My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
MURDER BY INVITATION ONLY (Phyllida Bright Mystery Book #3) by Colleen Cambridge is another charming and entertaining addition to the Phyllida Bright historical cozy mystery series featuring Agatha Christie’s murder mystery solving housekeeper. While this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone for the mystery, but each book gives a little more information and teasers regarding Phyllida’s mysterious past.
While Agatha Christie and her husband are away in London, Phyllida receives an invitation sent to Mallowan Hall for a murder from the new inhabitants of Beecham House. How can she resist?
Mr. and Mrs. Wokesley have set up a murder mystery play with friends and family playing the suspects. When the scene is revealed all the invited guests are invited to question the suspects from the scene. As the questioning begins, one invited guest gets closer to the body of the murder victim and discovers that he is not acting. Mr. Wokesley is dead.
Phyllida takes control of the investigation while Inspector Cork is delayed in his travels from London. She soon discovers that all the play-acting suspects all truly have reasons to kill Mr. Wokesley. When a second murder occurs, Phyllida may have discovered the killer, but at what price to her own life?
I really enjoyed this engaging return to Mallowan Hall. Phyllida is a wonderful protagonist/amateur sleuth and with every book her mysterious past and aversion to London makes her even more intriguing. This mystery plot is set up like Christie’s own mysteries and cozies of that era. While I enjoyed reading this story due to my love of these characters, the murder mystery is very easily solved. The reasons for all the suspects to have hated and or murdered the dead man were interesting, but never really pulled me away from my early belief of the true murderer. That will not stop me from continuing in this series though. I cannot wait to learn more about Phyllida’s past and see if she and Bradford become even closer.
I enjoyed this return to Phyllida’s historical cozy mystery world and I am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.
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About the Author
Colleen Cambridge is the pen name for an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. From a young age, Colleen has loved reading mysteries and now she couldn’t be happier that she is able to write them.
Under several pseudonyms, she has written more than 36 books in a variety of genres and is always plotting her next murder—er, book.
Social Media Links
Website: https://www.colleengleason.com/colleen-cambridge/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColleenGleason.Author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/colleengleason
