone unless she’s had a few drinks or a late night or talked to someone from home.
Armed with an art history degree from the University of Texas (Hook ’em, Horns!) she worked in the arts in the UK and Europe before chucking it all in for the glamourous life of a stay at home mom. When she decided to pursue her dream of writing crime fiction, she completed an MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at the University of East Anglia. Her first novel, written as part of the MA, placed third in the Yeovil Literary Prize. Re-titled as A Most Unusual Demise, that story is published by Bloodhound Books and is the first in The Most Unusual Mysteries series. You can read more of May & Fletcher’s adventures in A Most Malicious Messenger. The series was longlisted for the Crime Writers Association’s New Blood Dagger in 2024.
Katherine’s novel, Lufkin, Texas (unpublished), was longlisted for the Crime Writers Association’s Debut Dagger in 2022.
Website link: https://www.kjblack.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherine.black.96742277
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KJBlack71
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjblack71/
Don’t forget to check out the other blog stops on the tour for more great reviews and content (see the poster below for details)!
