ENGLAND EXPECTS
Mirabelle Bevan Mystery # 3
Sara Sheridan
Kensington Books
March 27, 2018
England Expects begins with the apparently professional murder of newspaper sportswriter Joey Gillingham in Brighton. The reading of a newspaper article about the killing piques Mirabelle's interest and a conversation with Bill, her employee and former policeman, Bill Turpin, indicates a possible connection to the local lodge of Freemasons. Since Mirabelle is always looking for a puzzle to solve, she visits the lodge and is on the scene of yet another murder. By the time the case is resolved, Mirabelle and her friends are in more danger than she could ever have imagined.
I have been a fan of Mirabelle Bevan since the first in the series, Brighton Belle. The 1950's setting is fascinating in itself. Mirabelle is beautiful, fashionable, insightful, and absolutely focused on any case she becomes interested in. However, the Brighton Police, except for Inspector McGregor, does not like her meddling. Inspector McGregor has a personal interest in Mirabelle and knows that her background as a former Special Operations Agent in World WarII gives her excellent investigatory skills. Mirabelle has been sunk in grief after the sudden death of her lover, Jack, several years before, but with the help of her co-workers Bill and Vesta Chamberlain, is finally digging herself out. Vesta Chamberlain is a young black woman whose life gives insight into being a person of color in England at the time. The Freemasonry angle is historically correct because there was a scandal involving the Masons and the Brighton Police in the 1950's; just not as grave as this case. I am happy that Mirabelle seems to unthaw a bit in her personal life and is showing signs of becoming more engaged in life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING-3.5 Stars
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