Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Newmarket Murders by Jack Murray Narrator: Ester Wane
Series: Kit and Mary Aston Mystery #2
Published by Tantor Audio on February 27, 2024
Genres: Historical Mystery
Length: 7 hours, 33 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
When Kit and Mary Aston visit the Newmarket stables of an old friend who is training a potential Derby winner, they stumble into a new case. The death of Teddy Harrison seems to be an open and shut case of suicide. Yet, the manner of his death raises suspicions as the two men who found him were rumoured to be paramours to the dead man's wife.
Kit meets an old detective sparring partner from his days at school in Cambridge. Together with Mary, they investigate one of the twistiest mysteries you will read.
The latest Kit and Mary Aston mystery is both a ' How-dunnit' and a ' Whodunnit '.
The Newmarket Murders is a squeaky clean read with the usual mixture of puzzling plot, laugh out loud lines and surprise ending. It can be read as a standalone book for racing enthusiasts or why not join thousands of others who enjoy the Kit Aston mystery books? Fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Benedict Brown and Verity Bright will be hooked.
When I spotted that this was recommended for fans of Agatha Christie and TE Kinsey, I had to take a closer look and then decided I must give this new to me series and author a try with its Golden Age of British Mystery, time period setting and a pair of snappy amateur detectives.
The Newmarket Murders is second in the Kit and Mary Aston Mysteries which is a spinoff of the original Kit Aston series carrying right along from when the first series left off. I was taking a gamble, of course, jumping into the middle of a series, but I did alright in spite of a growing need to go back to the beginning once I was in the story to see how it all started.
The first chapter opens with the murderer and the murder scene being set up and then shifts to Kit and Mary in London before they come down to a friend of Kit’s in Newmarket for a country house party for the races. Only, when they arrive, they find that their host has his sister staying and she just left her abusive husband. The case begins when said husband turns up dead and the police aren’t convinced it’s suicide. Neither is Kit who knows all the players including the investigating officer who remembers him as a mischievous Oxford scholar.
Kit and Mary work the case from their own angles and at this point in the series are a well-oiled partnership both in marriage and in detecting. Kit respects Mary’s abilities highly and I enjoyed seeing them banter and tease each other as they sifted out the truth. It was hard for Kit because the family of suspects and friends are people he knows. One is a tragically wounded war hero who was a pilot in WWI and burned horrifically so he prefers to hide from people and wear a mask. I appreciated how the spirit of the Roaring Twenties was present, but the deep shadows of WWI for Kit and other war veterans was respected. What was also amusing was the relationship Kit had with the Inspector who was seeing Kit as a man for the first time, but can’t help relating to Mary some of Kit’s earliest escapades, but ultimately respecting Kit as a good investigator with an inside track.
Speaking of tracks, the country estate is a horseracing stable and very near the Newmarket track. I had a feeling the high stakes horse in the stable would play a role in the mystery and it does. I also had a feeling who was behind much of what was going on even though this is one where the actual murderer is known from the beginning- and I was right.
This turned out to be an engaging historical cozy mystery that took a bit to grab me, but eventually did and I would enjoy reading or listening to more of the series and the backstories. One I can recommend to other genre fans.
Narration:
Esther Wane was a new to me narrator and I took a bit to adjust to her voice. I can’t even say why since she had distinct voices and personalities for all the characters and wasn’t boring or off pace. Eventually, I did settle in and could appreciate her storytelling.
Listen to the clip: HERE
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As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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Interesting. I am glad you settled in with the narrator and managed despite this being a spinoff, second book in series. You are so brave.
Yeah, it really was sheer luck this gave enough to get me up to speed and stood alone just fine. 🙂
Sounds like a good one.
They were a fun pair of detectives.
Oh I love a historical mystery and this one looks fun!
Yes, it was a light and easy one in many ways, but a nice dip into a new series for me to try.
Sounds like a good find for you. Did you read the original series?
Yes, right up my alley! No, I did a crazy and grabbed this up without reading the original series or the first in this series. Oy!
That cover is giving me vintage/classic vibes.
And, the story totally matches, too.