M.H. Eccleston

The best way to read this book is as a way to learn things about the Isle of Wight with fiction attached. I did not know what gribbles were much less that there was a monument to them there. Delightful.

As a mystery, this was so-so. There were two mysteries, which were unrelated, and that was weird.

The character building was uneven. Some of the details included were charming, some were stock characters, some of the interactions between the characters felt rote or not fleshed out or just not realistic. A lot of motivation for actions was told to us, but not necessarily believable or earned.

I cannot believe a person who has been binge-listening to true crime podcasts and recently started watching forensic crime shoes has never heard of a UV light.

If you would like an innocuous mystery to fill the time and aren't too fussed, this will pass the time.

I received a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review via netgalley… (more)

Astrid Kisner abandons London for the English countryside after discovering that her husband is having an affair with her best friend. Her new life begins with her inheriting a houseboat from a favourite uncle and taking a job at The Trust, the owner and manager of several historic properties. Things are looking good, until Astrid stumbles upon a dead body. She decides to investigate this sudden death, which officially is deemed to be caused by an accident. What follows is a pleasant enjoyable mystery story with a good plot, plenty of interesting characters and a Dorset country setting. Astrid manages to resolve the mystery with the help of several new friends (including a local cop) and the story comes to a satisfying conclusion. Her unfaithful husband makes an unsuccessful pitch for her to return to London, but he cannot compete with her new life in Dorset. In addition to her new friends, she finds a new love interest and as the story ends, she initiates divorce proceedings and reverts to her maiden name, Astrid Swift.
It's an unchallenging read which puts most of the cozy mystery tropes to good use. Clearly, Astrid is going on to new adventures and this reader will be following.… (more)

The Trust - M. Eccleston
3 stars

The amateur detective is an art restorer at a British National Trust site. It sounded like something I would enjoy. Sadly, I was seriously underwhelmed. I was not thrilled with the standard trope of a married woman who begins a new life after discovering that her husband has cheated on her (with her best friend). It’s been done too many times, in life and in fiction. I was a bit insulted by the depiction of the elderly volunteer docents at the Trust property. I like quirky characters, but again, too stereotyped and a bit condescending. Despite art fraud and murder, the mystery never clicked with me. First books are often the worst books in a series, but I’m not inspired to continue.… (more)

art, art-history, art-detective, island-life, amateur-sleuth, channel-islands, sailing-activities, cosy-mystery, family, friendship, inheritance, sly-humor****

I haven't read the first in series, so I can't comment on any continuity. The story itself is a pretty good whodunit and I had no trouble following the art conservator assessing a maritime artwork collection on the Isle of Wight. It was all the sailing references that had me at disadvantage. But the sometimes peculiar characters and sly humor made it all worthwhile to stay up late to finish.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Head of Zeus/an Aries Book via NetGalley. Thank you!… (more)