Devi Nair
The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives
đ±đ Read on Kindle | đ 356 pages â± Duration: 5 hours | ARC provided by NetGalley đ·ïž Published by Hodder & Stoughton Release date: 2 April 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Jenny Kaneâs new cozy mystery serves up everything youâd expect from the genre: a picture-postcard village, quirky characters, and a murder that ties the community in knots. Maggie and Ryan make an endearing, if slightly mismatched, team, and the premise of clearing Ryanâs name gives their partnership believable stakes, and the hook of Ryan being a suspect gives their sleuthing a believable tension.
That said, the story sometimes overstays its welcome. At 356 pages, it felt like a full plate when a half-portion wouldâve satisfied. The flow of events occasionally felt unnatural. Mr. Robbins, the enigmatic shop owner, is so clearly teed up for future installments that his limited presence makes him more question mark than character. And while the village charm is delightful, the investigationâs flow strains logic: Maggie seems to appear wherever questions need asking, and townsfolk, including police, and the suspects readily defer to her, or let her ask any questions which didnât feel plausible for someone with limited experience. Ryan, on the other hand, felt more grounded; his worry about crossing legal lines gave the story moments of tension and realism. The relationships and dynamic are enjoyable, but the believability wavered enough that I struggled to stay fully immersed.
For fans of slow, scenic mysteries with British small-town charm, this one will scratch the cozy itch, even if it sometimes forgets that less can be more. Overall, the story and relationships had potential, but I didnât feel compelled to continue the series.
Would I recommend it? Interesting characters and a charming Cornish setting, but the believability issues held me back. Unrealistic amateur detectives, and underutilized side characters gave a doozy. This was a pleasant but uneven read, engaging, yet not quite believable enough to hook me for book two. A decent cozy mystery, but I wouldnât prioritize this one for an encore.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
đ±đ Read on Kindle | đ 356 pages â± Duration: 5 hours | ARC provided by NetGalley đ·ïž Published by Hodder & Stoughton Release date: 2 April 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Jenny Kaneâs new cozy mystery serves up everything youâd expect from the genre: a picture-postcard village, quirky characters, and a murder that ties the community in knots. Maggie and Ryan make an endearing, if slightly mismatched, team, and the premise of clearing Ryanâs name gives their partnership believable stakes, and the hook of Ryan being a suspect gives their sleuthing a believable tension.
That said, the story sometimes overstays its welcome. At 356 pages, it felt like a full plate when a half-portion wouldâve satisfied. The flow of events occasionally felt unnatural. Mr. Robbins, the enigmatic shop owner, is so clearly teed up for future installments that his limited presence makes him more question mark than character. And while the village charm is delightful, the investigationâs flow strains logic: Maggie seems to appear wherever questions need asking, and townsfolk, including police, and the suspects readily defer to her, or let her ask any questions which didnât feel plausible for someone with limited experience. Ryan, on the other hand, felt more grounded; his worry about crossing legal lines gave the story moments of tension and realism. The relationships and dynamic are enjoyable, but the believability wavered enough that I struggled to stay fully immersed.
For fans of slow, scenic mysteries with British small-town charm, this one will scratch the cozy itch, even if it sometimes forgets that less can be more. Overall, the story and relationships had potential, but I didnât feel compelled to continue the series.
Would I recommend it? Interesting characters and a charming Cornish setting, but the believability issues held me back. Unrealistic amateur detectives, and underutilized side characters gave a doozy. This was a pleasant but uneven read, engaging, yet not quite believable enough to hook me for book two. A decent cozy mystery, but I wouldnât prioritize this one for an encore.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.