The Murders in Great Diddling: A Novel by Katarina Bivald

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The Murders in Great Diddling: A Novel
Katarina Bivald
Poisoned Pen Press

 Some of the best mysteries cozy or otherwise take place in small English country towns. I would say that this novel has cozy undertones but it also has some language making it a little edgier than your standard cozy. The main character, author Berit Gradner, needed a change of pace to get back her writing mojo so she got a cottage in Great Diddling (you will never guess what the name means). The town has all the bits that small Cornish town should have including a manor house. Another thing that small towns have is secrets, and this one is no different. The only thing that is not a secret is just how much the locals despise Reginald Trent, not even his aunt Daphne is fond of him. It is no wonder that he ends up being the victim.

Once the beginning pieces of the plot are laid down, the story really goes off with quite a bang. Oh and what a bang it was, giving everyone a bit to gossip about. Being that this is a small town there is no local constabulary which means that Detective Inspector Ian Ahmed is not a local and not likely to get any real answers from the townsfolk, unless he is interested in gossip. What DI Ahmed does learn is that Trent was a wheeler dealer and described in such a way that made it easy to sympathize with the business owners that he was threatening.  Penny Elmer referred to Trent as a snake and others thought of him as a bully, but no one thought of him as particularly brilliant.

The other characters in the story are absolutely brilliant (as in amazing), I would go as far as to say bloody brilliant. The story is given by multiple points of view, not just the sleuth, or even the sleuth and the Detective Inspector. Each of them has a secret or two and they are pretty good at improvising. Imagine turning a murder into a tourist event featuring mystery books and writers. It is a little macabre but also very original and the townsfolk are 100% behind the idea. Berit has her work cut out for her as she takes on the task of following clues and asking questions. She has a quiet way about her and some quirky habits. I especially like that she lays down flat on the floor (at home) to get a different perspective because don’t things look different from the floor. Berit’s new assistant Sally, aka her agent’s inexperienced daughter, is not entirely sure what to think of the new boss, the town, or the sleuthing. Sally was sent by her mom to make sure that Berit is writing her next novel. The only thing Berit has been writing down in her journal is the clues that she has uncovered. This was a highly enjoyable story and the multiple points of view kept it interesting. So grab a cup of tea, use the good china if you have it or find a seat in the garden because this story will capture your attention.