Death at the Village Christmas Fair by Debbie Young Book Review

About the Book:

It’s been a busy year for Alice Carroll, with her Curiosity Shop opening for business, and not one but two murders shaking things up in her quaint Cotswold village. She’s looking forward to her first countryside Christmas, complete with traditional Christmas Fair and Santa Run.

But her hopes for innocent festive fun are thwarted when one of the Santa Runners steals something from her mum's knitting stall. His festive outfit makes him hard to spot, until he's found fatally injured outside the village hall with the stolen item.

Despite what the police say, Alice suspects there's more to his murder than meets the eye. She's determined to solve the mystery - including why, once more, a stranger thought something from her Curiosity Shop was worth killing for.

With the help of her charming neighbour Robert Praed, can Alice find the killer before the bells ring out this Christmas?

My Review:

This is the first book I have read by this author. Although it is part of a series, I felt it read very well on its own. I liked the setting, well described by Young. I liked learning about netsukes, miniature figures I previously knew nothing about. The Fair was an apt occasion for murder, especially with its Santa Run. The investigation amateur sleuths Alice and Robert do allows us to be introduced to many of the village's quirky characters, all of whom are interesting. It will also bring to memory your mother's or grandmother's button jar.

This is a fun book for readers who are also interested in knitting. The characters are well crafted and interesting. They certainly make the novel enjoyable. The plot moves along at a methodical pace. It is not suspenseful nor a page turner but is an enjoyable and informative read.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Debbie Young has written many novels celebrating the Cotswold countryside where she has lived for 30 years. She has two ongoing series. The Gemma Lamb Cozy Mysteries are set in the eccentric St Bride's Boarding School for girls, and the Sophie Sayers Village Mysteries take place in nearby Wendlebury Barrow. For extra fun, there's some crossover, with English teacher Gemma visiting the village bookshop where Sophie works. They soon become friends.

Boldwood Books, 235 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)