Mystery in the Title is the second Miranda Abbott cozy mystery by brothers Ian & Will Ferguson. Released 22nd Oct 2024 by Harlequin Trade on their MIRA imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.
This is a wonky, mostly silly, eccentric cozy, populated by oddballs, harmless goofs, and long-suffering publicity aides-de-camp. Former TV star Fran was an amateur sleuth ages ago... now her comeback has her reprising her long vanished acting role in-real-life when her comeback costar exits violently stage left.
The writing is competent, but tries too hard to be funny (?) and mostly lands in over the top unbelievable. MC Fran is completely delusional, her enablers are similarly far-fetched. It's a cross between scooby-do and I love Lucy without Lucy's zany lovability. Except for the fact that it's a continuing series with her as the main character, she's so unrelentingly annoying, it wouldn't have been amiss for -her- to have been murdered.
The solution, climax, denouement, and resolution are similarly silly and over-the-top.
Three stars. It works well enough as a standalone, with the understanding that the relationships and backgrounds for some of the returning characters will be slightly spoiled if read out of order.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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