Amateur Sleuthing

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd is a simply marvellous contemporary cosy crime novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Miss Beeton is rather like a modern-day Miss Marple as when a crime occurs, she uses all her powers of amateur sleuthing to investigate. She believes that she will solve the crime quicker than the police.

Although there is a contemporary setting, the novel has a retro feel to it. It feels like a time when life was simpler. The reader feels as if they are in a bygone age of servants, masters and large houses.

Miss Beeton is a very likable heroine. She runs her agency with precision. She is also a (fictional) relative of Mrs Isabella Beeton, of the cook book fame. As an off-shoot, there are recipes included from the famous Mrs Beeton. They certainly tempt the reader’s tastebuds.

All the characters were wonderfully drawn, they were an eclectic mix. I loved the inclusion of Agatha, Miss Beeton’s little dog. She is named after Agatha Christie and really is a character in her own right.