Mystery at the Church by Clare Chase ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

You might remember my review from last week of Clare Chase's Mystery at the Abbey Hotel (read my review). Having just discovered this series, I'm not having any problems following the stories without having read the first four books. The books in this cute cozy most definitely can be read on their own.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

August 2021; Bookouture; 978-1800195301
audio, ebook, print (282 pages); cozy mystery

After having read only two books in the Eve Mallow Mystery series, I can tell the books are highly formulaic. That doesn't mean they aren't enjoyable, just a bit predictable. Though the mystery is so complex that the reader can't figure out the killer until the end.

It is all the twists and turns, the ruling out of a suspect only to see him or her added back to the top of the list as new evidence comes to light that makes these books so entertaining. Unlike with the previous book where I had a particular character in mind for the crime (though I was wrong), none of the characters of Mystery at the Church roused my suspicion completely. 

As suspected, only the core characters of the village carried over. None of the characters specific to the previous book's mystery made an appearance. I assume that is trued for the entire series, though there was a brief appearance of a character that might have been in a previous book - it is alluded to that the character had been interviewed by Eve before. Also, a new series regular may have been introduced in Mystery at the Church. Dot has ties to the village already and it seems that a childhood romance between her and one of the owners of the local pub may have been rekindled.

I'm not sure if I'm complete taken with the story's structure. There is a prologue that shows the murder. It doesn't reveal who the murderer is but you do know in just a few pages who the victim is. I think I prefer to be surprised by who the victim is.

Overall, though, it is an entertaining read. I have a sad event coming up at the end of the week and this cozy mystery has given me several hours of reprieve, keeping my mind off that upcoming event. 

Buy Mystery at the Church at Amazon

(the ebook is a free read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers)

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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