Not long after the shocking events of Murder by the Minster, Kitt, Evie and co. are about to get involved in another investigation - this time involving the theft of some rare books from a bookshop owned by some of Kitt's friends.
Kitt's boyfriend, DI Malcolm Halloran breaks the news that his colleague DS Charlotte Banks has been suspended after being accused of attacking the suspect in the robbery with a hammer.
Mal is unable to get involved, and convinced that there is no way Charley could be guilty of such a crime, Kitt and Evie set about trying to prove her innocence, but it is not long before the dead bodies start to pile up and the case seems to be a lot more complex that they first thought.
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The excellent Murder by the Minster introduced us to the Kitt Hartley Yorkshire Mysteries and it was an absolute pleasure to fall back in with Kitt, Evie and friends for this second installment of their investigative adventures - just like visiting old friends!
This time around, we are more aware of the roles of each of the team, at the start - Librarian Kitt, with her level head and penchant for literary references that her colleagues rarely get; vintage clothes/decor and language loving Evie, led by her emotions; the ever curious Grace, with her internet skills and constant FOMO; Ruby, with her psychic leanings and finger on the pulse of the gossip-central that is the local bus service; and of course our hard-working detectives, DI Malcolm Halloran and DS Charley Banks. So once the story gets going, we can be assured that no stone will be left unturned in the quest for the truth.
A Body in the Bookshop sees Evie take much more of a detective role than in their first escapade - the one which saw her scarred both physically and mentally - and it was lovely to see her regaining some of the confidence she had lost as a result of her experiences. It was also wonderful to see the relationship between Evie and Charley developing into something more than friendship, especially since this had been hinted at as a possibility at the end of Murder by the Minster.
The pacing is perfect, with endearing gentle humour, and there is a nice build up of tension as the story progresses to the exciting and satisfying climax, with a great little twist too. Something about the way this works really reminds me of the Father Brown mysteries TV series, which I mean as a massive compliment to Helen Cox - even though the Kitt Hartley mysteries are contemporary, there is something about the way the characters operate that resonates with the way Mark Williams plays Father Brown and his relationship with Mrs McCarthy and Bunty when they involve themselves in police investigations to the consternation of Inspector Mallory. Maybe this is just me, but I find it a good thing anyway!
Murder by the Minster and A Body in the Bookshop have definitely got me hooked on the Kitt Hartley Yorkshire Mysteries, and I am looking forward to the next book very much. I highly recommend them if you are a fan of a cosy mystery!
See my review of Book One here: Murder By The Minster
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