Cosy mystery in a quiet English town? Post-First World War historical setting? Well-written, fleshed out and varied queer characters? Paranormal goings-on? Yes to all!

This was a really fun read, that had me hooked from the start and didn’t let me go until the end. Even though I hadn’t read the first in the series I was able to jump straight in with this one. The main characters were all great; first you have Walter, a reserved but fiercely loyal nurse who lives with his friends Sylvia and Lucy (who I believe were the main characters and romance from the previous book). Following a party gone very wrong, a body is found in the town pond the next morning, and Detective Simon Frost arrives on the scene to investigate. He and Walter immediately start to feel something for each other, despite the many misunderstandings and disagreements they have along the way.

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I don’t usually read mysteries but this kind of story was right up my alley; fast-paced, character driven, with an atmospheric historical setting. You can tell a lot of care has gone into creating these characters, and it has paid off. Still reeling from the effects of war, and guarded from the outside world due to their queerness, all of the main characters jumped right off the page and felt fully authentic. It was especially great to have a trans character in Walter, as trans rep in historical fiction is often hard to come by.

All in all, this was a lovely read, with a great balance of characters, plot, and mystery.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy for review. All opinions are my own.