Coral is a suffragette and also works part time in a gallery and gets acting jobs when she can. Flynn is a police officer with the Metropolitan police. Things start to go wrong with the suffragettes as Winston Churchill turns the police against them. There is then a murder and a missing MP. Not usually my type of book but I enjoyed it.

This was a strong start to the Fairbanks and Flynn mystery series. I enjoyed this as a opening chapter and am excited to read more in this universe. It uses the mystery element that I was wanting and was glad the world worked overall. The characters had that overall feel that I was wanting and enjoyed the concept. Michelle Salter wrote this well and was engaged from the first page and left me wanting to read more in this series.

I really enjoyed Murder in Trafalgar Square. I loved the characters, the setting, and the historical context of this book. I admit the bit of romance was a bonus too. Well done

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the chance to read this book I enjoyed it. There is a lot of description and information about the story and the characters but as its book 1 of a new series it is expected. If I carries on the way this book has it will turn out to be a very good series.
Loved Coral the suffragette and guy the policeman good characters .
Well worth a read.

Although it took me a bit to warm up to main character Coral Fairbanks, I see a lot of promise to this new series. As with any new series, there is a lot of information and characters to digest, so it requires focus. I definitely appreciated the character list at the beginning. It was quite helpful as side characters came and went. I actually found myself liking male lead Guy Flynn far more than Coral in the beginning. You may agree when you read the action packed opening. Let's just say, nothing shy and retiring about Coral. She's feisty and opinionated. She's also a suffragette, a topic that gets lots of space in this opening to this new series. I'm not overly familiar with that movement in England, so there was quite a bit of history I had to digest, including a not yet overly powerful Winston Churchill's involvement with the movement.

I won't elaborate the plot other than to say there's a murder involved. Big surprise, huh? Grin. Besides the women's battle for equal rights and the vote, there's intrigue, backstage wrangling of politicians, love and lust gone wrong, jokes taken too far, violence, and, well, more. The time is 1910, London, so it was interesting to time travel not only backwards for me but to drop in on a country where many of my Pilgrim ancestors came from so many years before but realize that some of the then battles could be equally compelling today. The author does a good job setting the scene, from the horse and carriages that still line the streets and the growing number of automobiles angling for space, to political wrangling and names anyone familiar with history knows the future of. There are quite a few characters but after some initial confusion, they quickly sorted themselves out in my mind and, for the most part, seemed both likable and strong enough to provide interest in future plots.

Guy Flynn, not only a detective for Scotland Yard but an artist and raising a daughter on his own after his wife's death, was a unique twist and I'm looking forward to seeing how his roles play into those same future plots. Coral was, as noted, slow to grow on me but had come into her own by the end and emerged a strong, multi-layered woman with both a heart of gold and strong will. Watching her work her way through the unfamiliar scenario of being both a potential suspect and gaining Flynn's trust and becoming involved was interesting. Thanks #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for this early peek at this brand new series. I'm looking forward to seeing where this tricky beginning takes us. Loved the ending!

A good first entry in a new series. The plot, set in 1910 in London, includes suffragettes, the London art scene, and various configurations of love affairs. Coral, the amateur detective in the novel, works with Detective Inspection Flynn to solve several crimes which appear to be intertwined, and watching the two leads slowly untangle the various threads as their relationship develops is a pleasure. I particularly liked Coral's character; she is sensible and thoughtful and her experiences as a widow and an aging actress (in her 30s!) ring true. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

The suffragette with other interests and the Inspector who is also an artist come to have a tenuous working relationship in the process of investigating the murder at the National Portrait Gallery. The policeman also has to solve a missing politico and the theft of a painting by someone who left in its place a nude painting of Churchill. The characters are well done, but not quite the lively personalities I'd hoped for. Their personal lives and interests are clearly portrayed and investigation is well done but gets bogged down at times. All in all, I think that is a good first in new series and I look forward to more.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Boldwood Books via NetGalley.
#MurderinTrafalgarSquare by @michellesalter_writer #FairbanksandFlynnMysteriesBk1 @theboldbookclub Pub Date Sep 25 2025 #newseries #historicalmystery #cozymystery #london #1910 #suffragettes #actress #nudemodel #artist #detectiveinspector #ScotlandYard #attheft #murderinvestigation #politics #reporters #arson #protests #humor

Murder in trafalgar square. A very satisfying mystery entwined around the suffragettes, artworks and politics. The story developed and unfolded logically and was easy to read. Strong women characters, likeable detective. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Women’s rights, turn of the century London, art, murder, crime, and a little romance - this book covered it all!

I really loved all the strong women characters in this book and the background on the suffragettes. Coral is lovable, clever, and fair and when a fellow suffragette is found murdered, she works with detective inspector (and artist) Guy Flynn to unravel the many moving pieces.

I really enjoyed how Coral and Flynn worked together and were sympathetic to each other and their approaches and circumstances. The story has a lot going on with so many events happening at once, but it made for a fun read (though it took me a few chapters to really get into it).

Overall a fun read and great time period to set a cozy in. I loved the tie-in to the suffragette movement!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Boldwoodbooks for an ARC

Really entertaining mystery great characters wonderful setting enjoyed from beginning to end.# NetGalley #boldwoodbooks

This was a jolly good yarn or so they would have said. It was informative, had a good storyline and kept me engaged and hooked. I liked the friendships snd the history. Not my usual read but it worked for me as a change.. thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

London, 1910
Suffragette and gallery worker Coral Fairbanks doesn't consider herself a violent person but believes a little civil unrest never hurt anyone. Detective Inspector Guy Flynn is horrified when the home secretary, Winston Churchill, orders the police to break up a Suffragette rally using any means available but when he's asked to investigate the death of a protester at the National Portrait Gallery he knows he has to take the victim’s allegiances into account. An artist in his spare time, Flynn met Coral Fairbanks at the gallery hosting his first exhibition and is soon working with her to try and solve the killing of her friend. Not everyone feels as Coral does about peaceful demonstrations however, and they soon find themselves drawn into a dangerous hunt for the truth.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Boldwood Books, but have to admit to struggling with it a bit as unfortunately the two main protagonists who are very similar to those in a lot of other cosy crime series didn't engage me in the way I'd like. As is necessary with the first in any new series there is a lot of detail here, which was interesting, detailed and informative and because of that I will give the series another try with book two in the hopes of Flynn and Coral growing on me a little more. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.