‘A Mistake of Murder’ by Helen Hollick

Published by Taw River Press,
14 January 2023.
ISBN: 978-1-73993716-4 (PB)

It’s January 1972.  Jan Christopher has spent Christmas with her boyfriend, Detective Sergeant Laurie Walker, and his parents in their lovely old farmhouse in Devon.  During the Christmas period Laurie proposed and Jan now sports a beautiful diamond engagement ring.

Returning to work at the South Chingford library Jan proudly displays her ring to the girls she works with. Of course, they all chorus ‘when’s the wedding?’ Laurie has suggested the closest weekend to her 21^st Birthday, 31 January 1974. It seems a long way off to Jan

Every third Tuesday Jan does The Library book delivery service, taking books to the housebound, under the slogan ‘If You Can’t come to the library, the library will come to you.’ So, having sorted out a suitable selection Jan sets off in a van usually driven by Harry.  She has eight people on her round with, in theory twenty minutes for each call. Of course, it doesn’t work out like that, as Jan helps some of the more infirm pensioners with a few household chores that they find difficult.  Today her driver is Kevin twenty plus years younger than fifty-five year old Harry, and Kevin has no patience.

I loved the characters, First call is Esther Hargreaves, disabled after a fall from a horse, Mrs Markham, an elderly widow who liked old fashioned love stories with none of that ‘stuff’ (sex) in them.  Then ‘The Three Diffie’s’ Grumpy bachelor Mr Paul Norton, who constantly complains, and then next door, George and Gerald, identical twins who share a house, but Gerald lives upstairs and George downstairs, and they don’t like each other.  Then Mrs Westwood, Mrs Colchester and finally Miss Catesby who lives near the Old Church. 

But on the bus going home Jan discovers that she has lost her engagement ring.  Retracing her steps to find her ring, she is surprised to see a host of flashing blue lights and two uniform policemen trying to control a growing crowd of people. Then a white Jaguar car pulls up and out gets her uncle Detective Chief Inspector Toby Christopher, Jan’s uncle, and her fiancé, Laurie.

A Mistake of Murder is a delight. It falls clearly into the cozy mystery category, which I admit are the mysteries I enjoy most.  The characterisation is wonderful.  The 1970’s is perfectly portrayed and brought back memories of the period. However, despite its warmth and humour someone has committed murder.  

A tantalising mystery, which had me foxed to the end. But the clues are there. This is the third book in the series, and I cannot wait for the next. Highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

Helen Hollick is a British author of historical fiction. She is the author of the Arthurian trilogy, The Pendragon's Banner (3 books) and more recently two murder mysteries featuring library assistant Jan Christopher and her detective boyfriend, Laurie Walker.

https://www.helenhollick.net/