Death at Crookham Hall by Michelle Salter
A fatal jump. A missing suffragette. An inexplicable murder.
London, 1920. When she catches news of a big story, reporter Iris Woodmore rushes to the House of Commons. But it’s a place that holds painful memories. In 1914, her mother died there when she fell into the River Thames during a daring suffragette protest. But in the shadow of Big Ben, a waterman tells Iris her mother didn’t fall – she jumped.
Iris discovers that the suffragette with her mother that fateful day has been missing for years, disappearing just after the protest. Desperate to know the truth behind the fatal jump, Iris’s investigation leads her to Crookham Hall, an ancestral home where secrets and lies lead to murder…
About the author
Michelle Salter is a historical crime fiction writer based in northeast Hampshire. Many local locations appear in her mystery novels. She's also a copywriter and has written features for national magazines. When she’s not writing, Michelle can be found knee-deep in mud at her local nature reserve. She enjoys working with a team of volunteers undertaking conservation activities.
Social Media Links –
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Review
‘Death at Crookham Hall’ is the start of what I think will be a great new series. Set in the interwar period with a strong female protagonist who investigates crime means it falls into my favourite niche crime subgenre. It's an area of history which I studied, gender divisions, suffrage and women’s development and leisure habits so combined with crime it makes it my favourite kind of book! I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Death at Crookham Hall’ and reading about Iris and her life.
The book was previously titled ‘The Suffragettes Daughter’ and I believe the change of name represented the story far better! Yes, I was most certainly interested in finding out what happened to Iris’s mother but this story is really about Iris finding her feet as an intuitive investigator herself. What type of reporter she is and actually learning to love life after the shadow of the war and her mother’s death. Plus, the bulk of the story is looking into a local mystery centring round Crookham Hall. This series has been promoted as a cosy crime one but the revelations and background are far from cosy. I would say it takes a dark turn for the motivations behind the crime. Plus, some of the images which the author manages to project to the reader are quite violent and cruel. I am not bothered by this as although I enjoy cosy crime I do like a bit of darkness as well. Basically, this is a great piece of historical fiction, as it covers the era but also makes assumptions that the reader knows the basic history of the era and therefore doesn't need to explain every single historical reference or historical figure.
Iris was a character who resonated with me - she is able to straddle both worlds easily, first with her job working for the local paper and also with her class. Therefore, we find a character that can converse with the upper classes and those in poverty - very handy for an investigation! She has a lot of empathy and kindness but is also quite astute and able to tie together clues etc.
I will be keeping a look out for the next instalment in this series and I can't wait to read it!
