Death Among the Diamonds

I adore the Lady Eleanor Swift series by Verity Bright, so when I had the chance to read and review Death Among the Diamonds, the first in a new cozy series set in 1920s England, I jumped at it. I'm so glad I did!

The Hon. Cressida Fawcett is a young woman ahead of her time. Single and well to do, she's enjoying her life, not looking to make a good marriage match as so many young women are. She lives with her pug, Ruby, and she's quite happy that way.

When she travels to the countryside for a weekend at the home of her friend Dorothy, she certainly never expects to be caught up in a crime scene. But diamonds have been stolen, and the young, affable chandelier cleaner is found dead. Suddenly anyone there on the estate is a suspect, and no one is free to leave.

This book is simply enchanting! Cressida's world of money and the high life is far from my own middle-aged mom existence, but it's a lot of fun to read about. Cressida herself is refreshing, a woman not afraid to buck expectations and do what makes her happy. Ruby is a fun addition to the story, and often a help to Cressida. (And now I want a pug.)

Fliss Chester creates characters that are a joy to read about. (Basil really came off as a creep, though. I think Dorothy can do better.) The story moves along at a nice clip, and there were twists and turns enough to hold my interest. She does a nice job with the locked-room mystery, and I look forward to reading more in the series.

I highly recommend Death Among the Diamonds if you love clean historical cozies. I think I've found a new author to add to my favorites!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this one!

I love cozy mysteries that take place in the 1920s! This was a solid first book in a new series by Fliss Chester. The writing was excellent. It was well paced. The setting was grand. The plot engaging and kept me guessing. There was an adorable dog, and Cressida was a likable (mostly) lead. I am a little on the fence about Cressida. She could be a bit annoying at times. We'll see how she is in the next book!