‘Murder on the Minneapolis’ by Anita Davison

Published by Buried River Press,
30 June 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-91020-826-7

Governess Flora Maguire is dismayed when her employers send her home from America on the SS Minneapolis in charge of their young son, Edward. The Minneapolis only caters for first class passengers and Flora is aware of her lowly status and lack of elegant clothes. What to wear becomes the least of her concerns when she discovers a man's body at the bottom of a companionway. The ship's doctor pronounces the death as accidental but Flora is convinced that it needs further investigation. Fortunately Flora meets a charming Englishman, Bunny Harrington, who seems to be eager to support her in all ways, whether facing down snobbish snubs in the dining room or investigating a mysterious death. Soon Flora finds herself embroiled in a sinister mystery and, when another death occurs, she is terrified not just for her own safety but for that of her young charge, Edward, and is uncertain who she can trust.  Fortunately, Flora remembers in time that, on a sea voyage such as this, anybody can hide their true identity and pretend to be anything they like, and in this way she discovers the truth.

Although a murder mystery, Murder on the Minneapolis is also a romance, with as much time and attention invested in whether Bunny is serious in his intentions as is spent in trying to unmask the killer. The period detail is convincingly described, and Flora is a likeable protagonist. Although it is not stated that this is the first in a series, the introduction of issues that are unresolved, such as Flora's own confusion and pain because of the mysterious disappearance of her mother when she was a child, indicate that there are more mysteries featuring her to come. A very enjoyable read.

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Reviewer by Carol Westron

Anita Davison is a regular blogger for various historical blogs including Unusual Historicals and English Historical Fiction Authors, and also reviews books for the Historical Novel Review. Details of her other published novels are available on her blog: thedisorganisedauthor.blogspot.com

Carol Westron is a successful short story writer and a Creative Writing teacher.  She is the moderator for the cosy/historical crime panel, The Deadly Dames.  Her crime novels are set both in contemporary and Victorian times.  The Terminal Velocity of Cats is the first in her Scene of Crimes novels, was published July 2013. Her second book About the Children was published in May 2014.

www.carolwestron.com