Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by litwithleigh
The Mitford Secret by Jessica Fellowes
4.0
Thank you Minotaur Books for my beautiful gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 4/5 | Ending: 4/5
SYNOPSIS
The Mitford sisters and their former nursery-maid, now private investigator, Louisa Cannon are back together to celebrate Christmas during WWII. But festivities are challenged when a psychic raises old secrets and ends up dead in the manor.
MY OPINION
Why yes, I did read a cozy historical mystery and why yes, I did enjoy it. Keep in mind, this is the first of its type I've read, so I can't really compare it to other similar books. Thereforeth (sometimes therefore doesn't feel fancy enough) this might be good to me as a newbie but an absolute stanker for a cozy historical mystery vet.
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to read historical fiction considering a young GWTPSM was probably one of three lunatics who obsessively googled "historical drama movies" or "period piece films" LOL. If it had Keira Knightley in a ball gown with one loose curl hanging about her up-do, I was there!!! But nowadays when I read a synopsis and it says "It's the year *long ass time ago*" I'm like immediately no, NEXT. I gotta stop playing myself.
Ok so paragraph three and I'm finally going to talk about the book. First off, I enjoyed the writing. It wasn't too bogged down with old timey speak but still realistic for the time period. I found it quite funny too with most of the observational humour still relatable in today's modern society. For example: Louisa sometimes wondered how two Englishmen managed to put their clothes on in the morning, let alone run governments if these two shining examples were anything to go by.
Yes, there is a large cast of characters in this one, but at the back of the book there's a list to help you out. Also, Fellowes does a great job rehashing everyone's role and personality in the prologue. I didn't feel lost at any point. Tbh I don't think I'll ever feel as confused in a series as I did reading The Family Remains, but I digress.
Reading this reminded me of why I was such a history loving hoe. I loved reading about life during the war (Fellows approaches this with sensitivity while still keeping it "light"), British customs and traditions, and the attitudes of the time. So interesting to see how society has progressed, or regressed depending how you look at it.
I have to say though, 90% of police work was just vibes though. Backaday you really could commit any type of crime with a 95% success rate. Sealing off a crime scene for forensics? Nah. Just chuck the bloody sheets in the wash and call it a day. I'd love to see what kind of evidence was presented in court. Probably used astrology charts to show how the defendant's Venus was in bubble guts (idk anything about astrology) which means he's guilty your honor!
Ok I'm done.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, satisfying ending (not OTT, no weird "catching up with a friend" epilogue), well-executed plot, felt authentic
Cons: some filler scenes
Writing: 4/5 | Plot: 4/5 | Ending: 4/5
SYNOPSIS
The Mitford sisters and their former nursery-maid, now private investigator, Louisa Cannon are back together to celebrate Christmas during WWII. But festivities are challenged when a psychic raises old secrets and ends up dead in the manor.
MY OPINION
Why yes, I did read a cozy historical mystery and why yes, I did enjoy it. Keep in mind, this is the first of its type I've read, so I can't really compare it to other similar books. Thereforeth (sometimes therefore doesn't feel fancy enough) this might be good to me as a newbie but an absolute stanker for a cozy historical mystery vet.
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to read historical fiction considering a young GWTPSM was probably one of three lunatics who obsessively googled "historical drama movies" or "period piece films" LOL. If it had Keira Knightley in a ball gown with one loose curl hanging about her up-do, I was there!!! But nowadays when I read a synopsis and it says "It's the year *long ass time ago*" I'm like immediately no, NEXT. I gotta stop playing myself.
Ok so paragraph three and I'm finally going to talk about the book. First off, I enjoyed the writing. It wasn't too bogged down with old timey speak but still realistic for the time period. I found it quite funny too with most of the observational humour still relatable in today's modern society. For example: Louisa sometimes wondered how two Englishmen managed to put their clothes on in the morning, let alone run governments if these two shining examples were anything to go by.
Yes, there is a large cast of characters in this one, but at the back of the book there's a list to help you out. Also, Fellowes does a great job rehashing everyone's role and personality in the prologue. I didn't feel lost at any point. Tbh I don't think I'll ever feel as confused in a series as I did reading The Family Remains, but I digress.
Reading this reminded me of why I was such a history loving hoe. I loved reading about life during the war (Fellows approaches this with sensitivity while still keeping it "light"), British customs and traditions, and the attitudes of the time. So interesting to see how society has progressed, or regressed depending how you look at it.
I have to say though, 90% of police work was just vibes though. Backaday you really could commit any type of crime with a 95% success rate. Sealing off a crime scene for forensics? Nah. Just chuck the bloody sheets in the wash and call it a day. I'd love to see what kind of evidence was presented in court. Probably used astrology charts to show how the defendant's Venus was in bubble guts (idk anything about astrology) which means he's guilty your honor!
Ok I'm done.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, satisfying ending (not OTT, no weird "catching up with a friend" epilogue), well-executed plot, felt authentic
Cons: some filler scenes