FAREWELL, MY CUCKOO
Birds of A Feather Mysteries # 4
Marty Wingate
Random House Alibi
April 10, 2018


Love is in the air in Smeaton-under-Lyme, the village attached to the Fotheringill Estate. Julia Lanchester is head of the Tourist Information Center for the estate. Vesta, Julia's assistant at the TIC, is marrying Akash, proprietor of the village store, and Julia is hoping for a proposal of her own from Michael Sedgewick, her live-in boyfriend. Instead, they arrive at their tiny shared cottage to find Michael's sister Pammy, a human "cuckoo in the nest''. Pammy is forty-two and has a long history of failed employment and relationships. The latest failed relationship has brought her to their door, along with multiple plastic shopping bags. Despite everything, they welcome her on the understanding that she will be on her way at weeks end. When Willow, village schoolmistress and Julia's friend, stumbles over the body of an unknown man, things get more complicated, and Pammy shows no sign of leaving. In fact, she seems to be making a lot of new friends in the village.Julia and Michael have a lot on their plates, both personal and job-related.

I really enjoy this series, primarily for the quirky characters, village atmosphere and situations that Julia finds herself in. There is a charming sense of community in the village and on the Estate. Julia herself is a busybody, but one with a heart of gold. She just can't seem to help managing other people's lives, but she does so with the best intentions and usually to good effect. Farewell, My Cuckoo is a near-perfect example of why traditional cozies have been so popular and remain so.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Alibi for an advance copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING-4.5 Stars