A murder solving female vicar? Yes please! A great read. I love a cozy crime book and this hit the mark. I didn’t work it out until the very end. I look forward to more

A new rather reverend voice has arisen. We may not need another cosy mystery but personally I can’t get enough of them.
Clare and her husband are at a beautiful society wedding. Their friends are tying the knot and for once the Reverend Clare is off duty as another vicar is doing the honours. She is able to observe a lot and realises there is tension in the air. All is complicated because their friend and her husband David’s colleague Susan is a well known MP and junior minister.

All is not well and when Clare finds the body in the treehouse it seems nothing will be the same again.

The quiet stillness of Clare and her observation of human behaviour means she is the person to solve the mystery of this death in this thoughtful novel. I enjoyed the progress of the plot and the characters introduced in what looks like will be a continuing series of Reverend Clare investigating.

Weddings can go wrong but luckily Reverend Clare is on the case. This is a nice story with likeable characters and an adorable dog. It took me a bit of time to get into the story but I enjoyed it.
I received an advance review copy via NetGalley/Quercus Books and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.

This is a bumper of a murder mystery, with so much packed into a normal length book. There are family relationships that are oh so complicated with animosity, jealousy and hidden resentments. Add to this estranged family members and arguments and everybody together at a wedding and this are going to be messy and complicated. Then you have ex partners involved and a politician’s need for secrecy and spinning and the investigation gets very very complicated. The plot is great and moves along at a cracking pace, it took me a while to get on board with all the characters as the book hits you with a long list as the wedding guests all have their roles to play. Once the cast is settled the plot rushes on well.

Reverend Clare Brakespear attends a wedding where things do not go smoothly. Not only are there family dramas – what wedding doesn’t have it you say – and someone is fatally stabbed with a cake knife. Though the police are certain of the culprit, Clare disagrees, knowing that human relationships are complex and decides to investigate. She’s quickly embroiled in situations that even she finds tumultuous. Is she over her head or will justice prevail? Clare’s a great character; funny, observant, self-deprecating and full of knowledge.

The Reverend Clare Breakspear is used to life being rather full, with a young family and a Golden Retriever to manage as well as the parish.

But a wedding at which a guest is stabbed with the cake knife proves to be a bit much...

Excellent