Murder in First Class by Helena Dixon ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Kitty Underhay and Matthew Bryant are on the case again in Helena Dixon's newest cozy mystery Murder in First Class. It's book 8 in the series, but it isn't necessary to have read the previous books. If you enjoy a good mystery then this is the book for you.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

February 2022; Bookouture; 978-1800195455
audio, ebook, print (256 pages); cozy mystery

I'm not sure if it is because of the murder on a train or that all of the passengers in the first-class carriage claim not to have seen anything, but this book felt like an Agatha Christie mystery. 

The carriage was closed off so no one could have just been passing through and killed the man who had testified at a highly publicized burglary trial, The passengers, except for Mrs. Craven, of course,  are all under suspicion, especially as more is revealed about who they really are.

I like that there is an amicable relationship between the police and Kitty and Matthew. So many cozy mysteries have the sleuths at odds with the police. But in this book, they work collaboratively. Inspector Greville even seems appreciative of their help. He's not incompetent (another overdone trope in cozy mysteries in my opinion), he just recognizes the help they can provide.

I also like how Matthew treats Kitty as an equal in the investigation. He doesn't discourage her to get involved and more so, he is appreciative of her insightfulness. 

They make a great sleuthing couple. And in Murder in First Class, we get to see them often as a regular couple - having lunch in tea rooms, walking the dog, etc. These normal (some might say mundane) life activities are often omitted and I found it nice to get to know the characters. It made them feel like real people doing normal people things.

The mystery is a good one. A first glance it seems none of the passengers have a motive or even knew the victim. But as the story progresses though their stories start to unravel and previously unknown connections and possible motives are revealed. I had no idea who the culprit or culprits might be. 

The story had a slighter slower pace but it is because there isn't a lot of hustle and bustle going on and it allows time for the reader to get to know the main characters in more of an every day setting.

If you are looking for a good whodunit in the vein of Agatha Christie, then this is the book to get.

Buy Murder in First Class at Amazon

(Kindle subscribers can read the ebook for free)

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. 

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