I found this one hard to read as the formatting wasn't great but the premise was interesting and the writing was good.

An entertaining murder mystery that I enjoyed more than I expected. Good characters and liked the writing style

Another well plotted, entertaining and well researched historical mystery by this author. It kept me turning pages and guessing till the end.
I loved the vivid historical background and was glad to catch up with the characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

We’re back with Josephine Fox and Bram Nash, it’s Romsey 1944 and a body is found in a burned out car on the outskirts of town. When we last encountered our intrepid pair they had just for their act together when Jo’s estranged husband came back on the scene now Bram’s gone all noble and decided he can’t have anything to do with Jo because she’s technically married even if her husband is a massive shit. Sigh, men, so sensitive. But when Bram’s old war wounds put him in hospital at death door Jo is left holding the fort and must discover not only who the dead man is but what happened to him as well as doing everything she can for Bram. I have loved this series mostly for Jo, she’s tough and prickly but throughly decent. Bram takes a back seat in this one as he is unconscious most of the time but we get deeper glimpses in to the heart of him than perhaps we did in either of the first two books. I like all the scenic details too, it’s one of the few books written in modern times I’ve read that reflect everyday life in war time from just being cold all the time to not having any butter. I loved it all.

A burned out car with a body in the driving seat. Coroner's assistant Jo Lester suspects that her husband is involved with the incident. But is he the victim or the killer, or is she biased and he is in fact completely innocent?
A Conflict of Interests is the third book to feature Jo and coroner Bram Nash in Romsey, England during WW2. However it would work as a stand alone novel and does not contain spoilers about the cases in the earlier books.
This book is set a couple of years after the last book. D Day is imminent and the soldiers have moved out. Jo's ex was due to leave too and now he has disappeared but is this due to an involvement in the burned car incident?
Jo finds herself leading the investigation as her coroner employer and past lover Bram is rushed to hospital. She finds that the gender and class stereotypes of the time again thwart her efforts to be accepted and respected in her role.
Jo and Bram's relationship has stalled completely on the romantic front thanks to the reappearance of her estranged husband. Their feelings for each other come to the fore as Bram is hospitalised, Jo is frantic for his safe recovery and he focuses on her to help him get better.
As before, the majority of the book is written from Jo's first person perspective. We also see Bram's viewpoint in the third person but it was highly effective for showing his fevered thoughts as he suffers from an infection of his old war wound.
A Conflict of Interests is an entertaining murder mystery and I continue to enjoy the development of the main characters' relationship.

The year is 1944 and, while in Europe the war goes on and D-day is fast approaching, in Romsey, a village in Hampshire, the remains of a burned out car are found with an unidentified body inside. While coroner Bram Nash is in hospital fighting an infection from an injury he sustained during WW1, his assistant Josephine Fox is investigating on her own. Clues found on the site make her think that her estranged husband Richard is somehow involved. But is he the killer, the victim, or just a witness?

The pace is easy and slow and there are a few unexpected surprises along the way. This is the third book in the Josephine Fox series, but it can be easily read as a stand-alone. Not having read the previous two novels of the series, I wasn’t familiar with the characters, especially Josephine and Bram’s complex relationship, but I quickly caught on and it made me eager to read the previous two books. Josephine is a smart, determined, and strong woman. Rejected by her family for being illegitimate, she’s been on her own since a young age. Her marriage with Richard has been over for a long time, even though he refuses to give her a divorce. Her feelings for Bram are strong and complicated as they won’t admit their strong attraction to each other as long as Richard is in the picture.

The story is told mostly from Josephine’s perspective as she juggles a murder investigation, her worry for Bram’s health, and the unwanted attentions of a friend of Richard. I started to have my suspicions on who the killer was halfway through the story, but I couldn’t figure out the motive. I was really engrossed in the story, excited to find out the truth and I loved how it all played out in the end.

Overall, A Conflict of Interests is a thrilling and enjoyable read with quite a few twists, a couple of intense moments, and a fantastic ending! Highly recommended!

I was looking forward to reading this after reading the sneak peak from the second book. I did enjoy A Conflict Of Interests I just found it to be quite predictable. It was fairly obvious quite early on who was responsible. It was however quite enjoyable with a very satisfying ending. I hope there's more from Jo and Bram in the future as I've really grown quite fond of them as characters.

The third book in the Josephine Cox Series, a fact I wasn’t aware of until I was partway through the book and something was mentioned that made me check, but it did still read well as a stand-alone. Set in 1944 in Romsey, Hampshire the story is told largely from Jo’s POV mainly in the present with some of her memories and some ‘dreams’ from Bram. The setting was excellent, my parents spoke a lot about rationing and how it affected their lives and this played out just like their tales.

Briefly, Coroner Bram Nash and his assistant Jo attend a burnt out car with a badly burned body and evidence makes Jo think her husband is either the corpse or the killer. Then Bram is rushed to hospital seriously ill and Jo and the rest of the team are left to advance the investigation and liaise with the police. But with all the worry about Bram can Jo get to the bottom of the case?

This was a good, well written and easy read, verging on cozy, and I’ll go back and check out the earlier books in the series. The simmering attraction between Jo and Bram, which the return of her estranged husband put a stop to, was frustrating to read. I wanted to bash their heads together and say “oh just get on with it!” A slow/medium paced read until near the end where it ratchets right up. I had guessed (but without certainty) the killer but the why was a complete shock. An enjoyable read and I’d definitely read this author again.

June 1944, Romsey, England. Josephine 'Jo' Fox is at an impasse since the unwelcome return of her wayward husband Richard. So, when he disappears again, she is neither concerned nor surprised - until a burning car is discovered with a body inside. And there are signs that Richard is somehow involved. Jo is determined to find both her husband and answers, yet with her friend, coroner Bram Nash in hospital suffering an infection of his old war wound, she must do so alone. When information comes to light that implicates Bram too, Jo finds herself on a dangerous path to the truth.
The third book in the series & another well written book which whilst it held my interest all the way through I wasn't engrossed. The characters are well portrayed & have depth. I did love the insight into war torn England. I really like Jo who found this case very personal to her. I think I wasn’t enthralled as it was easy to work out who the villain was so the element of guessing was taken out of the equation but I did enjot how Jo worked things out in the end
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Books for an advance copy of A Conflict of Interests, the third novel to feature Coroner’s Assistant Josephine Fox, set in Romsey, Hampshire in 1944.

Clues found at the site of a burning car and a burnt body make Jo think that her estranged husband, Richard, is involved, but not knowing where he is or much about his current life she keeps her mouth shut and tries to find him. Her friend, Coroner Bram Nash, is in hospital with a nasty infection so she’s on her own.

A Conflict of Interests is a very readable book. I like the plot premise and I’m impressed by the realism of the setting - I’m not sure if I have seen the practicalities of rationing and wartime precautions done more naturally. Having said that it didn’t hold my attention the way I thought it would and I never heard the siren song luring me back for one more chapter, possibly because it is a bit of a choppy read, never settling on one thing for long.

The novel is told mostly from Jo’s point of view, with interjections from Bram’s dreams as he feverishly fights infection. His dreams may be an expression of his character and thoughts, but they don’t propel the plot forward or make a contribution to the solution of the murder enquiry. His later eavesdropping is more on point. She, on the other hand, is conducting her own investigation because of Richard’s potential involvement and lands in bother with Sgt Tillis. I don’t think she should give up the day job anytime soon as her emotions get in the way of critical thinking and it’s luck or bad luck that lead to any discoveries she makes.

There is a weird dynamic between her and Bram - they can’t get together because Richard is on the scene, despite him and Jo separating seven years earlier. I understand that morality and reputation were a big thing, but I also understood that wartime destroyed much of this convention. Perhaps if I had read the previous novels it would make more sense, but as is all that seething emotion put me off.

A Conflict of Interests is not to my taste, but I think that many readers will enjoy its twists and turns.

A car is burning. In the driver’s seat is a body, also burning. It’s D-day minus one, but this is a rural lane in Hampshire, not France. Viewing the charred remains, the local coroner, Bram Nash, and his assistant, Jo Fox, first thoughts are Who? How? Why? Leaving the police to preserve the scene they get a lift back to their office in Romsey from the Chief Fire Officer, Bram dictating notes and instructions to Jo as they go, when he suddenly collapses into unconsciousness, dislodging the metal mask that covers the half of his face ruined by shrapnel in WWI. Rushed to Southampton Hospital it is clear he is seriously ill but Jo persuades the top surgeon, Alec Corby-Clifford, an old colleague of her estranged husband, to administer Penicillin. Over the next few days, while Bram is hors de combat, Jo investigates the fire on his behalf. It soon becomes clear that this is a case of murder and that Jo’s husband is connected in some way, but he was due to embark on the D-day mission and cannot be traced. It is imperative that her original three questions be answered as soon as possible.
Fortunately, she is well up to the task, since this is the third book in a series (no previous knowledge required). The story is told almost entirely from her point of view, with some sections from Bram’s semi-conscious or convalescent mind. For Jo, the case is complicated because of her close personal involvement with all the main characters. I stress that it is complicated for Jo because it is not very complicated for the reader. The story is well written, the wider cast of characters are interesting and the background is well established, but it doesn’t get going until quite late on when it becomes more intense and dangerous. Overall, it’s an easy and enjoyable read; a 3.5 which rounds to 4.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

After the return of her estranged husband Richard, Jo continues to work with Bram, the local coroner. The war is ongoing, and the sudden embarkation of forces for D-Day coincides with the discovery of a body inside a burnt out car.
A great continuation of this series, Jo takes responsibility for the investigation when Bram becomes seriously ill and soon finds herself facing dangers from all sides. Exciting and intriguing, this is a great story which I could not put down! A fab read!!

Credible, Convincing,,,
Josephine Fox returns in her capacity as the investigator of suspicious deaths in this engaging historical mystery. A burning car with a body inside causes much consternation- especially when Jo becomes convinced that her errant husband is involved. Could the body be his? Either way, the whole thing is suspicious and it’s clear that a killer is on the loose. With a well crafted and credible cast, a convincing sense of both time and place this is both immersive and compelling with a solid mystery at heart.

A transporting and immersive story that will enthral historical fiction readers. Poignant and interesting, its unforgettable characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

A gruesome crime scene, a body burnt beyond recognition, a coroners tragic illness and the day all of Britain have been waiting for, D Day. Bram Nash, Bromley’s coroner is soon out of action when an old WW1 injury plunges him into a coma. While Bran lies in hospital his colleague Josephine Lester is left to help deal with the murder investigation. When she finds out the victim is someone close to her things get more complicated and soon a game of cat and mouse begins. Will Josephine be able to help Bram, or has she made a fatal mistake? Josephine’s character is strong and independent, a woman who is struggling with many aspects of her not so private life, but she knows that she must solve this murder quickly and she’s going to have to do a lot of the work on her own. Even if Detective Tilling doesn’t agree with her methods. Although this is not a stand alone book I enjoyed it without having read any of the others. The historical information drew me in and I found it to be full of suspense, intrigue and lots of twists and turns. I’d definitely recommend this book to murder mystery fans and anyone who enjoys historical reads.

The third book in the series about Josephine Lester, an illegitimate woman who returns to her birth town of Romsey and, despite the antipathy of many of the locals, gets a job assisting the local solicitor and coroner Bram Nash in investigating suspicious deaths. As children Bram was the leader of their little gang, even though his family were far more wealthy than Jo's and their other friends. Jo was kicked out when she was just fourteen years old, when her grandmother died, and forced to find work in London. Bram was hit in the face by shrapnel during WW1 and is forced to cover his scars with a metal mask which covers half his face.

It's two years since the shocking epilogue to the second book. Britain is on the brink of D-Day.

Bram and Jo are called out to a gruesome death scene, a body has been found in a burned out motor car in a deserted country lane, but before they can start their investigations proper, Bram is taken gravely ill, with blood pouring from the injury he sustained in WW1. While Bram lies in hospital Jo tries to solve the death with the reluctant help of Sergeant Tilling and the local police force, but Jo suspects the body may be that of her errant husband Richard. He might be abusive and a serial cheater, but she would never want him dead. But since she and Bram separately quarrelled with Richard shortly before he died the suspicion will lay squarely with them both unless she can uncover the truth.

I've got to say I thought the murderer's identity was fairly well signalled from the start, what I didn't know was the why - and that was a doozy. What I like about these books is that they are all very different and show character progression. I do hope this isn't the end for our crime-busting duo!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.