Death in the Crypt (A Cressida Fawcett Mystery Book 5)
A completely gripping and totally addictive 1920s murder mystery
by Fliss Chester
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Pub Date 26 Apr 2024 | Archive Date 26 Apr 2024
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Description
The Honourable Cressida Fawcett is expecting the cathedral crypt to be full of dry old bones. But when she finds a body murdered just moments before, she’ll need divine inspiration to solve her most mysterious case yet…
Winchester, 1925. When heiress and amateur sleuth Cressida Fawcett is invited to her aunt’s mansion on Cloister Close, she is looking forward to a quiet stay in the historic town. The views of the cathedral are heavenly – and her aunt’s maid, Nancy, makes devilishly good ginger biscuits! But it seems Cressy and her pug Ruby won’t be allowed to rest in peace… On a tour of the crypt, they are shocked to stumble across the body of Anthony, the gentle, devoted verger. And a wild-eyed Nancy is standing over him, bloodied candlestick in hand…
Since Nancy was caught red-handed and the only other suspect is the Silent Friar, the legendary local ghost, Detective Andrewsof Scotland Yard thinks the case is closed. But Nancy swears she would never have killed Anthony; they were in love. And while Cressy may not believe in ghosts, she does believe Nancy. So, whose soul is full of murder most foul? And will they strike again?
As she digs through parishioner gossip, Cressy discovers that for a man of the cloth, the verger had a surprising number of enemies. Was a local antiques dealer driven to murder over an illegal trade in holy relics? Would the head bellringer kill to achieve his musical ambitions? Or is the saintly Dean, whose black-cloaked figure resembles the Silent Friar and whose wife recently drowned, hiding a deadly sin?
The cathedral conceals many secrets, and it seems Cressy will need a miracle to uncover the truth. But then Cressy finds a hidden passageway to the crypt. Is this how the murderer escaped? The sceptical police lack faith in her theories, but can she catch the killer and save Nancy from the hangman’s noose? Or will she be too late to prevent another funeral march?
A totally gripping and deliciously witty historical murder mystery with a gasp-out-loud reveal, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss.
A Note From the Publisher
*** THIS IS AN UNCORRECTED ADVANCE REVIEW COPY ***
Advance Praise
What readers are saying about Fliss Chester:
‘Absolutely amazing… I devoured this… Wham the ending totally blindsides you. Wow, I absolutely did not see that coming… fantastic.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Exhilarating… I am a huge fan… I whipped through it in a matter of hours. A delightful historical cozy that grips from the very beginning… Fabulous… Superb… Knocked it out of the park.’ Bookish Jottings, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘I loved this! Found myself going to bed earlier and earlier so I could devour another few pages.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I devoured it in one sitting… Absolutely fantastic… Will keep you turning the pages and guessing right up until the end!!’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I was totally captivated from the very beginning… I was holding my breath… I can't praise this book enough.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘So much fun. Think Wooster and Jeeves meets Downton Abbey doing a mystery. I was laughing out loud… Just super.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Absolutely gripping and utterly charming… Packed with wit, glamour and intrigue. The perfect whodunnit.’ Strange and Random Happenstance, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘What a rip-roaring adventure!… A classic whodunnit… kept me hooked from start to finish.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Loved loved loved… Fantastic… Couldn't put it down… Gripping!!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘I absolutely loved it… Clever, funny, charming.’ T.E. Kinsey, best-selling mystery writer of the Lady Hardcastle series
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781835251003 |
| PRICE | £1.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 241 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Melisa B, Reviewer
A big thank you to Sarah Hardy and the publisher, Bookouture for my review copy of the book and for inviting me to take part on the blog tour. (My review is my own and has not been influenced in any way)
Death in the Crypt is the latest instalment of the lovely cosy crime series featuring the Honourable Cressida Fawcett and her lovable pug Ruby. We follow Cressy on a visit to her Aunt Mary’s palatial pad in Winchester also accompanied by her best friend Lady Dorothy (Dotty) and Dotty’s brother Alfred where they plan to visit Winchester Cathedral and hopefully put any murder investigations on the back burner. Obviously things don’t quite go to plan…
During their visit to the crypt they come across Aunt Mary’s maid Nancy, standing over the body of the verger and looking incredibly suspicious especially as she is holding the murder weapon. Nancy is arrested but swears it was nothing to do with her – Cressy believes her and Aunt Mary is devastated she has lost her maid! Cressy quickly puts in a call to Detective Andrews and Sergeant Kirby to come and investigate and Andrews knows better than to try and get Cressy to not become involved in the investigation. However, when things take a turn for the worse and Alfred gets arrested for murder, Cressy knows she can no longer stand by and hope for the best.
I have really enjoyed this historical cosy crime series and feel like it is going from strength to strength. The fledgling romance between Cressida and Alfred is sweet and lovely to watch unfold over the series of the books. Over time Cressy has changed from determined to be independent to possibly realising that her life definitely has room for a potential romance with Alfred!
Death in the Crypt was a lovely fast paced book that I raced through with plenty of twists that keep you on your toes. I guessed some but was wide of the mark for others which just added to the infectious storyline. I’m looking forward to the next instalment and intrigued as to where this one will be set and what the future has in store for Cressy and Alfred……(and whether Dotty’s beau will ever return from his dig!)
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Laura Jensen Walker
Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers, Women's Fiction
