Book Review: Arson and Old Lace

Reviewed By: Dawn Dowdle

[5 stars]

Arson and Old Lace Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Patricia Harwin
Class/Genre: Mystery Woman Main Character Amateur Sleuth Senior Sleuths Cozy
Series: Far Wychwood Mysteries # 1
Pocket Books, Paperback, 2/04, 278 pages, $5.99

Catherine has moved across the ocean to Far Wychwood village. After her divorce, she quit her job as a librarian and decided to start anew in this English village. She wants to be near their daughter Emily and her family. She especially wants to spend some time with her grandson Archie.

Right after moving into her cottage, she finds her neighbor George, a hermit-like man, accidentally setting his kitchen on fire in his decrepit cottage across the street. She decides then and there to cook for him until she can get him help. She is quite concerned about him and contacts his son.

A body is discovered buried next to the cross that is being moved, against the wishes of many of the town folk. This delays the movement of the cross. There is a lot of heated debate about his issue. The body appears to have been buried for some time and police are not certain they’ll be able to identify it.

Then George is killed. Catherine finds it difficult to convince anyone that it was murder. Murder doesn’t happen in their village.

She sets off to find the killer. Since she has agreed to stay with her toddler grandson three days a week, she takes him along on some of her adventures. Emily is beside herself as she wants him to be kept indoors. He is definitely a handful and Catherine finds it almost more than she can handle. Plus she and Emily are often at odds about his care, as well as other things.

After putting Archie in harms way, she has to re-evaluate things and so does her daughter.

I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading more by this author. Normally I don’t like books set in England, but this book was very fun to read and I really like Catherine. I highly recommend this book.

Dawn Dowdle

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Dawn Dowdle

Please visit Dawns website at www.mysteryloverscorner.com