Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders is the perfect historical mystery for those who dislike the grittiness that can by present in WWII fiction. It features a young amateur sleuth, Poppy Redfern, who works to solve the murders of two young women in her English village, alongside the help of an American pilot stationed nearby.

While I appreciated the setting, for me, I thought this one had a tone that didn't match the actual content. Two young women have been murdered, and you never really got the sense that this village was THAT troubled. We were told that the village was troubled and convinced that the Americans had something to do with it. But, I suspect that this would have had a much greater impact than presented here.

I also found the pacing to be very strange. It may have been due to the eBook format, but I found it jarring how time would jump around in the novel. Suddenly a couple of days had gone by and there had been developments.

This one didn't completely hold my interest; I was expecting something darker. That being said, I do think this one will work for readers who enjoy mysteries of the more cozy variety.

Tessa Arlen also writes the Lady Montfort series in which Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson, her inimitable housekeeper, solve murders in the early 1900's. Since I've enjoyed that series, I was happy to give Poppy Redfern a try.

The book opens with the final stages of Poppy's training to become an Air Raid Warden, giving a view of how those subjected to the nightly bombings in London managed to get to safety during an air raid.

"The wardens had a range of duties, such as advising local people on air raid precautions and enforcing the night time ‘blackout’ to ensure no artificial lights were visible from the air. During a raid, wardens were responsible for monitoring and reporting bomb damage, and for helping to coordinate the response of other civil defence services." Source

Having completed her training, Poppy returns to her small village and begins her nightly rounds checking to see that the blackout rules were being followed. Previously, a small country village wouldn't have attracted much attention, but the recent installment of an American air base increased the possibility of an attack.

The arrival of the Yanks created some hostility in the village because local girls began dating the young men. When two young women who had been dating Americans are murdered, the anger and distrust increases. An American airman is arrested and held on base, but Poppy isn't sure that the American is guilty and joins an American pilot in a little investigating.

When a third young woman narrowly escapes the same fate, Poppy's private investigation becomes more serious--and dangerous.

Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders provided interesting historical information, appealing characters, and an enjoyable mystery. The guilty party isn't too difficult to figure out, but the wartime adventure was nevertheless a pleasure.

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Historical Mystery. Nov. 5, 2019. Print length: 320 pages.

This is the very definition of a cozy mystery. Poppy Redfern is a plucky (sorry, there's no other word for her) young air raid warden during WWII who's responsible for making sure that her fellow villagers in Little Buffenden remember their blackout curtains. She patrols every night in the dark on her own until a young woman is strangled and her grandparents insist that she is accompanied by the aggravating Sid. Poppy decides to investigate what becomes a series of attacks and spends much of the novel ferreting information out of her fellow villagers - at least, when she's not hanging out with (or arguing with) an American airman who has been stationed in Little Buffenden. You won't be all that surprised by the ending, but it's an enjoyable read nevertheless.

When I read a mystery, I don’t often try to figure out who-dun-it. For me, it’s more fun to be as surprised…or shocked…as the other characters in the story. This one had me guessing until Poppy figured it out. The clues were there along, foreshadowing the name of killer, but I missed it completely.

It’s summer 1942. The English village of Little Buffenden has mostly felt the war in the availability of food, gasoline, etc. They havne’t been subjected to bombings like the Londoners have, but the town is on high alert. Especially since the Redfern family home and adjoining farmland have been confiscated by the War Office. The Americans have come to help the British win the war and the farmland has been converted into an airstrip.

As Little Buffenden’s Air Raid Warden, Poppy and her little dog, Bess, have the night shift. As Poppy and Bess, joined by Sid, who was 4F, make their rounds reminding their neighbors about the proper utilization of blackout curtains.

The village is split 50-50 on how they feel about the arrival of the Americans. The young women are excited to see young men their age, as all the eligible men in Little Buffenden are fighting at the front. The shopkeepers, especially the pub owners, are glad to have the men spending their money.

Then, Doreen turns up dead, found in the middle of the night in the churchyard. Speculation runs high that one of the Americans is to blame. A few weeks later, Ivy Wantage is also killed. The villagers are on edge, and they begin to fight amongst themselves over speculation of who is too blame. Surely, not one of them as the murders only after the Americans arrived.

Poppy begins her own investigation , learning the secrets the villagers want to stay hidden---like the unliked Audrey who is also attacked, and the villager who has found a way to sneak onto the airbase.

There is an enormous cast lis. Almost too many to keep track of…who is a suspect and who can be discounted is a chore. But still I enjoyed this Book 1 in a new series (A Woman of WWII Mystery). “Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

WWII in a small English village, a young female air warden, a U.S. Air Force base with all those American servicemen.... the perfect set-up for a new mystery series! While I wasn't entirely caught up in the mystery and didn't find myself invested in the characters, this was certainly better than many mysteries I have read in recent months, and I look forward to the next Poppy Redfern mystery.

Much gratitude to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an eARC in return for my honest review.

I enjoy reading mysteries, particularly when they're historical in nature. Poppy Redfern is an easy read - pleasant summer reading with not much depth.

This was a fun start to a new mystery series! Poppy was a uniquely crafted character, and I think this series is going to go in a fun direction with her new job.

I liked that poppy was an air raid warden, because I don’t think we see those much. I enjoyed the details peppered throughout about rationing, blackouts, etc.

However, I didn’t care for poppy’s comments about small town villagers being narrow minded and judgmental. I love living in a small town myself and found poppy’s comments a little offensive. I also thought Griff’s character needed some more work. His dialogue just frequently sounded unnatural.

Overall, a promising start to a fun new historical mystery series! Thank you to Berkeley and Netgalley for the digital copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for the free review copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Hooray for another historical mystery series! to arrive on the scene! This is one of my very favorite genres and I'm thrilled to say this one is an absolute winner.

England, 1942: Poppy Redfern has just returned to her home village of Little Buffenden, fresh from her training as an Air Raid Precautions Warden in London. It's Poppy's job to make sure her neighbors are following blackout rules and generally keeping safe in these troubling times. Additionally, Poppy's family home has been requisitioned by the Home Office to house American Airmen who've come to prepare for the upcoming Allied Invasion of France. The whole town is abuzz with the impending "friendly invasion" of the Americans. But when two local young women turn up murdered, everyone is quick to cast blame on the outsiders. Poppy, however, is determined to find out the truth, even if that makes her unpopular with her neighbors, and even if it means putting herself in danger. Can she find the killer before he finds her?

Loved this one so much! Poppy is a fantastic character - smart, clever, and with a great spark in her. I loved her fictional alter-ego and hope she makes something of her writing career! I loved her grandparents, with whom she lives, as well as the eccentric characters that make small-town living so... interesting! I also can't wait to see where things go with her American love interest. I kept going back and forth on how I felt about him, but the conclusion definitely answered some of my lingering doubts and I think I'm going to end up liking him quite a lot! Highly recommend for fans of cozy mysteries, especially with an historical bent!

This is a great beginning to a new series and I look forward to reading more adventures of poppy. The characters are so well described as is the setting of rural England. Also a good portrayal of the American airmen and how they are received when they arrive to aid in the war effort. A good mystery with a satisfying ending.

An excellent start to a series featuring young Poppy Redfern in her English village during WWII. Author Arlen excels at providing readers with a fascinating glimpse of wartime rural home life near a controversial American airbase. When Poppy's friend is murdered, suspicion falls on the American soldiers fraternizing with the English women. Poppy is unhappy in her job as warden for the village and longs for more rewarding work. She involves herself into the mystery, and struggles to make sense of what is happening to her village. The plot and atmosphere are rewarding and satisfying. There is much potential in the character of Poppy and her life. Readers will be left wanting more stories!

You can absolutely judge this book by the cover. It's a great cover and a great book. Poppy and her family are well written, as are the other characters. The village setting is wonderful and although I thought I knew who did it early on I continued to second guess myself until the end. A must read for fans of Francis Brody, Anna Lee Huber, Susan Elia MacNeal, and Jacqueline Winspear.

ARW Poppy Redfern trains in London to be an Air Raid Warden in her small town in England. Once the American airfield is built outside town, young women are being killed. Poppy and Bessie are on the case.
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