Murder at the Natural History Museum (Museum Mysteries #5)

Murder at the Natural History Museum is the 5th Museum Mystery by Jim Eldridge. Due out 22nd Oct 2020 from Alison & Busby, it's 352 pages (print version) and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats (ebook available now). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. 

This is a well plotted and interesting murder mystery. The characters are well developed and have a solid background and chemistry together. The pacing was variable, at points it dragged a bit for me, but overall it moved along at a good pace. The clues were presented well and the denouement and resolution were satisfying. I admit the dialogue threw me. I wasn't aware that the book was set in the 19th century and was surprised when I found out because the vernacular is completely modern (I thought it was a modern cozy and only discovered my mistake when the author threw Bram Stoker in there). My other small quibble is that it seemed the author included almost every famous contemporary person, actor, current event, landmark, and news headline in the narrative. It interfered with my suspension of disbelief in several places.

All in all it's a readable and engaging cozy mystery with lots of skullduggery and shenanigans, a soupcon of danger, and a good plot. 

Three and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.