A really enjoyable Murder mystery read that had me gripped from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down and have picked up other books from this author

The book is easy to read, and the story is easy to follow. The characters are likeable, and I love Iris’ character. She is depicted as a strong woman with a rebellious streak. While there is some focus on the historical fiction aspect of the book, it is primarily a mystery novel. Some of the plot twists were interesting. however, some of them did fall flat as well. I love cozy mysteries, and hence, I enjoyed the book thoroughly.

Iris appears more as a detective rather than a journalist. There are several plot conveniences that I felt were too evident for my taste. A perfect pick for lovers of mysteries!

I couldn’t put down Michelle Salter’s hugely enjoyable cozy mystery, Death at Crookham Hall, the first title in her Iris Woodmore series.

London, 1920 and when reporter Iris Woodmore gets wind of a breaking news story, she rushes to the House of Commons, hoping to get the scoop. Although Iris is excited about getting an exclusive, she cannot help but feel apprehensive as the House of Commons is a place that is full of painful memories for her. It’s where her suffragette mother in 1914 had died and Iris knows that on arrival, she is going to be assailed by heart-breaking sorrow and anguish. However, not even Iris could have possibly foreseen the jaw-dropping revelation she uncovers: according to a waterman, Iris’ mother hadn’t fallen, but she had jumped.

Determined to uncover the secrets of what happened during that fateful day, Iris begins to dig deep and discovers that the suffragette who was with her mother that day has been missing for six years after mysteriously disappearing after the protest. Could this missing woman hold the key to unravelling the secrets of the past? When her investigation leads Iris to Crookham Hall, she vows to leave no stone unturned. But is she ready for what she’s about to discover? Or will Iris soon have another mystery to solve?

Agatha Christie fans will not be able to resist Michelle Salter’s highly entertaining 1920s mystery, Death at Crookham Hall. A delightful cozy that sparkles with wit, humour, tension and suspense, Death at Crookham Hall is an intricate tale of ruthless lies, long-buried secrets and dangerous deceptions that will keep readers gripped from beginning to end.

Iris Woodmore is a sleuth who gives Phryne Fisher a run for her money and readers will love her strength, intelligence and courageous quest for justice.

Having devoured Death at Crookham Hall, I find myself impatient to read further titles in the Iris Woodmore series – roll on Book 2!

Iris Woodmore is a little different and I found that most engaging. The storylines, which included two women competing to be the MP for the area in 1920, also captured my attention. Quite a lot of history to enjoy as well as a good plot.

With thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun historical mystery story with loads of detail and plenty of intriguing characters. I will be waiting to see what the author does next.

I have the feeling that the author, Michelle Salter, tried to cram a bit too much serious stuff in this book that is, after all, a cosy mystery.
The issues she touches on merit attention - domestic violence and civil rights are at the forefront of the narration but also are also environmental and social issues. If you add to this the very prominent suffragettes' plot and a very gentle LGBT subplot, you might see what I mean when I say that it feels like there's a bit too much in a single cosy mystery.
I did have the feeling that the author was more interested in talking about these different issues than on the character's stories. In fact, I felt that many characters were there only to present the issue, which may be why I had a hard time connecting with them.

But having said this, the mystery itself was clever, complex enough to entertain, but also quite solid and realistic. Which is always a bonus for me.
I did like the twist that occurred after the murder, though I might have been more invested in it if more attention had been given to the characters' psychology.
This is one of my major complaints: the psychology was kind of there, but also it wasn't there if you know what I mean. The characters' motives and reactions were realistic, but they were there, and that was all. There was not much empathy, and therefore I had a hard time caring, though I felt I should.

Another issue for me was something I often see in this kind f historical cosy mysteries. The characters' attitudes and behaviours were too modern.
Personally, I very much doubt that in the 1920s, a woman - and even the jury and the court - would have been willing to talk about her being raped in these very terms. These were still things that were alluded to rather than talked about. That a character spoke in front of a crowd about having been raped multiple times, really felt unauthentic to me.
But hey, it might just be me.

But these personal issues apart, it was an enjoyable read.

Death At Crookham Hall by Michelle Salter fell flat for me and unfortunately I couldn’t get into it at all. Did not finish.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. The premise made it sound good, but it was so much better than I thought it would be. If you like cozy mysteries then this is for you

Death at Crookham Hall is an intriguing mystery with a clever and witty heroine, and plenty of twists and turns.

When young reporter Iris discovers that her mother's death was no accident – she apparently jumped to her death in the murky waters of the river Thames in 1914 – she digs deeper, and finds that the two women who were with her mother that day had gone missing. One of them disappeared from Crookham Hall, home of the Timpson family – and the home of one of three candidates vying for a place in parliament.

Iris doesn't warm to Lady Timpson, standing for the Conservatives. Her own sympathies lie with Mrs Siddons, of the Liberal Party – a woman whose causes she supports.

When murder strikes close by, Iris follows the ensuing investigation with great interest, and discovers that not everyone is who they seemed.

All the while, Iris keeps on the trail of her mother's death, and finds links to Crookham Hall through one of her mother's suffragette companions who'd disappeared. She has to delve into the past, to help solve the riddle in the present. But will she endanger her life – and the lives of others – in the process?

Death at Crookham Hall is an engaging murder mystery, which goes into the at times brutal past of the different suffragette movements. I found this background fascinating, as it shapes who Iris has become – a modern woman in 1920. But not too modern to spoil the story. Iris remains a character of her own times, immensely likeable but also flawed.

Various plot twists keep you glued to the (virtual) pages in this clever whodunit, and whilst you can see some twists coming, others surprise you as the light is shone on the Timpson family's dark past.

A highly recommended murder mystery. I can't wait for the second in the series...

My thanks to the publisher for a free ebook copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

It's 1920, and three people are competing against each other to become MP for Walden. The candidates are: main character Iris Woodmore’s friend Mrs. Siddons, local Donald Anstey, and Lady Timpson. Interestingly, Mrs. Siddons and Lady Timpson know each other, but had a falling out years earlier.

After receiving surprising information about her now dead suffragette mother’s last moments in 1914 at the House of Commons, budding journalist Iris begins digging into her mother’s past. Interestingly, she inadvertently investigates the disappearance of one of her mother’s friends and a fellow suffragette. Rebecca worked as a maid for the wealthy family in Iris’ town of Walden, the Timpsons, and Rebecca disappeared after Iris’ mother’s death. Iris knows the Timpson's daughter, Constance, and uses this connection to asks after Rebecca with the Timpsons.

A murder does happen, upsetting everything in play, and Lady Timpson is incarcerated, causing Iris to wonder if her investigation had precipitated the situation.

Michelle Salter paints an interesting picture of an England gradually moving forward with women’s rights and recovering fromWWI, and some of the actions and sacrifices women underwent to agitate for voting rights.

Iris is a mix of grief and anger at the book’s outset, coupled with a frustration with women’s roles in society, and a large dose of naïveté about the world. Over the course of the book, she begins to open her eyes to things around her, and even challenge her beliefs. She’s also a good person, so really considers how her actions have affected those around her. But despite Iris' seriousness, she looks forward to dancing with a young man she met during the course of her investigation.

The case had enough revelations to keep me engaged, and I’m intrigued to find out what else Iris gets up to in her next outing.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This one wasn’t for me unfortunately.

I DNF’d it at 45% - the writing was good, but the story didn’t pull me in and I found it really jumpy - as in it was jumping from one thing to another really quickly.

Are you looking for a historical cozy mystery series with a feisty and brave heroine? Then you’ve landed in the right place. Iris Woodmore is the main character of this new series and what a great start this book is. While I was immediately intrigued by the mention of the Suffragette movement, which is one of my weaknesses, I was pleasantly surprised that a lot of the issues mentioned in the novel are still relevant today. You can expect a well-paced plot with interesting characters and two mysteries to solve. The pages contain the right amount of suspense and humour to make you want to keep reading. Plus, the author must have done a lot of research, because the 1920s setting felt incredibly authentic, right down to the description of clothing.

#blogtour

I really like cosy mysteries and historical mysteries, so I was hoping that this would be my sort of book.

This was a very charming cosy murder mysteries set in the 1920s. The protagonist's name is Iris Woodmore, and I believe this is the first book that features her as a protagonist. I found her intelligent, sensitive, and very likeable,

I was drawn into the story from the start. Iris Woodmore had questions that she wanted answered, and I wanted to know the answers as much as she did.

I appreciated the historical and political context - for example, there are references to the suffragette movement. That added to my interest while reading the story. I would probably be interested in reading some more books in this series in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

‘Death at Crookham Hall’ is the start of what I think will be a great new series. Set in the interwar period with a strong female protagonist who investigates crime means it falls into my favourite niche crime subgenre. It's an area of history which I studied, gender divisions, suffrage and women’s development and leisure habits so combined with crime it makes it my favourite kind of book! I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Death at Crookham Hall’ and reading about Iris and her life.

The book was previously titled ‘The Suffragettes Daughter’ and I believe the change of name represented the story far better! Yes, I was most certainly interested in finding out what happened to Iris’s mother but this story is really about Iris finding her feet as an intuitive investigator herself. What type of reporter she is and actually learning to love life after the shadow of the war and her mother’s death. Plus, the bulk of the story is looking into the circumstances of Lord Timpson’s death and whether it was related to a missing housemaid. This series has been promoted as a cosy crime one but the revelations and background are far from cosy. I would say it takes a dark turn for the motivations behind the crime. Plus, some of the images which the author manages to project to the reader are quite violent and cruel. I am not bothered by this as although I enjoy cosy crime I do like a bit of darkness as well. Basically, this is a great piece of historical fiction, as it covers the era but also makes assumptions that the reader knows the basic history of the era and therefore doesn't need to explain every single historical reference or historical figure.

Iris was a character who resonated with me - she is able to straddle both worlds easily, first with her job working for the local paper and also with her class. Therefore, we find a character that can converse with the upper classes and those in poverty - very handy for an investigation! She has a lot of empathy and kindness but is also quite astute and able to tie together clues etc.

I will be keeping a look out for the next instalment in this series and I can't wait to read it!

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

Happy Publication Day! In the book Death at Crookham Hall, Iris investigates her mother's death, Violet Woodmore set in London in 1920 while visiting Crookham Hall. Iris Woodmore worked as the only permanent reporter for Elijah Whittle, editor of The Walden Herald. As Iris was looking for stories during the by-election for the next MP for Aldershot. Mrs. Siddons had been declared as the woman candidate for the liberal party. Mrs. Siddon was Iris's friend after her mother's death six years then, and Great War had passed. Lady Delphina Timpson is standing for the conservatives. And Donald Anstey was standing for the labour candidate. Iris investigates her mother suffragette Violet Woodmore's death and finds the waterman of Thames telling Iris that her mother jumped into the water of Thames sinking into the filthy darkness, another martyr to the cause. At the same, Mrs. Siddons had been a suffragette, Is Iris's mother's death caused by the authority by forcing her into the water?. Her mother was marching on Buckingham palace with the other three women, Iris mother went to the house of commons, she didn't go alone, there was Rebecca Dent who was with her - Rebecca had gone missing at the short of the war. Rebecca lived in Walden and not in London. Rebecca worked as a maid for Lord and Lady Timpson. She went missing in August 1914. Iris Woodmore visits Crookham Hall, to the House of Commons to find out more about her mother's death revealing that her mother might have jumped into the Thames. That's when Iris found out Rebecca was with her mother that day.

And then it happened the murder of Lord Timpson, I enjoyed the courtroom scenes at the end chapters. A cozy mystery set in the 1920s full of suspense and an in-depth plot.

Thanks to Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (January 18, 2023), Netgalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (January 18, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 18, 2023

I just reviewed Death at Crookham Hall by Michelle Salter. #DeathatCrookhamHall #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

A new author to me and the start of a wonderful series, if this first story is any indication!

I have grown to love historical mysteries so this was exactly what I expected!
An old murder combined with historical facts of the time make this an entertaining read!

Cannot wait for more!!

3.7 Stars
One Liner: An entertaining read (despite a few bumps)

1920 London
Two women MPs are competing in the elections for the first time. Reporter Iris Woodmore has her favorites but knows she will keep her reports as unbiased as possible. She is invited to the House of Commons to cover the proceeds. However, the place has painful memories for her. Iris’ mother fell into River Thames during a suffragette protest.
When the Big Ben watchman tells Iris that her mother didn’t fall into the river but jumped of her own accord, Iris decides to dig into the past and find out more. It leads her to the disappearance of a maid at Crookham Hall during the same period. Things get complicated when the past and present seem to be tied to each other.
Can Iris get to the bottom of the truth?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Iris.

My Thoughts:
The story has a decent pace despite dealing with an array of themes of topics. It blends social, political, economical, and feminist themes to create a cozy mystery with a splash of courtroom drama. Some of it works well.
Iris is a young journalist. She has an analytical mind but is not without her biases. At times, she comes across as a really naïve person, while at times, she proves she can handle a challenge. I’m hoping her character arc with getting steadier in the next books.
Lady Dauphine and Mrs. Siddons are well-etched and create a stronger impact than Iris. Elijah is another interesting character and a good influence on Iris.
The mystery is easy enough to guess, especially halfway through the book, when certain information is presented. It ties up with everything provided until then. I could guess almost all the revelations. Not an issue for me, though. I’m not that particular about the surprise element in cozies.
I couldn’t help but snort at the ending. It is abrupt and even a little anti-climatic but is perfect for the first book in the series. I’m impressed.
The courtroom scenes aren’t that engrossing compared to the rest of the book. Also, the jump in the timeline at the end is confusing. I read again to guess the missing part.
The depiction of the then society comes out very well. The multiple references to what women wear, their hairstyles, etc., present a clear picture of the times. Here’s a short blog by the author talking about the inspiration for the plot.

To summarize, Death At Crookham Hall is a decent start to a new historical cozy mystery series. I’m intrigued enough to read the next book (the blurb sounds cool).
Thank you, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I was drawn to this book by the fun cover initially. I liked that it involved the suffragettes, I would have liked a bit more about that but it was really interesting (and not a history book so it's not a criticism). I love Iris and her rebellious streak. The characters and plot are brilliant, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and hope there will be more in the series!

Set in the 1920s, this story focuses on Iris, a young journalist with a local newspaper in Hampshire. Her father is a journalist, and her mother died after a tragic accident or was it. The post-WW1 setting is captured well in socio-political terms with the changes in voting rights after WW1 and women's expectations regarding voting and working outside of a domestic environment. The story explores a mystery within a mystery that personally affects Iris against a background of a forthcoming election where two female candidates are standing. Iris is a complex, intelligent and likeable protagonist whose journalist skills and contacts make her an accomplished amateur sleuth, the 1920s investigative journalist. The characters reflect the historical period, and the ethos of change and prejudice builds the suspense well.

The mystery is exciting, and there are numerous suspects and twists. It's an immersive read, and I look forward to seeing what happens next in the Iris Woodmore mystery series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I love a good mystery, and I love a good period mystery even more, and if there's a feminist theme running through it so much the better. Death at Crookham Hall is all three of these, and I enjoyed the author's crisp prose and 1920s London setting very much. As an American, my only real reference to the women's suffrage movement in England is limited to fictional media like Mary Poppins and Downton Abbey, so I can't speak to whether the history depicted was accurate, but the emotional truths of the story rang true.

This book is marketed as the first Iris Woodmore mystery. Like many protagonists in cozy mysteries, Iris plays amateur detective throughout the novel, but it's a conceit of the genre, and far more plausible for a journalist covering politics than, say, a cafe owner or bookseller (referencing two of my favorite contemporary cozy series). I liked that we saw her on the job first, and diving into the mystery - one with very personal connections, as it revolved around the apparent suicide of her own mother several years before.

I really appreciated that the titual Crookham Hall was almost a character in its own right, as old buildings tend to be, especially when they serve as a focal point for a story. Author Michelle Salter's eye for details really sang in the descriptions of this and other locations. At one point I had to remind myself that smoking was common behavior in the 1920s, and that even today Europeans smoke far more than Americans seems to. (At least in my experience.)

I also liked that we got a glimpse into what it was like to be one of those trailblazing women who were among the first in Parliament. Specifically, the commentary about how what they wore often got more attention than that they said really struck me. (Sadly, the way media portrays women in politics has not changed appreciably in either of our countries since then. )

Part mystery, part courtroom drama, part period study, part cultural commentary, this novel was a rich and rewarding read. I hope to follow Iris Woodmore as her life and career develop. I'll definitely read more of Michelle Salter's work.

Goes well with: a glass of perfectly chilled champagne.