Book Review: An Antique Murder by Norman Russell (The Oldminster Mysteries #2)

My Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DI Paul French and DS Glyn Edwards are called to investigate the murder of a retired thespian, ninety-four-year-old Sir Frank Taylor, resident of the Irving Home for Retired Actors in Oldminster. His body was discovered in his own bed with a dagger plunged through the chest. The dagger is an authentic SS dagger, the ‘Ehrendolch’, or ‘honor dagger’, part of the ceremonial dress of members of the SS. Could there be a possible connection between Sir Frank Taylor and the Nazis or is the use of the dagger a mere coincidence? Given the timing and manner of the crime committed and the efficient routine maintained by the management of the residence, it seems unlikely that an outsider could have entered the premises and murdered the victim .Thus it seems that the staff and fellow residents are the most probable suspects or are they? 

As the story progresses we come to know that Sir Frank had been fearing for his life and had requested one of his fellow residents Mr. Charles Forshaw, to hire the detective duo of Greenspan and McArthur to look into matters if anything untoward ever occurred. The search for the truth involves deep dive into the family histories, of more than one person linked to the victim dating back to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. Adding to the intrigue are two unidentified individuals who appear to be members of an avenging vigilante group communicating on the Dark Web (under the aliases of Bosszuallo and Msciciel) , the gardener with a shady past , a criminal kingpin who has a history with Frank, an antiques dealer who is a friend of the residents and who was instrumental in recognizing the historical significance of the murder weapon and a crew of retired actors whose efforts to contribute towards identifying the killer lead to some humorous and some shocking moments.

An Antique Murder by Norman Russell is an intriguing mystery with an interesting cast of characters and a well-woven plot. The pace was a bit slow in the beginning and it took a bit of effort to keep track of the many characters integral to the plot . The pace picks up in the latter half of the novel and though some of the twists were not too hard to foresee, the manner in which the mystery is unraveled does have an element of surprise. Overall, this is an enjoyable read that holds your attention till the very end. This is the second in a series of novels featuring DI Paul French and DS. Glyn Edwards, but can very well be enjoyed as a standalone novel. Seeing as how much I enjoyed this story , I would love to read the first book in the series as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an eARC of this engaging cozy mystery in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.