Publisher: Alibi
Date of publication: June 2015
For readers of Laura Childs, Ellery Adams, and Jenn
McKinlay, the high-flying new Birds of a Feather mystery series from Marty
Wingate begins as a British woman gets caught up in a dangerous plot when her
celebrity father disappears.
With her personal life in disarray, Julia Lanchester feels
she has no option but to quit her job on her father’s hit BBC Two nature
show, A Bird in the Hand. Accepting a tourist management position
in Smeaton-under-Lyme, a quaint village in the English countryside, Julia
throws herself into her new life, delighting sightseers (and a local member of
the gentry) with tales of ancient Romans and pillaging Vikings.
But the past is front and center when her father, Rupert,
tracks her down in a moment of desperation. Julia refuses to hear him out; his
quick remarriage after her mother’s death was one of the reasons Julia flew the
coop. But later she gets a distressed call from her new stepmum: Rupert has
gone missing. Julia decides to investigate—she owes him that much, at least—and
her father’s new assistant, the infuriatingly dapper Michael Sedgwick, offers
to help. Little does the unlikely pair realize that awaiting them is a tightly
woven nest of lies and murder.
I am a fan of this author's Plotting Shed Mysteries series, so I was looking forward to reading this first in a new series, The Rhyme of the Magpie. I wasn't disappointed. It's a good solid cozy mystery with great and quirky characters. After reading this, I will be paying more attention to the birds around my house! Who knows what types I might see if I pay close enough attention?
I liked Julia's character. After her mother died, her father remarried very quickly. Unable to cope, she has changed careers and moved away. When her father goes missing, she is sucked back into her old life. I could understand her sense of betrayal, but was really hoping she would make amends with her dad and step-mother. I also loved the chemistry between Julia and Michael. That romance was a pleasant surprise and added something special to the story.
There is a whole host of suspects and I was kept guessing until the end. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries or are looking to dip your feet into the genre, I definitely recommend this one. I look forward to Julia's next adventure!
I liked Julia's character. After her mother died, her father remarried very quickly. Unable to cope, she has changed careers and moved away. When her father goes missing, she is sucked back into her old life. I could understand her sense of betrayal, but was really hoping she would make amends with her dad and step-mother. I also loved the chemistry between Julia and Michael. That romance was a pleasant surprise and added something special to the story.
There is a whole host of suspects and I was kept guessing until the end. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries or are looking to dip your feet into the genre, I definitely recommend this one. I look forward to Julia's next adventure!
About the author:
Marty Wingate is the author of The
Garden Plot and The Red Book of Primrose House, and a
regular contributor to Country Gardens as well as other
magazines. She also leads gardening tours throughout England, Scotland,
Ireland, France, and North America. More Birds of a Feather mysteries are
planned.
Marty Wingate’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Tuesday, June 2nd: 5 Minutes
for Books
Tuesday, June 2nd: Mystery
Playground
Wednesday, June 3rd: A
Bookish Way of Life
Wednesday, June 3rd: Buried
Under Books
Thursday, June 4th: Patricia’s
Wisdom
Friday, June 5th: Kahakai
Kitchen
Friday, June 5th: Back
Porchervations
Wednesday, June 10th: Reading Reality
Thursday, June 11th: Joyfully Retired
Friday, June 12th: From the TBR Pile
Monday, June 15th: A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, June 16th: Bell, Book & Candle
Wednesday, June 17th: Bibliotica
Thursday, June 18th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Tuesday, June 23rd: FictionZeal
Wednesday, June 24th: 2 Kids and Tired
