Murder in Trafalgar Square is book one in Michelle Salter's new Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries series, and in my opinion it's a great introduction to the series.

Set in England in the early twentieth century, the book opens in the middle of a riot involving a protest for women's rights. Coral Fairbanks is a participant in the suffragette movement, and she and her friend barely escape serious harm in the confrontation with the police and male bystanders.

Guy Flynn is a Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard tasked with investigating the suffragettes. By some strange coincidence his art is displayed at the gallery where Coral works, and they meet when his daughter brings him by the shop to show him his paintings on display.

When one of the suffragettes is killed while on a low risk mission to place an embarrassing painting in the National Gallery, Coral finds herself determined to find the young woman's killer.

The story is told from two points of view, those of Coral and Guy so that the reader gets insight into all aspects of the investigation.

It's clear rather early on that there is an attraction between Coral and Guy. It's not a main focus of the book, but by the end of the book there is a hint that we will see their relationship continue to develop in the next book in the series.

The mystery itself was intriguing. With so many possible threads running through it, it was hard to determine who the murderer was.

I found this book one of the more interesting mysteries I've read lately. I found the time period a great setting for a mystery, and loved how it combined some real world events into the story. Murder in Trafalgar Square was more of a traditional mystery and I think any mystery lover would enjoy it. I'm looking forward to more books in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

London 1910: Coral Fairbanks is a contradiction. As well as a suffragette, she's a bit-part actress and nude model, and earm her the disapproval of her fellow suffragettes.

Guy Flynn is an artist. He's also a detective inspector at Scotland Yard, who doesn't always see eye to eye with fellow officers in the Metropolitan Police.


When Home Secretary Winston Churchill orders the police to terrorise the suffragettes during an afternoon of violence that becomes known as Black Friday, the battlelines are drawn - and Coral Fairbanks and Guy Flynn are on different sides. But when a young suffragette is found murdered in the National Portrait Gallery and one of the paintings is stolen - Fairbanks and Flynn must put their differences aside and combine their knowledge to track the killer.

I liked out two main characters - Coral Fairbanks, a suffragette, but-part actress and nude model. Guy Flynn is a detective inspector at Scotland Yard and an artist.

In this well-written murder mystery there were lots of twists and some surprises along the way. I quite enjoyed reading about the true events that took place, especially the suffragettes.

Published 25th September 2025

I would like to thanak #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #MichelleSalter for my ARC of #MurderInTrafalgarSquare in exchange for an honest review.

The story starts on the 18th November 1910, an actual event known as Black Friday.
300 women, dressed in green, white and purple have arrived at the Houses of Parliament to demonstrate, they want the right to vote, and the government have abandoned their promise to introduce such a bill. The police is out in force on the orders of Winston Churchill, to disrupt the plans of these Suffragettes.
Coral Fairbanks is a 36 year old widow, part time actress and an artists muse. She is also a member of the WSPU, but not in the inner circle. She works at the Stanmore Art Gallery that shows paintings by artists who show real promise.
One such painter is Guy Flynn, he is also a Detective Inspector of the Metropolitan police force. He and Coral meet, and there is an immediate attraction between them both, he thinks he would like to meet her again, but he can have no idea that they will both become involved in trying to solve various crimes, namely, the theft of a painting, two deaths, arson, the display of an “ au naturel “ portrait of the Prime Minister, blackmail and Suffragettes schemes.
There is much to like about this story. The two main characters compliment each other perfectly, they even have a habit of finishing each others thought processes, a wonderful investigative duo is on the way!!
The murder took me by surprise, there are some very effective red herrings employed in this story and they are a good distraction. There is humour, respect, and a lightness of touch with a hint of romance- what a start to a new series! The research done is very interesting and adds a further dimension to this novel.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Boldwood Books for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. A five star read,
I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.

Coral is part of the suffragette and becomes caught up in the murder of a member.
This was a good first book in this series. It’s a good mystery that will keep you guessing. Coral and Flynn make a good pair. I’m looking forward to what happens next with these two.

This is the first book in a new series and the first that I've read by this author. Set around the suffrage movement in 1910 London a prank in the National Portrait Gallery turns sour when a young suffragette is found murdered.
This is is a stark reminder of how recently it is that women received the vote and what they had to do to achieve this. Starting with Black Friday when a women's march was met by police brutality it moves on to actions that the suffragettes in the story took as part of their civil disobedience. The main characters in the story are Coral Fairbanks, a young widow involved in the movement, and Guy Flynn, a detective inspector at Scotland Yard. There is a hint of romance between these two as they combine forces to try to solve the murder. It was good to read that not all men were against the idea of women getting the vote , but equally many were against this. Following the clues also leads to another missing person and the two are trying to find if these cases are linked. This is a great start to a new series and one that I will definitely follow.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

I really enjoyed this exciting historical mystery set in 1910 London. The story kept me engaged and the main characters were interesting and credible. It weaves the suffragette activities in with British politicians, and the Art World. There’s plenty of twists and surprises including murder and art theft. I am looking forward to Book 2 in this Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries series. Highly recommend.

This is the first book in the Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries.I am not one to read this kind of book but I was gripped from the beginning and could not put it down ,I loved it and can’t wait for the next one in the series.This book introduces to Coral Fairbanks who is a suffragette,part time actress ,model and works in the Stanmore Art Gallery.She meets Guy Flynn there who is has some painting exhibited there and unknown to Coral is also a policeman.Flynn ends up on the case of the murder of one of the suffragettes and one of the paintings from the National Portrait Gallery.Coral joins Flynn in this investigation which has many twists and turns.Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books.

It’s 1910 London and Coral Fairbanks is a suffragette. When a handful of women try to pull a prank by displaying a portrait of Churchill showing his naked back side they get caught up in an investigation they would rather have not been involved in.

They might have got by with it except a body is found in the National Portrait Gallery.

Guy Flynn is a detective inspector who gets involved in the case. Guy and Coral know each other because he is also an artist who displays his art at a studio where Coral works.

Guy investigates with the police while Coral investigates with other suffragettes. Once she has earned his trust, Guy and Coral work together.

Coral has a background in acting and the story has sub stories around both acting and art.

There is a thread of romantic interest between the two. The story shares a little history around the suffragette movement, and it is an interesting mystery that ends with a satisfactory ending.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. It was a quick read and I did enjoy it and would consider reading more.

Expected release date is September 25th.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book. I really appreciate it.

I loved the true history reflected in this book, apart from the use of boyfriend. At that time time period that wouldn't have been used as it is. I also really loved this band of characters in the authors newest series. Especially Coral and Flynn. I really loved watching the potential start to a new relationship occur between the two of them.

The downfalls for me with this book are that well the mysteries are fantastic and well thought out, there's barely any ability to actually assume what might have actually happened either correctly or incorrectly. As you're given the most important information from a couple of conversations near the last 60 pages of the book. Where it's then pieced together, instead of little bits here and there. However I still really enjoyed it, it reminds of how Murdoch Mysteries the show goes, and that's way better than the Murdoch books. There's is a few instances of random filler descriptions that are honestly not needed. Like one instances of coral inviting Flynn in, and saying oh would you like x? Then Flynn responds, makes a comment and before coral decides to respond, she needs to all of a sudden take her coat off. This would be a situation where it would have been assumed that would have happened or could have been written to occur as she was asking him if he would like x. Instead of well after the fact mixed with a lot of internal thought.

Besides all of that, I really did love the well researched history, minus the usage of boyfriend, the actual mystery, even if it took a while to get there, and I really loved the relationship between Coral and Flynn. I just wish parts were toned down more and more attention was paid to the actual mystery side of this book all throughout it rather than mainly near the end.

Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book. I really appreciate it. I really enjoyed it and I can't wait for more of this series!

As a cosy mystery this one was quite satisfying, good plot, good characters, well researched and with a satisfying ending. The Suffragette element and the setting of London circa 1910 was also most enjoyable and well depicted. I admit to rather preferring DI Guy Flynn a little more than leading protagonist Coral Fairbanks, as I feel he was the better portrayed (Coral did irritate a little at first) but this is the first of a new series, so perspectives might change with future titles.

The story was a little slow to get going, with a lot of characters to get to know (difficult on a Kindle as it isn't easy to flick back to see who is who) however once it got going, and once the murder appeared, things brightened up.

So a decent start to a new series.

Murder in Trafalgar Square is the first book in Michelle Salter's new mystery series, set in 1910, and what a fabulous first entry into a series it is.

For this series we have two main characters, Cora, a young widow who is a suffragette, works in a gallery and has also been an actress but is currently deemed, at 36, to be too old to play the ingenue on stage, and too young to be a harridan. (I sense we're still not really that far beyond that even now).

Guy Flynn, our detective inspector, is equally a many layered individual, also a widower with a daughter to raise alone, and he is a painter too. The pair have some lovely facets to their characters and they make for an intriguing duo as we read chapters from alternative points of view. They're flung together when a body is found at the National Gallery and it makes all the headlines, as opposed to the suffragette stunt with a most amusing painting (I'm not spoiling it).

The mystery unfolds at a good pace, as Cora and Guy endeavour to unpick the information they gain, while endeavouring to stay on the right side of the government.

This is such a fabulous new book, and I'm so excited to read more of Cora and Guy. I love the Iris Woodmore series by the author, but it's possible I might love this one even more.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

This is a new historical series taking place in the pre-WWI years when brave suffragettes were protesting for the right to vote. The heroine of the tale, Coral Fairbanks, is a widow in her 30s who is semi-retired from her career as an actress and is now working in an art gallery. In her free time she works together with a group of suffragettes to fight for their rights. In addition to protesting in public, they also pull pranks to embarrass government officials. But it all goes wrong when one of their group is stabbed to death when they try to pull a prank in the National Gallery to embarrass the Home Secretary, Winston Churchill.

Enter Guy Flynn, the Scotland Yard detective in charge of investigating the murder. As he interviews the people who were in the National Gallery at the time, he meets Coral. He is a widower raising his teen daughter. And he’s also a talented artist. While he may sympathize with the goals of the suffragettes, he disapproves of some of their actions. He’s still attracted to Coral and they start teaming up to find who married the suffragette, a good friend of Coral’s.

I’m looking forward to following Coral and Guy as they solve more mysteries.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Another new cosy mystery series by Michelle, and what a way to start it! Set in London at the time of the suffragette movement, we follow 4 ladies as they work to get themselves heard and the vote earned. Unfortunately, it all goes wrong during a prank when one of their own gets murdered.

I got into this one straight away, a good page turner and murder mystery with plenty of interesting characters, and lots of history too. Coral and Flynn make a good pair, working together when perhaps they shouldn’t have been. They both have sad pasts, and found a kinship from this. I hope their friendship develops with the series.

I’m already waiting for the next instalment, I can tell this is going to be a series that gets better with each book.

Start of what promises to be a hugely engaging and entertaining cozy crime series, set during the war and featuring an array of characters both real and fictional.

A highly readable story which was written with great attention to detail regarding the politics of the time and was interesting to learn more about the suffragette movement and the treatment of women at the time. I loved the blossoming relationships developing and the main protagonists who were strong female role models.

I look forward to reading more from this author and will be recommending this to those who enjoy a cozy crime series.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a confirmed fan of Michelle Salter's historical cosy mysteries, I was very excited to read Murder in Trafalgar Square - the first book in a new series introducing an unlikely sleuthing partnership between suffragette Coral Fairbanks and Detective Inspector Guy Flynn.
The book includes a list of characters at the front, which is really useful as there are a lot of noteworthy supporting characters. I loved how the story blends real historical events and fiction, showcasing the struggles of the suffragettes while also creating a mystery full of warmth and so much humour. I can't wait to read more mysteries featuring these characters.
This is a great read for any historical cosy mystery fan.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.

Murder in Trafalgar Square was a pleasant and engaging historical mystery set in an intriguing time and place. I enjoyed the backdrop of 1910 London and the tension around the suffragette movement, which added a meaningful layer to the story. Coral Fairbanks is a refreshingly complex heroine, balancing her activism with her unconventional career, and Guy Flynn offers a solid counterpart as the Scotland Yard detective.

The plot itself was well-paced and kept me turning pages, with the mix of murder, stolen art, and political unrest creating a compelling atmosphere. However, while it was an enjoyable read, it didn’t quite stand out enough for me to want to revisit it. The mystery was satisfying but somewhat predictable, and the characters didn’t fully grab me in a way that made me eager to return to their world.

That said, fans of historical mysteries with strong female leads and a political edge will likely appreciate this one. It’s a solid, comfortable read but not one I’d reach for again.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Net Galley for this ARC. I read another series by this author so gave this a try and i'm glad i did. This is a bit more light hearted than the other series but still great. The characters have started well and the plot was good with some great twists. Looking forward to the next.

A light murder mystery around 1910 and set against the background of the suffragette movement. Many twists and turns and some insight to London of the time especially the false fronted houses. The first book in a new series which I look forward to reading

ARC Review

Murder in Trafalgar Square by Michelle Salter is the first book in the Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries series.

This new cozy mystery blends historical detail with intrigue, centering on the murder of a suffragette, a missing politician, and a stolen artwork.

Coral Fairbanks, a dedicated suffragette fighting for women’s rights, finds herself drawn into danger when the movement comes under attack after Winston Churchill orders the police to suppress them. The struggle intensifies when one of the suffragettes is found murdered. Determined to uncover the truth and defend her cause, Coral steps in to help with the investigation. Fortunately, she finds an ally in Detective Inspector Guy Flynn of Scotland Yard, who, unlike many of his peers, listens to her perspective rather than rushing to judgment. Together, Coral and Guy work to solve her friend’s murder and expose the false accusations aimed at the suffragettes.

This is a wonderful historical cozy mystery with a well-matched detective duo. The plot is engaging, the world-building vivid, and the steady pacing allows the story to unfold naturally. The characters stand out, especially Coral and Guy—opposites in many ways, yet connected by shared values. Coral is a strong but thoughtful fighter who deeply cares for her friends, while Guy, though a man of order, reveals a more sensitive side beneath his exterior. Their chemistry feels genuine and adds depth to the story. The ending also managed to surprise me.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a historical backdrop, this is definitely one to pick up.

This was a gripping murder mystery set in the aftermath of Black Friday in November 1910 when 300 suffragettes marched on Westminster and were effectively attacked by the police. The book explored the attitudes and activities of a suffragette cell and their fight for the vote against a strongly prejudicial government and wider society. The plot pictures a murder of one member of this cell as they were undertaking a daring demonstration in the national portrait gallery. There were plenty of twists and turns on the way and a love interest is developed between a detective and widowed suffragette leading to the possibility of a sequel or series. All 8n all, a really enjoyable read.