Another Review at MyShelf.Com

The Wild Wood Enquiry
An Ivy Beasley Mystery #3
Ann Purser

Berkley Prime Crime
May 2012/ 978-0-425-24804-1
British Mystery / Cozy
Amazon

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

Life in the Springfields Luxury Retirement Home isn't always boring. Ivy Beasley and her merry band of cohorts, known as Enquire Within, had success in crime solving recently and they are itching for more. Ivy is irritated by the day-to-day necessities of life, like the early morning cleaning crew, and by the gossip about her late-in-life engagement to fellow resident Roy Goodman. She feels somewhat stuck in a rut.
The routine is broken when Gus Halfhide, a member of Enquire Within, hears from his ex-wife, Katherine. She claims to need a hideout, but she's short on information about why, so Ivy's hackles are raised and she's determined to find out the truth.
This is a series spun-off from the Lois Meade mysteries, and all three books to date have been excellent. Ivy is a tough nut to crack, and she may come across as demanding and complaining, but her strong values and core make her the leader of the pack in retirement home living.

The plot is original, the characters realistic and often humorous, and I love the golden-age romance between Ivy and Gus. The supporting cast is great fun to read about, and the setting is comfortable. Overall the book fulfilled my need to sit down, put up my feet and let myself disappear into a richly satisfying cozy mystery, fronted by a firecracker of a senior citizen sleuth.

Readers who enjoy British mysteries, particularly the cozy sub-genre, will love this book, and I am confident that if you enjoy the Lois Meade mysteries you won't be disappointed by the spin-off series.

Reviews of other titles in this series

The Measby Murder Enquiry, No 2
The Wild Wood Enquiry, No 3

 

 

Reviewer Laura Hinds is the author of Are You Gonna Eat That Banana?
Reviewed 2012
© MyShelf.com