A History of Murder

A History of Murder is a great example of a well-thought-out cozy. The protagonist, Chloe, has a history in the small town she left behind, and that history intertwines with the present-day murder. Chloe herself is smart, takes initiative, and gets herself into some pretty funny scrapes. All of the supporting characters make sense – no one falls flat or becomes terribly annoying – and her love interest is super sweet. Oh, and she acquires a golden retriever, which of course is worth five stars all on its own. :)

My one complaint as I came away from the book [SPOILERS!] is the way that past-murder subplot was left. The ends aren't tied up. Now, that in itself isn't so bad – it must be a set up for the second book, right? But there's a diary left over from the past, and one clue which seemed like a blazing red flag to me as soon as the characters discussed it. After a moment's reflection, I had a strong suspicion who the past murderer was, and I kept waiting for Chloe to wrap up both murders by the end of book one. It was frustrating to me that she didn't, because it seemed quite simple (read the diary, Chloe!). But, I can understand that she was pretty busy with other big changes in her life, not to mention past trauma.

All that said, I still really enjoyed the book, and the main mystery was well done. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in cozies, and particularly to people with an interest in history! Chloe's descriptions of her historic town and home are great. (I also loved the professor character!) And, my frustration aside, I will definitely be on the lookout for book two.

Bottom line: a very fun, engrossing read!