Pauline Riddell and Marjorie Armstrong work together. Pauline doesn’t quite approve of Marjorie’s latest boyfriend, the latest of many, a married man. Pauline has only heard of his first name, Eric.

Pauline comes to know of the murder of a young man, chalked up to gang violence. Then she hears of a young woman being killed in the same vicinity on the same night in the same manner.

Inspector Ramsay clings to the theory that the two murders are not related even though evidence suggests otherwise. Pauline, impatient and missing her fiancé, Stephen, who is fighting at the front in Korea, makes it her mission to discover the truth about Marjorie. She makes her own enquiries and accuses people of the murder, only to find later that they have rock solid alibis and she has only embarrassed herself. Inspector Ramsay is in despair, pleading with her to let the police do their job and not to put herself in harm’s way.

But then one of her suspects acts like they have something to hide. Has Pauline put her life in danger?



The chapters are a quick read, and alternate between the 3rd person past tense limited viewpoints of Pauline Riddell and Inspector Ramsay.

In the Beginning there was a Murder is set in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England in July 1953, 8 years after World War II ended. It is a war that continues to cast a long shadow on the lives of people.

The book gives us a window to the times. Food is hard to get by and rations continue. Young girls are getting jobs in factories, mostly as secretaries. The war in Korea is on.

The descriptions were more suggestive, rather than literal, just the way I like them. The author roots the book in Newcastle through the link with the football club, Newcastle United. The setting came alive with accounts of the weather, the people and the routines.

Inspector Ramsay has lost his wife and two sons to an air bombing that missed its targeted shipyards, and hit a civilian home. His grief makes him intensely real. The author tells us, it looked as if sorrow had set up home in him. The bereavement explains his grievance against wars and ammunition when Sergeant Morrison thinks forced enlisting will solve all problems. In many ways, he is conservative, and the author tells us that he may have left the church but it hadn’t left him.

I liked Inspector Ramsay from the very beginning. He was patient and hardworking, in spite of the pressures from his seniors. But Pauline I didn’t take to very well, not at first. It was only in Chapter 13 when she started snooping around, following people, and fearing that if this continued, she’d become a criminal herself that I began to like her.

Of course, given the time period, it is very brave of her to even go around making enquiries and trying to do investigations on her own. The bond between Inspector Ramsay and Pauline, once they established a truce, was good.

In his bit role, Major Bertram, Stephen’s father, was also significant..



Some of the author’s observations were astute: lust and alcohol-induced glow.


Some fine-toothed editing was required though. The first murder victim is first named Thomas Bertram and then as Edward Bland. Perhaps the name was changed later, because as it turned out, Stephen, Pauline’s fiancé, was also a Bertram.

2 stars
I could not finish. The book started well but is just so dull. It started well but just drags on and on. I found myself skimming and not caring how anything turned out, so I quit.

The premise is good, the time (1953) feels unusual, the main character is typical, the police are adequately corrupt and unhelpful except for a predictably rebellious single male inspector with a tragic backstory. I don't have any quarrel with this book, but it just didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE murder mysteries with all of their charming tropes. but this felt like it had the depth of a tv show and the length of a novel. The twists and turns were equipped with mirrors to see around the corners. The foreshadowing was a bit too obvious, the main character was confusingly snobby, and the story felt so slow. To be fair, some of the writing was lovely and I found myself appreciating specific turns of phrase, but all in all, I think it was a lot more telling than showing which made it hard to engage. Love the cover and the premise, it just could have spent a little more time on an editor's desk, maybe? All the makings of a good mystery but none of the content.

In The Beginning, There Was a Murder
An Amateur Female Sleuth Historical Cozy Mystery
by P.C. James
BooksGoSocial
Christian | General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction
Pub Date 18 Nov 2020





I am reviewing a copy of In the Beginning, There Was A Murder through BooksGoSocial and Netgalley:



This book takes us to Northern England in 1953. Pauline Riddell has grand ambitions for her future at the armament factory. Because of this when her closest workmate reveals a salacious affair with a married man, Pauline refuses to risk her career by listening to the scandal. But after the police come to her door with the horrible news her best friend had been murdered; Pauline is shaken to her very core.



Pauline’s insistent poking around the case due to her need for justice, leaves the police thinking of her as a suspect. And now she finds that she must clear her name by unraveling a web of deadly clues entangling her in a sinister plot.



Will Pauline be able to stop a killer, before they strike again?



I give In the Beginning, There Was A Murder five out of five star!


Happy Reading!

In the Beginning, There Was a Murder by P.C. James was such a cute mystery. The plot was well crafted and the I could visualize the scenery of 1950’s England. The characters are nicely executed, especially in their interactions. I cannot wait to read more books in this series.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Just finished this book. It was pretty good!
Sometimes though I have to be in the mood for a good murder mystery like this one. Why? It's usually that I can guess whodunnit before the story is over like this one. It was pretty obvious but I still liked the guessing games and to see if our heroine could prove it was really them.
I found myself cheering Pauline on and like most humans she made plenty of mistakes. Or she just gets in a hurry like I sometimes do.
I didn't really like the ending of the book. Still too many lose ends and I didn't think it fair either.
I can agree with Pauline on one thing though. After something is finished like a good book I'm left out in limbo for awhile until I can settle in with another one.
I loved the many turns and twists that this case had. It was interesting for sure.
I recommend this book if you like murder mysteries. It will keep your entertained.
I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own

I really loved this book. It's my first read by author P.C. James, but it won't be my last. I look forward to the continuation of the series. I'm a big fan of historical fiction and mysteries that are set in England, so this was the perfect book for me. It is set approximately eight years after World War II. The mystery is good and entertaining, and the author has created well developed characters that are interesting and I quickly became invested in. Count me as a big fan.