Murder Under her Skin is the second Pentecost and Parker murder mystery and we are travelling to the circus as Wills old boss hires her back to investigate the murder of her old friend Ruby the tattooed lady and get her old mentor out of the clink. Ruby is stabbed in the back shortly after the circus rolls back into her home town, coincidence it can’t be but the local plods have arrested the Russian knife thrower who was seen arguing with her earlier in the day. It can’t be that easy, it’s not that easy. I enjoyed this one more than the first book I think. I genuinely couldn’t seen how all the pieces fit together until right at the very end but there were enough clues dropped to get the little grey cells working. I do wish however there was a bit more depth to the relationships between the characters, we get a bit of navel gazing form Will in this one but mostly the interactions between characters lack a bit of meat. It might develop as the series goes on. Also it is slightly annoying that Pentecost is such a woman of mystery I would like a bit more of her.

This is a highly engrossing series. It veers a little away from my more traditional historical fiction reads, which have a sleuthing duo, but they have happier lives (or at least histories).
I would not recommend reading this without having read the first. WillowJean has had a non-traditional upbringing, and in this installment we get to see more of her past than we previously did. In the first case, we see how Lillian Pentecost and Will met and how they built up their own pattern to work as a team and crack cases (although we only focus on one main one). This book begins in a court with the culmination of one such investigation. It is only when they wrap up that Will hears from her old circus master, who informs her that an old ally of hers, the tattooed lady is dead.
Fueled by grief and memories, Will finds herself getting involved in the case like she wouldn't have otherwise. The case is very complicated; the inner workings of the circus are highlighted, as are the shifting dynamics between a physically slower Lillian and Will's feeling of being more in control. This last bit is an illusion, as we are soon to see.
I really enjoy the book's tone, which surprises me because the characters are dark and focus on the rougher parts of life in general. I found the period entertaining in its own way. It did feel like it was from a different era. The dialogues and interpersonal relationships are the backbones of this mystery. I did not suspect the twists in the narrative, even if I did guess one aspect of the plot. It is the kind of book which has cemented my impressions of the series, and I recommend it to those who find the blurb interesting (or this review!). Given a chance, I will be reading the following books in the series as well.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Another compelling and entertaining story featuring Pentecost and Parker, I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.
The mystery is full of twists and kept me guessing, the characters are well developed, and the historical background is vivid.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It was immensely enjoyable to travel to 1940s New York and meet detective duo Willowjean (Will) Parker and Lilian Pentecost. Although I have yet to read Fortune Favors the Dead, book one in the series following the detectives, I was nevertheless happy to dive into this, Murder Under Her Skin. A fun, intriguing detective mystery with shrewd characterisation and a great plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Headline, Wildfire via NetGalley at my own request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

It was a joy to return to the 1940s New York of detective duo Willowjean (Will) Parker and Lilian Pentecost following their debut in Fortune Favours the Dead.

In the opening pages of the new story we see Ms Pentecost in court, turning the tables on a murderer despite the best efforts of his lawyer. We also see the toll that takes on her. Lilian suffers from MS, something that means courtroom jousting and long-distance travel will have consequences - the realistic portrayal of a long-term illness being one of the ways in which these books are, despite outward appearances, very far from being "cosy crime".

Another is the focus on figures who are very much outsiders in their world, one where conformism and keeping up appearances is becoming more and more important. Will, for example, is bisexual. The story will also explore the position of war veterans as well as the showmen and -women with whom Will previously travelled. When word arrives that an old friend of Will's from the circus has been murdered, there's never any doubt that Lilian Pentecost will want to take matters in hand, whatever the cost to her health. The scene therefore shifts from the big city to the small country town where Ruby died and which - surely not a coincidence? - is also the place she originally came from as the two women, arriving after a marathon train journey, set to work to disentangle circus rivalries, small town bitternesses and jealousies, and darker hints about Ruby's earlier life. This young woman, who appeared in the sideshows showing off her prolific tattoos, seemingly rejected the morality of her birthplace, never returning even for her parents' funeral. Might that act of rebellion have led to her death?

I really loved the way that Spotswood gets under the skin (as it were) of both communities and characters here. The circus he describes is in some ways more exotic than the upper-class moneyed world of the last book, but actually it comes across as much more relatable, more of a family. Similarly the town has its own ways and in particular Spotswood doesn't swerve from the fact that it displays open racism yet he resists the temptation to create clichéd backwoods villains. Rather we get what feels like a convincing and real network of relationships, both for good and bad, in each community.

Which doesn't make this an easy crime to solve. Both circus and townspeople are suspicious; the circus is failing, with crowds no longer flocking to the Big Top. There are hints of money troubles and defections. In the town, we see war veterans who have returned with injuries, visible or invisible, which nobody wants to hear about. There is also a revivalist religious element who are picketing the circus, and a Sheriff who sees the place very much as HIS town and who would be glad to pin the blame for the murder on one of the showfolk.

The truth is hidden among all this, but there is (of course) little time to get to the bottom of things.

Are Pentecost and Parker daunted? Of course not. But getting to the roots of it all will mean Will having to tread on uncomfortable ground, with Ruth's background and her own open to question.

A really fun, intriguing detective mystery with great depth, shrewd characterisation and convincing characters and locations. A strong follow-up to Fortune Favours the Dead.

The second Pentecost and Parker mystery, Murder Under Her Skin, takes Will Parker back to her roots in more ways than one as she returns to her former home, Hart & Halloway’s Circus, but also to a rural setting so similar to the one she left behind as a teenage runaway.

The locals aren’t keen on the circus, or on two big-city detectives helping to solve a murder, but Lillian Pentecost doesn’t let any of that put her off, despite a few close shaves and not-so-veiled threats.

As with the previous book, Fortune Favours the Dead, this is a fiendishly clever murder mystery that, although it is set in the 1940s, deals with what we might consider to be uniquely modern issues. I can’t exactly go into many of them without spoiling the plot, but I can say that disability, sexuality and chronic illness all feature as key parts of the narrative.

The plot here is so beautifully layered – just when you think you’re a couple of steps ahead of the detectives, you’ll realise that you aren’t. All the clues are there but, unless you’ve got a cleverer brain than I, I defy you to put it all together until precisely when Stephen Spotswood wants you to!

I’m looking forward to more from this formidable duo…

‘Ruby Donner. The Amazing Tattooed Woman. An impossible landscape of roses and sailor girls, hearts and mermaids and pirate ships, and an emerald-green serpent spiraling up her left leg from toe to thigh and places beyond. The count had been north of three hundred when I’d last seen her.‘ - Will Parker.

My thanks to Headline Wildfire for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder Under Her Skin’ by Stephen Spotswood in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second in a series of historical mysteries set in 1940s USA featuring private investigator Lillian Pentecost and her assistant, Willowjean (Will) Parker.

August 1946 New York City, and Lillian Pentecost is presenting evidence in a controversial trial. Sitting in the back of the courtroom, Will Parker rereads the telegram delivered that morning. It’s from her old boss - Big Bob Halloway, the owner and ringmaster of Hart & Halloway’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow. He informs Will that Ruby has been murdered and requests their urgent assistance.

Will and Lillian are soon on a train to Virginia to join up with the circus. Ruby had been Will’s close friend and the main suspect, Valentin Kalishenko, was the man who had taught Will everything about knife throwing.

So it’s a very personal case for Will and alongside the murder mystery we learn much more about her early life and time with the circus.

As with the first novel, ‘Fortune Favours the Dead’, this was a very entertaining period mystery. A slice of hard boiled pulp detective fiction with plenty of action and snappy dialogue. The setting of the circus was especially atmospheric. I appreciated that Spotswood opened with an informative and witty cast of characters.

Overall, ‘Murder Under Her Skin’ was such an enjoyable novel. A treat for lovers of pulp fiction. I will be eagerly awaiting news of future novels.

Highly recommended novel and series.

Very interesting whodunit. Enjoyed reading this book from page one and struggled to put it down. Glad I got to end the year with such an enjoyable read!

Murder Under Her Skin is the thoroughly enjoyable second outing for the intrepid duo Ms Pentecost and Ms Parker, this time featuring more of Will's circus-girl background. This one's just as good as Fortune Favors the Dead, if not better.

This series really reminds me of an unconventional gender-swapped Nero Wolfe with added humour. A recommended read for detective fiction fans.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

I love this series, it has great characters, and I love the humour that is always present. The plots are not too shabby either, and the pace zips along. Can't fault it, enjoyable read.

I have reviewed Murder Under Her Skin for LoveReading.co.uk. I have chosen it as both a Liz Robinson pick of the month for December, and also a LoveReading Star Book.

This is the sequel to Stephen Spotswood's Fortune Favours the Dead, a historical noir series set in New York, featuring the famous independent woman PI Lilian Pentecost, struggling with MS, and her 23 year old feisty assistant that she is training up, Willowjean 'Will' Parker, with her rather unusual skill set. It is 1946 and Lilian is testifying in a 'firebug' trial in which it looks like the perpetrator will walk free, but there is no chance of that once Lilian has finished with him. Will's past as a cirky girl is about to collide with her present as a detective when her former circus boss, Big Bob Halloway, of Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow asks for their help. The Amazing Tattooed Woman, Ruby Donner, has been murdered, she was stabbed in the back with the knife belonging to Will's friend and mentor, the knife thrower Valentin Kalishenko.

Valentin has been arrested for Ruby's murder, which has Lilian and Will taking the train to the quiet town of Stoppard, Virginia, the place that Ruby had been raised in and could not wait to escape. The circus is playing to local crowds, and the New York detectives are staying with Ruby's uncle. The local police chief, Thomas Whiddle, 'welcomes' them, but lets them know he has the right murderer behind bars, but Will is absolutely convinced that Valentin is innocent, he would only kill to protect those who he loves and in self defence. Lilian takes a more pragmatic and objective stance, working on the premise everything, all the information they are gathering is relevant, until it is proved that it is not. There are vivid and rich details and descriptions of the circus performers and acts, as Will reacquaints herself with all those she regards as 'family', a family that had saved her. However, the circus is struggling financially to survive, and facing a wall of secrets and lies, can Will and Lilian uncover the truth in a dangerous investigation?

This is a thrilling and atmospheric read, with Spotswood providing a real circus-carnival flavour of the historical period and the economic difficulties faced by the circus communities at the time. The author fulfils the promise of the first book in the series with this follow up, there are a wide range of diverse and offbeat characters, Lilian and Will's relationship is a joy to observe, they complement each other well, particularly when they find themselves in challenging circumstances, as they operate in an era where women detectives were virtually unheard of. This is a warm, engaging and entertaining historical noir, witty, and written in the classic tradition of crime mysteries that is shaping into what is becoming a favourite series for me. Highly recommended to historical fiction and crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Another Whip Smart Treat...!
What a treat! Set in 1940’s New York, Private Investigator Lillian Pentecost hires an assistant- enter the delightful and eccentric Willowjean Parker. So begins a new partnership and here is their next outing. Enormously entertaining, whip smart, wryly witty, empathetic and clever whodunit with an entirely engaging pair of protagonists and a vastly colourful cast. The second in this new series. Once again, bring on the next!

Wow this is an absolute tour de force!!. I loved every moment of this fun packed, rollicking and adventurous and murderous novel. But there is more to this book than meets the eye, there’s heart and emotion here, I have laughed sniggered and yes weeped like a baby. If you love a brilliant rip-roaring and fun Murder mystery with heart and punch this is one book for you. I cannot wait for more!!