Blurb
Love’s young dream lay in tatters …
It’s the spring of 1902 and things are looking up for brilliant young engineer, Randolph Henry. He’s just landed his dream job and his dream girl. But elation soon turns to despair when he finds his sweetheart in the arms of another, and himself on the run, accused of a vicious attack and a brutal murder.
Indomitable publican, Marmie Harris, has just walked down the aisle for the fourth time and is looking forward to quiet retirement in the leafy suburb of Middle Ridge. But her dreams of peace are wrenched away when tragedy comes calling.
Aspiring newspaper editor and frustrated journalist, Chevril Crawley, is lamenting a slow news week when two heinous crimes are committed on his patch, one involving his landlady, Marmie. Soon they find themselves in a race against time to catch a killer.
Former cattle-thief turned respectable citizen, Sturrock, feels he is past his use-by date. Until his old friend Marmie realises that he just might hold the key to solving a murder.
Can this unlikely crime-fighting trio unlock the mystery of the murderer’s motives and identity before an innocent man goes to the gallows?
Review
In The Downs series mystery, Randolph’s prospects are looking up. He’s gotten a new job as an engineer with the very man whose daughter Randolph is in love with. He and Millicent have been corresponding for months, but when he reunites with Milly after a long absence, he’s heartbroken to learn she doesn’t share his emotional attachment. Then Milly is assaulted, and Randolph is the prime suspect.
This was an interesting story. There are lots of characters, and Randolph isn’t the primary one. That honor goes to Marmie, a recently married town matron and pub owner, who sets out to solve the mystery of Milly’s assault and also the death of someone extremely close to Marmie herself.
I don’t read mysteries often, and I think this was my first historical mystery. It’s set in early 1900s Australia, so it was fun to visit a new place and time that I’m unfamiliar with. I enjoyed how the mystery progressed, though I had my suspicions about who the bad guy was early on. Turns out, I was right. The pacing could’ve been tighter in the beginning, but as I said, there were lots of characters, so everyone needed an introduction. I wish there had been more showing than telling, but I became engrossed in the story after a while that the telling quit bothering me.
On the whole, readers who enjoy cozies, murder mysteries, and romantic subplots will want to add Murder on Middle Ridge to their TBR list. I’m glad I read it.
4 Stars
— I’d love to know what you think of the book or my review. Please comment below.