The story is set in the 1950s and follows the footsteps of a new Sergeant Inspector of Police Michael Riggs as he attempts to solve his first solo case.
However, this was rather slow. The best twist was the identity of Victoria Abbott. The big reveal was unexpected but it left me wondering who the protagonist/main investigator would be in the rest of the series since the Inspector was unable to solve the case on his own!

I love a good old classic detective story, this murder mystery is pretty straightforward. Wealthy family's matriarch is found dead. All 4 children have possible motives and some of the guests and employees have secrets to keep.

What I didn't enjoy as much was that the investigation was a little flat to me. Victoria is an interesting character, but we didn't get a lot of her background, feelings or anything really, we only get that she is really good at her job and is really smart, besides we didn't get anything from her relationship with Walter, to me that was a wasted opportunity, it was just too subtle, only in the end we got a slight glimpse and it was too fleeting for my taste.

There are those rare occasions when an impulse takes me to a book that I really enjoy! This book was not written by an author I previously knew, nor were there enough reviews on Goodreads to make up my mind. I still went ahead and read it, something I rarely do nowadays, but ended up bingeing the whole thing.
The book is based in 1955 Seattle and starts off innocuously enough. The order of the (available) titles is a little confusing, but this seems to be the first because Michael Riggs has recently received a promotion. He has to fill the shoes of a more popular elder brother, and his rise is only because there was not much of an alternative (which is an unfortunate reason to give and get a promotion). Immediately after, he is put on a very delicate case.
The family involved are highly influential, and they want things wrapped up ASAP and so do the higherups at work. On the other hand, Micahel Riggs finds it hard to rush things, especially since the doctor and the ensuing investigation reveals a murder. The family and their extended connections are all under suspicion. I really enjoyed the straightforward narrative style, the subtle twists hidden, and the revelations of the characters as the plot progresses. There is also a scene between a couple which reminded me of one from an Agatha Christie book. When I set it aside, I did it with satisfaction, something that always has me rating a book highly.
It is not a fast-paced story. Everyone's ambiguity continues till the very end. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an older style mystery and who does not mind such a book's speed and style.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This is a novel set in the 1950s Seattle, where the matriarch, and business tycoon, Mrs. Francis Abbott, was found dead in the morning at her home. The investigation follows through the night before, when she gathered all her family for a dinner affair.

However, with her sudden death, all her children, including their companions and the helpers, are suspected of murder. Then, a new murder ensued in the middle of the investigation regarding Mrs. Abbott's death. Will the newly-promoted Sergeant Inspector Riggs would be able to convict the suspect in this high-profile case?

I like the classic-style feel of this detective novel. It pays attention to details that will make you lookout for any possible openings for characters as suspects. On the other hand, it is a light read; not that overwhelming, and intimidating. It's easy to immerse yourself in the going on of the story.

What I notice is that the hint to identify the murderer is quite easy to spot. I don't know if it's just me, but it was given already in the first few chapters. From that cue, the search for the typical characteristics of someone who wants to hide something would be evident.

But with the percolation and presentation of each perspective from the investigation, one could get lost once again in their tracks; and I think the author did well in scrambling everything and making every circumstance possible to count as evidence. The author left no stones unturned.

What I just don't expect is the end of finding out the culprit. The spotlight of solving the case turns from one to another. I don't know who's the actual main character in the story because of that, but I'm just surprised. Well, it's the first book anyway, so I hope to read more from the author in this series.

Traditional murder mystery!

A pleasing murder mystery, reminiscent of the style of Agatha Christie or Margery Allingham, set in Seattle, 1955.
Newly appointed Sergeant Inspector Michael Riggs and his somewhat brash sidekick junior Inspector Fisher are called to a large estate (moneyed) by the family doctor due to a somewhat suspicious death of the matriarch and controller of the family corporation.
Of course everyone has a reason for wanting Mrs. Abbott out of the way, but just who the culprit might be is a challenge for our newly minted Sergeant Inspector. One his superiors want tidied away post haste. This unmuted order screamed down the phone from Riggs’ Chief pushes that idea,
“The Abbotts are good friends with the mayor and most of the city council. And if this old broad’s death is a homicide, you won’t be able to put so much as a toe out of line without reigning hellfire down on my department. Do you understand me?”
The pressure’s on. Can Riggs rise to the occasion?
For cozy mystery fans the Elliott Bay Mysteries is a series to keep an eye on.

Level Best Books - Historia, IBPA ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

This novel and this author were a great find. The Charlatan Murders is the first book in the Elliott Bay Mysteries and introduces Inspector Michael Riggs, a determined but cautious protagonist. Riggs, along with Junior Inspector Fisher, a rookie, more interested in “dames” that duty, run to ground the suspects in the murder of Mrs. Abbott. And then there is the family. I loved these characters with their secrets. Berg does a masterful job of unfolding the clues. The pacing worked for me, as did the intrigue. I’ll be looking for the next book in this series.

This was a very cute and classic murder mystery. It gave me all the Clue vibes with an entire cast of possible suspects as characters. The character development took a while to ramp up but once it did, I was invested. I still wish the MC investigator was a little more developed. This is the 3rd in a series though, so maybe it was done previously. I will have to check out the others! Nice cozy murder mystery.

The Charlatan Murders
by Jennifer Berg

Every once in awhile I step outside the historical fiction genre to read a good mystery. The Charlatan Murders was a quick read that fit the bill. The detailed descriptions of Seattle, of the clothes being worn, of the furnishings in the estates made it easy to visualize the story and get to know the characters.

I liked Inspector Riggs but his partner, Frank, didn't appeal to me at all. He was shallow and immature. I had a hard time believing he could have made it through the police training. The Charlatan Murders isn't a too complex "who done it" mystery. The author cleverly threw suspicion on everyone in the family, and then some. And, she did it very well as I had no idea who the murderer was until the very end.

The Charlatan Murders is well written and fast-paced. I now want to read a few other books by Jennifer Berg, espeically the other two in this series.

I would like to thank Independent Book Publishers Association and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining murder mystery with an American version of the classic country house murder. There was a nice assortment of suspects and I particularly enoyed the 1050s Seattle setting.