I adored Florrie Butterfield from the very beginning- she was such a beam of sunshine, always willing to look for the positives in life and thinking about everyone else’s problems and needs. Florrie’s habit of sending out parcels of love across the world is going to stay with me 💕

We first meet Florrie when she’s 87 and living in a luxury assisted living house, having lost her leg in a freak Silent Night based accident.

Florrie has befriended pretty much everyone who lives there, stoically settling in to her new life . When Renata the home’s manager asks Florrie for advice about romance and whether Florrie has ever been in love, it releases a plethora of memories and stories from her past.

She plans to share stories of the six men who have loved her with Renata as well as tales of friendship and family loyalty, but before she can, there’s a horrible incident when Renata falls out of her window in an apparent suicidal attempt. Florrie and her sidekick Stanhope (I want to know more about him please!) aren’t sure and start digging deeper into what might have happened to Renata.

As well as being a cosy crime, the story meanders back through Florrie’s life and adventures, from her beloved brother’s life changing wartime experience and her vow to live life to the fullest for both of them. Her escapades have taken her to life in Paris, North Africa, the base camp at Everest, remote Scottish towns and plenty more.

There’s a deep sadness at Florrie’s core, she has buried something that almost broke her- and the after effects of that incident echo throughout her life. When we finally learn what happened to her, it broke my heart as well, I was absolutely bereft and in floods of tears for young Florrie.

It was a joy to learn about Florrie’s story and what made her into the resilient strong person that she is. There is so much detail and love packed into the stories that the author tells us, it is richly packed and so evocative.

Florrie and Stanhope will stay with me for a very long time, I can’t say goodbye yet.

An 87 year old lady, now living in assisted living accommodation, reminisces about her well travelled life. There are colourful descriptions of the her past, the other characters and the countryside. An interesting read.

Full of charm and warmth.
This delightful novel about an old lady investigating an unexpected death in the assisted living home where she lives is most definitely not one of those dreadfully ‘cosy’ and ‘quirky’ sentimental mysteries. It is an exploration of Florrie’s long and eventful life and many loves with a tragedy buried at its heart. It is also a study of love in many forms and of how it can be hard to let go of bad things that shouldn’t be allowed to define a person for ever. Another hidden tragedy may be the cue for Florrie to let go of her own.
She is a lovely warm and engaging character and through her eyes we see the other inhabitants of the home with a humour and acceptance that comes from Florrie’s own generous and outgoing character. She is a really fun read without being soppy. And I enjoyed the plot which was never overdone. Charming and entertaining. I recommend it.

I was initially enchanted by this novel. Fletcher's ability to draw characters is excellent and I enjoyed the humorous no-nonsense narrative voice of Florrie.

But whilst I could see the plot has serious themes at times, the cozy old people's home crime investigation took up too much space in the book. I would have enjoyed more detail and to have spent more time looking back at Florrie's past. This does happen but it's written in a fragmentary way and often skips around in a way that left me feeling less engaged. This combined with the large cast of characters in the present time line diluted the impact of this book for me.

In the end the pace was just too slow and I grew tired of it. There are real strengths in this novel, but I grew impatient with the parts I was less interested in and wanted to journey in the more engaging themes more.

DNFd at 41%.

This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Having just finished this book and I feel bereft- I have so enjoyed reading about Florrie, her life and lives, the residents of the home that I miss them already. It is a powerful and moving book. The descriptions of places Florrie has lived in are wonderful, as are the variety of people in Florrie’s life. This book would be a good choice for book clubs, I definitely recommend this book.

I think I probably picked this novel up at the wrong time. Although it was brimming with heart and full of warmth and kindness, I found it a bit of a slog at times, perhaps just too much on detail on the protagonist's previous loves?

Florrie Butterfield is 87 years old, one-legged, wistful but endlessly optimistic, and living in a residential community for seniors, She thinks her days of adventure are behind her when one day, a member of the community she lives in is brutally attacked. Is there a murderer living in their midst? Florrie is determined to get to the bottom of the matter, with her partner in crime Stanhope.

This was a really charming novel that I enjoyed but found just a little too rambling at times. There are deep dives into Florrie's past and present, some of which are fascinating and others which felt a little superfluous. Florrie is carrying a secret heartache that when eventually revealed, made me very tearful. A well-written, moving and heartwarming novel that I think will be appreciated by fans of Lynda Marron and Valerie Perrin. 3.5/5 stars

Every so often, along comes a novel which I wish I could climb into - and this is definitely one of them!

Florence Butterfield is an elderly lady, wheelchair-bound, living in a care home - but she should never be underestimated. Florrie has lived a full life; she has travelled the world and lived life to the full and, at eighty-seven, she still has some get up and go in her. One summer night, something happens - so out of kilter that Florrie suspects all is not as it seems. With a magenta envelope as her only clue, she begins to look into things and attempt to find out what's really going on . . .

I loved Florrie Butterfield! Her story is an awesome one which we discover bit by bit as the book advances and every little bit of information just increased my adoration. Never one to sit on the sidelines, she wasn't going to allow being confined to a wheelchair to stop her. This is such a gorgeous read - well plotted and most beautifully written. I imagine other authors reading this and wishing they had conjured up Florrie! A really special novel and one which I will savour for some time to come. No doubt about it, this is a book I highly recommend and happily give all five sparkling stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is, as always, my honest, original and unbiased review.

I am becoming rather fond of ‘pensioner sleuths’ and Florrie is no exception. In this charming story, Florrie and her new friend Stanhope set out to investigate the strange events which have occurred at the care home where they live. Their investigative methods are amusingly creative but their determination to uncover the truth is unwavering.

In and amongst their ‘enquiries’ we are treated to flashbacks of Florrie’s life. She remembers the people she has loved and lost; the events in her life that brought happiness and those which caused pain and sadness. It’s through these memories that Florrie confronts her fears and regrets, which ultimately leads her to solving the suspicious goings on.

The story is gentle and the writing has a whimsical, lyrical quality. I truly enjoyed re-visiting Florrie’s life with her and being witness to her realisation that her life still holds happiness for her.

If you like your mystery stories warm-hearted with an octogenarian amateur detective, then this endearing story is for you.

Such a special book, the first few chapters suggest this is a cozy crime novel but really it is so much more than that. As Florrie
tries to work out how Renata, the care home manager, fell out of her window, she considers the 6 important men in her life and her best friend and family. From conventional beginnings she went on to lead a fascinating and thoroughly unconventional life, yet never truly committing to another person. An event in her teens damaged her forever and the consequences will haunted her for the rest of her life .
Her sleuthing brings her closer to one of the other residents, is it time she faced up to her past?
Florrie is a real one off creation, you just want to hug her and praise her for her extraordinary bravery.

There were parts of this book that I loved and parts that felt that they were from another book entirely!

When 87 year old Florrie witnesses a terrible “accident”, she doesn’t believe that to be the case and sets out to investigate. This was a fun, cosy crime story and I enjoyed Florrie and her friend Stanhope’s meetings and discussions as they followed the clues to solve the mystery.

The flashbacks to Florrie’s earlier life weren’t relevant to the investigation though, so I felt that this was just filler and found it annoyed me, constantly breaking away from the main story. Her marriage was very interesting though and that story could be developed into a whole other book, rather than slotted into a cosy crime story.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Susan Fletcher and Random House Transworld for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Larger-than-life Florrie is adapting to life at Babbington Hall amongst the other retirees when there are two suspicious incidents, which she starts to investigate with the help of Stanhope Jones, a retired teacher. A murder mystery, but also the story of Florries’ colourful life. A book of friendship and love, but also how the acts of our youth can impact on our future lives. This book grew on me slowly, and I’m sure it will be loved by many other readers. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

Cosy crime is a genre I dip my toe into occasionally. I’ve not read the biggest hitter in this area, Richard Osman, but I would hazard a guess that this very healthy market is being aimed at with this, UK author Susan Fletcher’s ninth novel. This Whitbread First novel award-winning author who made a big impact with her debut “Eve Green” back in 2004 should, by right, have good commercial success with this, especially when it arrives in paperback.
The setting is Babbington Hall Residential Home and Assisted Living and main character 87 year old Florrie is negotiating life in her wheelchair access apartment as a recent arrival after having to have part of her leg amputated. She looks back to a life full of adventures and forward to more in her new home. Throughout her life she lived with a dark secret, which no-one now living knows about. Can she finally get to grips with this in what is likely to be her last place of residence?
Florrie is a sparky character with a strength and determination not apparent from her outer appearance and finds herself in the centre of things when a tragedy occurs at Babbington Hall. She, alongside retired teacher Stanhope Jones start sleuthing to investigate events. There’s a good set of characters including a couple of gossipy sisters-in-law, a Polish Goth carer, Magda, and an unconventional vicar all with their part to play. I’m always a little resistant to being pulled into the fictional worlds in this type of crime novel but it did happen and the combination of potential crime at the Home alongside Florrie’s reviewing of her life up to that point is well balanced and works effectively. Information is discovered at just the right pace to allow the characters, especially Florrie, who is very much the star of the piece to shine through. I’d imagine this is different in tone and style to the type of novels the author has published before but she should certainly win converts to her writing.
The Night In Question is published in hardback by Bantam, an imprint of Transworld/Penguin Books on 18th April. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Florrie is mourning the loss of a friend and fellow resident of Babbington Hall, the residential home she now lives in. Arthur fell and hit his head and died.
When on Midsummer night, during a storm, the manager falls from her third floor window, Florrie has a feeling that something is not right. With help of Stanford, another resident, she investigates.
During the course of the book we are privy to Florrie's backstory and why she carries a sadness within her.
An entertaining read

This book is the best book ever! From the first page until the last you fall in love with the beauty that is Florrie.
Every page is filled with love, adventure but as we find out more about Florrie, we see that the adventures were also a means of escape. How she found love is all the ways possible without ever leaving her heart fragile to be broken because it would never mend anyway.
The best book to curl up with on a rainy day just make sure you have all the tissues!

"Florrie wears no wedding ring; there are no children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren who visit her ... She is, therefore, somehow viewed as less. Less what? Less substantial. Less important. Less womanly."

It's just a few weeks until Florrie turns 88. She lives in an assisted living home in Oxford, having had her leg amputated after a freak accident. She's generally very congenial but she's grieving the loss of her friend, Arthur, who tripped over his shoelaces, hit his head and died.

Then, a couple of nights after this, she hears a scream and watches as the manager of the home – Renata – falls from a bedroom window. Everyone believes the reclusive Renata tried to take her own life. But Florrie isn't so sure. After all, Renata had confessed to being in love and wanted to get some advice from Florrie.

Together with her new friend, Stanhope, who agrees with Florrie that Renata may have been pushed, she begins to investigate. Who could be responsible? As the two start digging, they'll uncover a big secret.

At the same time, Florrie is reminiscing about her life, in particular the six men she loved in one way or another. Sometimes this makes her smile – she got to travel the world after all. At other times, she is sad, because there is one she refuses to talk about.

This book isn't quite the cosy mystery I was looking for. There isn't much humour in it the same way it is in The Thursday Murder Club series and there is less tension and action. But, Florrie has a bit more depth to her. The reader is very much drawn into her world, the fascinating life she's led but also all the pain she's experienced. It's an eye-opener really.

Many people find it hard to believe the elderly were ever young and had their own adventures. Florrie is a beautiful person, full of joy, but also carries with her deep hurts. I loved learning more about this brave and lovely character.

A sweet and poignant read.

Taken on a journey of Florrie’s life.

Florence Butterfield, Florrie is eighty-seven years old. Newly moved into Babbington Hall a residential home in rural Oxfordshire, in an assisted accommodation as Florrie now has only one leg.
There is a death, then a serious accident. Florrie thinks there is more to this, and intends to find out. Will she?

I thought this was a thoughtful and interesting book. Florrie has secrets, who else is keeping secrets?
I enjoyed the words and writing style of the author. The first of her books I have read, and look forward to reading more.
I liked the positive vibes and the sprinkling of affirmations, some of which I have jotted down to reflect back on.
Florrie has led an interesting life, and was a very much loved person. Friendship, love, dealing with hurt, and understanding people. You never know where life will take you, but I loved the character Florrie.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Oh how I loved the character of Florrie, brave, kind and determinedly cheerful. The mystery here is actually incidental to the book, which is all about love in its many forms. I always enjoy reading about cherished lifetime friends, I am lucky enough to have one of these friends and the joy of shared memories and total empathy, made Florrie and Pinky’s’ story very real to me. The mystery is also solved satisfactorily (and with sympathy).

When I started reading this book, I thought it was a gentle, easy read. I was wrong. This book pulled me in and I didn't want it to end. This novel tells the story of Florence Butterfield. We meet her in her late 80's in her care home, but, as the story continues, we learn about Florrie's life and what a life it has been.
Susan Fletcher writes with care and empathy and I absolutely loved this book. Everyone needs to read it and fall in love with Florrie.

I absolutely loved this book! Part mystery, part romantic love story (or stories!) and part love story (or, again, stories!) of the family and friendship kind, this is a wonderfully entertaining and heart warming book.

The main character is Florrie who has lived a fascinating life. But now we’ll into her eighties and having had an accident in which one of her legs had to be removed, she now resides at a residential care home, Babbington Hall. Here she has made friends and mostly lives contentedly. However, when one of her closest friends dies in a tragic accident and shortly afterwards, the manager of the care home attempts to take her own life, Florrie turns detective. With the help of her friend, Stanhope, she sets out to discover whether there might have been more to the latter event than others assumed. But in doing so, it brings memories of Florrie’s life back, some of which only her best friend Pinky knew of. Will Florrie find anyone to share these memories with and will she have another chance at love?

As I have already said, I loved this book. It is really well written with vivid characters who I found myself both identifying with and rooting for. While I found lots of elements of the book quite emotional, it was often the description of Florrie and Pinky’s friendship which really brought a tear to my eye. Additionally, the mystery part of the book really was a mystery - it kept me turning the page and wanting to read more and I didn’t guess the outcome at all (although other more perceptive readers might!).

But I already think this will be one of my favourite books of the year and I will be recommending it to friends and family! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Oh, I loved this. I really like a feisty octogenarian character. Florrie Butterfield is a resident of Babbington Hall, who witnesses something strange and awful one stormy night. With the help of her new friend Stanford Jones, she sets out to solve a mystery. Along the way, we learn more about Florrie’s amazing life, her travels and her secrets.
This is a moving, poignant story, which shows all the ways that love can exist in a person’s life, and the ways in which all experiences make you the person you are. I loved all the peripheral characters, especially the vicar. Truly a pleasure to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.