A Death In The Dark (Novel Detectives Mystery #2) by Ellie Alexander | A Cute, Clever Cosy Mystery

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Please note this title was provided to me ahead of release by NetGalley

Synopsis

When an assistant athletics coach is murdered at Redwood Grove High, what looks like a straightforward case quickly begins to unravel. With beloved teacher and track coach Josh Bynum unable to remember the previous night, Annie and Fletcher are pulled into a mystery full of suspicion and secrets as they try to work out what really happened.

Review

Don’t let the title fool you. This is in fact, a “cosy” mystery. Possibly my new favourite sub-genre. It has an instantly appealing setup: a small town murder, a bookish investigative duo accompanied by a case full of intrigued.

From the start, it has that warm, inviting feel that makes this genre so appealing to read, while still giving you a mystery that feels worthy of the word.

This has a genuinely cute setup, but it never forgets that it still needs to deliver an actual mystery.

Redwood Grove also sounds like the sort of place you would happily pack up and move to if given the chance…well, until you learn that your unsuspecting neighbour could in fact be a killer.

I liked that the school connection gave the case a strong social backdrop, with plenty of tension and suspicion helping to keep things moving.

Ambitious parents also make an appearance in this cosy yet dark tale. Along with a shady fundraiser and a rising athlete with plenty at stake, all add to a case full of hidden motives.

I also really liked the cute as a button character side of this. Annie and Fletcher make such an easy pair to follow and the whole book has that lovely bookish detective aesthetic without feeling too on the nose. It stays charming, but it still has enough going on to keep you invested, which is exactly what you need from this type of genre, which risks drifting lanes if steered to far in one direction.

There were a few parts of the mystery where I would have liked a little more complication. Things did seem a little easy at times but that did not stop this from being a really enjoyable read. It was clever and consistently entertaining, with a strong central duo and a story that was genuinely fun to spend time with.

Verdict

This was a really enjoyable mystery with a cute setup, a likeable central duo and a case that kept me engaged the whole way through. If you like bookish mysteries with small town charm and enough intrigue to keep the pages turning, this is a very solid pick.

Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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