3.75⭐️

Join Flora Steele, amateur detective extraordinaire, as she finds herself in position yet again to solve another murder. While Flora and Jack, who are good friends - although Jack apparently wants more - are set to enjoy the grand re-opening of the Priory Hotel. The hotel has had its troubles, but the re-opening is being celebrated with a musical performance. One of the singers suddenly drops dead - literally. The singer's manner of death is more than shocking, leaving some to wonder if it was perhaps a sudden heart attack. However, could it have been more, more meaning foul play was behind her death?

When Beverly Russo's performance definitely proves that someone succeeded in killing her, Flora plans on leaving no stone unturned as she start her own investigation. With very little faith in the police solving this curious murder, Flora begins digging deeply, only to discover that Ms. Russo was woman that was not well-liked by many, leaving more than one suspect in this newest case where Flora shines when it comes to uncovering secrets and lies. With Jack by her side also looking for clues, the pair prove indomitable when it comes to finding answers when even the police fall short.

However, one of the subjects is also found dead, and the weapon appears to be a musical instrument, leaving no doubt that the two deaths are both murders that are connected. Not only must Flora act even more quickly, she must avoid falling into the killer's crosshairs. Meanwhile, Jack is glad he is there at the hotel, as he feels that it is time for his relationship with Flora to be defined.

Murder at the Priory Hotel is an enjoyable addition to an engaging cozy mystery series. Since Jack is so distracted by his writing, these murders take a lot of his time. One thing that leads Flora and Jack in their pursuit of clues is the fact that Beverly Russo's ruby ring appears to be missing. That clue is the first of many in this intriguing entry of a series that I thoroughly enjoy.

I love that each book in this series stands on its own, but I really enjoy the continuity that reading this series in order brings, especially as Flora and Jack's relationship takes a slow turn from friendship to possibly more, and this leaves me more than eager for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A very small side note - this book is a year or so too early for the "official" name of the frisbee. Although the disc in its plastic form was invented in 1948, the round disc wasn't called the frisbee until around mid-1957.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review as well - https://youtu.be/TfrqQvgCc4E

Murder at the Priory Hotel: Flora and Jack help Flora’s friend Sally with a grand opening event at the Priory Hotel, just outside Abbeymead. A musical performance is set to kick off the festivities, but the singer dies on stage before she can sing a note. At Sally’s insistence, Flora and Jack gather clues and try to solve the murder.

While I love this series, I have mixed feelings about this book. Up until the very end, it is my least favorite of the series, only because we hardly see Flora and Jack together. They are trying to run from their feelings, which I obviously don’t agree with. But then! It happens! *spoiler they finally kiss!* So that changes my feelings about the book considerably. Opinions will vary based on investment in the romance aspect. The mystery wasn’t AS engaging as the other books, but I still had fun reading it.

I count myself lucky to be able to read such lovely cosy crime series such as this one, but there is a fear that they may well all merge into one. I think the key is to find the uniqueness and in this series it is the fact that are two main protagonists are Flora Steele, bookshop owner and author Jack Carrington.

In the village of Abbeymead where they both live, they are invited to the reopening of the Priory Hotel. What is meant to be a celebration is turned on it’s head when Beverley Russo, the stunning female singer of the band dies in front of Flora and Jack’s eyes.

Things are not always as they seem and Flora is convinced that there is a third party involved in this tragic event. With the police not always content with their interference Flora and Jack investigate what has go on rather surreptitiously. First up is why does the gorgeous ruby ring Beverley was wearing suddenly turn up somewhere where it shouldn’t?

It seems that Beverley was not particularly liked by everyone and old animosities are reignited between members of the band. But then how does the local doctor feature? And what has Portsmouth got to do with any of it? I was particularly intrigued on how my home city was going to be featured, pretty much accurately I would say!

As the list is suspects grows and the body count doubles, it seems that the police are going to have to rely on what Flora and Jack have learnt to be able to solve the mystery. Spending all this time together foes mean that their affection for each other perhaps grows and potentially in subsequent books it may well develop.

For fans of cosy crime with a village vibe, that gives it that almost unique Britishness that probably wouldn’t work anywhere else!