Rating: 4 out of 5.

This is a very good cozy mystery that is a quick and easy read. The mystery is interesting and I really liked the main character Astrid She is smart, curious and the growth in her character throughout the book felt natural. She comes to the countryside ensconced in her designer clothes and expensive tastes, but soon finds herself befriended by free spirit Kath who serves as a sort of liaison between Astrid and the village. As her friendship with Kath grows, Astrid’s stiff exterior melts away and she is slowly accepted by the village. The minor characters from the village add a lot of charm to the book and provide a good sounding board for Astrid’s ideas. I love stories that are set in tiny villages because we are always treated with a variety of quirky characters, and the author does not disappoint here.

Astrid is an art restorer at a prominent institution in London. She is married to the head of the department and they live a comfortable life, until Astrid discovers her husband is unfaithful. Shocked to the core, she flees London for the countryside when she discovers she’s inherited property in Dorset. Thinking she will lick her wounds in a beautiful countryside manor, she is surprised to find her property is a dilapidated houseboat on a muddy estuary.

“It’s like the mafia, but with scones.”

She finds work at a National Trust home preparing and restoring art for a future exhibition. Instead of a genteel and stately charity, the home is a hotbed of intrigue and politics. On her first day Astrid discovers a dead man on the premises and decides it’s her duty to discover the killer when the police deem it an accident. When another death occurs at the home, Astrid’s list of suspects grows longer while the danger to her increases.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend you read it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Head of Zeus – an Aries Book. All opinions are my own.