Wednesday, June 28, 2023

A Trio of Senior Sleuths Catch a Serial Killer


 
THE CHARITY SHOP DETECTIVE AGENCY
Peter Boland
Joffee Books
December 22, 2022


I picked up The Charity Shop Detective Agency as part of my Kindle Unlimited membership because I wanted something light to read. It bore a similar description to that of The Thursday Murder Club and features a trio of senior sleuths. When 86-year-old Sarah Brown is found murdered, stabbed in the back, and with a domino clutched in her hand with her name scratched on it, the ladies running the "Dogs Need Good Homes" Charity Shop spring into action. Sarah Brown was one of their favorite customers, part of a group for whom they provided a place to meet, tea, and cakes every Tuesday morning. Fiona, Sue, and Daisy have a surprising set of skills for retired ladies, all of which they employ in their dogged pursuit of the killer as the bodies pile up. The pretty small town of Southbourne has a serial killer on its hands. Have no fear, though; with the help of Fiona's scruffy terrier, Simon Le Bon, and the reluctant cooperation of DI Fincher, all will be well.

The Charity Shop Detective Agency has all the ingredients of a classic cozy mystery set in an English village; likable, if somewhat bungling, main characters and quirky supporting characters. All three ladies have technology skills, skulking about and even lock picking. It was surprising, to say the least, but less dramatic was their commitment to each other. All for one and one for all would be a fitting motto. I was reasonably sure of the guilty party, but the author threw in enough red herrings to keep it interesting. There may have been too many twists and turns in the plot as it slowed the story's progress.

I am looking forward to a second book.

RATING-3.5 Stars






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