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!