A Gravely Troubling Discovery is the fifth Dinner Lady Detectives cozy by Hannah Hendy. Released 1st Aug 2024 by Canelo, it's 268 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
This
is such a fun continuation to a humorous and quick-to-read cozy series.
The characters are warm and funny (they're cafeteria ladies!),
intelligent and (mostly) practical, and the author has a deft touch with
plotting and execution. After stumbling (literally) into murder investigations in the previous books, Margery and Clementine have -no- intentions of getting involved in another murder. Their carefully laid plans go awry when a mundane infidelity investigation ties in to another murder investigation, a body discovered during local playground renovations. The main characters are a F/F married couple, but that isn't over-emphasized in the plot. The language is clean, and the violence occurs off-page.
It's a village cozy and replete with the warm and slightly wonky eccentricities of village life and the inhabitants to be found there. The spelling and vernacular are UK English (flat, tyre, torch) but won't pose any problems in context for readers from North America.
Four stars. The mystery is self contained in this volume so it works well enough as a standalone read, but readers who read them out of order will experience some major spoilers for the interrelationships and development of the returning characters. The generally high quality of the series as a whole would make for a good binge/buddy read. Fans of Fiona Leitch, J. M. Hall, and Peter Boland will find this one a fun romp.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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